The host of the evening remained quiet as Kabuki worked through the puzzle aloud, then let out a hearty guffaw as she wasn’t able to reach a conclusion. ”Aaw, this one is a little bit tougher, huh? Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll have it after just ten or twelve more prizes! Assuming your competition doesn’t steal your thunder, cahahaha…!”
Kabuki would likely be trying to ignore her host for now, more focused on clearing her suspicions that she and Frio might be being watched by more than just PeekingMan and whatever audience his show drew. The Navi successfully turned a patch of the mall’s first floor into hot coals… but there was no reaction or revelation as a result.
”Hmm, things got a little cold for you in that last event, huh, Kabuki?” PeekingMan’s voice called out. ”Well, why not get a move on to your next adventure? I’m sure things will heat up for you then, ehee…!” The host evidently intended to wait on those hot things for any further commentary, as his floating device went silent while Kabuki and Frio proceeded…
The information booth was just as they’d left it, a HeelNavi propped with his elbows behind the desk, and even the pamphlets they’d received earlier still on the floor. ”Oh, liked it so much you’re back for another ride, huh? I can give you another tour of the third floor… or, you can find out about a great swimming location, hm? Maybe some interesting info on the other competitors?” the synthetic voice buzzed.
Kabuki wouldn’t actually need any of those services to find the main thing she was looking for, of course: she’d recall the pamphlets they’d received earlier had maps in them. Unfortunately, the maps proved just as unenlightening as they had the first time. As before, the first map was entirely blacked out, while any labels or identifying symbols on the first, second, third floor were or rooftop were also obscured. Of particular note to Kabuki, though, now that she was looking for it, would be that, as she could see around her, the floor layout of the mall was round, with a circle of shops around the plaza of the first floor, and a similar layout around the opening on each of the two upper levels. Determining what could be “last” or “left” on such a plan would be a headscratcher. The locations of doors could be schematically inferred, but even then, there were so many units with interior doors that “left” failed to narrow the selection at all. If she really wanted to run with “last,” she could look for stalls in the bathrooms, or perhaps dressing rooms in one of the clothing shops… As for the rooftop, the only door to it at all appeared to be at the top of a stairwell, and no separate units were indicated on the roof. Even if there were, the flickering light ahead of the stairwell door wasn’t inviting.
Kabuki and Frio might be clever or creative enough to conjure a new lead from the old information. If they weren’t, they might also consider observing their surroundings. The shops all appeared the same as before. The open boxes in the middle of the mall were apparently being casually observed by Surf, her partner still carefully covered on the board alongside her, but it didn’t look like they were coming up with anything new.
As for the pair that had been launched to the second floor, they remained conspicuously absent. Even in the quiet of the mall, no sounds of either horror, embarrassment, or even their host’s laughter could be heard from above, which might simply mean they were tucked away in one of the stores of the second level.
Hidden Seas Shopping Center
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Kabuki's intuition was less than catlike, unlike Frio, as her concern over HiddenMan turned out to be nothing more than paranoia on her part. Annoyingly, she'd forgotten that the brochures were so bereft of information that she'd be lucky to draw a single letter out of them, let alone full words. The words "last" and "left" and "mall" and "long" and "lost" all anced around in her head as she tried to interpret the clues with limited, single-letter information. Ultimately, it was impossible for her.
There was no telling what the two on the second floor were getting up to, since it turned out neither of them were here in secret, but at least for now, Surf and Dart appeared to be on what Kabuki figured to be the wrong trail. She darkened back to black and pressed one fist to her chin, thinking carefully. She turned her back to the figure in the guest services booth and put her attention on Frio instead. "The way I see it, we have two options to string together enough clues to continue, Frio," she suggested. "I think our best option... I hate to say it, but they keep talking about this swimming. It's obvious he wants us to go there. If we do, there may be a lot of opportunities to get letters fast," she suggested. "I'm a fire navi, so I was against it, but if we just look around randomly for shops and locations I doubt we'll rack up clues as quickly."
She held up two fingers, the continued. "My other idea: we go find those other two on the second floor. We know what Surf and Dart are up to, but not those two. They may have stumbled on something that'd put this all together for us. On the other hand... they may just be unconscious... I don't think Cowl had a lot of control over her air trajectory. No, let's not... we'd have to ride that elevator again to get up to the second floor. Let's try the pool." Provided Frio agreed with her, she'd turn and speak to the information booth person again. She hated to use his means of travel again, but they'd probably be faster than walking there. "The pool, please. And we'd like to see every attraction once we're there," Kabuki insisted.
Worse, it seemed like Yoshitsune was eager for her to wrap up... she told him that it'd be done soon, but she was worried that was a lie on her part, unless the next letter she won gave her a heck of an epiphany.
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As it turned out, Layla had come up with a way they could be served sushi without leaving for it. On one hand, it no longer sounded like a date if they weren't going out... on the other hand... "Eating it in here has its advantages as well," Yoshitsune admitted to himself. "Layla, as the host here, I should probably tell you that our dining hall would be a wonderful place to enjoy dinners among the company of other guests, even whilst ordering food from the town instead of perusing our own menu," he began, crossing his hands on his lap and closing his eyes thoughtfully.
He opened them again, looking into her own eyes, dead serious. "But we would be better off eating right here, in your room. The dining room is noisy. The smell of beers and ales will ruin the taste of sake," he suggested, crossing his arms and seeming resolute. Of course, that reasoning was all based off his real opinions and observations, but his real reason for wanting the intimacy of Layla's private hotel room was not included in that statement, not that it was terribly difficult to figure out. "Let us order in."
He looked over the menu, then pointed out his pick. "I will probably go with the nigiri sushi., for variety's sake. As for you, from our brief acquaintance, I would recommend you try the sushi roll; it is packed with a variety of fish-stuffs and has good value for the money," he suggested. He did not mention that he thought it would be good fun to watch Layla eat a sushi roll; the magazine in his left sleeve suggested to him that it might be worth seeing.
There was no telling what the two on the second floor were getting up to, since it turned out neither of them were here in secret, but at least for now, Surf and Dart appeared to be on what Kabuki figured to be the wrong trail. She darkened back to black and pressed one fist to her chin, thinking carefully. She turned her back to the figure in the guest services booth and put her attention on Frio instead. "The way I see it, we have two options to string together enough clues to continue, Frio," she suggested. "I think our best option... I hate to say it, but they keep talking about this swimming. It's obvious he wants us to go there. If we do, there may be a lot of opportunities to get letters fast," she suggested. "I'm a fire navi, so I was against it, but if we just look around randomly for shops and locations I doubt we'll rack up clues as quickly."
She held up two fingers, the continued. "My other idea: we go find those other two on the second floor. We know what Surf and Dart are up to, but not those two. They may have stumbled on something that'd put this all together for us. On the other hand... they may just be unconscious... I don't think Cowl had a lot of control over her air trajectory. No, let's not... we'd have to ride that elevator again to get up to the second floor. Let's try the pool." Provided Frio agreed with her, she'd turn and speak to the information booth person again. She hated to use his means of travel again, but they'd probably be faster than walking there. "The pool, please. And we'd like to see every attraction once we're there," Kabuki insisted.
Worse, it seemed like Yoshitsune was eager for her to wrap up... she told him that it'd be done soon, but she was worried that was a lie on her part, unless the next letter she won gave her a heck of an epiphany.
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As it turned out, Layla had come up with a way they could be served sushi without leaving for it. On one hand, it no longer sounded like a date if they weren't going out... on the other hand... "Eating it in here has its advantages as well," Yoshitsune admitted to himself. "Layla, as the host here, I should probably tell you that our dining hall would be a wonderful place to enjoy dinners among the company of other guests, even whilst ordering food from the town instead of perusing our own menu," he began, crossing his hands on his lap and closing his eyes thoughtfully.
He opened them again, looking into her own eyes, dead serious. "But we would be better off eating right here, in your room. The dining room is noisy. The smell of beers and ales will ruin the taste of sake," he suggested, crossing his arms and seeming resolute. Of course, that reasoning was all based off his real opinions and observations, but his real reason for wanting the intimacy of Layla's private hotel room was not included in that statement, not that it was terribly difficult to figure out. "Let us order in."
He looked over the menu, then pointed out his pick. "I will probably go with the nigiri sushi., for variety's sake. As for you, from our brief acquaintance, I would recommend you try the sushi roll; it is packed with a variety of fish-stuffs and has good value for the money," he suggested. He did not mention that he thought it would be good fun to watch Layla eat a sushi roll; the magazine in his left sleeve suggested to him that it might be worth seeing.