Chapter 2 - Calming down 2
[x] Talk with Kishi/Ariane
-[x] Try to get Kishi and Ariane know each other better.


With the drink being there only to intensify the sheer agony, you decide to lay it off for a moment and focus on more important matters. Like getting your friends to know each other properly.

You doubt that talking about each other when fighting a witch is a thing. Frankly, they didn't seem to communicate that much with each other either during the battle...

"A-anyways," you mutter under the throbbing headache, "change of topic! Y-you know only each others' names, right? W-why not get to know each other better now? It's kind of awkward to sit around with someone you don't know?"

Kishi looks up from her hands and nods somewhat hesitantly, unsure about the idea, while Ariane raises her yes from the drink towards you. They both seem to expect you to explain then? Dammit, why does this keep...

"Uh, I-I mean things you like, your hobbies, and so on..." you try to explain it to the best of your ability, "F-for example, I'm Tamiko and I like hanging around with friends. S-swords too... and I guess reading has become my hobby now?"

Well, you have read a lot more than before your last birthday at least. You doubt you do that as much a Kishi, but it is a start, especially with the whole finish the Potter series before Evelyn competition... Come to think of it, you'll probably have to introduce her to Ariane at some point.

Kishi nods at the last part, happy about your choice, before taking up her turn, "W-well I'm K-Kishi. I-I like reading too. M-mostly fantasy, but s-sometimes sci-fi too..." Huh, you don't recall seeing that kind of books in her possession before? Guess she has more reading material than just those on her shelves.

Noticing that both of you already had your turns, Ariane sets her slushie to the side and appears to be thinking what to say, "Um.. I'm Ariane? I like the Sun, father, miss Celia, Tamiko, dreaming... I don't really have any hobbies besides looking around the house..."

"H-huh, w-what do you mean with t-that?" Kishi suddenly asks her looking almost worried about the last part. Ariane seems nonplussed, however.

"Father doesn't really allow me to leave home. That's because light used to hurt me pretty bad! But not anymore, so I can finally go outside again!" she answers almost jovially.

Kishi turns to look at you with a questioning expression, "H-how exactly did you two meet? I-I think I'm m-missing something here..."

Err...

What do you do?

[] Tell a version of the story!
-[] Omit parts:
--[] The fight.
-[] Emphasize parts:
--[] It's not a date!


[] Steer conversation elsewhere!
-[] Books.
-[] Magical Girls.
-[] What to do next.
-[] Personal History.


[] Go elsewhere.
-[] Library
-[] Arcade.
-[] Park
-[] Your home.


[] Call Evelyn.

[] Write-in.
 
Awww I love Ariane's answer. I do wonder if she's born in France and moved here later, would like to see more foreign quirks in her actions.
 
[x] Wait, did you say you like me?
-[x] React accordingly.

[x] Tell a version of the story!
-[x] Omit parts:
--[x] The fight.

[x] Go elsewhere.
-[x] Park
 
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[x] Wait, did you say you like me?
-[x] React accordingly.

[x] Tell a version of the story!
-[x] Omit parts:
--[x] The fight.

[x] Go elsewhere.
-[x] Park
 
[X] Wait, did you say you like me?
-[X] React accordingly.

[X] Tell a version of the story!
-[X] Omit parts:
--[X] Nothing
-[X] Emphasize parts:
--[X] Ariane thought we were one of her nightmares, so it's just a big misunderstanding!
--[X] It's not a date!

[X] Steer conversation elsewhere!
-[X] What to do next.

[X] Go elsewhere.
-[X] Park

Kishi's our friend, she deserves to know the entire truth. Things will be awkward, sure, but better Kishi find out now and get off a rocky start than find out later and shatter her flimsy friendship with Ariane.
 
[X] Wait, did you say you like me?
-[X] React accordingly.

[X] Tell a version of the story!
-[X] Omit parts:
--[X] Nothing
-[X] Emphasize parts:
--[X] Ariane thought we were one of her nightmares, so it's just a big misunderstanding!
--[X] It's not a date!

[X] Steer conversation elsewhere!
-[X] What to do next.

[X] Go elsewhere.
-[X] Park
 
[X] Wait, did you say you like me?
-[X] React accordingly.

[X] Tell a version of the story!
-[X] Omit parts:
--[X] Nothing
-[X] Emphasize parts:
--[X] Ariane thought we were one of her nightmares, so it's just a big misunderstanding!
--[X] It's not a date!

[X] Steer conversation elsewhere!
-[X] What to do next.

[X] Go elsewhere.
-[X] Park
 
[X] Wait, did you say you like me?
-[X] React accordingly.

[X] Tell a version of the story!
-[X] Omit parts:
--[X] Nothing
-[X] Emphasize parts:
--[X] Ariane thought we were one of her nightmares, so it's just a big misunderstanding!
--[X] It's not a date!

[X] Steer conversation elsewhere!
-[X] What to do next.

[X] Go elsewhere.
-[X] Park
 
[X] Wait, did you say you like me?
-[X] React accordingly.

[X] Tell a version of the story!
-[X] Omit parts:
--[X] Nothing
-[X] Emphasize parts:
--[X] Ariane thought we were one of her nightmares, so it's just a big misunderstanding!
--[X] It's not a date!

[X] Steer conversation elsewhere!
-[X] What to do next.

[X] Go elsewhere.
-[X] Park
 
Vote tally:
##### 3.21
[x] Wait, did you say you like me?
-[x] React accordingly.
[x] Tell a version of the story!
-[x] Omit parts:
--[x] The fight.
[x] Go elsewhere.
-[x] Park
No. of votes: 1
MrLZRS
[X] Wait, did you say you like me?
-[X] React accordingly.
[X] Tell a version of the story!
-[X] Omit parts:
--[X] Nothing
-[X] Emphasize parts:
--[X] Ariane thought we were one of her nightmares, so it's just a big misunderstanding!
--[X] It's not a date!
[X] Steer conversation elsewhere!
-[X] What to do next.
[X] Go elsewhere.
-[X] Park
No. of votes: 5
Hannz, Astaroh-M, Nervos Belli, Loktarogar, FelOnyx
[x] Madoka
No. of votes: 1
UbeOne
Well, I'm going to close the votes and update... At some point. Also:
[X] Steer conversation elsewhere!
-[X] What to do next.

[X] Go elsewhere.
-[X] Park
Tamiko: "So, we should decide where to go next!"
Ariane: "Ooh! How about-"
Kishi: "It would be nice to-"
Tamiko: "Haha, fuck no, we be going to park, ladies!"
 
Chapter 2 - Calming down 3
[X] Wait, did you say you like me?
-[X] React accordingly.
[X] Tell a version of the story!
-[X] Omit parts:
--[X] Nothing
-[X] Emphasize parts:
--[X] Ariane thought we were one of her nightmares, so it's just a big misunderstanding!
--[X] It's not a date!
[X] Steer conversation elsewhere!
-[X] What to do next.
[X] Go elsewhere.
-[X] Park


"W-well, it's kind of a long story that starts- W-w-wait what!?" you turn to look scandalously at Ariane, who just stares back in confusion and asks worriedly, "Why are you suddenly so angry, Tamiko?"

"I-it's not like that, b-but did you just say you 'like' me?" you stammer out, bushing furiously at the words. Why can't you live a life without the implications of you dating your friends for some reason?

Ariane seems a bit taken aback by the explanation, "Huh, isn't that perfectly fine?" No, it isn't! "Or... don't you like your friends then?" she asks, sounding almost sad.

Oh... Right...

You cough poignantly at your fist and exclaim, "O-oh, s-sorry. For a moment I thought... W-well, I do like my friends... B-but not in that way, no matter what my uncle says!"

There, that should make it clear. If your uncle had been here, no doubt this would have turned into a disaster. It is better to clear any misunderstandings now rather than let them evolve into something worse.

You calm yourself turn to look at Kishi. She seems unusually tense and stares at the table. "Uh, Kishi? Y-you there? A-are you okay?" you ask her, worried by the sudden change in her behavior.

She lets out a long breath and closes her eyes, "I-I'm fine, it's n-nothing. B-but please, c-continue the story..."

You are a bit reluctant to do that, but if she says so... "W-well, anyways, I woke up early and found that I couldn't go back to sleep. It was still so early and I didn't dare wake up anyone else. So I went to take a walk."

Kishi seems to listen to you with mild interest, while Ariane is occupied by trying to scoop out the last parts of her drink from the cup with the straw, "I-I just wandered around before I noticed Ariane standing on a rooftop in her ghost form. I decided to check it out and climbed the building."

"What ghost form?" Ariane suddenly asks and looks at you while a small drop of the melted ice falls on the table from the cup. "I-it's... well, it's what happens when you dream, I think? I'm not entirely sure, but that's how I assume it works." She seems to accept the explanation for now and turns back to the remains of her drink.

"S-so, I kind of surprised her, and... we were both unsure about the situation. A-Ariane was apparently seeing me as some sort of nightmare, and when the stand-off started to diffuse..." you say and stop to think how to put this.

"I-I'm... not sure what happened, but I guess it became a full nightmare or something? I-I don't think Ariane was even in control at that point. S-she seemed scared as she turned corporeal and scary... and attacked me with huge flambard..." you take a look at Ariane to check her reaction.

She doesn't seem to mind, seeing that her attention is more focused on taking a picture of the cafe with her phone.
She is frowning deeply.
"A-anyways, I won..." you take a heavy pause at that, the very unwanted memories of the incident coming back to you. Kishi looks concerned, but you simply brush it off. "I-I thought... when the ghost form became just mist I though I had..." you swallow down a lump in your throat and breathe in deeply. You are not going to cry, dammit!

"T-Tamiko, it's okay, p-please... Y-you don't have to c-continue if you don't want to..." Kishi offers you with worry, but you simply shake your head.

"...I-I decided... HAD to follow the smoke... I-I eventually arrived to Ariane's home and I... kind of... brokeintoherhousethroughthechimney" you blurt out, suddenly realizing what that must sound like to others.

True enough, Kishi is now staring at you like you had grown a second head. She is valiantly attempting to summon something to say, but seems unable to. Instead, her face gets buried in her hands and she lets out a long sigh.

It was a perfectly valid action at the time!

"S-so, I eventually got into Ariane's room. We had a long talk where we agreed to be friends and I offered to take her outside to see the Sun. Unfortunately we didn't get to stay there for much before Mr. Verrier, her dad, crashed the party and I had to explain the Magical Girl business to her," you summarize the last part. It is all either private or not really important in your opinion.

"A-after that go cleared, we climbed to the roof to continue watching the sunrise while drinking hot chocolate. A-and I want to stress it that it wasn't a date in any form, and I only wanted to help my friend to make her dreams real!" you can't stress it enough that you are not dating any one of your friends, thank you very much.

Kishi seems a bit disbelieving, almost sad, but doesn't comment on that. You frown a little, but continue to the end, "W-we stayed there for a while, before I offered to take her see the city for the first time in her life. Mr. Verrier agreed only by having those two aides to watch over her. And I still want to stress that this is not meant to be a date! A-anyhow, we didn't get to do much before running into that witch."

"...I-I hope your u-uncle doesn't find out a-about that. I-I don't even want to i-imagine what he'd say," Kishi offers while staring at you. That is something you can get behind... And you'll probably have to introduce Ariane to him at some point... That is going to to be difficult.

"I-I completely agree... A-anyhow, I think we can move on, we are probably done here. D-do you have any suggestions where to go next?" you change the subject.

"Can't we just go everywhere?" Ariane suddenly asks you, almost pleadingly, "there's still so much to see!"

"H-have you gone to the l-library yet?" Kishi offers, "I-I think it would be a good p-place to know..."

"W-well, I was thinking of going to a park, myself. T-they can be nice even during winter..." you finish weakly.

Should you press it?

What do you do?

[] Decide on a course.
-[] Convince them of the merits of park.
-[] Agree with Kishi and go to the library.
-[] Agree with Ariane and just walk around the town.
-[] Stay here.
-[] Random chance!


[] Call Evelyn.
-[] Tell her to decide.


[] Call uncle.

[] Talk with Kishi/Ariane.

[] Write-in.

===

Huh, that turned out pretty long...
 
[X] Decide on a course
-[X] Agree with Kishi and go to the library.

Must appease the moebot
 
any invisitext? I feel like there should be invisitext, but I'm not spotting it.
 
[X] Decide on a course.
-[X] Agree with Ariane and just walk around the town.

Let Kishi become more jelly!
 
any invisitext? I feel like there should be invisitext, but I'm not spotting it.

Yes,

"I-I'm... not sure what happened, but I guess it became a full nightmare or something? I-I don't think Ariane was even in control at that point. S-she seemed scared as she turned corporeal and scary... and attacked me with huge flambard..." you take a look at Ariane to check her reaction.

She doesn't seem to mind, seeing that her attention is more focused on taking a picture of the cafe with her phone.
She is frowning deeply.
"A-anyways, I won..." you take a heavy pause at that, the very unwanted memories of the incident coming back to you. Kishi looks concerned, but you simply brush it off. "I-I thought... when the ghost form became just mist I though I had..." you swallow down a lump in your throat and breathe in deeply. You are not going to cry, dammit!

Ariane is likely upset about herself attacking, or the reminder of the Nightmare.



You cough poignantly at your fist and exclaim, "O-oh, s-sorry. For a moment I thought... W-well, I do like my friends... B-but not in that way, no matter what my uncle says!"

There, that should make it clear. If your uncle had been here, no doubt this would have turned into a disaster. It is better to clear any misunderstandings now rather than let them evolve into something worse.

You calm yourself turn to look at Kishi. She seems unusually tense and stares at the table. "Uh, Kishi? Y-you there? A-are you okay?" you ask her, worried by the sudden change in her behavior.

She lets out a long breath and closes her eyes, "I-I'm fine, it's n-nothing. B-but please, c-continue the story..."

Yep, looks like Kishi is falling for the ridiculousness of Tamiko. Uncle might have to be helpful and get out his clue bat.

I can't believe I typed that.
 
[x] Decide on a course.
-[x] Agree with Ariane and just walk around the town.

Why the library? The whole point of the tour is to have Ariane experience the sun, the outdoors.
 
[x] Decide on a course.
-[x] Agree with Ariane and just walk around the town.


I think she being around the indoor for quite enough time.
 
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