AN: Written for the prompt: any, any, the only way to stay sane is to pretend it's all just a game
And now I know why a good portion of the MKR fandom writes from Umi's perspective. It's just so much easier to understand her perspective than Hikaru or Fuu who feel like they think slantways from a normal person.
~O~O~O~O~
If Umi stops to think about it, it's pretty overwhelming; new world, magic, giant monsters attacking them at every turn… She's just a normal girl with normal dreams, who just wants to win the next fencing tournament. Whatever 'legend' they're involved in is probably bull crap. If she closes her eyes and thinks really hard, maybe she can convince herself that it's one elaborate setup. It's just like a game. Monsters, fighting, a trio of heroes on a quest to save a princess. Heck, they even 'level up' their swords and armor. It's not that hard to take a mental step back and just think that it's not reality.
Cephiro is one big game, and Umi is one of its legendary heroes. Hikaru is the main character of course, because she's energetic, bright and driven and so eager to prove herself. Fuu is the healer of the party with her wind, the distance fighter and defense specialist. And Umi is the Red Mage—skilled with a rapier and a quick spell to save the day.
It works.
They fight the monsters, they fight the villains, they complete side quests, and they'll save the princess. Once they save the princess, they'll all wake up from the game and go home like nothing ever happened with the satisfaction that they won.
Because the heroes always win.
It's scary and it hurts to have ice magic rip shards into your skin. It's scary to have one eyed, carnivorous vine-flower monsters trying to eat you in a forest of death that never ends. It's scary when you have to rely on a ball of fluff that can't speak as a guide and a wizard that's been turned to stone for advice.
But the hero always wins.
It will hurt, but Fuu's magic will heal the wounds without scars because healer characters can do that.
The villain will get the upper hand, but they'll never win because Hikaru has the determination to out stubborn even the most tenacious foe.
No NPC can be trusted because no one trusts strangers here, but that's fine because what gamer needs useless NPC dialogue to figure out what they need to do anyway? They already know that their quest is to find three temples and gain the Mashin and level up to be the Legendary Magic Knights.
And then they'll save the princess.
That's how games work. You do the boss battle, complete the storyline, and the game is over. You get on with life. And Umi wants to get on with life. She has a fencing match and her best friend's birthday coming up and her parents waiting for her. The game has to end eventually, and they keep leveling up fast enough that they'll be fine.
Because it's really all just like a game, so it might as well be one. And so long as it's a game, the pain is a bit less, the villagers screaming in fear of monsters is a bit less real, the threat to their lives can be fixed with a simple reset. Heroes always win in games, so Umi's going to beat this game and live.