When the lights go out

The rain tapped against the window, tap tap tap... a steady, rhythmic beat that provided a soothing background to the hum of music dab dab dab.... Ayame sat at her desk, headphones covering her ears and hair loosely gathered in a messy bun. Her desk was an organized mess of school supplies, books, and notepads. Her homework was spread out in front of her, but the only thing she seemed to focus on was the music flowing through her headphones.

As Ayame absentmindedly wrote on her notebook, an instant message notification popped up on her computer. Without pausing her music, she glanced at the screen to see the familiar display name: "Amy."

Curiosity piqued, Ayame pushed her headphones back so they hung around her neck. She clicked on the notification, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, anticipating a quick chat with her friend.

Amy: Yo, what's up? U actually doing your homework for once?

Ayame rolled her eyes but chuckled at the message. Leave it to Amy to tease her about her work ethic...or lack thereof. She quickly typed a response, keeping one hand on her pencil and the other on the keyboard.

Ayame: Haha, very funny. I actually do homework sometimes, you know.

Amy: And unicorns fart rainbows too, right? :D

Ayame snorted, shaking her head at her friend's audacity. Despite the playful banter, she knew Amy was just joking around. She responded with her own sarcastic comment, falling back into their familiar rhythm of playful back-and-forth.

Ayame: Oh, right, can't forget about the unicorns. Maybe I'll write a paper on that for my science class. "The Mysteries of Unicorn Flatulence."

Amy: LOL, I'd pay to read that masterpiece. Bet you'd get an A for "Most Creative and Weirdest Research Topic Ever"

Ayame: Hey, it's a highly under-researched field, I'm sure. Someone's gotta delve into the secret life of unicorn farts.

Amy: True. I can see your future headlines now: "Scientists Discover Rainbows Are Made of Unicorn Farts!" You'll revolutionize the world of science, one mythical creature at a time.

Ayame: Lol, "Unicorn Flatulence: Nature's Glitter Bomb". I'll win a Nobel Prize for sure.

Amy: Can you imagine the ceremony? "And the Nobel for Best New Scientific Discovery goes to... Ayame, for her work in... unicorn farts. Congratulations!" Maybe they'll even give you a trophy shaped like a unicorn butt. LOL

Ayame: Okay, now you're just trying to make me choke on my water here. A unicorn butt trophy... I'd proudly display that on my shelf. Right next to my collection of unicorn fart-scented candles.

Amy: Wow, you're already planning a whole marketing line around this, huh? "Unicorn Bliss: Candles Scented with the Finest Farts." I can hear the sales already!

Ayame: Indeed. I'm picturing the labels now. "Warning: May Cause Rainbow Gas". And the slogan: "Fartastic Fragrance, Guaranteed to Make Every Room Magically Delicious!"

Ayame was in the middle of typing a response when suddenly, everything went dark. The music in her headphones faded, and the only light in the room was the dim glow from the street lamps outside. She blinked, surprised by the sudden darkness. Great, a power cut.

She let out a sigh, rolling her chair back from her desk. The room was eerily silent without the hum of music or the tapping of the rain against the window. She could barely make out the shapes of her room in the semi-darkness. Now she was just sitting in the dark. Just great.

Ayame fumbled for a moment, trying to find her phone. Finally her fingers closed around the sleek shape of the device. With a press of a button, the screen lit up, casting a soft light in the room. She used it to guide herself to a drawer where she kept some candles and a matchbox. It wouldn't be much, but at least she wouldn't sit in pitch darkness.

She carefully lit a few candles, placing them on her desk and bedside table. The small flames flickered, casting dancing shadows against the walls and adding a warm glow to the room. With the lights taken care of, she sat back down at her desk, contemplating what to do next. The thought of doing homework without electricity was less than thrilling.

Ayame sat in the quiet darkness, only the soft flickering of candlelight keeping her company. She was unable to continue with her homework without proper light, and without internet access, there was little else to do. She glanced at the screen of her computer, the Discord notification still blinking at her, now feeling a bit lonely and bored.

Just then, her phone buzzed in her hand, saving her from the creeping boredom. She looked down at the screen to find a new text message from Amy.

Amy's text read: "Hey, you still there? what happened?" It was typical of Amy to check on her, even when the power was out.

Ayame quickly typed a response, grateful for the distraction.

Ayame: "Yeah, I'm still here. Power went out so I'm hanging out in candlelight. No homework or internet. How about you?"

Amy's reply came almost instantly.

Amy: "Oof, that sucks. No power or internet? Bored yet? 'Laughing emoji'"

Ayame chuckled at Amy's response. She could almost hear the teasing tone in her friend's 'voice'.

Ayame: "Ugh, totally bored. Just sitting here in the dark, waiting for the power to come back. Not much else to do but maybe I will watch something on Netflix."

Amy's next message popped up on the screen.

Amy: "Ha, bet you're missing Discord. Too boring without me to keep you entertained."

Ayame smirked, tapping out her response.

Ayame: "Of course...no "

She hesitated a moment before adding:

Ayame: "Kidding. But yeah, it's definitely more fun with you around."

Amy's reply was instant.

Amy: "Aw, missing me already? Better be careful, I might get a big head."

Ayame: "Oh, please. As if your ego needs any more inflating."

Amy: "Hey, my ego is perfectly proportional. Plus, it's your fault for feeding it."

Ayame thumb hovered over her phone's keypad. She knew Amy would make fun of her for this, but she didn't really care.

Ayame: "Actually, I was thinking of watching some anime. Don't judge me."

Amy's message came back almost instantly.

Amy: "Oh no...you're going down the rabbit hole. Next thing I know, you'll be talking about your 'husband' and collecting body pillows."

Ayame: "Haha, very funny. I guarantee I won't be doing that. Just looking for something to pass the time. And some anime plots are seriously good, you know."

Ayame tapped out her next message.

Ayame: "Well, have fun. I'll just be here, watching anime and ignoring all forms of social interaction."

She added a rolling-eyes emoji for extra effect

Amy reply was a string of sarcastic comments.

Amy: "Wow, a true social butterfly you are. Have fun with your weeb-ness. Don't forget to shower and eat while you're at it."