Flutterpage: Knock, knock! Which would make the world a better place, art or a heart of gold? Ha-ha! Neither! The little knocker-upper, Flutterpage, will!
Flutterpage knocks on Willow's back door, but she receives no answer.
Flutterpage: Hmm? Where's Ms. Willow? She should be warmin' up by now.
She walks a short loop around the perimeter of the house.
Flutterpage: Where's she gone? Ms. Willow! Ms. Wiiillooow!
Silence.
Flutterpage: Knock, knock! Don't jump to conclusions. Mr. Wind will tell you the truth.
A gust of wind picks Flutterpage up, raising her high in the air. She sways as she glides in through an open window.
Flutterpage: Knock, knock! I'll open all the windows and doors, and all the treasure chests, too. Ms. Willow! Ms. Willow?
Flutterpage: Ms. Willow! What you doin' over there?
In a dark corner, Willow stands silently before a peculiar object. She senses Flutterpage but doesn't turn her head.
Willow: You're early. Why am I not surprised? You're about as patient as a dog waiting for his dinner.
Flutterpage: I thought you'd start practicin' as soon as you woke up. What you doin' in this corner?
Willow softly rests her hand upon the item before her.
Willow: Come take a look at this. I wonder if it still works.
The peculiar item sits still.
Flutterpage: Hmm. What a strange thing! What is it?
Willow: It's a sort of instrument called the didgeriwood. Come give it a try. First, put your hand on it like this.
Flutterpage, imitating Willow, lays her hand on the didgeriwood.
Flutterpage: Okay. Then what?
Willow: I'll teach you how to play it.
COMBAT
Flutterpage: It's beautiful, like raindrops patterin' on tree leaves.
Willow: ...
Willow gently puts Flutterpage's hand aside before resting her own hand on it again.
Flutterpage: Hmm? Why's it gone quiet all of a sudden?
Willow: It's broken.
Flutterpage: What?! I didn't break it, did I?
Willow: No. It's been broken for a long time.
Flutterpage: Well, judgin' by the look of it, it must be old. It's got mildew all over.
Willow: This instrument is crucial to every Floor Ritualist. You see, we're not just dancers but music makers, using our arcane skills to play the didgeriwood while we dance.
Willow: sigh
Flutterpage: Don't worry, Ms. Willow. I know broken things ain't always easy to fix, but we can start with the easy part. Why don't we wipe off the dust first?
Flutterpage picks up a loose piece of paper and moves to wipe the dust from the didgeriwood.
Flutterpage: Huh? Is this ...
Flutterpage: The athlete registration form for the qualifiers?
Willow: Um ...
Flutterpage: Oh!
The girl blinks, her hair jutting out in every direction. She pauses for a moment as she slowly reads the paper.
Flutterpage: And look! You ain't submitted it.
Flutterpage: Why not?
Willow: There's still time, isn't there?
Flutterpage: No! You already missed the window!
Flutterpage: Blimey, we've got to do somethin' about this! Hmm. Oh! That's right! Mr. Fog said that two officers from the Australian headquarters would arrive in London today. I think we can ask them to pull the ... What was the word?
Willow doesn't respond.
Flutterpage: Anyway, we need to get a move on! I'll pull you up.
Flutterpage tugs desperately at Willow, who steadfastly holds her ground, leaving them at an impasse.
Willow: ...
Willow: Flutterpage ...
Willow: Maybe it's time to give up.
Flutterpage turns her head.
Flutterpage: Give up?
Willow: ...
Flutterpage: What do you mean, "give up"?
Willow: ...
Flutterpage: I don't understand.
Flutterpage: Ain't this the Uluru Games we've been talkin' about for ages?
Flutterpage: Think of all the effort you've made. You didn't jump up and down in the garden over and over again to dust it, did you? You're an athlete, not a feather duster!
Flutterpage: A-And you finished that move! The, you know, the um ...
Willow: The two-and-a-half turn with free leg backwards and upwards, wand throw and catch.
Flutterpage: Yeah! That one!
Flutterpage: See? How can you just "give up"?
Willow: Oh, please, don't look at me like that.
Willow: Yes, I've always dreamt of completing this element.
Willow: No one knows better than I how much this means to me.
Flutterpage: Then, why are you ...?
Willow: I don't want to talk about it.
Willow lowers her head.
Willow: You should leave. I need to see what I can do to fix the didgeriwood. Don't forget to close the door behind you.
Flutterpage stands frozen, staring at Willow for what feels like forever, before pouting angrily and crouching down, her arms firmly crossed.
Flutterpage: I ain't leavin'.
Flutterpage: I'm angry.
Willow: sigh
Unsure of what to say, Willow lets the moment hang awkwardly in the air.
Beneath the painting of the Irish countryside, one stands and the other squats, the grandfather clock marking each passing second with its steady tick.
Eventually, Willow lightly taps Flutterpage on the head with her finger.
Willow: Don't be upset. It's not that serious.
Flutterpage continues to stare at the floor, shaking her head forcefully.
Flutterpage: I ... I talked to Ms. Bartley yesterday.
Willow: You didn't ...
Flutterpage stands up.
Flutterpage: Yeah, I challenged her on your behalf with a letter.
Willow: ...!
Willow: She only visited me so she could show off all the titles she's won. She's not the first to come just to laugh in my face.
Flutterpage: That ain't true.
Flutterpage: Caroline was happy when she got the letter.
Willow: What?
Flutterpage: She was really lookin' forward to competin' against you. She told me why, too.
Flutterpage: She said you were the most talented and hard workin' player she'd ever seen, and that it took all her effort just to keep you in her sight, let alone catch up with you.
Flutterpage: Because you're different, the one true master of the art. If there were only one gold medal in the history of the Floor Ritual, it'd be meant for you.
Flutterpage: Those were her exact words.
Willow: ...
She wrestles with her memories, yet the emotional pull of the past remains palpable.
Willow: I only chose to become a Floor Ritualist ...
Willow: Because I had a talent for it. I wanted to win.
Willow: So I practiced and practiced, paying little attention to anything else.
Willow: My family, my friends, my life, none of it mattered more than victory.
Willow: To me, there was no reward more alluring than the euphoria of winning.
Willow: But whenever I looked back at my past glories, I felt no happiness or excitement. Instead, I'd replay every moment in my mind, every lost point, every imperfect movement, and think about how close I was to failure.
Willow: So I pursued the next victory even more fervently. I thought, "Next time, I won't lose a single point. Next time, I'll be perfect."
Willow: That was what was running through my mind when I was crowned champion of the Beltane.
Willow: But there was no next time.
Willow: That was my last competition.
Flutterpage: ...
Flutterpage: But you can still have a next time. You can still try again. Look at you! Your skills haven't dulled a bit!
Willow: What's the point? I've pushed away everyone I wanted to honor with my victories. I've strayed too far from home.
Willow: Not to mention ... sigh
She casts a silent glance at her leg.
Flutterpage: Okay, but are you happy when you do the Floor Ritual?
Willow: Am I happy?
Flutterpage: See, I love bein' a knocker-upper. Every mornin', I get to see all kinds of sleepin' positions: some people cuddle, others curl up in a ball, and some ain't even in bed at all.
Flutterpage: I like watchin' them wake up, too. Like newborn kittens learnin' to crawl, hehe!
Flutterpage: And finally, when they completely open their eyes and stand on their feet, I feel a gust of fresh wind rushin' out the window.
Flutterpage: It makes me happy.
Flutterpage: So, what about you? Does the Floor Ritual make you happy?
Willow: I ...
Willow: I don't know.
Willow: The only thing that comes to mind is that, after a game, my mam would take me to the old cake shop down the road and buy me a cheesecake. The same one every time.
Willow: That was the only time I'd allow myself to eat dessert.
Flutterpage: Mhm.
Willow: It had raspberries and chocolate drizzled on top. I can still remember the taste, sweet and tart, with a light bitterness.
Flutterpage: Ooooh.
Flutterpage: So what really makes you happy is the cheesecake after the game!
Willow: What?
Flutterpage: Right, then let's get you registered for the qualifiers so you can have that post-game celebration cheesecake again!
Willow: What are you ...?
Flutterpage: Let's go talk to Mr. Fog. I'm sure he can find a way to get you into the qualifiers. And if your leg's causin' you trouble or anythin', Ms. Tooth Fairy can help you out. She is a doctor from the Foundation, after all.
Willow: W-Wait!
A delicate wind brushes past, causing her legs to lose their earlier stubbornness and follow Flutterpage out of the house.
Flutterpage: Hmm? Don't you want to eat that cheesecake?
They walk beside the paintings of Ireland.
Willow: ...
They wind their way through the willow-bound torches and mysterious vessels.
Flutterpage: Don't you think it'll make you happy?
They pass through the house's front door.
Willow: That cheesecake ...
And leap out of the house.
Flutterpage: It will, right? Then let's go get it! Life's all about happiness, ain't it?
A surge of fresh air floods Willow's nostrils, hitting her like a full-on collision with the outside world.
Lowering her gaze, she catches sight of Flutterpage hovering in the air, a delicate lock of hair swaying in the breeze.
Willow: You silly little Buzzie.
Using a hand spared from Flutterpage's tugging, Willow softly flicks at the silky strand of hair.
Flutterpage: Hmm? Why's everyone leavin' the stadium?
Flutterpage is still tugging Willow in the direction of the venue, but there seem to be more and more despondent people going in the other direction.
Flutterpage: Oi! Where you all goin'?
Will: Home.
Flutterpage: Home? Why? Mr. Fog's holdin' the ribbon-cuttin' ceremony for his machine in the stadium. Why ain't you goin' there?
Will: It ain't happenin'.
Flutterpage: Pardon?
Will: I said it ain't happenin'! The ceremony!
Will: The Foundation officers canceled the qualifiers.
Will: Mr. Fog's so-called "biggest air purifier ever" doesn't work.