View source for 1179/Overlord Diaries: Futures

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2024/02/25
|Location=Dorms #3
|Synopsis=Comes immediately after scene 1177/Overlord Diaries: Blood. Jin has been saved thanks to Mamoru and Amy, and now what comes next is uncertain. Especially when one of the two 'Overlords' is having second thoughts about being one.
|Cast of Characters=158,107,161,85
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...I'm staying here of course," Natsumi says, and gestures towards the other bed. "Someone has to stay here to keep an eye on Jin. Unless Kano is giving me his bed to sleep in while he stays here?" So much for being worried about being caught in the boys' dorms. She saw Kano throw aside his Oculus Obscura, of course, and where it landed, but she refuses to actually believe he'll just put this chance aside. It has to be a ruse for the sake of their now-unwelcome audience. How quickly gratitude dissolves.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Natsumi closes her eyes. Why is she even tired? Was it all the running and dodgerolling earlier? Is this body not of the same physical caliber as her--his natural one? And then all the stress, the transformation and release, and... Gods, she's tired.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, she opens her eyes and looks at where Amy had been sitting next to Kano on Natsu's bed. Why does that irritate Natsu so much? Because it's his bed and people are sitting on it uninvited? That's probably it. He doesn't like people touching his stuff without permission after all.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...Why do you ask?" Natsu inquires hopefully innocently, looking back to where Amy is standing by the door that was nearly torn off its hinges.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy nods. "Do you wanna... trade phone numbers? Or Consensus handles?" She walks back to pick up her jacket off the bed. Leaving Natsu the heavier coat for now. Looking at the other redhead with concern. "I understand if you're thinking this might all be over when you wake up tomorrow, and... and don't wanna think about it right now. Especially after that." She nods at Jin.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"But... if you wake up tomorrow and ''are'' still... like that... You'll probably want someone to talk to, right? You don't wanna be... alone."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She hugs her jacket to herself. "If you... if you ''do'' wanna talk now though... I can do that too."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:161|Kano Watanabe (161)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Deciding to leave Amy and Natsumi to do their talking, Kano gets up off Natsu's bed and moves over to pick up Jin. He carried him once, he can carry him again. He just does it carefully. Princess Jin, you must now return to your bed of flowers to wait for a Prince to awaken you with a kiss, or something.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anything to keep his mind off of the non-stop rollercoaster that has been this day, and which still isn't over somehow. He eyes Natsu and jerks his head, like, 'yo, get off the dude's bed, i need room to maneuver'. Then he does his best, one way or the other, to put Jin down. It's just the bed cover, not the sheets or comforter or anything, which are going to need to be washed, but it's still better than the floor. Besides, there's spare blankets.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;'But only one Jin,' Kano thinks to himself. That golden glow is still on his mind. He'll... Need to find a way to talk to Mamoru privately at a later time about that.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Jin Kishimura (85)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jin is out like a light, his breathing stablized and if anyone comes over to check on him will find that his heart isn't racing anymore. He's slightly damp due to having sweat quite a bit during everything. This was one of his worse episodes, the last time was only a bad headache and nose bleed. His white hair is plastered along his face as he lays on his bed. His chocolate complexion has regained a bit of his color, it's not pale.<br><br>When Kano picks Jin up off the floor where he has been resting, he will feel something along Jin's back, not very noticible at first but with all this dead weight, will feel something just very slightly along his back. WHen he is laid down on his bed he turns onto his side his arm lay along Natsumi's waist, "Captain Dorthia" he whispers as he snuggles, which Natsumi has seen Captain Dorthia a plushie he thoguht he was hiding once and is now on the floor besdie his bed.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Natsu continues to not address the implications of Amy's words. His walls are back up. "You already gave me your number, remember?" he says with a smile. He moves aside so Jin can be put down, and then winds up wtih Jin trying to treat him as his stuffed animal. Of course he knows about the stuffed animal, it has been weeks since Jin moved in. So he carefully tries to remove Jin's arm from around his--her waist, and substitute it with the plushie in question.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Natsu has lived most of his life obsessed with childhood dreams and fantasies that have taken on so much importance in his mind that they have reached mythical quality. He is not one to bash someone for having a comfort item. He has them himself. The entire light novel collection of 'Overlord' thus far. It's still a bitter pill to swallow that Natsu's daydreams about being Ains Ooal Gown were never going to happen, and magic doesn't work that way, and he isn't in another world, and this world isn't set up to benefit him. No, in this world he is scripted to fail, like every other villain.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He tries to keep the anger under control, but it showing on his face when he turns around from hooking up Jin with his Captain Dorthia is something he fails to consider. Why is everything always, always, always working against him? Even now!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A breath is taken. A breath is let out. A reminder about this body and the outfit on it. "Right." he mutters. "Are you sure your room mate won't mind if I stay over for the night?" Then her gaze goes to Kano, basically making sure he's aware that Jin-watching-duty has been put onto him.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy blinks. "I did? Sorry, it's been quite a day..." It's a moment of thinking before she remembers slipping the paper into her coat. "Oh, right, I did."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She watches as Natsu is kind to his roommate. Some might read this sort of thing as a feminine quality, but... anyone can be caring and kind!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She blinks, a bit taken aback. "''My'' room? Err... well, I meant that if you... aren't sure about staying here, we can try to find you somewhere else... But, if it has to be, for tonight, me and Mio will make it work. You're in trouble, and you need help, so... girl code, kinda, you know?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She sits down on Natsu's bed for a moment, looking down at the floor, still hugging her jacket to her chest. She glances up at Natsu, then at the floor again.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"And, look. If you ''do'' wake up like this tomorrow... Try to think about what you ''want''. Not what you feel you ''have'' to do. And if you're not sure what you want to do... it's okay to need time to figure it out. I guess even a month sounds like such a long time when you're so young, but... Some people in similar situations take years, apparently, so... it's OK."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:161|Kano Watanabe (161)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kano stares blankly at Natsu, and then pushes himself up and off the bed. "I'd like to speak with you privately before you go anywhere." Looking down at his best friend when they were the same height only this morning is surreal, just like his best friend looking like... ''That''. But this is important. "In particular, I'd like to discuss how open I'm allowed to be around new friends, regarding these circumstances we find ourselves in." Such formal speak for someone who talks around his friends as though he's an American delinquent six years younger than he is.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Maybe he realizes that he has to grow up. But like hell does he know how to do THAT.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Amy, again, thanks. It hopefully won't be a very long discussion one way or the other. I'm trusting you to look after her." He almost said him, he almost said him, and he isn't sure that Natsu actually cares about that anymore, because Natsu is a him, but he went through all this trouble to come up with a story, and he doesn't have the right to expose the truth, not until they've spoken.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And he'll gladly watch over Jin, even if he has to stay up all night, regardless of how tired he is.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy is given a sigh. Not out of exasperation. Perhaps defeat? "We can talk about it after I'm done here." Then Natsu looks up at Kano. "Yes. We should speak. Amy, can you give us a few minutes?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;-Fifteen Minutes Later-<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There were lowered voice, some that sounds kind of emotional, YELLING, though the door having been put into place muffles it somewhat. Sounds like a disagreement. Then a, "Fine, I will!" from the other side of the door, right before it is wrenched open, and a furious Natsumi emerges, looking like she wants to slam the door but instead closes it carefully. Probably to avoid waking Jin up.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Natsumi growls, "Let's go to wherever we're going. The faster the better. We'll discuss ALL of these topics in private."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Natsumi starts stomping down the corridor to the elevator nearby, without even knowing where precisely she's going, she does so with that amulet that Kano tossed aside clutched tightly in her right hand, the black string it hangs from dangling out from between her fingers.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy didn't think it would take *fifteen minutes*, damn.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But like. It's 2024 and she has a smart phone. So she's right back to reading the same manga, sitting in the hall outside their room, when Natsumi walks out so ANGRILY.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy stands up, alarmed. "What happened?! Err... do you want a hug?" She holds out her arms, but expects to be refused, eventually following to the elevator and then leading Natsumi back across campus to the girl's dorms.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Seething and hissing through her teeth, Natsumi declines the hug offer with a 'why the hell would I want that' kind of look of confusion that somewhat decreases the angry energy about her. Then the elevator, then going back across campus, then still feeling super sketchy about being in the girls' dorms despite appearing to be one right now. Like somehow someone will KNOW, or question her about what right she has to be here, or something. An intruder and an impostor.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We had a disagreement about some things." she says simply, only irritated by the time they reach Amy's dorm room. "We made a promise a long time ago, and now that it has come time to fulfill it, he wants to back out." Shaking her head in disbelief and then bursting into aggravated brushing aside of hair as this mass of red falls in her face, she has to hold her tongue to avoid letting out an eruption of cussing.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As they walk back across campus, Amy talks to fill the silence. "I'm sorry. This has gotta be a lot. I feel bad, because I always wanted... someone else to talk to who'd been through this... and like, this isn't my ''fault'', but now that it's happened, I see how... I see you going through it and I feel bad."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Once they get inside the girl's dorms -- which may feel as if they have an invisible forcefield warding Natsumi out that he daren't cross until he does and then nothing happens -- Amy winces a bit as she sees his unease.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Feels like you're not supposed to be here, right? I know saying it won't make that feeling go away, but, ''no one'' is going to think you're a boy that snuck in. I'm... Like, the only reason I even thought of it is 'cuz I'm..." she winces a bit, not exactly meaning to imply she's 'really a boy' but also someone's ''first day'' might not be the time to try and explain trans stuff. "...Y'know?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Natsumi opens up as they arrive at Amy's room again. "I see. Um... that's rough. Is it because...?" She nods vaguely in Natsu's direction.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One hand goes down the front of Natsumi's shirt at that question, extracting a black stone in a golden setting that resembles the horns that adorn Overlord Maou's head. She stares at it, then holds it up alongside the one that resemble the helm of a samurai or shogun. The latter is the one on the black string. "It's because of these." On their own, they don't show any sign of being focusing lenses for the Dusk Zone to send Dark Energy directly to Earth through the body of a person. But when they are grasped, that faint black mist starts to leak out, and practically explodes when someone intends to transform. They are dangerous. Not just the people who use them, but the items themselves are dangerous.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And that's why Natsu wants them. "The complicated stuff can wait until we're inside. You have asked me a lot of questions and I've not given you many answers or even acknowledgements. I need to get a lot of things off my mind, and I think talking to you might be the way to do so." She opens the door on her own. Hey, she was told no one would question her being here, right? Just a girl opening the door to a girl's room. No big.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As soon as possible, Natsumi is sitting down even if it has to be on the floor, hugs her legs to her chest, and puts her face inbetween her raised knees, before letting out a loud, long groan. It sounds more frustrated than angry. "Okay," she says, muffled, then raises her head, puts her legs down, and claps her hands together. "So, this isn't entirely new for me. I've been able to change into a body like this since... Uhh... Damn, I don't have my Overlord Diary with me. Uhhh... Start of September, though I had the means knocking around in my pocket since end of August. Just wasn't sure I really believed it would work. However, until this evening, I had always changed back when I released my transformation. I honestly never thought anything of it after a while. Sure, it was weird that I became a lady instead of being a Sorcerer King and undead like Momonga. But it wasn't all that different, honestly. Maybe it was just because when I was transformed it was magic. I didn't have to worry about balance, or adjusting or anything. I could just do it all automatically."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Looking up, Natsumi says, "Oh, damn it. If I'm like this because I was getting accustomed to this appearance... Ughhhh... I guess I'll have to... I don't know. I don't know how to fix this. But I'll figure it out." She'll--He'll come up with some genius solution, like usual. Or at least a clever idea that might or might not work.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You can sit on my bed." Amy closes the door and walks over to sit in her computer chair. "...It's the bottom one."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her eyebrows go up when Natsumi says she's been able to do this for... months. And... Momonga is mentioned. "Wait, is that... Overlord? I never got around to watching it..."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Balance? Ah. Yes. Amy can see how that might be a problem. She frowns slightly, feeling annoyance that... it's still weird for her to feel.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She quirks an eyebrow again at that last part. "You were... getting accustomed to it? Do you feel accustomed to it now?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She blinks. "Wait, did you say you ''wanted'' to be an overlord from the start?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The IMMEDIATE reaction of excitement when Amy indicates she has at least heard of Overlord is a huge wild shift. Having sat down on Amy's bed, Natsumi immediately gets up, hands clenched, a great big smile on her face. "Oh, man, yes! I haven't seen the anime either, only parts, it has a bunch of fanservice and it wastes time on stuff I don't care about, but I have almost all of the light novels! You didn't see them when you were in my room?--I guess, I did kind of turn the closet into my bookshelf, so they weren't plainly visible, but--!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then the rest of what Amy said clicks and she sits the heck back down with a gloomy expression. "No. I think it really was magic compensating for physical differences. My calf muscles and ligaments are different, I'm shorter, there's hormones just like a real body, my body temperature keeps shifting wildly, I'm not as strong, I'm not as fast, my stamina is lower..." She keeps listing all her complaints with this body as she rests her head on the back of her fist. "I have an ungodly amount of hair, no clothes specifically for this body unless I want to transform again and THAT clearly doesn't help... You saw those eight-inch heels in my Overlord form, right? No way can I walk around on those without breaking something without magic. Nuh-uh. Not happening."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, she leans back, propping herself up on the palms of her hands as she looks up at the ceiling. "Yeah. Having that power... It's something I've wanted for years." she says dreamily. "I had almost given up on it." Then she drops her gaze back down to Amy and sighs heavily. "Too bad it isn't how I thought it'd be."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy quirks an eyebrow. "'There's hormones'? How can you even ''tell'' that right away?" She looks impressed at the list of described things though. "You've been really observant, huh..." She chuckles, muttering, 'Yeah but the hair's in the right place though...' Then nods, "Yeah, god, I can't imagine. I... actually haven't ''tried'' heels yet."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"These sneakers came with the body. I..." She scratches the back of her head. "I still feel kinda weird about going into a women's clothing store... or the women's section of a clothing store... The girls took me out shopping for a yukata, but beyond that, like... I grabbed these T-shirts, and some... essentials in bulk packs, and, yeah..."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She leans back in the chair, thinking. "...They ruined the anime with fanservice, huh? ''Sucks'' when they do that. Like in 2022 we got Fabiniku and that was a delight, but Kenjadeshi was just another lame 'OP protagonist solves everything easily' series, and last year Reborn to Master The Blade was the same as KenjaDeshi, and we got Onimai but they ''made it skeevy''! Like, it was not ''about'' fanservice and adding it in with characters that young is... eugh. It still has good parts but geeze."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"And like. We got Ayakashi Triangle last year but that's ''no good'', that's just fanservice ''completely'', but we also got, um, Heavenly Delusion! Which I still need to see more of, I forgot all about it! Man, I haven't even ''checked'' what we got this year because of all the... magic... stuff."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks awkward for a moment as she realizes what all she just listed off. "Well uh. So you uh. Were, what, hoping for an isekai power fantasy, but instead you're here in this world, and having to fight actual magical girls?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She leans back in the chair and puts her hands behind her head. "Why do you wanna be an overlord anyway? Like, what change were you gonna make if you ''did'' rule the world?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Natsumi is a bit blank-faced about most of the titles, but a few get recognition. Reborn to Master the Blade, which was good for like the first few episodes and then started with the fanservice at which point she lost interest. Heavenly Delusion gets a perk up and 'hm!' of approval. To be honest, he liked the horrific monsters and seeing bad things happening to people. Yes, he's awful, he knows. But it was engaging regardless. Even if he can guess why Amy was interested. "Not enough manga for a season two of Heavenly Delusion, if I recall..." she mutters.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another big sigh. "I had to assume it was hormones. I will be the first to admit that I have built up several hundred meters of crap between me and my emotions and a lot of those walls came down when I got changed into... This." She gestures up and down, indicating herself in general, not just the obvious parts. "It could be that it isn't due to hormones. Perhaps its just a change in neurochemistry, so now things work differently, and the connection points for things or pathways go different places or... Something. There's still a lot being held back, but there's also a lot more floating around on the surface."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Natsumi crosses one leg over the other and puts her chin on her hands, and looks with lowered eyelids at the floor. "Maybe my vessel is over full." A glance up at Amy. Oh, right, she's not talking to Kano. She can't talk like that. "Maybe instead of just making a 'girl me', perhaps getting used to that form while transformed made some kind of... Shortcircuit due to the mismatched gender. Different mental pathways, but there was already an existing set of original mental pathways. And when I reverted, it couldn't tell which one was the original, so it just..." She lifts the dark stone again to stare at it. "...Turned me into both at the same time."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What she would have changed? So many things. But she isn't about to monologue her diabolical plans to this girl she just met. Personal details that have no impact on future schemes will have to suffice.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks surprised. "Really? I thought there were a ''ton'' of chapters... Seems there's plenty for Fabiniku, though."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She shrugs. "It could be a lot. Maybe you feel like you don't have to be ''as'' manly like this, or it's a little of column A and a little of column B, and C, and who knows."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She quirks an eyebrow as Natsumi explains her theory of the... cup being too full.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She tries to make sense of it.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You're saying... because of the time you spend looking like that... This happened because your heart is too much a girl's?" The eyebrow remains quirked.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;...What? Being manly? What does that have to do with anything?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Amy goes on to ask that last question, Natsumi is squinting super hard at her.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;SUPER hard.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eventually, she just says, "I'm saying that perhaps I developed a second brain while transformed, to match the gender of the body I was in, and then it just combined the two into a single brain with parts from both when I reverted." He doesn't want to say, 'the hell is the matter with you?' because you don't talk that way to girls. If this was Kano, though, oh boy would he be asking some questions and very not politely as well.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy winces at the squinting and the tone. "I mean... I meant because of the... this stuff is hard to talk about! And, and it's the same! Whether you call it two brains or two hearts... Same difference!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She slumps in the chair. "That's an interesting theory. I'm not sure how to... test it. And I guess the operative question is... what do you want ''now?''"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Do you want to... go back to the way things were, or...?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I have no proof that my theory is the correct one. But unless neural activity started occurring in the heart, then I don't see how it would impact brain functions or emotions. ...Oh, are you one of those 'friendship is power' or 'love is magic' or whatever types?" Sigh. "It figures. You're too nice to run on logic." Because Natsu has been doing just SO GOOD with logic, obviously. Methinks she doth have bias too much.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yes, I want to go back to how things were. Like... Obviously. I have no legal identity in this form, I can't attend classes, I can't go shopping, I can't go to my clubs, I can't allow myself to run into any family members, no bank cards I have will be accepted if they don't match my I.D., uhh..." Frustration clearly on her face and in her voice, she continues on, "There are... So many problems that I didn't bother planning for because 'henshin no worky' wasn't even on my radar. Like, WHY would I assume I would get stuck as a girl? Even if I lost the power from this thing, I still assumed I would be ME in the end." She goes to run a hand through her hair and wacks her hand on her chest, and immediately stands up, furious, holding up the Oculus Obscura above her head, like she intends to throw it into the ground. She almost does. Once. Twice. Then she starts taking deep breaths again, gradually relaxing, and lowering her arm back to her side, before sitting down.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's just exhaustion on her face now. No anger. "Right now, this is an inconvenience. I can come up with excuses, have friends cover for me, maybe transform back into Maou and use magic to force things to go my way... But all of that is just stalling while waiting to find out if I will turn back. And if I can't, then Natsu Oukanno's life is basically over. It would be a disaster." She closes her eyes and lets her head loll to the side. "And if that happens, I guess I'd have no choice but to be Overlord Maou full-time. I'd have to just abandon a human existence, at least until I found a solution. And that's basically the same thing as just disappearing and letting people think I'm dead."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her head lolls the other direction.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yes. Yes, I want to go back. Yes, I thought I would be able to fix the things I thought were wrong, and yes now I realize that isn't the genre I'm in, and that my fantasies about how fighting heroes would work are... Hopelessly clouded by personal bias. There will be some major adjustments, even if this does get fixed." All of her protests were about the consequences of remaining like this, not an opinion about her appearance or body specifically, beyond the gripes earlier. Because... You know... She had already gotten used to it. She already had a female body as Maou. Since September.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Or maybe she just doesn't want to think about it.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy scoffs. "No, it's... it's ''metaphorical!'' Geeze." She crosses her arms and looks away. "I'm plenty logical. I wish the world were a nicer place sometimes, though."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She raises an eyebrow as Natsumi lists reasons that have nothing to do with gender.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Why would you assume? "Have you ''read'' any mangas like this? Or..." She slumps again. "You never... considered what you'd do if you woke up as a girl one morning, huh?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She winces at Natsumi accidentally hitting herself somewhere sensitive. "Yeah, that's gonna happen a ''lot.'' I don't know if girls do that all the time or it just takes longer to get used to..."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She sits up again, alarmed that Natsu might destroy the item and potentially trap herself. And looks very worried as Natsu talks about having to live as an overlord full-time. And letting everyone think he's dead. She really wants to hug him... debates it for a second, then hops out of her chair and runs up to hug Natsu.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A couple of times she starts to say something, isn't sure ''what'' to say, and just keeps hugging. (Although she'll let go if Natsu asks or pushes her away.)<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eventually, she speaks: "Calm down. We'll fix this. You're right that we can stall for a bit. It doesn't... Try not to think about... abandoning life just yet. Maybe we can figure something out. Maybe there's something else."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A mental image of Natsumi's feared future as a manga that she would be excited to read and then go 'whoof, that was ''dark''.' -- Like Shisunki Bitter Change or, or Fukigen Cinderella or something -- flashes in her mind and she pushes it away. Don't think about it like that!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...So. I dunno what else is going on, but like. The day after it happened to ''me''? An invitation to the Academy was in my mail. At my apartment but addressed to the name I picked, which no one should have known. That's... My old life is... well... But at least I don't have to worry about a lack of ID."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I, I bet even if you didn't get a formal invitation, there's people here who understand magic and we can probably take care of the ID at least."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy thinks about how every time she explains what happens, people ask if she needs help changing back, and she has to awkwardly explain... She brightens. "Hey, yeah, that's right! Magic is ''real!'' I... I didn't decide to-- I mean, I, I... I was okay like this. And I guess after a couple of months I, decided to stay, anyway. But that means I ''haven't'' explored all the ways to change back!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She holds a hand out in the direction of the other dorm. "We just saw someone fix your friend's ''brain condition'' with magic. Who ''knows'' what's possible? Between magical healers? And other things?" She shrugs, but is more chipper now. Outlook is possibly good!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"There are a lot of impossible things I've imagined. That isn't one of them. Especially after I realized that changing sexes through magic actually was possible. So it... I guess I just sort of accepted that as a new element of reality, you know?" she is muttering as Amy gets up and comes over to hug her. She doesn't resist, not does she return the hug. She just stares empty eyed and soaks up what comfort she can get.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Reassurances, ideas, suggestions, some plausible, some... She doesn't even know how likely they are.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, she sighs and leans against Amy, closing her eyes. "I don't even care about the body specifically. It doesn't... Bother me if it's temporary. A body is a body, male, female, or otherwise. It's how you use it that matters. If there's something constructive you're working towards, to make the world a better place. Maybe that's why I didn't care that much when I found out my henshin form was female. It didn't affect anything, so who cares, right?"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She's repeating herself, she knows, but this day has been so long, and she's so tired. "I'll explore my options before deciding to take more extreme steps, obviously. But in the end, what's important is carrying out my plans for the future. Not my own future. I can't squander this opportunity." Sacrificing her own future for the sake of the world? Even if the details haven't been revealed... That still sounds an awful lot like a hero. And she'd probably slap Amy for pointing that out.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But in the morning. Definitely in the morning.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the leaning against, Amy just holds her gently, to provide what comfort she can.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A body is a body... That's how she used to feel, too.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy nods at the comment about exploring options... and then winces as Natsumi takes the world on her shoulders, and the other... person can feel her body tense.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''"No."''<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Don't throw your life away. You don't know what you're doing. ''Live'', for... for those of us who can't!" Her throat tightens and her eyes begin to water. "I-I had my shot. And now I just can't. Live normally. I don't know ''how''."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Everything... every day, I see even normal stuff through this lens and I dunno what to do. I'm gonna die in battle sooner or later. No way I'm surviving hundreds of... the odds aren't..."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She sobs, and leans against Natsumi in turn. "''Live''. If anyone should be sacrificing herself it's this [obaasan]. Every day I get like this is a gift. I have... e-even this is... I don't know how to live youth properly, but this is ''better''. Than what I had."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"''You'' still have a chance to be normal. To, to enjoy normal teenage things. Find a girlfriend or boyfriend or whatever and get into trouble and have fun and don't ''worry'', adulthood will ''happen'' and with it..."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She takes a breath, barely holding back another sob. "You don't have to shoulder the world. I'm sorry we fucked up and left it to you like this. But the worries of the world shouldn't be yours."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy lets go and sits on the bed next to Natsumi.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Take the magic and. Do what feels right. I don't mean morally I mean ''right'', to ''you''. You don't have any obligation or duty to the world." Tears fill her eyes as she looks down at the floor. "If the next generation can be ''happy'' and not like I was..."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...It would break my heart, to see you all suffering, for nothing." A tear finally runs down each of her cheeks as she sniffles.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:158|Natsumi Nabara (158)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Natsu is silent throughout. He has no idea how to comfort someone while they're crying. Or in general. Maybe that's not true. He was able to comfort Jin. He would comfort Kano if Kano was ever in need. But that just comes automatically, without thinking about it. In this situation, he has no idea. And once Amy is finally done and sits next to her, still admonishing her against trying to take on the world, talk of romance, and living, and teenagers and youth, and...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, he goes in possibly the worst direction imaginable, because it has zero sympathy or understanding in it. Like he honestly just can't comprehend such small problems.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"The world is broken. It was like that since long before you were born. And long before everyone else before that. It's a disease of humanity to crave a hero to save them, when what they really want is someone to get rid of those who are different, to maintain ORDER and force CONFORMITY and use violence to do it if necessary. No, they WANT it to come to violence." Natsu turns and moves away from Amy so he can face her. "We all are like that. We want to see ourselves as somehow noble, and above our bestial origins, but we've never been anything else but beasts." Natsu stands up.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"'Normal'? Normal is for those with ideas or positions that the majority accept like sheep. Those who don't like differences and label them evil and forced them to conform, die, or take matters into their own hands. Normal is disgusting. Normal makes me ''puke''." He just stares down coldly at Amy. "The world is broken, because it favors some and not others, because it is all scripted to do so. Predetermined. Even now, with magic, I see it's the same pattern all over again. 'Heroes' triumphing over 'Villains'. 'Good' over 'Evil'. Not because of any merit, but because ''that's what people expect''. Well, I'm done pandering to that audience. The world is broken, but it isn't broken '''enough'''." He turns around and walks quickly to the door, unlocking it if it was locked and opening it before pausing in the doorway. "You just sit there, lady. Watch me. Maybe after I've broken this conformist society, you'll find a way to change things too."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then he steps outside, and closes the door behind him.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Great. Perfect. Very cool and very normal. Not. THe fuck is wrong with him? He's already wondering as he stalks through the halls, with no idea where he's going except 'off campus'. There's a lot she still has to deal with. She told Kano to take the time to think over what he said to her fully and completely. She'll become Maou somewhere far away from the school, and get started on making that promise to Amy a reality. She may not understand specifically what Amy was talking about, but it made clear that not everyone has the luxury of time for things to start working how it should.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:107|Amy Faust (107)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Amy nods along at the world being broken. That people want an awful villain to force conformity. Presumably Natsu aspires to do better. But when she goes on about 'normal'... "THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Amy shouts.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks at Natsu in the doorway. "I just meant enjoy your youth, your lack of responsibilities! You won't get it back and even if you do it won't be the same!"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In any case, she can't really... disagree with such a reason for 'villainy'.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And she's left alone. Without a new friend to talk to.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And Natsumi is left alone too.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But Amy feels too tired to chase her. It's been such a crazy day...<br> <br>
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