Fifty First Summons: Another loss

[miss_enma_ai]

[Ai has been following Kikuri's drone around recently. But she's starting to realize that the little girl isn't going to snap out of it. People who know Ai may have noticed that she's even quieter then normal

Comments

A

[so_misfortunate]

[ Even without his bad luck, it's obvious that a prompt like this is made for one such as he. This always happens.

Even so, after bumping into someone, he reflexively reaches out his hand to ensure that they don't fall over. ] W-whoa! Careful...! [ A pause. Oh, he recognizes her. ] --hey, you okay?

[miss_enma_ai]

[Wobbles but manages to get her balance back. You startled her a little.]

Y-yes.

[so_misfortunate]

You should say something if you see something like that about to happen. [ ..oh hey, he should let go. At least he didn't feel anything strange happen with his hand (because it doesn't work yet...) ] Can't expect everyone else to be paying attention to where they're going, too. [ Like him. ]

[miss_enma_ai]

Sorry.

[so_misfortunate]

It's fine, no one got hurt, right? [ Which surprises him the most. ]

[miss_enma_ai]

....right.

[so_misfortunate]

[ A nod. ] Good. [ Touma jerks his thumb over his shoulder, in the direction he was originally headed, the other hand adjusting the strap of his backpack. ] If everything's fine, I'm gonna keep going. [ He wasn't in any hurry, but he did have some homework he could try to take care of before it got late. ]

[miss_enma_ai]

[Just nods.]

[so_misfortunate]

[ And he moves away, but stops partway to turn back to her. ] You know? You should smile more. I know living here is hard, and you probably know it better than I do, but you can't let something like that get you down all the time. It'd definitely look better if you smiled. [ He genuinely means that. Touma has seen enough moping faces on other people to last a lifetime, in his just short while here. It doesn't help that it makes up the majority of his memories, now, and few of them were anywhere near pleasant. ]

[miss_enma_ai]

[Just looks at him.]

Why.

[so_misfortunate]

I don't mean just put on a fake smile. Those are the worst. I mean, find a reason to smile and then smile like you mean it. I'm not saying this place is a happy place, but there has to be something for everyone to come up with. [ Gesturing with his hand. ] Smile for a compliment. Smile because there's a food you like. Smile for a friend, or someone you like, or because there's still hope for getting out of here, someday.

[miss_enma_ai]

[Still just looking at him.]

Why? What's so important about smiling?

[so_misfortunate]

It's how you show the world. Smiling is contagious, you know? If everyone looked gloomy all the time, it would create a terrible atmosphere. This town thrives on despair, but we can't let that heavy feeling keep us down.

[miss_enma_ai]

I can't smile all the time.

[Her face would break]

And the world thrives on despair. That's just how things work.

too much... shonen... hero... logic...

[so_misfortunate]

No one can, but I'm not asking for too much in just one smile, right?

[ Touma draws a line with his hand. ] You're wrong! If that was true, people would have given up a long time ago. There would be no point in putting coins in an arcade machine if all you get all 'Game Over's.

No point in following a serial if they all get cancelled before the big reveal!

[ Curling his right hand into a fist. ] There would be no reason to fight, and there is always something worth fighting for!

haha Ai is the opposite of that...

[miss_enma_ai]

[She stares at him, but her voice has become harder. She knows what she's talking about.]

Just because you want that to be true, doesn't mean it is.

The world is a dark place where misery and despair thrives. People give in to their hate and lust for revenge causing an endless cycle.