[Sha] Doki-Doki Channel!

“Oh a favor? I can get behind that.” Maki said, her lips splitting into a smile. She had a point really, she always was the faster one, but that would just make the ice cream all the sweeter when she managed to get a leg up over Shirase. She tipped her weight forward, stretching her quads out as she looked down the street. Just like when they were back in school she’d either just have to outlast the speed demon, or get her caught up in some place where she couldn’t actually use her speed.

Both were easier said than done. Still, ice cream was on the line so she’d have to give it her all.

Maki drew her skirt up to her thighs and tied the cloth off. With that done Maki also joined Shirase in taking a more professional running stance.

“I catch you using magic, I’ll melt your shoes to the sidewalk.” Maki said, a warm wind prickling the skin of her exposed legs. She pulled in a breath through her nose.

“Well, then we better get going then.” Maki said, as she suddenly pushed her body forward, taking long strides to reach a nearby fruit stand. Between that and her own body she could keep her friend behind her, for a few extra steps at least.

She could feel Shirase gaining ground behind her, if she didn’t play this right then it wouldn’t be long before the other woman would take the lead and Maki didn’t like her chances of being able to get back in the front if she let that happen. So, first things first, the first part of her plan. Maki shifted her weight as she approached the fruit stand, she ran more towards the middle of the sidewalk swinging her arms just a little wider than she had been, anything she could do to keep Shirase behind her for just a few steps longer. As she passed the fruit stand, Maki shifted to the right, placing herself in the gap between the fruit stand and a light pole before she hopped further to her left to where a newspaper box would be blocking Shirase’s way around.

“Watch out on your right” She called as the pair closed in on a group of pedestrians. The people moved to make a space, with a confused commotion at the sight of the two girls running their way, and Maki quite smartly slid into the space that the group offered. As long as she could just keep this up then she wouldn’t have to pay for the ice cream, and she was willing to use any dirty trick she had to to keep that from happening.

Her skirt swished around her legs as she ran, the already loose knot she had made slowly unraveling, and she tugged one of the straps of her sundress back up onto her shoulder as she narrowly avoided a collision with a man who had been slow to step out of the way.

“You have got to be kidding me.” Maki said, looking up as the awning overhead suddenly bowed from weight. She darted past a gaggle of schoolkids as she clucked her tongue. She should have figured that Shirase would find her own way around the obstacles, the girl didn’t like to lose especially when there was money on the line. Still, it wasn’t like she was just going to roll over even if things were getting down to the wire. She could see the store at the end of the road and she wasn’t going to let Shirase snatch victory from the jaws of defeat without a fight. Gritting her teeth Maki pressed herself forward, sliding between a pair of girls as she slid out from under the awning.

Was it a bird overhead? A plane? No, it was just Shirase falling back to the ground. Maki drew a breath in sharp as she darted forward trying to do her best to keep ahead of Shirase while she was still in the air. She wasn’t going to lose here if she could help it. There was a heavy ’thump’ as Shirase returned to the earth just behind her, so close Maki could swear she could feel the air swish. No looking back, no getting distracted, just go straight forward. With a sharp exhalation Maki charged forward.

If Shirase won, Maki knew what exactly she was going to order and she was not going to pay for it. Still, the burning desire in her chest to not pay for a very expensive selection of frozen treats did very little to help as Shirase reclaimed the lead as they closed in on the store. Maki set her teeth as she spurred herself forward with whatever she could manage, the looming of cup noodles in her future granting her an extra burst of speed she didn’t know she had in her. She was out of tricks to play, and even if it was only a centimeter at a time then she would catch back up!

Maki focused entirely on Shirase’s back as she drove her legs forward, the distance left to the store momentarily forgotten. Maki said a silent prayer to any god or kami that might be listening for any miracle to take place (perhaps green onions would be on discount this week that would make the cup ramen feel a bit like real food) and just when it seemed like victory was just out of reach —

Shirase tripped over something, Maki saw some yellow blob vanishing out of the corner of her eye as she simply lept over her fallen friend. The knot she had used to tie her skirt up unraveled as she landed, but Maki pushed forward undaunted by the fabric swishing around her legs. She reached out her hand snagging the door handle as a feeling of triumph swelled in her breast. She looked back at Shirase, her lips split in a wide grin as she held up two fingers in a V.

“Oh, you are about to pay” Maki said with a devious laugh, moving her hand to slide a fallen shoulder strap back into place. “Come on, the ice cream will help you feel better.” she added with a wink as she pushed the door open. A sigh escaped her lips as the cold air of the shop washed across her damp skin followed by the sweet smell of ice cream.

“Someone missing~?” Maki elbowed back, her lips curved into a sharp grin. Didn’t take a trained eye to see that Shirase was definitely checking for a particular face on the other side of the counter, and she absolutely looked disappointed that she hadn’t seen the face she was hoping to see. Worthy of a little light ribbing, that’s what friends were for after all. Still, ribbing wasn’t worth much without some elbowing in the right direction. “You know, if you keep waiting around forever, someone else might work up the nerve to ask her out before you do.”

Still, as fun as teasing was, the call of sweet treats was impossible to ignore, so Maki’s red eyes turned towards today’s offerings as she pulled her dark brown hair back behind her head. “Now you say Oreo, but I think I can do you one better. How about their Oreo with brownie and cookie dough chunks?” Maki turned her eyes to the cute girl behind the counter who had a little white ribbon tied into her hair, though the shop’s uniform was not flattering to her slight frame though.

“Extra large, please, with whipped cream and a cherry on top.” If Shirase was going to make her pay, it was only fair she would order the tastiest thing she could wasn’t it?