001

[speaksanimal]

WHO: Antonio Madrigal
WHERE: Network, Around the Park
WHEN: March 1, Late Afternoon
WHAT: Small little boy wants to befriend people but it's awkward. Also, small boy shows tiger questionable tiger art.
WARNINGS: N/A

A. Network: Video; un: antonio

[If one were to look at the network, one could see a small little boy mumbling to himself. He wanted to say something, but he isn't sure what. As he looked down at the ground and shifted his weight, he took a huge breath in. If one can hear clearly, one could hear him say "You can do this."]

Um...I don't know what's going on but I think there's a lot of things I need to know. With the sky look weird and me having new powers, there's something I'm not getting.

[He said before looking around in his room. As he looked toward the door, it was as if he was waiting for someone to come in.]

I know mama and papa said I shouldn't talk to strangers online, but I hope we can talk to each other. Because I want to know if I can make some friends here.

B. Around the Park

[What is a small little boy doing out in the park without his parents? Who knows but that doesn't stop him from venturing into the zoo in search of some animals! Looking around the area, it appears that nobody was around him. As his gaze turn toward a tiger, he couldn't help but smile brightly at it!]

Hey, how are you doing? I hope that you're doing okay! I wanted to show you a picture I drew! I worked really hard and I hope you like it!

[He said before flashing the questionable tiger art to the animal.]

Comments

[speaksanimal]

Hoshi, who is that?

[He said before looking at said mysterious air behind her. He was certain that she was talking about a person and yet, he can't see it.]

[suzume_odori]

Hoshi is Hoshi..! [She continues to gesture to the air. Which will soon make sense.]

Lots of people can't see him, but he's big and purple and always here, and very strong...

...and sometimes he doesn't let me leave the sidewalk, but it's probably okay...

[It's very okay, because she's not supposed to be wandering around 'alone'!]

[speaksanimal]

[With that, Antonio wasn't sure if he should pretend that she was talking about an imaginary friend. Should he dare make her upset and risk losing a friend? Or pretend and keep continuing to talk about him?]

He won't hurt anyone right? If he is very strong, I hope that he isn't someone who scares a lot of people!

[suzume_odori]

[Suzume immediately shakes her head.] He won't hurt anyone unless they try to hurt me instead. [That much, she says with some strong conviction. ....But then she leans into the phone, like she's trying to hide it from that empty space.]

...but Hoshi isn't as strong as before...he couldn't give me a hug when we were in the fake city...he can do things like that now, but I don't think he's as strong...

[It's a bit concerning!]

[speaksanimal]

But doesn't that mean there should be someone else who can help you? You said that there were others who can, right?

[Again, Antonio still wasn't sure what was going on but the least he could do was to help her out. As he kept on looking at the blank space in the background, he really didn't know how to continue with this topic.]

Are they helping you right now? Like finding someone you can live with?

[suzume_odori]

Oh....

[That part...wellllllll...she turns the camera around, and hey!

There's some lady busy tidying the rest of what looks like a small apartment.]

That's Nanny, she's from Zodiac... I stay here and she does stuff that Haha normally did...so that probably helps.

[Hooray!]

[speaksanimal]

[In response, Antonio raised an eyebrow.]

Zodiac? Isn't that a bad thing that she is a part of them? Even if it's things that uh...Haha did, wouldn't you be a little nervous?

[Because mother or not, it's still a little scary having someone who you don't know take care of you.]

[suzume_odori]

[Eh!? Eh!?]

...Why's Zodiac bad...?

[That's. Her big question. Is Zodiac supposed to be bad? She didn't think it was bad. It's just where she ended up going, since there wasn't anyone else, so.]

Mn...I'm not scared, I have...Hoshi, and Muland...I'm definitely safe.

[speaksanimal]

Because aren't they the ones who made all this weird stuff going on?

[Because those who make all this happen has to be bad, right?]

But that's good! If you are feeling scared, let me know. I want to help out too.

[suzume_odori]

[?

???]

...No....?

[Why would they be?? Suzume blinks.] ....they just have stuff only magic eyes can see...so...if you see magic stuff, you see the phone stuff...

[speaksanimal]

But that would be bad, right?

[And here, Antonio just keeps on being just as confused as she is!]

Since they're the ones starting it?

[suzume_odori]

[Another head shake.]

...how does having...mn...How does having the phone thing for magic people...mean they're causing the magic?

[speaksanimal]

Because if they have it, it means they have to cause the magic!

[...]

Right...?

[suzume_odori]

Does it...?

[................................]

Umnh...but...then where did the magic people already had come from..?

[speaksanimal]

[And there was a pause.

And a longer pause.

And then an even longer pause until...!]

I don't think I know. That's a good question.

[suzume_odori]

[They are.

In a predicament.]

...we should...we should ask someone who was always magic...they would know.

[Probably. ...Probably.

Probably?]

[speaksanimal]

I think we should? But do you know anyone who always had magic? I don't even know!

[What were a bunch of five year olds suppose to do??]

[suzume_odori]

Ummmmm....

[She....does not.]

Oh no....

...maybe....if we say something in the big chats, someone will say?

[speaksanimal]

I guess so. Hopefully we'll figure out our answer?

[Pause.]

Do you think there are other people from our school that know about this app?

[suzume_odori]

Mnh...

[She shakes her head.] ...Just you.

...maybe there's a teacher..?

[Teachers are adults so. There's probably at least one, is her logic, because somehow the adults seem to normally have a lot more going on.]