Our avatars are in a room together

Pfft! I can't even draw blueprints to save my life. At the very least, they end up turning out worse than how they look in my head.

Kitchen (Young Aichi)

-Oh, so Muramasa makes blueprints?-

-...Oh, yeah! Muramasa made those really cool board game pieces for him before! It makes sense that she'd need blueprints to make stuff out of wood like that!-

-But yeah, Aichi empathizes with the annoyance of not having your picture (or blueprint) look how it does in your head. After all he's picturing all of his friends how they look, but he can't really seem to... well, replicate it.-

-Maybe it has something to do with how he's not all grown up yet... Older him can draw stuff really good!-

"Yeah, it's really hard making the picture look like the picture in your head..."

edited 12th Apr '18 11:02:55 AM by CrystalMemoria

...Heh. Well, in my case, the picture just ends up being a pointless middleman. I'm a blacksmith, y'know? So I really only care about the end product.

Kitchen (Young Aichi)

-Aichi thinks that makes sense.-

-...Now he's curious about what things Muramasa makes.-

"What kind of stuff do you make?"

-Fun stuff like the game pieces?-

Would Misaki really be that petty?

Mmhmm. What have you been up to, then, Misaki?

Roof (Aichi)

-...-

-...No, Sthesia wouldn't be. She's not petty.-

"...No. She's not like that..."

-...but even so he still has that fear that nothing will be the same if Sthesia finds out he has a crush on her...-

-...and he definitely fears that if Leos finds out that he lied about who he has a crush on he'll be angry at Aichi for breaking his trust...-

-...and then abandon him.-

-...But... Leos isn't petty like that either. Leos would understand that he didn't know what else to do...-

-...Right?-

-...He really wishes this wasn't so complicated, confusing, and stressful...-

"...She wouldn't do that."

-He just has to try to tell himself that his friends won't ditch him.-

-...Even if he's got that deep-rooted feeling they will.-

—

Main Room (Misaki)

"The usual. Reading books from the library, playing Vanguard..."

-She looks at her phone.-

"...and trying to see if I can manage to call someone back home."

-So far she hasn't had any luck.-

-...And once again if one were to look close enough they could probably see that the names on her contact list are... a little strange.-

-..."Afternoon Nap", "Lower Eyelash", "Too Proud Of Himself"...-

-...And "Aichi". Huh.-

Oh, I make swords. Japanese ones, like the samurai you see on TV use.

(Leos pats Aichi's shoulder.)

Yeah, so, what have you got to lose?

(Sthesia is curious)

...Hey, can I ask: why is Aichi's name the only actual name on your contacts there?

Kitchen (Young Aichi)

-Oh... Ooooh, does she make swords like knights use too?-

"Do make ones like knights use too?

-Ooooh, or maybe shields!-

"Or shields?"

-...Seems like this kid's fond of knights and their aesthetics (Probably another huge reason he got so attached to Blaster Blade...).-

—

Roof (Aichi)

-...Leos's trust in Aichi.-

-...But once again, he knows Leos isn't like that...-

-Leos is a really good friend and, once again, like a big brother. He'd never turn his back on Aichi.-

-...None of his friends would.-

"...You're right, Leos."

-Aichi manages a small smile.-

"I don't have anything to worry about..."

-...At least with Sthesia.-

"Even if things don't work out we'll still be friends..."

-...He just has to keep telling himself that.-

—

Main Room (Misaki)

-...Honestly it's because Misaki respects Aichi more than most of their friends. He's not a moron Morikawa, he's not hotheaded like Kamui, he's not cold and distant like Kai.-

-Aichi's a nice guy that has earned Misaki's respect.-

"...No real reason."

-Hmm... Aichi's the only one in her contacts list that doesn't have a weird and/or derogatory nickname... Strange, huh, Sthesia?-

edited 12th Apr '18 11:51:17 AM by CrystalMemoria

Hmm... yeah, I guess I could. But I was alive in Japan when it was isolated, so I stuck with samurai swords, spears, and armor. End result's the same for more work, but... iunno, more work helps me focus.

Kitchen (Young Aichi)

-Oh... Well it's really neat that she probably could!-

"That's really cool too...!"

-As long as the stuff Muramasa makes is used to protect innocent people like knights do Aichi doesn't mind at all!-

"Your stuff probably helps protect a lot of people...!"

-...Oh this poor, sweet, naive, innocent boy. He's completely unaware of the implications of war and he hasn't yet realized that knights and warriors aren't like in fairy tales...-

-...Honestly this boy's probably a bit too naive for an eight year old. Might have something to do with being somewhat sheltered.-

edited 12th Apr '18 12:04:09 PM by CrystalMemoria

There you go!

Though I won't blame you if you still don't feel... ready.

...Are you sure about that?

Because it seems a bit odd to me.

(Oh, boy, she's got a teasing smile on her face. She knows something's up with that.)

Roof (Aichi)

-Honestly Aichi's not sure he'll ever be ready... He has no idea how to really... approach Sthesia about it.-

"I don't know how to begin trying confess to her..."

-He doesn't have the nerve to.-

—

Main Room (Misaki)

-Oh, hey, you might have noticed Misaki stiffen a little, Sthesia.-

-...Just what is Sthesia getting at?-

"...Is it really that odd?"

-She sounds stern, but it's still apparent that Sthesia's teasing has thrown her off guard.-

"It doesn't mean anything in particular if that's what you're asking..."

-Denial, denial, denial...-

edited 12th Apr '18 12:17:43 PM by CrystalMemoria

...Yeah. I guess it did.

People might not have remembered it that way, but...

Kitchen (Young Aichi)

-Huh?-

"What do you mean...?"

Take small steps?

I mean, it's just an idea: I don't know much about romance, to be honest.

Are you suuuure?

You heard of me before, Aich? Muramasa, the Devil's Forge, creator of evil weapons? I'm sure I've popped up in your card game at least once, or at least someone based on me...

Roof (Aichi)

-Small steps... Yeah, that makes sense...-

-...Easier said than done though.-

"What do you do if you don't even know the first step to make...?"

—

Main Room (Misaki)

-Sthesia doesn't believe her. Of course.-

"Yes, I'm sure."

-...It doesn't matter if Sthesia doesn't believe her. The point is that there's absolutely no special reason or anything...-

-...Or at least she won't admit it.-

"Does it really matter what I call him in my contacts list? Aichi's Aichi."

—

Kitchen (Young Aichi)

-Aichi was going to ask what Muramasa means by 'evil weapons', but he gets thrown off by that last part.-

-Card game? What card game?-

"I don't play a card game..."

-...Oh! Maybe she means the older Aichi? He plays that... what was it? Duel Monsters?-

"Do you mean Duel Monsters? Older me plays it."

-...OK, apparently Young Aichi is completely unaware of Vanguard's existence.-

-...Did the older Aichi never tell him about it?-

edited 12th Apr '18 12:36:36 PM by CrystalMemoria

...Huh. Guess... no, never mind.

Anyhoo - you know how every story has a villain? Well, I'm that villain.

(smirks wryly)

Maybe that's something you have to figure on your own?

(Leos sympathetically shrugs)

Well, everyone else apparently has a nickname on that list, so...

...Maybe he's a "special case?"

(By the souls of the Black Tri-Stars, what the hell is she implying, Misaki?)

Kitchen (Young Aichi)

-What?!-

-Aichi's really confused. Muramasa's nice to him. A villain wouldn't be nice to him!-

"You're not a villain...! You're not mean or scary like one...!"

-Oh geez this child...-

—

Roof (Aichi)

-...Yeah, maybe it is...-

"I just hope I'll be able to figure something out..."

-He does want to be able to work up the nerve to confess to Sthesia...-

-...Somehow.-

—

Main Room (Misaki)

-'Special case'? Just what—-

"W-What are you getting at?"

-Oooooooh, was that a small, flustered stutter, Sthesia~?-

(snorts)

I'm not self-deprecating at all, Aichi. I'm not evil at all, and I like to think I'm an OK person. No... what I'm saying is that people remember me far differently than who I really was. My name got stapled to a fictional demon who never existed. That's what it means to be a villain - it's what people remember you as.

(shrugs)

Eh. I don't really care, though. I think it's got its charm.

edited 12th Apr '18 12:59:00 PM by foxmccloud4387

-AICHI THERE IS SUDDEN TAPS WHAT IF IT'S MISAKI?!-

Hey, you'll get there, Aichi.

Look, if Misaki does reject you, it'll still be a relief for you anyway. Because it's not worth fretting over it like this, Aichi.

(SUDDEN COMPANY) GAH!

Well, seeing as Aichi described someone who looked like you as a... what did he call her? A "goddess?"

edited 12th Apr '18 1:01:56 PM by G2BattleConvoy

Kitchen (Young Aichi)

-So people think of Muramasa as a villain when she wasn't one?-

-At least he thinks that's what she's saying?-

"I won't remember you as a villain. I'll remember you as my friend...!"

-Can someone say 'cinnamon roll'?-

"...What do you mean it has its charm?"

-Is there a reason she likes the idea of being called a villain when she isn't one?-

—

Roof (Aichi)

-Yeah... Just take it slow and eventually you'll make it, Aichi...-

-...And it's really not worth fretting over. If Misaki— err, Sthesia rejects him it doesn't change anything. They'll still be friends, they'll still trust each other, they'll still be there for each other...-

-He's trying his hardest to dismiss that fear and doubt.-

"Thanks, Leos."

-Aichi jumps upon hearing the tapping. WHAT IF IT'S MISAKI OR STHESIA?!-

—

Main Room (Misaki)

-Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Misaki is not the goddess Aichi was talking about when he was affected by that medicine!-

"Y-You mean he described that goddess he was talking about?"