2147/Lesson One

Lesson One
Date of Scene:	22 November 2016
Location:	Mitakihara/Pikarigaoka - King Penguin Park
Synopsis:	Upon sneaking out to do a little practicing in the park, Yuuki has a run in with Ikiko and meets Kunzite. Then much to her surprise, She learns Lesson One.
Cast of Characters:	Yuuki Oshiro, Kunzite, Ikiko Hisakata

---

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
The cool evening air is enough to send a chill down ones back. The sun is listing its way towards the western horizon.A lot of people are heading home or to work if they actually work evenings. One thing is certain. Few people really are paying any mind to a girl who seems to be talking to herself.

Yuuki Oshiro is on her way into the park wearing a warm sweater, A warm skirt, sneakers and a yellow star shaped charm on her wrist. "The last time I tried this here we wound up with a lot of company. Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Unheard to anyone else the softly pulsing charm speaks back to the girls mind. < Sister you worry too much. You are going to make a larger barrier tonight. You did well last night but you have much more potential then you know. >

Yuuki rolls her eyes. "It really made me exhausted last night. What if I can't make it bigger. I mean that was really painful!" She complains.

Kunzite has posed:
Yellow star-shaped anything might catch a certain person's eye these days, but he's not at present close enough to Yuuki to notice. A year or so ago, Kunzite mapped out places to lurk in King Penguin Park -- often enough places sufficiently shielded by branches to provide cover even after the leaves have fallen. This means lurking in branches, but that's all right, after a fashion. It gives him shadows to work with, natural shadows that help to camouflage his own...

Not that his shadows are doing as much as they once would have, here. It's just that twice in the last month, something like alien plants have targeted people he's been aware of. And this park has been a hot spot for plant monsters in the last year. So he's extended just the faintest shred of his power -- draining the faintest bit of energy from the environment around him, just barely enough to get a taste of the directions that energy is moving in. A single shade darker than things ought to be. A hundredth part of a degree cooler. Weak enough for even a normal animal to shrug it off, a normal human neither to be affected nor to notice something tried to.

Only watching, silently and in hiding, for any hint of that energy changing.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
With the weather getting cooler, Ikiko Hisakata has taken to making sure the stray dogs around Tokyo have at least a couple of decent meals each week. Today had brought her around to the park, visiting the strays that frequent the more obscure corners.

Feeding time had gone well, and now she's wandering around, enjoying the evening air with things being simple and calm. The late autumn look of the park is nice, too: gentle branches framing the setting sun, some evergreen shrubs providing a splash of steadfast color, a young Device User that she's met before, the park lights starting to turn on as the light dims...

...wait, what was that previous one?

There's a bit of a double-take, then the older girl smiles. "Hi, Yuuki-chan!" Ikiko calls out, waving and heading in the direction of the younger girl. "How are you doing?"

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro eeps as she quickly turns to see Ikiko heading her way. "Told you it was a bad idea." She whispers to the devices as she raises a hand and waves. "Hi Ikiko-senpai!" She smiles a little as she looks around and gets ready. "Ummm Good to see you. I'm alright. I was just going to do a little training. The park has a lot of space. More then trying to do it on the rooftops." She smiles a little and holds her wrist and the device quietly.

< This one already knows that you are a mage and that I can speak. Why are you worried? > The Device speaks to her mind again as though she's over reacting.

She sighs, < Because I didn't want to worry anyone! > She thinks back to the device before continuing. "Ummm, You can watch or join in if you want I guess. I will have to change though in a few."

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata smiles and nods. "Plenty of space, and not a lot of people," she agrees. "I think I'll watch to start, but I might join in for training."

She's not fully sure what the younger girl plans on doing for training, but it should be informative for both of them. Besides, if a sparring partner or competition buddy is needed, well... that's an excellent reason for a certain wolfgirl to help out!

Ikiko clambers onto a nearby bench, sitting on its back in a 'relaxed, yet ready to react' posture. "Ready when you are!" she calls encouragingly.

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro takes a nervous breath. "Okay Shining Star. I think we can do this." She takes a deep breath. "Shining Star, Set Up!" Its not a full henshin that takes place. The only thing that changes is the bracelet becoming a full on staff. "Okay lets do this. Magical Radiant! BARRIER!"

"Setting up!" The device states as it changes modes to staff mode. Then it switches to stand by until the spell is called out. "Barrier." The now large yellow sphere set in a violet star glows bright with the words written in what looks like english. Yuuki twirls the staff and brings the bottom down onto the ground. "Focus Sister. Do not force the magic. Let it flow from you. Its not something that should physically harm you."

Yuuki holds onto the staff and at first she is trying to force the magic but, then at Shining Star's words, She calms down. Beneath her a Midchildan magical circle spins. Suddenly the barrier extends out from her. Muting the colors of everything as it goes. Out and out much stronger then the last one. Before long Much of the park is enveloped in this darkened half hemisphere of magic. She exhales softly and smiles as she looks around. "I did it!"

She looks over at Ikiko. "Sorry this is my second time making a barrier. Anyone who isn't touched by magic can't see anything going on inside the barrier. The people who are around won't notice us or anything!"

Kunzite has posed:
Well, almost all the people who are around. After all, it's the nature of the nonmagical to be outside the little quasi-extradimensional pocket.

And then there are the exceptions. Yuuki herself. Ikiko, whose lupine heritage protects her.

That flare of white over there among the trees.

Kunzite's familiar with the feel of a barrier being erected, of the way it changes the energy flows in the area; he lets that wash over him, sieve those who turn away from magic out, without rejecting it or pulling away. A barrier's an interesting sign, but it could still be, say, Madison Perry; he felt her establish one once, when she went after Sailor V...

... but that's Ikiko, there; the distance makes it harder to recognize her, but darkness is no barrier at all. And the other's certainly too small to be Madison Perry. Kunzite leaps down from his branch in a flare of white cape, and crosses the distance between himself and the pair of girls on foot. Taking a little time to arrive might reassure whoever it is that he's not on his way in to stab them.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
It's not the first time Ikiko's been in a barrier, but it is the first time she's been in one as Ikiko. "That's a useful magic!" she nods. "And I'm sure you'll get better as you practice!"

For a moment she thinks on the difference between external channeling of magic and magically enhancing innate traits, but her thoughts are interrupted by a flare of white and a familiar arrival. "Hi, Kunzite!" she calls as she waves to him. "Just watching a friend do some magic practice." The fact that she knows him should help reassure Yuuki, and giving a brief explanation of what's going on should reassure him.

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro smiles and nods, "Yes. Shining Star has been teaching me stuff. I learned a lot about her. And a good bit about my Daddy too! Its all a little overwhelming. Like my daddy wasn't from Earth! He came from a different planet and a different dimension. Which makes me half alien?" She blushes a little.

Quickly the girl turns around as someone is addressed. The young girl has her staff in hand just in case. Not like she is really ready to start casting but its still an idea. She looks at the man curiously. She's never seen him before. How would she know if he is good or bad. What she does know is that he has been touched by magic. How else would he be inside the barrier?!

"Range Mode." The staff quickly goes through a change shifting into a bow with a beam of energy as a string.

"What the! Shining Star what is this!?" She asks curiously as she looks at the now Bow former staff. "Well... She did say she could do different modes."

Kunzite has posed:
Nothing in his hands -- that's a good sign as far as Device users' evaluations go, isn't it? Uniform in grays and whites, saved from monochrome by the deep red-brown lining of his cape and, to a lesser extent, the grayed-blue gleam of the cabochons on the brooches holding it in place. That's about all that keeps him from looking like a too-tall approaching ghost.

Kunzite halts a little away, and bows a silent greeting to Ikiko, then to Yuuki. There's a moment's pause before he inclines his head gravely to Yuuki's bow as well.

It would probably help if he said anything at this juncture. Anything at all. Does that actually happen? Nope. Sorry, Ikiko.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Well, looks like it's time for a mutual acquaintance to break the ice and sink any misconceptions that were floating on it. "Kunzite, this is Yuuki Oshiro and her Device, Shining Star; Yuuki-chan, Shining Star, this is Kunzite, a friend of my girlfriend and I," Ikiko says, smiling to both parties. She scoots over on the park bench, implicitly offering a seat to Kunzite, and glances over at Yuuki in case the young Device User attacks out of sheer nervousness.

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro blinks a few times. She's got no intention of attacking anyone. Her posture shows that. She's just stunned that her device just turned into something that is definitely a weapon. "I umm. Hi. Sorry. I didn't. Shining Star did it!" She states. That ought to work just about as well as telling the teacher that her cat clawed up her homework.

"Standby." The almost british sounding english speaking voice rings out. Energy forming the string vanishes from the bow but it still is arched. With that the device stays silent. Just waiting until Yuuki is ready to continue.

"Thank you Shining Star." She looks at Kunzite and bows politely. "A pleasure to meet you. You're really tall." She states as she looks up and up and up! "I like your hair though!" She giggles. "I was just getting ready to practice. I didn't want to disturb anyone."

Kunzite has posed:
"Then you should be commended for showing the appropriate caution and care for your partner." Yes, Kunzite says that, not to Yuuki, but to Yuuki's bow. He inclines his head to it again, expressionless and grave, before turning to join Ikiko ... well. More or less. He doesn't actually seat himself beside her. He takes up a place beside the park bench instead, leaving a little space; his left hand rests just on the end of its back.

"Thank you for introducing us," he says to Ikiko from there. And then, at last, directly to Yuuki: "You'll find that this park gets a good deal of attention, one way and another. That makes it a good place to practice in some respects, since people are used to the noise. But it does mean that you may encounter something else in progress, or more people who notice you than you were expecting. As for me -- I was only here to check whether a certain sequence of incidents might be about to continue here, and I didn't see any sign of it tonight; and the young lady seems pleased enough to see you. So it seems you haven't disturbed anyone at all."

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
If her canine ears were more visible as Ikiko, they'd be perking up about now; instead, she settles for an inquisitive headtilt. "Does this have anything to do with what happened last night...?" she asks in a murmur, then slightly shakes her head and looks at Yuuki.

"So! Other than the barrier, what were you planning on practicing?" Ikiko inquires.

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro blinks "What happened last night? Did anyone get hurt?" She looks authentically worried. Which for a such a young girl, a complete novice is actually surprising. She winces a little as she listens in. Quietly he She looks around and just quietly begins to think.

When she's addressed again, she smiles softly, "Okay Umm. Well, Shining Star is going to run the first training program for me. My daddy... When he was sick. He set up Shining Star for me. He knew I'd find it. Its really cool. So I'm being taught about magic and stuff." She looks at her device and gives a little sigh. "Shining Star, run Lesson One."

The device begins glowing, "Setting Up."

Suddenly a dark cloud begins forming right in the middle of the park. It begins glowing, swirling. A pair of glowing red eyes form on it and an eerie voice begins speaking... "Yuuki... YUUKI... You know you can't hide it. It is there. It will always be there. I WILL be there. You can't escape me. You can't escape what you are. A scared little girl. You were better off without friends. Go back to your silence."

The girl hears the voice alright and it shows. This thing is scaring the hell out of her. She is pale and shaking. "Shining Star? Why this?! This is the first lesson, I'm... I'm not ready!"

Kunzite has posed:
"Someone at one of Seishou Public's more ... fringe ... clubs got hold of an unusual plant specimen and tried to grow it," Kunzite answers Yuuki. He'll get around to Ikiko's answer. It flows easier that way than the reverse. "Unfortunately, the plant in question was a survivor of an invasion early last summer -- alien plants that consume the energy of the worlds they land on, destroying the world in the process. What was done to stop them should have annihilated them all; this one must have been protected somehow. One single specimen couldn't do too much damage, and there was someone with healing abilities on hand to tend to the primary victim. It still took out a good part of a wall at Seishou."

He gestures out to indicate the park as a whole. "There were a few attacks here, last summer, and a good number of the plants growing. So I came to check and make sure there weren't any other incidents about to happen."

And then the lesson begins, and Kunzite falls silent. That's the girl's challenge. And for all it's not testing what she'd have expeced -- it may well be testing the right thing

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata listens to what Kunzite has to say, a somewhat grim expression on her face. Definitely something to ask about, but at a later time. For now, it's time for Yuuki's lesson--

--and the first one appears to be on courage. Something that everyone has to face on their own, in their own way.

(Still doesn't stop her from trying to out-glare the eyes, her hackles raised and a nigh-inaudible growl uttering from her lips, though.)

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
"You aren't ready for this. You will never be. You are a coward. Just leave. No one will think less of you." From nowhere a bolt of magic goes flying and strikes Yuuki sending her flying backwards. "See? Poor little Yuuki, So sad about the loss of her daddy. Show us what a little crybaby you are." Another blast of magic begins building.

Yuuki hits the ground and begins tearing up. This is very much too much for her. She forces a smile through her tears. Its the lesson she was taught by her mom. She smiles through the pain as she gets up.

The magical blast goes flying hitting her and knocking her back down. "Do you really think that will work? This isn't a game, girl. This is real and you will really be destroyed if you try to hide behind a silly little smile. Fight or run." The dark voice snaps. "You are nothing but a scared little girl. Your father would be ashamed of you. He IS ashamed of you. Run home and cry in your pillow."

The young girl is hit and goes flying again. Dang does that hurt! She stays down for a moment. Then the creature mentions her father. She is crying but no smiling this time. She gets to her feet. "Barrier Jacket." She states. Everything goes dark around the girl Stars begin falling all around as violet light shines around her. Her clothing vanishes only to be replaced by her elegant robed dress.

As the light show ends. "You could have had me. I almost left but you made one mistake. You said my daddy would be ashamed. My daddy is not ashamed of me! He is proud of me. I am done pretending. No more of that!" She quickly brings the bow in front of her. "Radiant Magical!" The magical circle forms under her as she lifts off the ground spinning around ones and drawing back pure energy. "Shooting Star!!!" She speaks and Shining Star echos her spell. A blast of magical energy is launched. It takes the form of a giant star and slams into the Fear creature.

Kunzite has posed:
That first flare of magic is enough for Kunzite to extend his power again --

-- but just a tiny bit. No more than it was in the trees. No more than Shining Star would utilize for a scan: he's reading the amount of energy going into those bolts, calculating their impact. Making certain that Yuuki won't truly be harmed by them.

Physically, anyway.

Apart from that, he remains still and silent; his expression's fallen to a tight, controlled frown, and stays there. The park bench shows about as much reaction as he does.

Even when Yuuki draws her armor about herself, and claims her weapon at last.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko's knuckles go white as she grips the park bench in an effort to keep herself from launching forward. She very much wants to leap forward to defend, to protect one who she sees as a packmate of sorts... but no matter how much support you have, the one that has to overcome fear is yourself.

So she stays on the bench, permitting herself only a near-feral grin of satisfaction when Yuuki channels her courage into her magic.

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
"Do you really think you can so easily defeat me! I am the sum of all you fear. I am the one thing you can never escape. No smiling. No moment of bravado can stop me. You can never really win against me. You've tried before." The cloudy visage of a yuuma begins reforming. Now on the ground. Not as a cloud this time. No. That of a familiar looking girl. "Maybe this will make it clear to you. I am what you've been through. I am the monster you see in the mirror." The dark doppleganger states as it winds up and sends a blast of magic at her.

Yuuki is ready this time. "Light Shield!" She calls out and Shining Star echos. That round magical circle forms and glows brilliantly around her hand as it soaks up the incoming attack. "You don't get it. I don't need to beat you! I don't have to! You're a part of me and Even if I don't like it, I need you."

"You need to seal it. This is your fear in monster form. Only you can finish this. Say Sealing Mode. Call out what it is. For now use the Serial Number 42. Then cast the spell." The device speaks aloud. This is still a lesson after all.

.The young girl nods and looks at the creature. "Sealing mode!" The device shifts back to staff mode with a slight variation in the star. "Serial 42. SEAL!" She points the staff at the creature and it is quickly wrapped up in magic forcing it into the shape of a small gemstone. She touches the device to the weird stone and it simply vanishes. After all, its not a real entity.

Kunzite has posed:
No reaction; not so much as a change of expression, or a shift in the rate of Kunzite's breathing. He's only watching. Nothing else at all.

Not until the device is done speaking. Not until Yuuki has echoed its instructions. Not until the gemstone vanishes.

Even then, all he says -- and it doesn't sound particularl concerned -- is, "Are you all right? Physically?"

She probably is. Nine-year-olds are resilient. But getting knocked flast ... someone can always land wrong.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata finally releases her grip and hops down from the bench, taking a moment to cool off her adrenaline. "Great job, Yuuki-chan!" she beams once she finally convinces the small fragment of wolf in her soul that no, we do not need to go into combat.

Although, a sealing mode...

She makes a mental note to ask Shining Star about that later. Having another person who can lock down hazardous items, even as a temporary measure, could be helpful!

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro drops to her knees and just pants in exhaustion. She is clinging tight to the staff as though someone might try to take it. Her body trembles a little. It was a very difficult lesson. Facing her fears in a form she's only seen in her worst nightmares. Its something that will stick with her. As Kunzite addresses her and asks her. "I'm okay. I will probably have a few bruises but its okay. If that were real it could have done much worse I think." She frowns and shutters.

Then there is the kind words from Ikiko. She looks up to her and blushes. "Thank you. That was really scary. Of all the things that I thought might be my first lesson, I didn't think it would be that." She frowns.

"End of Training Lesson One. Grade: A. You were placed in an unexpected situation and found the enemy was yourself. In such a situation anyone would hesitate and be shaken. It is how you face yourself and your fears that makes you a proper mage. I apologize but your father was clear in the creation of this program that I should not prepare you for it."

Kunzite has posed:
"Necessary," Kunzite says, matter-of-fact still. "I suspect that the lesson's creator was aware that you'd have to face that at some point -- and while you were least prepared now, better that than believing you were prepared and discovering you were wrong."

And if she were to fail ... better now. Much better now.

Ikiko's orders of magnitude better at offering reassurance than he is. But at least he can catch on enough not to say that part out loud.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata helps Yuuki to her feet and gives her a hug. "It's a good first lesson," she agrees. "Having friends around helps, but there's always going to be a time when you have to face your fears on your own. And now you'll be able to face them with more courage!"

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro smiles a little. "That was my dad. My daddy created Shining Star. He set her up for himself. He loved to learn. He loaded her up with A bunch of magical spells and stuff so he could continue to learn. When he found out he was sick, He scanned me and set Shining Star up to teach me about magic and stuff." She blushes a little. "I don't understand a lot of it."

She looks at Ikiko and nods. "My momma told me to just smile and hide what was going on inside. That eventually I would just not have to fake it anymore. I guess that isn't really true huh." She smiles. "I never thought I'd have to face it like this."

Kunzite has posed:
"Sometimes what your mother told you helps in getting through the moment," Kunzite says. "Sometimes you need to reach deeper than that. As you did." He inclines his head to the girl, grave. "There are other people with Devices like Shining Star, who might be able to help you learn to understand. Have you met any of them?"

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro nods slowly as she listens to her elder. Well he is! She smiles and nods. "Yes I've met at least one other person who uses a device. We've been working together a little. This is just the first time I've done an actual Lesson that my daddy set up. It was really intense. I think maybe he would have wanted me to be a little older. I did it thuogh!"

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"Well, sometimes things get used when your relatives least expect them," Ikiko noted with a rueful laugh, absentmindedly touching the locket around her neck. "At least yours was intended to be used," she mutters to herself.

She gives a quick shake of her head. "Well, that was definitely a lesson of willpower! There's bound to be lessons of skill as well," the older girl notes.

Kunzite has posed:
"Not that the two are always so different," Kunzite agrees to Ikiko's last comment. He studies Yuuki again, for a few seconds. "Do you want to meet other people who use Devices?" he asks, then. "I don't know so many of them, and some of them are out of contact." Or evil. Or semi-evil but definitely on the Wrong Side. "But it's possible I might be able to reach one or two you don't know."

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro smiles and nods. "That would be fun. Its kinda cool getting to know other magical people. I mean. I am still really new to all of this. I met another person who was magical and stuff just yesterday though her magic is weird. It came from cards that I guess had a mind of their own?"

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata pauses for a moment at the familiar-sounding description. "I think I know who you're talking about," she finally nods to Yuuki. "Been a while since I was in touch with her; hope she's been doing alright!"

Kunzite has posed:
That makes one of them. Kunzite opens a hand to Ikiko, and shakes his head a little. "I'll put the word out in Virtue," he says to Yuuki, "that you practice here sometimes -- Virtue is the name of a group of people who share information to try to help people." He hesitates for a moment. "I won't give your name. That seems a little much."

Minimize the risk of people descending en masse on a nine-year-old's doorstep: check.

"But I'll ask them to look out for you."

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro smiles, "She is really sweet. She's going to be a good friend. I offered to help her with her search when I can." She giggles a little bit. "She is reallly excitable!" She laughs. That one is definitely true concerning Sakura.

Her attention shifts to Kunzite and she nods with a smile. "Okay. Umm. Thats kinda cool! A magical group who works together! Thats so awesome!" She blushes. "I just can't believe this is all real. I mean. I felt things before but this is all just so amazing! i guess I'm still in shock about magic being real and stuff. Let alone me actually using it!"

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"Given how outlandish it seemed the first night I did it, I thought it was a literal dream," Ikiko admits ruefully. Falling on your butt in surprise tends to indirectly prove that something isn't a dream, after all. "But having people to help you learn is always a good thing!"

And having a way of pooling information might be something for Ikiko to look into, as well. Definitely something for her to think about!

Kunzite has posed:
... Sakura is not the only one that Kunzite would count as really excitable. He considers Yuuki; considers Ikiko; then manages somehow not to shake his head, and to turn away a little before his expression has any chance to change. "I'll go and set that in motion, then. Good night to the pair of you."

Escaping before he can contaminate their moods: probably a wise plan.

(Was he that bubbly when he was -- no. No, he's absolutely certain that he didn't behave like that either of the times he was nine. At least he's pleased Yuuki can do so, rather than merely confused.)

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro smiles, "Thank you Kunzite-Sama!" She bows politely as he leaves. "He seems like a really nice person." She smiles a little more before giving a little sigh of relief. "Well at least I got through lesson one. It was really tough."

She looks over at Ikiko and nods, "Yeah I think the reality of it is really starting to hit me." She winces a little. It actually hit her twice! "That was really scary though. I should probably head home soon."

"Sister courage is not being without fear. Its knowing there is something more important. You faced your fear. You will never be without it. But knowing when something is more important is what makes you couragous."

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"Good night, Kunzite!" Ikiko waves as he departs. "He really is," she nods to Yuuki. "Helped my girlfriend and I with a bit of a problem we were facing several months ago."

She gives Shining Star a grin of agreement. "The absence of fear is foolishness, not bravery," she comments. "Bravery is being afraid, but not letting it stop you."

And it is getting late, isn't it? "I should probably be heading home as well," Ikiko adds. "It was nice seeing you again, Yuuki-chan! And maybe we can practice together next time!"

Yuuki Oshiro has posed:
Yuuki Oshiro smiles and nods, "Okay, Until next time!" She gives a little bow and then looks around. "Oh. I guess I need to take down the barrier." Her barrier jacket vanishes being replaced with her normal clothes. The Staff returns to being just a star shaped charm on a bracelet. She closes her eyes. "Radiant Magical!" She smiles and the magic circle appears again. She closes her eyes and the barrier vanishes being replaced with the darker evening sky.

She waves to Ikiko, "Have a good night." With that she hurries home to start dinner and wait for her mama.