there's a fork in the road (open)

[reluctants]

⭐ Who: Illya and you!
⭐ When: July 1st, before the thunderstorm kicks in!
⭐ Where: Out around Yumemigaoka
⭐ What: Illya's waffling about being an active Dreamer. Maybe help give her advice?


(1. tanabata - in the store)

[ Though the stores may only have started stocking the supplies for Tanabata today, apparently someone already noticed them being there pretty early on. Illya is pretty into the idea of Tanabata, after all, and she does want to make a wish..

.. which is why you may find the girl in the store, staring at the coloured paper and the bamboo. Something seems a little off about her though, like Illya is deep in thought, despite.. just staring at what are basically just crafting supplies.

Whatever she's thinking about, she doesn't seem to be paying too much attention to her surroundings. She turns without looking, bumping right into you when you're either standing next to her or trying to pass her - though she does have the decency to immediately look embarrassed after briefly startling. ]

Oh, sorry..! Um, you-- did you also want to get some stuff for Tanabata..?

[ Is she trying to make some awkward small talk to make up for the bumping-into-you thing? Absolutely. Or maybe she's trying to distract from how out of it she seemed a moment ago. ]

(2. hesitation - near the dreamer union headquarters)

[ Later that day Illya can be seen somewhere else entirely. In fact, maybe you have actually seen her there before, if you go near or into the Dreamer Union headquarters often enough. It hasn't been for too long yet, but for the past few days this girl definitely has been hanging out near the building - seeming to walk closer to it, only to shake her head and walk back.. after which the pattern repeats all over again.

The same thing is happening today. Seems a little weird, huh? Maybe you'd like to go ask her what's up, regardless of whether you know or don't know the girl acting so oddly. ]

Comments

[hanamane]

[Logically speaking, maybe Hanako shouldn't be helping a total newbie out-- at least, not by himself, anyway. After what happened the first (and last) time he mentored somebody, he was admittedly a little gun-shy about taking complete responsibility for another Novice so soon. Spooking Illya had been fun, but if something actually truly dangerous happened to her on his watch... he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

But... he couldn't be stuck in this mindset forever, and maybe if they took it slow and easy, it would be a boon for both of their self-confidences. Sure, it would suck not to go exploring in the more dangerous reaches of the Dream Sphere while he was with her, but Hanako wasn't so sadistic as to throw Illya to the metaphorical wolves so soon after becoming a Dreamer.

So when she agrees, that smirk of his turns into something more sunny, something more cheerful, the beam on his face so bright it practically glows.]

Great! [Boy, his mood sure shifts on a dime, huh--] So, when do you wanna start? Now? Later? My schedule's pretty free now that most of the older folk are off looking for that Crimson lady, so I'm ready to go whenever you are!

[He sure seems excited for someone who's still feeling a bit reluctant about training a Novice--]

Just call me Senpai!

[THERE it is]

[reluctants]

[ Ah, the question of when she wants to start is a hard one. After all, Illya is pretty reluctant to throw herself into this right away, if not just because.. well, she's a weenie. The idea of going to do something potentially scary right now feels awful.

On the other hand, she's also self-aware enough to know that if she promises him 'later', she'll just never get to it. She'll just avoid it forever out of nerves.

Maybe sometimes you just.. have to dive straight into the deep end of the pool, right? Without looking. Or thinking.

So Illya sucks in a breath, trying her best to be brave as she answers: ]

L-Let's do it right now..!

[ Her stomach is churning with nerves.

But she's doing it. She's doing it. ]

S-Senpai!

[ There you go, Hanako. Even you're being thrown a bone here. An overly genuine bone, considering the kind of innocent determined tone Illya says that in. ]

[hanamane]

[... oh my god, he didn't think she was actually going to do it?? He had been expecting more protest on her end, or at least telling him that calling someone her own age Senpai was dumb, but...

...well, he's not going complain! It felt weirdly nice being on the other end of that title for once, and the giddiness that rose inside him from it felt like a billion little soda bubbles. Heck, he might even brag about it later!! (Though whether or not he actually earned the moniker of Senpai is debatable)

With a giggle, he grabs at those nervously preening hands of hers, beaming towards her excitedly.]

Alright, let's go, then!

[But then he pauses, as if he's remembered something, and adds:]

Oh! But one more thing...

[He leans in, as if sharing a great secret, his expression turning both sly and a little mischievous.]

... you do know Amane has a twin brother, right?

[reluctants]

Huh? Well, yeah..

[ Look at her standing there. She did allow him to actually grab a hold of one of her hands, but now she seems to have paused rather than having started to walk with Hanako, staring off into space like her brain is trying to put some things together here.

She did hear that Amane had a twin brother, yes, but he was in a different class, so she's never really met him before.. Which means she's technically still more familiar with Amane himself, despite the boy not being in class very often either. It's why her assumption had to do with Amane - or, you know, a ghost-stealing-Amane's-face, same deal - rather than his twin when she spotted the boy in front of him. Because surely Amane's twin brother isn't some cheeky Dreamer guy, right?

.. r.. right..?

Her eyes grow wide with surprise. ]

A-Are you saying that's you?!

[ Are you going to do this to your own twin.. ]