[ It's difficult to hide some of the sheepishness creeping in, especially with how certain Aerith seems at the moment. It's a bit overwhelming in a way, to have someone in her corner instead of being the one to cheer others on. Taking center stage in anything had never been much of a choice for her -or at least, it had been a choice she'd shied away from in the past. However, she can't really afford to wait around for someone else to take the lead or fight for them. If it's just the two of them, then she has to push herself harder to keep them safe in everyone else's place.

Besides, they'd managed well enough against monsters, beasts, thugs, and even Shinra's home-grown horrors. A friendly competition between fighters shouldn't be anywhere near as bad or life-threatening. ]

If you'll be there cheering me on, then I'll have no choice to give it my all. I wouldn't want to make all that cheering go to waste. And with lobster on the menu, that's extra incentive to win.

[ Of course, she still wishes she could share it with the others, but she and Aerith will just have to tell them all the wild stories about this place when they get back. There's a theoretical if they get back hanging in the air, but she doesn't want to acknowledge that possibility. If she keeps telling herself this is all temporary, if she closes her eyes and just enjoys the experience with Aerith's carefree energy leading the way, she can stop herself from descending back into the hopelessness that had gripped her when the Sector 7 plate had fallen.

Better to keep distracting herself, forcing a smile as she takes Aerith's hand- ]

But for now, we can settle on something local and inexpensive. I don't want to fight on an empty stomach, and all this food talk might be getting to me already just a little.