Story Reader / Event Story / Stellar Narratives / Story
Ding-a-ling... The sound of bells rings out from somewhere at the festival, while vendors call out to passing crowds.
As dusk settles and the sky darkens, you spot an unassuming stall at the corner of the street. Neon letters flash brightly above its sign: "Balloon Shooting: Hit More, Win More".
Old-fashioned air rifles are lined up next to a wall of balloons. Just looking at it stirs an urge to take on the challenge.
[player name]...
You both speak at the same time, your voices overlapping.
Noticing Watanabe glance unconsciously toward the stall, you realize you're thinking the exact same thing.
Looks like we had the same idea. Want to give it a try together?
The shooting stall is manned by a surveillance robot, apparently without a voice module. Seeing you two approach, it silently hands each of you a rusted vintage air rifle.
You take the gun, flick off the safety, load a round, and aim, just like you're used to.
—Snap.
The rubber bullet veers off wildly in the wrong direction.
You go to try again, only to realize the gun is already empty. The robot silently points up at the neon sign above its head.
Only then do you notice the fine print below the sign: "First shot free. Each additional shot costs two festival coins. Hit a balloon to earn a free bullet."
These old guns were probably rebuilt from scrap. No wonder the trajectory is a mess.
Still, that's pretty standard for festival stalls. A little trickery's part of the game.
Rather than put him off, the unfair setup seems to fire Watanabe up. He slaps two festival coins on the counter and picks up another rifle.
Try aiming a little more to this side...
Watanabe moves behind you, arms loosely wrapping around your waist, guiding your right hand into a slightly downward angle.
And when you fire, let your shoulder absorb a bit of the recoil...
His broad hand rests on yours, gently coaxing your finger toward the trigger.
Taking the hint, you adjust your aim as he showed you.
Ready... three, two—
A faint popping sound follows, and the small balloon bursts.
...(silently claps, then hands over a new bullet.)
Nicely done. Looks like your training at F.O.S. College paid off.
One eye is covered by his hair, but the grin tugging at the corner of his mouth and the pride in his voice are impossible to miss.
A simple, offhand question is all it takes to shake the calm composure of the white-haired Construct in front of you. His smile fades, replaced by a surprisingly serious look, as if he's genuinely troubled by the question.
What... kind of gift would you like?
Sorry. I don't really have anything on me that would make a proper gift... If you're okay with it, I can give you the prize from this shooting game.
Then I'll have to do my best and win you the best prize they have.
Then... I'll do my best and win you the top prize at this stall.
He lets go of your wrist, takes a small step back, and lifts his own rifle.
From here on, it's a total sweep.
Together, Watanabe and you burst every balloon in a single run. The stall owner reluctantly hands over the top-shelf prize, then "politely" asks you two to leave.
The top prize turns out to be a huge broccoli plush. Its fluffy top is styled like hair, and its thick green stalk features two stubby black eyes that squint at you two with a silly grin.
Carrying something that large makes walking awkward, so Watanabe suggests you rest a while. The two of you, and the broccoli, sit down on a nearby bench.
He sits beside you, gently fingering the tag on the back of the plush toy. As he speaks, his tone turns thoughtful.
This broccoli plush was originally made by a well-known toy brand during the Golden Age.
There were others in the set too—tomato, carrot, corn... Apparently, the idea was to help kids get over being picky eaters.
Yeah. Sounds like a luxury, doesn't it?
Still... I wouldn't mind living in that kind of time.
He slowly presses down on the plush's "
If I had the choice, I'd want the children of Oasis to grow up like that too, to be able to say "no" to food they don't like.
We've solved most of the food shortage issues, but it's still a long way from what I hope for.
As the leader, there's still a lot I need to do.
As he speaks, he notices that you've gone quiet. He stops kneading the plush's face, lifts his head, and looks you in the eye.
But I'm not worried about whether it will really happen.
Because you're here, [player name]. Someone who believes in what I'm trying to do. And because you believe... I do too. I believe that future is coming. Soon.
We've already done everything we need to. Now we just wait for the seeds to sprout.
Yeah.
Next time you're free, come visit Oasis.
Setting aside the green plush toy, he takes your hand in his.
It's been a long time since your last visit... I'd like to show you how much the camp has changed since then.
And besides, you're always the one inviting me to festivals. I think it's my turn now.
His fingers tighten slightly around yours. The warmth of his palm spreads through your hand, hot enough to almost sting.
The golden eyes fixed on you reflect the flickering, dappled glow of the streetlights.
So, where should we meet next time?
