It was a rainy day in the Hidden Kingdom, meaning it was a very boring one for Big Green, except for one. In Hope's room, Hope was packing something into a pure white backpack as a few giggles slipped from her lips. She wore a gold necklace with three, heart shaped rubies, her pink, heart shaped headphones she got from the Vocaloids that's around her neck, and a silver bracelet with red and pink yin-yang symbol charm on her right wrist.

"Hope." Apetrully said from behind Hope, scaring her into throwing what she have in the air.

Apetrully caught it in his hands and ask, "What's this?"

Hope chuckled as she slowly turn to him.

"Well... Something I like to call... Pocky." Hope said, grabbing the box out of his hands and gently press it against her cheek.

"Pocky?" The commander said, sweatdropping a bit.

"It's a yummy biscuit treat dipped in cream that comes in many yummy flavors." Hope said, hugging the box of chocolate pocky against her chest gently, making the commander sweatdrop some more. "I got these from the Vocaloids when ever I visit them. I thought I would be visiting them while bringing my pocky to them since everyone in Big Green seems to be kind of gloomy with all of this rainy weather."

Then Hope said quietly to herself, "I hope the Vocaloids doesn't make me play the pocky game."

But it wasn't quiet enough.

"The pocky game?" Apetrully said. "It sounds like fun."

Hope gulped and said, "W-Well-"

"Do you think we can play it?" Apetrully ask with a innocent look, since he doesn't know the rules to the game. He might blushing a lot if he did knew about it.

Hope's look turned rather horrified with small, pink blushes on her cheeks.

He doesn't know what to do in a pocky game. Of course not, this is the first time he heard of the pocky game! Hope panicked in her head, wanting to scream a little. I don't want to say no to him, but I don't want to kiss him either. He was always so nice to me, but I would hate to explain the rules of the game to him. He seems to be so innocent! What to do. What to do.

"Um... Can you get First Squad, Second Squad, and the Air Force?" Hope ask, tilting her head a bit. "I don't want them to be so bored and depress on this rainy day."

"Okay." Apetrully said.

When Apetrully left, Hope let out a small sigh and said, "At least I have enough time to es-"

"We're here!" Apetrully said with First Squad, Second Squad, and the Air Force behind him.

That was much faster than I thought. Hope thought.

Hope nervously chuckled and said, "Hi guys..."

"So, what's this about a 'pocky' game?" Lin Chung ask.

"W-Well, I'm not sure if you want to." Hope said.

"It's raining. We'll do anything." Alpha Girl said.

Curse you rainy days! Why do you have to be so boring!? Hope shouted in her head.

"Alright. This is how you play the pocky game." Hope said.

Hope open a box of banana chocolate pocky and took a pocky.

"One person hold one end of the pocky with his or her mouth and another person holds other end with his or her mouth too. The goal is to get to the middle of the pocky. The one who chickens out and breaks the pocky first loses and the one who didn't will win." Hope said, quickly. "Any questions, anyone?"

Kowloon slowly raises his hand, and Hope said, "Yes, Kowloon?"

"What would have if we... you know, kiss?" Kowloon said, looking a bit nervous.

"What happens happen. Just try to win no matter what. Even if it involves kissing a guy." Hope said with a rather serious look. A rare look for them to see. This is Hope after all. She's suppose very happy, and innocent, like they usually. Now she look like she have a darker side to her that they don't know about.

Hey. The pocky game have used in some anime, but I mostly see it in fan art and stuff like that. Sometimes, I take my anime seriously depending on what it is. Hope thought.

Kind of breaking the fourth wall here, Ms. H.

Oops. Sorry. Hope thought.

Nearly everyone gulped. Especially since there's a lot of guys here. This might not be good. She nibbled on the pocky until it was gone before talking once again.

"So, do you still want to play?" Hope ask, hoping they'll say no quickly after hearing that kissing part of the game.

"Yeah, sure." Rosefinch said as everyone else seem to agree with her.

What have I done? Hope thought to herself.

"What flavors do you have?" Archer ask.

"Well, I have chocolate flavor, vanilla flavor, strawberry flavor, green tea flavor, mango flavor, chocolate banana flavor, extra chocolate flavor, green apple flavor, pine cream flavor, honey white almond crush flavor, mild milk almond crush flavor, royal milk tea flavor, blueberry yogurt flavor, very rare grape flavor, peace & strawberry flavor, cookies and cream flavor..." Hope said, continuing the long list of flavor she have. Boy, she have a lot.

Good. Good. Keep on talking. They might forget all about that pocky game. Good thing I have a lot of flavors to list to them. It's also a good thing the Vocaloids gave me a lot of pocky and that I visit them a lot too. I always chicken out on that game so I never kissed them or win for that matter. Hope thought, continuing the very long list of flavors of her pocky.

"...peanut butter flavor, almond flavor, pudding flavor, marble chocolate flavor, which is very bitter, kiwi flavor, coconut flavor which I hate, coconut milk flavor which I also hate, melon flavor, cinnamon apple flavor, berry chocolate flavor, lemon chocolate flavor, white chocolate flavor, blueberry flavor, coffee flavor, honey flavor-" Hope was interrupted when Mighty Ray said, "Alright. Alright. You have a lot of flavors. On with the game."

Darn... And I have many more flavors too. Hope thought.

"Okay. I'll pick two names from this hat and they'll have the first turn." Hope said, randomly taking out a black hat with many pieces of paper with their names on it out of nowhere. "Just to warn you: I'll put your name back into the hat, even if you already had a turn with someone. Just to make it a bit interesting, if you ask me."

"How did you... Never mind." Lin Chung said, wondering how she got that hat.

This won't be fun yet they look kind of eager to play the game, even if it involves kissing. Who are they hoping to get? Hope thought as she stick her hand in the hat and pull out two pieces of paper.

Nervously, she said the names out loud.

"Alright. The two are-"

Or at least about to say the two names until Hurricane shouted, "Wait!"

Please tell me you're going to say no. Hope thought.

"What is it?" Hope ask.

"What are we suppose to do when we lose?" Hurricane ask.

Darn. But maybe I can have a little fun with this. I always wanted to know how well they sing. Hope thought with a small smile.

"Hm... If you lose... then... you have to sing." Hope said with a bigger smile.

"WHAT!?" Nearly everyone shouted.

"Hey, I always wanted to know how well you guys sing." Hope said with a even bigger smile.

"Well, I guess that's better than kissing a guy." Archer said.

Apetrully noticed Hope looking at him with a rather wide smile, remember that time when they sang together in the cafeteria when no ones' around, and gulped. Hope lean closer to him and said, "Make sure to sing your best you can if you lose."

Then she gave him a wink. The commander nervously look at the ground and thought, What have I done?

Maybe this will be fun after all. Hope thought with a smile that Highroller would be proud of.

"Now let's back to the game." Hope said. "The two are..."