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"Mighty fine of you to offer me a seat in the cafeteria," I stumbled out as the girl started to drag me into the Activity Center. Aster certainly had an unrivaled enthusiasm for gettin' to know people, but she might be a tad hasty. "But wouldn't it be safer to watch the center from outside? There's always the possibility that Micky could get hurt before he calls us, and we wouldn't be able to tell inside."

Aster pushed open the door to the dining hall and sat down on the nearest bench. "I don't think you're giving Micky enough credit, Rick," she crossed her arms. "He's an observant guy, and won't be taken off guard too easily. Plus, have you ever even tried wrestling him?"

"Have you?" I raised an eyebrow.

"No, but I'd totally let him pin me if I had the chance," Aster clasped her hands together and laid down on the the bench. I couldn't help but smile at the hopeless romantic. It was already so clear that she was flirting with him, yet he seemed to be the only one oblivious to it. Aster shook her head and continued, "But, that's aside the point. Micky's strong, so no one is gonna easily take him down physically. I also checked in on Strife during the switch. He's really out cold, so there isn't a strong chance of him waking up and trying something nefarious. But, if he does, that's why we have the Stalk My Students always up."

"That's good to hear," I nodded. "But, just to be safe, did you eat your candy?"

Aster's smile faded away to more of a pout. "Do I have to? I can only get so many refills on this island when I can't find any of the Monotrophies."

"I'd really appreciate it if you did, Ms. Poinsettia," I tried to reason with the girl. "I can keep an eye out for Monotrophies in the future if you would care for more candy, but we need to assure the safety of our group above everything else."

Aster sighed. "You don't have to be so formal, Ricky-roo. We're just high-schoolers." Aster reached into a cloth bag hanging from her side and unwrapped what looked like a pink candy with a red swirl. She popped it in her mouth and stored it in her cheek. "Mhm, nothing happens tonight. Someone wakes up before the morning alarm, but that's about it. And, if you're wondering, it's not Ryu. I told him to stay in bed tonight so we wouldn't have to worry about anything."

"Could you see who it was who was awake before the mornin' bell?" I prodded.

"Visions aren't just sight based," Aster shook her head. "A lot of the time it's just mumbo jumbo prophecy stuff that is really kind of a pain to dissect. The candy just said that someone was gonna be awake before the morning alarm, and that was it. No silhouette, no voice, no sight, nothing."

"Interestin'," I nodded, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table from Aster. "This is still good news, to at least expect what's comin' and t'know there's nothing bad happenin' tonight."

"Yep, always good to know..." Aster's voice trailed off. The two of us sat in silence before she piped up again, somewhat continuing off the last thought, "You're really cautious."

"Well, I'd certainly hope I would be cautious," I chuckled. "If I were to let my guard down, we might have another incident like we did last night, and, quite frankly, I'd mighty appreciate not having another murder occur."

"It's not that I don't understand where you're coming from, Honey Roast," Aster sat up. She placed her sack of candy on the table and leaned her head onto one of her hands. "It's just that I don't think you are really going to make a big difference in the way that things are going down. You're a nice leader 'n all, but Sash has all the authority from the first days on the island. We want you to continue being a solid understudy, but you just don't hold the same umph as Sash." Aster punched her hand for emphasis on the "umph." She continued, "Like, you're really nice and approachable. Sash is tall and strong. With Sash, you expect for him to protect you. With you, I see more of a cheerleader, ready to support us when we're down. You both make a great team for leading the group, but I find it really hard to see you as our main leader. If something happens to Sash, I'm not sure if we can be functional with you in charge."

I sat in silence for a moment, letting her words sink in. "Thanks fer the criticism, Aster darlin'. I know you wouldn't have said so unless you had legitimate concerns, and yer close enough to me to give me that sort of honesty. But, as much as I hate to detract from yer word, I'd like to point out the difference in philosophy and life experiences that Sash 'n I have. Sash came from a strict family with heavy corporate interests. They see their lives to have order through rigid standards and overbearin' power. I come from a similar household, but I always was more lenient towards an artisan lineage. In that line of work, standards must be made, but encouragement creates and environment for all to succeed. Both are means to the same goal, but neither one is explicitly correct."

"No, I don't think you're getting me, Sugar Pop," Aster jumped in, unwrapping a lollipop and sticking it in her mouth. She shifted the ball of the sweet to her cheek and spoke with surprising fluidity, "It's not that I don't understand that you both have different styles of leading. Both have their purposes. The difference I think lies in how the group is laid out. This is a life and death scenario, where one morning we could all be happy go lucky and chasing toaster strudels through the night sky on a canister of silly string, and then we could wake up to find one of our buddies lying on the floor covered in liquid almost as vibrant as my hair. It is important to encourage others, but it's also important to set the undeniable standards. If you're too lenient as a leader, people may get the idea that you're authority holds no real power, and they would be free to disobey. If you're too strict, people will be wanting to break free from that rule and commit something against the will of the group. Sash emphasizes the middle ground, where he is most definitely strict in his rule, but he is willing to accept criticism, take blame for his actions, and work with the people around him. As it stands, I think you're too lenient, and that won't make for a proper substitute if anything were to happen to Sash in the near future."

"That isn't a prediction, is it, Ms. Poinsettia?" I lean forward slightly, resting on my forearms.

"Can't confirm or deny that accusation, Ricky-roo," Aster switched the lollipop's sides in her mouth. "As far as I know, Sash could get off this island alive, or he could be the next to die. I may have the power to see the future, but something as critical and specific as that is hard to specifically locate on our scale."

It suddenly occurred to me that Aster had gotten off topic. "I can't help but come back to our original point for a minute, Ms. Poinsettia. Why is my bein' cautious a bad trait, and what, if anythin', does it have to do with my weak leader position?"

"Let me just put it how others see you, so we're clear on how you're coming off," Aster took her lollipop out of her mouth for the minute. "You are paranoid in the eyes of the people. You don't trust them enough to let them sleep without three guards on every night. Of course Strife, the little sour patch kid back there, was the most offended by this assertion of power, but it was a feeling that resonated through most the group. Part of it came with this idea of undeserved power. Even in the absence of Sash, they felt you didn't get the automatic throne to lead the group. You've proven yourself to be very awkward in front of most of the populous, and as such, they don't trust you as a strong leader, like Sash seemed to be from day one. They would much rather have someone like Micky, who attempted to calm everyone down after the first incentive, or Citrus, who generally jumps up and states her opinion and opposition whenever she can. You hold a much weaker position in their eyes. You show that you don't trust them, and that you don't have the voice to lead. This is changing with your ever growing outward voice, as it seems Sash has started to rub off on you, but you haven't earned the spot yet."

I nodded along to the girl's words of wisdom. "So, what'cher sayin' is that I need to work my way up from behind Sash's rule and develop my voice if I ever want to hold authority as a leader in the group?"

Aster put out her right arm straight and reached her other arm behind her back from over her head. With some imaginary object in hand, she met her two fists and pulled back the one formerly behind her head. As she pulled back, she made a small noise with her mouth, as if she was tightening something up. Then, with a mighty release, she shot her hand back, her straight arm flying up with the recoil. "Bullseye!" She cheerily shouted, a smile finally returning to the girl's face.

I couldn't help but chuckle once more at the girl's random bursts of cheer. She always seemed so filled with joy, it was hard to imagine she was the one just now who gave me a serious spiel about how to look professional and leader-like. "Well, I thank you kindly for your thoughts, and I will most certainly take them to heart. Hopefully I will be a leader worth yer while as time goes on."

"Oh, I don't think that'll be an issue," Aster licked her lollipop before popping it back in her mouth. "You ot thiff!" she sputtered before properly moving the lollipop into one of her cheeks again.

"Is that what the candy's tellin' you know?" I prod, mildly joking.

"No, I just believe in you, Ricky-roo!" Aster smiled and cocked her head to the right. "Though this vision is kinda wonky. It's Sash going on a moonlit walk with Ryu. I know Ryu wouldn't want to do such a thing with Sash, and Sash has no reason to do so with Ryu. This isn't to mention that this would go against our current guidelines against having people out at night after the bed call."

"You don't think that's on their shift, do ya?" I remembered the shifts; Sash, Ryu and Opaque holding the last shift before the reset.

"I can't tell the setting, but it looks like they're just walking along the beach. That seems unnecessary and unsafe for both of them, so it probably isn't during their work shift. Besides, as perceptive as Opaque is, being as blind as a bat doesn't make for a truly good guarding scenario. If they were doing this on a normal guard night, I'd assume it would be an instance where I told them nothing would happen that night."

A sudden rush of blush came to my face. "What's the mood of their chatter?"

Aster narrowed her eyes. "It's grape. Not entirely sweet, but not entirely sour. This could be an indication of one side trying to pull weight to make up a relationship, while the other is unresponsive. It could also be indicative of a mixed reaction from either party." The girl shook her head and continued sucking on the lollipop. "That's a weird vision. I don't think I'll ever understand black ships."

Though I didn't entirely understand her definitions and labels for ships, or her love of them really, I took the information at base value. It would probably be in my best interests to talk to Sash later in the week to figure out what his plans were for the night guard and how he would handle the situation.

"You wouldn't be, say, jealous of Sash getting together with Ryu, now would you, Ricky-roo?" Aster leaned forward on the table, a devilish smirk plastered on her face.

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I tried to retort, "Get yer head out o' the gutter! I don't swing that way."

"Oh Rickerson, I think you misunderstand my knowledge of people," the SHSL Psychic grinned even wider, resting her head on top of her hands now. "You can't tell me that you haven't at least had the thought cross your mind that you would want to have him." Aster closed her eyes as she continued to tease. "As a punmaster once put, his chest makes you wanna nut, doesn't it?"

"ASTER!" I screeched, unable to stop myself from slamming my fists down on the table. "What are you trying to accomplish here?"

"Just a wee bit of ship-tease," Aster's eyes reopened, holding the same carelessness as before. "I know it's not what you actually intend, but curiosity doesn't necessarily kill the kitty. I mean, in a safe and consenting environment, that kitty could have a wonderful time. She could be taken out to all the nice scratching posts, play in the meadow with the other kitty, and other fun stuff. Helps even more that he's just the cat's meow in terms of body proportion, at least in your eyes."

"It's... it's not like that," I try to push her tactical incision on my mentality away from me, but only manage to hide the shame on the inside of my t-shirt.

"Aw, Honey Roast, I don't mean it to be mean," the girl leaned forward and started rubbing my shoulder. "I might've misread how sensitive you were, even to me, so I thought you might've been able to handle it a bit better. I'm really sorry." She reached into her candy sack and pulled out a gumball. "Want something to cheer you up?"

"Don't do that," I mumbled from inside my shirt, fumbling with her hand until I held the gumball. "It's just not right."

"It's okay, Sugar Pop. I won't do it again, I promise." Aster continued to rub my shoulder and the top part of my back in an attempt to soothe me. She continued to coo, "If it makes you feel any better, the guy I like couldn't notice it if I put it on a picket sign on his front lawn."

"I'm sorry about that, Aster," I started to pull my head out of my shirt. "As much as I do respect Micky, he's got a talent for not bein' able to detect romantic tension. He's about as keen in that area as a bird's sense of smell."

"I've been trying to make my cues obvious, but he's just not picking up," Aster signed, retracting into her seat. She shifted the lollipop stick around in her mouth and rested her head on one of her fists. "I mean, I even got Ryu to request some time with Micky. Do you even know how hard it is for Ryu to try and make friends?" The girl stuck her arms out straight to either side of her body. "It's like this big! This big of a problem for the guy! I know Micky isn't the best at reading people, given his relationship with Strife, but he has to at least have the cognitive understanding that the Deviant in Ryu's name extends to his personality as well."

Aster sighed and took her seat once more. "Micky's a great guy, but he needs to roll for better perception and understanding. He's almost painfully blunt with relations. I'll let him run the show when it comes to investigation, but someone's gotta let him understand how people work."

"I do think part of it comes from his early life," I pondered aloud. "I mean, the boy did grow up in the mountains, so there's a good chance he didn't get to meet many other people outside his company. However, your point is still valid. Perhaps I could talk to him during your shift, and maybe enlighten him a bit as to how people work."

Aster pointed right at me. "Don't be too forward. He'll think I'm being too direct and trying to get to him through his friends. Be subtle in your approach and try to enter his subconscious and plant that seed that these relationships he builds on the island are for more than just getting tools for the investigation." The girl dropped her serious tone and finger. "But, thank you, Rick! I love you!"

The SHSL Psychic lunged forward and wrapped her arms around me, taking me slightly off guard. I held my hands out defensively for a moment, before embracing the hug. I'd have some work to do if I were to try and get to Micky, but there's no way I'm letting Aster down. She deserves the world for dealing with Strife.

Description
"Mighty fine of you to offer me a seat in the cafeteria," I stumbled out as the girl started to drag me into the Activity Center. Aster certainly had an unrivaled enthusiasm for gettin' to know people, but she might be a tad hasty. "But wouldn't it be safer to watch the center from outside? There's always the possibility that Micky could get hurt before he calls us, and we wouldn't be able to tell inside."

Aster pushed open the door to the dining hall and sat down on the nearest bench. "I don't think you're giving Micky enough credit, Rick," she crossed her arms. "He's an observant guy, and won't be taken off guard too easily. Plus, have you ever even tried wrestling him?"

"Have you?" I raised an eyebrow.

"No, but I'd totally let him pin me if I had the chance," Aster clasped her hands together and laid down on the the bench. I couldn't help but smile at the hopeless romantic. It was already so clear that she was flirting with him, yet he seemed to be the only one oblivious to it. Aster shook her head and continued, "But, that's aside the point. Micky's strong, so no one is gonna easily take him down physically. I also checked in on Strife during the switch. He's really out cold, so there isn't a strong chance of him waking up and trying something nefarious. But, if he does, that's why we have the Stalk My Students always up."

"That's good to hear," I nodded. "But, just to be safe, did you eat your candy?"

Aster's smile faded away to more of a pout. "Do I have to? I can only get so many refills on this island when I can't find any of the Monotrophies."

"I'd really appreciate it if you did, Ms. Poinsettia," I tried to reason with the girl. "I can keep an eye out for Monotrophies in the future if you would care for more candy, but we need to assure the safety of our group above everything else."

Aster sighed. "You don't have to be so formal, Ricky-roo. We're just high-schoolers." Aster reached into a cloth bag hanging from her side and unwrapped what looked like a pink candy with a red swirl. She popped it in her mouth and stored it in her cheek. "Mhm, nothing happens tonight. Someone wakes up before the morning alarm, but that's about it. And, if you're wondering, it's not Ryu. I told him to stay in bed tonight so we wouldn't have to worry about anything."

"Could you see who it was who was awake before the mornin' bell?" I prodded.

"Visions aren't just sight based," Aster shook her head. "A lot of the time it's just mumbo jumbo prophecy stuff that is really kind of a pain to dissect. The candy just said that someone was gonna be awake before the morning alarm, and that was it. No silhouette, no voice, no sight, nothing."

"Interestin'," I nodded, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table from Aster. "This is still good news, to at least expect what's comin' and t'know there's nothing bad happenin' tonight."

"Yep, always good to know..." Aster's voice trailed off. The two of us sat in silence before she piped up again, somewhat continuing off the last thought, "You're really cautious."

"Well, I'd certainly hope I would be cautious," I chuckled. "If I were to let my guard down, we might have another incident like we did last night, and, quite frankly, I'd mighty appreciate not having another murder occur."

"It's not that I don't understand where you're coming from, Honey Roast," Aster sat up. She placed her sack of candy on the table and leaned her head onto one of her hands. "It's just that I don't think you are really going to make a big difference in the way that things are going down. You're a nice leader 'n all, but Sash has all the authority from the first days on the island. We want you to continue being a solid understudy, but you just don't hold the same umph as Sash." Aster punched her hand for emphasis on the "umph." She continued, "Like, you're really nice and approachable. Sash is tall and strong. With Sash, you expect for him to protect you. With you, I see more of a cheerleader, ready to support us when we're down. You both make a great team for leading the group, but I find it really hard to see you as our main leader. If something happens to Sash, I'm not sure if we can be functional with you in charge."

I sat in silence for a moment, letting her words sink in. "Thanks fer the criticism, Aster darlin'. I know you wouldn't have said so unless you had legitimate concerns, and yer close enough to me to give me that sort of honesty. But, as much as I hate to detract from yer word, I'd like to point out the difference in philosophy and life experiences that Sash 'n I have. Sash came from a strict family with heavy corporate interests. They see their lives to have order through rigid standards and overbearin' power. I come from a similar household, but I always was more lenient towards an artisan lineage. In that line of work, standards must be made, but encouragement creates and environment for all to succeed. Both are means to the same goal, but neither one is explicitly correct."

"No, I don't think you're getting me, Sugar Pop," Aster jumped in, unwrapping a lollipop and sticking it in her mouth. She shifted the ball of the sweet to her cheek and spoke with surprising fluidity, "It's not that I don't understand that you both have different styles of leading. Both have their purposes. The difference I think lies in how the group is laid out. This is a life and death scenario, where one morning we could all be happy go lucky and chasing toaster strudels through the night sky on a canister of silly string, and then we could wake up to find one of our buddies lying on the floor covered in liquid almost as vibrant as my hair. It is important to encourage others, but it's also important to set the undeniable standards. If you're too lenient as a leader, people may get the idea that you're authority holds no real power, and they would be free to disobey. If you're too strict, people will be wanting to break free from that rule and commit something against the will of the group. Sash emphasizes the middle ground, where he is most definitely strict in his rule, but he is willing to accept criticism, take blame for his actions, and work with the people around him. As it stands, I think you're too lenient, and that won't make for a proper substitute if anything were to happen to Sash in the near future."

"That isn't a prediction, is it, Ms. Poinsettia?" I lean forward slightly, resting on my forearms.

"Can't confirm or deny that accusation, Ricky-roo," Aster switched the lollipop's sides in her mouth. "As far as I know, Sash could get off this island alive, or he could be the next to die. I may have the power to see the future, but something as critical and specific as that is hard to specifically locate on our scale."

It suddenly occurred to me that Aster had gotten off topic. "I can't help but come back to our original point for a minute, Ms. Poinsettia. Why is my bein' cautious a bad trait, and what, if anythin', does it have to do with my weak leader position?"

"Let me just put it how others see you, so we're clear on how you're coming off," Aster took her lollipop out of her mouth for the minute. "You are paranoid in the eyes of the people. You don't trust them enough to let them sleep without three guards on every night. Of course Strife, the little sour patch kid back there, was the most offended by this assertion of power, but it was a feeling that resonated through most the group. Part of it came with this idea of undeserved power. Even in the absence of Sash, they felt you didn't get the automatic throne to lead the group. You've proven yourself to be very awkward in front of most of the populous, and as such, they don't trust you as a strong leader, like Sash seemed to be from day one. They would much rather have someone like Micky, who attempted to calm everyone down after the first incentive, or Citrus, who generally jumps up and states her opinion and opposition whenever she can. You hold a much weaker position in their eyes. You show that you don't trust them, and that you don't have the voice to lead. This is changing with your ever growing outward voice, as it seems Sash has started to rub off on you, but you haven't earned the spot yet."

I nodded along to the girl's words of wisdom. "So, what'cher sayin' is that I need to work my way up from behind Sash's rule and develop my voice if I ever want to hold authority as a leader in the group?"

Aster put out her right arm straight and reached her other arm behind her back from over her head. With some imaginary object in hand, she met her two fists and pulled back the one formerly behind her head. As she pulled back, she made a small noise with her mouth, as if she was tightening something up. Then, with a mighty release, she shot her hand back, her straight arm flying up with the recoil. "Bullseye!" She cheerily shouted, a smile finally returning to the girl's face.

I couldn't help but chuckle once more at the girl's random bursts of cheer. She always seemed so filled with joy, it was hard to imagine she was the one just now who gave me a serious spiel about how to look professional and leader-like. "Well, I thank you kindly for your thoughts, and I will most certainly take them to heart. Hopefully I will be a leader worth yer while as time goes on."

"Oh, I don't think that'll be an issue," Aster licked her lollipop before popping it back in her mouth. "You ot thiff!" she sputtered before properly moving the lollipop into one of her cheeks again.

"Is that what the candy's tellin' you know?" I prod, mildly joking.

"No, I just believe in you, Ricky-roo!" Aster smiled and cocked her head to the right. "Though this vision is kinda wonky. It's Sash going on a moonlit walk with Ryu. I know Ryu wouldn't want to do such a thing with Sash, and Sash has no reason to do so with Ryu. This isn't to mention that this would go against our current guidelines against having people out at night after the bed call."

"You don't think that's on their shift, do ya?" I remembered the shifts; Sash, Ryu and Opaque holding the last shift before the reset.

"I can't tell the setting, but it looks like they're just walking along the beach. That seems unnecessary and unsafe for both of them, so it probably isn't during their work shift. Besides, as perceptive as Opaque is, being as blind as a bat doesn't make for a truly good guarding scenario. If they were doing this on a normal guard night, I'd assume it would be an instance where I told them nothing would happen that night."

A sudden rush of blush came to my face. "What's the mood of their chatter?"

Aster narrowed her eyes. "It's grape. Not entirely sweet, but not entirely sour. This could be an indication of one side trying to pull weight to make up a relationship, while the other is unresponsive. It could also be indicative of a mixed reaction from either party." The girl shook her head and continued sucking on the lollipop. "That's a weird vision. I don't think I'll ever understand black ships."

Though I didn't entirely understand her definitions and labels for ships, or her love of them really, I took the information at base value. It would probably be in my best interests to talk to Sash later in the week to figure out what his plans were for the night guard and how he would handle the situation.

"You wouldn't be, say, jealous of Sash getting together with Ryu, now would you, Ricky-roo?" Aster leaned forward on the table, a devilish smirk plastered on her face.

I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks as I tried to retort, "Get yer head out o' the gutter! I don't swing that way."

"Oh Rickerson, I think you misunderstand my knowledge of people," the SHSL Psychic grinned even wider, resting her head on top of her hands now. "You can't tell me that you haven't at least had the thought cross your mind that you would want to have him." Aster closed her eyes as she continued to tease. "As a punmaster once put, his chest makes you wanna nut, doesn't it?"

"ASTER!" I screeched, unable to stop myself from slamming my fists down on the table. "What are you trying to accomplish here?"

"Just a wee bit of ship-tease," Aster's eyes reopened, holding the same carelessness as before. "I know it's not what you actually intend, but curiosity doesn't necessarily kill the kitty. I mean, in a safe and consenting environment, that kitty could have a wonderful time. She could be taken out to all the nice scratching posts, play in the meadow with the other kitty, and other fun stuff. Helps even more that he's just the cat's meow in terms of body proportion, at least in your eyes."

"It's... it's not like that," I try to push her tactical incision on my mentality away from me, but only manage to hide the shame on the inside of my t-shirt.

"Aw, Honey Roast, I don't mean it to be mean," the girl leaned forward and started rubbing my shoulder. "I might've misread how sensitive you were, even to me, so I thought you might've been able to handle it a bit better. I'm really sorry." She reached into her candy sack and pulled out a gumball. "Want something to cheer you up?"

"Don't do that," I mumbled from inside my shirt, fumbling with her hand until I held the gumball. "It's just not right."

"It's okay, Sugar Pop. I won't do it again, I promise." Aster continued to rub my shoulder and the top part of my back in an attempt to soothe me. She continued to coo, "If it makes you feel any better, the guy I like couldn't notice it if I put it on a picket sign on his front lawn."

"I'm sorry about that, Aster," I started to pull my head out of my shirt. "As much as I do respect Micky, he's got a talent for not bein' able to detect romantic tension. He's about as keen in that area as a bird's sense of smell."

"I've been trying to make my cues obvious, but he's just not picking up," Aster signed, retracting into her seat. She shifted the lollipop stick around in her mouth and rested her head on one of her fists. "I mean, I even got Ryu to request some time with Micky. Do you even know how hard it is for Ryu to try and make friends?" The girl stuck her arms out straight to either side of her body. "It's like this big! This big of a problem for the guy! I know Micky isn't the best at reading people, given his relationship with Strife, but he has to at least have the cognitive understanding that the Deviant in Ryu's name extends to his personality as well."

Aster sighed and took her seat once more. "Micky's a great guy, but he needs to roll for better perception and understanding. He's almost painfully blunt with relations. I'll let him run the show when it comes to investigation, but someone's gotta let him understand how people work."

"I do think part of it comes from his early life," I pondered aloud. "I mean, the boy did grow up in the mountains, so there's a good chance he didn't get to meet many other people outside his company. However, your point is still valid. Perhaps I could talk to him during your shift, and maybe enlighten him a bit as to how people work."

Aster pointed right at me. "Don't be too forward. He'll think I'm being too direct and trying to get to him through his friends. Be subtle in your approach and try to enter his subconscious and plant that seed that these relationships he builds on the island are for more than just getting tools for the investigation." The girl dropped her serious tone and finger. "But, thank you, Rick! I love you!"

The SHSL Psychic lunged forward and wrapped her arms around me, taking me slightly off guard. I held my hands out defensively for a moment, before embracing the hug. I'd have some work to do if I were to try and get to Micky, but there's no way I'm letting Aster down. She deserves the world for dealing with Strife.