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And so, brave Kelsey stood at the doorstep of adventure. Charged with a quest by the sages of the cherry blossoms to decipher a tome most mysterious. Would this quest prove too difficult for her? Surely not, for her wise companion of literature would help her crack it no sweat.
In regular person talk, this meant Kelsey was standing in front of the door to the local library. Doing her usual internal monologue while passersby cast confused glances at her.
"Alright, let's do this. In you go, pal."
Stashing Mortimer in her hair bun like usual, she kicked the door open...or attempted to, anyway. Her stubby leg not really doing the trick. Grumbling, she reluctantly entered the regular way.
"And thus Kelsey entered her book filled sanctum, a treasure trove of-"
Various other library visitors quickly shushed her before she got going on her latest spiel.
"Oh, shush yourselves."
With her heroic flow disrupted, she decided to just hurry to the reason she'd dropped by today. And the reason was so enraptured by a book that she didn't even notice Kelsey entering her little cove at the back of the library.
"Uh, Stacks? Hello, anyone in there?"
No, Stacks was in her own little world. But Kelsey knew how to dislodge her. Taking a peek at the cover of what she was reading, she chuckled.
"Saber Of The Stars? Ugh, Varian is such a lame protagonist..."
That did the trick. Stacks slammed her book shut, looking almost personally insulted.
"How could you say that!? His arc is book 3 was so...oh. Very funny, Kelsey.”
Kelsey shrugged.
“Hey, it works every time. Anyway, I come seeking your assistance o’ wise one of the books. To help understand a tome most mysterious and...”
Stacks just gave her a weary look. The ‘Speed it up, I want to get back to that really good chapter’ look. Kelsey was quite familiar with it.
“Oh, alright. The ninja kids have this manga Yustice found at a yard sale. But it’s not in English. And since they’re still banned for the smoke bomb incident in the manga section here...”
Stacks didn’t need to hear anymore. She motioned for the manga, Kelsey handing it over. The cover depicting a warrior woman with an unnecessarily large sword and a bespectacled girl with a book standing next to her.
“And they need me to figure out what it is so they can find the English version. Easily done.”
Trying to crack her knuckles in a showy manner (And completely failing), she hopped on the nearest computer.
“Shouldn’t take long. Looks like an action series. Checking the directory for a manga with a similar cover art under the action tag...and voila! There’s your mystery book. ‘ The Shy Mage Can’t Believe The Mighty Warrior With The Giant Blade Would Ever Notice Her’...is a title that long really necessary? Brevity is the soul of wit after all.”
Before she could critique it any further, Kelsey leaned in to get a look at it. Stacks would have told her to back up a touch, but her cheek was touching her cheek. And she was oddly cool with that.
“A bookish young lady finds herself falling for...ew, it’s a romance manga! They try to trick you with that awesome sword, but it’s a mushy love story. Well, I promised to deliver the news and deliver I shall. You’re the best, Stacks.”
Kelsey took off, leaving a blushing Stacks sitting there rubbing her cheek. She thought of returning to Saber Of The Stars, but her curiosity convinced her to read the rest of the summary.
“A bookish young lady finds herself falling for a brash and mighty warrior. Will these two opposites ever notice their surprising connection?”
Stacks looked from Saber Of The Stars to the screen and back.
“...Varian can wait. Where is that manga section?”
A FEW DAYS LATER
“STACKS!”
Ignoring the latest cacophony of shushes that got her, Kelsey headed for the back of the library.
“Oh my gosh, Stacks! Have you gotten to chapter 34 of Dragon’s Through Time? Can you believe that...Stacks?”
Stacks jumped slightly when Kelsey made her arrival.
“What are you reading?”
Stacks tried to hide the book behind her back...which didn’t hide much because there were 5 more issues next to her.
“...This isn’t what it looks like. I wasn’t reading romance. I swear I was just curious...”
Kelsey shook her head.
“It got to you, didn’t it? Don’t let these mushy love stories cloud your...hey, that’s that manga.”
Stacks nodded.
“Yes, it’s that manga. It’s actually not terrible.”
Kelsey didn’t look swayed.
“Did I mention there are demon kings, dragons and overly-elaborate super attacks that take up entire pages?”
And suddenly Kelsey was swayed like a tree in a windstorm. Though she tried to act like it didn’t interest her.
“...Okay, I’ll take one look.”
She sat down next to Stacks, grabbing issue 1 from the pile.
“This can’t be that good...”
3 issues later, Kelsey was eating her words.
“Oh, come on! No way Priscilla is going to lose that fight. She’s way too jacked. These things are kind of awesome...wish they’d quit pausing for all those corny romance scenes, though.”
Stacks fiddled with her hair.
“...I think it’s kind of sweet. Marjorie is so cute with her crush on Priscilla. I mean a bookworm who like likes a super active, super cool warrior. I relate to that...”
Kelsey seemed to miss the hint, leaving Stacks to grumble slightly.
“I mean, doesn’t that sound familiar?”
Kelsey looked up from the manga.
“Huh? Did you say something?”
Stacks breathed deeply to maintain her sanity.
“Bookworm. Super cool, super active warrior. Sound like two people you know?”
Kelsey thought for a minute.
“...Wildernessa and Beth? Wait, Wildernessa and Beth!? Ooh, I’ll take the sousaphone and-”
Stacks finally gave up on the subtle approach.
“Me and you, Kelsey!”
Kelsey thought for a few moments.
“Me and you...me and you? Wait a minute...do you like me? Like, like like me?”
Stacks scratched her head in nervousness.
“I mean, you’re one of the best friends I have. You’re always so nice, and we both love literature...I mean, who wouldn’t like like you?”
This was new for Kelsey. Someone had just admitted they had a crush on her. And she wasn’t quite sure how to process it.
“Wow. Someone like likes me.”
Luckily for Stacks, she seemed to process it as ‘Flattering’. Coughing slightly, she scooted a little closer to her.
“So...wanna keep reading?”
Stacks exhaled deeply and pecked Kelsey on the cheek like enamored kids with crushes were oft to do.
“That would be great.”
Kelsey tried to maintain her composure...an effort which failed as she sprung up looking red as a stop sign.
“I gotta go...um..you uh...cute...kiss...see you later!”
She stumbled over herself and a few books on the way out, leaving Stacks there to giggle.
“She's awesome...”