Day 1
Charlotte: What's this, Ms. Raven?
Coach Raven: A seed that will settle in your heart and soon grow to be your closest friend. Its roots will stretch all the way from Australia to the soles of your feet, and together, you will make the music to your Floor Ritual.
Coach Raven: Now, my dear, listen closely. Listen to what it has to say. Listen!
Coach Raven: Hold it. Feel it. Let it know who you are.
Coach Raven: It isn't just a piece of wood, but a mouthpiece passed down through the ages.
Coach Raven: It allows us to understand what our god hears during the ritual!
Charlotte: It doesn't look all that special to me.
Coach Raven: Haha, silly girl. If you want it to speak, you must greet it with your arcane skill first. It's the only language it'll understand!
Charlotte: Alright.
Charlotte: It's responding!
Didgeriwood: #$%^&&)#@
Charlotte: Ugh, that sounds awful.
Coach Raven: That's because you greeted it awfully.
Charlotte: I greeted it awfully? You mean the fluctuation of my arcane skill wasn't stable enough?
Coach Raven: Yes. Speak to it politely, and it'll respond with politeness.
Day 7
Charlotte: weep Ms. Raven, that hurts.
Coach Raven: The path of pilgrimage is full of thorns. It offers no shortcuts. You must make your way, inch by inch.
Coach Raven: Otherwise, you'll never reach the sanctuary of glory—the place where all the lights gather.
Coach Raven: And you'll die a nobody.
Charlotte: Full of thorns. So, will I be freed from pain if I keep training?
Coach Raven: Shush. Press your head against your shin, just as the divine son did.
Charlotte: Okay. Ugh!
Coach Raven: Closer! I want that head tight against your shin!
Charlotte: Ugh!!
Coach Raven: The tighter, the better!
Charlotte: Yes, Miss ... Ah!
Day 93
Coach Raven: Confusion, sadness, I can see it all over you.
Charlotte: My classmates were making fun of me. They said I was using the training to avoid my duties.
Charlotte: They said I never do anything with them. I've skipped classes, sports days, and the summer outing.
Charlotte: They said that all I do is train to be a clown in a show.
Charlotte: M-Ms. Raven, can I take a break, just for today? I want to spend time with my classmates.
Coach Raven: No, no. You made a promise, remember?
Charlotte: Yes. I promised to focus on my training and never slack, no matter what. If I want to be a champion, I need to be able to beat every other Floor Ritualist in the world.
Charlotte: Every tear, every drop of sweat, will pave my path to the podium.
Coach Raven: So, you do remember it, every word.
Coach Raven: Our god can only hear the most faithful prayers. Yes, only the most faithful. You must offer everything you have to him. Your heart, your flesh, from here to here.
She traces a path from Charlotte's head to her toes with her finger.
Coach Raven: If you can't do that, you'll be surpassed and never win the attention of our god.
Coach Raven: If that happens, you'll be completely forgotten, like you never existed. Is that what you want?
Charlotte: No.
Coach Raven: Then what are you waiting for? Begin.
Day 569
Coach Raven: Tsk, tsk. No, not like that.
Charlotte: Why? This element will score me points!
Coach Raven: Yes, but not enough!
Charlotte: Not enough? Then, they should revise their scoring system!
Coach Raven: By "not enough," I mean it's imperfect, unfaithful! Our god won't hear you. Are you unwilling to try a better element or simply unable to?
Charlotte: Oh, please! I can do any element without even trying!
Coach Raven: Then show it to our god!
Charlotte: I've got it! Stop nagging me!
Willow: ...
Willow: Heh, I suppose I got carried away. This applause isn't for me.
Willow: But it should be.
Willow rubs her brow, a heavy expression on her face as she peers at Caroline. She's being showered with applause.
Willow: What distracted me? It must've been that graceful element that Caroline finished perfectly. She had it down to the smallest detail.
Willow: In that way, we're alike. Sticklers for detail. That's why ...
She squints as her eyes continue to follow Caroline.
Caroline Bartley: Thank you! Thank you, everyone!
Willow: I'm feeling so restless.
With a respectful salute, Caroline exits the floor.
Broadcast: Player No. 2407, Anna Smith, please enter the field.
The ritualist named Anna makes her way to the floor and gets into position.
Caroline Bartley: What did you think, Charlotte?
Caroline pats Willow's shoulder from behind.
Willow: Well, you certainly haven't skimped on your training these past years.
Caroline Bartley: That's it?
Willow shoots Caroline a sharp look.
Willow: You're better than when you were nine. I'll give you that.
Caroline Bartley: Haha!
Caroline Bartley: But ...
Caroline steps toward the railing of the spectator area.
Caroline Bartley: Are you sure you saw my performance clearly? The smog's rather heavy.
Side by side, Willow and Caroline peer through the dense smog as they watch Anna perform her routine.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side.
Tooth Fairy: Flutterpage.
Flutterpage: Ms. Tooth Fairy, Mr. Brimley! Good timin'!
Brimley: Just in time, eh? Well, we wouldn't want to miss Ms. Willow's performance, now, would we?
Flutterpage: The lady doin' her routine right now is called Anna. It should be Ms. Willow next, but I can hardly see a thing.
Tooth Fairy: True. The smog's too heavy.
Tooth Fairy: Hopefully, it'll clear before Ms. Willow comes out.
Suddenly, the didgeriwood's song comes to a grinding halt.
Brimley: What's wrong?
Anna stops mid-routine and gestures toward the judges. Her mouth is moving.
An unease spreads among the crowd.
Spectator I: Why'd she stop?
Spectator II: I think she's requesting a timeout.
Spectator III: A time-out? Is she hurt?
As Anna walks away from the floor, the crowd buzzes with speculation.
After some time, the speakers crackle to life with an announcement.
Broadcast: buzz Silence, please. An announcement from the Floor Ritual judges.
Broadcast: Due to ... buzz ... force majeure ... buzz ...
Broadcast: Player No. 2407, Anna Smith ... requested suspension ... buzz ... After discussion ... the judges have decided to ... suspend the game.
Flutterpage: Suspended? What about Ms. Willow?! Will she not get to compete?
A number of spectators start to leave, while others stay put.
Spectator I: Suspended?! We gave everything to hold these Games! How could she just back out like this?!
Spectator III: I heard that a Winged Key Archery player got injured. Maybe that's why.
Spectator II: What, so we're supposed to just leave? The Games have hardly begun!
Flutterpage: Ms. Tooth Fairy, what should we do? Ms. Willow was next. It'll be such a shame if she can't play.
Tooth Fairy: ...
Tooth Fairy looks into the murky yellow smog and sighs.
