test drive 1

[brain_empty]

[Ryoko Otonashi, Ultimate Forgetful Girl (maybe?) was walking through Hope's Peak Academy open square. Dorms, class buildings, and cafeteria and convenience store all accessible. She didn't particularly stand out at all except...]

...Why am I walking here?

[She checked her notebook, nodded, then kept going, for about another minute before...]

...Why am I walking here?

[She peeked down again. Some students nearby tried to wave, but they were ignored. She had a problem and any distractions would delay her more than what was already happening.

Unfortunately for Ryoko, it was a terrible problem that was stopping the traffic more than it reasonably should've, and soon people learned just not to walk behind her or around her at all.]

Comments

[brain_empty]

[she holds it out of his reach, but less protective than maybe she should be.]

Hold on, hold on! First, tell me. How long did you have me going for? Five minutes? Two?

[lieindespair]

Huh? This time? Oh... only just a few minutes. [ He snickers and grins. ]

You shoulda seen it the other day. I had you going for almost an hour before you caught on!! Oh I'd never had so much fun with one person for that long before!

[brain_empty]

An hour?? Now that's definitely a lie

[It was hard for her to remember over five minutes. Not without help. ...Or was he talking about a long drawn out session before she finally picked it up? That said, she records it anyway.]

Hm. I don't know if that means my condition is better or worse...

[a soft sigh...]

...wait, who are you?

[Her eyes had fallen on a passage: "There's many ways to deal with Kokichi. Try bluffing him!"]

[lieindespair]

A lie? My good lady I never lie! [ He lied. ] I dunno, but it definitely seems like it's not getting better if that's what you mean.

[ Ah, and she'd forgotten again. ]

Uh, hello? I can't say it here. Duh. Come on, where is it? Where's my money? You said you'd have it today.

[brain_empty]

...

[She started to crack up.]

Got you! Two can play this game, Kokichi.

[In opposition to the startled waif she'd started out as, now she was smiling and laughing.]

[lieindespair]

w-What?

[ Aw shit, no way! She actually got HIM?! Impossible! Still... he couldn't help the somewhat warm feeling he got when she started laughing and the smile suited her. ]

Well, I guess even you deserve a win now and then. So that's... what, one for you and... how many for me again?

1/3

[brain_empty]

Hm... let's just say the answer is a qualitative "a lot." I'm keeping the quantitative one a secret.

But you really shouldn't underestimate me, Kokichi. My hand never tires, and I have plenty of notebook. As long as I have that, you can only win for so long against...

[2/3]

[brain_empty]

...

[her answer stopped dead mid-word, the visible loss of steam plain on her face from how her expression changed.

There was no mistaking this moment was genuine. A glimpse into just how much her condition was a 'condition'.]

[3/3]

[brain_empty]

[But, then there's a flip of her notebook and she's staring at the title.]

...Ryoko Otonashi!

[lieindespair]

[ He stared at her for a moment and then down to the book in her hands. A cruel person would take it from her and hide it. It had been tempting many, many times for many, many reasons to do so, but this time still, he refrained. ]

Kokichi Ouma. Nice to meet you.

[brain_empty]

[That got a tongue stick-out from her.]

You don't need to introduce yourself.

[...As long as they kept talking and she kept staring at her notebook. Which she quickly flipped back to where she had held the page.

It was a good thing he never had. It was, in a way, her entire life. At the very least, it would rob the trust she held for him in her heart.]

Though... if you do want to help. Which way am I pointing? Am I going to eat, or am I going to neurology again?

[Her eyes had glanced: "He may have caught on you can use this as a test, but see if what he tells you matches what you were doing. Ask him where you were going and then check the map and your last entry in the "to do" list."]

[lieindespair]

Hm? Where were you going?

[ He took a moment to look around. She was definitely heading to somewhere on campus, and considering her proximity to the dining hall, she was probably looking to get something to eat. ]

How should I know? Probably on your way to get your head checked. You seem to need a lot of that lately. That's what they do in Neurology, right?

[brain_empty]

You want to come watch? It's kind of boring, unless Yasuke makes it fun.

[The Ultimate Neurologist. Her neurologist. And the one who made her heart dokidoki just thinking about. The one person she never, ever forgot.

She follows a line in her notebook: Kokichi didn't give you a real answer? He either doesn't know or is testing you. Just go with what your to do list said.]

Well... the empty feeling in my stomach is telling me it was probably lunch. ...Want to join me? If you're not hungry, you can get a Fanta.

[Somehow, somewhere, her notes held that information.]

[lieindespair]

Huh? You want me to join you?

[ Hardly anyone ever asked him to do anything with them. He couldn't help but to feel immediately suspicious but... considering who he was talking to, the threat level was painfully minimal. Almost boring, even. Still, he could eat. ]

Well you did promise you'd buy me lunch sometime, so I'm cashing in on that now.

[brain_empty]

What?! I did??

[oh no... did she need to repay him? She starts searching for any note of having gone to lunch with Kokichi before, or...

She followed it back down to another underlined sentence: don't forget, he lies!]

--Hey! No I didn't.

[lieindespair]

[ There was no hiding his grin that told her she was right. He shrugged and started off toward the dining hall alongside her. ]

Well you can't blame me for trying. You did just offer to buy me a soda though. You're not backing out of that one.

[brain_empty]

[She shook her head]

I said you could get a Fanta. Not that I'd buy you one.

[she stopped as they got to the food court.]

Hm. I wonder if there's time for Hanamura's restaurant...

[It was a big step up from convenience store food, but not outrageous in price. It was Hope's Peak and they were Ultimates, after all.]

[lieindespair]

Huh? That's not the same thing?! You're so mean! Meanie! Bully!

[ It was her turn to get a tongue stuck out at her. As for the restaurant... ]

It is a little busy and the dishes can be sooooo elaborate. Yaaawn. Who has time for that?

[brain_empty]

The food is really good though.

[She didn't need her notes for that one. Tastes she'd experienced retained themselves a little better.]

...But, fine. Just a curry bread, maybe.

[lieindespair]

[ It was true that the food was exceptional, and even his garbage can palate can understand that. But the moment she actually promises to buy him something, he's all smiles again, as if nothing had ever gone wrong before in his life. ]

In that case, Okay~! Write it down! You're not getting out of this one!

[brain_empty]

Aaaaah.... Fine. Fine.

[She does reluctantly write a note of: "I bought lunch for Kokichi too! The conniver."

...The next part was harder. Keeping track of what was bought, the prices, and making sure it matched the amount of how much money she was carrying, then adding it all together before they paid.]

[lieindespair]

[ And in true fashion, Kokichi bought himself a grape Panta soda, happy that he didn't have to spend all his money to eat and get a drink today. He hoped, anyway, wondering if she'd have the money for everything or if she forgot what she had on her. ]

So... what's the deal, then? With your memory? You get kicked in the head by a horse or something and got your brains all scrambled up?

[brain_empty]

[It was easily enough. Though, she had to subtly check her notes as they sat down. She's talking to Kokichi Ouma. He's tricked her, but is acting nice, relatively. Still, he likes to like for pranks and games.]

Ah... I never told you? This isn't a gag?

[There weren't a lot of notes where she talked with people long enough to mark if they had, if only really because...]

...I don't know.

[...she had no idea.]

It'd be funny if it was that easy. They could sit me down behind the horse and make it kick me again.

[lieindespair]

[ He cracked open his soda and took a drink, waiting for her answer, leaning back in his chair. ]

Huh... And here all this time I thought you were just playing coy. I thought you just didn't want people to know or something. You really, really don't know?

[ He let a moment pass before blowing a raspberry. ]

Boooriiiiiing.

[brain_empty]

I don't think a lot would have the nerve to ask!

[In fact, she had to note that about him... the conversation was taking an interesting direction. She couldn't lose it by needing to put her notes and pen down, so her cooling curry bread sat in it's wrapping paper on the table.]

I really don't know. I don't know if I have parents, or siblings, or... anything. But, it doesn't really bother me. I don't have any frame of reference, for having those things, so it doesn't bother me.