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The dropship rumbled and juddered in flight. There were no comforts, just the bare titanium-aluminium structure of the craft and the crowded press of sixty bodies. Selen sat between Uto and Dtto, her stomach fizzing with nerves. It had been so long since she'd entered a tournament – really entered, entered to win and not just to fuck around – but when she'd got the invite her white-haired teammates had given her no peace until she agreed to pick them.
They both looked a lot calmer than she felt. Dtto had her hands folded neatly in her lap, head down and peaceful. Uto's thumbs were tucked through the shoulder-straps of her jump pack, and she was kicking her feet happily where they didn't quite reach the deck. Less than ten minutes now until they reached the drop-zone.
A jab of turbulence rocked the dropship, and Selen had to grab the edge of her seat to avoid sliding off it. Many of the standing competitors stumbled, the crowd jostling and rearranging as balance was reestablished. Selen found herself looking up into a pair of piercing green eyes under the brim of a black baseball cap. There were two chromed rings through the brim of the cap.
Selen's mood must have been transparent, because the girl tilted her head slightly, setting her purple fringe waving. Voice deeper than Selen had expected, she said, "Kinchousuru ka?"
What did that mean? Selen reached desperately for her Japanese lessons, mind blank. Next to her, Dtto stirred slightly.
"Nervous?" said the purple-haired girl through a thick Japanese accent. Then she smiled like a lightbulb coming on. "Ganbatte. Good luck!"
"Arigatou," Selen managed, feeling herself mangle the ri. She looked down and found herself facing the girl's bare midriff, the piercing in her belly button.
Dtto nudged her ribs with an elbow. "Selen. Say, 'Towasama Maji Tenshi'"
Selen barely had time to hear the mischief in the reaper's voice before the girl – Towasama? – snapped "No!"
Laughing, Selen met her eyes again. "Towasama Maji Tenshi?" She thought 'tenshi' meant angel, people called Uto that sometimes, right?
Uto, for her part, was rocking gently side-to-side and singing "TMT! TMT!"
"No! Towasama Maji Debiru!" Towa insisted, and Selen could feel the attention of her standing neighbours coalesce around them, grins on several of the towering faces. If she stood up, she realised, she'd be much taller than Towa – not that there was room for that right now. "I'm devil! Not tenshi!"
"Daijoubu, Towasama," Dtto said, grinning. "Selen meeeetchakucha kawaii."
Selen could have worked out that one just from the way that Towa's eyes lit up, never mind Dtto's emphasis. The devil – she had tiny, adorable horns on her hat, Selen could see now – said, "Hontou?" Really?
"No!" Selen felt herself starting to blush. "I'm dragon! Big scary dragon, rawr." She put her hands up and made a claw gesture.
The devil clapped her free hand to her chest like she was suffering a heart attack. Deep voice squeaking, she said, "Kawaii!"
Uto seized Selen's arm. "Selen metchakucha kawaii! SMK! SMK!"
On the other side, Dtto joined in. Selen lifted her hands but couldn't get them high enough to hide her face.