18/The Troll Wars Begin

The Troll Wars Begin
Date of Scene:	26 May 2015
Location:	Uminari City - Game Center Crown
Synopsis:	A masked man, a puella magi, and a device user walk into an arcade...
Cast of Characters:	Homura Akemi, Hannah Sharpe, Mamoru Chiba

---

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
First day back at school after the week-long Festival of Beginnings, and the arcade is full of students who are super glad that even that little piece of unpleasantness is over with. The sounds of arcade games in full swing fill the air, and the snack counter's mostly not got anyone sitting -- just people running up to order a milkshake or a burger and then running off to play again.

Mostly.

One Infinity high-schooler's parked on a counter stool with a mug of black coffee and a textbook and tablet in front of him, doing homework in the din and occasionally engaging in conversation with the guy behind the counter. Both student and apron-clad arcade employee are criminally attractive.

"You know," says Motoki (the arcade employee), leaning over to look at the contents of Mamoru's (the high schooler) tablet, "if you're already finished with your calculus, you should probably put the textbook away so nothing spills on it..." He swipes a wipe-down rag perilously close to Mamoru's coffee. "...or if not, you should get off Tumblr."

"You're noisy," Mamoru says absently, flicking down the scrolling page with one hand and closing his textbook with the other. "And you still can't copy my answers." He finally glances up, then over to the door, as if expecting someone.

Homura Akemi has posed:
As Mamoru glances at the door, it opens. A sillouette appears, light shining in from behind.

Small hand sneaks under her hair, tossing black locks into the air. The neatness of her Infinity Middle school uniform is only just barely disturbed by the small wind passing by her, so carefully ironed and kept. Black shoe steps forward, assured in its footing, and plaid pleated skirt swishes purposefully as she walks. The image of the counter reflects off of focused, purple eyes.

Homura Akemi confidently strides towards Motoki, paying barely even the slightest attention to Mamoru as she seats beside him. Her hand rests upon her cheek, boredly. She clearly has no time for nonsense.

If the criminally attractive Motoki has any effect upon this young heart, she does not betray it.

"I'll have a milkshake. Strawberry."

Purple eyes turn towards Mamoru, holding a question in their depths. "Hey, haven't I seen around you before?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Coming right up!" Motoki tells Homura cheerfully after giving Mamoru a weird look; Mamoru looked away when he saw who /did/ come through the door, but does the world's slowest double-take when she sits down next to him. Behind his glasses, blue eyes narrow infinitesimally.

As Motoki turns away to make Homura's milkshake, Mamoru picks up his coffee and sips it to buy time while he studies Homura out of the corner of his eye. When she turns to address him, he glances down at her uniform, then makes a little bit of a show of looking down at his own. Certainly, Infinity Middle School is not entirely the same as Infinity High School, but unlike most of the schools in Tokyo, they are all in the same building -- just different floors of the tower.

It's not until after he sets his coffee down that he says conversationally, "I was sitting next to you at that show a week ago. Glad to see you're all right."

Strange enough comment from someone who shouldn't remember anything that happened, but the news did say something about a mass blackout or something.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura produces an amount of money, enough to cover the milkshake and a tip, and places it on the counter. She never even looks at it. It's not important.

There's nothing particularly out of order about a Middle Schooler being able to afford a milkshake, provided one doesn't look too closely at how many small things Homura buys.

"That's right. The festival." Homura seem to think Mamoru's comment was perfectly natural. After all, they were both there. It'll take her a long while to really put those puzzle pieces together, and it'll take quite a few more puzzle pieces than what she currently has.

"Things got a little crazy, didn't they? If I didn't know any better, I'd think that the band bored everyone to sleep."

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Even while riding the high of villainous plots and Rap Witch victory, Homura Akemi is /not/ an easy woman to find. In fact, 'Miss White' has spent much of the early day trying to find the girl. It'd be easier if class was in session, but no such luck.

Not one to waste resources, after a bit of un-henshin-ing and grabbing her compatriot Boris, Hannah's sweet tooth needs sating. Walking into the dessert parlor, dressed in a freshly pressed Infinity High girl's uniform, it's Hannah Sharpe that is led along by her best doggie friend to the counter.

"Excuse me! May I have a vanilla milkshake with sprinkles, please?" Comes her even, gentle voice. The server from the counter ducks back in at the sound of the voice, and soon she has a milkshake in hand as well as a delicious warm ice-cream cone (just hte cone!) for Boris.

"Where to, Boris?" She urges the big huskie, who pulls her over to a table near Mamoru and Homura. With a bit of mental guidance from her familiar, she sits down.

Boris' tail wags as he eats that cone, Hannah too polite to eaves drop on the pair. That tail of Boris' though keep batting towards Homura's leg accidentally. Whump whump whump.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Well the rocker at the end of the show certainly woke everyone up, at least," says Mamoru mildly. These are safe things to say, right? They're the truth. He watches, he takes everything in, but given his awkward attempt at socialization earlier this week, he at least does it without staring. He straightens his tie, then glances to Hannah, coming in with her dog. That's right--

Mamoru glances uncertainly back to Homura, then abruptly remembers his iPad's open to kitten pictures on Tumblr and shuts it off, flipping the case shut and placing the tablet atop his textbook. He clears his throat, then briefly bows just his head. "I'm afraid I don't know your name," he says like it's something to apologize for. "Chiba Mamoru. Grade eleven," he adds unnecessarily, his eyes darting past Homura toward Hannah.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura takes the cold, delcious strawberry milkshake into her hands and sips. The pink of the creamy beverage seems to complete her image, contrasting with her long black hair and severe purple eyes. It suits her, and it just so happens that strawberry is her favorite flavor.

Homura would be very interested in speaking to Miss White, after last night's events. Homura wouldn't tell her everything. Puella Magi business is so ridiculous that even other Puella Magi have a hard time buying it, so how much moreso would an outsider react to such news? On top of that, Homura wonders just how much Miss White can be trusted, all things considered.

Meanwhile, Hannah Sharpe is just another Infinity student as far as Homura knows. She is certainly not someone involved in Witches and Grief Seeds.

Homura doesn't turn to look when Hannah walks through the door. She doesn't even pay much attention when Hannah sits down next to her. Homura doesn't pull her attention away from Mamoru and her milkshake until she starts feeling Boris's tail whap against her leg.

"Nice dog."

Homura resists the temptation to pet the dog, keeping her hands on her frosty milkshake. Delicious strawberry milkshake.

Homura's gaze sees a flash of kitten pictures on Mamoru's iPad before he manages to put it away. "So, he runs from trouble and looks at cute pictures of kittens. Are you the gentle, sensitive type?"

"Homura Akemi. Grade Eight."

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Hannah, of course, doesn't notice the glances. She's happily devouring her milkshake with relish, narrowly avoiding a brain freeze. It's just so delicious! Infinity's Iron Lily is happy as a clam right about now.

"Mmm?" Comes Hannah as a voice breaks her concentration on milkshake hedonism. The voice /isn't/ familiar, but it does jar her enough that she stops eating and focuses. Thankfully, Boris is there to help, and the dog gives a tiny little woof to help his mistress out.

Boris then turns around and sits right beside Homura. No more leg-bopping, but the husky is utterly giving her the doggie eyes. They scream, 'pet me'.

"Ah! Good evening. Thank you! Boris is an absolute sweetheart. Are you not, Boris?" Cue a foot-pet from the girl along the dog's flanks.

Then Hannah smiles wide.

"And yes, if you wish, you may pet him." Comes Hannah in a practiced tone. Not the first time she's been asked.

Then Homura drops her name. Hannah is mid-milkshake-slurp, and then she's coughing! Inhaling some of it down the wrong pipe. Eventually, she manages to get herself together.

So /this/ is the non-henshin'd form of Homura Akemi! Luck smiles upon her.

It's around then that she remembers there's two at the table.

"Apologies! I do not mean to interrupt. Sorry, I did not notice you, Sir. Hannah Sharpe. A pleasure to meet you both." She's a little breathless. Certainly due to nearly choking on sweet confections.

Are Boris' ears folded a little bit more? Odd.

Homura Akemi has posed:
At the invitation, Homura does indeed reach down from her perch atop the barstool, running the tips of her fingers through Boris's mane and scratching him behind the ears. Such a cute doggie. He lives up to the praise that Hannah heaps upon him.

"He's very friendly."

Homura pats Boris a couple times before taking notice of Hannah's coughing fit and breathlessness. She doesn't suspect that it's anything other than what it looks like. "Are you alright? You didn't drink it too fast, did you?"

Homura studies Hannah for a bit, looking to see if it's just a bit of a cough or something worse. She assumes the former, but she does want to make sure.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sharpe-san."

Homura remains oblivious to the fact that Hannah was looking for her. She remains oblivious to the small change in the dog's demeanor. She hasn't tried much to disguise herself, beyond the usual anti-recognition field that her henshin provides, yet she is used to letting people find her whenever they want to.

Homura Akemi lives alone, after all. There isn't any family for someone to target. Well, there's one person that Homura wouldn't want to see hurt, but she keeps that card close to her chest.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Hannah smiles at Homura a bit after the fit ends. "Ah...quite fine, I assure you. Enthusiasm and a reckless desire for chilled desserts is a horrid mistress!" She returns, giving a little nod. Inwardly, she feels a little bad. Seeing the non-magical side of Homura Akemi, this just seems to be a nice girl.

Then again, she likely comes off as the same. Magic can do terrible things to a person. She dismisses the sobering thought.

Boris gives a little woof at the compliment and the scratching, soon content to lurk at Homura's feet. Seems she's made a friend!

"Let me guess...around my age, a little younger perhaps? Definitely a schoolgirl. May I ask what school you two belong to?" Comes Hannah, leaning on the old standby. Then she raises her milkshake to the others.

"To new meetings, and a lovely break from the grind of school life!" She'll vaguely try to cling the others' milkshakes as she can.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura has gone through plenty of horrible things due to magic, and she fully expects to go through many more horrors.

She has seen tragedies that have yet to happen, or may never happen. She has seen friends turning against each other and becoming enemies, and dying in vain. She has seen good people, kind people, sweet people, getting in way over their heads and being destroyed by forces they only barely understand.

If Homura had her way, none of them would ever experience those things again. Yet, thanks to mysterious powers standing in her way, Homura may not have any way to avoid it.

Homura hesitates at the question of her age. She's been 14 for far longer than anyone has any right to be, yet that's the answer that people will find easier to swallow. Truth is far too bitter a pill for most stomachs.

"I'd say we were about the same age, yes. Chiba-san and I are from Infinity."

Homura bases this off of the fact that Mamoru is, in fact, wearing his school uniform.

"How about you?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Both Homura and Hannah are saved from Mamoru's sputtering and trying to come up with a response to 'the gentle and sensitive type' that would undoubtedly be lame or a protest of the kittens formerly visible on his tablet screen that would undoubtedly be unconvincing: Hannah's Japanese is fascinating.

"Akemi-san. ...Ha-- Sharpe-san? No--" The upperclassman goes from bright red to almost riveted, because IS SHE AMERICAN? SHE'S TOTALLY AMERICAN ISN'T SHE. There's some other interesting body language going on there, which he's filing away, but in the meantime he decides along with Homura, "Sharpe-san, it's a pleasure to meet you. Infinity, both, yes." Oh my god is she ever American.

OH MY GOD IS SHE EVER AMERICAN. Mamoru's poker face may be lost on Hannah (if not on Homura), but his voice is just as non-reactive and polite as his features. "And Sharpe-san, would you be interested in mutual language practice? I would like to improve my English, and I might be able to help you with colloquialisms -- your Japanese is very, very good, but I find they're difficult in any language."

He offers in English with a smile in his voice and the hint of one on his face, "The lawn is very new beyond the border."

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
Hannah, even out of henshin, has a penchant for dramatics. It comes with keeping a bunch of former delinquents in line.

"Infinity High! President of the Kickboxing Club, at that!" She pumps her fist, flexing her muscles with a grin. This one has a spark to her for all her formality.

Ironically, Hannah has found magic to be the enabler of her dreams, a way towards ambition and strength, alongside friendship. An odd mix that grows darker by the day thanks to Infinity's patron. But for the moment, even as she focuses on her quarry that's tantalizingly close, Hannah plays up the 'normal girl' routine. Or at least as normal as Hannah gets.

Mamoru's voice gets her attention, not at all sensing his curious body language or ill attempts at hiding his riveted looks. She can't tell, after all! She's all smiles and pleasantry.

"The pleasure is entirely mine, Chiba-san." Then she just giggles.

"I was born in America, in the south, yes. Thank you! I spent much of my childhood traveling with my parents, you tend to pick up a knack for language after your third country." Offers Hannah to the duo.

"And frankly I find japanese language and customs to be absolutely fascinating! Oh? That would be most helpful! Half the time I find myself slipping back into ones from home, or from England. Lovely country, by the way, if you both ever get the chance to visit. Just stay away from Swindon." Shudder.

She fumbles in her pockets, and pulls out a piece of paper. She writes down her phone number. Her writing is perhaps predictably scrabbly.

Then she pulls out her phone, smiling.

"Ah...text me yours, if you would, Chiba-san?" Then, a tilt of the head towards Homura.

"Here! You too Miss Akemi. If either of you need help with English, I am your go-to tutor! All for the price of filling my belly." Grin!

Then, she too offers some english, her voice falling into her native accent all the more readily.

"Once more into the breach, my friend! Upwards and onwards!"

Then she returns to Japanese."Not bad. Enunciate more, as my old drama teacher would say."

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura may have gotten a bit of wicked pleasure out of causing Mamoru to sputter, but she doesn't keep up the tease too much. At least, not right away. She may very well bring up the 'sensitive' topic up later, when Mamoru least desires it.

Homura has no idea what Mamoru just said in English, but she imagines that it was very profound and interesting! She was certainly able to pick out the words for 'lawn' and 'new'.

In an effort to not be left behind in coolness, Homura flips her hair, just to be safe.

As Hannah hands over her phone number, Homura looks at it for a moment before producing her own cell phone. It's a small purple thing, with a tiny keychain coming out of the bottom. A cute little animal-like mascot dangles from the end of the chain.

Wait, is the mascot being strangled? Naaah, that couldn't be intentional. The chain is just wrapped up strangely. Right?

Right?

Homura texts Hannah her phone number, and fumbles around a bit to add Hannah's number to her contacts list.

"I'll have to look you up, then. It's lucky we're all going to the same school together, Chiba-san, Sharpe-san."

Homura hangs her phone from her wrist before turning to Hannah, "Sounds like you've been all over the place. Is there any place you wish you could go back to?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Obligingly, Mamoru takes out his phone and texts the scrawled number-- with the number he's texting from, to be on the safe side. He also laughs. "I see. Filling your belly, is it? That's a fair price, unless you can eat an entire dessert shop in one sitting, in which case we may need to negotiate." His eyes follow the strangely morbid phone charm. (His phone is nothing personal, but it is the most absurdly new iteration of The Mobile Apple Product With Phone Involved.)

He glances at Homura again, blue eyes slightly calculating behind his glasses before reflecting light from the lenses obscures them.

Eventually, Mamoru follows the conversation right back on the track it's set out. He's got nothing to add but polite interest, and he's finished with his coffee, so he leans down to fish out his school bag and starts packing his things into it quietly.

Hannah Sharpe has posed:
The pure concentrated awesome that is keychain and hairflip are lost on Hannah, but her familiar gives a low 'ruff'. Did he just roll his eyes? /Kids/ these days and their dramatic motions and morbid keychains!

Hannah's phone vibrates, and she fishes out a pair of in-ear headphones. A few practiced taps, and the text-to-speech function has her entering in both numbers in a rapid display of dexterity. Then, she takes out the earphones, stowing them away.

There's a genuine smile for a moment, the woman honestly clear of villainous intent for a few moments.

"Thank you. I hope that we will become friends, Akemi-san, Chiba-san." There's scraps of good left in this particular soul, not yet ruined by the darkness that is Eclipse.

Another pumped fist as she finishes off her drink.

"I try to be visible for our school's spirit! Just ask any member of the club! In fact, feel free to join! Our members can be..." Pause. Ahem.

"/Rough/ around the edges, but they mean well and care about Infinity. Besides. I want to see what kind of punch you two can throw! Can you best the Iron Lily!? HAH!" Comes Hannah, suddenly full of life and cheer and confidence before the pair.

Then she settles down, blushing a bit.

"...Sorry, tournament coming up in the next week. My compatriots' spirit at times rubs off on me."

Homura's question strikes her. She leans back in her chair, sipping at the dregs of her milkshake.

"You ask a very difficult question Akemi-san. Putting aside an admitted bit of homesickness, I would say India. The people there are very compassionate, and their particular brand of food strikes me most dearly!" Spices for /days/, this woman. Then she turns to Mamoru.

She laughs aloud. "I am a thin eater. My doctor would yell for ages besides, if I strayed too far from my diet. Well, aside from mapo tofu, but we all have our pleasures, do we not?" A wink to the general direction of the pair.

Food done, she too starts to pack up. Standing, Boris sitting up, she offers a bow.

"Let us do this again, hmm? Frankly, I could use an interesting, sensible pair of heads in my life. Or at least that is what you both strike me as. Good day." Another bow, and Boris leads her off, Hannah offering a wave in her wake.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura feels Mamoru's glance on her, and even notices out of the corner of her eye. Whatever he's thinking, she doesn't know, but when he glances away she gives him a look of her own. Her own neutral expression is also hard to read.

Homura watches as Mamoru packs up. Anticipating what this means, she says, "Heading out, Chiba-san?"

Homura isn't quite finished with her own drink yet, a bit of strawberry milkshake hanging around the bottom and starting to liquify a bit.

On the other hand, she doesn't have much to pack.

"I'll see you around."

Homura turns around to see Hannah start to leave and say goodbyes. She isn't quite sure what to make of the developing situation with Hannah, but she seems nice enough.

"What club was that, again?" Akemi asks. From the sound of it, it seems like a kind of martial arts club. She doesn't quite know what Hannah is up to. Who knows what she'll think when she finds out.

"I'd enjoy doign this again, Sharpe-san. Until next time."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"See you later, then, Sharpe-san," says Mamoru with a little laugh, good-natured. "I'll certainly check your club out." He buckles his case and waves across the increasingly busy counter. "Later, Motoki-kun," he calls over, then nods to Homura with a faint smile. "Yeah," he tells her, slinging the bag over his shoulder, hand up backward at the top to keep the handle. He watches Hannah and Boris go out the door, then glances down at Homura again. Standing, yes, he towers, but it's just tallness; there's nothing intimidating about his stance, only carelessness. "Kickboxing," he says, "sport of the future. She's a champion, the tournament's relatively big hype."

A glance toward the door again, and there's respect in his expression. Blind kickboxing champion. "So I'll check it out, but given I run from danger, I doubt I'll be joining, eh?" Oh, a smirk. "Later, Akemi-san."

Then he heads for the door, a smug god damned spring to his step.