Anime Collaboration Campaign - Short Story (4)

Arthur: I am Arthur. And this here is my friend, Arthur.

Arthur: ...This is a little game where you introduce yourself as though you’re a friend.

Chloe: Oh! That sounds kind of fun!

Chloe: Introducing yourself can feel a bit awkward, but if you think of yourself as a friend, it might make it easier to speak honestly.

Chloe: Or... maybe it’ll make it even more awkward? What do you think, Rustica?

Rustica: I think it’s a wonderful idea. Seeing yourself as someone else might help you discover new charms about yourself.

Rustica: Let me try it right away. Is that all right, Lord Arthur?

Arthur: Of course. Please, Rustica.

Chloe: You’ve got this, Rustica!

Rustica: I am Rustica. And this is my friend, Rustica.

Rustica: He is a harpsichordist who loves music deeply.

Rustica: He’s traveling the world in search of his vanished bride. And during his journey...

Rustica: He met his apprentice, Chloe, and became a Sage's Wizard. Please, take good care of him.

Arthur: Splendid!

Chloe: So cool! That sounded just perfect!

Rustica: Thank you.

Arthur: May I try it next?

Chloe & Rustica: Go ahead!

Arthur: I am Arthur. And this is my friend, Arthur.

Arthur: He’s full of curiosity, and while he fails often, he never fears a challenge.

Arthur: He always strives to learn and grow, so he can befriend everyone. Please, be his friend.

Chloe: Wow! That’s wonderful! I definitely want to be friends!

Rustica: If someone were friends with Lord Arthur, it feels like they could overcome any hardship together.

Arthur: Thank you!

Arthur: Finally, it’s Chloe’s turn. Should we wait a little longer until you feel ready?

Chloe: Nope! I’m good! I’ll give it a try!

Chloe: I’m Chloe! And this is my friend, Chloe!

Chloe: Chloe loves making clothes and dreams of becoming a tailor! Oh... um... that’s his dream!

Chloe: Sometimes he loses confidence or feels down, but he’s doing his best with the help of those around him!

Chloe: If you don’t mind, please be friends with Chloe, too! Uh... nice to meet you!

Arthur & Rustica: Wow!

Rustica: That was wonderful, Chloe.

Arthur: It made me want to become friends with you all over again!

Chloe: Hehe. Thanks!

Rustica: So, Lord Arthur, Chloe. Now that we’ve introduced ourselves as friends...

Rustica: How about we imagine watching their group dating event (Goukon) and enjoy it?

Chloe: Huh?

Arthur: Mixer (Goukon)... the celebratory gathering of new encounters that the Sage taught us about, right?

Arthur: That sounds fun. Let’s observe our friends’ group dating event and enjoy it.

Chloe: Wait, but... if we’re pretending to be our own friends, those "us" don’t actually exist, right?

Chloe: How are we supposed to observe them?

Rustica: Roughly.

Arthur: Let’s just roughly imagine it.

Chloe: "Roughly," huh... Got it! Let’s give it a shot!

Arthur, Chloe, & Rustica: ...

Rustica: Haha...

Arthur: Heh...

Chloe: (Oh, they’re totally imagining it roughly.)

Rustica: This version of Chloe was very proactive.

Arthur: Yes. His energy and cheerfulness were infectious, and it really lightened the mood.

Chloe: Phew! I’ll keep working hard to make more friends!

Rustica: Oh... Look at that. It seems they’ve started pairing off to talk in twos.

Chloe: Really?

Arthur: It’s easier to have deeper conversations in smaller groups.

Rustica: Lord Arthur appears to be having an intimate conversation with Shylock.

Arthur: Shylock always creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. He even invited me to sit in the shade with him.

Chloe: Why is this making my heart race...?

Rustica: Ah...

Arthur: Hmm?

Chloe: What?

Rustica: Look at this. Lord Arthur is doing something bold and provocative...

Chloe: Hey, stop! Don’t go there, Rustica!

Rustica: What’s the matter, Chloe?

Chloe: You were about to bring up something borderline inappropriate, weren’t you?! Sure, bold and provocative stuff might get huge laughs out west, but—!

Chloe: This isn’t Mur or Shylock we’re talking about! It’s a 17-year-old prince here!

Arthur: You don’t need to worry about me.

Chloe: No, Arthur!!

Arthur: It’s fine.

Chloe: No, no, no! Bold and provocative is absolutely off-limits!!

Rustica: I see... What a pity.

Rustica: But you see, the story has already started playing out in my head. Can I share it anyway?

Chloe: No! Hold it in for now!

Arthur: It’s all right. Go ahead and tell it. I’m too curious to let it go.

Rustica: Really?

Arthur: Yes. I’m itching to know.

Chloe: No, Arthur! If you do, Lord Oz will scold you for being "too western!"

Rustica: Then I’ll proceed. Lord Arthur, before Shylock...

Chloe: TOO WESTERN!!

Rustica: ...boldly and provocatively sank his teeth into a spicy beef skewer.

Arthur: A provocative beef skewer... So, it was spicy?

Rustica: Exactly.

Chloe: You should’ve said that from the start!!!

Arthur: Bold and provocative... chomp!

Arthur: Like this?

Rustica: Wonderful! Shylock would surely be delighted, knowing his hand-grilled skewers were appreciated.

Chloe: Wait, did Shylock really need to go to the shade to grill those skewers? Was that necessary for the "intimate" atmosphere?

Arthur: Haha. Mur is also covered in charcoal as he eagerly bites into a skewer.

Arthur: Since we’ve come this far, let’s pretend all three of us are eating together.

Rustica: By all means.

Chloe: Man, that was nerve-wracking.

Arthur: All right, together now...

Arthur, Chloe, & Rustica: Chomp!