[open] god will grant me my wishes if i'm a good girl.

[sabigoe]

Who: Fio, her two stuffed animals (Judith and Calcite), and YOU!
When: May catch-all
Where: Playback, various eateries/dining areas during the day or evening. Sports deck in the late evening only. Wildcard option available.
Summary: Fio playing arcade games for once, cleaning up everyone else's mess, and playing around with her magical memory NieR weapons.
Warnings: None that I can think of, but I'll update as needed.
Notes: Will match. Brackets is my default and usually my preferred.

MORNINGS/EVENINGS (CLOSED/META ONLY)

[ On some days, in the mornings, those in the cabin hallway may hear a certain little girl cheerfully call to seemingly nobody in particular, when she thinks no one is listening: ]

Hello Sparkles! [ And sometimes, in the evenings too: ] Good night Sparkles!

[ She doesn't know if it hears her. She wants to believe it does. Nonetheless, she calls out, to let it know that she's here.

Unless it's someone that she knows isn't clearly upset with her, she freezes up like a deer in headlights when anyone else sees her talking to nothing. She expects mostly everyone to be disappointed with her. Everyone has a right to be angry. She won't have a good argument apart from "it's my friend." It toyed and killed Vance in one of the memories. While she doesn't know the complete details of the labyrinth, she knows it toyed with everyone else with cruel games.

Dipping her head in shame, she rushes off as quickly as possible to go about her own business around the cruise ship. ]

■ A. PLAYBACK - DAYTIME OR EVENING (OPEN)

[ Fio thinks about what kind of activities that she wants to do together, when Sparkles turns up again. They've played hide-and-seek before. What if it wants to play something else? And she knows it enjoys watching movies. At first, she thinks about asking Pratt if they could have another watch along in the Cheese Shop, but she doesn't know if making that request would go over well when she wants to invite her friend that hurt many of the passengers on the ship...

So, she's at Playback to try solo learning about some of the games. Her presence in the arcade is surprisingly rare, when she usually spends most of her playtime on the deck or independent activities that involve reading or crafts. The loud noises from the machines bother her sometimes. It's not something that entirely puts her off at least, not like the angry voices of the adults and teens yelling.

She can be found at one of the machines, trying out a fighting game for the very first time. Her character of choice is... a cute fluffy panda. She's just mashing the buttons repeatedly, hoping she'll win. That strategy gained her victories for some rounds.

When she notices that she's being watched, she lifts her hands away from the gamepad, getting ready to leave... ]

...Did you wanna play?

■ B. MOST EATERIES (WINDJAMMER, SAND DOLLARS, OR SCOOPS) - DAYTIME OR EVENING (OPEN)

[ Cleaning up after herself has always been a habit of hers. And she always tried to eat a sizable portion for each meal. She would sometimes overindulge, but she's careful not to get into that habit too much. It doesn't take long for her to notice that the food trays haven't replenished themselves to the top as they should. And that some of the dining areas aren't as clean and tidy as they should be.

Someone left their dirty dishware out. There's a spill and some fallen food on the floor. It's not her doing. (Maybe it's yours?) Though she's not responsible for any of it, she makes it her task to help clean up.

She can be found trying to wipe down some of the mess with a clean towel. Or stacking dirty dishes like its her job... ]

■ C. SPORTS DECK - LATE EVENINGS ONLY (OPEN)

[ Long streaks of glittering lights can be seen soaring above the ship.

The regular nightmares have resumed and on some of those rare late nights when Fio wakes, she spends time at the sports deck (with her usual stuffed animal companions sitting on the nearby beach chairs.) She has no reason to try looking forward to her nightly slumber anymore. Sparkles is already living on the ship, somewhere.

A set of two, bauble silver lanterns levitate by the little girl's side, shining bright. With lazy gestures of her arm, she motions the orbs upwards into the sky like fireballs. About several feet into the air, they disappear. Then seemingly reappear again next to Fio within a second.

The motions are repeated over and over. It's like she's playing with a giant set of glowing, magical yo-yos. Her mind wanders off, spacing out. At the slightest hint of noise, she startles, turning her head. ]

Oh! ...Hi. Sorry if I was bothering you.

[ An awkward, apologetic smile. Once disrupted, she stops playing with her "toys." The orbs melt away into shadows and vanish, as if they were never there in the first place. ]

■ D. WILDCARD

[ Feel free to give the current prompts adjustments to fit better to your liking. I know I'm bad at top-levels. Have a different idea? Toss me anything here or PM me! Not mentioned here, but she can also be found in the library. ]

Comments

A

[myagic]

[The arcade isn't a place Rita goes all that often either, because despite being a pretty loud person herself, she can find the loud noises sometimes irritating. But Natsuno comes here sometimes, and besides, it's not a bad idea to get a sense of what's changed around the ship... And luckily, she hasn't found the kitchen yet to get in a brawl with Darcy.

She stops when she sees Fio, and just--watches for a moment. She's so glad the little girl is safe, after she was the one person missing in every sense of the word from that waiting room--not even a head, for better or worse. And now...

She blinks, surprised, when Fio starts like she's going to leave.]

Wait--it's just me, you don't have to-

[She bites her lip. This is just like after the Vile thing, isn't it?]

We're still friends, you know...Sunshine.

rita's hearts to fio made me feel things.... :'(

[sabigoe]

[ Her behavior is similar to the events after December. Only this time, she plays a bigger role in recent events. She never knew Sparkles as long as a lot of other passengers on the ship. Yet it had left an impression on her. She wants to protect it, as well as protect everyone else that she cares about. While she doesn't know where the shadow child is at the moment, she hopes it won't think about hurting anyone else again...

She doesn't know what to say to Rita at first, but she's prepared to silently endure disapproval. It doesn't come. The older girl continues speaking, assures her that they're still friends. A quiet nod. She won't cry, but she has to sniff a bit, briefly pausing to rub at one of her eyes. ]

Of course. We're... still friends. Always.

[ ...One of her new memories of her home reality is a sham, but the feelings still feel real. Like Rita was one of the very few friends she could trust in her sad town.

Fio steps forward, opening her arms to give the older girl a hug. No one should worry about her, especially since she had a chance to sleep peacefully through everything. She's more worried about Rita. ]

a sad feelingspalooza 😢

[myagic]

[It really is just like after December, isn't it? It isn't fair that this keeps happening to Fio. It twists her heart, to see the girl rub her eye and pause in the middle of affirming that, but--there, there's the hug. Rita accepts it readily, giving her a squeeze.]

Of course. Nobody's giving you trouble, are they?

[That's her most immediate concern. If anyone dares to blame Fio... It's just not fair. She deserves better than this, better people in her life...]

[sabigoe]

[ The embrace drains most of the anxiety right out of her. She breathes out a sigh of relief out from her nose, giving a squeeze right back. After a moment, she peels away to properly gaze up at Rita, shaking her head with a small smile that's hopefully reassuring. Surprisingly no one's given her "trouble." Every passenger was put in danger. It's mind boggling to her that other passengers are letting her slip by with her decision to remain friends with the shadowy entity. ]

...No trouble. [ Not yet. She keeps expecting something to happen. Doesn't she deserve some kind of punishment? The smile falters and the look of concern returns. ] And what about you? Were you hurt?

[myagic]

Good.

[It's a relief, both Fio's response and the squeeze she gives in return. Really, she's glad Fio turned out to be safe from that fiasco, putting aside everything else... Not that Fio can put it aside, though, since she asks about Rita--but she gently shakes her head.]

No. I made it through okay. [Physically, at least, and she never had to step through the door to the maze. Emotionally...is a bit of a different story, but let's not examine that too much!] Besides, even if I hadn't... That wouldn't be your fault or anything.

[sabigoe]

[ Fio doesn't say anything for a moment, shoulders slumping. It would have still been her fault. The cracks in reality and whatever horrors the passengers faced could have been stopped earlier, if she had made better choices. If she had spoken up early. She's not about to start beating herself up again about it. Not in front of Rita. That would only bring more worry.

She wants to focus on what she can do now. ]

...I'm glad you're still here. [ She smiles weakly, then slips away, turning back towards the arcade machine. ] Do you wanna play with me for a little while? I'm not really good at this game though.

[ The only reason she's playing is in case Sparkles wants to play together someday. She wonders if she can try introducing some of her friends to it, to help get it used to being around others again... ]

[myagic]

Yeah... I'm glad you're here, too.

[...Fio's still blaming herself, isn't she? Even Rita can tell, based on that reaction... That unhappy thought sticks in the back of her mind, even as she follows Fio over to the game, giving it a cursory look.]

Hm...sure, why not? [As if she'd say no. She squints at the screen; she hasn't really played the games in here, despite how long it's been since they were on the ship.] What sort of game is it?

[sabigoe]

[ Fio is the same, having never really played the games in Playback. Until today. Most of the time, she's observing others. The only other game she's played is Pac-Man. That was only when Mizuki was still around though. ]

It's some kind of game where you gotta pick a character and "KO" the other player. I wish we could be on teams...

[ That's okay. Because it's just a video game! Spoilers: It's knock-off Tekken. So, a versus fighting game. She falls silent for a moment, scrolling through the character selection screen with the joystick. Ultimately, she does end up going back to the adorable panda character she had earlier...

Something's on her mind during the few seconds of quiet concentration, debating if she should talk about... it. Around Rita. ]

I... thought I could try learning to play, 'cause maybe Sparkles might like playing something like this with me.

[myagic]

Yeah, you're not really the competitive type, are you?

[Rita follows her lead, idly scrolling through the characters until she picks a fashionable-looking girl (in her opinion) without all that much consideration, since she doesn't know how any of the characters work. It does seem like an odd choice of game to choose, on Fio's part...

But the reason quickly comes out, and Rita glances over in mild surprise--more from the fact that Fio's bringing it up at all, but...Rita doesn't want her to be afraid to talk about things that matter to her. So, after a moment, she nods. Her thoughts on Sparkles are...a little complicated, and she's not entirely sure where she stands on what to do about it--but she's willing to try to understand what drew Fio to it in the first place.]

...That does sound like you, Fio. Do you...know what kind of games it likes?

[Besides death mazes, apparently...]

[sabigoe]

Not really I guess. I don't play a lot of games like that...

[ Apart from Sparkles, she's the only child aboard the ship now. She knew a few other young passengers, but they didn't have much time to get familiar before disappearing. And the children from home, who she once called friends, betrayed and abandoned her. A majority of Fio's playtime is usually independent activities without much competition. ]

Ohhh... she's really pretty! [ She comments on Rita's selection. Honestly, a lot of them are in this little girl's eyes. The screen switches shortly after to the stage selection. She idly scrolls around with the joystick. ]

We played hide-and-seek together once. I'm not sure if that's its favorite... [ At the time, Sparkles told her she could do anything that she wanted. She kept making "wishes" in that dream, specifically for Sparkles. She tends to focus on the happiness of others, always claiming that she's happy if the other is happy. For anyone to ask what she wants to do, is a little rare sometimes. ] It likes to read and watch movies. I don't know a lot about movies...

[ She's only familiar with the stop motion movie they watched together and Pokémon. Thanks to Pratt and Natsuno for the latter. ]

...It only had one other friend before meeting me. [ Amma. Finally, she pushes the button, selecting a colorful stage that resembles the carnival they visited in the previous excursion. ] Sparkles is a little lonely, I think. I'm... hoping it can make more friends.

[ ...There's something she's trying to tell Rita. ]

[myagic]

[It's some of the many similarities she sees between Estelle and Fio. For example, even if the cause and circumstances differed, Estelle also grew up without any friends to play games with, losing herself in the worlds of books instead... And she didn't like fighting, either, though she also wasn't someone who should be underestimated.

...It was awkward to recall the new memories, but Rita's still kind of glad they had the chance to meet.

Rita casually tries a couple of button inputs, but she's not really focusing on the game; she's listening closely to Fio instead. Hm...books and movies, huh? Not that those are unique hobbies to the captain, but it's not surprising, if they're supposed to be two parts of the same creature.]

...Hm.

[She doesn't miss the suggestion, and trying to work out her thoughts, she pokes a couple more buttons--making the character jump in the air and kick.]

...I don't know how I feel about making friends with it. [Besides "not very enthusiastic", anyway. It might not be an answer Fio wants to hear, but Rita isn't really one for lying in this situation. That would just be worse, in the end.] But...we all saw how it felt about you.

[And heard it. How can she forget the way it was bawling, clinging to Fio?]

[sabigoe]

[ Fio isn't paying too close attention to her performance in the arcade match. She doesn't show disappointment when her panda character gets knocked back a couple times after receiving a few kicks to the face. Neither does she display any disappointment when Rita expresses her uncertainty about befriending Sparkles. That answer is to be expected. Everyone has a right to be upset or angry. Or even, scared. ]

...Of course. We're friends. It cares and I care about it too. It wasn't angry or scary when we were together. [ Maybe it's odd that she adores someone that she only knew for three nights. (Then again, she only knew Levania for around five...) Those feelings grew a little bigger after being separated for too long.

A pause, seemingly focused on the screen. But really, she's just thinking about how to word her question. She pushes a single button repeatedly, making the panda do a set of punches. ] I can let the both of you meet sometime. I can introduce you. [ ...She doesn't want to force it, as much as she wants Sparkles to have more friends besides just her. ] If you want.

[ And if Fio's there with both of them, maybe it'll be okay...? ]

[myagic]

Yeah, that much is clear.

[While Rita can be competitive when she gets into something, like Fio, her heart's not in the game right now. She only takes the barest notice of the punching panda, tilting the joystick to move her character slowly back rather than making any active move to dodge or counter. Since it seems like Fio's also building up to something, and what that something is...]

To try and be friends...huh? [That, too, isn't all that surprising, coming from Fio. Still... Even if Rita can understand why Sparkles hated the captain, she can't forgive it for nearly destroying them all along with it.]

...I'm not like you or Estelle, Fio. You should--pick someone better than me for that sort of thing.

[sabigoe]

[ A small smile. ] ...Ellie's a nice princess. Like the ones in picture books. I'm happy we were able to meet.

[ Briefly, her onscreen character stops moving. Her shoulders sag slightly in defeat. Almost. She can't give up entirely now. It takes a few seconds for her to move the controls lightly, letting the panda advance slowly forward.

It would be nice if Sparkles could make another friend. But maybe they don't exactly have to become close friends or anything like that. Just help it familiarize with the other passengers that it's sharing a living space with. At the very least, she wants it to see that humans can be good. Not only that, she wants Rita to see that the shadowy entity is capable of doing the same. ]

You're a good person and a good friend. It's fun spending time with you. You're super smart too... I don't understand a lot about magic, but I can tell you really know your stuff! I just... I want Sparkles to see how good of a person you are.

this thread makes me sad...

[myagic]

...Yeah. Me too.

[Fio deserves more friends like Estelle--good, kind people, ones who won't hurt or disappoint her. Someone to give light to her life, so she's not the only one bringing it to others...

Even the way she insists Rita's a good person is...just like Estelle. How do they keep acting so bright, even when the world is trying to grind them down? Her hand still loosely grips the joystick, but she doesn't move it, just stares at the screen without really seeing it.]

...You're strong, you know. Probably stronger than anyone else here. I could never be that kind, after everything...

But...if you still think that's okay...

[Maybe, for Fio...she'll be willing to give it a try. Even if she doesn't really have high hopes for the outcome...]

plays sad nier piano music...

[sabigoe]

[ And someday, she would like to spend another pleasant day together with Estelle and Rita. When most people have likely cut off ties or given up ever seeing their loved ones again, Fio hasn't given up hope. Even for Levania, who she considers her closest friend from before arriving on the ship. ]

Stronger... than anyone else? [ A bashful laugh. For her, it still feels like she's on the road to becoming stronger and kinder to protect everyone. ] I'm working on it. Far stronger people are usually protecting me.

[ Which is wildly different from the life she once lived. She recalls her first day on the ship and listening to Friday give the muster drill. All alone with an almost entirely shattered spirit. It's having trustworthy people around like Rita that's been keeping her from falling apart entirely. ]

I'm so happy that I'm not alone.

[ The panda eventually stops advancing forward, but Fio's hands remain on the gamepad. If her hands weren't occupied holding onto the controls at the moment, she would gently clasp Rita's hands right now. She doesn't know how it would go between them, but she plans on being there for both her friends, Sparkles and Rita. ]

And I understand... if you're upset or hurt after all those things. [ She still thinks she could have stopped Sparkles' anger from going out of control much earlier... ] You don't have to meet, until you feel ready. When you are, I'll be right there with you.

we'll suffer and we'll gladly let it happen

[myagic]

[Rita--doesn't want to hope to see Estelle again. Of course it hurts, that idea, but...it's for the best. She can't be so selfish as to hope for Estelle to appear here, after all. That girl...has already been through too much.

Much like Fio.]

I don't just mean with fighting--but you do handle yourself pretty well now--it's just...you know.

[She lets the idea trail off, because putting it to words feels weird and embarrassing. Eventually, though, Fio's words do get Rita to tear her attention from the screen and look over at the other girl, an eyebrow raising as her hesitation turns to some mild and almost good-natured exasperation. Since she already told Fio she tried, she's committed to it now.]

Geez, it's not like I'm scared of it or anything. I mean, it's the one who needs to be ready, doesn't it? Since it doesn't trust anyone.

[sabigoe]

[ Kind and brave. A survivor, as Pratt would put it. She figures that might be what Rita's getting at, since it's the same praise she receives from others time and time again. Being just those things, it might not be enough. Where kindness isn't enough, she could suffer if she's unable to save herself. It's happened.

The timer on their current match hits zero, audio from the speakers announcing a draw. ]

Oopsies. [ A sheepish grin as she casts the screen a side glance, followed by a shrug. They weren't fully paying attention to the game after all. Though she pulls her hands away from the controls, she folds her arms, resting them upon the flat part of the gamepad. ]

...Hee hee. I'll talk to Sparkles and make sure it's ready. [ After that loud cry, she's certain it is taking time to recuperate just as much as everyone else. ] Maybe you could tell Sparkles a little bit about how your spells work? [ Well, Sparkles seemed to take interest in how things worked. It's a conclusion she's drawn from how invested it seemed explaining stop motion to her. Asides from introductions, she's just trying to find something for the two to chat about. They could play games too... ones that don't involve hurting each other. ] It might think it's neat! I bet it'd understand it better than I did...

[myagic]

[Kind and brave, but also an endurance to those qualities... And when that alone isn't enough? That's where her friends come in. Rita...would like to be someone her friends can rely on, too.

She manages a small smile in return, matching Fio's shrug. They really let the game go, but it's not like whatever was happening on-screen was all that important here.]

Hm, I could try that...if it's interested in magic. [...She can only hope talking to Sparkles is different than trying to talk to the captain, but she supposes she'll find out.] Anyway...it's not like I understood it all immediately, either. I studied for a long time to learn all about it--I'm sure you'd get the hang of it with time, too.

[sabigoe]

[ Personally, she finds Rita's magic to be fascinating, especially with how she's able to craft new spells. She doesn't know if Sparkles is interested in other types of magic outside of what she knows when it tried to find magic to bring back Amma. ]

Maybe you should try teaching me again some time. I'll pay extra attention!

[ As if she needs more power besides her flying lanterns and dolls... ]