*huff* *huff* *huff*

Her tiny chest was threatening to cave itself in. Her feet were on fire. There was a rose strand irritating her eye. However, despite her body running on empty, she was relieved.

She had been running for what felt like an hour now. Pushing through pedestrians, blindly ignoring traffic laws, even blowing off the occasional Brawler. She had to keep moving if she wanted to win. So when she saw he was nowhere in sight (she ran further still) she decided to take a short break.

Now she was resting on a bright blue bench. The dark Jester's cap noisily clambered against the back as she cooled off. The sun was beating away at her skull but keeping the cap on would only choke her mind. Besides, it had lost that Chester scent a few days ago. Now mixing with her own sweat, it might as well have been her property.

She placed a hand against her skull while also clamping her eyes shut. As much fun as it had been trying to avoid that clown in a park this massive, it was killing her limbs. She expected it to be her legs that ached but her veins were pulsating like a throbbing heart.

A cloud must have passed overhead cause some shade finally graced her cheeks. She smiled along as the fatigue began to take hold. *jingle* She woke up extra early that morning. The fact she managed to fall asleep at all was impressive. She just couldn't contain her excitement. Simply remembering that night made her whisk away into a sunbathed vision.

As she daydreamed, she watched some people pass by. It felt like a hundred bodies went past in a blur. *jingle* She had no idea how long she'd been sitting. In a way she stopped caring. *jingle* She had placed Chester's mask in her lap and was casually massaging it as she drifted.

She'd been running from Chester for an hour, maybe two. *jingle* If he planned on playing this game all day then she was doomed. Her internal clock told her there were another three hours of daylight left. If an hour of running left her like this then she might as well forfeit.

During her self-doubt she decided to take a risk. She'd lost Chester after his spill into the street. He must have lost her in that massive crowd from before. Maybe he ran the wrong way. If that was true it'd be hours before he ever found her again. So why not do herself a favor. She's earned a bit of rest.

*jingle* Her eyelids slowly came together. The previously blurring walkers were now a fuzz of color. *jingle* There were soft blue and pastel oranges passing her presence. A fuzzy bit of red mixed into the scenery. It didn't flash past like the rest. It stood stalwart in the center of her view. *jingle* *jingle* She couldn't bring herself to focus on the spot. Instead it almost acted as a nightlight. A soft little addition to guide her to sleep.

*jingle* It was warm. *jingle* It was comforting. *jingle* It was getting bigger. Yet she didn't feel scared. Even as this object morphed from a red shimmer to a smiling face she didn't budge. *jingle* *jingle* In fact, she curled into a tight ball. The black and blue mask stayed close to her heart. A weight rested on the bench beside her.

*jingle**jingle**jingle*

And she felt safe.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

She could feel her body swaying back and forth. A cool breeze was brushing through her scalp. There was the scent of strawberries flooding her nostrils. It was like she was riding a gentle stallion as he trotted through a blooming field. This soft alarm stirred her from her sleep.

She had to push off a bit of felt that rested on her dome. She was currently staring at the back of someone's head. Something was holding her in place. A pair of hands firmly clamping her thighs and hoisting her up as they went. She immediately began to flail about in his arms.

Who was this creep? When did he pick her up? Is this guy the one kidnapping Brawlers?

Her screaming kicks and punches bashed the back of his head. She hollered for help in the middle of a the streets. No matter how hard she fought he wouldn't let go. He didn't even bother with blocking. Instead he pleaded with her, "Give me a break, Sparkplug!"

Sparkplug?

Only one person called her Sparkplug. She finally relaxed to check who she was with. The red hair, sweet smell, comfortable grip, and dazzling smile. "Chester!"

She lurched forward so she could properly swallow his head up in a hug. The action nearly threw him off balance, but he quickly recovered. "The one and only." He gladly accepted the glom, the two mashed their cream cheeks together as if to mold into one being.

Jessie wanted to celebrate his arrival but she remembered something detrimental. "OH NO!"

Her outburst put him on red alert. He quickly turned around to face whatever must have alarmed her, "What is it?!"

Jessie recovered from the whiplash to say, "You found me... that means I lose." Her previous joy was rapidly replaced by sorrow. She worked so hard to dodge him all day. If only she hadn't taken that nap.

While she grumbled frustration into his nape Chester tried his best to hide his snickers. Jessie felt something suddenly resting on her head. It blocked her vision so she adjusted it accordingly. She felt the rubber mask and felt tassels. The blue plastic internally smeared with white paint was oddly familiar.

Chester continued to shine as he explained, "Don't you remember, I said the game was from sunrise to sunset." He pointed off to the west. The auburn hue of the clouds was shifting to a gorgeous magenta. "Looks like the sun's setting." He could see in his peripheral that Jessie was locked onto the horizon. "Which means..."

"I WIN!" Jessie's gleeful giggles were like music to his ears. She rocked back and forth singing, "I win. I ~win. I win, I win, I ~win!" She was kicking her feet now and Chester was starting to sweat, keeping up with her dance.

She giggled till her throat shut and then she wheezed along even more. Chester let her celebrate till she was winded. Then he felt her rest her head against his neck. The soft flaring of her nostrils tickled his hairs. He wanted to talk to her more, hearing her voice filled with glee was like a divine auditory nectar.

However, to wake her from her slumber would be criminal. She was a princess after all. She needed her beauty sleep. No. Instead he'd just quietly walk along this overcrowded road. Brushing shoulders with these sheep rushing headlong to their slaughter. If he could he'd wipe this filth from the world so that Jessie didn't need to sully her eyes with their visage. But doing something like that would upset her. She was so kind to share the same air as these pissants.

He looked over his shoulder once more. She had the sweetest smile on her face. Better than any candy in the world. A picture could never capture such grandeur. It had to be seen in person. He'd swore it once now he'll do it again.

"As long as I'm by your side, you'll never frown again."