With a cheery tune on his lips and key spinning around one finger, Daniel was hurried to the stairs by Tania as the tall girl was ironically discomforted by all the attention still directed towards them. Unseen by him, her eyes had narrowed, gleaming with the desire for revenge.
But they had barely made it up more than a few steps up the stairs when they were ambushed by a girl from behind.
“Hey! Ah, can I stop you for a sec?” It was the blonde from before, waving after them with a bright if sheepish smile. She was dressed in a white blouse that showed her shoulder and a lopsided jeans skirt, leaving one knee to see.
“Uh, sure…?” Daniel replied, not really seeing an issue as he stopped mid step and scratch the side of his head. Futile was Tania’s attempt to push him forwards as he stood like a wall, making her walk in place more than anything else.
“What’s up?” Tania sighed reluctantly, giving up on her attempt. At least the embarrassment from before was finally receding. Didn’t mean she was not going to pout, though.
“Ahaha, I just wanted to ask… if I could upload the video I made earlier…?” The blonde replied, shuffling nervously with her feet and rubbed her neck. “It really was comedy gold! …b-but I’ll delete it if you don’t want me to!”
She hurried to reassure, eyes wide as she nervously flailed with her hands. Which may or may not had something to do with Tania’s natural advantage in height and higher standing on the stairs making her look as an empress gazing regally down up her as though the stairs were her iron throne.
Daniel sweatdropped.
“…sure.” Tania replied blankly after a second, keeping her surprise hidden. “But why would you need to ask me? Not like we could’ve really stopped you.”
She shrugged with indifference.
“Just common curtesy.” The blonde grinned, puffing out her generous bust as relief visibly washed over her. Tania felt a sting of envy and couldn’t help cross her arms over her lack of the same with a small pout.
“Heh, uncommon you mean.” Daniel smirked. “Or would that be more like an Ultra Rare…?”
Musing, he rubbed his chin at his pondering of the theoretical rarity of such a concept within the context of a Gacha Game and TCG.
“Pretty sure all the others already uploaded theirs without asking.” Daniel added.
“Yeah, but now I got moral superiority over them!” The girl laughed. “Name’s Sarah by the way!”
With bright sparkling eyes she introduced herself, hopping up the stairs holding out a hand.
“Daniel.” Daniel replied with a bemused smile, shaking her hand.
“Tania.” Tania smiled as well, putting aside her breast envy, and shook Sarah’s hand as well as the blonde had become quite a bit more sympathetic to her.
“Well, looks like we’re friends now.” Daniel chuckled lightly.
And then they were reminded that they were still blocking the stairs as a duo of guys awkwardly tried to squeeze past them and their luggage, carrying a rather large and heavy looking box with them. Apologetically smiling, Daniel, Tania and the newly introduced Sarah scooted out of the way.
They decided to continue their conversation on the way to their respective rooms.
“So, Gacha or TCG?” Sarah asked with a flash of her eyes.
Daniel and Tanie blinked at that sudden non-sequitur.
“Your comment about Uncommon or Ultra Rare.” Sarah clarified with a laugh. “What’s the money sink? Gacha Games? TCG? Or maybe… could it be both~?”
A mischievous grin was on her lips as she leaped up the stairs ahead of them and understanding lit up in Daniel’s eyes.
“Well, for me I would have to say TCG then.” Daniel answered with a smile. And then jabbed his thumb towards Tania with a toothy smirk. “But sadly I have to say it’s Gacha all the way for her. She’s got a ton of them on her phone.”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“You’re the one who put them there!” Tania exclaimed.
“Ah, but I’m not the one playing them.” He nodded in sagely wisdom.
Fuming, Tania swallowed the scathing words bubbling on her tongue. Oh, she really wanted to remind him why he was even allowed to add those games to her phone! Only Sarah’s presence held her back from spitting them out, her eyes flitting towards the girl for a second before groaning aggravated.
“Ugh, I hate you.” Tania whined as she slumped forwards in the end, glaring hatefully at her best friend.
“I love you, too.” Daniel chuckled, teasing affection bleeding through.
Sarah held back a giggle as she watched their interaction from the side, a wide grin still spread across her lips. There was clearly something more going on here but not exactly anything she could ask about as barely less than a stranger to them. Still…
“So, are you two married~?” She couldn’t help but ask with a mischievous twinkle of her eyes.
Both Daniel and Tania nearly tripped and face planted on the stairs at that out-of-nowhere question, at least the carpet floor wouldn’t have hurt that much. Aghast the duo stared at Sarah.
“W-what?! No!” They exclaimed in perfect synch.
“Well, your acting like a married couple. What else am I supposed to think?” Sarah huffed with a playful pout, crossing her arms.
“Something less extreme…” Danial deadpanned as he found his footing first.
“And that’s all you’re going to get.” Tania nodded firmly.
“Fair enough.” Sarah replied and sheepishly rubbed her neck. She blinked at the floor when she noticed Daniel and Tania moving out into the hallways. She hadn’t even realised they had already passed the other floors!
“Oh, right! Here’s my EGO and Paperglass account I use to upload stuff.” She quickly pulled out a crumbled up piece of paper and scribbled the name down, handing it to Tania. “S-sorry about just pouncing at you like this. Maybe we can see each other tomorrow at breakfast or the con! See ya~”
And with a playful wink she flitted back down the stairs, waving cheerfully. And then poked her head around the corner with a bright grin again before actually leaving them behind.
Amused the duo watched after her.
“Well, that was definitely a thing that happened. She was chipper.” Daniel mused amused, a grin curling his lips.
“Yeah… But maybe a bit too friendly.” Tania sweatdropped though a smile still came to her.
———
Leaving the sudden but enjoyable ambush behind, Tania and Daniel finally reached their hotel room. It was a comfortably large apartment in size with a large central room, kitchen and bath. A large and cozy double bed stood centre left from the entrance, directly beneath the large panorama window gazing over the town, and there was enough open space from them to unpack their suitcases without needing to climb over them. The kitchen was past the door at the far end while across of the bed stood the bathroom door. Both the door and the wall separating the rooms were made out of thick tiles of glass that blurred the view.
Relieved, the duo plopped down their luggage and got to unpacking. Both hadn’t packed too much to reserve space for all the goodies they would inevitably buy at the con, but it was still enough to last them a week to explore around Cap Flortia afterwards.
Tania peeked randomly over her side of the bed, eyes narrowed at Daniel. She hadn’t forgotten about his wicked plan to dye her hair! But he had apparently hidden it exceedingly well from her. And so they both laid sprawled out on the bed, enjoying a nice rest from all the exhaustion of this morning to early afternoon.
“Hey, did you message the others yet?” Tania called out from her side of the bed, tilting herself backwards to look over at him.
“No, not…” Daniel just shook his head in negative, looking at his phone, when a knock at the door rung out. He blinked and exchanged looks with Tania.
“…maybe Jake or Luna saw us, though?” He offered as he hopped off the bed to take a peek through the peephole. A grin came to his lips and he opened the door without any further delay.
“Heya, Natalie! Maria!” He greeted them with a cheerful wave while Tania squawked startled and scrambled to her feet.
“Hah! Found them beforehand! Pay up~!” Maria, a petite girl of shot, wild red hair, grinned smugly up at the girl next to her. Hands victorious stemmed into her side. She was dressed in a large, loose black shirt that looked like it was splattered with colourful paint, hanging lopsided above her hips, with a grey mini skirt snugly held tight by a belt.
“Why didn’t you write…?” Natalie, a slender, buxom beauty of long, wavy and clearly coloured hair of gold blending into blue, stared deadpan at Daniel. She was dressed in a pair of tight, white hot pants and a small, white top that left her belly exposed.
With large, fluttering eyes Maria held out her hand with little grabby motions.
“Ugh, here’s your money, you little shit…” Grumbling annoyed, Natalie pulled her wallet out and reluctantly handed the twenty to the smug little imp.
“Much thanks~” Maria hummed with a innocent grin as she pocketed it cheerfully.
Daniel sweatdropped and chuckled awkwardly under Natalies mock glare. If there was one thing the Queen of Greed hated more than anything, it was making her lose money to a bet. And he had just done that.
“Well, nice to see you, too, Daniel. Why, thank you. Come on in.” He muttered with a played up pout.
“Oh, yeah! Hi, Dan! How’re things?” Maria waved brightly back as if nothing had happened and promptly squeezed past him inside, exchanging a cheerful hello with Tania who smiled amused by the small girl.
“Good good until we made a scene at the entrance and Natalie started glaring at me.” Daniel hummed as he followed after her, leaving Natalie to Tania.
Natalie gave a deadpan look to Tania who snirted amused.
“And here I thought you would be on my side, Tania, such cruelty…” Natalie cried out dramatically, draping herself over the other girl, big, crocodile tears shimmering in her eyes she gazed up at Tania from above her bosom while her own smooshed against her tummy.
“I’m sure you will get over it, Lili.” Tania patted her back patronisingly and dragged her inside, the other girl stumbling along as she continued to cling to her.
“Yeh, probably. But Daniel owes me twenty bucks now.” Natalie grinned foxy.
“Oi!” Came his prompt response.