[b]Teàrlag Cirsium[/b]

It wasn't really hard to notice Umeko approaching. The Atlesian steel she carries around everywhere always makes my skin tingle with electricity. It's probably from whatever stuff they jam into that try-hard Jetsons aesthetic of theirs. Might be more conductive or something, gives a path of least resistance for all these sparks to travel through. Still, I thought she'd been scoping out the competition herself; she and the others seemed pretty excited for this entire tournament thing. Except ... she's got shopping bags? Oi, it's not like I wanted to do this myself, but geez if you actually wanted to show off in front of everybody for your one second of fame don't get me to do the legwork for you.

I shift my body around a bit so it doesn't hurt to look at little miss mecha lass behind me. She's got those expensive sunglasses, huh? Never really understood why folks'd pour that much money into sunglasses. No bang for your buck, and you could use that money on something that won't break if you drop it. Pretty daft, really.

"[color=D8BFD8]You'd be a dunderhead to want your face on merch,[/color]" I mutter in reply. Think of all the t-shirts people would wear with my face on it. I'd have no freedom at all. I'd be a public figure, and you'd have crazy paps hounding my every move. Couldn't even laze around without people bothering me because they want their own fame and fortune. I'd just be some sorta money tree for people to grab at. A resource, not a person.

Not that it really makes much of a difference in the end, to be frank, but I don't want to be a figma to be lusted over by collectors.

...

That's freaky stuff.

So, team DEVL, huh? That's a name, I guess. Dunno if Umeko even has the style to jag. So what if the "White Devil" gets overshadowed, it's not like this competition really matters, anyway. Just another biannual festival about a war my granda fought in. Just do the entire fighting thing, I guess, look good for Shade Academy, and then go home so I can visit the karaoke bar. Not that I care about it or anything. I just want enough stamps for the free soda.

...

A phantasm from two decades ago's approaching.

Huh, that hair's seriously poofy. And blue. And she's gigantic.

Wait, my hair's incredible? Coming from a girl who walked outta the 70s?

I mean it's not like I don't appreciate the praise or anything but uh-

Wait who even asks people questions like that when they approach them?

Oi that's creepy.

"[color=D8BFD8]Yes,[/color]" I grumble out.

---

[@Lugubrious] [@Krayzikk]