OCs Playdate Writing Commission

Redreaper1951 Commission

Two schoolgirls, Nekokawa and Chihiro, are walking home after a long day at school. Dark clouds rise in the sky as the girls chat, getting to know each other after being assigned to a group together. The usually sunny streets darken, and with a ripping blast of wind, the sky cracks open, and buckets of rain splatter onto the sidewalk. Chihiro gasps. She doubles over and tries to protect the books in her hands. Her short black hair sticks out in the wind and gets plastered to her face.

Nekokawa takes her umbrella that was sticking out of her backpack and opens it against the soaking rain. It’s purple material ripples and pulls in the wind, but she holds on tight.

“Chihiro—run!” she exclaims. Chihiro jumps under the umbrella’s protection, and both girls run. They hold the umbrella out before them like a jousting stick, pushing through the sheets of rain. Nekokawa trips and stumbles, but Chihiro urges her on. It was supposed to be a typical day after school, but the weather decided otherwise.

“Hurry, I live the closest so we can make it to my home from here,” Chihiro says. She puts her arm around Nekokawa and leads her down a street. Nekokawa, her cheeks pink with effort, and her long black hair, a wild mess, squeaks out in agreement and follows Chihiro to her family’s apartment.

The girls arrive soon at Chihiro’s family’s apartment. Their shoes squeak and squelch out water. Their uniforms, usually a light blue, are dark with the weight of the water. Nekokawa is busy shaking out her umbrella before they enter. Inside, they take off their shoes and slide into slippers to enter the home.

“Wow, I can’t believe it started to rain so suddenly. Did you know it was going to rain, Chihiro?”

“No. That was surprising—do you need a change of clothes? The rain got everything wet.”

The apartment’s tan wooden flooring gives way to modern furniture and an abundance of house plants. Chihiro explains her mother’s obsession with the little ferns and succulents while showing Nekokawa around the small space. Both of Chihiro’s parents are at work. The girls dry off and change, convening to collapse on the sofa and sigh at the rain outside.

Chihiro’s hair is all spiky, but her bangs are pinned flat by a red clip. She wears a black T-shirt with a red heart on the front, a red skater skirt, and tall black socks pulled up above her knees. Nekokawa is twisting her hair back into a ponytail. She’s wearing a borrowed pair of black sweatpants and a red tank top—different from her purple wardrobe. Chihiro slumps and gestures around the room,

“Welcome to my house,” she says. Nekokawa laughs. They’ve already been here long past welcomes. “You’re welcome to stay until the rain stops. I hung our uniforms up in the bathroom. Hopefully, they will dry out a little bit.”

“Thank you,” Nekokawa says. She’s never been in an apartment before and was intrigued by the different use of spaces than her parent’s large house. “But what are we going to do until the rain stops?”

“Do you like to play games?” Chihiro asks.

“I guess so. What kind of games?”

“We can play anything, really,” Chihiro says. She gets up from the couch and goes to a cupboard. Opening up, she exclaims with excitement. “How about balloons? My mom bought too many for a work party. Do you want to have a balloon blowing contest?”

“A contest?” Nekokawa repeats. She stands up and goes over to see the colorful bag of unopened balloons in Chihiro’s hands. “Hah, you think you can beat me?” she teases. “Let’s do it!”

Chihiro tears open the bag, and a bunch of rubber balloons falls out. Pink, blue, green, and orange, all with the white print: happy anniversary! Nekokawa picks up a purple balloon, and Chihiro takes a red one.

“Alright, the first to blow their balloon up the biggest—without popping—and ties it, is the winner. Okay?” Chihiro explains.

“Deal. On the count of three?”

“One, two, the—” The end of three dissolves into the sucking of big breaths as they bring the balloons to their lips. Side by side, the balloons begin to expand as their air hisses in. Chihiro almost laughs as it swells in her hand, taking off from the start, but Nekokawa is close behind.

As the rain outside streaks the window, the girls forget about the weather and absorb themselves fully into the competition. The balloons swell and grow bigger and bigger until they both pinch the necks and lean away, gasping. Nekokawa’s cheeks prickle from the effort of blowing so much air. She stretches the neck and twists it around her finger to tie; but, the balloon slips and suddenly streaks away, right out of her grasp.

“Oh no!”

The purple balloon screeches as it circles the room, gushing the air out from itself as it deflates, emits one last squeak, and lands with a flop in front of the girls. Nekokawa and Chihiro dissolve into laughter.

“Did you see that? I didn’t mean to let go!”

“That was awesome!” Chihiro cheers. Despite the purple balloon's sudden escape, hers is still safely in her grip, tied and complete.

“No fair! How did you do it?”

Chihiro sticks the balloon under her shirt and makes a face, “I told you I was gonna win!” she croons. In her laughter, Nekokawa pats Chihiro’s new “belly,” but the balloon suddenly pops, and they both shriek.

“Okay, okay—game number two. Let’s play balloon volleyball!”

With the new game decided, Nekokawa quickly blew up a balloon and tied it to play with. They decided to keep the balloon from touching the ground. Chihiro jumped to and fro, launching herself dramatically at the balloon when it strayed too close the ground. Each time, Nekokawa chanted,

“Is she gonna get it? Will she miss it? Ooooh!!”

The game continues with fervor and giggles as the balloon bounces again and again until Chihiro ran after a stray bounce and nearly ran and hit her shins against the coffee table.

“Oh—that would have hurt,” she gasps. She bounces away from it white the balloon bumps and bounces across the coffee tables surface.

“Let’s play something else before we get hurt running around,” Chihiro suggests.

“I have an idea!” Nekokawa hurries out of the room and returns with a braided rope in her hand. “Have you ever played tug-o-war?” she asks.

“Where did you get that?”

“I had it in my backpack! It’s my favorite game to play, so I always keep it with me. Do you want to see who will win this round? I’d say we are tied.”

“You bet. I’m ready to show you just how strong I am,” Chihiro boasts.

Nekokawa puts a pillow on the ground as their middle ground marker. They take a moment to stretch, pulling their arms across their chests and over their heads.

“Are you ready to play?”

“Are you ready to lose?”

Nekokawa and Chihiro pick up their ends of the rope and take their places on either side of the pillow. They smile and arch their backs, leaning and ready to pull at any minute.

“May the best win,” Nekokawa says.

“On three,” Chihiro answers.

“One. Two. Three!”

Nekokawa and Chirhiro jerk and pull with all their might. Their heads snap back against the sudden force, and their legs go rigid as they try to hold their ground on the slippery hardwood. Nekokawa smiles and sticks out her tongue. Chihiro gives it all she’s got and begins to inch backward, her arms and back burning as she struggles to pull Nekokawa across the floor. If this girl had a rope in her backpack, how often does she play? Determined to try her best against such a talented opponent, Chihiro slides and pulls, trembling with each step.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Nekokawa asks. Her classmate’s strength is impressive. Between them, the rope trembles and stretches, pulling and vibrating at every tug. The fibers poke and burn under her palms as her fingers grip as hard as they can. Her feet begin to slide on the floor; she squeaks and tugs back.

Suddenly, it’s as if the muscles in Chihiro’s arms give out and turn to noodles. She tried too hard and exhausted her stamina way too fast. Chihiro lets go of the rope, and they both tumble to the floor. She lands on the pillow with a crash, and Nekokawa falls back on her butt.

“Ah!”

Instantly, they spring upright to make sure they are both alright.

“You were incredible, Chihiro—I’ve never had someone pull back before!” Nekokawa exclaims. “This is so much fun—we have to keep playing games together. Today, and even after the rain is over!”

Chihiro laughs and gets up slowly. “For sure!” she says. She doesn’t even feel sad that she lost—this is too much fun, and Nekokawa is right, she might have just found a great friend to play all her games with.

“Alright, what should we play next?”

Later in the afternoon, the storm outside has subsided to a distant hum. The rain trickles down the windowpanes, and the shadows create an ambiance of comfort. Chihiro and Nekokowa have migrated to Chihiro’s bedroom. They are sprawled out on the floor, reading comic books. Blankets, pillows, and numerous stuffed animals are on the floor to lay on and among them. In between the girls, there is a plate piled high with crumbs and the remainders of chocolate-chip cookies and chewy double-fudge brownies.

After playing their balloon games and the tug of war competition, Chihiro and Nekokowa took a break. Their hunger leads them to the kitchen to bake the desserts. Chihiro pops the rest of a cookie in her mouth and licks her fingers before reaching to turn a page of Magi-Beauti Parasol, an adventure magic-girl comic. Nekokowa is reading a draft of Knights of Garbargia. Their boyfriend, Zhard, has been publishing comic books, so she is proofreading the new volume.

“Have you read this yet?” Nekokowa asks.

“Zhard’s book?”

“Yeah.”

“Not yet—how is it this time? Are there lots of garbage monsters?”

“You bet,” Nekokowa answers. She frowns and closes the book in thought. “It’s really good. The draft is better than normal. Usually, I have to stop and ask Zhard, ‘where did this character come from?’ ‘How did that happen?’ but it looks really good this time!”

Chihiro puts her book down and reaches for Knights of Garbargia. She takes it and flips through the pages. Anthropomorphic trash monsters and scrambling characters flicker between the fantasy world’s panels.

“It looks great; he’s so talented,” Chihiro says. Nekokowa sighs with a smile. She agrees.

“It’s so weird. Obviously, we both see Zhard all the time, but we have hardly seen each other,” Nekokowa says, musing.

“You’re right,” Chihiro agrees. She puts the book down and takes a bite out of a brownie. A little bit gets stuck in her teeth for a moment when she flashes a giggly smile. “But this has been so fun hanging out with you.”

“We should thank the rain for that.”

“Definitely. And do this again. Maybe we should invite Zhard and test his cookie-baking skills too.”

“And tug-of-war,” Nekokowa adds.

“Oooh, of course!” Chihiro puts Zhard’s book down and stretches. “Would you like some tea, Nekokowa?”

“Yes, please!”

“I’ll get some green tea ready. Would you like to attend my special invite-only tea-party?”

“It would be an honor. But did you know, I’m also your tea party planner—I’ll have the guests ready in a no time,” Nekokowa says. They laugh. Chihiro gets up and goes to the kitchen to make the tea. Nekokowa picks up the comics and puts them aside on Chihiro’s desk. Next, she straightens and puts away the blankets. She pulls a small drawing table at the end of Chihiro’s bed to the center of the room. The pillows strewn around the room become seats around the table for their esteemed guests of teddy bears and one teddy cat. The leftover cookies and brownies are the centerpiece.

Chihiro returns with a tray of cups and a teapot. The teapot is pale yellow with white flowers rimming its middle. The woven wooden handle is stained a warm color and matches the light yellow and orange cups. Carefully, the cups are arranged, the steaming tea is poured once it has steeped into the strainers of each cup. For the teddies, Chihiro only pretends to pour the tea, remarking at its color and comforting aroma.

Nekokowa sits on her legs with her hands in her lap, as she watches Chihiro pour the tea. When she is finished, Nekokowa takes the pot, and with one hand on the handle and one on the lid of the pot, she pours Chihiro’s tea. The crumbles of green tea leaves catch and pile in her strainer, swirling as the greenish-yellow liquid rushes past.

They chit-chat about school as the tea cools. The teddies are polite conversationalists, and they listen intently as the steam rises before their beaded eyes. Chihiro and Nekokowa wonder how their school group project will do. They talk about Zhard and how surprising the day’s rain had been.

After tea and more desserts, Chihiro and Nekokowa clean up and push the table aside as they prepare to play one more game during the dark afternoon. The stuffed animals are lined up along the wall and on Chihiro’s bed like an imaginary crowd of spectators.

“I found it!” Chihiro exclaims. She had been digging around her closet and found an old red jump rope. It is a little frayed with age but withstands her testing tugs. “I found my old jump rope—do you think we can use this for another round of tug of war?”

Nekokowa’s eyes light up. “Yes! That will be perfect. Will we play with the same rules from last time?”

“I think so,” Chihiro says. “Wait! I have an idea.” She hands the jump rope over to Nekokowa before leaving the room for something. She returns with another red balloon, but this one has golden sparkles as well. “Have you ever seen one of these?” Chihiro asks.

“Not with the sparkles—what is it?”

“It’s one of those magical balloons—my Aunt has a few mixed in with her normal balloons. I’m gonna use this one to face you in the tug of war!”

“Hey now, how is that fair?” Nekokowa asks.

“I want this to be a challenge for you—you are so strong! You beat me during our first round of tug of war. I tired myself out way too fast. But with the magic balloon, I’ll be stronger, and I’ll be able to give you a good fight,” Chihiro explains.

“Aw, so you’re saying I’m really strong?”

“Yep—for sure! And this way, we will have an even more fun competition between the two of us,” Chihiro says.

“That’s a great idea—blow it up!” Nekokowa exclaims, cheering Chihiro on. Chihiro brings the lip on the balloon to her mouth, bites down, and begins to blow. With each puff of air, the balloon shifts and begins to expand, growing in her outstretched hand. As she blows, the gold sparkles begin to shimmer and spiral within the expanding space. Chihiro’s cheeks start to turn red, and her eyes water with the effort. The balloon reaches a point, stretched as much as it can bear, Chihiro pinches the neck and quickly stretches it and twists it into a know between her thin fingers. She holds up the now glowing balloon with triumph,

“Now it’s time to play!” she exclaims. To keep the balloon on her but not floating away, Chihiro puts it up her shirt and tucks the bottom of her shirt into her shorts to keep it in place. The balloon bulging from her middle makes her look pregnant. Chihiro lifts her arms into a strong, ready to fight, pose. Nekokowa laughs at the silliness.

“Okay, okay—are you ready to go?” Nekokowa asks.

“I’m ready if you’re ready, Nekokowa,” Chihiro answers back.

The game begins. Nekokowa and Chihiro stand facing each other in the middle of Chihiro’s bedroom. Between them, the red jump rope stretches from Chihiro’s feet to Nekokowa’s. A small pillow was chosen to mark the centerline, where, if anyone crosses, they automatically lose. If someone drops or lets go of the rope in a moment’s weakness, they lose.

Nekokowa and Chihiro both bend down to pick up the jump rope. Held between them, it dips, a moment before the tugging begins.

“We will begin on the count of three—ready?” Nekokowa asks.

“We will say it together, ready?”

“One—two—three!” Nekokowa and Chihiro shout out the countdown in sync. On three, they both jump into action, pulling the jump rope into separate directions as they pull back and plant their feet. The jump rope snaps taught between their hands, a straight line of tension pulls between the two competing girls.

Chihiro and Nekokowa stand, bent over the tight jump rope, their backs are bent as they lean backward, their elbows tucked close to their sides as they lean back and test each other’s strength. Nekokowa hopes her strength is the same against Chihiro’s magical aide. She feels as if she is pulling and trying to budge a concrete wall, but from the look on Chihiro’s face, she is facing the same challenge. Little beads of perspiration moisten her brow, and her hands slip a little until she can tighten her grip. Chihiro snarls a roguish smile. She grits her teeth and is pink with the effort.

The jump rope vibrates and stretches between the two forces. On the sidelines, the teddy bears and one teddy-cat watch from their pretend seats. Chihiro laughs and steadies herself. Her entire body feels warm from the energy of the magical balloon under her shirt. Its magical power vibrates from her core to electrify down her arms and legs. It was almost a giddy and distracting feeling as she struggled to keep her grip on the jump rope. With effort, she bends her knees and takes a step backward, pulling Nekokowa a step closer to the middle.

Nekokowa squeaks and pulls back, stepping two back and then a third in her retreat. The floor gives away beneath Chihiro’s feet as she slides forward. She scrambles and pulls as hard as she can, panicking as her feet slide closer and closer to the middle. Nekokowa, with a victory in sight, doubles her efforts and launches every ounce of energy in her body to pull on the jump rope.

With their arms and legs burning and shaking, the sudden effort shakes the quaking jump rope. It straightens then begins to twist under the pressure, losing its form until—snap!

“Ah!!” Nekokowa is thrown backward against Chihiro’s bed. Chihiro loses her balance and slams onto the ground, narrowly avoiding her desk. She shakes herself and gets up, surprised to be on the floor.

“Nekokowa? Are you okay?!” Chihiro asks. Nekokowa is sitting up after sliding to the floor from the bed.

“Yes, but what about you?”

Chihiro shrugs. “I bounce, I guess,” she jokes.

“Ohmigoodness, Chihiro,” Nekokowa exclaims. She points at the floor in between them. “Look at your jump rope!”

On the floor, Chihiro’s jump rope lays in two separate pieces—broken—split perfectly down the middle from their tug-of-war competition.

“How did that happen?” Chihiro asks, stunned.

“I’m so sorry—I broke your rope!” Nekokowa says.

“It’s alright,” Chihiro responds. She doesn’t want Nekokowa to be upset. She gets up and picks up the rope. “It split perfectly in the middle! How did we manage that?”

“What does it mean then? Did we both lose?” Nekokowa asks.

“No, I’d say we both win! Who else could manage to split a rope as perfect as this? We are winners for sure,” Chihiro says. As she says this, the magical balloon bounces against her tummy. “Oops, how did this thing not pop when I fell?” She untucks her shirt to release the magical, glowing balloon. It wobbles and floats up to the ceiling to rest.

“This is too cool.”

“Way too much fun—we should definitely do it again!” Chihiro exclaims. She hurries over and gives Nekokowa a big congratulatory hug. Their games have come to an end. Outside the window, the rain has stopped, and the clouds are beginning to part, letting in the last of the afternoon’s glowing sunlight.

The girls clean up their games and the leftover desserts from tea. Chihiro’s Aunt will be coming home soon, so they plan to say goodbye.

“I’m glad I got to know you better today, Chihiro,” Nekokowa says.

“You too! This was really fun. We should hang out more often.”

“Aw, I’m not ready to go yet,” Nekokowa jokes. Chihiro crosses her arms and leans against the hallway wall as Nekokowa readies her things to leave.

“Well, we could always make more cookies to surprise my Aunt when she gets home?”

Nekokowa looks up and beams. “Yes! Let’s do that!”