Gentleman’s Agreement

The Pop sisters woke up even earlier than they needed to that fateful morning. Locals learn to get used to ride noises when you live inside a park as big as this, but the commotion wasn’t what got to them. Simultaneously, they both awoke, each with the same thought:

We’re so going to lose.

Neither showed it- Katie seldom did at times like this- the two acting just as confident as they had just the day prior, neither wanting to worry the other. Still, the anxious sisters couldn’t help worrying about the worst possible outcome.

It was discussed, while walking down the snowy roads of the park, without so much as a small morning breakfast to get them going, what preparations needed to be made before silver fell from the clouds.

“I’m thinking nets.”

“Where do we get nets?” Katie inquired, all of a sudden the pessimistic one.

“I don’t know… or maybe a bag? Like a big bag. A parachute.”

“That doesn’t sound easy to come across either.”

“Do you have any better ideas?”

The elder sister only blinked. Deep down, Katie really did like the idea of scooping up coins in a fishing net. But she’d convinced herself it wouldn’t be viable due to how fun it sounded, second-guessing her own instincts.

“…Then I say let’s get looking.” Frankie continued. Without yesterday’s hype, she was starting to come off as a little rude. This did serve to ground Katie, who saw it as a nice touch of familiarity.

Unfortunately, none of the giftshops carried large spans of meshwork, or parachutes, for that matter. The closest they could find was a giant Kidney Princess blanket, and they couldn’t even afford that.

“This sucks.” Frankie groaned, leaving their sixth establishment for the day. “How much more time do we have…?” She stuck her red-cold hand into her coat pocket. As she was about to draw her phone, however, she saw the previously horrific, now simply annoying presence of the fourteen people approaching her, trudging through the snow.

“Of course.” Her eyelids fell. Katie waved to the almost-entirety of Bozo’s marketing team.

“Where’s the other guy?”

“Anti?” Happy T. Shuster, the diplomat, responded up in front. “Oh, you mean Inio. Sorry he couldn’t be here. He was too ashamed to show his face again after his last run in with you two.”

“That’s what he gets for being a cheater.” Frankie prodded.

“Like you have any ground to stand on, terrorist bomber!” Retorted the foul-tongued Denny Adams she kept running into, currently lacking his weaponry or any leverage to threaten her with. Come to think of it, none of the marketing team possessed equipment. Their suits were plain, and though some of their faces were utterly infuriated by the situation, none seemed willing to attack.

“N-not now, Denny.” Lee-Bryan Broome sniffled. “Don’t remind me.”

“There, there…” The now-ripening greenhorn Julie Siegel comforted, patting the crybaby on his back.

“We’ve come to make a proposition.” Continued Shuster. “Would you care to hear us out? It’s in both our best interests to keep this contest fair.”

“We’ll listen.” The girl who personally beat up multiple of these employees uttered. “But don’t expect us to accept.”

“Are you bribing us?” Katie seemed excited to find out.

“Quite the opposite. I have an equal deal in mind- so much in that neither of us will be gaining or losing anything.”

“PLEASE AGREE TO OUR PROPOSAL!” Tatsuki boomed, before his coworker even had time to make it.

“No gaining or losing? Gaining or losing what?”

“This… “Moonfall Event.” It seems quite random, does it not? Surely it will fall into utter chaos, underhanded tactics and mischief. It could be a huge upset for either of us. There’s no telling who will win regardless of skill.”

“Which is why…” Continued Frankie, catching on.

“We don’t want to participate. We don’t want you to either. We’ll make a promise to drop out from this zone if you do the same.”

“But I like it here!” Katie pouty argument was, at least, as solid as the deal itself.

“Drop out? What, so you want us all to spend our final day elsewhere?”

“Correct. If I’m not wrong, you and us are the furthest along in terms of tokens. Nobody else stands a chance.” The level-headed tactician recited, which did comfort the sisters to know, even if they struggled to trust a minion of Bozo. “Would it not be more sportswomanlike that we finish this contest on more solid grounds?”

“But why would you-“ Frankie couldn’t believe what the adults were asking. “Hey, you’re just worried we’re gonna win!”

“Ma’am-“

“Screw you! Chaos and mischief is what we do, ya sore losers! We’re doing this Moonfall thing, and we’re winning!” She turned her back and spat on the ground in some show of disobedience. “Come on, Kate.”

“Thanks for not chasing or shooting at us this time!” The older one waved again as they went. For both of them, it was hard to fear Bozo’s goons at this point. Unlike in Virtual Fantasy, they couldn’t force them into a bet here.

“Tch. Have it your way…” Denny hissed, watching their backs. “Your funeral.”

For a second, Happy almost let herself frown. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go.

“Adams. Anti. Brome. Ditbert. Kanefinger. Kanigher. Kirby. Marston. Mayer. Moldoff. Moore. Nicholson. Siegel.” She addressed like reciting a spell. All stood at attention.

“Initiate Plan B.”