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─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
LIKE A TATTOO, SADE
TRULY AT THIS MOMENT, HER SOUL HAD LEFT HER BODY. The remains of her figure choked on the hunk of turkey lodged in its throat, preventing any oxygen from entering or leaving its airways.
In an attempt to savor any of the remaining air she had left, her arms flailed around, trying to locate any beverage that might be in her line of sight. Clutching and guzzling a nearby mug of beer, she washed down the meat, allowing herself to breathe once again.
"I... what?!"
"I'll repeat!" The commentator of the race began, repeating himself for the second time. "By deliberation, according to judges in the hot air balloons above, Riley DeSantos will incur a punishment. Reportedly, she used a weapon to disrupt the race, so she will drop 20 places as a penalty. I repeat, Riley DeSantos will now drop 20 places as a penalty!"
Confused, muffled sounds of the crowd and racers alike began around the atmosphere, and Riley deliberately dropped to her knees in despair.
"As a result, 2nd place will now rise to first, all the other places following suit! 1st place in the first stage of the Steel Ball Run belongs to Diego Brando!"
Riley searched around for the blonde but couldn't find him, and her eyes met with another familiar pair of green ones.
Gyro, who was stuffing his mouth with an assortment of food and alcohol, paused in his tracks to look at Riley. His eyes were agape just as hers, but their two major expressions were significantly different.
Riley's slacked jaw hung open for as long as she could remember when she met eyes with the man. He quickly engulfed the rest of his food and took a large swig of the liquor he was drinking, before waving at the crowd as they cheered his name.
Riley, now in 21st place, sat on the ground as she watched him bask in the popularity of the crowd. Her mouth hung open from the sheer astonishment. "This... This can't be... Oh my God. Diego?!"
Minutes passed before she initially accepted her fate. The sun was reaching its setting point, and an orange-pink hue washed over the sky as dusk made its mark. She gathered her horse and belongings before going to a nearby inn, where contestants and spectators stayed to rest for the upcoming race tomorrow.
She briskly entered the stables, lantern in hand, dark and dusty from not being used for however long. Other horses stood there without their owners, drinking water from their compartments or eating their fill of hay.
She gazed over all of the stables before noticing an empty compartment, between two other horses. Santana's reigns in hand, she walked over and led him inside, binding him to the fence of the stable.
She reached into her bag pulled out an apple, feeding it to him. She let her fingers run through his mane delicately while he ate, undoing every knot and ridding every leaf or piece of dirt that plagued its mane through the course of the first stage.
