Mash was buried in a pile of overdue paperwork, but his mind was elsewhere, replaying yesterday's strange events.
Why did she call me "Master"…?
"Something's definitely wrong," he muttered.
Asuna was in trouble. With work nearly done, Mash resolved to contact her. Just then—
Ping!
A message from Asuna lit up his device. He opened it immediately.
Asuna: [Urgent!] Master, help! I need you now!
"!" Mash's fingers flew across the screen.
Mash: What's wrong?
As he awaited her reply, he gathered his things, senses sharp. Another message arrived.
Asuna: …Huh? What's wrong with me?
Mash: Asuna, where are you?
Asuna: …Wait, Sensei? What's going on…?
Something was definitely wrong. Mash sprang into action, using Schale's authority to have Arona track Asuna's location.
"The park… I have to hurry."
Mash sprinted toward the park.
When he arrived, he spotted Asuna sitting on a bench, staring blankly ahead. He approached and called out softly.
"Asuna."
No response. She gazed into the distance, vacant.
"Asuna. Asuna!"
"…Huh? Master? Wait, what? Why're you here?"
Relief washed over him. "You recognize me?"
"Of course, you're Sensei Mash, right?"
"Thank goodness… you haven't forgotten."
"Ugh, did it happen again?" she groaned.
"Does this… happen often?" Mash asked.
"Yeah, when I'm bored or can't focus. It's like… my senses just dull. Everything slows down."
"That sounds—"
"It's fine! It'll pass soon…" Her voice trailed off, and her eyes glazed over again.
"…Master? Why're you here again?"
"This is serious," Mash said, concern deepening.
"—Oh! Sorry, Master! Wanna take a walk?" She forced a smile.
"No, you're not okay. 'It's fine' won't cut it."
"It is fine… really?"
Mash sighed. "…Alright."
"Yay! Let's go!"
Asuna grabbed his arm, pulling him along. Her expression was strained, as if holding something back, and Mash's unease grew.
They walked until they reached a staircase. Then, another anomaly.
"…?"
"What's wrong, Asuna?"
"Master… how do you climb stairs?"
"…What?"
"And… how was I even walking?" She swayed, unsteady.
Asuna let go of his hand, stumbling forward. Her legs wobbled, threatening to collapse.
Thud!
"Dangerous!" Mash shouted, rushing to catch her just in time.
"…?"
"That was close. You're not okay, are you?"
"…Warm," she murmured.
"Glad to hear it," he said softly.
"But… I don't understand…" Her voice trembled. "Sensei…?"
"I'm here."
"Who… are you? What's… happening? I don't… I don't know…" Her hands shook as she clutched his, fear overtaking her. The unknown was suffocating her.
Mash wouldn't let her face it alone.
"It's okay. You're okay," he soothed.
"Who… are you…?"
"I'm Mash Burnedead. Your friend."
"Friend…?"
"A friend is someone you can rely on. Someone who makes you feel safe, happy."
"Are you… that?"
"Of course. I'm your teacher, your friend…" Mash reached into his pocket, pulling out a comically oversized cream puff. (Don't ask how it fit.)
"…and your partner in eating cream puffs."
"Cream… puff…?"
"Exactly. The same one you bought yesterday."
"We… split it, right?"
"And escaped from Yuuka-chan."
"Then we went shopping… disarmed a bomb at the mall…!"
"Saved a lot of people."
"And I said… I wanted to call you Master, Mash-kun!"
"And I became your Master."
Asuna gripped his hand tightly, her vacant eyes sparking with life. A radiant smile broke through. Mash exhaled in relief.
"That's right! You're my Master, my friend, my cream puff buddy!"
"Exactly."
"How could I forget something so important? I'm sorry, Master…"
"It's fine. I'm just glad you're back."
Mash carefully helped her stand, splitting the cream puff and handing her half.
"Here."
"Thanks…" Asuna took it, her voice softening. "When it happens, it's like… everything's gone. It's terrifying, like I'm alone in the dark."
"That sounds awful."
"Yeah. It's like my mind goes blank, and I can't think… but when I smelled this cream puff, it was like a light switched on! I started remembering you, and everything else came flooding back."
"The cream puff saved you, huh?"
"Not just that. It's you, Master. You and the cream puff brought back my memories—my team, Millennium, everyone… and you."
Mash blushed slightly. "That's… kind of embarrassing."
"What?! You get embarrassed?!" Asuna teased. "Your ears are red! Let me take a picture!"
"No way."
"Please, just one!"
"Nope."
"Aww, come on!" She burst into laughter, skipping as she ate her cream puff. Stopping in front of him, she smiled warmly.
"Thank you, Master. Because of you… I think I'll be okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah. Normally, when it hits, I lose everything. But this cream puff, and you… I'll never forget them. Ever."
"Never?"
"Never ever! I'd swear it to the gods!" She grinned. "Let's pinky promise!"
"Alright."
They linked pinkies, chanting in rhythm:
"Pinky swear, if I lie, I'll shove cream puffs in my eye! Swear complete!" (Mash deadpanned; Asuna was all in.)
"Now I'll never forget!" she declared.
"Just in case…" Mash handed her a keychain—a muscular cream puff mascot.
"What's this? A beefy cream puff keychain?"
"New release: Buff Cream Puff-kun. If you see it, maybe you'll remember me."
"It's cream puffs and muscles! No way I'll forget now!"
"Glad it helps."
"Master—no, Mash-kun!" Asuna beamed. "Here's to us, always!"
"Always."
They chatted, ate their cream puffs, and enjoyed the moment.
Asuna's mysterious episodes didn't vanish that day. But with the Buff Cream Puff-kun keychain, and the memory of Mash and their shared cream puffs, she always found her way back. Each glimpse of that absurdly ripped mascot brought back her team, her friends, and her Master.
"Buff cream puff… yup, I remember everything!"
"Alright! Back to work!"
As long as Buff Cream Puff-kun, cream puffs, and Mash were around, Asuna would never lose what mattered most.
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