"Speak for yourself. These things exist to be enjoyed. I'm never eating ordinary food again, I know that."

"Hmmmm. I'm, like... There's a saying, a poem I think, that the mind can make a heaven of hell and hell of heaven... But that's not even the point I'm trying to get at... I'm trying not to get my expectations too high? This is a risky path and I need to work hard for it, and once in a while I can teach sailing to a friend or eat the best damn ham sandwich I've ever had, and... Like, enjoy it a lot, but that's what had me stuck in a rut in my old life. I didn't do any things, and just browsed the internet and did manual labor. But now, I don't want to run down my hedonic treadmill, you know? And I want to find some kind of inner motivation for it."

She ducks her head. "Er, sorry for the ramble."

"I knew I taught you something."

"I guess that's wise. On the other hand, don't steal from yourself. Let the awesome parts be awesome."

"Like going ghost hunting in real life, magically delicious sandwiches, and beating my friends in Super Smash on a bare technicality?"

"Yeah!" She grins. "Another round?"

"For sure. Honestly don't expect I can win again..."

She picks Samus and deliberately picks on Cocoa for this round! And then goes for Audrey specifically, the next. She glances at Yuki a couple of times.

It would appear that she's strong enough to kingmake between Cocoa and Audrey. 

Once they notice they start dunking her earlier. 

"Ah, I've sabotaged myself." She chuckles. "Oh well." She checks the time.

Between lunch, five games of Smash, and all the chatting, it's already 2:00.

"Half hour warning, by the way, Audrey."

Does she have time for a quick dip in the pool? ...Nah, long shower, then packing an overnight bag and checking if her fanfics have updated, that'll do her.

Cocoa meets her in the hallway with a duffel bag in his hand. 

"I'm really glad I got a source of Immortal Spice," he says. "It's good for the thing we talked about earlier."

Audrey calls up from the ground floor. "You two ready?"

"Coming!"

He lopes off towards the stairwell.

"Gains from trade."

She comes downstairs too, in casual clothes plus leather jacket plus slightly ratty but nostalgic backpack.

"You coming with us, Cocoa?"

"Seeing London sounds more like a vacation to me than bumming around in Cardiff. I've been before but it'll be nice to see the place again."

He looks at Audrey. "By the way, who's driving?"

"I um. I don't have a liscence."

"Not even a foreign one?"

"I've never driven myself anywhere in my life."

"That's right, you're a Sect brat aren't you? Damn. And Trys is exhausted from training and has been driving around all over the place on my behalf, so I'm not going to ask her to do it. Looks like it's me."

"I don't actually mind driving much, but okay. I could use a bit more downtime, honestly."

"Alright then, everybody into the car. Do you guys want to chat or should I put on music?"

"I'm fine with whatever Trys likes."

"Why not both?"

"I can do something more instrumental." 

He heads off to the garage.