View source for 2598/Cookies, peacocks and vampires

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2017/03/26
|Location=Uminari City - Game Center Crown
|Synopsis=Unmei meets and apologizes to Kukai for her behavior, slowly working through the crowds
|Cast of Characters=141,190
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's a cold, rainy Sunday evening in Tokyo, even with as close as it is to spring, winter is still reaching out from time to time off of the water. That being said, the inside of the Crown Arcade is warm and brightly lit for those who wish to take refuge inside. <br /><br /> Kukai Souma is one of those, his heavy jacket a sign of the weather over the past few days. He's sitting in the cafe, nursing a diet soda and the last of a large order of french fries, sharing them with Daichi and staring at the window outside. He is a man with something obviously on his mind...

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama is a woman with, well... who is feeling a LOT more confident. Sorta. Well, kinda. Not really. She's feeling a bit better. Of course, she peeped into the arcade before walking in, looking left and right. She didn't want to accidentally run into Eilam or that scary lady again.<br /><br /> Instead, her eyes settled on the Kukai-monster. Her eyes glimmered for a moment, then she shook her head. No, remember what Kun said. She took a long, slow breath before nervously stepping inside. She got a few looks, of course. She'd caused enough trouble to know she was on a short leash here. But they were forgiving, at least. Slowly she made her way over and... "Heyyyy... Kukai. Mind if we chat?" she asked, stopping a bit away from him. A respectable distance.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai is so lost in his own mind it takes him a second to react to the fact that someone's said his name. He starts and looks over, seeing Unmei staring at him, and connects the words to her voice. "Uh. Well. You're not going to tackle me and try kissing me, are you? Or steal my food? Or... whatever else was going on?" <br /><br /> He leans back, examining her. "You do look better at least. Where's your little shoulder jerk? Pen?"

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama shook her head. "N-no. I'm not going to be doing any of that any more. At... at all..." she mumbled, sitting across from him. Her eyes were lowered to the ground and she crossed her arms, kind of hugging herself. <br /><br /> "Pen is... Pen is gone. So are my powers. Well, most of them.. I'm not a... magical girl anymore. Mamo and Kun have been taking care of me. Keeping me... safe." There was an odd way she said that. "Kun... talked to me. Too. About... things." <br /><br /> She sighed and slowly looked up at him. "I'm... really sorry about all I did. Both to you and your girl friend. I'll... I... I just wanted to say it won't happen again. I won't ever... ummmm... attack you. Like that. Again. I'm sorry."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai arches an eyebrow, then huhs. "At all, huh? That's... that's maybe for the best, Unmei." He leans over, pushing out a seat with one foot for her so she can sit down. <br /><br /> Kukai rubs his chin. "Well... I hate the idea that you had to go through that, and that you're not magical anymore, but I'm glad you've got someone taking care of you. Especially Mamoru and Kazuo." He doesn't exactly know what there is to talk about, but hey. <br /><br /> He leans in, staring into Unmei's eyes, then reaches over and pats her hand. "I accept your apology. You'll have to apologize to Nadeshiko yourself, but I imagine she'll accept it. I appreciate it. And.. if that sort of thing was the cost of your powers, it might be better if you didn't have them."

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama nodded slowly and her hand reached down to her side, gently grasping the pen. She then nodded. "It... it likely is. I... wasn't myself when I was like that. Though..." She sighed. "Losing it hurt. A lot. It was probably the... worst experience I ever felt. If Kun and Mamo hadn't been there, if they hadn't helped me..." She shook her head. <br /><br /> "I'd have gone back to Eclipse in a heart beat. But they... helped me. Made sure I had the things I needed. So... I'm free now. And I'm sorry I hrut you. I'm sorry I hurt so many people. But I'm mostly better now..."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai nods. "You didn't act like yourself. Or like anybody. More like anything. It was awful. ...I know it must've hurt, though. I'm sorry. And yeah. If anybody had to be there, I'm glad it was them." <br /><br /> Kukai frowns and then shakes his head. "I hope I'm never put in that situation. I don't ever want to think that Eclipse is the source of my solutions. They're awful. I'm glad Mamoru and Kazuo were able to help you. That's good." He sighs and rubs his eyes for a moment. "So what are you doing now? Apologizing to everyone?"

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama nodded. "Yeah. I have a lot of people to apologize to. You, your girlfriend, about half the people at school, my girl friend, eilam... I guess I mostly just have school, your girl friend and... this blue haired girl I attacked." <br /><br /> She groaned and covered her face. "I hate this. I was such a horrible person, you know? I'm better now, but it's not like... 'hey, turns out gluttony is a heck of a drug. We cool, right?' just makes everything better...."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai chuckles and then sits up. "It's ok. In the long run it won't turn out to be such an awful thing. Most people will forgive you easily. And it'll make you look better to everyone you apologize to." <br /><br /> Kukai shrugs. "I dunno. It's not exactly like you're the first person I've known who's had a flirtation with dark energy. Or anything else like that. You're fine, really. I know not everybody will get that, but I don't mind." He sighs. "I've had my own recent exploration with it, to be honest. And I've got much worse things on my mind."

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama cocked her head to the side. "Really? Worse things? Anything I can help with, or is it more a... 'Welp, this is a the world may need magical people to deal with it' kind of thing? Cause like... yeah. No powers. I'm now just a pretty face." <br /><br /> She blinked and her cheeks turned red. "I... I guess now I'm just Yuzu's love interest. It's so romantic. I'll be in danger one day and then she'll come out of nowhere and rescue me and then hold me in her arms and tell me I'm beautiful..."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai shakes his head. "Magical things. We figured out what the damn clowns that attacked Nagihiko and Nadeshiko were, but now they're both maybe running on a time limit and I have to find the clowns to save them. I am not gonna be worth killing at the end of this." <br /><br /> Kukai watches Unmei for a moment, then laughs. "Oh man. Well hey, I'm sure that's more likely if you're not trying to gnaw her lips off. And does she think you're beautiful now?"

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama turned so, so red. "She... she thought I was beautiful... every time," she whispers, her cheeks flaming as her gaze lowered. "I can't believe it, honestly. Back home no one would give me the time of day. Yet... yet she treats me like a princess. Like the most beautiful princess in the world. It's so... wonderful. She got me things on valentines day. I've NEVER gotten anything on valentines day. Well, except the chocolates that the teachers were all 'you have to give everyone one, blah blah blah," she muttered, rolling her eyes. <br /><br /> "Yeah, I just... I don't know what I did to deserve someone so wonderful. Wait, time limit? What do you mean, time limit? Is something bad going to happen to them? Going to turn into a pumpkin or something?" she joked.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai grins as Unmei blushes and then leans forward, listening to the description. "Nobody? Looking like you do? I don't believe it, honestly. And yeah, she thinks you're amazing, obviously. Which is a good thing." <br /><br /> Kukai leans back. "Wait. Nobody ever got you anything on Valentine's Day? Come on, that's hard to believe. I mean. Besides the obligatory chocolates." <br /><br /> Kukai sighs and then looks to one side. "....Well. One might vanish into nothingness, and the other one might end up a certified reclusive basketcase because of it. So yeah. 'Bad'."

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama twitched a few times at that. Tears welled up in her eyes. "No one. Not even a... a single n-nugget or... or a note. Half the time they... they didn't even spell my name right on the letters they gave to everyone. My family's last name wasn't... wasn't easy." She looked like she was going to start crying. She covered her face for a few moments with a hand, taking deep, slow breaths. <br /><br /> "I didn't... used to look like this. I didn't used to be like this. I used to be... disgusting and horrible and ugly and useless and incapable of doing anything right. That's... that's why I took the magic. Because it made me someone. It made me... a person." <br /><br /> She took a long, slow breath before glancing up. "You... wouldn't understand. You're hot. Like, super hot. But I... wasn't. And people who aren't... who look... who were like me, we weren't... special." She sighed and shook her head. "My magic changed me. Permanently, it seemed. Or at least, it altered my form enough so... even with new magic, I look like... how I am supposed to be. I guess." <br /><br /> Then paused. "Wait, vanish into nothingness? That... sounds... not so good."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai arches an eyebrow. He's pretty sure Unmei's tearful admissions meant that at some point in the past Unmei's name hadn't been Unmei Tama. But that's a story for another time. He pats her hand again, then reaches down, pushing the remainder of the french fries towards her. <br /><br /> Kukai hmms and then nods as she talks. "I guess I can understand that. Wanting to be somebody important. But I think you were a person before. I dunno what to say. I'm glad you were able to keep that, though." <br /><br /> Kukai shrugs. "I wasn't born super hot. I work at staying in good shape and I say no to a lot of things I'd like to have. And a lot of people say they aren't special, but they are, in the long run. They just have to understand who they are, what makes them special." He sighs and then nods. "I guess the magic helped you quite a bit, which is good. You paid a high price for it, though." <br /><br /> Kukai just... sighs. "Yeah. Look. If anybody ever says the words 'Clow Cards' to you, turn and run the other direction. They're not worth the effort."

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama blinked a few times. "Cloud cards? What, are they some kind of weather magic thing?" she asked, looking confused. <br /><br /> She then blinked and shook her head. "Oh. No. Really. I wasn't. I was just..." She clenched her fist and nudged the fries back. "I can't eat these. I'm sorry. Right now I just... can't. Eat things like that. It makes me sick. And I wasn't a person. I... wanted to be a person. So bad. But I wasn't. I was just... a tool. For those around me. For my... mother..." Her nails dug into her palm. "Just... something for her to hurt and... control and... K-kun helped me. He's... he's shown me. Helped me understand that... that what happened to me, I didn't deserve. That it wasn't my fault. And I will never, ever go back." She shuddered. "Because, no matter the cost that Eclipse asked from me... what I was paying before was so, so, so much worse..."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai shakes his head. "No. Clow is the guy who made them. And it's all sorts of craziness. Don't.. just remember to try to not get involved with them." <br /><br /> He nods and pulls the fries back, still listening to her. "Maybe it was the other people around you not treating you like a person. And... yup." He shakes his head. "I'm sorry about your mother being like that. And I'm glad Kazuo's been able to help you. And no, you didn't deserve anything like that. And you don't have to go back." <br /><br /> He sighs and then shakes his head. "...I'm sorry, Unmei."

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama nodded. "Right. Clow. I'll keep an eye out. No magic of my own anymore though, so doubt I could do much." <br /><br /> She then sighed. "It... wasn't just my mother. It was everyone. But... she was just... the worst. Kun is helping me. Making me understand that things aren't like that. He's so amazing." She paused. "Don't... tell him this, but like... i know he's not much older than me. But I can't help but sometimes feel like... he's a dad... or something... to me. He gives off that... feeling a lot. It's weird..."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai nods. No magic, so yeah, she couldn't do much. "Everyone was... like that? That's awful. I'm sorry.." He rubs his head, listening, suddenly not sure if he can mentally manage it much longer. "Well... no, I won't say anything to him." He laughs. "I've always called him Wall-Kun, because he was a big supportive silent brick, to me. He's always going to give you good advice, though. I've never gone wrong, listening to him." <br /><br /> Kukai mmphs and then goes for his soda again - nothing left except the sound of sucking. "Awww." Daichi flits up and peers down the straw. "All gone.."

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama nodded. "Yeah, I got beaten up a lot. Being the weird kid sucked," she muttered. She then gave another shrug. "Though, honestly? I'm beginning to suspect that place wasn't exactly the norm and maybe it was just a really awful place. More and more people here have found out about my past and they're actually... nice. And supportive. It's kind of weird, you know?" she said with a shrug. <br /><br /> "And Yuzu knows everything. And we still kissed and cuddled and she let me stay over at her place for a few days and we talked and played games and it was soooo awesome." She then blinked. "And Kun talked to me about the whole... kissing people thing. So I won't do it without permission."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai frowns and then stretches. "Yeah. I think it was really just an awful place. Most people are kind and supportive, no matter what's going on. Don't worry. It'll be ok." <br /><br /> Kukai grins and then nods. "Good. Not that you're not a good kisser, but it's really bad to do that without permission." He yawns, then shakes his head, rubbing the bags growing under his eyes. "Ok. I want to stay here and keep looking for the Twins but I am unable to remain upright much longer. I gotta go to bed and hope for better luck tomorrow. See you around, I hope?" He stands up, looking down at Unmei.

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama nods. "Y-yeah. I ummm... I'll walk with you a bit back, okay?" she said with a nervous smile. "If that's okay?" She nervously got up and... "err... can we have a good bye hug? Sorry. I won't kiss you. I just... kind of want to be your friend now. That I'm... better. And... I think you're really cool, Kukai... please tell your girl friend to call me or come by. So I can... apolize in person. If that's okay. Please."
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