[BitP:R] Episode 4: A Heritage Revealed! Awaken, Ayase!

[Prime32]

This episode takes place in the days between the pool party and the start of the school year.

Ayase pats at her head. "I think it's okay now." Carefully, she starts to remove the bandage from her head. The only blood she sees is a dried brown colour, so she continues.

Setting the wrapping aside, she walks to the mirror in the corner of her room to examine the wound. "Looks like it's completely healed."

She flops back onto her bed and sighs.

[KnightDisciple]

If and when Ayase goes into the kitchen, she will find a few notes scattered around.

One on the fridge says:

Plenty of food inside, between leftovers and other things.

Another note was attached to an envelope:

Money in case you need food or anything else.

Another had several emergency contact numbers, both for her father, and a few family friends.

Finally, there was a note sitting by itself on the counter.

Take care, take it easy, and don't be worried about school. You're a smart girl, you'll do great. I'll try to keep this trip as short as possible. Love, Dad.

[Prime32]

Ayase shifts starts to get up when she hears a muffled thud by her left ear. She looks down to see that her phone has dropped to the floor.

"So that's where I left it. Ah!" she withdraws her hand as she receives a slight shock. "Must have been rubbing against something."

She presses the power button and the screen begins to glow. "Let's see if I got any messages."

Immediately, the phone begins to ring. It seems oddly loud.
Calling: 93443 3424
Ayase blinks in surprise. What weird timing. She presses the button to answer... and finds all of her senses assaulted. The screen of her phone grows blindingly bright as its contents begin to scramble, the light somehow spreading through the cracks along the back. The noise from the speakers is a screeching louder than she thought the device could produce. And at the same time another sense is struck bluntly, one she didn't even know she had. She drops the phone on the ground in shock, where it continues to enact a miniature disco.


When Ayase called her father at the pool party, her hands were bloody. Some of that blood got inside the casing of the phone, and as it is exposed to an electrical charge it now surges with reiatsu, strong enough for passers-by to notice.

[Kuroimaken]

Meanwhile...

On the outside, a small garganta opens into a garden. A small-ish, pig-sized Hollow steps through. It has eight legs, and what looks like a round, skeleton mask grinning widely with several eyes where a spider's head out to be. Its hole is through the lower abdomen, from where one might ordinarily expect to see webbing shoot out. It skitters across the garden until it senses a strange alteration in the local Reiatsu, turning its attention to Ayase's home.

[Prime32]

The glow from the phone intensifies, and the phone begins to shake violently. Ayase throws her arm in front of her eyes to shield them, as there is a loud bang. The light is gone. Ayase is wondering whether it's safe to open her eyes when she feels something brush against her leg.

"A... cat?" She reaches down to pet it in confusion, her brain still rather busy processing that event with the phone. "Where did you come from?" But... wait. This thing doesn't have the right proportions for a cat. It's almost like something from a-

[Kuroimaken]

*stroke, stroke, stroke*

It might take Ayase a little while to realize that the cat is actually stroking her leg a little more than it's normal. Heck, a LOT more than it's normal.

"Such supple, smooth texture... I'm in tactile pervert's heaven..."

Wait a sec, that kitty can TALK?!

However, perhaps the one thing that will actually startle Ayase is when it cranes its head around to try and lick her leg!

[Prime32]

"..."

Ayaka stares at the cat and blinks for a moment, then shoots up so fast she almost hits her head on the ceiling.

"Cat! Cat talk!" she blurts.
It is fortunate for her that she is apparently so shocked that she did not make out exactly what it said.


{OOC: http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/Smileys/default/roflmao.gif}

[Kuroimaken]

Just as she did, the cat stared upwards, and her face filled with what could only be described as a look of bliss. One could almost see her bringing her paws together as pink, sparkly bubbles floated in the background.

"...panties..."

And then it had a nosebleed.

[Prime32]

Pantsu
"Panku (http://dict.regex.info/cgi-bin/j-e/dosearch?sDict=on&H=PW&L=J&T=panku&WC=none&FG=r&BG=b&S=26)?"* Ayase slowly eases herself down, still with a rather freaked out look on her face. "Are you alright, um... cat-san? Oh, you're bleeding!" She picks it up.


*Dammit Kuro, tone it down, I can't have her misunderstand everything. :smalltongue:

[Kuroimaken]

The kitty stares upwards in bliss for a little while longer, until she finally snaps out of it and shakes her head, quickly drying her nose.

"Oopsie! Sorry, guess I must've been out of it for a minute."

The kitty looks up at Ayase and smirks widely, apparently content to dispel the girl's fears regarding her health.

[Prime32]

"Um, cat-san, why... how are you talking? How did you get into in my room?" Her expression still says "What." (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FlatWhat)

[Kuroimaken]

"...I came out of your cell phone, silly. I live there, don'tcha know?"

The kitty sounded as though her answer was obvious.

[Prime32]

She glances at the phone on the ground.
"You... you live in my cell phone. Okay."

It is a moment before Ayase realises that this would explain the lightshow she saw earlier. Why must her hallucinations be so consistent?!

[Kuroimaken]

"..."

The kitty stares up at Ayase, then leaps up in front of the girl waving her paws. "Hel-LOOOOOO? I'm right here, honey!"

[Prime32]

"Oh. Well, I, uh, didn't really notice you in there before."

[Kuroimaken]

"That's because I didn't really have the energy to manifest myself yet. But now I'm out here, ready to rock and roll!" The kitty leaps into the air, one paw extending as though she were punching the air with the excitement of victory. She landed on her hind paws.

"Now you listen, Ayase-chan, and listen very, very well. You're in danger right now. You need to get out of the house."

[Prime32]

Ayase had just picked up the phone again and was examining it.
"I... what?"

[Kuroimaken]

"Danger! Danger, Ayase-chan!" The kitty leaps and waves her paws in the air.

And then this horrible-looking big honking spider with a mask leaps THROUGH THE WALL!!

"Come on, stop daydreaming and RUN!"

[Prime32]

"EEP!"

Ayase almost falls over on seeing the monster, but manages to catch herself on the door frame and run down the stairs.

"What the hell is that thing?!" she screams at the cat running alongside her.

[Kuroimaken]

"More running, less talking!" The kitty goes on as it looks for a way out of Ayase's home.

The spider-like creature lets out a chitter as it begins to scurry away towards the two.

[Prime32]

"Over here!" Ayase grabs the keys and runs to the front door (she's pretty fast). She begins to fumble with the lock.

[Kuroimaken]

The spider isn't particularly fast, but terror can make it seem so. When Ayase manages to get the door open, the two of them barely have the time to run away before, a few moments later, the creature phases through the door, continuing on its way towards them.

[Prime32]

"Oh god oh god what am I going to do?"
The street is empty. Not that Ayase was sure that random citizens would be able to help her.

She is already starting to tire, but the thing doesn't seem to be slowing down. If anything it seems to be getting faster. And then, while Ayase's attention is focused on her rear... she trips over a rock.

[Kuroimaken]

"Ayase-chan!!"

The kitty screams when it notices that Ayase has tripped. She starts doubling back just as the eight-legged terror nears the young girl. It raises one of its legs to swipe at Ayase, then leaps back as the kitty tries to tackle it.

Her newfound talking friend looks to be the very epitome of courage as it hisses towards the arachnoid fiend...

... even though on the inside it's bawling like a baby and running in a panic repeating to herself, "Idon'twannadieIdon'twannadieIdon'twannadieIdon'twa nnadieIDON'TWANNADIEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"

This confusing state of affairs leads her to try for another pounce with her eyes closed, which the spidery monster replies to by skittering to the side and pinning it under its claw, which causes the kitty to release a comical, squeaky-like noise.

"Ayase-chan... Run...!"

[Prime32]

Things seem to slow down for Ayase at that moment.
She's going to die. I can't just...

Okay, how's about this? she thinks. She reaches for her phone but finds it already in her hand for some reason. I guess I'm the one who let her out. Maybe I can send her back to her 'home' and get her out of this. Better one than both of us, I can think of something, and... that thing probably doesn't eat phones. :smalleek:

Ayase stares at the screen. It looks the same as it always did. I have no idea how to make this work! Okay, stay calm. She raises her phone into the air, and focuses all her will on bringing the cat to her. Just...

"Save her!"

The cat Doll, inches from the Hollow's mouth, glows and bursts into light. That light streaks towards Ayase... and flows directly into her body.

There is a roar of rushing wind. The Hollow snarls in confusion as one of its prey vanishes while another is concealed by the sudden blast of dust.

It clears to reveal... (http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd54/Prime32_temp/Other/sasaki_ayaka_anim.gif)

[Kuroimaken]

It might take Ayase a moment to realize that, shortly after the transformation, she somehow ended up on top of a telephone pole. A voice in her head, that of kitty she'd just merged with, seems to speak to itself.

"Ahhh... this feeling is the best! I'm finally one with Ayase-chan..."

The 'voice' snaps out of its daydream and tells her 'host', "What are you waiting for? You have an entrance speech to deliver! You're a magical girl after all! Say that attacking kitties is unforgivable and you'll punish him in the name of catnip or something."

[Prime32]

"Wh- what happened to my clothes nya?" Ayase says, pulling at the odd skirt she is now wearing. "...Why am I talking like this, nya?!"


The 'voice' snaps out of its daydream and tells her 'host', "What are you waiting for? You have an entrance speech to deliver! You're a magical girl after all! Say that attacking kitties is unforgivable and you'll punish him in the name of catnip or something."


An incredulous smile starts to creep over Ayase's face. "I'm a magi- Waaah!"

The Hollow strikes the pole, bending it and throwing Ayase into the air. To her astonishment, she finds herself landing on her feet.

She faces her opponent.
"I..."
And takes a deep breath.
"I will punish you!"
She points her phone, which has now become some kind of wand, at the beast. An orb of blue light fires from its tip.

...and bounces off the monster's mask to no effect.
"Eh... Not enough power?" http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/Smileys/default/sweatdrop.gif

[Kuroimaken]

"You have to focus! Focus!!"

It might be easier it there wasn't a ditzy cat-like voice screaming into her conscience, probably.

"This is an evil monster from another plane of existence that feeds on humans! It seeks to devour the flesh and soul of the living! It's kinda like a zombie when you stop to think about it."

Suddenly, the critter spins around on its feet and shoots some kind of webbing out of its rear.

(What, did you expect it to shoot out of its paws?)

[Prime32]

Ayase concentrates on firing another shot, but before she can do so, it strikes. With her cat-like reflexes, she manages to dodge out of the way.

"Uurgh, take THIS nya!" The Hollow ignores the second energy ball... until it's hit in the forehead and knocked back as if it had been punched.

That was stronger... I get it, I need to let it charge up first.*

Ayase begins to build up energy for another attack.


*She's talking in her MIND - Kitty can hear.

[Kuroimaken]

The spidery monster rushed forward towards the magical girl, then suddenly vaulted forward, its mask splitting open into a horrific mouth filled with teeth dripping some viscous green liquid!

[Prime32]

Ayase wants to run away. She really wants to run away. But she can't.

Wait for it. Wait for it... Now!
At the last moment before the Hollow's fangs close on her, she fires a blast directly down its throat and hopes she's right about how her magic works.

Success! The Hollow is thrown backwards, coughing and wretching blue smoke, but it's still alive. Charging energy again, Ayase starts to run towards a nearby park.

[Kuroimaken]

Not to be outdone after it has been so beaten, the monster begins skittering away towards her, clinging to the walls for some bizarre reason. It looks to be fairly slower now, though - if Ayase is planning on a trap, it just might work.

[Prime32]

Ayase stands in the middle of the park, her eyes closed.

[Kuroimaken]

If it could speak, the spider would SO deliver a monologue about her having finally surrendered to her fate and whatnot.

--and remember. Miracle Heart Style, Beatiful Counter.

[Prime32]

As the Hollow finally approaches, Ayase grips her wand in two hands.
I think this is all the power... I can manage.

Blue sparks crackle around its tip.
Here goes. "Fire!"

The Hollow aims its rear and attempts to snare Ayase in its webbing again... and the silk is met by an orb of blue light the size of a basketball, which disintegrates everything in its path and keeps going.

The Hollow roars as the attack impacts and bursts open, swelling to envelop it. Finally the blue light turns clear, forming a spherical prison of hard energy around the Hollow. The Hollow struggles against it, but cannot move.

As Ayase stares at the thing now floating in mid-air, a short spike on the tip of her wand begins to glow.

[Kuroimaken]

The critter attempts to bang against the sphere of energy, but despite its best efforts, it manages nothing.

Remember, it won't work unless you shout Miracle Heart Style, Beautiful Counter!

[Prime32]

It... really?
Do it, quickly!
Alright already. :smallsigh:

A determined look on her face, Ayase leaps high into the air.
"Miracle Heart Style... Beautiful Counter!"
She stabs the tip of her wand into the sphere, and it glows a brilliant white. The Hollow screams again, but it is muffled as the sphere collapses in on itself and explodes.

At that moment, Ayase feels a surge of energy rush into her body. It feels wonderful. Is this what victory feels like?*

She lands gracefully and looks around. The beast has been completely destroyed. Her tail lowers.

...her tail? Ayase catches a glimpse of her reflection in a pond.
"I have a tail, nya!"
She wriggles it experimentally - it's definitely moving. She reaches out to touch it. It's not fake, she can feel her hand on it. Kinda ticklish. Same thing goes for the cat ears on her head.

Ayase can't help but feel rather giddy. "I'm just like one of those magical girls on TV, nya!" she says, twirling by her mirror and grinning.


*No. No it isn't. You silly vampire you.

[Kuroimaken]

"Actually... it's kinda my tail... But, um, it's fluffy, isn't it?" The kitten inside her joked.

"We look really good in this getup."

[Prime32]

Ayase laughs nervously and sits down.
Ah... Cat...chan... She doesn't seem clear on how to address her. There aren't any more of those things coming, are there?

[Kuroimaken]

Well, I ain't sensing any. And you can call me Denden.

The kitty sighs in her mind.

Listen, as nice as it is to be fused with you, we should probably go back to normal soon. This can get tiresome real quick!

[Prime32]

Right!
She stands up.

...Uh, how do I do that?

[Kuroimaken]

Oh, it's simple really! All you have to do is say "Heart Power, undo" and kiss the cell phone - I mean, the wand.

[Prime32]

"Heart Power, undo!" After a moment there is a flash, and Ayase is once again dressed in a relatively normal manner, with her Doll standing before her. The delay was kind of odd though, almost as if the separation had nothing to do with the phrase...

"Uh Denden-chan, what exactly was that thing?" she asks as the cat hops on her shoulder. She starts to walk back to her house.

[Kuroimaken]

"I told you. It's a monster from another dimension that feeds on humans. It must have targetted you because you had the potential to awaken as the Warrior of Pure Love."

Man, I'm so obviously lying through my teeth... she's NEVER gonna swallow that!

[Prime32]

"W-Warrior of Pure Love? Me?!"
She appears to have little hearts in her eyes. No, couldn't be, that would be silly.

[Kuroimaken]

...what.

"Oh, sorry, I meant the queen of England - OF COURSE IT'S YOU!"

[Prime32]

"Well... what exactly is this warrior? What do they do?"
At another time Ayase might be more suspicious, but right now she's too caught up in her fantasies.

[Kuroimaken]

"Sheesh, as easy a time as you had accepting the idea, you'd think I wouldn't have to explain it to you. I guess that makes me the brains of this outfit. Okay, listen up."

The kitty then proceeds to don a metaphorical teacher's hat and monocle, and explain as though she were pointing at a blackboard and cutely done pictures with a wand.

"See, there are these monsters - those in the know call them Akumushi* - that cross over from a different dimension and nom on people's flesh and soul. Regular people can't see them, which makes them all the more dangerous, and explains why you never heard of them until now. A Warrior of Pure Love is a maiden, such as yourself, who has the potential to develop the powers to fight Akumushi."

*The new word that replaces 'Hollow' means 'Evil Insect', since the very first Hollow they ran into was basically a bigass spider.

[Prime32]

"You want me to fight these things?"
Ayase seems hesitant. They're almost at the door now.

[Kuroimaken]

"Well, I'm not gonna drag you by your neck to make you do it. I'm too lazy for that. I'm just saying you got the power to do it. Whether you choose to fight or make a game show out of it, that's your problem!"

[Prime32]

They're at the door of Ayase's house now, which still lies open.
"These things, they'll come after other people? If I have the power to help them, then how can I seriously say no? I'll do it. I will become a Warrior of Pure Love."
She steps across the threshold.

[Kuroimaken]

"You sure skipped past the hesitation quickly..." Denden commented as she had a major sweatdrop moment.

Ah well, better than her being whiny about it...

[KnightDisciple]

*The Next Morning*

Eventually, Ayase had managed to fall asleep, even with all the excitement.

She was likely in the middle of a nice dream when, suddenly, a hand gently touched her shoulder and gave her a light shake.

"Ayase? Time to get up, Ayase."

Her father was trying to gently awaken her for a new day. And from the smell of it, a nice breakfast.

[Prime32]

Ayase moans and turns over in her sleep.

[KnightDisciple]

Ayase moans and turns over in her sleep.

Shin frowns a bit. He then shakes a bit harder.

"Ayase. Get up."

There's a bit more command in his voice.

[Prime32]

"Guh, wha?" Ayase opens her eyes and shifts up in bed. "Dad, you're back."

She blinks, wiping at her eyes.

[KnightDisciple]

"Guh, wha?" Ayase opens her eyes and shifts up in bed. "Dad, you're back."

She blinks, wiping at her eyes.Shin smiled.

"Well, yes. It was a short conference. You alright? You seem tired, even for having gotten a full night's rest."

Concern crosses his face.

(OOC: Is this 1st day of school?)

[Prime32]

(OOC: Is this 1st day of school?){OOC: Nah.}

"Huh? No, I'm fine Dad."
She slips out of bed and yawns loudly.
"Uh, Dad? I'm getting changed now."

Shin leaves the room as Ayase starts to dress. That was one weird dream I had last night. My head feels like I slammed it into a wall. ...Or the floor again.

A few minutes later she comes down the stairs, smiling, to see her father sitting at the table... and Denden curled up next to him. She turns pale. "Dad, I can explain."

[KnightDisciple]

Shin turns to face her, his face a neutral mask.

"Oh? You mean you can explain what knocked over 2 lamps and broke one of our kitchen chairs? Please, by all means."

[Kuroimaken]

Denden, in the meantime, is purring as she curls up next to Shin.

Don't look at me, I did nothin'.

You can even read it in her face...

[Prime32]

Ayase watches Denden walk right past her father's face, to no reaction.
He can't see her?

"The, ah, chair collapsed. I got a real fright, nearly thought I'd hit my head again." she says, tapping her hand against her temple. "Don't worry, I checked the others. They seem okay."
Weird. Apart from the chair, she thought she'd put back everything.

[KnightDisciple]

Shin's face softened.

"Oh. Well then. I'm glad you're alright. Though next time, leave me a note, please."

[Prime32]

"Sure, Dad."

[Kuroimaken]

Denden walks right back up to Ayase and leaped onto her shoulder.

"Get used to making up excuses like that... it might happen really, really often."

[Prime32]

*Timeskip*


"Miracle Heart Style, Beautiful Counter!"
Ayase pirouttes in midair and lands on her feet. She'd had doubts about this whole thing at first, but she felt great whenever she defeated one of these evil creatures. This was the third so far.

Smiling, she wipes the sweat from her brow and kisses her wand.
"Heart Power, undo."
There is a flash as she returns to normal.

"Say, Denden-chan," she says into her phone, "there's something I've been wondering about."

[Kuroimaken]

"It turns out you're getting really, really good at this. Kudos to you, Ayase-chan." The cat notes after she dispatches an enemy.

"Sure, shoot. What is it?"

[Prime32]

"Why exactly are these things called 'Akumushi'? That last one looked like a lizard."

[Kuroimaken]

"Because in the grand scheme of things, they're kinda like insects. They feed on things nothing else in the natural order does. Or whoever studied them just ran into the insect-like types. I dunno, I'm not an expert. I just know enough to make you into a successful magical girl."

[Prime32]

Ayase sighs, her gaze drifting to an oddly-shaped cloud.
"I suppose... huh? What's that?" There is a dark shape in the sky, moving. She raises a hand to shield her eyes from the sun, trying to get a better look.

[strawberryman]

Viatrix floats in the air boredly, Schwerkraftfuchs hanging on her back.

One of these days you're going to be seen.

"Hmph. You said you wanted to get out once in a while. You didn't say when. And it's not like people will believe they saw a floating girl with a fox on her back." Viatrix rolls her eyes.

...Your tact is only matched by your perfect manners.

"Oh wah. Enjoy the air already." Eventually, they reach the alleyway next to the cafe, where Schwerkraftfuchs increases the bount's mass enough to land. In a flash, the fox transforms back into a parasol, which Vi tucks under her arm. "Time for some tea with lunch." With that, she makes her way into the cafe.

[Prime32]

"Did... did I just see that?"
"Eh? See what?" comes a voice from her phone.
"Nothing."
That's the girl who was at the party...

Ayase follows Viatrix and soon comes to the cafe. She hesitates. She can see the girl through the window.
"Denden-chan... why did you say that you weren't able to come out before?"

[Kuroimaken]

"I told you before, don't make me repeat myself." Denden offers in a slightly annoyed tone.

In effect, she couldn't remember exactly what [bovine droppings] she'd pulled out of her [rectal cavity] back when she first explained it... or IF she explained it. She was kinda focused on the feel of Ayase-chan's youthful, lovely legs.

[Prime32]

Ayase gulps and enters the cafe.

[strawberryman]

Viatrix looks around in frustration. "Oi! Can I get some service?" Idly, she taps her parasol on the floor.

...you know I hate when you do that.

"Suck it up."

[Prime32]

A girl enters the cafe and walks up to Viatrix's table, nervously. "Uh, 'Vi', was it?" She should look familiar.

[strawberryman]

"Yeah? New server?" Vi blinks on looking up at Ayase. "...Wait, you're the girl who took one of my sodas." She becomes a... well, a bit more irritable than usual. "I'll forget the charge if you buzz off."

[Prime32]

Ayase hesitates, then leans closer.
"I have to know. Are..."
Say it.
"Are you..."
SAY IT!
"Are you a Warrior of Pure Love?" she blurts out.

[strawberryman]

Viatrix eases away from the girl as she approaches, then is utterly dumbstruck. ...what... the... hell? It takes her a full minute to come to her senses.

"...What the hell kind of question is that? I'm not into girls, back off."

Why the **** would she think I'm...

[Shades of Gray]

Eirene walks into the room, having heard something. "Eh? Warrior of Pure Love..?" She sits down on the counter, pondering this. "I'm not. Though it does sound interesting. Are you on some sort of recruiting mission?" Eirene leans forward, her eyes sparkling.

[Prime32]

Ayase's eyes widen in alarm, and her face turns bright red.
"No, that's not what I... I... sorry, I have to go."
She runs out of the cafe.

[Shades of Gray]

Eirene pouts, crossing her legs.

"Look at that, sis. You scared her off... And I still don't know what a Warrior of Pure whatever is." She complains.

[strawberryman]

Viatrix eyes Eirene with annoyance. "Who cares? Get me some iced tea."

[Kuroimaken]

Once outside the cafe (and earshot), Ayase's cell phone starts ringing furiously.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?!" Denden blurts out furiously. "You do NOT come up to random strangers and ask them if they're Warriors of Pure Love! It doesn't work that way!!"

[Prime32]

Once outside the cafe (and earshot), Ayase's cell phone starts ringing furiously.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?!" Denden blurts out furiously. "You do NOT come up to random strangers and ask them if they're Warriors of Pure Love! It doesn't work that way!!""But she... she was flying!" Ayase responds, still flustered. "And she had a partner like you, Denden! I'm sure of it!"

[Kuroimaken]

A partner like me...?

"Listen, that doesn't mean she's a Warrior of Pure Love. Haven't you ever heard of misdirection? There are more things between Heaven and Earth than your daydreaming head can think of! Not all 'partners' like me are interested in helping others fight the Akumushi!"