Rising Shards

The Sky Clay southern mall didn't have the size of the Twin Wolves mall in LE, but it made up for that in not feeling so overwhelming. Zeta had picked out a Raina Starlight book and a new Raina Starlight action figure complete with golden bloodsaber, so she was feeling suitably rewarded for her driving efforts.

"Hey," Stella said, pulling on my sleeve a bit, her voice quiet. "You've been kinda quiet. All good?"

"I think?" I said, not having anything immediately wrong. "I wasn't even sure I was spacing out."

"Well," Stella grabbed my hand, checking to see if the others were looking before leaning in and kissing my cheek, whispering, "I figured you needed some attention."

"Well, I could always use some attention from you," I said. "But...I'm good with this too."

"Alright," Stella said.

"I'm good! I mean it!" I said. "Don't I?"

"I think only you can answer that," Stella said. "If they get too much just say so, I'm not afraid to tell Pippi to go."

Alix and Pippi walked in front of us, casually chatting. I appreciated Stella worrying about them overwhelming the proceedings, and that was still possible, but I didn't want to immediately be an ass to new friends and be all "this is just a family thing, go away."

"I'm mainly just glad they're still hitting it off," I said. "And in a less drunk all vacation kind of way."

"Hey, we weren't drunk the whole vacation," Stella said.

"Ugh, wait, don't remind me, I can still feel the hangover from the big drinks night," I said. "Zeta, don't listen to any of this."

Zeta was too busy staring at her Raina figure. "Huh?"

We passed by a game store, that had a big banner add of a console with clear purple casing.

"Huh, the eGame 3 slim is on sale..." I said.

Zeta looked up from her Raina figure. "Didn't the eGame just come out, why are they doing a slim a few months later?"

"I don't know, profits I guess?" I said. "I do really like the aesthetic of it..."

"Oh my god, you should get it!" Stella said.

"I haven't had a new console in forever..." I said.

"Get it! Get it! Get it!" Zeta chanted.

"Get it! Get it!" Alix joined in. "What are we getting?"

"Ohhhh, dang, that's a good price," Pippi said, peering over. "I already have the eGame 3 Accelerate Pro, but that price is tempting."

"Why would you get two of the same console?" Zeta asked.

Pippi pushed her glasses up. "Why would I get two of the same console, she asks. I have multiple TVs! Multiple places to game that I wouldn't have to lug my big ol' console around for! Are you still not a gamer, Zeta?"

"Not really," Zeta said. "Kalei gave me one of her old handheld ones, but I don't really use it much. I think that's cuz she was really pushy about me playing it so I'm like, subconsciously pushing back on it."

"That's a good subconscious skill to have, Kalei's the type you can't let boss you around," I said.

"Kalei said if I gave her any less than a B- that she'd dub me 'Bore-inani' and make sure everyone called me that," Alix said.

"I'd hope she was kidding, but it is Kalei, so..." I said. "Mainly I'd reiterate to not let her boss you around."

"Which is easier said than done!" Zeta said. "But, anyways, Dr. Diast! Get the console!"

"You think I should?" I asked.

"I don't wanna go full materialistic about buying stuff, but I will say treats like this are important!" Stella said. "Look how happy Zeta is with her figure."

It wasn't like a huge purchase, but still spending more than twenty bucks gave me pause sometimes, especially after we spent a fair bit on that vacation.

"OK, we each have to get a game, though," I said.

After searching around, I got a newer RPG that I'd seen clips of that I really wanted to try, Zeta got recommended a visual novel by a worker who claimed one of the protagonists looked like Raina Starlight, and Stella got a fantasy game, a series she played when she was younger. Pippi found out Alix didn't have the console, so she bought her one as well, quite the impulse gift for a kind of date.

"W-wow...nobody's ever gotten me something so nice," Alix said, wiping her brow. I thought she was wiping tears away but she had gotten really sweaty in the game store, so maybe it was just that.

"Video games! Yay!" Zeta said. "I'm still not a gamer yet, is that something people say?"

"I mean, I guess?" Pippi said.

Pippi and Alix offered to have a game party at our place, but Stella managed to politely convince them to set up Alix's new system first and have a big hang out another day. She sighed in relief when we split up and made it to our car without them hitting us with something like, "Actually, let's go over to your place!" Before they followed us home.

"Successful mission, I'd say," Zeta said. "I am suitably gifted for my driving efforts."

"Wanna drive home, too?" Stella asked, holding the car keys out to her.

"Well, that's...hm, it's less that I don't want to and more that I'd rather...um..." Zeta was unable to finish her excuse, but it was fine.

I flicked her in the back of her head.

"Hey! What. The freak. Was that for?" Zeta asked.

"Cuz you're a good kid," I said. "Putting up with us on a you day."

"And you're a good, uh..." Zeta said.

"Canon mom! Canon mom is right there." I said.

"I still think canon mom is...it's something," Stella said.

"Neither Faleur sister can finish a sentence at the moment, therefore I'm most suited to drive," I said. "Also, driver gets to play the first game, I've decided."

"No fair!" Zeta said. "I wanna play this visual novel thing!"

"You can after I get started on my game!" I said.

The entire drive home was spent debating what order we'd play our new games in, and how to divvy up time on our new gadget. Something that really struck me as nice about being with Stella is little moments like going to the mall and buying video games became memories I knew I'd cherish as soon as they were done.

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