*Imagine this entire chapter from the perspective of a camera screen*

 

“Hello again listeners!” Candi says while shakily holding a camera towards herself. “Welcome back to The Candi and Co. Podcast. Just to let any new listeners know this is a podcast in which I interview my new friends! This episode is going to be a special treat because I just made five new friends!”

 

Candi put the camera down on a table and pointed towards a couch and a couple of chairs where Love, Maka, Violet, Ash, and Takeru were already sitting. She runs over and sits down between all of them.

 

“Hey guys!” Candi says to her BFFs. “Introduce yourselves to my listeners please!”

 

“Sup!” Maka says while pointing at herself with both hands. “I’m Maka Sharktooth.”

 

“Greetings Candi’s dear listeners.” Violet says while looking directly at the camera with a small wave. “My name is Violet Newton. It’s a pleasure to be here.”

 

“Hey!” Ash says with an arm around Takeru. “I’m Ash Burns and this fine specimen here is my boyfriend Takeru.”

 

“Yo.” Takeru gives a peace sign.

 

After a moment of waiting for her final friend to speak Candi clears her throat.

 

“...Oh!” Love breaks out of her daydream and snaps towards the camera. “...Hello…m…my name…is…Love…Love Hart…”

 

“So!” Candi claps to get everyone’s attention. “Today I will be interviewing you all. I know we are all already friends, but this would be a great way to get to know each other ever better! We will go in the order you introduced yourselves in. So Maka first, then Violet, Ash, Takeru, and finally Love. Also, I will give my own answer at the beginning of each question. Got it?”

 

All of the friends nod.

 

“Also, these are mostly just going to be icebreakers so don’t worry about thinking too long or hard about your answers.”

 

Candi turns towards Love with a reassuring smile.

 

Love starts to blush and quickly looks down.

 

“Okay! Let’s start simple with an easy one.” Candi picks up a notepad and looks at the questions she had written down and debates which to start with. “...What is…your favorite color? Mine is rainbow, of course.”

 

“Navy blue.” Maka answers with her eyes closed and hands behind her head.

 

“...Well…Violet…” Violet says awkwardly.

 

“Hot rod flame.” Ash says as he turns to his boyfriend.

 

“Neon green.” Takeru says as he hugs Ash a bit closer.

 

Candi expectantly turns towards Love who is sheepishly poking her pointer fingers together.

 

“...Um…Pink…” She sinks backwards into the couch.

 

“Those are some great picks!” Candi responds. “I mean, all colors are fantastic, but it also tells you a lot about a person, you know?”

 

She picks her notepad up again.

 

“...What about…favorite music genre? I love all music, but I am really into K-Pop right now!”

 

“Punk rock!” Maka says as she signs some devil horns with her tongue out.

 

“Classical, but more specifically the works of Beethoven and Mozart.” Violet says while taking a sip of tea.

 

“Let’s go on three!” Ash says as he turns towards Takeru.

 

“3, 2, 1! Classic rock!” They say in unison before sharing a quick kiss.

 

“...Uh…” Love is rubbing the back of her neck. “...Do anime theme songs count…or nightcore?”

 

“Of course, but if you were to pick a more conventional genre, what would it be?” Candi questions.

 

“...In that case…uh…Eurodance…”

 

“Oooh! How unique!” Candi says as she gives Love a quick hug around the shoulders. She then grabs the notepad again.

 

“Next question!” Candi exclaims. “...on a similar train of thought…favorite movie genre? Mine are rom-coms, but what about all of you?”

 

“Horror movies, specifically slashers. The more blood and gore the better!” Maka says with a sinister smile while looking directly at the camera.

 

“French impressionism. Oh, we should all go to Sundance later this year!” Violet says as she excitedly looks towards her friends for a reaction.

 

“That…sounds…awesome!” Candi responds. “We should absolutely do that!”

 

Candi writes that down on her notepad, then turns towards Ash.

 

“Do I even need to say it?” Ash says as he turns towards his boyfriend and gestures towards him to answer for him.

 

“Superhero obviously.” Takeru says while hugging Ash and pulling him into his lap and kissing him on the top of his head.

 

“...Musicals…specifically Disney ones…”

 

“Interesting!” Candi says with a hand on her chin. “Which one is your favorite?”

 

“...Let’s just say…Mulan means a lot to me…” She says while moving some hair out of her face.

 

“That is so you!” Candi responds. She hums Reflection while picking up the notepad again.

 

“Aside from training to be a hero and hanging out with each other, what else do you do with your time? Any hobbies? I actually can’t answer that one very easily because I have so many, but let’s just say I am really into baking right now.”

 

“...Will I get you into any trouble if I say something that is…well…technically illegal?” Maka asks Candi.

 

“...Moving on…” Candi doesn’t want to get her podcast demonetized again.

 

“It’s graffiti by the way.” Maka cuts Candi off.

 

“...Violet?”

 

“Oh, what to choose…I have been practicing the cello recently. Actually, my dorm isn’t far from here! I could go grab it and play you all something.” Violet says as she quickly stands up.

 

“...That’s amazing Violet, but let’s finish the podcast first, okay? You can totally do that after though.” Candi puts her hand on Violet’s shoulder and sits her back down.

 

“...Yeah…you’re right…” Violet sits down and crosses her arms and threads her fingers together.

 

Candi nods at Violet with a smile and looks over towards Ash and Takeru.

 

“We have been going on a lot of concert dates.” Ash says as he and Takeru share another kiss. “But we also have been practicing some instruments as well. Takeru is great at guitar and I am learning drums.”

 

“How fun! Also, let me just say that you guys are, like, really cute together.”

 

Ash blushes. “...No we’re not…”

 

“Don’t spread misinformation to Candi’s listeners, babe.”

 

“...Fine…” Ash huffs and crosses his arms.

 

Candi giggles and then looks at Love.

 

“...Um…Does…watching anime or playing video games count as a hobby?”

 

“...No…I’m sorry Love, those aren’t hobbies…what is something you do to…flex your creativity?”

 

“...In that case…” Love thinks long and hard about her answer. “...I like to draw sometimes…”

 

“...Love?” Candi questions softly as she slowly puts her notepad down on the coffee table.

 

“...Yeah…”

 

Candi grabs Love by the shoulders and shakes her lightly.

 

“WHY HAVE YOU NEVER TOLD ME THIS BEFORE?!?!” Candi yells. “I WANNA SEE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DRAWN!!!”

 

Love nervously turns towards the camera.

 

*Static*

 

“These are great, Love!” Candi says as she thumbs through one of Love’s sketchbooks. “Why aren’t you in art school? You can totally make a living out of this if you wanted.”

 

Love nervously rubs the back of her neck.

 

“...Th…Thank you, Candi, but…the industry isn’t doing too hot right now…It would be really hard to get paid for my drawings right now…”

 

Love and Candi both look directly into the camera for a few seconds before moving on.

 

“Okay, final question!” Candi announces. “...Do…any of you have a crush on anyone?” Candi says with a coy expression.

 

Ash and Takeru give Candi a deadpan stare.

 

“...Aside from the cute couple of course…” Candi clears her throat and turns towards Maka.

 

Maka, Violet, and Candi all started blushing at the same time.

 

“I am going to mix things up this time!” Candi said with a shit eating grin. “Let’s start with you Violet.”

 

“...Well…” Violet is suddenly very interested in the details of the floor.

 

“Come on…don’t be shy!” Candi sings the last part of this sentence.

 

“...Fine…I…” Violet is blushing wildly now. “...I have a crush on Jack!” She immediately covers her own mouth.

 

“Oooh! How scandalous!” Candi says as she writes something down on her notepad.

 

Candi looks towards Maka who immediately shrinks into her chair before skipping over her and settling her gaze towards Love.

 

“...What about you, Love?” Candi has a devious smile on her face. “Anybody tickle your fancy?”

 

Love was blushing so hard that she looked like a tomato. She didn’t know if she could physically blush any more than she currently is.

 

“...Um…uh…” Love stammers out.

 

Candi scoots towards Love and looks her right in the eyes.

 

“Come on Miss Hart.” Candi pokes Love right in the heart. “Who has you under their spell?”

 

Love shakes her head no.

 

“...Come on Love, you don’t want to disappoint our dear viewers? Now do you?” Candi looks at the camera. “...We don’t want to drag out all of this blushing and awkward interactions forever. That can be cute for a bit, but after a while the readers…I mean listeners…start to get tired of this and just want to skip ahead to the first kiss.”

 

Love wanted nothing more than to not be in this situation anymore. After thinking it over for a moment she quickly discovers that the only way to get out of this situation is to rip the band-aid off and get this over with.

 

“...I have a crush on two people…actually…” Love finally responds.

 

“What is that?” Candi closes her eyes and sniffs the air. “Is that a love triangle I smell?”

 

She turns her attention back towards Love.

 

“...We have all waited long enough! I need names, Hart!”

 

Love takes a deep breath.

 

“...I…I…” She slams her fists down on the coffee table and knocks over Violet’s tea. “I HAVE A CRUSH ON YOU AND MAKA!”

 

Everyone sits in stunned silence for what seemed like forever, but was actually only about a minute. Candi and Maka look at each other.

 

“...WHAT THE FU…” The two girls yell in unison before they are cut off.

 

*Static*

 

*Memory card full*