[video]

[hotheadwarmheart]

 [Lea appears on the network, leaning on the balcony railing of his apartment and thoughtfully eating an ice cream bar.]

You know, it occurs to me that as of today, I've been here for a whole year. Man, time flies.

Weird as it is, this place kinda helped me grow up. I had to get a job, learn to pay rent, generally act like some semblance of a responsible adult for the first time in my life. And in the process had more than a few of those mildly disturbing moments where you realize that all the adults you looked up to as a kid, who seemed to have it all together and know what was going on, were probably just as out of their depth as you are now about a lot of things, and were basically making it up as they went along.

And I've made some really good friends here. Most of them seem to be women too, which I never would have predicted; I mean, before here, I hadn't really had much reason or opportunity to really talk to women my age, so it's just surprising, I guess how many lady friends I've got. Not like romantic type lady friends,  but just friends who are ladies, so there's no confusion.

So yeah... all in all, not a bad year, all things considered.

[holds up ice cream bar as if in a toast]

So here's to another one, or however long I'm here after this. Stay crazy, Genessia.

Comments

[phoenixstrut]

... player.

[hotheadwarmheart]

[It takes a moment for that to click in Lea's mind, but when it does, he blushes.]

Hey, I said it's not...

[Then just as abruptly, he realizes she's kidding. That doesn't make him blush any less, but now it's out of embarrassment for falling for it. He does chuckle though.]

Heh... alright. Guess I kinda walked into that one, huh?

[Video]

[swordprincess]

Well, congratulations.

[Karla smiles at the feed.]

I suppose you're a real ladies' man, hmm?

Re: [Video]

[hotheadwarmheart]

Thanks.

But heh, no, not like that. I just don't think I've ever had this many women that I know reasonably well in my life, that's all.

Though by the by, you planning on coming to the beach party tomorrow?

[Video]

[swordprincess]

Sure, why not? And I assume you're going as well?

Given what we've been through, especially as deputies, I can see how you've grown in your time here.

Although...I have to say you made quite the adorable youngster.

[She lets out a giggle there. Little Lea was so cute!]

Re: [Video]

[hotheadwarmheart]

Yep! I'll be working the grill, in fact.

[Lea chuckles too, recalling his time as his younger self.]

Though heh, yeah. Cute, but kind of dumb. Good thing I had people like you and Dove around to keep me out of trouble.

[Video]

[swordprincess]

Oh? I'll have to look for you there then.

[Karla tilts her head, humming thoughtfully.]

Hmm, I don't know...I don't really feel like I did much. In fact, you don't really seem all that different from your younger self. Like you're still a child at heart.

video;

[devilishkaoru]

So you got yourself a harem, huh?

[He's teasing in his own way of course.]

Re: [Video]

[hotheadwarmheart]

Well I was without one for about a decade there, so I guess I'm still playing catch-up.

But I'd like to think I've got a little bit more sense now than I did back then. I mean, you only saw little me for about a week; back home I had time to do some really dumb stuff.

Re: video;

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Lea shakes his head but looks amused.]

You know, I wish people wold stop putting it like that. I mean it was funny at first, but really...

video;

[devilishkaoru]

Doesn't always mean romantically. Just means a group of woman and one man. Reverse harem is the exact opposite.

[He was aware of this before that little girl mentioned them.]

These are things you never expect to know.

video

[priceofmagic]

A whole year..?

[That drops a pit of despair into her gut. Satou still isn't sure how she feels about living here for the longterm...]

Congratulations, then? I'm glad that you seem to be enjoying yourself. Life here is really different, huh?

video

[stillsmiling]

Y-You know I'm a boy, right?

[An honest concern, given how often he is mistaken for a girl.]

video;

[ivegotadream]

You've been here a whole year too?

[Rapunzel had been aware it's been a year for her to a few days before.]

Time flies when one is having a good time.

[Video]

[swordprincess]

Really? Hmm...

Should I ask what kind of "dumb stuff" you've gotten into?

Re: video;

[hotheadwarmheart]

Well you're right about that; I never expected to learn that. Or find out what a reverse harem is.

[Slight pause]

Are those really a thing? Reverse harems, I mean.

Re: video

[hotheadwarmheart]

[Chuckle]

Yeah, I know you're a boy. It's just that the girls I'm friends with tend to outnumber the guys, is all.

Re: video

[hotheadwarmheart]

Definitely different. And I don't know if I could say I enjoy it, really; I enjoy certain aspects of it, and I like the people I've met here, but like any world, it's got its good points and its bad ones.

Re: video;

[hotheadwarmheart]

Well, I can't say its all been good. But there are definitely worse places to be stuck.

[Video]

[storiesofmyown]

[Martha recognizes the voice from her first day. She's been meaning to try to find Lea and say thank you, but with everything going on, it hasn't been a priority. Now's the perfect time.

When she appears on the screen, she looks cool and relaxed and is seated in what's clearly an office setting.]

Lea, isn't it? I'm the storyteller you talked to.

video;

[devilishkaoru]

You never know what you expect to learn in your life.

[Kaoru is just going to keep a straight face.]

They can exist. You'd be surprised.

video;

[ivegotadream]

Well, I mean yeah. There have been some bad moments. But I prefer to look at the positives.

[Mostly because one of her bad moments involved a fear of hers and that isn't something she wants to think about again.]

video

[keymemory]

Hey! Leeea! [ He beams ] Making friends is great! I'm working on that myself! You've been here a whole year?! Man.


Oh, man! I just got a job at the Pan's store! I'm a bagger! So, I don't know.. that's what I'm about!

Re: [Video]

[hotheadwarmheart]

Dumb stuff like sneaking out alone at night and going down to the city water works. Rumor around school was that there was a Tonberry lurking around there, and that it was guarding a treasure chest with an Orichalcum in it.

Not only was I dumb enough to believe the story and try to sneak into the waterworks at night, but I also genuinely thought I'd be able to get past a Tonberry to get the treasure.

[Video]

[swordprincess]

[Karla tilts her head at the story, but the "Tonberry" and "Orichalcum" things throw her off. She giggles at her own ignorance.]

All right...what is a "Tonberry," and what is an "Orichalcum?"