[Well, now didn't that just make the kid feel good? He smiled under the mask before he considered the idea again. He still wasn't sure, this could all go horribly then she might not like the idea of being his friend... But he did want to know, and Aerith seemed like a good person to trust this with.

He paused though, shaking his head with a little rustle of hair on paper.] I don't know if people ever really feel strong? It's a thing that you just are, or become, maybe?

[Fiddling a little with the phone, he put it down and balanced it on a shelf in front of him so he wouldn't have to keep holding it. Huh... The static actually cleared a little when he wasn't handling it anymore.]

I'm gonna try then... Should we count? Or do you wanna say when?