Friendship, Love and Justice! IC

[Ezeze]

This is the IC Thread
Here is a link to the OOC thread. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?372609-Friendship-Love-and-Justice!-OOC&p=18130394#post18130394)

Outa Tsutsuji makes great pancakes. He goes out of his way to make them on mornings when his daughter, Hisoka, and her friends Naomi, Hinata and recently Mitsuki as well, spend the night. And since the Tsutsuji household is large enough to support such a gathering, and since their name carries enough respect that parents are quite glad to see their children spend nights there, Outa gets to make his pancakes frequently.

He made them this morning, for instance. Enough for six people; himself, his wife (who ate quickly before running out the door with a goodbye kiss for her husband), and for his daughter and her friends who stayed over last night. He jokes over breakfast that he'd never see Hisoka if he didn't make his pancakes, considering how busy all of her clubs keep her.

When the four of you have eaten and grabbed your backpacks it's time for the (thankfully short) walk to school.

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki is holding a pancake, and slowly eating it as they continue towards school. Conveniently, she has a reason not to talk at the moment.

[Vordar]

For a moment, Hinata considers asking her cousin why on earth she would try to eat a soggy pancake with her hands, and whether she was even going to bother washing them before touching her school supplies. However, she decides to ignore it, because she should be used to it by now, and she suspects that Mitsuki would conveniently have her mouth full even if she tried to ask. Instead, she turns to Hisoka.
"Thanks for having us over, by the way".

[Marcivo]

"Agreed," mumbled Naomi, mirroring the sentiment, but too engrossed in...something to elaborate.

It was usually like that with her. Every morning, like clockwork, Naomi took her seat at the breakfast table, found the nearest outlet, and connected. It didn't matter if she was home or not, visiting relatives, or with her friends. Mornings meant three things to Naomi: breakfast, work, and emails. So it was, so it had always been. She wasn't about to change that on account of something as antiquated as table manners, not when there was unfinished work to be done, not when she had an audience to please.

On this particular morning, Naomi wore a dark blazer atop the usual school uniform, and against her usual protocol had grudgingly decided to accessorize with a hairband. Her cell phone sat in her top pocket, visible only for the bone-white headphone wire that snaked its way around her jacket and into a pair of ear buds nestled carefully in the neck of her collared shirt. As far as anyone knew, she'd never talked about what kinds of music she listened to. As far as she knew, no one had ever asked.

"All right," she breathed a minute later. Or maybe it was an hour. "Almost...done."

Her fingers glided over the keyboard, a crescendo of clicks. Confidence and precision in every stroke. They danced an unusual dance - unusual, that is, to anyone who'd never seen someone typing on a dvorak keyboard before.

She had barely touched the pancakes.

[Snacs]

Hisoka Tsutsuji looked radiant, even in pajamas. y the time breakfast was done she was fully dressed, her bag resting by the door ready for her. She ate delicately, wishing her Mother a nice day as she rushes out the door, laughing quietly at her friends early-morning jokes, and chatting comfortably with her Father.

"Father! That's entirely untrue!"She said brightly, even as she gave her father a kiss on the cheek and helped move the dishes to the sink, before leaving with the rest of her friends.

As they walk to school Hisoka sets herself between hinata and Naomi, wearing her pressed school uniform, her backpack slung casually over her shoulder. Her kendo stick is cradled in one arm as she chats with Hinata.

"Oh it's quite alright, it's fun to have people over, and Father does love to hear people compliment his cooking." She leans over to peer over Naomi's shoulder, humming slightly to herself."Sometimes I think you'd eat emails over food if you could."Her smile and tone kept the words harmless, gently nudging the wireless-connected schoolgirl pleasantly.

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki reflects on her walk to school. She touches her hair, wondering if she'd be okay.


She had stopped as she walked out the door, and had realized that the others weren't finished yet. She took the opportunity to finish her pancake and then pulled out a black handkerchief out from a pocket in her baggy, divided skirts, and wiped her hands and her mouth to her satisfaction. She turned and paused by a reflection of sun outside on a window of the Tsutsuji's house, took out her brush from her schoolbag, and brushed her hair patiently, waiting serenely for all of the others to finish their socializing and realize that they need to get along to school.

Satisfied, nodding to herself at what she'd done, she turns her attention to what's happening with her friends.


"Sometimes I think you'd eat emails over food if you could."Her smile and tone kept the words harmless, gently nudging the wireless-connected schoolgirl pleasantly.

Mitsuki laughs congenially, putting in her own comment in a similarly harmless manner She's a competitive e-mailer.

[Marcivo]

Naomi smirked at the schoolgirl leaning over her shoulder. Click. She'd been playing with her cell phone since they left the house, but off it went and vanished back into her pocket. Something tinny and vaguely classical-sounding blared in one of her dangling earbuds.

"You wish you were as popular as me," she grinned. "Where would all those poor, lost souls be without me to answer their cries for help? Nowhere, that's where."

[Vordar]

"But now, we have you alllllll to ourselves," Hinata chimed in, grinning triumphantly. She picked up her pace, doubling back as soon as the other girls were out of earshot. She certainly enjoyed the company, but she often felt as though the rest of the world was far too slow for her liking.

[Marcivo]

"Creepy." Naomi let the word drag out, just a little bit, but there was still a smile in her voice.

A second later, she reached into her pocket and glanced at her cell phone. Urgh. Force of habit, more than anything. She hadn't actually received a new message in more than twenty minutes.

[Snacs]

Hisoka gave a soft laugh, glancing slyly at Naomi as she glanced at her phone again.

"Well just don't let any of the teachers catch you. I think you'd explode if they took it for the day." The student council president shook her hair out and shifted her bag as they approached the school, laughing again as Hinata jogged forward and back so impatiently.

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki bears all of these antics quietly. One could even say that she's being patient, but perhaps that's giving her too much credit. She has a smile on her face, and if Naomi looks at her, she indicates that her phone is kept in her belt pouch. If not, she simply pockets her hands and listens attentively to their conversation, not feeling a need to interject her attention.

[Marcivo]

Naomi narrowed her eyes a little at Hisoka's comment. A bitter look spread across her face.

"They wouldn't dare," she said, with a sudden laugh. "If it weren't for me, who would help organize student activities? Student council?"

It was always like that with Naomi - the sudden jabs, the lilting tone of phrase. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking sometimes, or whether the schoolgirl was ever genuinely offended. She took out her phone again, checked the time almost on impulse, and then started punching a message into the display.

A moment later, Mitsuki's belt pouch buzzed with the confirmation of a received text message.

<GAIJIN: What's on your mind?>

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki guwaffs as she receives the text, and gives Naomi one of those looks that says, I see what you did there. She reaches into her pouch and replaces her phone after reading the text message. She speaks to the group at large: Speaking of organizing activities, how is everyone's composition essay doing? Mine could use someone else's input. Are any of you up to trading papers and giving each other suggestions?

[Vordar]

Upon hearing Mistuki's suggestion, Hinata immediately perks up. "Seriously? Can we do that? Can we? I don't even know where to start with mine!", she exclaims with an exaggerated groan.
It does occur to her that she might have been able to at least come up with an outline if she had started working on it when it was assigned, but she'd had kung fu lessons, and then decided to go running, and then been invited to Hisoka's house, so it wasn't as though it was her fault that she couldn't find time before.

[Ezeze]

The chatter breaks up out of some unspoken mutual agreement as the pack of friends hit the inner halls of school. Naomi parts from the others with a casual wave, her homeroom being on the other edge of school. They likely wouldn't see each other again until after school - it was true that they had been friends since childhood, but Naomi often tried to spend her lunches with other students in her grade (and, of course, on her phone).

You get to homeroom with maybe two minutes to spare - which is enough time to get seated, get comfortable, and chat a little longer about the essay due later this week. Hisoka confesses that hers is already finished, which surprises no-one, but also adds that she'd be happy to help Mitsuki during lunch today.

Koizumi-Sensi - your homeroom teacher - positively floats into the classroom, and just before the bell rings. It's unlike her to be late, and it's also unlike her to grin from ear to ear like that. Good morning, students! She chimes. You hear another student, somewhere in the classroom behind you, whisper her date must have gone well to a chorus of stifled giggles that Koizumi-Sensi doesn't seem to hear. She spends a few more moments organizing her notes and talking about how chivalry isn't dead and the boys in class should keep in mind that the real difference between a boy and a man is how he treats his female companion, and while trips to high-end restaurants certainly aren't a necessity or at least she isn't the kind to demand them, they really are appreciated. Oh! And another thing! she announces without changing tone. We have a new exchange student joining us today. Please join me in welcoming Eiko Maki!

The young woman who opens the door into your classroom looks like someone your age, but the expression on her face is one of calm confidence mixed with determination; an expression you don't often see on a high school girl. She doesn't smile, she doesn't look nervous. She is tall (for your age), her hair is shiny black and long enough to reach past her waist, and her skin is flawless. Please, call me Eiko she bows, very politely, to the entire class but, you swear, she spends the entire time glaring at the three of you. Once she has been introduced she walks between the desks, past two other empty seat, and takes the seat directly behind Hinata, where none of you can see her without turning a full 180 degrees in your seat. That taken care of Koizumi-Sensi continues with her "lesson" as if nothing had happened.

But however paranoid Eiko's glares may have made you, she sits quietly behind you and gives you no call to remember her existence until gym class. You've been doing track and field for the last few months. The three of you are warming up when you see a number of students start running towards where the high-jump. Wow, Eiko-chan! one of the cheerleaders exclaim You just broke the regional record! Those of you who glance over notice that Eiko herself seems unimpressed, despite the praise that her accomplishments have earned from several of the more sport-oriented girls likely trying to recruit her for their teams...

Following gym is lunch. Lunch at Anome High is long - a full hour and a half - and all of the grades take it at the same time to encourage "school spirit," and also because many clubs take advantage of the time slot to meet. In another odd twist of events none of Hisoka's clubs are meeting today, so she can sit with Mitsuki and Hinata as the three eat.

May I join you? You hadn't notice Eiko approach before she spoke. Only the three of you are sitting at your table, so it's impossible that she's talking to anyone else. You may have assumed, with looks and athleticism like hers, that she'd be eating with the cheerleaders, but here she is lunchbox in hand. For the first time she actually does look a little nervous.

Your day is utterly normal. Homeroom followed by math followed by English followed by lunch - which is a full half hour long, and all of the grades take it at the same time. That means you could spend it with your friends Mitsuki, Hinata and Hisoka, but more often you spend it with Kazue and Kayo Oshiro - twins, almost (but only almost) as into computers are you are, and a gaggle of another 4-5 friends all from your same grade. They are older than you, but accept you mostly because you know more about computers than any of them. It's not like the friendship you share with Mitsuki, Hinata and Hisoka - it's more like a business arrangement. You help them with some of their more obscure computer problems (which, you admit, you find some degree of satisfaction in), and they talk to you a little when you hang out near them and discuss schoolwork, which makes it look like you've adjusted well and are popular to any worried councilors and, perhaps more importantly, any bullies who might be jealous of your success. None of this was specifically stated by anyone, but you feel it is tacitly understood. After all, however friendly they are to you during school hours you have never been to the Oshiro house, have never met their parents, and have certainly never had pancakes with them in the morning.

During lunch you're vaguely aware of the conversation around you; Isn't Shipiro-senpai funny! You only think that because you like him Ugh, so much math homework! Goyzu-sensei must think we all have no lives since you know he was a total dork in high school. Hey Manami-chan, did you hear there was a new freshman transfer student? She broke your high jump record!Oh wow, maybe that means the gymnastics club will finally stop bothering me to join. Good luck with that! They're completely in love with you! followed by a chorus of giggles. No one has spoken to you directly though, so you mostly keep on with your phone. Out of the corner of your eye you see Mitsuki, Hinata and Hisoka sitting at a table. A new girl, someone you've never seen before, is talking to them. The has long black hair, and even from this distance you can guess that she's quite attractive.

[Snacs]

Hisoka meets the new girl's glare with a small, welcoming smile and a pleasant expression. It's probably hard moving to a new school mid-semester after all. She continues to pay attention to the teacher's lecture with the same dedication she always does, ignoring the presence behind her calmly.

"Really Mitsuki! I can't believe you didn't do your essay again."Hisoka says with a disappointed sigh as she leans back from her lunchbox and the stack of books next to her to stretch her back, sighing in disappointment.

"What would you do some days if I was out sick?" She said into a bite of her food, glancing up as Eiko approached. She smiled as the girl asked to join them, waving her closer with a friendly air.

"Of course Maki-san, please join us." She spoke politely, offering the chair opposite hers as she resumes eating.

[~Corvus~]

"Really Mitsuki! I can't believe you didn't do your essay again."Hisoka says with a disappointed sigh as she leans back from her lunchbox and the stack of books next to her to stretch her back, sighing in disappointment.

"What would you do some days if I was out sick?" She said into a bite of her food, glancing up as Eiko approached. She smiled as the girl asked to join them, waving her closer with a friendly air.

Mitsuki fishes in her backpack and hands Hisoka her twelve-page composition. Bakaaaa, you have me confused with my cousin. I just have a lot to say and write about, but it may be a bit much. She looks over to Hinata, whom is probably worrying about her piece even more now. I'm confident I'll do well, but even so, I think Hinata could help with taking out any boring bits. She's a better writer than she has patience for. Besides, we also have someone new. she pauses in contemplation.

Of course, if she already broke a record, she probably also had hers done by the time she got here today she says as she looks at the new girl.

[Ezeze]

Please, call me Eiko the new girl says as she takes her seat. The record is not important she says in response to Mitsuki. There is no trace of irony or modesty in her voice - she means exactly what she said, and seems disinclined to speak further on the matter. Instead she opens her own lunch box and begins to quietly eat it, starting along the outside edges and working inwards in a counter-clockwise circle.

[Vordar]

As this conversation was taking place, Hinata was quickly putting together the finishing touches on her outline. Then, confident that she could finish the rest later, she put her notebook away and turned to Eiko. "By the way, I'm Hinata Manami, and these are my friends, Mistuki Manami and Hisoka Tsutsuji. It's nice to meet you."

[Marcivo]

Dreck, dreck, new student…dreck. Naomi sipped her tea, mentally categorizing the other girls’ conversation topics – vapid though they were, she liked to tick them off one-by-one whenever someone’s voice happened to rise above the din of the crowded lunchroom. She thought of it as data mining, so to speak, another way to tune in and zone out. Naomi smirked, refilling her cup from the thermos. Another way to keep tabs on her peers while secretly slacking off.

Speaking of work. Naomi turned aside and opened her laptop’s lid, and the screen instantly came to life.

It swam with feeds – Foul play suspected in Tokyo hanging. Naomi sniffed. Unrest following Iranian delegation shooting. Thousands protest as Australia prepares for war. Ah!, she perked up, reaching the end of the final text marquee. An email.

It was an email from the student organizations committee, requesting the number of attendees the CS Club would like to commit to an upcoming career planning fair. Boring. Naomi made a conservative guess and sent the committee a two-line response. She CC’d each club member with a request for volunteers.

<To: CS Affiliates>
<A Message from the Presidentoverlord: Be there or be square.>

Her obligations fulfilled, she snapped her laptop shut and excused herself from the table.

She had fish to fry.

---------

Her eyes passed over them, one by one.

Naomi stood above her cohorts several minutes later, arms crossed and back straight.

"Hisoka. Mitsuki. Hinata."

And then Naomi's eyes fell upon the remaining student, the one she didn't recognize. Naomi's memory was perfect. She could pick out anyone from a lineup of every girl in school. It had to be the transfer student, then. The one who was currently sitting in her spot and eating with her friends. Naomi's lips twitched into a tiny frown, but she was prepared to let it slide. For now.

"Hey there, fresh meat."

[Ezeze]

Eiko nods in response to Hinata's introduction. She glances up momentarily when Naomi joins the table, then puts down her chopsticks.

When she begins speaking she does it quietly, staring down at her lunch box the entire time. You're all here then. That's good. It means I only have to say this once.

"Your lives are pretty good right now. I know they have their difficulties - with parents" she looks at Naomi "with figuring out who you are and what you can do" her eyes scan the other assembled girls. "But mostly it's just teenager stuff, and even when it's not you're going to come out of it just fine because you have each other. So if someone offers you something in the next few days... Just remember what it is you'd be giving up."

It's such a strange speech, and out of no where... The new girl Eiko gathers her things and stands and starts to walk away.

[Marcivo]

You've got to be joking. Naomi rolled her eyes and took her proper seat as the new girl got up to leave.

"Yeah. Thanks, mom," she called after her, even as her own face heated up with sympathetic embarrassment.

[Vordar]

Although Hinata found Naomi's reaction to the transfer student understandable, she couldn't help but be a little bit amused."C'mon, Naomi, it's fine. We got our table back, see?" she interjects. She then turns to the other girls. "Still, 'in the next few days'? That's...weirdly specific, isn't it? And did she seriously come over here just to tell us that? Seriously, what the heck?"

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki had been embarrassed to say anything to the new girl, but upon Naomi's and Hinata's reactions, she makes eye contact with her friends and gives a wry smile. What we'd be giving up...? As she speaks, she makes a gesture of uncertainty and swings her gaze to her other two friends. She wonders to herself, Why is she warning about sacrifices? We're not old enough to really think too seriously about that.

Thinking out loud, she says, Well, if it's my friends, I don't want to give you all up. She looks around again. Koooowaaaiiii she intones, looming above Hinata like ghost, trying to diffuse the situation.

[Marcivo]

Naomi facepalmed for the first time that day.

"Don't you two start with me. I've had enough crazy for one afternoon, thanks." She sternly contemplated her tea for a moment, then leaned forward and took a conservative sip. The tea came in an insulated flask, one with the kind of top that unscrewed and turned into a little cup. Naomi carried it with her every single day, and she liked drinking it on occasions such as this, times when she felt bitter and annoyed. "I didn't catch her name," she said, flatly. "What were you guys talking about before I got here?"

[~Corvus~]

Naomi facepalmed for the first time that day.

"Don't you two start with me. I've had enough crazy for one afternoon, thanks." She sternly contemplated her tea for a moment, then leaned forward and took a conservative sip. The tea came in an insulated flask, one with the kind of top that unscrewed and turned into a little cup. Naomi carried it with her every single day, and she liked drinking it on occasions such as this, times when she felt bitter and annoyed. "I didn't catch her name," she said, flatly. "What were you guys talking about before I got here?"

We were talking about our papers, but that discussion is about done for now.

[Vordar]

Hinata shrugged. "Honestly, you didn't miss much," she added. "We were talking about looking over each other's composition essays later on, and then Eiko-san suddenly showed up, but she barely even said anything 'till you got here." She looked up at Mistuki. "Baka, you couldn't get rid of us if you tried," she said, grinning. Sure, it was obvious, but maybe it still needed to be said once in a while.

Hinata felt as though she should probably forget that whole exchange and go back to whatever it was she was doing before, but the transfer student's warning was so maddeningly vague that she couldn't quite get herself back on track. Still, she did not seem inclined to say anything more, so either they would forget about it, or they would find out just what she was talking about. She dug her notebook back out of her bag and willed herself to concentrate.

[Snacs]

"She was introducing herself Naomi, it's what new students should do to make friends." Hisoka says primly as she tucks her lunchbox away delicately, chopsticks and napkins folded inside it carefully so as not to rattle. Throughout Eiko's strange speech she'd simply watched the girl quietly, passively.

Though...hmm." She tilts her chair back, putting a pencil to her lips pensively, clearly mulling over something to herself. Finally she shrugs and cracks open one of her textbooks loudly, eyeing the two less-than-studious schoolgirls beside her with cold contemplation. "Either way it's time to get both of you two up to standard on those essays."


"Her name is Eiko Maki-san, by the way." She filled Naomi in idly.

[Marcivo]

"Hell of a way to do it," Naomi muttered, quietly mulling over the girl's mannerisms. "Good thing she's so talented, 'cause she could definitely work on her pitch."

And was she a weird one. A foreigner? They'd said she was a transfer student, but a transfer from where? Naomi cleared her throat took another sip of tea, mentally filing away the new girl's name for now. Later on, on her own time, with a proper computer and out of sight of all her friends and classmates, she'd scour the usual channels for information on the schoolgirl. For now, Naomi sat, and watched her friends struggle to complete their essays with a faintly amused grin on her face.

[Ezeze]

Eiko simply isn't in class for the rest of the day.

Less than two periods after lunch news reaches your ears that Manami Ito - the original holder of the high jump record, still a 3rd year in Naomi's class - beat Eiko's record, though she still refuses to join the gymnastics club. The teachers make a big deal out of it, joking that all Ito-san needed was a little competition. Eiko's name isn't mentioned again after that.

After school Hisoka has work to do for the Student Council, Hitsuki and Hinata team up to knock out their homework and Naomi runs off to do god only knows...

You don't forget so easily. That girl knew something about you she wasn't supposed to - you set out on your search to return the favor and...

and it's really easy. Almost shockingly so. The girl has internet presence all over MyFace and Pinstagram, and doesn't even have privacy measures turned on. It isn't unusual for some people your age to be completely unconcerned with internet privacy, but it surprises you a little to learn it of her when you consider how mysterious and cagey she was acting in school.

It takes you no time flat to find out that she didn't transfer from another school - she "transferred" from a hospital, where she has spent the last two years going through intense treatments and then physical therapy for a degenerative bone disease. You've never heard of the disease before, but a quick internet search turns up some interesting facts. It tends to manifest in childhood, for example. While with treatment the disease can be slowed down a lot it's still incurable and the damage is irreversible. No one with it should be able to break athletic records - especially not in something like the high jump which is notoriously difficult on the joints.

There is something else. She has pictures from as recent as a week ago of her in a hospital bed and, while it's definitely the same person that you saw today - the face hasn't changed at all - in all of her pictures she has thick, black glasses and her hair is much duller, always pulled back into pigtail braids. There are no pictures of her without the glasses. Maybe she is wearing contacts or got lasik? But there is no mention of either of those things. Plus she looks maybe 10-15lbs heavier in the photos.

Her Pinstagram page is flooded with pictures of animals. Adorable cats, dogs and horses take center stage, but there are even some pictures of animals that would make most girls in your grade scream or run like snakes and mice. Her profile picture is of her on horseback with a giant grin on her face. In her "about me" section she claims to want to be a veterinarian when she grows up. She also has occasional pictures and music videos from Babie Mao, a popular singer known for bi-lingual love songs and bright pink hair, and is apparently a member of her fan club. She'll occasionally caption linked videos with comments about hoping to one day find "the one" like Babie sings about.

Almost all of her MyFace friends fall into one of three groups; family, other kids from hospitals or fans of Babie Mao. She also seems to play "Barn-Ville" a lot.

... but you all manage to meet up at the park a full hour before sunset, just to spend time shooting the breeze with your best friends.

You've only been there for five minutes, tops, when you hear a voice, pleading help me no one around, except the four of you, react. But it repeats its self help me, please and then a scream Ahhhh! - definitely coming from the abandoned administrative buildings off to the right...

[Vordar]

Although nobobdy said anything out loud, Hinata notices that her friends seem to have heard the voice as well. Still, she is a little bit reluctant to ask- they had definitely had enough weird conversations for one day.

"There's something over there I wanna check out for a sec. I'll be right back, okay?" she says, gesturing in the general direction of the abandoned buildings.

With that, Hinata turns and dashes toward the voice.

[Snacs]

Hisoka had been laughing gently at a joke from one of the other girls, leaning back against a low railing and enjoying the breeze blowing through the park, when they all heard the voice.

"Hinata wait up! I heard it too." She lets her bag slump to the ground and shoulders her kendo stick, glad she had brought it today, and hefts herself over the railing, her shoes clacking against the paved surface as she dashes after Hinata. Her long hair streams out behind her as she turns her head and shouts back at the other girls.

"Naomi! Call security!"

[~Corvus~]

...you all manage to meet up at the park a full hour before sunset, just to spend time shooting the breeze with your best friends.

You've only been there for five minutes, tops, when you hear a voice, pleading help me no one around, except the four of you, react. But it repeats its self help me, please and then a scream Ahhhh! - definitely coming from the abandoned administrative buildings off to the right...

Mitsuki follows her friends silently, and takes the cool, detached manner she is used to getting herself into. What she has heard would be a curiosity to any person, and she wanted to be around when Hinata and Hisoka made their discovery. If nothing else, it will be interesting to see. She glances back at Naomi, whom is already dialed in on some phone line or whatnot.

While she is walking, she dials the number for the local police station just to be prepared, and hurries on toward her other two friends.

[Ezeze]

None of you have ever bothered with the old administration buildings before. There is a distinct 'off limits' feeling to it, though no signs are posted or ropes put up. Maybe it was an important building a few decades ago, but no one has been in or out of it in the last few years except maybe drunk teenagers or children on dares.

The sun still hasn't set outside but once you get in high walls with higher windows mean only limited light can get in, and it feels much more like late twilight. This isn't helped by the layers of dust coating everything, and the motes of it dancing in what few sunbeams penetrate the dirty glass. Sound from the outside is muffled, so that it feels like you are miles away from civilization instead of just a few feet.

The entire building seems larger on the inside. This section might have once served as a warehouse, considering how big and featureless the room you are currently standing in is. But it's empty now other than a few abandoned metal racks and dark spots on the walls that hint at a fire a long time ago.

Please help! She'll kill me! the voice is now clearly coming from a stairwell to your left that you hadn't previously seen. It's not a particularly masculine voice, nor particularly feminine. It sounds like a prepubescent child. You hear a loud crash from somewhere beneath you, like a large book case falling on a metal floor.

Running down the staircase towards the noise you enter a long hallway, lit by fluorescent lights above that shine far too brightly, casting everything into stark relief. The damn things don't even have the decency to flicker.

A thing comes fleeing down the hallway towards you. It's small. The size, the white fur, and the long floppy ears initially make you think "rabbit" but, no, that's not quite right. It also has a long, fluffy tail like some purebred cats and runs on all fours without pause more like a dog. In addition it has a strange pink circle on its back unlike any animal you can think of. Something else - it's badly wounded. It leaves footprints in blood behind it, and has cuts all along its body. When the bunny - cat - thing spots you it runs forward and crouches behind Hinata's foot, staring back the way it came.

Help me, please says the "bunny" - but he doesn't really say it as much as it appears in your head without having consulted your ears first.

Footsteps at a run echo up the corridor until none other than Eiko comes into view. But she's wearing a strange outfit - like a sailor fuku, but all in black with a white bow tie. She's wearing some sort of strange silver buckler on her left arm, and boots that go up to the knee with what can only honestly be called greaves made from the same metal. She stops as you come into view and touches something hidden by her shield with her right hand.

Get away from it! she demands. Please don't let her have me!

[Snacs]

Hisoka arrives breathing easily, her kendo stick held close to one hip. She slows once inside the building, carefully walking to the cries coming from deeper into the building. She mounts the steps in front of Hinata, and carefully nudges open the door after a nod with the other girl. The...bunny...is interesting, but she finds herself staring at Eiko.

And for the first time in a while finds herself totally at a lost. She straightens out of her ready stance as the bunny-cat-thing scurries past them to hide behind Hinata's foot.

"Eiko-chan?...Cosplay, maybe?"She speaks, though she frowns at the blood dripping from the animal.

[Vordar]

Hinata would like to focus on getting the creature fixed up as quickly as possible. However, she is uneasy about leaving the others alone with Eiko, especially since she seems to have been the cause of its injuries. It looks pretty beat up, but it is fully conscious and able to move on its own. She'll have to trust that it will be okay for a few more minutes.

When Mitsuki catches up, she turns to her "If things get rough, just focus on getting the cat out of here," she says quietly, trying not to be overheard by Eiko. She then steps forward, placing herself between Eiko and Hisoka.

"Why are you doing this?"

[Marcivo]

Naomi was the last one to come to a stumbling halt, cell phone in hand. Her fingers fumbled numbly at the display. Somehow, she couldn't quite dial emergency services, let alone enter her passcode.

"You know," she said, all matter-of-fact, "Sometimes, carbon dioxide can build up in old places like this."

She looked up at her classmate, down to the cat, and then back at her friends. Wow, her throat felt dry.

"We're probably all about to pass out. It was nice knowing you guys."

[~Corvus~]

When Mitsuki catches up, she turns to her "If things get rough, just focus on getting the cat out of here," she says quietly, trying not to be overheard by Eiko. She then steps forward, placing herself between Eiko and Hisoka.

"Why are you doing this?"

Un, Mitsuki replies to her cousin, keeping the curt response just below a whisper. As Naomi arrives and as Hinata takes a brave position, she feels a sense of love and camaraderie wash over her. She notices that the usually-tech savvy whiz is having trouble with her phone, so she cooly takes out her phone with the numbers already dialed, and says to Naomi as she drops the phone into her hands. Watch my phone, would you? It's the hiragana for water, by the way.

She turns cooly and kneels by the rabbit-cat creature, making a physical and proximal barrier for the thing to stay behind. She gives a level stare of defiance to Eiko. The girl wasn't playing, obviously. She follows up on her cousin's commanding question, saying cooly You have some explaining to do, Eiko.

[Ezeze]

Eiko's face remains impassive. "If I do this right" she says, in response to Mitsuki's question non of you ever have to know.

Then she withdraws something small, circular and metallic from behind her shield and it starts beeping in time with a little red light. The cat-bunny-thing bounds easily up Hinata's leg and onto her shoulder and "says" It's a bomb! Run! gripping onto his impromptu mount prepared to do just that.

[Snacs]

Hisoka reaches up to grip Hinata's shoulder, pushing the other student behind her. She didn't quite know what the bunny cat...thing...was, or how it was talking without any sound. But she did know what a bomb meant.

"Eiko-san, please just relax, why don't we talk this over calmly?" She said gently while using a hand to wave hinata backwards. Her other hand held the kendo stick close to her hip.

[~Corvus~]

This is to surreal to be true. We must be dreaming and dozed off somewhere.
Mitsuki's thoughts keep her stolid despite the obvious panic she should be feeling. She glances over at Naomi to see what she is doing, and then picks the cat-thing off of Hinata and cradles it in her arms as she would a cat. She is ready to sprint at a moment's notice, as she trusts her cousin and Hisoka with a physical confrontation. Hinata would have a better chance of running from Eiko, true, but she'd been asked to guard the creature. Rousing herself from her own thoughts, she talks quietly to the creature: Since it appears that Eiko-chan here is trying to hurt you, and she won't stop yanking us around, would you mind telling us what is going on? She adds for good measure, there's no need to be cryptic.

[Vordar]

Hinata seriously doubts that Eiko is going to be willing to explain herself, but she steps back nonetheless. It would probably be best to avoid provoking her further. It also occurs to her that, as long as Mitsuki is guarding the cat-thing, she is the one most likely to be in danger if Eiko decides to go on the offensive.

She takes the creature back from Mitsuki.
"There's no time to talk. We're getting out of here," she whispers to the others. "As soon as we can, let's split up"
She's still a little worried about Hisoka, but knows that she has the common sense to run if her life is truly in danger, and that she is also a pretty good runner.

With that, she sprints back the way she came.

[Marcivo]

None of this is real.

"Come on," Naomi said, quietly urging her friends.

That cat-thing isn't real.

"Let's go. There's something in the air."

Eiko isn't real.

"We're all just hallucinating."

But that pipe bomb is definitely real.

"Jesus Christ," she stammered. "RUN!"

Before the choice could even register, Naomi nearly jerked her remaining friends off their feet, her hands entwining theirs, and bolted down the hallway.

She wasn't strong, however, and if they chose to resist they could easily break free.

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki, woken from her disbelieving revel, feels the touch of Naomi's hand and keys herself be led, then finds herself running as panic that she had kept deep inside washes over her

[Ezeze]

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]


Three of the four girls - Naomi, Mitsuki and Hinata - turn and run, the small cat/bunny clinging to Hinata as they go.

Hisoka doesn't run. Instead she plants her feet, kendo stick drawn (thank gods you had it on you today).

Eiko starts after the fleeing girls, bomb in one hand and gleaming silver buckler attached to her right arm. Hisoka swings at Eiko as she runs past...

Eiko doesn't even guard against your attack. You put all of your weight behind it, like you've done a hundred times before, and are confident that you will hit your mark, and then just... don't. The girl didn't speed up, didn't raise her shield. She's just suddenly a moment ahead of where she was before, where you swore she was before. The effect is something like a bad film edit, with your target going from one place to the other without seeming to cross the space in between. You hit nothing but air, and after your wind-up that's actually enough to make you stumble forward a little bit.

And misses. Eiko doesn't stop to bother with Hisoka, though, instead chasing the other three girls. They run, and they keep running, and they run a little while longer until it occurs to someone that they only came about ten feet down the hallway and yet it seems to stretch out forever in front of them into the darkness, and there are things in the darkness. Living things that look at first like flowers but wrong somehow, like what an artist who had never seen flowers or sunlight or anything good at all for that matter might draw having just heard them described. They are nearly as tall as you are, with sickly looking blooms and shifting neon colors and thorns like daggers. They come towards you, making a noise like nails against chalkboard as they do, and you could run but why bother? There isn't anywhere safe, and it's not like there was ever anything worthwhile about your lives and after all of this fear wouldn't a little rest be so pleasant?...

A single shot rings out, more muted than it should have been but still clear as day. One of the flower-beast-things skew to a side like cloth that has had a needle pulled through it and then just vanish. Three more shots, each progressively louder, and the rest of them are gone as well. Shadows that you hadn't even notice fall are lifted and another girl walks onto the scene. She's also wearing a sailor fuku, but hers is bright gold with black stripes and white lace, modeled somewhat after a bee, with neatly curled pigtails and a beret. She's holding an old-fashioned musket, silver with a single yellow feather protruding from its butt. Two others like it are lying behind her, expended and discarded.

That's Manami! The girl in your class who reclaimed the High Jump Record today! She's normally so cagey, refusing to do anything with anyone after school. Could this be why?

"You must all be students at Anome High, judging from your uniforms" she says by way of introduction. "Thank you so much for rescuing Kyubey, he's a good friend of mine. In return I'll get you out of here safe, I promise."

That's when Eiko runs up the hallway, though you don't remember losing her. She comes to an abrupt halt when she sees the three of you with the bee girl. Both girls scowl at one another. You don't want to fight me now bee-girl warns Not with the Witch still out there. You can catch her, though, if you go now.

Eiko takes a step back, considering your strange savior's words. She glares at you - and at 'Kyubey' as the new girl called him. ... Remember what I told you Eiko warns. She drops the bomb in her right hand, which detonates in a cloud of black smoke when it hits the ground. When it clears just a second later and she is gone.

Are you okay? Bee-girl asks, suddenly all concern. The witches control reality in their domains, unless you have the power to fight them. It let you in, but didn't want you to escape. She smiles, sadly I'm just glad I was here. This one was particularly violent - attacking you directly like that. Some will drive their captives to commit suicide, or just let them starve to death alone in the dark. No matter what they do, it's not a pretty end.

Your friends turn and run, the girl you were facing down turns and run, and though you strive to catch up with them all four of them seem so much faster than you no matter how far or fast you run. So determined you are to catch them as their backs fade away that it's not until you are forced to stop for breath, panting and sweating, that you realize you've likely run many dozens times the distance in this direction than you came originally, and the lights are dimmer than you remember, and you can't even hear anyone else anymore, and it's starting to get strangely cold....

[Vordar]

Hinata has no clue what the girl is talking about, and is still shaken by everything that has happened, but she manages to smile. "I guess we really were in trouble, weren't we? Seriously, thanks for saving us."

However, she notices that Hisoka had never caught up to them, and panic begins to take hold of her. Her first instinct is to run back and find her, but she has no idea what will happen if she turns around now. Instead, she looks over at the unfamiliar girl, forcing herself to calm down enough to speak coherently.

"Hisoka- our friend- never caught up to us. I-I think she's still back there somewhere! We can go back and get her, can't we?"

[Snacs]

Hisoka loses a precious few seconds wobbling with one foot overextended. her foot thumps down as she turns, sword drawn in perfect poise, staring in confusion at Eiko's fleeing figure.

Impossible. The thought, and the fact that she knows it was impossible that stiffens her spine and sends her chasing after the others almost immediately. Her breath starts to fog the air as she runs after them.

"Naomi! Mitsuki! Hinata-Chan!" She finally shouts in desperation at the very tiny figures as they fade from sight. She curses to herself and skids to a stop, leaning over on her thighs and sucking in great gulps of shivering cold air. Normally the girl would have noticed the change in her surroundings, but worry for her friends had blinded her. She straightens, brushing out her uniform's skirt and tossing her hair back, glancing around in the dim light.

She starts to move forward again once she's caught her breath, in the steady, jogging pace that wouldn't tire her. She keeps her Kendo sword close to her hip, palm resting lightly on the pommel

[Ezeze]

The new girl puts a hand gently on Hinata's shoulder. We'll find her she says, with a reassuring calm. Take care of Kyubey, and stay close.

She pulls some sort of egg-shaped amulet from beneath her blouse, leaving the chain attached around her neck. It has a sheen as if it were made of pearl, and has gold filigree forming a delicate setting. It seems to reflect more light than is currently in the room. After inspecting it the new girl says This way, keep up and sets off at a run in a seemingly arbitrary direction.

It should be impossible to get lost in a hallway without any doors, and yet it seems that is exactly what you've done. Your sword arm feels heavy and tired, as if you'd spent all day at practice. But more concerning is that it keeps getting colder, and all you're wearing is your school uniform. Then you see them - freakish flower-things, but with thorns like knives. There are so many of them that they fill the hallway. They're running, no, stampeding towards you from the direction you're facing. They hit you like a wall of barbed wire, causing cuts to welt across your legs and back, and across the arms you use to shield your face and belly, but you can't even totally protect those. It seems obvious to you that you're going to die cut to a thousand pieces in this room, cold now like the dead of winter until...

She is strangely beautiful, the woman who makes her way through the crowd of hell-flowers. They part for her like water around a rock. Her hair is a tangled mass of green with flowers, like the ones around you but smaller and without thorns, woven into it. She is hunched over like an old crone, but her face is that of a young woman. She scoops you into her arms like a child and suddenly you are the most tired you've ever been in your entire life - mentally and physically exhausted. And the woman is warm, and her arms are comfortable....

[Snacs]

It was freezing. She was freezing. But her hands wrapped around the sword sternly as if the worn wood would keep her warm. If her father had drummed anything into her when she first started practicing, it was to keep her stance steady, no matter how the air wavered as the strange...things...barreled towards her.

She even hit the first few. Great, sweeping clumsy swings as her arms trembled and shook. Then she was holding it close in front of her, head ducked into her arms and screaming out. The thorns scraped and nicked the blade, shattering the top third and sending it spinning over her ducked head.

When the woman scooped her off her feet Hisoka was still standing, breath ragged and swaying, but standing. Even as she lost thought in that comfortable embrace, she clutched the short third of the sword close to her stomach in a death grip.

[Marcivo]

This can't be happening. The thought occurred again, filling Naomi's mind for the umpteenth time that night.

And again, she tried to clear it by shutting out the world and picturing her fear as a flawless pane of glass. In her mind's eye, cracks began to web its surface, spreading rapidly like winter frost. Suddenly, it came apart. She focused on her breathing, focused on the countless thought-shards falling, tumbling into an abyss where bad dreams go to be forgotten.

Slowly, she let her eyes refocus.

They were still trapped in a nightmare. F*ck.


Naomi found herself staring at the girl ahead. The girl in cosplay who carried a musket like there was nothing wrong with that. But most importantly, the girl she knew.

Anger finally crept in.

"Hold on," Naomi demanded, panting between words. "I know you! Your name's Manami. We're in the same year together. Don't act like we just met!"

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki has been shaking with panic since she started running. This is the worst nightmare i've been in, she thought. But the sweat running down her back was just too real; a wisp of wind that licked her body caused an involuntary shudder, and upon touching her shirt she realized that her palms were all clammy.

I haven't been this scared in a long time. She felt incredibly strange. While the others came to grips with their own fear, Mitsuki bit down on her hand. Hard enough to pierce her skin. Flinching, feeling and tasting the blood just below her finger on her hand, she thought I'm definitely not dreaming. It didn't help much. In fact, it made things all the more scary.

Gripping her right hand into a fist, she thinks why did I bite my right hand? The pain gives her mind something else to concentrate on, however, and after a few moments, her trembling stops. She lets her friends do the talking with this newcomer/classmate, and instead takes stock of what's around them while listening to what's being said.

[Ezeze]

The woman leans down, putting her face nearer to yours as if about to kiss you. As she gets closer a feeling of excitement - like what you felt before Christmas as a kid - rushes over you, though your limbs are too exhausted to move.

But there is something else behind the excitement. Deep, aching pain, which you realize with a start is coming from the woman herself. And she's excited to have you, because you are going to relieve so much of it.

There is a loud explosion and a flash of light from near the woman's feet - wait, the woman's roots, because that's clearly what they are. Her face pulls away from yours and she screams and thrashes about as a few more erupt from her body, from near her neck, from her back, and she crumples into a lifeless body.

Your plummet towards the ground lasts less than a second before Eiko is beneath you, supporting your weight as easily as a grown man might carry a baby.

These cuts look bad she says in a detached sort of way. You'll bleed out soon, and I can't heal you. But Manami-san could. She does something and you hang in the air for a few seconds while her arms move as if she was tying a giant bow around you, and that's all you remember until....

A look of confusion crosses Manami's face when Naomi uses her name. She looks at Kyubey. They are eligible he explains. That is why I called to them when I was in trouble... This seems to make sense to Manami, which is good because it's so much Greek to you.

We'll deal with this. Really. But right now your friend is in a lot of danger if she's in the Labyrinth alone.

Manami continues in the direction she was headed until, for seemingly no reason at all, her pendant ceases to glow. Oh no, the other girl must have- but she cuts off a silvery flare ignites in the darkness ahead of you. Manami breaks into a run towards it, where a strange sight awaits you.

Hisoka is floating in mid air with her hair splayed about her face as if in the middle of a fall, cut up far worse than Kyubey. She looks like something out of a haunted house - covered with a thousand cuts, all bleeding. Except when you get closer you notice that the cuts aren't bleeding. Blood has seeped from them, and it's still fresh and bright red, but for whatever reason it seems frozen in place. All of this made even stranger by the great pink bow tied about her chest, with its ribbon binding together her legs and arms, the hands at the end of which clutch the lower third of her Kendo stick (the upper two thirds simply missing, cut clean off) pointing it upwards from her stomach, like a burial pose for an ancient warrior. The entire scene is lit solely by a single blue-silver magical spark on the ground, casting everything into sharp shadows.

Oh Manami says, quietly. She rushes forward and, with a wave of her arm, a yellow-black checkered blanket spreads out on the floor beneath Hisoka. Stay back she warns, and then positions herself at Hisoka's head. She gently places her hands on your friend's shoulders and the bow and ribbon vanishes all at once, but Hisoka herself floats gently to the floor. Manami moves with her, so that by the time Hisoka's back is on the floor Manami is on her knees with Hisoka's head in her lap, and Hisoka begins bleeding again. Manami's hands are wreathed in a light yellow glow and she touches Hisoka's temples, a look of intense concentration on her face. Amazingly, Hisoka's wounds begin to knit themselves.

What seems like an eternity later, the last of Hisoka's wounds heal and her eyes flutter open...


Hisoka's eyes look up into an unfamiliar face. She's another girl, only a little older, with blonde hair pulled back into curled twintails and a black beret. She's wearing some sort of strange yellow-and-black striped sailor fuku. Naomi, Mitsuki and Hinata, along with the pink bunny-cat thing they saved earlier, are standing near by.

Yatta the new girl exclaims with palpable relief. She's going to be O.K. Just a little sore for a few days.

[Snacs]

"No..Why?" She says faintly, her free hand gripping at Eiko's uniform sleeve weakly. Her eyes blink, then slip close again...


Hisoka comes back with a deep, straining gasp, sitting up abruptly, wincing..then looking confused down at her healed skin.

"Oh, Hello. I thought I'd lost you all.."She says in a prim voice, looking ruefully down at her broken kendo stick, remarking off-hand. "Hmmm. I'll have to borrow one of father's." She frowns faintly, flexing her hands and arms, and rolling her ankles, testing how she moves. Finally she stands and brushes off her skirts.

"Are you...Manami-san? Then I have you to thank, if what I saw and Eiko-san said was real, and I'm not crazy." She bowed briefly towards the blonde older girl, still gripping the shattered kendo stick.

[Ezeze]

Manami Tomoe she introduces herself with a slight nod of her head - as close as she can approximate a bow while still on her knees.

And this is Kyubey She holds out her arms for the strange cat-bunny thing, which leaps easily off of Hinata and into her arms, where she uses the same magic to heal his wounds. It takes considerably less time than with Hisoka.

Really, I think I owe you an apology. When Eiko showed up at school I assumed she was here to challenge me for my territory. It wouldn't be the first time - this territory is very active, so other Magical Girls will sometimes come to try and force me out. She is stronger than a lot of the girls I've faced before, and I was so caught up in the idea that I'd have to fight her that I didn't stop to think she might not be after me.

In my defense, I didn't know any of you were eligible, much less all of you. Nor did I know Kyubey was in town.

I was on my way to see you when she attacked me! Kyubey protested. I don't even know that other girl. Eiko, did you say her name was?

You don't even know.... But that's impossible, isn't it? Manami looks completely flabbergasted. It's not the only impossible thing going on right now, Manami. But it's cold down here, can we talk somewhere else?

Manami puts away her pendant, and her glowing sailor fuku transforms (or perhaps de-transforms?) into an Anomie High school uniform. My place isn't too far.


----------

and that is how the four of you, Manami and Kyubey ended up taking a taxi over to Manami's apartment.

I live alone she announces as she lets the lot of you into an apartment which looks modest from the hallway, but inside is covered wall-to-wall with beautiful, modern, pink-black-and-yellow art work that just barely manages to not get into the way of the functionality of very modern furniture. The end result feels something like stepping into a J-pop video. Make yourself comfortable, I'll get some tea There is a triangle-shaped glass table with exactly the right number of plush round stools to seat you all. You barely have any time to look around when Manami returns with a five tea cups, a pot of tea, and a small cake. She takes her time pouring tea for everyone and furnishing you all with a slice of chocolate cake with whipped cream frosting and a small strawberry before sitting, taking a sip of tea, and beginning to speak -

Don't be afraid to ask questions. I'm going to start at the basics and work my way up.

Eiko and I are both Magical Girls. As Magical Girls it is our job to risk our lives hunting Witches. Witches are horrible creatures that feed on the misery, pain and fear of human beings. They can be difficult to categorize because each one is completely different from the others.

Witches have Labyrinths. They are not real places, they are windows into the witch's psyche where they are in control of everything, with some entryway to allow them to lure in unsuspecting humans. The Witch lives inside the Labyrinth, where no regular human can harm it. Only Magical Girls have the force of will to wrest control from them. We are always inevitably Magical Girls - not boys - I have no idea why. Although I have heard of some trans-girls becoming magical before, I've never actually met one. That's a different subject anyways...

Witches. Once they have consumed enough suffering they start spawning Familiars - little demon-things that leave the Witches Labyrinth, get into human's heads and cause them to kill themselves or other people. Most of the unexplained murders and suicides are because of them. Once they have killed between three and six they turn into Grief Seeds and plant themselves somewhere, and a Labrynth sprouts and a new Witch is born.

As Magical Girls we hunt down Witches, kill them, and collect those grief seeds. Those seeds are very important. We can do one of two things with them. The first is that we can give them to Kyubey here she nods at the little beast, systematically working his way bite-by-bite through his own piece of cake. He eats them, and.... I am trying to think of a way to word this. She places her fork down and stares out the window for a second. I suppose you could say the Universe rewards us? It's all Magic beyond my understanding, but people somehow understand that you've done something for them, and tend to show their gratitude. That's how I can afford this place, even though being a Magical Girl is my only full-time job. It... Can be lucrative she blushes slightly, perhaps embarrassed to admit it considering the luxury you find yourselves in. But that's not the most important bit of Grief Seeds! You also use them to replenish your own magical reserves, and the more magic you can call on the more powerful you are.

But I've got to warn you; Even if you don't use any magic it fades slowly, so once you're a Magical Girl you have got to fight Witches. It's a lifelong commitment.

Which is why you'll have a wish granted! Kyubey chimes in. He hops up and down excitedly Manami has skipped over the best part! To become a Magical Girl you enter into a Contract with me! You fight Witches for me - and I grant you one wish!

You can wish for almost anything. The only rules are that you can't wish another Magical Girl out of her Contract or undo another Magical Girl's wish. There are few other, more hard to explain limits having to do with the math behind magical potential, but they are complicated and have never been an issue before so I won't go into detail. The more important thing is that you're all eligible, which is actually super rare! You're really lucky! He swishes his fluffy white tail, a giant grin on his cute little face.

Take the wish seriously, though! Manami warns. You only get one, and after that you're a Magical Girl forever.

[Vordar]

Under normal circumstances, Hinata would conclude that Manami and Eiko were nuts, and that everything they had seen earlier had been some kind of weird mass hallucination. Then again, the entire day had been impossible, and even now, they were holding a conversation with some kind of weird animal-thing, so maybe dismissing everything as impossible wasn't going to work in this case.

"I can't say that I don't believe you or anything, but that's...kind of a lot to take in at once, you know?" she replies with a nervous laugh. "I mean, of course I should help out with this stuff if I'm 'qualified' or whatever, but I can't even imagine what that would mean, or what I would even wish for. I wanna keep everyone safe if anything like that happens again, and in that case I'll just go ahead and do it, but for now, I'd like to think it over a little if I can."

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki tries to listen to Manami but she just has a hard time taking what she is saying seriously, much less the...kyubey talking to them. Her posture gives off her feelings of disinterest. She felt like she was still getting a grip on her newly increased schoolwork, and here this girl is asking her to be interested in fighting other girls who might be classmates? As if fitting in wasn't hard enough?

She gives a wan smile to Manami. She clearly isnt trying to deceive them, and is trying to accomodate them, so giving her sarcasm wouldn't help. Trying to come to grips with this, Mitsuki decides to treat this like a story.

So these witches, they use magic from grief seeds? Are these taken from magical plants or something that absorb human grief like normal planta absorb sunlight? Also, if these magical girls can use grief seeds to use magic, and so do witches, what's to prevent a magical girl from becoming a witch? It's a lot of questions at once but its the best she feels like she can do at the moment.

[Ezeze]

Manami puts her hands up defensively at Mitsuki's onslaught of questions Oh my. I must have not explained this so well as I thought.

They are called "Grief Seeds" because familiars make them out of the pain they cause, and then they hatch a new Witch. Witches don't use them to make magic, they are born from them. Lets see, I don't have any right now. What if the four of you came hunting with me after school tomorrow? I can keep you safe as long as you stay near me. That way you can see what you'd be signing on for and learn more about Witches.

[Vordar]

Even if Manami would be with them, the thought of voluntarily putting herself in that kind of position again makes Hinata uneasy. Still, it didn't feel quite right not to at least hear Manami out after she had saved them, and, even if she couldn't picture herself fighting Witches as though they were an everyday occurrence the way Manami did, the idea of just running away did not sit well with her either.

Before she has a chance to talk herself out of it, Hinata nods. "I can't really make any guarantees or anything, but I think I can at least do that much", she says quietly, staring into her teacup.

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki replies, That could work...our compositions are done, and I have probably studied enough for our history test...and my math homework for the next week is mostly set...

[Ezeze]

Manami stirs her tea distractedly. There is no obligation to come, of course. If you've no interest in making a contract with Kyubey, well, he can't force you. Kyubey nods his agreement at this before returning to his cake. She continues a little more wistfully I admit I have no idea what I'd wish for, if I were many of you. Your lives seem so perfect. It takes a few seconds before Manami realizes what she has said and she blushes deeply. I'm sorry. I don't mean to imply anything. It's just that you all have each other...

[Vordar]

"No, no, I get what you mean. Eiko-san actually told us something like that earlier, in fact," Hinata replies, frowning thoughtfully. It was true that this would change things in ways that she couldn't even imagine, and she really couldn't think of anything in particular that she wanted, at least not enough to use up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Even then, I'm not sure if that's a reason not to get involved. I mean, if there was really something I could do and people I could help, wouldn't that be the point?" That line of thinking felt simplistic even to her, but it seemed like the "right" way to think about it.

[Ezeze]

Did she? Manami asks when Hinata mentions that Eiko said something similar. Hrrm. That does fit with one of my theories.

What do you mean, theories? Kyubey inquires.

Oh. Well. No one has ever attacked you before Manami explains. That's a big part of why I didn't think to protect you. But it could be that Eiko is trying to prevent you from making more Magical Girls - to stop other people from competing with her over Grief Seeds before they have enough power to actually be a threat.

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki has been mulling over all of this information. She certainly doesn't feel like she understands any of this, and is still having trouble accepting it. She daintily eats her bit of cake and looks at Hisoka and Naomi, who have been silent for much of the time to see what they are doing. She thinks little is out of the ordinary, and instead of unloading another set of questions to Manami, she pulls out her notebook and makes a few notes about the subject. She turns to Kyubey, asking Did you make Eiko into a magical girl in the first place? What is the reason to make us magical girls in the first place? I mean, I know that you say witches and stuff exist, but what's the reason for them to want to kill people?

[Snacs]

"I'm more interested in what he gets out of this. So you eat witches? If you can grant wishes or turn someone like Manami-san here into a magical girl, why can't you just destroy them yourself?" Hisoka finally speaks up, having been gently picking at her cake, her cheek cupped in her palm. She had been eying the small animal curiously the entire time, and took a small sip from her glass.

She frowned slightly and added extra sugar, pulling the cup carefully into her lap and stirring it slowly, watching the liquid spin. She smiled faintly at Manami's words.

"Well, at the very least you can talk to us from now on, even if we don't make any wishes I don't think we'd just ignore you." Her eyes slip to Kyubey and her expression is thoughtful. "I'm not sure I trust you though. Father always said the best scams come from the most ridiculous bait, and wishes are a pretty big bait, even if they do come true. "

[Ezeze]

You're asking some hard questions Kyubey says in his adorable, high-pitched voice. No matter what he says it sounds like an excited four-year-old talking. Hard in the sense that it'll be difficult to explain to a moral. No offense meant, of course, but none of you really.... he trails off, swishing his fluffy tail.

But the questions aren't unreasonable, so I'll do my best to answer.

My purpose is to remove Grief Seeds from existence. I use the word 'purpose' but it's slightly more than that. It's in my nature to remove them, and I will just as surely as geese fly South for the winter.

I think.... I think the best analogy within human experience is probably addiction, in that I neither can stop nor want to. It's much the same with Witches trying to destroy happiness. It is in their nature, and that is the end of it. We don't have agency like mortals do, and it's more correct to think of us as forces of nature than as mortals like you. You might as well ask why rain falls or the sun shines.





Kyubey refocuses on Mitsuki Earlier I told Manami that I had never met Eiko before. I am incapable of lying. That is why she said it was impossible - because there is no other way of becoming a Magical Girl than to make a contract with me. And yet here is someone who I have never contracted with who is, to all appearances, a magical girl.

[Ezeze]

It's a few hours later when someone notices the time - nearly midnight! Manami insists that you not tell your parents about Magical Girls or Witches or Kyubey. Not only is there the issue of them potentially not believing you, but apparently there are rumors amongst Magical Girls that Bad Things (when she says it you can hear the capital 'B' and 'T') happen to people who know that aren't supposed to. She declines to give specifics, and Kyubey doesn't comment.

You split up, Naomi to her home, Hisoka to hers, and Mistuki and Hinata to theirs, with nondescript stories for your parents (or your aunt and uncle) of loosing track of time at the park. It wouldn't be the first time and if your parents are suspicious at all they at least decide to wait for morning, especially considering it's a school night.

You aren't sure what you were expecting at school the next day, but it wasn't Eiko sitting calmly behind you throughout an otherwise completely normal - even boring - class.

Eiko manages to disappear again before the end of the day, but Manami doesn't. She's hanging out alone at the school gates, obviously waiting for you.

It's not too late to back out. What do you do?

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki has been wrapped up in finishing a book, but makes her way over to Manami. Hi there, she says, barely looking up from her textbook. I guess that we are going after all..hmm...I'll just have to finish this reading, and then... she trails off, turning the page of her book, scanning it with intensity and focus. After a few minutes and several more pages, she says, Manami, where is your own group of friends? You should introduce us to them so we can all have a great time together one of these days. she is still diligently reading, and seems to be willing to stop only every few pages to scan the groups of people walking out of school.

[Vordar]

Hinata follows Mitsuki to the gates. "Mitsuki's right you know.We might as well not be strangers, right? Anyway, we're ready," she says, flashing Manami a confident smile. A part of her still can't quite believe that they're actually doing this, but maybe if she acted like it was no big deal, that would be a start.

She then turns to Mitsuki. "I'd hurry and wrap that up if I were you," she says, even as she reads over her shoulder (somehow, she gets the feeling that she won't have the time or motivation when they're done). "Isn't the whole point of this to be able to watch Manami-san?".

[~Corvus~]

Hinata follows Mitsuki to the gates. "Mitsuki's right you know.We might as well not be strangers, right? Anyway, we're ready," she says, flashing Manami a confident smile. A part of her still can't quite believe that they're actually doing this, but maybe if she acted like it was no big deal, that would be a start.

She then turns to Mitsuki. "I'd hurry and wrap that up if I were you," she says, even as she reads over her shoulder (somehow, she gets the feeling that she won't have the time or motivation when they're done). "Isn't the whole point of this to be able to watch Manami-san?".

Mitsuki gives her cousin a grin, and says See here, where i'm making notes with my pen? Then I transcribe my thoughts and impressions of the reading here, and they become an essay draft later on. That way, I don't have to reread the text all the way through later.

She writes a few notes on the page that she's on, and turns to the last page of her book. She writes a line of characters and then, satisfied, closes her book. There. My homework is done for that class and I'm ahead for the this week of readings.

Satisfied, she closes her book and tucks it away in her book bag. She then turns to Manami to wait. I take it that you don't have many friends, Manami?

[Snacs]

It was hard not speaking to her parents, at least her Father. Still, Manami was right. Her parents wouldn't believe her even if she did tell them anyway. Harder had been her broken kendo stick. Luckily she had passed it off as too much swings during class and a polite laugh at her own strength.

Hisoka is too busy with her in-school duties to pay much attention to Eiko, other than a polite, appraising nod before she sits down to class.

She waves politely at Manami, seeing her hanging out alone by the school gates. She makes no effort to hide a small, polite smile.

"Good afternoon Manam-san." She sighs softly, listening to the other two chatter.

"Well even if that's true Mitsuki, she has more now doesn't she? " The student president is carrying a new kendo stick, and her shoes are running shoes from her sports activity.Her long hair is gathered up into a no-nonsense, serious tail draped over one shoulder.

[Ezeze]

Naomi is the last to show up, phone in her hands and scowl on her face.

Manami's face reddens slightly at Mitsuki's question and she stares at her feet. I've been a Magical Girl for a long time she admits. It sounds like a confession. The poor girl looks on the edge of crying.

This was a mistake. With an easy wave of her hand Manami conjures a black oval hole in the world of her height, rimmed with yellow daisy petals. She steps through it and it closes behind her with a 'blup' like a popping bubble.

Naomi looks up from her screen. "Huh? What? Why was Manami upset?"

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki realizes the potential mistake she's made almost as soon as Hisoka tries to smooth it over. However, there's little time to take back her words as the girl flees from them. Well, ah... she scratches her head awkwardly. She reaches into her bag and pulls out a tin with a few chocolate truffles and takes a small bite from one, then puts it back. She feels like there's little to do now but go home and submit herself to her homework and get even more ahead on her work.

She gives a sigh, the kind of sigh that lets her friends know that she's aware that she perhaps could have been a little insensitive. But she meant well, and she felt like Manami would come around anyways. It wouldn't do to beat myself up over this, she mumbles. She finds a bench nearby, opens up her planner, and looks at her assignments for the next week, marking what she can do sooner rather than later.

Mitsuki felt like she needed a job, but that she had few skills other than her diligence to offer.

[Snacs]

"Ah, Manami-San wai-" She tries to call out, hand lifted before letting it drop to her side. She whirls on Mitsuki and opens her mouth to say something, before shutting it with a soft click of her teeth. Without another word she runs off, feet kicking up dust.


Hisoka is going to head to Manami's apartment to see if that's where she ran too and apologize :(

[Vordar]

Hinata sits on the bench next to Mitsuki and places a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, cheer up, it'll be fine. She'll get what we meant, and besides, Hisoka's on the job". She wants to run after Hisoka and Manami herself, but showing up as a crowd would probably make things more tense, and besides, talking things over wasn't her strong suit. Instead, she opens her phone and sends a text message to Hisoka.

"Tell Manami that Mitsuki and I are both more than willing to hang out with her, and that I would like to help her out with this Witch stuff, if she would still let me."

[Ezeze]

Naomi watches Hisoka run off and raises one perfectly-manicured eyebrow. She looks down at her phone for a second, sends off a quick text, then looks up to see that Hinata and Mitsuki have moved over to the bench.

I guess they'll tell me if I need to know she thinks, and goes back to what she was doing.



---------------------

Manami's place isn't too far, and the building security either recognizes you from yesterday or figures a teenage girl isn't much of a threat. Either way you're let in.

Up a flight of stairs and her apartment is three doors down on the left. When you knock on the door you hear rustling around inside. At first you think the door has swung open on its own, but then you look down to see Kyubey staring up at you. He steps out of your way.

She's locked herself in her room he announces in his excited four-year-old voice, then jumps up onto one of the plusher seats around the table you sat at yesterday after Manami saved you, curls up and closes his eyes.

None of your friends followed you, though you did get a text from Hinata asking you to apologize on her and Mitsuki's behalves. Looks like you're handling this on your own.

[Snacs]

Had to take a minute on the stairs outside of Manami's doorway, hands on her knees. After readjusting her appearance to something approaching normalcy she knocked, and didn't hide her frown at seeing Kyubey. She didn't trust him. Father had always taught her about con artists, and the tiny creature just hit her buttons for some reason.

"Thank you." She said gently, more concerned with the other girl than her dislike of the tiny creature. She stepped up to the door, hovering there for a moment before knocking firmly.

"Manami-san? It's Tsutsuji-sa...Hisoka. Can I come in?" She frowns as her phone chimes, turning it off with a soft sniff. No sense in even showing that to Manami at this point.

[Ezeze]

There is no response for a minute. Then a minute and a half. You begin to suspect you've been forgotten and are about ready to knock again when the door opens just a crack to reveal half of Manami's face. Hisoka? she confirms timidly, looking out at you from behind her bedroom door. When she sees that you are alone she opens it a little further - enough to see her completely, but not to get through and into her room.

Gomen she mutters, eyes downcast and a slight rose blush to her cheeks. I think I may have over reacted.

[Snacs]

"Of course not!" She says sternly, placing her fists on her hips."Mitsuki was completely out of line!" She says, making a sound of displeasure at her erstwhile friend.

"May I come in? If that's alright." Realizing she was still carrying her kendo stick she sets it down to one side of the door, blushing slightly herself.

[Ezeze]

Manami nods and steps out of your way, opening the door further in the process.

Her bedroom is every bit as pink as her living room, but slightly less modern. She has a solid-looking queen-size four poster bed with sheer white curtains that look as if they could be drawn closed but are currently open to reveal more pillows than any sane human being could possibly need stacked neatly and with a sense of purpose at her headboard, all of them some variation of pink, white, fluff and lace.

She has a matching armoire and cheval mirror, but no where else to sit...

[Snacs]

It takes a moment of uncertain waffling on her part before Hisoka gingerly steps over to the bed, sitting at the foot of it carefully. "Your room is huge Manami-san, mine's half this size." She says in a soft, friendly tone, smiling at the older student as pleasantly as she could. She notes the impressive array of pink and lace but doesn't comment, instead just placing her hands on her knees and continues."I don't think you over reacted Manami-san. That was entirely rude of Mitsuki. I'd like to apologize on her behalf, even if she's probably too much of a fool to realize what she said, even now."She repeated carefully, holding the magical girl's eyes steadily.

"But besides all that...I just wanted to thank you."She lets out a breath, tugging her long tail of hair from over a shoulder and fussing with it unconsciously, the student council president's time to look nervous and uncertain.

[~Corvus~]

...there was no sense in crying about it unless, of course, Manami really thought she meant it and didnt forgive her. That would be...I... I didn't mean it like that. Everyone deserves friends. I know what its like to have no friends, I really do, I...I just couldn't stop myself from observing...that if she has none, then she should be friends with us. For once since she's knew her, Hinata saw her cousin on the verge of crying. Mitsuki felt the tide of guilt threaten her.

Hinata sits on the bench next to Mitsuki and places a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, cheer up, it'll be fine. She'll get what we meant, and besides, Hisoka's on the job". She wants to run after Hisoka and Manami herself, but showing up as a crowd would probably make things more tense, and besides, talking things over wasn't her strong suit. Instead, she opens her phone and sends a text message to Hisoka.

Feeling Hinata's compassionate touch, she wipes a tear from her eye. Yeah, she says, Hisoka is a good friend. She'll probably smooth things over. She has a more level-headed approach to things, and a discerning way of seeing past what others see. She shakes her head, smiling. Thanks. Want to go out to eat and play karaoke tonight? I'm in the mood to have some outrageous fun. she looks over at Naomi to see if she is game.

[Vordar]

Hinata immediately perks up. "Yeah, that sounds good. It'd be nice to do something somewhat normal." Realizing that Naomi was still out of the loop, she adds, "Manami-san's feeling kind of down, so Hisoka's gone to check up on her". She was trivializing it a little, she knew, but she felt like she should at least give Naomi the option of ignoring their drama.

"Anyway, even if Hisoka can cheer her up, we should make sure to track Manami down tonight or tomorrow, just to clear the air."

[Marcivo]

Naomi watched the schoolgirl's own brand of personal drama unfold largely without her input. She continued typing out a message, taking her time with it. If she was being honest with herself, Naomi didn't know how she felt about Manami yet - her classmate had thought nothing of dragging them into strange territory, and then playing it off like it was nothing. Well... relatively nothing.

Understatement of the century, she thought, sending another text message.

Plus, while the whole affair left a bitter taste in her mouth, emotional support had never been one of Naomi's strong suits.

---

When Naomi looked back at Mitsuki, it was obvious she hadn't slept at all the previous night. Dark circles ringed Naomi's eyes. She hadn't even bothered to cover them with makeup. Still, the schoolgirl cracked a lopsided smile.

"Karaoke, huh? Sounds like you're ready to go thermonuclear."

Naomi grimaced as her phone buzzed again. With a touch of her thumb, the tiny screen went dark.

[~Corvus~]

"Anyway, even if Hisoka can cheer her up, we should make sure to track Manami down tonight or tomorrow, just to clear the air."
Agreed. But first, let's have some fun!

[Ezeze]

Manami plops down next to you, turned at an angle to face you with her back to the post behind her. She looks genuinely confused.

Thank me? What for?

[Snacs]

"For saving my life!" Hisoka said firmly, leaning forward to take the girls hand in both of her own."It was Eiko-san that may have found me, but you were able to heal me right? That's amazing isn't it?"

[Ezeze]

Naomi, Mitsuki and Hinata go to a local karaoke bar. They aren't particularly good singers, but they aren't awful and they are cute besides, so they get hearty applause.

An hour passes without word from Hisoka.

Then another hour.

A third hour, and it's threatening to get dark outside.

What do you do?

[Vordar]

"Wow, time flies," Hinata remarks, glancing at her phone. "And still no word from Hisoka. Think we should try to get in touch with her?"
It was likely that she and Manami were just socializing, and Hisoka did not seem to be too enthusiastic about the whole Magical Girl thing, but it was possible that she would accompany Manami for moral support alone, and Hinata couldn't help but be a little concerned.

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki nods. I don't know if it could hurt, she says, glancing at Naomi for support. But I don't want to cause any more trouble...

[Marcivo]

"On it," Naomi grumbled, dialing Hisoka from her contact list. It was just like her to have her cell phone already in hand.

She raised it up between them, thumbing the speaker-phone icon for effect. Seconds passed, and the phone began to ring...

[Snacs]

The phone rings longer than it usually does for Hisoka, before finally clicking over.
"Ah, Hello? Naomi, did you get the text I just sent? I spoke with Manami-san and she's...fine now. We'll see you tomorrow in class okay? I um..have to go now. Bye!" There's a faint laugh from the other side of the phone before it hangs up.

A moment later Naomi's phone pings again with a text.

text reads:
Spoke with Manami-san and talked her down. What Mitsuki-san said was very very rude!!! Will talk to you tomm.
-H

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki opens her mouth to apologize, but she is cut off by Hisoka.

[~Corvus~]

Almost as if its separate from what just happened, Mitsuki smiles and looks at her cousin. I've had a wonderful night tonight! Perhaps it's best that we get home before it's too late? She looks to Naomi. I don't know about you, but I'm tired, and I have a bit to think about. Thanks again for being willing to accompany me on a whim!

[Vordar]

Hinata nods. "Sounds good, I still have some reading to do anyway."

[Marcivo]

Naomi frowned at the silent phone in her hand, watching the home screen reappear in a rush of colorful icons. On some level, she felt deeply annoyed. Hisoka hadn't even let her talk.

She tapped out a quick response in the SMS pane.

Accidents happen. She shouldn't take it so personally.

The irony didn't escape her.

"No problem," she said finally, smiling a faint smile. "Where would I be without my backup vocals?"

Pulling on her jacket, Naomi sobered up quickly, and by the time she fastened the final button all traces of that evening's joy were gone. She turned to look at them - no, appraise was a better word. Quietly, Naomi regarded her friends with a cool, businesslike mask.

She cleared her throat.

"Mitsuki's worried about something. Should I be scared?"

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki seems less worried now that they have had fun and tells her friends I want to avoid any more unnecessary conflict but what's happened was I was talking with Manami and I ended up observing she had very few friends, as a way of trying to say that i think we'd all be fine having her as a friend! However, my observation caused her to become very upset and run away suddenly. Hisoka decided to chase after her and hopefully managed to talk her down. I'm a little worried about tomorrow but I know that we can take care of things.

Mitsuki looks confidentially between Naomi and Hinata and gives a self affirming nod signaling that she has confidence that everything will be taken care of in good time.

[Marcivo]

Ah...

"Sounds simple to me," Naomi said, shrugging her shoulders. "You didn't mean anything. She took it personally. So it's on her."

Naomi sighed, then. She could tell that this was taking a greater toll on her friend than it was on her, even through the mask of confidence.

"Look. Hisoka said everything's fine. But I can talk to her, if it's going to make you feel better. We're way more likely to run into each other," she added, a token excuse.

[~Corvus~]

Mitsuki fingers her phone in her pockets, then lets it go. As she finishes buttoning up her coat, she suggests to the other two that they walk home together--after all, Naomi's house is only slightly further away from the restaurant than Hinata's and they would be safer walking home together.