[Mari]

Arle shook her head dismissively at Schezo's comment. "I'm sure I'll be ready for whatever comes next." she replied, apparently unfazed by the threat of failure. Arle then proceeded to turn her head, folding her arms derisively. She peaked at Schezo out of the corner of her eyes rather unsubtly. "Plus, I think you're only saying that because you know you're no match~" Arle went on to tease rather pointedly.

[Rina]

"And you're only just deluding yourself even further. Actions shall speak louder than words."

Schezo also crossed his arms. How long are they going to play this mind game to psyche each other out??? He's not gonna let this be a mental defeat for him.

[Mari]

Arle pouted slightly at Schezo. Aw, now where did he get off making comments like that? "So what do you call the past couple of years, then--a minor setback?" Arle taunted back in a sugary sweet tone. She had to pause a moment to consider how long had it been. Had it only seemed like it had been years? Arle shook this off. Her memory must be playing tricks on her.

[Rina]

Schezo glared at her incredulously.


"Years??? When has it been years? I'm afraid that's not how 'years too early' is utilized."

Schezo thought about what he said earlier. This is coming from a guy who doesn't even remember his own age, so should he even have the right to say that?

[Mari]

Arle just sort of froze up when Schezo called her out on her mistake. She'd spoken without thinking, and now she was in a rather embarrassing position. A slight blush of embarrassment crossed her features, but was quickly overshadowed by an expression seldom seen from the heroine. A pout.

"...It really feels like it's been years, anyway." Arle protested sorely. "I mean, it's not like I learned all this extra magic and got all this extra power overnight~" Arle went on to remark, not-so-subtly shifting back into tease mode. She was making light of her own achievements, as if actively attempting to discourage Schezo.

[Rina]

Schezo just shrugged. Practically ageless or not, he's definitely not known her for years, despite bickering like they were.

"Seems your perception of time is faulty. So much so that you expect everything else to be stagnant."

Aaaand Schezo continues to try and deflect Arle's attempts to get under his skin. In fact, are they at a stalemate at vocal warfare? Who knows when one of them will crack?

[Mari]

Arle eyed Schezo knowingly, a rather smug smirk settling over her expression. "I guess time flies slowly when you're lapping the competition~" Arle retorted in a rather backhandedly sweet tone, shrugging ever so helplessly at Schezo's predicament. She didn't seem to buy his insinuation that he had also grown stronger, for 9ne reason or another.

[Rina]

Schezo sighed. Are they going to stop anytime soon?

"Flying so slowly that my power relative to yours is nigh incomparable."

Okay, does anyone think they're acting childish? The crowd seems to think so, when one random person is kinda watching them take shots at each other. Schezo doesn't seem to notice that he's kinda attracting a crowd for the wrong reasons.

[Mari]

Arle just sort of hesitated a moment, lolling her head towards a group of people watching them. She subtly raised a brow, smiling at them and decidedly disregarding the crowd. She questioned how these people had nothing better to do than to listen in on their idle squabbles, but it was decidedly not something she considered concerning. A snicker escaped her. She didn't seem to be able to take Schezo seriously.

"If you say so, Schezo~" Arle replied light-heartedly, in a tone that suggested she in no way meant what she said. "Aren't you worried about what kinds of enemies you might have to face here on Li, though?" Arle went on to ask. Was she feigning concern? It wasn't entirely clear.

[Rina]

He shrugged. He's seen his share of some of the fauna. Hostile or otherwise.

"As long as they don't part my head from my shoulders, I'll be okay. So far, I've encountered gigantic infected bees, robot monkeys, and a draconic outbreak."

Unlike SOMEONE who actually did the said act of decapitation. Which he somehow survived. Don't question it. It happened, but he somehow lived through it.

[Mari]

"...Well, try not to lose your head then alright? It sounds like you've had it a bit easier than I have." Arle replied, a rather bold statement.

Apparently, giant infected bees and dragons just weren't impressive anymore? It raised serious questions about what exactly she had witnessed that would bring her to make such a claim. Would Schezo dare to satisfy his curiosity? ...Was he even curious?

[Rina]

"I'm quite sure I am more careful of having that error happening again."

Well, the following thing weren't very huge threats, considering he's seen more eldrich things. Has he been desensitized to those things, only that the great abominations would actually surprise him? Maybe, but what about Arle?

"And what have you encountered?"

[Mari]

"..."

Arle's gaze just sort of trailed off into space for a moment, an assortment of truly terrible memories passing through her mind. It almost seemed like she wasn't going to respond, but the moment passed and she pushed her unresolved feelings aside. She began counting enemies using her fingers. "Well... I fought giant mutant plants with shark teeth that wanted to eat me, giant metal ball dogs with shark teeth that wanted to eat me, vine monsters that tried to control my mind, ...and then eat me. ...Shadow demon that tried to eat my soul. Giant... tongue monster that tried to eat me. Giant insect monsters that tried to eat me. There's this thing called a yoshi. That somehow did eat me. ...Then it laid me as an egg... Keeps coming back after I defeat it, too." Arle went on, visibly shuddering at that last part. She seemed to lose her concentration, becoming flustered.

"...I'm starting to get some perspective on why Sonic hates this planet so much." Arle remarked under her breath. "Every monster on this planet has decided I'm irresistably delicious for some reason. It is just... the worst." Arle remarked in an uncharacteristically bitter tone.

Arle fumed for a moment before abruptly changing the subject to something much less sore for her.

"...Oh, and I met the goddess of nature. We teamed up to bring some life back to the planet!" Arle casually announced, as if this were no big deal.

[Rina]

Schezo snickered. Everything and anything wanting to eat her? Oh boy, Schezo just got bullets to fire back.

"I believe all that curry has made you curry-scented. Perhaps you should alter your diet, if all the ravenous beasts seem to find you appetizing like the finest plate of curry rice."

Schezo can't help but get that out of his chest, as if that last line was Arle's feeble attempt at protecting her ego.

[Mari]

Arle flinched as Schezo... laughed. A look of betrayal crossed her features, followed immediately by her body language taking on a more combative disposition. Schezo had verbally struck Arle in a vulnerable area and she wasn't being very subtle about her feelings on the matter.

"S-Stop mocking me! It's not funny, Schezo!" Arle protested defensively.