On happenings in her current game and looking at rekindleme

[tofu_idol]

You know, I should probably be saying something here about biting off more than you can chew but actually...it'll be nice to be somewhere that isn't so hard to live in all the time. Don't get me wrong, I know you love Ariel and I can't say it's all been bad for me either but it starts to wear on you after a while. Especially after some of the things you have planned for me. So having something else to balance that...I think it'll do us both good.

And hey, this time I'll have Yu-senpai there and maybe Kanji and Naoto-kun too. And I know I'm not supposed to wish for them to come to Ariel but I still miss them all so this works out better for all of us even if I'll be from the future for all of them.

Don't worry about the tracking thing, either. You've gotten a lot better at that in all the time I've been up here. We'll make this work, I know we will.

Comments

[butterflop]

I suspect it might be my athletic career that scares others. [And not his incessant babbling and general weirdness. No, he was a perfectly normal human being!]

In theory, my approaching others first may yield better results and lower what could possibly be an intimidating aura. Would that not resolve the issue?

[tofu_idol]

In your case? Kinda sounds like it might. On the other hand, if you're all formal about it like that, you might make people more uncomfortable.

[butterflop]

What discomfort is there in formality!?

[tofu_idol]

It might come across as you being uncomfortable. Which other people will pick up on and that might make them uncomfortable too.

[butterflop]

Of course I'm uncomfortable, I'm meeting someone and trying to make a good first impression! But--

[And it's like a light switched on in him.]

Hmph... it's a vicious cycle, isn't it?

[tofu_idol]

It can be. Just...don't try to force anything. If you worry about making a good impression, it'll show. Just be yourself and I'm sure you'll be fine.

[butterflop]

[She really made it sound so... simple. Maybe it was. What doubts he still bore seemed continually suppressed by the points she was making. But something about it stuck out to him.]

You sound as if you're speaking from personal experience.

[tofu_idol]

[That gets a slight smile]

It's not always an easy lesson to learn. It's easy to think you have to be a certain way for people to like you or that you have to hide part of yourself in case they don't like it. But the people who matter will like you for you, not for who they expect you to be.

[butterflop]

[He couldn't help but stare a moment. Makoto-senpai, Haruka-senpai, Nagisa-kun... they treated him like an equal despite still working on his glorious butterfly technique. They liked him for -him-, and in turn he was willing to put his place in the team on the line to return their lost friend to them. Rei puffs up his chest a little, his mind made up.]

It's unbecoming to be someone you're not, anyway! I would want to be friends with someone as they are, rather than putting up a front to get into my good graces.

Thank you. This has given me quite a bit to think about, erm-...?

[Fantastic. He'd been going on and on and never caught a name or gave one. He needed to go back through that handbook on conversational technique, but maybe look into something on building comfort zones as well.]

[tofu_idol]

[Oh she likes him. A little tough to get past that exterior but she knows now, both from home and her time in other games, that it's usually worth it]

You're welcome. And, hmm. I don't know if I should introduce myself now or leave a little mystery for when we actually arrive.

[butterflop]

[He laughs.]

I once played detective on behalf of a friend. I like to think I was especially mysterious, myself. If you'll go through with it, I'll follow suit.

[tofu_idol]

Detective, huh? Well all right, if you think you can figure it out but I should warn you, I've been learning from the very best. A Detective Prince, even.