ＴＲＡＣＫ ００２ 「ａｃｔｉｏｎ／ｖｉｄｅｏ／ｖｏｉｃｅ」

[arcanaxxii]

[Video/Action]

Good afternoon, Luceti! [There's a beat as she waves into the camera, before turning the view over to quite a large plate of cupcakes. They look rather normal, and all of them have little stars sprinkled on top of them. There's no telling what's actually inside of the things, however.]

I've been baking an awful lot lately to pass time

Comments

[voice]

[minimonsterdad]

[So much concentrated cheer...] Minako-nee, you must have been pretty popular in high school.

[action]

[minimonsterdad]

Ice cream? Well, okay... [He gets a vague feeling of being bribed, but ice cream does sound good... He drops his books next to the door before he's herded out.

He looks back at Minako as he steps back out into the sunlight.] So have you found more test subjects for your cupcakes yet?

[action]

[arcanaxxii]

[...] [Her head droops a bit at that part, but she's able to recover in record time nonetheless.] They weren't as successful as I thought they would be. They were edible, I think... the cookie dough one ended up crunchy, and the rest-[she pauses]-would you like to try them for yourself? You'll see. [Minako adds the last part in a teasing tone.]

[action]

[minimonsterdad]

[Ah... High expectations can be dangerous, can't they.] I'll give them a taste when we get back. [Gulp.] They can't be that bad...

[action]

[arcanaxxii]

Geez... [She flicks Loki's forehead lightly, with a pout.] Stop being like onii-san! You're both too nice - I know when something's bad, you know. [but she pauses briefly.] There's actually one batch that turned out good, and I saved a couple for you just in case you wanted some. [They'll even spell out your name!]

[In any case! After x minutes of time walking, they'll finally arrive to the item store. Do you know why she wanted you to come along, now? Before they step in too, Minako will be sure to send a happy smile over to the boy accompanying her.]

[action]

[minimonsterdad]

[Hey! The flick makes him frown and rub the spot absently. If he's being too nice, then he can fix that problem right away, you know.

When they get to the item store, he returns her perpetual happiness with bland skepticism. If she needed a human shopping cart, then Keiichi and Minato would have made better choices. In fact, anyone who would even consider using a child as a mule should be carefully watched by the authorities.

But for now, he'll give her the benefit of the doubt.] Am I here to help you look for something?

[action]

[arcanaxxii]

[You wouldn't dare.]

You could say that! I was here the other day, and I saw something that I wanted to get. I was going to ask Nii-nii to come with me today just so I could get everything, but he's busy preparing dinner for tonight. I haven't seen Keiichi-kun anywhere either...

Aaa-! It's just a box, there's no need to have such a worried expression, Loki-kun.

[action]

[minimonsterdad]

[There must be a catch. He glances around at the item shop's inventory warily. It's been updated since he last came.] If you need help getting it, then it can't be an ordinary box.

[action]

[arcanaxxii]

[Would you believe her if she said she just wanted to spend time with you?] You'll just have to see for yourself. [Minako winks.]

In fact, it should be around here... [When he looks around, he may notice that they were surrounded by sports equipment.] We were going to have a volleyball match at the beach, weren't we?

[action]

[minimonsterdad]

[He is easily suckered by pretty faces...

Nevertheless, mention of volleyball piques his interest.] That's right. It sounds like you've already found some people to come along. [He took a quick peek at the initial replies she got.]

[action]

[arcanaxxii]

Well-[there's a dramatic pause as she turns around]-it's what I wanted you to come here with me for! [Finding the box she was looking for, she plops it right down in Loki's hands.]

I needed your help for this. [It might be to his surprise, because the box was not heavy at all.] It's has a net inside! I would be carrying the poles, so I wouldn't be able to take it myself. I'm betting that you thought it was worse than this.

[action]

[minimonsterdad]

A net? [Heeee'll just choose not confirm that bet. Maybe he's gotten paranoid... He rotates the box to look at the cover.] So that's what this is about. You don't have to be so secretive about such a simple thing...

[action]

[arcanaxxii]

I was going to tell you what I needed help with at first, but...you seemed to be suspicious of me, so I couldn't really help but play along.

[action]

[minimonsterdad]

... [Is that supposed to encourage his faith in her?] Alright, I get it. You can't blame me for finding all of that cheerfulness slightly fishy.

[action]

[arcanaxxii]

[You started it first, lil' bro.]

But isn't this how I always am, Loki-kun? If you're fishy of me all the time then, I'll be sad. [She's about to reach over to pull on his cheeks, but she settles for ruffling his hair instead.]

C'mon! I've got what we needed, so we can start heading back. After that, we can go for ice cream all right?

[action]

[minimonsterdad]

...

[He takes the hair ruffling in resignation. He does note her hesitation, however. He'll start toward the exit whenever she's ready.] That's what I'm saying! That level of energy is unnatural. There are times I'm convinced you're siphoning it from the rest of us.