Magical Burst 1.5 (Par's)

[20:11:24] <Diana> [The literature club is not really crowded at this time of the day. It's getting late, and students are going home. Only a handful of people are still in the room, including Diana, the club president, and Dorothy, one of the members. The room is filled with silence, with occasionally a sound of flipping pages.]
[20:12:22] * Diana is at her usual seat at the end of the room, silently reading her choice of books while doing nothing in particular.
[20:13:19] * Dorothy is trying to read some sort of classic novel, but she's not really into it.  She fidgets in her chair, just waiting and wondering when would be the best time to ask...
[20:13:25] * Diana sometimes looks up from her book and gaze across the room, where Dorothy is.
[20:14:04] * Dorothy wonders if she should have started reading some fantasy novel with magic in it.  But most likely, it'd be nothing like what this "real" magic is like...
[20:14:46] * Dorothy keeps checking the wall clock and taking glances at the other students in the room.  Come on, come on, leave already...  B-but, don't leave TOO fast...
[20:15:18] <Diana> "I'm leaving, prez." Said the last girl. she sling her bag over her shoulder and shut the door behind her.
[20:15:37] * Diana waves at the leaving student.
[20:16:10] * Dorothy bites her lip.  Great, now it's just the two of them.  She's waited all weekend for this, and now she doesn't even know how to ask...
[20:16:16] <Diana> Have a safe trip♪
[20:16:39] * Dorothy keeps reading, trying to act like she wasn't COMPLETELY waiting for everyone to leave.
[20:17:28] * Diana , however, doesn't pressure Dorothy or anything. She acts the same as always. Reading. immersing herself into the literature work.
[20:17:45] <Diana> ...
[20:17:51] * Diana breaks the silence soon after.
[20:17:59] <Diana> ...Dorothy.
[20:18:43] * Dorothy hops a little in her seat, gripping her book for dear life.  She glances up for a second but doesn't keeping looking at Diana.
[20:19:07] <Dorothy> "Oh, h-hi, Diana."
[20:19:26] <Diana> -I have iced coffee here, so if you want...
[20:19:49] * Diana presents her with a glass of iced coffee.
[20:20:28] * Dorothy walks over to Diana's side of the room and accepts the drink.  At least this way she doesn't have to be as embarrassed...
[20:20:39] <Dorothy> "Oh, uhh, th-thanks."
[20:20:49] <Diana> Don't mention it ♪
[20:21:10] * Diana then return to her reading.
[20:21:17] * Dorothy takes the glass and sits down next to Di, sipping the drink and buying herself some more time.
[20:21:53] * Dorothy waits for some time, then tries to ease into a conversation gradually.
[20:22:06] <Dorothy> "Uhm, what, what book is that?"
[20:22:27] <Diana> Oh, this?
[20:22:38] * Diana shows Dorothy the content.
[20:22:55] <Diana> Just a translated light novel I've been reading lately.
[20:23:04] <Diana> *recently.
[20:24:03] * Dorothy finds it weird to read over her shoulder, so she doesn't for very long.
[20:24:16] <Diana> A story about A normal girl in a not-so-normal situation.
[20:24:25] <Dorothy> "Oh, translated?  Is that, like umm, that Japanese stuff?"
[20:24:47] <Diana> I guess it is from Japan, yes.
[20:25:12] * Dorothy mmm's.
[20:25:29] <Dorothy> "I never really got into all that stuff.  It feels too weird to me."
[20:25:32] * Diana flips the page. Its cover reads..."Persona".
[20:25:44] <Diana> ...she discovered her another self. A facade' she use to endure life's hardship.
[20:26:13] <Diana> With that, she understand herself more, embrace it, and eventually...
[20:26:20] * Diana closes the book.
[20:26:27] * Dorothy only partially catches the subtext.  She's not exactly the fastest thinker, in all honesty.
[20:26:29] <Diana> Actually I haven't read that far yet.
[20:26:46] <Dorothy> "Ohh, well uhh, I hope it's a good book."
[20:27:27] <Diana> I hope so too.
[20:27:35] * Dorothy DOES catch some of the subtext, though.  She fiddles with her mousey hair, wondering how to start this awkward conversation...
[20:27:44] <Diana> I mean, I've read up until volume two. At least I'm expecting something out of it.
[20:27:54] * Diana giggles.
[20:28:16] * Dorothy smiles halfheartedly, not really getting the joke.
[20:28:34] <Dorothy> "So, umm..."
[20:28:45] <Diana> if it's not a good book like I expected, I guess another 14 volumes I left at home would be a big waste.
[20:28:59] * Dorothy tries to laugh.
[20:29:08] <Dorothy> "Heh, heh, I guess."
[20:29:16] <Diana> anyway, you have something in your mind?
[20:29:30] * Diana turns her chair to face towards Dorothy.
[20:29:34] * Dorothy hoped she wasn't going to ask directly...
[20:29:47] <Diana> As a club president, I wouldn't mind if you ask me.
[20:29:48] <Dorothy> "Oh, well I, uhhnm..."
[20:29:51] <Diana> 'anything'.
[20:29:59] * Dorothy looks away again.
[20:30:00] * Diana smiles.
[20:30:26] * Dorothy can't stand it.  She just goes all-in, but, in a slightly different way...
[20:30:36] <Dorothy> "S-Stop that.  Please."
[20:30:41] <Diana> hm?
[20:30:55] <Dorothy> "It's... I, when you, when people talk like..."
[20:31:07] <Dorothy> "It makes me feel stupid..."
[20:31:15] <Diana> oh my.
[20:31:25] <Diana> I'm sorry that I didn't--
[20:31:30] <Diana> My apologies.
[20:31:33] <Dorothy> "N-No, it's, it's not you!"
[20:31:43] * Dorothy backs off, waving her hands.
[20:32:02] <Dorothy> "It's just, it's me.  I'm, I'm sorry..."
[20:32:29] <Dorothy> "But, we... we both know, about... you know, so... let's just skip that part, okay?"
[20:32:41] <Diana> I understand.
[20:32:44] * Diana nods.
[20:33:56] * Dorothy looks down again, frowning.
[20:33:58] <Diana> [music club are practicing. Their violin pieces can be heard from afar, making the atmosphere become more relaxed...]
[20:34:13] <Dorothy> "I, I just...  I don't know what I'm supposed to think."
[20:34:30] <Diana> You don't really have to.
[20:34:35] * Diana smiles.
[20:34:49] * Dorothy doesn't understand.
[20:35:01] <Dorothy> "But, but yes you do!  It's, it's a big deal!"
[20:35:04] <Diana> It may sound irresponsible, but if it's too hard for you...
[20:35:15] <Diana> Just put it away for the time being.
[20:35:34] * Dorothy shakes her head timidly.
[20:35:45] <Diana> It's a big deal, yes.
[20:35:56] <Dorothy> "I, I can't just put it away.  How can you just put something like, like THIS away?"
[20:36:26] <Diana> In my opinion,
[20:37:08] <Diana> it depends on how important the thing you are about to fight for.
[20:37:19] * Diana looks out of the window.
[20:37:39] <Diana> For me... I have someone I need to protect.
[20:37:50] <Dorothy> "The thing...?  I, uhh..."
[20:37:53] * Dorothy hesitates.
[20:37:56] <Diana> I just can't leave her alone for a minute, that person.
[20:38:01] * Diana laughs.
[20:38:19] <Dorothy> "That... that, frog thing, didn't really explain much about the fighting and stuff..."
[20:38:30] * Dorothy shudders at the thought of the "frog thing"
[20:38:43] <Diana> I don't really like him either.
[20:38:45] * Diana blehs.
[20:38:57] <Diana> I mean, he's really hideous, right?
[20:39:05] * Dorothy nods but says nothing.
[20:39:16] <Diana> and always talking in a magestic kind of speech!
[20:39:20] <Dorothy> "Did he... did it, tell you anything?"
[20:39:57] <Dorothy> "He just told me, umm...  Something about, fighting demons, and, giving me the tools, or something."
[20:40:01] * Diana is about to go on lengthy speech about how it lures her sister into contract, but being cut off by the question.
[20:40:35] <Dorothy> "I don't really... I mean, how do you do something without knowing anything about it?"
[20:41:09] <Diana> I admit that I am also reckless for accepting this so soon.
[20:41:41] <Diana> but I'll tell you what I know.
[20:42:04] * Diana tries to relax as she recall the information...
[20:42:52] <Diana> First;
[20:43:00] <Diana> The contract.
[20:43:39] <Diana> by collecting 13 seed, you will recieve one wish.
[20:43:53] <Dorothy> "Huh?  Seeds?"
[20:44:05] * Dorothy keeps asking questions whenever she can think of them.
[20:44:14] * Diana does a gesture of a teacher silencing her student.
[20:44:29] <Diana> I'll get to you later. Now...
[20:44:52] <Diana> Seeds are dropped from... enemies.
[20:45:13] <Diana> Enemies usually appears at random, and only those in contract can see them or fight them.
[20:46:01] <Diana> And it's the frog that chooses who will make a contract with him.
[20:46:06] * Diana ahems.
[20:46:12] <Diana> That's the basic, I suppose.
[20:47:21] * Dorothy still isn't satisfied will all that.  She's the type of person who doesn't dive into things without knowing a WHOLE lot... usually.
[20:48:37] <Dorothy> "But... that, that doesn't really explain anything?  Who are "the enemy"?  I mean, WHY are they the enemy?  Where'd magic come from?  Didn't he tell you any of that?!"
[20:48:57] <Diana> alas, I know none of those.
[20:49:05] <Dorothy> "What?!"
[20:49:07] <Diana> That's why I said I was also reckless, ahaha...
[20:49:14] * Dorothy nearly yells that last one.
[20:49:18] * Diana gives Dorothy an apologetic look.
[20:49:21] <Dorothy> "B-but, but...!"
[20:50:05] <Dorothy> "Then, then how can he, it...  How can he...  Why is that frog thing doing any of this?!"
[20:50:14] <Diana> hm?
[20:50:22] <Dorothy> "There's got to be some sort of reason, or else none of this would be happening!"
[20:50:24] <Diana> what is it that you are referring to?
[20:50:48] <Dorothy> "I mean, he just, like... shows up, and suddenly poof, magic?"
[20:51:04] <Dorothy> "That can't be all of it... it just, it can't be!"
[20:51:18] * Dorothy isn't taking this very well, obviously.
[20:51:39] <Diana> There might be an underlying agenda I don't know of...
[20:51:45] <Diana> but...
[20:52:02] <Diana> ...my resolve is absolute.
[20:52:13] <Diana> I made a contract not for the wish.
[20:52:30] * Dorothy isn't exactly heartened by that sentiment...
[20:52:30] <Diana> I made it for the sake of protecting someone else.
[20:52:48] <Dorothy> "Protect them from what, though?"
[20:53:08] <Diana> From all the fighting.
[20:53:35] * Dorothy keeps asking questions, even though she pretty much knows by now that she won't get good answers.  She just has to TELL someone.
[20:53:41] <Diana> I don't know how hard the path would be,
[20:53:51] <Diana> but at least she won't be alone.
[20:55:23] <Diana> Sorry that I can't answer all your questions. I'm still new to this myself.
[20:55:28] * Diana ahaha ♪
[20:55:38] <Dorothy> "But, I mean...  O-Okay, lemme ask a, a different question, I guess."
[20:55:48] <Dorothy> "Magic...  I, I guess, what kind of, magic IS it?  What can it do?  What can, what can YOU do?"
[20:56:10] <Diana> I guess it depends on the person.
[20:56:58] <Diana> For me, I can levitate. Brandishing heavy halberd like it's a toy. Clad in body armor. And... summon a melee weapon out of thin air at will?
[20:57:51] * Dorothy has a hard time stomaching all of this.  She looks around the room to make sure they're alone...
[20:58:01] <Dorothy> "Can... can you, uhh... show, me...?"
[20:58:33] <Diana> I'd like to, but...
[20:58:41] * Diana looks around, a little nervous.
[20:58:50] <Diana> Just a little bit, okay?
[20:59:24] <Dorothy> "Even a little is fine, I... I guess."
[20:59:37] * Dorothy just hopes the example isn't anything like what the frog thing did...
[21:00:03] * Diana inhale, then clasp her hands over her chest, where the amulet is.
[21:01:08] <Diana> [green lights embraces Diana, and soon she emerges with her body armor and a gigantic halberd, levitating a bit over the ground without making any noise.]
[21:01:35] <Diana> ...this is the second time I do this, and the first time without having my sister around.
[21:01:46] <Diana> It's quite embarrassing, I have to say.
[21:02:45] * Dorothy looks with wonder.  It's... it's LIKE the frog thing's magic, but... it's not.
[21:03:17] * Dorothy inches closer to Diana and reaches out her hand shakily, wanting to touch the armor, but holding back.
[21:03:30] <Dorothy> "I... It's..."
[21:03:40] <Diana> Magic, yes.
[21:03:51] <Diana> I don't know anything else that could explain this.
[21:04:21] * Diana de-suits.
[21:04:26] <Diana> whew.
[21:04:44] * Dorothy wishes she could have an explanation, but the sight of it...  It almost makes her not care.
[21:05:15] <Dorothy> "It's... not like, what that... frog-thing did..."
[21:05:28] <Diana> what did he do?
[21:05:29] * Dorothy looks downcast, remembering what happened in the bathroom.
[21:05:39] <Diana> I think you referred to this a few times.
[21:06:04] <Dorothy> "I...  It's, it's okay, it's not a, big deal...  I'm better now, that's all that matters."
[21:06:11] * Dorothy is clearly shook up about it.
[21:06:27] <Diana> ...
[21:06:36] <Diana> Alright. I won't pry any further.
[21:06:58] <Diana> I hope I sated your curiosity, at least?
[21:07:08] <Dorothy> "Y-Yeah... thanks..."
[21:07:25] * Dorothy mumbles under her breath, forgetting that she's audible:
[21:08:00] <Dorothy> {"...bet I wouldn't look anything like that...  Prolly look horrible..."}
[21:08:24] <Diana> my, my.
[21:08:34] * Diana grabs Dorothy's shoulder.
[21:08:43] <Diana> It's not good to look down on yourself like that.
[21:09:23] * Dorothy jumps a bit, just realizing Diana could hear her.
[21:09:27] <Diana> In my understanding, the power took shape of a person's heart.
[21:09:39] * Dorothy frowns.
[21:09:47] <Dorothy> "...that's the point, though."
[21:10:14] <Diana> I'm sure a wonderful person like you would produce a beautiful power ♪
[21:10:14] <Dorothy> "I'm not good at anything, not because I don't try, but because I'm just NOT."
[21:10:48] <Dorothy> "I'm... I'm not wonderful.  I'm just... whatever."
[21:11:08] * Dorothy can't be shaken on that.  This is years of mediocrity speaking.
[21:11:48] * Diana totally doesn't understand this. She is already extraordinary, and she believes that everyone has unique traits.
[21:12:15] <Diana> A person's worth is not measured by ability alone.
[21:12:26] * Diana pats.
[21:12:41] <Diana> Oh my. Look at the time.
[21:13:05] <Diana> We need to leave the school ground before the gate close!
[21:13:54] * Dorothy bites her lip.
[21:14:10] <Dorothy> "I... I don't think they'd kick us out yet..."
[21:14:25] * Dorothy doesn't want to leave yet.  Nothing's been resolved for her.
[21:16:11] <Diana> We students have to abide by school's rules.
[21:16:29] <Diana> We can continue this outside, if you wish so.
[21:16:48] * Dorothy nods sullenly and puts her stuff back into her backpack.
[21:16:53] <Dorothy> "Th-thanks..."
[21:20:56] <Dorothy> [The pair of them gather their things and leave the school building.  Dorothy's house isn't in the same direction as Diana's, but she doesn't tell her that.  She just wants to walk for a bit.  So much uncertainty, and even someone who accepted the proposal doesn't know anything about all this...?]
[21:25:03] * Diana is getting ready to answer Dorothy's questions. She's also nervous now, knowing that she doesn't have the ability to satisfactorily answer them.
[21:25:54] <Dorothy> "You...  So you really don't know any more about this than I do...?"
[21:26:04] * Dorothy asks with a hint of sadness in her voice.
[21:26:22] * Diana nods, also looking downcast.
[21:26:27] <Diana> I told you all I know.
[21:27:43] * Dorothy sighs, shaking her head.
[21:28:06] <Dorothy> "...H-how?  How can you just... JUMP IN to something like this?"
[21:28:24] <Dorothy> "It said if you fail, you DIE!"
[21:28:36] <Dorothy> "It's like... like it's a war or something!"
[21:29:07] <Diana> I suppose it is.
[21:30:07] <Diana> For something as powerful as a limitless wish, there should be a price equal to that.
[21:30:16] <Diana> In this case, risking your life fighting for it.
[21:30:42] * Dorothy hasn't really even thought about the prospect of a wish yet, amazingly.
[21:31:12] <Dorothy> "But I mean, we're... we're kids!  Why would they ask kids to fight a war!  We, we don't know anything about stuff like that!"
[21:31:26] <Dorothy> "Or, w-well... m-maybe, you do, but I don't!"
[21:31:43] * Dorothy falters for a bit, remembering that she's worse than other people at being smart and knowing things...
[21:34:14] <Diana> I don't.
[21:34:19] * Dorothy goes back to her old mantra.
[21:34:25] <Dorothy> "I just... I CAN'T do it.  I can't!"
[21:34:43] <Dorothy> "Maybe, maybe if I could just, try it out for a bit, but it's not like that here!"
[21:35:04] * Diana pats Dorothy's shoulder.
[21:35:08] <Dorothy> "I KNOW I'm gonna screw up!  Everyone always does!  And I do more!"
[21:35:13] <Diana> Don't worry. I'll be a guinea pig for you.
[21:35:28] <Diana> If you want to know... I'll try it.
[21:35:36] <Diana> Then I'll tell you later, okay?
[21:35:37] * Dorothy shakes her head.
[21:35:49] <Dorothy> "You're... Y-You're not supposed to think like that either!"
[21:35:58] <Diana> It's not like I can back out of this, so might as well.
[21:35:59] <Dorothy> "This is... this is your life, Diana!  You can't just... j-just, treat it like an experiment!"
[21:36:00] * Diana smiles.
[21:36:21] * Dorothy is almost crying.  How can Diana be so calm?!
[21:36:45] <Diana> Don't worry. It will be alright.
[21:36:54] * Diana pulls Dorothy closer.
[21:37:01] <Diana> Don't worry.
[21:37:30] * Dorothy doesn't know whether to pull away or hug her back.  She just sort of stays there all stiff-like.
[21:38:40] * Diana separates.
[21:38:50] <Diana> In the end, the choice is for you to make.
[21:39:06] * Dorothy actually starts crying a little now.
[21:39:58] <Dorothy> "I... I wuh-..."
[21:39:59] <Diana> ...
[21:40:11] <Dorothy> "I want to...  I WANT to..."
[21:40:25] <Dorothy> "B-but, I...  I c-can't".
[21:41:26] * Diana just take Dorothy's hand and squeezes it without saying anything. It would be best to let her get it out of the system.
[21:43:54] <Dorothy> "I just...  I want to DO something...  MEAN something.  Y-You, you don't know h-how much I wish I could be g-good at, at something..."
[21:44:27] <Diana> mmhm.
[21:44:40] <Dorothy> "All, all my life...  I'm i-in the middle, or behind, or wuh-whatever...  I don't even wanna be the best...!"
[21:44:58] * Dorothy tries to wipe her tears away.  She's being so pathetic.
[21:45:50] <Dorothy> "I just, I just want to be good at something.  I want to... to say, 'I did my best and it was enough'..."
[21:46:32] <Dorothy> "But if...  I, I can't do what you do.  I can't just... ignore the r-rest."
[21:47:36] <Dorothy> "And here I hoped maybe... maybe magic was the answer..."
[21:47:45] * Dorothy sighs and sniffles her tears away.
[21:47:53] <Dorothy> "...but it's not."
[22:05:06] <Diana> Why do you think it's not?
[22:06:36] <Dorothy> "Because... you know, it's...  Fighting for your life, always THIS close to dying...  I, I just can't live like that."
[22:06:51] <Dorothy> "I mean m-maybe... MAYBE..."
[22:06:59] * Dorothy still entertains a hope...
[22:07:39] <Dorothy> "MAYBE if I knew I'd be good at it, but...  I don't know.  And I probably won't be anyways, 'cause I don't know anything about any of it..."
[22:08:05] <Dorothy> "I don't even read comics and stuff like that."
[22:10:13] <Diana> Ahaha, nor do I.
[22:10:27] <Diana> But why doubt yourself even before you try?
[22:10:58] * Dorothy looks at Diana with eyes that say "You just don't understand".
[22:11:16] * Diana really doesn't understand the pain of being nobody.
[22:11:30] <Dorothy> "Because I HAVE tried.  I've tried lots of things."
[22:11:41] * Dorothy lists some of them off.
[22:12:36] <Dorothy> "Guitar, cross-country, gymnastics, singing, writing, math, spelling bees, soap carving, video games, skateboarding..."
[22:12:49] <Diana> I guess 'trying' something this dangerous wouldn't be the best idea, ahaha...
[22:13:00] <Dorothy> "I just...  nothing ever works out for me when I try something new."
[22:13:12] <Dorothy> "I'm better off just... being me."
[22:14:58] <Diana> and what's wrong is being you?
[22:15:12] <Diana> Here:
[22:15:27] * Diana takes a $20 note out of her pocket.
[22:15:36] <Diana> Let me ask you. Do you want it?
[22:15:49] <Diana> if I am to give you this, I mean.
[22:16:03] * Dorothy doesn't understand.
[22:16:15] <Dorothy> "Whah...?  But, why?"
[22:16:31] <Diana> come on. play with me. Do you want it?
[22:16:52] <Dorothy> "I, uhh...  I, guess...?"
[22:17:15] <Dorothy> "But I KNOW what money is, Diana."
[22:17:19] * Diana clamps the note in her hand. It comes out wrinkled.
[22:17:27] <Diana> ...Do you still want it?
[22:19:53] * Dorothy still doesn't get it.
[22:20:04] <Dorothy> "I, I guess."
[22:20:30] * Diana throws it onto the ground.
[22:20:39] <Diana> ...Do you still want it, now?
[22:21:44] * Dorothy looks at the bill.
[22:22:01] <Dorothy> "...what are you trying to say?"
[22:22:08] * Diana picks it up.
[22:23:08] <Diana> A $20 note will always be a $20 note, no matter what state it is in.
[22:23:54] <Diana> So do you. No matter who you are, you have your own worth.
[22:25:11] * Dorothy gets it, except not really.
[22:25:27] <Diana> Do you get it, now?
[22:25:54] <Dorothy> "...yeah, I guess.  Except I'm like a dime, or a nickel."
[22:25:57] * Diana fufu♪
[22:27:38] <Diana> It's good that you get it, albeit not the full message I intended to.
[22:27:45] <Diana> Just don't look down on yourself.
[22:27:47] * Diana pats.
[22:32:14] * Dorothy accepts the pat.  She feels a little better, maybe... but the problem still isn't solved.
[22:32:48] <Diana> I'll arrive at my estate soon, but I will make a detour and see you home first.
[22:32:56] <Diana> Which way is your home?
[22:33:08] <Dorothy> "Oh, d-don't worry about it...  I'm fine."
[22:33:28] * Dorothy doesn't want to say that they passed the road her home was on a mile ago.
[22:34:35] <Diana> If you say so.
[22:35:01] <Diana> The street at night is not safe to walk alone. Don't dawdle and get to your home as soon as possible, okay?
[22:35:15] <Diana> I'll see you at the club room tomorrow. Farewell♪
[22:36:28] * Diana waves bye-byes.
[22:36:48] * Dorothy waves back, though it's rather pathetic.
[22:38:18] * Dorothy starts walking back home, still thinking.  Diana's as clueless as she is...  and she made her choice without a second thought.
[22:38:36] * Dorothy just wishes life were as easy as that for her...