When Chibis Attack! Part 53

Part 53: Saccharine Cup Prolonged

We bring the bottle back with us. The fact that this doesn't get the attention of any of the combatants is a testament to how well the game is going.

Or to how thick the air is with sparkles.

"Oh, what horror have I unleashed…" Hakkai wrings his hands, sitting on my shoulder.

"There, there," Fill his sake cup with rum, and pass it up. "They were crazy long before you ever met them."

---

Some niggling part of me thinks that Hakkai should have known what shiny things would do to them. But all I've ever seen of this Sparkle Obsession is the pair of cards flanking (and partially obscuring) my grandmother's picture.

Either way, 'forgive and forget' is my motto, and there's still enough rum left in this bottle to seriously help with the 'forget' part.

---

"Goal!" Kougaiji squeaks triumphantly, appearing momentarily above the cloud, caked in sparkles and scintillating in the spotlight.

"What? No, it wasn't!" Sanzo hollers, appearing at the edge of the cloud.

"There are goals?" Gojyo mutters, somewhere in the midst of the messy mass.

---

Sounds like they need an umpire's officiation.

"Looked pretty… effective to me. What do you think, Hakkai?" Try to imply: Can you imagine the mess, if this turned into a real fight? Imagine well, since you'll be the one doing the cleaning.

"Oh, yes." Hakkai agrees, thoughtfully. "I think Team Sparkle even gets extra points for proper use of lighting. But you'll have to switch to Extra-Cute rules now, since he scored in the first quadrangle."

---

Four heads appear, protruding from the cloud at conspicuously different levels.

"Huh?"

"I think the sparkles are getting to him."

"It was kind of mean, not to let him play…"

"Can you get high on sparkles?"

"Wheeee!"

---

"An excellent example of Extra-Cute play, Kougaiji," Hakkai reasserts official control. "But since head-protrusion is an automatic call of Time Out, I'm afraid it wasn't counted."

"Poo."

"Watch your mouth, young man."

"Sowwy, Mummy."

"Game on!" Hakkai raises his cup, and the participants dive back into the coruscating cloud.

---

"So, for the record – what's the score, Hakkai?" I inquire. After all, I do have a job to do.

"Two shots for me, one for you. But, to be fair, your cup is bigger."

"Let's even that out, then."

Pour. Drink. Scintillate.

---

It's strangely relaxing to watch. Since most of the action transpires inside the cloud, anything they break is broken out of sight.

And it really is quite pretty when one of them runs out of the Sparkle Zone, leaving a comet-tail of glitter fluttering to the ground behind him.

That, and Hakkai brought snacks. That makes the drinking even more pleasant.

---

Ah, sports and drinking. Reminds me of my youthful college…

"Ah! He hugged me! I've been hugged! Did the ref see that? Hakkai!"

Yes, thank you, Sanzo. That's the part I'd managed to forget.

---

"Well… it was just a minor infraction." Hakkai studiously inspects the damages.

"I didn't mean to! I was trying to get leverage to adjust the spotlight."

Wait a minute – I thought that was Kougaiji, but when you scrape the sparkles off, it's Goku!

"See? He was trying to Steal the Show! He's just as bad as that rotten, no good…"

"Wheeeee!"

---

"It's Time Out again, Kougaiji." Hakkai brushes stray sparkles from his shoulder. "And you got some sparkles in my drink, which is also a minor infraction. Yes, I'm afraid Team Sparkle will have a Comical Hats penalty."

"But I hardly touched him!" Goku is still mystified by all the fuss.

"That's what you get for switching sides again, Monkey Face!" Gojyo helpfully elucidates.

"You're just jealous, because your team doesn't have matching shirts!"

"Who needs matching shirts? I can remember whose team I'm on… unlike a Baby Monkey I know!"

Where did they get those shirts, anyway? Team Sparkle certainly has a very professional look to it.

---

Hakkai edges around the argument to deposit a pair of Viking Horns on Goku, and a Pirate Hat on Kougaiji. Which makes sense, since he obviously runs a tight ship.

"Comical Hats penalty on Team Sparkle. Along with Sanzo's accidental goal, that brings Team Glitter Glue even. It's neck and neck!"

"I scored a goal? I mean, yes. I scored. Of course." Sanzo seems rather befuddled. Probably lingering effects of the accidental hug. But he shakes it off, along with a shower of sparkly dust.

"Second Trimester, Game on!" Hakkai blows a kazoo, and everyone rushes back into the cloud, Kougaiji yelling, "Avast!"

---

Hakkai looks up at me.

"What?" I hand him his drink with the inquiry.

"Sparkle on your nose."

"Oh. Whoops. Did I get it?"

"Now it's on your cheek."

"Aw, man. There?"

"Here, let me…"

"Don't spill your drink…"

"Right. Um. There are several more on you now. I'm terribly sorry."

"No worries." Sit back, surrendering to the sparkly inevitability of it all. There are sparkles on my socks, where they came too close to the action.

A smile spreads through rarely-used muscles on my face.

"No worries. Here, let me fill that up for you." Pour Hakkai another drink.

"Thank you. Snack?"

"Very good." Take a pastry. "Very good."

After all, you don't ever count your sparkles until the game is done.

---

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New Vote for Team Glitter Glue! Sanzo and Gojyo have pulled even, thanks to a new vote by Renegade Kitsune, in the form of a poster. You can see it from my profile.

Next chapter will be the finale of the Saccharine Cup, so get your votes in!

I apologize for the delay, but I was making you a present: I have written and illustrated The Little Kitten Who Could. I just have to find somewhere to post it, since it's not anime or manga. I was thinking of getting a deviantart account. Anyone know if that works?

Anyway, I'll have it ready for the finale. Then you, too, can cuddle a book.

Oh, and I've updated Chibis Gone Wild. I'll update it again, once my hand heals.

Next Time: The Thrill of Victory! The Agony of the Feet!