I should save this for release, but A) It's been that kind of week B) I don't have anything else to give you this Thursday and C) What the hell.

Wednesday, May 5
Mount Weitang

Utena stood out in the meadow, chin thoughfully in hand, and regarded the rising structure by the lakeshore with a critical eye. The main body of the house was fully framed now. Part of the crew was at work on the two-story section's roof, while another, out at the end of the single-story section, was in the process of putting up the structure for the tower. It was still a long way from finished, but the final shape of it could just about be made out if you knew what to look for.

"It's really starting to look like a house," Utena mused aloud.

Next to her, Wakaba Shinohara nodded in sage agreement. "Sure is," she said.

"Won't be long now before we can... " Utena said, then trailed off, her face becoming still more thoughtful, as she mulled over present developments. She slowly turned her head to regard Wakaba, who was standing there still looking at the house.

After a few seconds, Wakaba seemed to feel Utena's gaze on her; turning, she met her old friend's azure eyes and replied artlessly, "What?"

Utena considered playing it just as cool for a second, then lunged and embraced Wakaba with a girlish squeal that would have struck many of her more recent acquaintances as unlikely. (Wakaba's similar cry in return, not as much.) They even jumped up and down a little bit while they were at it, as if striving to hit as many of the checkboxes as possible.

"It's so good to see you!" Utena declared when they'd finished. "When did you get here?"

"Just now," Wakaba replied with a grin. "Came in on the 10:45 from Saikyo. This is quite a place you've got here."

"How did you get up here from town?" Utena wondered, looking around. There was just the usual assortment of construction crew vehicles and whatnot parked over by the portable project office; no sign of a rental car or any such.

Wakaba smirked and thwacked Utena gently on the back of the head, holding up her other hand to display the gently glowing green rose seal ring she wore. "Duh, I can fly," she said.

Utena snorted. "That wasn't ostentatious in any way," she observed dryly as the two started making their way toward the house.

"When in Rome," Wakaba replied offhandedly, and Utena wasn't even sure what she meant by that; before she could ask, Wakaba went on, "I see you weren't exaggerating about your spot here. Dang, girl, this is too good for the likes of you."

"What's that supposed to mean, huh?" Utena demanded, hooking an arm around Wakaba's neck and miming a noogie.

"Ow, somebody help, my prince is oppressing me," Wakaba complained.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

What I was saying before about Wakaba being on fire? I'm still cracking up about this 10 minutes later.

I also love the "out-loud" (as it were) acknowledgement of Utena's having taken back all the parts about being a girl that she wanted to (I think it was Vigdis who stated that), that she can do things like this even though they're so uncharacteristic. Because why not? It's a fantastic and fun moment for both the characters individually, and a display of the continued depths of their friendship.

An excellent something something. Very much looking forward to the release :)

I find myself trying to adapt the infamous "Dennis" scene from Holy Grail for Utena, but I don't know the source material well enough. Although Cephiro does appear to run off of the "unique sword from a magic-using woman" political system. :)

>They even jumped up and down a little bit while they were at it, as if
>striving to hit as many of the checkboxes as possible.

This was the point where I literally LOL'd. I hope to stop some time in the next five or ten minutes.

A great scene, looking forward to seeing the story it fits into.

--
Unable to save the day: File is read-only.

That was, in fact, a lovely little something something.

Ahh, Wakaba. Never change. Ever.

LAST EDITED ON Oct-01-14 AT 11:37 PM (EDT)
 
"What, did you buy another guitar?"

"Had to."

"How do you figure?"

"Look."

"... Oh. OK, yeah. If you just randomly came across that out in the wild, without special-ordering it or anything, then I will agree that you really had no choice. Well played, music shop. Well played."

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

Utena and Wakaba came in from the hallway, looking slightly tired but pleased from their day's exertions; each was carrying a half-dozen shopping bags from various emporia around Republic City and sporting stylish new accessories.

"Well, look at you two," said Korra, grinning. "Looks like the day's expedition was a success."

"Thanks to me!" Wakaba replied, striking a triumphant pose. "I love shopping with Utena. She makes me feel all expert-level girly."

"Hey!" Utena objected. "I've learned a few of your tricks over the years. I even know what colors not to wear together."

"Yeah, but you still have the style sense of a high schooler. A boy high schooler," Wakaba said.

"Did I, or did I not, pick out this scarf myself?" Utena demanded, indicating the item she wore tied jauntily around her neck.

"Did I, or did I not, have to tell you three times to pick a color other than black, and then you just went for red?" Wakaba replied, rolling her eyes. "You're such a boy."

"Um, on a point of order," said Corwin, and that was as far as he got before they all broke up laughing.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

Heh. And Corwin would know :)

Jeanne

	Jeanne Hedge http://www.jhedge.com 1st Courier of the Heavenly Prophets for Tianxia "Never give up, never surrender!"