[color=purple] [center] [h1] Matsushima Momiji [/h1] [/center] [/color] 

[@Undying Curiosity]

Just as quickly it had begun, Momiji had concluded her meal. Momiji was one to enjoy the meals she ordered over that which she cooked for herself. After all, her prowess with the fields of contemporary feminine skills were rather lackluster, herself never having a strong female role model in her life. Compared to her female peers who would most likely not take their time alone in a maid cafe, if going at all, Momiji appreciated these sorts of "arts". 

However, that did not mean Momiji was simply inept in these fields. Simply inexperienced to the point of semi-incompetence. Why should she be forced to do her own cleaning or cook her own food when she was a fortunate daughter? Momiji tended to prefer to keep herself, though on rare occasions she seemed to reach out to others, it was merely recreational in nature. Even one who dedicates themselves to playing the observer would eventually need to interact with those "playing" in order to continue her status. After all, that was what she believed herself to be in the current. Rather than an actual participant of life, she merely continued to live, only truly looking out for herself.

[u]“Thank you for your patronage, sister,”[/u] the maid stated to the Momiji that had just concluded her meal. Momiji always wanted to be an older sister. Her "other" family did have younger girl, she never felt that she had much of a connection with her "other" family. After all, she did move into her own apartment for a reason. Partially because she did not feel welcome. Partially because her father and mother had both betrayed her for their "new" families respectively. This sort of thought process could not be waned. Even if Momiji appeared younger than her appearance let on, she believed that it was interesting enough

And thus she had asked her server to call her as such. 


Granted, she would prefer if no one would know of her actions, as it could lead to some complications if others learned she was fawning over maids at a maid cafe, but perhaps she could be glad she hardly recognized anyone in the cafe. Momiji could at the very least take that as a win. Though a misunderstanding would most likely lead to nothing, it was not something she truly wanted. 

Wait.

It was not as if she had complete recognition of that “someone” in the cafe. The sort of double take one does when they realize they might have seen someone in a magazine or perhaps on the news or something rather than the actual connection of seeing them within their daily life. 

Or perhaps that was not as apt. Sort of like seeing a ghostly visage of someone you had seen once or twice before. Though Momiji tended towards solidarity due to her distrust of those around her, that did not mean that Momiji refused to associate with others. She had been invited by peers to do mundane things on several instances and perhaps if she felt up to the task she would accept. 

However, she usually declined. Not because she didn’t wish to “go somewhere and hang out”, but more because Momiji was the sort of person who believed the worst in those she had met. An individual who believed those before her would have the “ulterior motives” besides the ones presented, needing good cause to consider teaming with others, such as something threatening her or those she had sworn to protect like the members of her legion.

But still, the face of the man bothered her. Not in the sense that it was “ugly”, but rather due to the fact she was unable to to discern his identity, despite feeling that she should have an understanding of his person. 

Who was he? 

Why did Momiji recognize him?

It then hit her. Corner of her class there was always a boy that seemed a bit “odd” in regards to their interpersonal conditioning. Though Momiji was against ‘interpersonal relationships’ between her classmates, at the very least she had a basic idea regarding the interactions and social construction understanding, but the boy who Momiji had remembered in her class was almost completely inept, but always looked like he wanted to be socially active. 


At the very least, Momiji understood why he acted in this way. He was a friend of “him”; someone Momiji knew long ago. Someone that Momiji had promised to protect. Someone who Momiji had failed. By the time a person has achieved years adequate for choosing a direction, the die is cast and the moment has long since passed which determined the future.

However, Momiji didn’t want someone from her own class knowing that she was interested in rather risqué behavior regarding choice of places to eat. Especially alone. To others, these sorts of things might be considered creepy, and at the very least this would ruin what Momiji wanted to consider her “cool” image, which to her mind would deteriorate into the image of a degenerate. 

So after placing the money on the table, Momiji attempted her best Solid Snake impression and tried to sneak out without being seen by Kazue. 

However, though Momiji tended to have the idea she was “cool” to some degree, this was a bit inaccurate. [color=Purple] Purple Progenitor [/color] within the confines of  Accel World was cool. Momiji was a bit clumsy, and when trying to dodge Kazue, as if magic itself, she had tripped on her own feet and proceeded to crash herself into the person she was trying to avoid, the two falling to the ground. 

Truly, Momiji was the strongest. We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.

[hr] 

[center] [h1] [color=Pink] Daijuuji Kirei [/color] [/h1] [/center]

[@Inkd Bull]
Within the confines of the arcade, Kirei was never one to truly stand out. Though he won often, it was not enough to create himself a cult following within the arcade. After all, those who get the high scores in their games often get unwanted attention, and that was something which Kirei wished to avoid at all cost. 

Kirei did not want to stand out from a crowd. After all, if he had but a single skill, his ability to feign an average outward appearance was one to be reckoned with. Despite his skills compared to many of his peers to be superior, his desire to stay hidden pushed him to lessen standards to attempt slightly lower target grade marks. 

This same principle seemed to apply when he takes himself to the arcade as well. Though perhaps to someone with a more trained eye and mind,Kirei looked to be “sandbagging”, he never seemed to exit this “sandbagging” mode for any sorts of gains and the like. After all, to sandbag was to pretend to be mediocre at a game, then after seeming mediocre make a bet with someone to obtain some sort of hidden advantage they wouldn’t have expected.

Kirei, however, never made these sorts of bets. And although he seemed to be playing merely for entertainment, one might be able to understand they were not playing to the greatest of their ability. Artificial mistake have a calculated feel to them, whereas natural mistakes seemed a lot more fluid. 

Standing out was a bother to Kirei. And Kirei just wanted to live a quiet life.

[color=Pink] “I am sorry, but I’ve won that round,” [/color] Kirei said to a random stranger he had recently beat in a fighting game. 

Kirei seemed to speak, in his regular instance, with a lot of respect to any and all he had met. In Brain Burst he was the same. Respect towards others in conversation tended not to come off as badly as more vulgar choices of words. More forgetful are the instances of joy than those of malice. 

However, there did exist a certain degree of “uncalculated error”. Kirei had forgotten to turn off his Neurolinker, and thus others in the game of Brain Burst could duel him if they so wished. However, Kirei understood that currently he was within the confines of a public space, so if there were people who did not know who he was, they would merely know he was one of the many people inside the arcade. Can’t really boil something down when you don't have the right temperature at base. Information was somewhat important for a member of Brain Burst, but to obtain slight advantages would be pointless, unless Kirei was discovered in full. 

Still, this was merely a mistake by Kirei. Even those trying to live a quiet life have these instances bound to happen. Even those who meticulously calculate every detail are bound to have simple mistakes. 

But unintentional mistakes were something that Kirei wished to avoid at all cost. After all, he did not want attention. He wanted a quiet life. A life where he would be able to escape sins he had never committed. After all, guilty by association was what lead Kirei’s life down a path to ruin. A childhood stolen without compensation. 

But Kirei continued his streak of playing games. After all, a bit of video games tended to be entertaining to himself. Even if he had to purposely throw games to not gain attention, Kirei was a competitive man. Which is why he understood Brain Burst as an outlet to his desire to compete. Anonymity was something that Kirei strived for.