[color=gold][center][h1][i][b]DELTΔ HYPER[/b][/i][/h1][/center][/color] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Episode Three: The Neon Bath[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] [hr] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]A Dream of Neon[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] It was one thing to hear about Tokyo, with its lights and sounds, its 3D ads and holographic attractions. The magnetic roadways, both fully replaced and enhanced asphalt. It was like nothing Nora had ever seen, and her eyes were glued to the window of the Southern Cross transport as it began its final approach, landing at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. “Glad the schedule’s set to let us take a peek around the city after race day this time, barely got a chance to see any of Cape Town with everything that happened.” Nora said, sounding for all the world like an excited tourist, and excited she was. She had grown up on stories of street racing and Formula AG, and Tokyo had always featured heavily in the history of the sport. The team also had responsibilities to sponsors that would also be in town, but Nora was never one to allow work to get her down, especially not work like this. [hr] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]A Querious Questionnaire[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] Nora walked into the studio where Aurora was holding the interview with the confidence of a woman expecting to win. This time she was wearing a black crop top and ripped black jeans with a leather jacket, a throwback to punk styles from the beginning of the millenia. Her one concession to team branding was a prominent SC patch on the breast of the leather jacket. She was also wearing the Pounamu stone pendant, the same one that Harrison had given her. As she picked up the tablet and looked at the first question, she raised an eyebrow. “Trying a new format? Can’t hurt to give it a burl. Interesting questions, though.” As she thought about the first question, she cracked a smile. “Most likely to eat noodles with a fork? That sounds like something Henry would do, a silver fork to go with his silver spoon.” There was a clear teasing note in her voice as she poked fun at the Fitzroy racer. As the next question showed up on the tablet she took a second look before she answered. “Think I’d have to guess that Paul is the worst at keeping secrets. He just… He seems too open to keep a secret well, even if he meant well by it.” “Best Christmas gift giver… Hmm… Well, I know Harrison is a good gift giver, think I have to give it to my teammate here.” Nora smiled as she touched the pendant around her neck, then looked at the tablet, ready for the next question. “Fussy eater? Amy or Bea probably. The Brits conquered the world for spices, then used none of them!” Nora repeated an ancient meme with a wicked grin, her eyes flashing a friendly challenge to prove her wrong. As the next question came up, who would be most likely to scale Mt Fuji, Nora answered almost before finishing the question. “Harrison. The man loves nature and mountains, not that I blame him. Bet the view from the top of Mt Fuji is ####### spectacular!” After a moments thought, Nora continued. “Might join him, honestly.” As the next question came up, Nora snorted. “Gotta be a toss up between me and Bea. Limits just a suggestion, eh? Then again, they couldn’t ticket what they couldn’t catch so maybe Bea has more…” Nora feigned an innocent smile with her final comment before reading the next question. “Speaking of, we’ve all seen Bea on the track, I think it’s obvious she’s the best drifter among us.” Nora answered that question straightforwardly. “Don’t get Paul started on classic cars if you want to talk about something actually important, so I hear. Gotta be him, haven’t heard anything close to that of anyone else.” Nora raised both eyebrows as she read the next question. “Running low on material, Aurora? First to die in a horror movie?” Nora shook her head, then considered it for a moment as she appeared to take it seriously. “That said… Might be me. I could see me saying something stupid like [i]Oh look, it’s nothing! See?[/i] just in time for the killer to rock up.” Nora replied with a self-effacing laugh. “Realize it might be a sleeper pick, but I could see Harrison being a full-on romantic and I respect it. The man has a way about him.” “A deserted island? Uhm… If I just wanted to enjoy the ride, definitely Bea or Kofi. If I wanted to survive, I’m thinking… Kais or Ava. They seem the most likely to know what to do there.” After finishing the list of questions, Nora was silent for a moment, before cracking an eager smile. “That was a grouse idea, Aurora. Gotta admit I’m excited to see what the other pilots said!” Nora commented, in lieu of any final questions or thoughts. [hr] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]The Liquid Lounge[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] Nora was in the same outfit she had worn to the interview, the dark clothing contrasting her alabaster skin and white hair. She was a bit nervous, even with the training she’d received from Owen she didn’t have much experience hobnobbing with VIPs, or partying in a place with quite that many cameras, and her media strategy thus far had been, simply put, “try not to say anything too incriminating or stupid.” That said, she wore her confidence like a cloak. No reason anyone needed to see her nervous, not in public anyways. As the two talked, drinks in hand, Cassie arrived and made herself part of the group. [quote]"So, you finally got a match?" Cassie teased, Harrison at first having it go over his head. "Oh, you mean like for dating, racing?" Harrison replied, Cassie spitting the remainder of her drink. "I meant you're actually up against someone!" She giggled, as Harrison sighed, knowing to be better and make introductions.[/quote] Nora snorted at her teammates first response, spraying the rest of her own drink out her nose and coughing mightily as she was thoroughly caught off guard by the comment. [quote]"You two haven't spoken. Cassie, this is Nora, Nora, Cass. She's a friend of mine." "Friend? We're on different teams. I'm just here to kick his wee arse sometimes. But yeah, we're good." Cassie added, putting a hand out to Nora. "What do you drink by the way? I know they're free, but I'm gonna make a run to the bar!"[/quote] After recovering from her minor coughing fit, Nora shook Cassie's hand, her grip firm and friendly. “The best friends make for the fiercest competition, I’ve always found.” Nora smiled at Cassie, the smile friendly, but with a note of challenge. “And yes, another drink would be a rip snorter. I’m drinking rum and coke, hold the rum.” She handed Cassie her glass, then continued. “I don’t like to drink before a qualifier or race, old habit.” Nora added, sounding like she had said it a million times and just expected the question. As Cassie left, and Nora also turned to see Bea, Ava, and Paul, she nodded to the two other rookies. [quote]"I don't think we've met yet. You did well in Cape Town. Till uhh...yeah." Harrison remarked, with a small chuckle, but shaking his head, indicating he knew just how big that hit was.[/quote] Nora winced at the remembered crash. She’d been well ahead of it, but the replay had looked nasty. “And with where you were before the crash, can’t wait to see what you can make happen through the rest of the season too.” Nora said, adding onto what Harrison said. As the conversation, and the party, continued, Nora followed the conversation, adding her two cents here and there but otherwise going with the flow of it. Half of her time was spent taking in the view if she was being honest with herself, the bar had an amazing view of the cityscape, and Nora found it as awe-inspiring as the mountain vista that Harrison had shown her, though perhaps in a different way.