outdistanced | turbo heaven 🌼 chrono

[ nyeh. that's for me to know and you to find out!!

well that's convenient. what could be embarrassing about this anyway they're just two pals sitting very normally on a vespa dangerously driving up a hill. chrono's in his athletics outfit, grateful for the light wear in the fresh air and sun.

in a straight line, everything's totally fine. he even speeds up a little, as they go through seemingly endless vineyards of different colours of grapes. a vespa engine is actually not that loud, so he only has to raise his voice a little to reply. ]

Haha, no idea! Jus' thought maybe a place we could see as much as possible?

[ it's a straight line it's fine. laurence doesn't even mind the speed up. it's kind of nice, actually? he likes going fast and he's also very wide-eyed about all the scenery, not that chrono will know while he's driving. ]

That's how they grow grapes?

[ whoa. ]

Yeah! These ones are probably for wine, but d'you wanna stop and try some?

[ he's focused on the road ahead, mostly. but when a flash of blue catches the corner of his eye as they crest enough of the hill to see the ocean, he slows the scooter anyway, and leans back against laurence in prompting. ]

It'll be nice, through there. There's some other trees down the end, too. Maybe an orchard.

There's a difference between them?

[ why would anyone know this. at the prompt, he does turn to look at the ocean - it's more blue than he expected. different than the beach they've had up to now. interesting how it can all be so different.

he nods. ]

Okay. We can try it there.

[ he's trusting the expert on this one ]

Yeah. I didn't know either, but Mamoru-san gave me this huge lecture on wine once, so...

[ nice. he flicks the engine off, turns the key back, and with mild hesitance taps laurence's arms to let him go so they can get up and he can pop the kickstand so the scooter doesn't roll off without them.

he's eager, almost bubbly, as he starts off through the rows of vines dotted with dark grapes. ]

Let's go!

[ he's so excited... cute. laurence leaves the helmet with the scooter and follows after him, albeit at a bit of a slower pace. see, he is taking it easy.

or maybe he's just immediately distracted by the sheer number of grapes. so this is agriculture? wild. ]

I can't believe people actually live in places like this.

[ rural life?????? ]

I've never seen anything quite like this, either. It's kind of isolated, huh?

[ welcome to agriculture tower boy

there's no one around, thankfully ; none of the unreal, almost faceless automatons of the comiccon car. he's never been particularly outdoorsy until recently, but the fresh air, however false it was with its sweet scent and clear atmosphere, was a welcome change from everywhere else.

without any hesitation, chrono plucks a few grapes free and pops them in his mouth, thoughtful look on his face. for someone usually so paranoid, it's a little strange. ]

They're sweet.

[ i see. ]

Looks that way. It's really not what I expected from a train car, of all places.

[ fresh air is still kind of a novelty for laurence, even after a few weeks... and the smell of fresh fruit is even newer. it's... surprisingly nice, if a little eerie. it's so quiet out here.

he's not quite fast enough right now to catch up to chrono before he just goes for it, so he just. watches this happen. well. ]

...Are you sure those weren't cursed, Chrono?

[ don't just put things in your mouth like that? ]

[ it's quiet, but the wind and the vague sounds of seabirds occasionally fill the air. the further they move along, the louder the sound of the tide becomes. ]

Hm? [ he kind of. inspects his arms, taps his head. ] Seems okay. At least you'll know in a moment, right?

[ nothing seems to happen. and he doesn't seem worried, anyway. still, he gives him a searching, understanding look. ]

It's okay if you don't wanna try, I get it. But give 'em a thorough look, hey? It's a rare kinda spot, you should absorb as much as possible.

Dude, you can't just do that...

[ SIGHS. fine. he'll just try to keep an eye on chrono for now. ]

I'll try it once we know nothing weird is happening to you. But it's going to be here all week - what's the rush?

It's fine. Not like I've been cursed yet, anyway.

[ which is entirely not the point, but, y'know. it's fine.

chrono takes off his jacket, tying it around his waist to let the sun on his shoulders and arms given the red tank he's wearing under it. he'll pluck at a vine, wind it around his arm a little. everything feels so real, and normal. ]

Like you said, it's a big place. We could spend all week here and probably not even scratch the surface.

If you want to be cursed so bad, we can arrange it. [ he says, not meaning a word of it. ] But it was definitely not the point here.

[ why are you tying a vine on your arm you weirdo. ]

I guess so. [ nothing seems to be blatantly wrong with chrono, so... after a minute, he does pluck some grapes to try. huh. ] They're definitely better than the ones back home.

Hah, you got somethin' in mind? [ he'll play along anyway. ] A curse just for me?

[ it's nice and cool :) vegetation :) don't you ever just get the urge to do this with vines (this is me, aaya, asking). despite the nonchalance he'd eaten the grapes with, he is a little wary to watch laurence do the same. but it's fine, so he pops another between his teeth and kind of talks around it. ]

Fresh'ff the vine. [ bite. ] I think this is my favourite place so far, and it's just somewhere I could've visited back home. Is that bad?

[ snorts. ]

I don't have the right things to make it just for you. [ he gave chrono those chocolate coins... ] You'd have to share with someone else.

[ i, ray, would do this, but it makes laurence think of transformation week and how bad that ended up being. he doesn't like it!! maybe he'll just pretend he doesn't see. ]

I don't think so...? Most of the other places are just... strange, in some way. Not all good ways. If you don't think about it being in a train, we could just be back on Earth, but I never would have thought of visiting someplace like this, so.

[ that probably makes it worth it? ]

Mm, not sure I want to share, actually.

[ shrugs. he's not keeping the vine there - aside from pilfering fruits, he doesn't want to break off any of the plants. they're here to enjoy it, not cause any property damage.

there's a small orchard up ahead, where the cliff crests enough to view out onto the ocean. it's fenced around the edges, thankfully, no i am not that cruel ray shut up, and the trees are strongly scented with citrus. seems like oranges. chrono lights up at the smell, and even more at the sight. ]

Oh, wow. I've never had one off of a tree before.

Msybe someone else will do it for you, then.

[ the way i had a whole tag typed and my phone nuked it. cool! anyway. thank god these aren't apples... laurence just gives him a vaguely amused look as he walks by. ]

They're probably better fresh, too, right?

[ but he's going to stand at the edge of the cliff. no fear of heights or vertigo, it's just... fascinating be able to see the ocean waves so clearly. the tower mostly overlooks trees and the city, so despite Seattle being a port town, this is still relatively new, too.

it's peaceful, even if it does remind him of something else that makes his heart ache, a little. it's different enough here that he can ignore that feeling. ]

...You were right. It really is nice here.

Nah, I don't trust anyone else to make it funny enough.

[ that's the only way he will accept it apparently. kicks your phone also

he watches laurence walk past, keeping under the shade of the trees. the silhouette of him against the brightness of the sky makes him smile, small and completely relieved. but he doesn't stand there watching him beyond a moment like a weirdo.

instead, laurence might find him suspiciously quiet for a long moment, and then a rustling sound from above. then chrono's red-mopped head pops out upside-down from one of the orange tree's foliage, where both his hands are occupied with fruit and he's hanging from a branch with only his legs. ]

Sorry, you say somethin'?

Edited 2025-03-18 08:19 (UTC)

[ he's definitely turning to look back when he hears rustling hello? and there is a brief moment of alarm when he can't find chrono anywhere at all - but then he reappears upside-down with fruit in his hands and laurence exhales on a surprised laugh. ]

What are you, a monkey?

[ he grins upsidedownely. ]

Not the first time I've been asked that. [ he chucks one of the oranges at laurence. here catch. ] But usually because of somethin' dumb.

[ he'll pull himself up back into the leaf cover and transfer the hang to his now fruit-free arm before dropping back to the ground. there's definitely leaves stuck in his hair, but he's busying himself with peeling the orange first before sorting any of that out.

he steps up alongside laurence at the fenceline, looking out at the waves with a vague melancholy to his otherwise relaxed smile. ]

...maybe I'll visit the real thing, when we go back.

[ hey?! he almost fumbles it because the lightning burns make it a little too difficult to move like he normally would - but somehow he manages not to lose it over the damn cliff. ]

You could have warned me...

[ rude. he's not that mad, though, just a little exasperated. ]

It's far, right? You'd have to take one of those, uh - airplanes? [ ... ] I wonder if I could teleport that far.

How else was I gonna get down with my hands full?

[ his expression does drop to mildly apologetic, though. he'd forgotten about the electrocution burns.

the orange peel falls away easily, and he scatters the pieces over the fenceline as he leans on the top of one of the posts. he chews idly on a segment, a pleased noise from his throat at the sweetness because man he loves oranges, and then a contemplative one at the question. ]

Yeah. Tokoha lives in France now, though, so I'd probably go visit her first. Come down here and watch one of her tournaments, maybe. [ he turns to look back at laurence, leaning on the post instead. ] You could make it, eventually. Travelling with you would be easy.

[ that's fair. he shrugs and turns his attention to peeling his own orange. ]

That far? [ he knows basic geography that's not like neighborly with japan. ] Then you could all visit Italy together for real.

[ imagine traveling with friends. he can't, really, but it aounds like it could be fun?

also he raises an eyebrow at that comment. ]

Because I can teleport? I haven't gone farther than a few cities before, man. I don't know if it's even possible to reach another country on my own.

[ pops an orange slice in mouf. ]

Yeah. It was a big surprise, when she moved, but she's doing great over there. I'm proud of her.

[ things he could never say to her face without getting teased relentlessly. he expects they all will visit, sometime, to cheer her on. if he ever actually makes it back.

the look he gives is a considering one, not matching the cynicism of the eyebrow raise in the slightest. it's wistful, almost. ]

Sure, the teleportation thing helps, but I meant more... [ he busies himself with the orange for a moment. ] That you'd just be good to travel with. It's nice, y'know, even stuck in these weird-ass places.

[ what's this "if he makes it back" nonsense. ]

Good for her, then. But you must miss her, too.

[ it sucks when a friend just leaves! even if it's the best thing for them! ]

...You did say you don't mind explaining things to me. [ thoughtful... ] I never used to want to travel anywhere, maybe it would be alright. As long as there's less cursed food and stuff.

[ he's not genreblind after five weeks is what it is ]

Yeah, all the time. We talk a lot, still. Group chat, video calls, y'know, but it's not quite the same.

[ he was only depressed for like three months when she left the first time it's fine.

that comment does make him laugh, a little, turning the blissfully uncursed orange in his hands. ]

Definitely less. And I really don't mind explainin' at all, even if I'm not the best at it. [ he pops another segment of fruit in his mouth, then flexes his empty hand. ] Going somewhere we could actually choose. Doing somethin' without all this hangin' over us. It'd be good. Easy. That's what I mean.

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