[mostly open!] collecting friendship fragments: balance edition

[gotyourbach]

Who: Kaede Akamatsu (gotyourbach), Kokichi Oma (slieght), Maki Harukawa (erlebnisse), Shuichi Saihara (diffidentive), and YOU!

Where: assorted locations!

When: Within a few days of newbie arrival

What: a Dangan class trial meeting, and Kaede introducing her old friends to her new friends! Please let her introduce her friends

Content Warning: DRV3 spoilers likely in thread A below, others will be marked as needed!


A. Closed to Kokichi, Maki, and Shuichi

[Hardly anyone can be surprised that of all the places on the Moon she could have asked them to meet, it would be the Academy's music room. It's the place she feels the safest, after all! There's even a handwritten note on the door: CLOSED FOR A PRIVATE SESSION ♡♡♡

Kaede sits at the piano bench, because of couse she does, while she waits for the others to arrive. She pulled some chairs down from the stack for everybody to use when they get here, and she brought some safe-for-consumption snacks from Bender's café, just in case. Like the perpetually warm and soft chocolate-chip cookies! Everyone likes those.

After that, she just has to ward off the urge to play piano. It's like, right there. But she'll have time to play piano later! It's fine!]

B. Friendship Fragments - Shuichi (joint prompt with diffidentive)

[Kaede is walking with Shuichi toward the Artificer's office, chatting animatedly about -- something. Music, magic, regaling him with tales about her adventures in the Bureau, always with the most positive spin on it. But when she spots one of her friends, she grabs Shuichi's hand without warning and tugs him toward the new person.]

Hey, hey! Have you met Saihara-kun yet?

C. Friendship Fragments - Kokichi (joint prompt with slieght)

[It's nice that the Whomping Willow isn't so whomping anymore. Kaede remembers when it was literally attacking people on Maru. But it seems friendly enough now! She and a shorter boy are sitting under it, Kaede with some homework that she... hasn't started. She seems to be pouting at Kokichi for something he said until she spots someone she knows, then she's waving frantically, trying to gesture for them to come closer.]

Hey, over here! I have to introduce you to someone!

D. Friendship Fragments - Maki (joint prompt with erlebnisse

[Or, maybe, you've come to get yourself some dinner. Kaede's set up shop at a table with a rather severe-looking girl, and seems to be instructing her on Bender's rather... esoteric methods of making food. There's a dish of melting green tea ice cream in front of her that she seems to have forgetten in her animated explanation, and a few other assorted goodies that Kaede's just gotten in case Maki wants them.

She brightens when she spots a familiar face, though, waving for their attention. Maki tenses up as Kaede calls out, startled and uncomfortable. Her glare is intense, eyeing whoever approaches like she's sizing them up and judging them already.]

Hey, have you gotten to meet Harukawa-san yet? Do you have any recommendations for stuff she can order?

E. Wildcard! OTA [Wanna meet the kids somewhere else? Did we discuss another prompt on plurk? Feel free to use this log as a catch-all for that kind of thing!]

Comments

B

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran has his hands full with a couple of books and a tiny white dog as he's walking the opposite direction, but he doesn't seem like he's struggling, at least. Just very much a nerd.

It's not surprising that Kaede would approach suddenly, but his eyebrows rise anyway as he glances between the two of them.]

I'm guessing this is a friend of yours?

[Ah, manners. He's already got the name from Kaede, so he conjures up a Mage Hand in the shape of a white glove to offer to Shuichi so he can introduce himself properly. It's weird, but it's polite.]

I'm Ferran. You were brought here recently?

[diffidentive]

[Shuichi seems a little taken aback by the sudden appearance of a disembodied hand. It's a few moments before he extends his own hand and gives the Mage Hand a somewhat feeble shake. He's more used to bowing in greeting...]

M-mm, [He nods.] Saihara Shuichi, I just arrived a few days ago...

[After a moment, he starts as though he's just realized something and somewhat hastily bows at the waist.]

I-It's nice to meet you!

[gotyourbach]

Puppy!

[Kaede immediately moves to offer her hands to Ferran's familiar. What a sweet-looking dog! But she looks up and gives Shuichi an encouraging nod before turning her attention back to Ferran.]

Saihara-kun and I spent a lot of time together before Director pulled me here. Ferran-kun is our resident wizard! He's really, really good at magic. Did you know he can make a copy of a whole piano?

[Of course he doesn't know that, they just met.]

[noblegarnet]

[Butter, the good boy that he is, only takes a moment to sniff the offered hands before proceeding with the greeting licks. Pets pls!!

This guy, though... with how timid he is, he can easily see Kaede bullying him with friendship into whatever she can think of. Poor guy. Ferran offers him brief bow of his head along with a smile that's part manners, part sympathy, as the glove disappears.

His smile stays on his face but fades from his eyes as Kaede mentions the piano he copied... and he's reminded of just how much effort it took to do that. It was his own fault for overextending himself by offering, but still...]

I, uh, probably won't be doing that again anytime soon, but that is technically a thing I can do. Welcome to the Bureau, Saihara. I'm sure Kaede's caught you up on the basics so far?

[diffidentive]

Akamatsu-san...how could I possibly know that...

[It's said in an very quiet whisper, as though he's not expecting an answer but felt the need to point it out anyway. He just met the guy, Kaede. Of course he couldn't know that he can copy a whole piano!]

[His eyes linger for a moment on the spot where the mage hand vanished before returning to Ferran just in time to catch the subtle change in his eyes. Why does he get the feeling that making that piano wasn't just something Ferran had decided to do at random? Is this another person who has a hard time saying "no" to Kaede?]

Mmm, she has. Luckily, she caught up with me right after my initiation...

[gotyourbach]

[Butter is all but showered in pets. Who's a good boy?? It's Butter!! Butter's a good boy!!

If Kaede hears Shuichi (she does), she doesn't answer him. Her hands are full of dog and her mouth is full of more important things to say.]

Mmhm, I explained what I could. I'm really glad we ran into you, though! Saihara-kun is a Chemist... I don't know a lot about that, but don't you think Chemists and Wizards are pretty similar?

[She has to pull one hand away from Butter to point straight up in the air with a realization.]

Do you think you could point him toward some good reference books?

[noblegarnet]

[Ferran thinks momentarily about asking him how his initiation went, but he recalls that the ones most others went through were much more... grueling than the one he endured, which was basically a boring white escape room with a plate of spaghetti, a kids' chemistry set, and a wooden sword instead of a key. It's probably better to let that one go; he's made it through the test, which is what matters.

Butter can't possibly be enjoying the attention more than he is.]

... are we?

[The mild smile stays, but again his eyes change to a dubious expression. They're no more similar than a rogue and a ranger, but he guesses there's studying involved. It's not a lot of studying of the same subject, though, so he wouldn't know where to start on reference books. Although...]

Well, I do have a copy of a manual someone found regarding potions that cure certain ailments...

[diffidentive]

[Shuichi has a similarly doubtful look in his eyes. He doesn't know shit about fantasy rpg classes...but he's pretty sure chemists and wizards are not the same thing. Though he is touched that she's looking out for him like that.]

Ah, that would be helpful, id you would let me look at it. I've been trying to read as much as I can in the Artificer's Office but...there are a lot of books in there.

[Which is a good thing! Lots of books is good! But it also means there is So Much to sift through.]

[gotyourbach]

Yeah, definitely!

[Chemist = Scientist = Lots of Studying = Wizard?? She's pretty sure!]

There sure are, huh? I've been reading some of the books on music theory... oh!

[She has to pull her hands away from Butter to smack her fist into her opposite palm.]

That reminds me! When we were in Lyrabar, Miss Irene played a song that was definitely Chopin's Nocturne in C# minor arranged for violin, but when I asked her for the sheet music, it said it was written by "anonymous"... isn't that weird? While you're reading, maybe you guys could try to keep an eye out for stuff like that! Where something should be written by somebody really famous, but it doesn't match up with what you know?

[noblegarnet]

[. . . .]

Sure. Could be interesting.

[Yep. Definitely going to look up musical pieces from worlds he's not even from. He says it sincerely enough to be believable, but it's not impossible to see through the polite agreement. With the temporary musical interlude done, though, he turns back to Shuichi—he'll probably be a better help with the Chemist thing if they're not distracted by Chopin.]

I can do you one better than letting you borrow it, though. Hold out your hands.

[He shifts the books just enough to snap his fingers (which is one hundred percent only for show) and a glittering red light comes together in the shape of a small journal.]

It's the one Mr. McCree found on the camping trip. Books are a lot easier to copy than pianos, as it turns out.

[diffidentive]

[Shuichi does as asked, and a look of awed surprise crosses his features as the book appears in his hands. The show is an overwhelming success, honestly. That's so neat.]

Ah-- [Maybe he should look into one of the more magical classes when it finally comes time for him to start on a second path...] Thank you, Ferran-san. I really appreciate this.

[So much so that he bows again, holding the book to his chest for a moment as he does so.]

[gotyourbach]

Wow!!

[Kaede's seen it before, but as a performer herself, she can appreciate the showmanship, applauding with delight.]

Hey, hey, Ferran-kun, have you ever thought about being a bard? Oh, or maybe we could put on a show together next time we're on the surface! I bet everyone would love it!

[Is she comparing him to a parlor magician... maybe... She had a friend who was the SHSL Magician Mage, after all, and while in the past, thinking about Himiko would have made her sad, now that she knows her friends can still be saved and brought here, like Shuichi and the others, it's more of a fond memory than a sad one.]

[noblegarnet]

No problem.

[Seeing that helping people is about all he has left, he's always pleased when he's managed to contribute something worthwhile. To Kaede's suggestion though, his eyebrows furrow slightly as he adjusts the books (and Butter) to a more comfortable position in his arms.]

Oh, no. I'm no good with music.

[He thinks this is likely to keep Kaede from delving further into the idea of him performing anything at all. He hopes it will, anyway.]

I was looking into Sorcerer, actually... not that I know how to awaken inner magical potential without hours of studying...

[diffidentive]

...there's a difference between being a wizard and a sorcerer? Aren't they just...synonyms?

[Guess who hasn't looked into any of paths other than his own.]

[This kid.]

[Guess who also doesn't know shit about DnD.]

[This kid, again.]

[gotyourbach]

Don't be silly... anyone can learn music! But I meant more like... you could do wizard stuff while I play music. It might be a little chaotic, but isn't that stuff kind of fun?

[At Shuichi's question, Kaede pauses. Opens her mouth. And very abruptly realizes that she doesn't know what the difference is, either. She knows Sans is a sorcerer and Ferran is a wizard, but she doesn't... actually know the difference between them.]

Oh, you have different spells, right? And sorcerers are kind of like bards?

[That's her guess.]

[noblegarnet]

Oh. I guess I technically have Thaumaturgy on the list to learn...

[Even if he thinks it's one of the more useless spells in his potential arsenal... what is he gonna do with some eye color changes and spooky sounds? He's no performer, he's a magical information gatherer.

For the question about class differences—if Ferran had glasses he'd probably be adjusting them right now. He just straightens up a little, instead.]

I don't know that they're like bards—but their power comes from more of a internal talent, rather than studying like I've been doing. They're also more offensive than wizards. Most of what I have helps me learn or see things, so I'm suited more for strategizing than fighting.

[As Kaede probably got some inkling of during their attempted heist. Sorry about getting you arrested, by the way. :(]

[diffidentive]

Oh...huh.

[#themoreyouknow]

[gotyourbach]

Is that like Prestidigitation?

[It took her. Many tries. After learning that spell to even be able to pronounce it. It's complicated, okay?!

But she hums, tapping her finger against her lips.]

Strategizing does sound an awful lot like what you're good at, Ferran-kun. [She's not mad about being arrested!! She should have done a better job on her end of not getting caught.]

Maybe you and Saihara-kun could work on stuff like that together!

[That sounds like the kind of nerd stuff Shuichi would like.]

[noblegarnet]

It's mostly about showing people that you have a connection to magic. Changing your eyes, making sounds, slamming doors kinds of things.

[That's his current understanding of it, anyway. He has yet to fully look into it, even if it's the next spell on his list to learn. It's just... so... lame?? Meh.]

Well, thanks. I'm sure we'll get a chance to solve a few problems, [he turns to Shuichi] if you're up for it.

[diffidentive]

Ah, um...well, I'm not sure if I'd be very good at strategizing... [Kaede why are you just volunteering him for things!? He's never really done anything like strategizing before.] But I can try? I'd probably be better at something like that then fighting...

[Not that...that is a high bar to clear. He can't fight at all.]

[gotyourbach]

I see... Prestidigitation is like, lighting torches and cleaning clothes. Little stuff!

[She is making friends for him? She's like an overbearing mom on her son's first day of kindergarten.]

It's probably something you can learn to do, Saihara-kun. I could play some 19th century piano music for you while you study, like Chopin's Revolutionary! Or we could try to find some puzzle books...

[noblegarnet]

There are a couple of classes at the academy for planning battles and dealing with specific monsters. They can help you get a head start.

[He wouldn't have known where to begin, himself, if not for a few of those classes. Plus they're handy for pretending your world wasn't destroyed, kind of.]

I'm sure you can get the hang of it if you put your mind to it. [Chemists are a class based on "intelligence," so hopefully that's appropriate for Shuichi and Garfield's Wheel of Paths didn't hit bankrupt.]

[diffidentive]

M-mm...

[Fortunately, intelligence is one of the few things Shuichi has going for him. In fact, as far as the path traits go, it's really the only one he has. He just lacks confidence, which is why he's so hesitant about strategizing.]

I'm already taking classes at the academy...I guess I could look into those. At some point...

[Honestly though, he doesn't want to bite off more than he can chew. Stop volunteering him for things, Kaede! Let him move at his own pace.]

[gotyourbach]

Oh, you could go to class together! Half the fun of going to school is getting to see everyone there, after all.

[Ferran didn't say he was in any of those classes, nor did he invite Shuichi to go with him, but that isn't stopping her from suggesting it.]

I think they started doing a class on logic recently... we could check that out, too!

[noblegarnet]

[Oh, Kaede. At least Ferran isn't the sort to take her suggestions as an obligation on Shuichi's part—it'll be nice to see him there, but he won't be disappointed if the guy doesn't show up.]

I was interested in looking into that, though I don't know how many puzzle-based challenges we're going to come across.

[He hasn't seen many himself, though he can't speak to everyone else's experiences. He's only been on two official missions so far, he guesses. There was that stupid dungeon, though...]

It might be good for passing the time, at least.