View source for 566/If Fishes were Wishes

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/11/11
|Location=Mitakihara/Pikarigaoka - King Penguin Park
|Synopsis=Amu, Reiko, and Tadase all meet at Penguin Park for their own reasons, and talk a little about what it means to be a Magical Girl, as well as the possibility of Reiko and Amu joining Virtue.
|Cast of Characters=62, 66, 85
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's getting colder, as November wears on, and students the city over are turning to warmer clothes. For Amu Hinamori, this tends to mean whatever her mother bundles her in, and today that is a jean skirt and tall red-and-white striped christmas stockings, loosely tied boots, and a thick hoodie in black and white with red stripes covering it. She has her hair pulled back into short pigtails, bound up with a pair of X-shaped black clips.<br /><br />"See?" Amu says quietly to one of the pair of charas floating over her shoulder. The blue-haired one has a pad of paper in her hand and a pencil as large as she is. "I'm sorry, Miki, but there really aren't penguins here."<br /><br />"Awwww," Miki replies, clearly unhappy. "Why did they call it penguin park, then?"<br /><br />Meanwhile, the other little chara, dressed in park, is zipping around the whole park with periodic returns to Amu, a pair of pom-poms in her hands. "There's a slide shaped like a penguin!" Ran reports to Miki.<br /><br />Amu nods her agreement with the pinker chara. "Exactly," she says, then smiles apologetically at Miki. "It's just named for the playground; someone thought it'd be a good idea. If you'd like we can go see it. There's an igloo and all kinds of little fake penguins, there."<br /><br />"Do they look like real penguins?" Miki asks hopefully, as Amu starts in that direction.<br /><br />"Sure, real enough," Amu says cheerfully. "They're just not perfect. But they will probably do until we can get you to an aquarium or a zoo."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama was dressed unusually to those who saw her regularly, a red dress.. with a bow on the back, and a shorter skirt. It looked more at home on a teenager, but also made her look a little older and refined in the process. She sighed and smoothed the outfit out as she thought about a few things Hiroko said--- and what that lady said in the store still kind of haunted her....<br /><br />'So, you <span style="color:orange">finally</span> brought a friend, Hiroko-chan!?'.<br /><br />Said with such surprise! Did Hiroko really do things without friends!? And--- and why did she care so much about the bully. It caused her to grate her teeth a little. It mad her want to yell at her mean girl squad to be better friends and--- lots of other confusing feelings. There were other things there but her head was just a vauge mess of thoughts about it.<br /><br />She was walking by the park as she peeked into it---and past it to the botanical gardens. Ahhh---Koi pond! Yesssss! She could go feed the koi. She beams and wiggles her fists in the air. That always got her mind set right! -- thusly, a little tiny koi appeared and started to follow her around /also/ apparently excited. Until she came upon Amu- mid path- almost running her over in her exictment! She peers between Amu's two Charas and then back to Amu and blinks!<br /><br />"I've saw someone with one before! But two!?" she says. "Do--do you wanna be twins!? I mean. That's how. That works!? right!?" she asks! "I mean. You wanna be something and then they are the thing!" she says excitedly.<br /><br />She doesn't understand how this thing works- someone explained it to her once and it got all jumbled!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Amu comes to a complete and sudden stop as she nearly bowls straight into poor Reiko. Arm-flailing and one-leg-up balancing result in her managing to stay aright, though there are many strange noises of concern! "Wahh!"<br /><br />Miki snickers in amusement, and Ran cheers for Amu's ability to retain her balance on her own. "Good job, Amu-chan!"<br /><br />Amu tunes it out because, "You can see them!?" But then, there is also a flying fish out and visible, and that is certainly not normal. "... wait, your Chara is a fish!? You want to be a fish!?" Yep, confusion abounds.<br /><br />Recovered, Amu backs up, then finally puts two and two together to make seven. "Wait, no, I don't want to be twins. I just ..." she trails off, then glances at Miki and Ran. "I've got two. Well actually three, but the third hasn't hatched, yet."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama has seen a maxium of two and that's more than she's ever seen! Three may not be wow-worthy to her now, but she taps her chin. "Three!? So you wannt be TRIPLETS then!" she says splaying her hands out!------<br /><br />"---wait that doens't sound right." she says tapping her chin. Wait. what!?<br /><br />"Oh!... um. That's not. a---um. Whatever your thing is. That's my orange koi friend!" she beams. "Well. Friends. They come and go! Usually when I'm happy n' stuff. Sometime's other times. They're the thing I associate with my favorite color!" she beams! "Orange!" she says.<br /><br />She doesn't explain why that's important.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As both girls are coming to terms with amazing confusion about Guardian Characters and happy fish, Tadase Hotori sees them in the distance. He waves his hand, but the girls seem to be too busy in their mutual confusion to notice him. This has the effect of causing him to get rather close before either of them notice him. "Koi-san! Hinamori-san!" he says, as he walks up, Kiseki over his shoulder. Tadase, admittedly, doesn't remember Reiko's name. There's no way this could turn around and haunt him again, is there?<br /><br />"I wasn't expecting to see either of you today." he says.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"... Favourite Color ..." Amu replies to Reiko, utterly dumbfounded by the fish. "Oh ... okay?" Yep, she's completely lost on this one. "So you have ... fish when you're happy." She just shakes her head, then decides it's really not important to understand, just now.<br /><br />One thing, however, stands out as obvious: Reiko understands the nature of Magical Girls. "I'm Amu Hinamori," she introduces herself to Reiko. "And this is Ran," the little cheerleader Chara spins in a circle and giggles, "and Miki," and the bluenette fairy hides a little behind her hat, shyly.<br /><br />"Pleased to meet you," Miki says quietly, as Ran flies forward to begin investigating the fish curiously.<br /><br />"We were j--" ust getting interrupted by ~*Tadase*~! Amu turns to regard Tadase, a wide smile on her face that might easily be mistaken for a glare. "Geeze, Tadase-kun, don't you know it isn't nice to sneak up on people who are having a conversation!?"<br /><br />Miki gasps and rushes towards Kiseki excitedly. "Kiseki!" she greets him happily. That little notebook vanishes back into Chara Hammer Space, so that she can properly perform her greeting. Or maybe just to hide whatever she was drawing.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama turns to face Tadase and------blusssssh. Her face is now as red as her dress she begins patting herself----ack! She didn't have her schoolbag! The box was in there!----THE ONE WITH THE ROSE! ARGGGHHHH! Reiko you're a doof! A big dooooof! she thinks.<br /><br />Hiroko has given her exactly one less on elegance and that's looking the part. That new red dress is elegant, and makes her look more older and refined somehow! However, that's the only lesson.<br /><br />"HiTadase-kunhowareyouareyouwell!?" she blurts out suddenly and fast.<br /><br />Oh---smoooooth. That means that blush doesn't begin to fade even a little.<br /><br />Two more koi appear around her and all three coyly blush before dissapearing into a pop of orange.<br /><br />Whelp, Tadase's boned! Though who can blame him!? He only met her once! (Then she became ifatuated.) and it was also while he was going to pass out because Metriodealy.<br /><br />She does peek at Miki experimentally- wait is she an artist of some sort!? Did she have a sketchbook. "What where you drawing?" she asks. and head tilts. Still blusssssssshing. -,-;<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase laughs. "I tried not to sneak up on you. I guess you girls were busy talking. I tried waving and everything." he adds. "I hope I'm not interupting anything."<br /><br />Reiko blurts out her response and it takes him a moment to slow it down in his head so he can respond. "I'm doing fine, thank you. You look nice, Koi-chan. Are you going somewhere?" he says. Since this isn't how she dressed at all last time, it seems only reasonable for him to compliment her and ask the function. This also will not go wrong.<br /><br />Kiseki floats over. "Hello, loyal subjects!" he says to Ran and Miki. "I'm sure Miki was drawing someone with impeccable poise and a dashing smile. Me." Kiseki says, when people inquire what Miki could be drawing.<br /><br />"Kiseki, not everything is about you." Tadase says. Kiseki ignores this.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Actually," Miki says with a faint blush at her cheeks. She pulls out the sketchpad, and shows off a nearly perfect interpretation of Kiseki, standing proud as he points his hand towards the clouds. "I drew this last night. I thought you might want it," she says, tearing the page out and offering it to Kiseki. There is a brief flash of the next page: another drawing of Kiseki? And maybe Miki as well? There's blue hair and a blue cape at least, but Miki hides that sketch very quickly by closing the notebook.<br /><br />"Yeah," Amu chimes in for her chara, "it turns out Miki is a really talented artist. I'm really impressed with how well she captures what she's looking at."<br /><br />Ran cheers, "Yayyy!" and rushes off to join Kiseki and Miki, then stands up straight.<br /><br />"Ran, on the other hand," Amu continues, "is mostly an annoying cheerleader, with all the trappings you might expect." There is a sigh of frustration, but she banishes it quickly. "We were just heading over to the playground so Miki could practice drawing some penguins. You're welcome to join us."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama beams! "Oh! I'm an artist too!" she says. "We should practice sometimes soon together!" she says pointedly as she wags a finger. "Oh!---um. I don't have...my sketchbook with me..." she mumbles. Because if she had her sketchbook on her she'd also have that STUPID ROSEBOX Agggghhhhhh! Whyyyyyyyy now. It's so hard to keep her cool!<br /><br />"Ah! I see...um! I'm a Prism Keeper! I protect color!" she insists as she places her hands on her hips. Okay- her blush is fading a little. That's good. "My name is Reiko Touyama!" she insists. "Koi-chan's okay too I guess as a nickname. Kinda true a guess..." she says- that blush stops fading there as she turns back to Tadase and eyes him. "We-ll! I'm trying to be more elgant for----------" ugh why didn't she start WITH the lie!?<br /><br />"Um! For myself!" she insists, one hand still on-ahip.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kiseki smiles. "This is very good, Miki! I think it properly captures my regal bearing." he says. Tadase sighs, and ignores him.<br /><br />"Ran is just excitable. Maybe that's just further away from how you feel right now? So it seems like a big difference to you." he adds with a smile.<br /><br />"Touyama-san, if you prefer then." he says to Reiko. "Oh, elegance. Elegance is nice, but don't overdo it or you come off looking kinda snooty!" he advises. At a distance, Kiseki makes a 'tch' sound.<br /><br />"Oh, someday you'll have to show me some of your art too, Touyama-san - are you coming to the park with Hinamori-san? I'd like to come too - it's a nice day and I haven't gotten to talk to either of you much lately. Too busy fighting witches and shades and theiving cats."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Tadase-kun!" Amu says in a scolding tone of voice, then turns to regard the younger Reiko with a smile. "I think you look very elegant, no matter what this jerk manages to say." She gives him a brief glare, then starts towards the park, beckoning Reiko with her.<br /><br />"I'm not really much of an artist myself," Amu admits as she heads that direction. "Miki's amazing, and I wish I could be like her--"<br /><br />"-- you can if you try," Miki breaks in.<br /><br />"I know, but I'm not there, right now," Amu counters, exasperated at being interrupted. "And besides, I have a lot of other things I have to work on, too, not to mention the X-Eggs and fighting other evil things." It's hard work being a magical girl. "But I'm sure your art is great, Touyama-chan."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama so good at drawing it came to life!----but even the bad evil bits. She crosses her arms and nods. "Sure! Let's all go together! There's penguins in there!" she insists. "Well fake penguins but yes, penguins!" she says with a grin.<br /><br />She follows along and sort of kicks the dirt a little. "Yeah...lotsa stuff been going on..." she mumbles a lot as she bites her lip. She'd been trying to ignore stuff. Shades and what not as long as she can. She can't keep doing that for forever---besides she hadn't sensed a shade for a long time and Roy hadn't started squawking in her ear yet about it. Maybe Griselda was having down time too? She mumbles a bit....<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase looks at Amu. He's totally confused here. "What, I thought it was good advice." he says. He looks downcast for just a moment - then stops. "I didn't mean any offense, Touyama-san." he says, trying to recover.<br /><br />"I think with Miki it shows that if you put your mind to it you'd be an amazing artist, Hinamori-san. And with Ran, an amazing athlete! It makes me wonder about your third egg."<br /><br />"Yes, lets all go. Miki can draw and we can talk about things. Probably better place to talk about our special issues." he adds, and then he turns to Reiko. "Are you doing okay? I haven't seen one of the Shades in a while, and I'm super-glad to see you today because I was getting a little worried." Reiko, after all, doesn't have a panicphone for Virtue or anything.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Just stick with the compliment and leave the advice alone, next time," Amu tells Tadase with a scowl.<br /><br />When they reach the little playground in the middle of the park, Miki's eyes widen, and she pulls her sketchbook right back out. Ran flies off to play on the playground, leaving Amu a blissful moment of actual peace from her charas.<br /><br />Rather than running off to play, herself, Amu finds a seat on a bench and watches Ran playing. "Yeah, there does seem to have been a lot," she mumbles. "Ran and Miki, and protecting them from Ikuto." Ikuto. What was it with that cat, anyways? "Not to mention," she glances up at the sky. It's not visible now, but the White Flower still looms overhead by night. "Tadase-kun, have you figured out what that thing is in the sky at night?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama sort of head tilts and blushes and merfs. "No---it's okay." she mumbles. "It's just been. Tiring. A bit..." she says softly and follows along. Reiko has the Koi-phone! That is- her smartphone with the koi-casing and koi-charm. She doesn't have anyone's number here. She reminds herself to grab them before she leaves the area today.<br /><br />"I'm okay, really. Yeah. Shades have been kind of absent. We're thinking Griselda got scared when she came out of nowhere and tried to break my chroma crystal...." she mumbles..."And that's bad for me /and/ color...." she says silently.<br /><br />"Do you mean the flower? It's kinda pretty isn't it..?" she asks softly. "If a little sad maybe..." she says softly.<br /><br />"What is it about?" she looks to Tadase expectantly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase seems downcast again as Amu scowls at him. He doesn't actually open up for a moment. But it doesn't last horribly long. But then Reiko talks about Griselda's abscence. "Well, maybe she just backed off when that failed. It'd be nice if the bad guys just... stopped being bad, wouldn't it." Tadase says, hopefully. He knows this isn't a likely scenario, though.<br /><br />Once the reach the playground, Kiseki goes off to bother Ran as well - leaving them all free of non-koi interference.<br /><br />He sighs when the ever-present flower is brought up. "Yeah, we're trying to figure it out. I was there, in one of those big buildings near it. There's a lot more of a mess going on than we thought. A few girls, and they're pretty hostile." Tadase comments. "They're still attacking people, so both of you be careful. I hope we can bring an end to it soon. But, I think we're going to try to reach out... one more time... before we have to get... well, before they don't leave us with any other choice."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Amu makes a face of disapproval at something, but doesn't really explain what. Instead she just huddles up with her hands in the kangaroo pouch of her hoodie, staring at the playground thoughtfully. She doesn't say anything at all for a few moments.<br /><br />"You say 'we'," Amu notes after a few moments, "as if it's more than just you. And I don't think you mean the Guardians of Seiyou." She glances at Tadase leadingly, but doesn't actually ask the question. Instead, she says, "If there's ... anything I can do to help." Because cool as she wants to be, Amu really deep down just wants to help.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama sort of keeps her feelings to herself for a bit. Things are confusing in her head again. "Oh...I see...." she says softly. Her blush is gone at least, right!? So she doesn't look continously embarassed and/or happy and/or thinking LOVELOVE thoughts. She still closes her eyes and thinks. "Well...um. If you need help..call..I guess..." she begins mumbling. Then she stands up and begins to leave.<br /><br />Well. /something/ happened there.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase is about to start explaining things to Amu, explaining that 'we' when Reiko starts to get up to leave, but as she asks him to call if he needs help, he turns to her and smiles as he says "Touyama-chan, I don't know your number! And if I could impose, I'd like you to stay. There's something I kind of wanted to talk to both of you about."<br /><br />Tadade starts in. "I deal with more than just X-Eggs. I work with a group of other magical heroes, and we try to all help each other out, bail each other out of pinches. One of the best things we can have in times of trouble is people we can rely on, and that's what we try to be for each other. It's called Virtue, and it sorta runs out of the Royal Garden, as much as we have a homebase anyways."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Amu shifts her attention from the playing Charas to Tadase, listening to his explanation in silence. "So that's why ..." she murmurs thoughtfully, then makes a noise of quiet approval before leaning back on the bench.<br /><br />"Cool," Amu continues thoughtfully. "Well, I don't know how much help I can be. I'm still figuring out what being a ''magical'' girl really means. And ... taking care of X-eggs is a lot of work. But if I can help Virtue, I will."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama wait!? Of course that's right....grumble...she stops mid walk away----sighhhhhhs deeply in a weird way and turns back around. She doesn't aloofly hairflip because that's not her style but she seems sort down overall now suddenly. What got her goat!? She pulls out her phone a rattles off her number to Tadase and Amu as she keeps it out so she can nab Tadase's.<br /><br />"I dunno...." she mumbles. Yeah, she doesn't know. Not right now at least. "Can I have some time to think it over and talk to Red-chan about stuff?" she asks. It seems Tadase isn't getting her answer right now- even though with that description it should be a no brainer.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase smiles. "That's fine, Koi-chan." he says as he pulls out his phone, grabbing Reiko's number and putting it in. "Please, take your time. I know there's a lot of magical chaos going around right now, but I haven't seen you in a while and I wanted to make sure it was offered." he says to Reiko. He makes sure she gets his number, too. "And this doesn't mean you can't call me if you need help, or advice. Please do, if I can help you at all."<br /><br />He turns to Amu."Sometime soon I should take you to meet my friend, Blue-sama." he says, with a smile. He figures he'll keep Blue's nature as a surprise. "He helps out with Virtue a lot, works with the Pretty Cures." Kiseki and the other Charas keep playing with each other. "Yeah, I know you've got a lot on your plate. I've noticed the X-eggs seem to be growing more numerous - they didn't used to be this common. I think it must be Easter."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>@emit "Easter?" Amu asks distractedly. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knows what Easter is. But that seems less important at the moment. "Sure, we can meet Blue," whoever that is. But right now, "Reiko-chan ..." she starts gently, then frowns and shoots a brief glare at Tadase. "Tadase-kun, can you go make sure Ran isn't getting into too much trouble?" she asks, as she looks back to Reiko.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama puts her phone away when she gets numbers and sighs a bit and deflates even more. "What's an X-egg? And--- Easter...?" she asks as she scratches her head. Yeah these are new terms to her. She peeks back at Tadase then---at Amu?<br /><br />She peeks back and forth between Tadase and Amu. Reiko isn't the brightest bulb- and most of her talent sits on art- but she knows when somethings up- it's p. clear Amu is trying to send Tadase away for a moment.<br /><br />So why?<br /><br />Reiko head tilts confusingly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sometimes small things go over Tadase's head at times, but this isn't one of them. Which means it's obvious to everyone that Amu is trying to get Tadase to duck out for a moment so she can talk to Reiko. But it would also be rude for him to point that out.<br /><br />"Sure, Hinamori-san. I'll make sure they're all okay." he adds, and goes off to seek out Kiseki and Ran, who are likely off playing some game.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Amu smiles a brief thanks to Tadase, then turns back to Reiko thoughtfully. She pats the seat next to her, but only once, then asks, "Reiko-chan, are you okay? You seemed so cheerful a moment ago, and then when I asked Tadase-kun about Virtue ... you got really upset. What's wrong?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama blinks and sits down. "Huh...?" she asks. Then blushes! Erf---is she that outwardly upset? She thought she was keeping her thoughts in her head. Where they belong. She sort of seems taken a-back. "Eh...!? No--it isn't... that..." she mumbles as she crosses her arms...<br /><br />"... um. We have a bully...at school--- that... used to be involved with the game we all played and she used to be a friend- but- she, became a bully n' stuff. But I asked her for help....."<br /><br />She pauses and blushes. "Ah-ahem with a thing!?" she says. "Um- anyways--- she agreed--if only because I asked nicely- and... it's like she doesn't have friends anymore--- she hangs around with this bunch of mean jerks..! I wanna go give them all a talking to-- they should be better friends, right!?" she says. She sort of huffs. "She's.. still a bully though- and abrasive. She's really good at insulting you and you don't realize it until you think on it later..." she mutters with a blush as she bites her lip.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Geeze, by that description, Reiko might well be describing Amu herself. The fifth grader just bears the unintended comparison with faintly gritted teeth, then nods her head just faintly at Reiko. "That sounds like it sucks," she says truthfully. "But if you just go yell at them about it, you might wind up being viewed as a bully, too."<br /><br />Amu ponders the problem in silence a moment, then explains, "Maybe it would be best if you just talk to them ... try to become their friend, too. And of course, friends with the girl." She sighs faintly. Not exactly the kind of advice she expected to be giving. "I'm sorry for sending Tadase away," she says to Reiko. "But sometimes there are issues that boys shouldn't hear, and I wasn't sure," she explains. "Anyways, if you need help with these bullies, let me know. Maybe I can help you talk them down or something."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama blinks. "No...I haven't yelled at them---well. Recently..." she admits sheepishly. "She likes to try to--- boss me into leaving Red-chan behind to go to Infinity, or finding more 'adult' friends...." she grumbles. "Her and he squad of jerks...."<br /><br />She head tilts and blushes. "No---it's fine. Guess this isn't really a girl talk issue thou..." she admits. "But I do appreciate it." she manages a smile.<br /><br />"Eh... not. Bullies. Just. The other stuff." she mumbles and deflates a bit. Two koi appear on her far side and also look grumpy and contemplative.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Amu only barely understands what Reiko is talking about. Sortof. Kindof. But rather than press the younger girl to explain again, she just leans in and gives Reiko a brief hug, hesitantly, then backs away again. "Don't worry," she says. "You just need to believe in your friend, and it will work out," she promises, then looks up towards Tadase, as if to see what he's up to (and more realistically, to invite him back with a look.)<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase has been watching Ran and Kiseki 'train' (read: play) with each other on the various playground equipment, which is giant sized for them. But he's also been /totally sneakily/ looking back over at the two girls as they talk, more out of making sure everything's okay than any nosiness.<br /><br />So when Amu gives him the look, he's back over relatively quickly. He doesn't say anything yet, but he does look between the two of them. His nature makes it hard for him to resist trying to comfort them even though he has no clue what was said.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama turns back to Tadase with a /blush/. Also, she got hugged for a second so that's always nice! Though she doesn't get a chance to return it until she's placed back with a blink. She sort of ahems. "I'm okay." she says as she crosses her arms. Though she wonders why Tadase didn't pick up on her demeanor but Amu did? That's weird.<br /><br />Also why is Amu suddenly so stern and 'cool' looking? Was she trying to hide something. Ugh. People are weird sometimes and she knows this but it doesn't make it any less weird.<br /><br />She peeks back up Tadase again. "So...what's an X-egg. And an Easter?" she asks.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase smiles back at Reiko. She does seem to be happy, and the blush lights up her cheeks a bit. "I'm glad you seem to be doing better." he says. Both Amu and Reiko are acting very similarly here, both crossing their arms and pretending to be stern. He find it somewhat amusing, and barely manages to hold back some real laughter. Instead just a giggle or two escapes.<br /><br />"An X-egg is... well, everybody has an egg in their souls. It represents their dreams. Sometimes, when people turn their back on those dreams, they can turn into an x-egg. They become hostile and dangerous. But Hinamori-san here has a special power - she can turn them back into eggs." he says, giving a very abbreviated explanation.<br /><br />"Easter is a company, but they've been involved in causing trouble. They're looking for a special egg called the Embryo, which can grant a wish. I don't know what they want it for, but it's nothing good. There's a big, stupid, theiving cat-boy that works for them hanging around."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama ehs. Thieving Cat-boy... where has she seen that description before. Her eyes suddenly light up in recognition! "That Blue Haired Jerk with the Tiny Cat, right!?" she suddenly says shooting up and standing on the bench. Yeah this got her suddenly passionate about a thing- and Tadase and Amu are about to find out in a moment!<br /><br />"THEY STOLE A KOI! A KOI! THEY STOLE IT AND THEN IT ALMOST DIDN'T GET BACK INTO THE WATER IN TIME!" she seethes as she points a hand forward. "ANYONE WHO HARRASSES KOI IS---IS!------UNFORGIVEABLE!"<br /><br />Like /twenty koi appear before her and begin clapping in unison over her speech. It sounds like a bunch of silly tapping sounds before they all dissapear one after another in sparkly pops.<br /><br />She blinks a bit. "Eh...?" she asks- the display having caught her off guard completely. She blinks and blushes.. OH!? She's standing on the bench now and sits down suddenly and ducks inwards into herself. ehehehe--- "Not that many usually appear..." she blushes and mumbles.<br /><br />"Oh...so...that's what. An X-egg is. I don't think I've seen something like that though!" she says. "I remember the whole...egg. Thing. Also. Did you guys really think I wanted to be a koi!? Sheesh!" she giggles.<br /><br />MEANWHILE DEEP IN THE HEART: Yeah there's totally an egg with a fish pattern stripe on the side and it is orange and def. contains a koi chara. (how the hell does someone become a koi when they grow up anyways!? Let's ask Yay---oh.)<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>'Thieving Catboy', 'Blue-haired jerk'. These descriptors mostly seem apt to Amu, although she squints a little in thought. Is he, though? Mmm, no, he put his hand in her pocket, uninvted! That's not okay! "Yeah, Ikuto and Yoru," she agrees quietly with Reiko--only to be bowled over by the girl's enthusiasm. about the koi.<br /><br />."Ahuhhh," she tries to center herself, then comments, "You and Yaya would get along very well, I think." She reaches up to rub at her nose, then shakes her head. "Anyways, my abilities aren't that special. It's just this lock," she reaches up to gently tug at the humpty lock, strung from a string around her neck. "Ah. So Tadase, who do I need to talk to about Virtue? I'd like them to know I'm available to help, but I don't want to rely on you, too much, as my only source of contact."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase is nodding along as Reiko talks about the jerk - and then too is kinda shocked as she displays her enthusiasm for Koi. There's not a doubt in her mind that she'd have an orange Heart's Egg with Koi shapes on it.<br /><br />"You're just lucky he didn't eat them, being a cat." he says, bluntly. He tends to be less humorous about Ikuto. "Just be careful around him, he's craftier than he looks. It wouldn't surprise me if he did something horrible to koi or any other animal."<br /><br />"Hey, I couldn't do what you could do even with the lock. And you still character transformed the first day. It took me a lot longer with Kiseki. Don't sell yourself short, Amu-san." he adds as she plays with the lock. "You make the lock work, not the other way around."<br /><br />"Oh! When we go to meet Blue-sama we will probably see Tsukasa-san, too. He spends a lot of time at the school, he's a decent contact. Once we get you your phone..." Tadase pulls out a second phone with a very distinct crown theme, much like Kiseki's egg "...you'll be able to contact everybody who isn't me, but in a safe way that doesn't identify you out of henshin."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama blinks. "I wonder if color energy would have the same effect...." she muses. "I mean...it seems to work on shades and then similar creatures like that really well..." she says tapping her chin. She pulls out the Chroma Crystal around her neck from under her top and taps it a moment. It sparkles a bit. She shakes her head. "Eh...maybe I shouldn't transform right now- it's silllllllly." she says.<br /><br />She does let it hang on her front now though.<br /><br />"Aha----it's hard to maintain my identity...I stopped trying hard..." she admits with a blush. "The koi are kinda out of control and I TRY really hard, but...." she grumbles.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Hey, it's not like I can maintain mine," Amu says to Reiko with a grin. "Anyone who's got magical power seems to be able to see my Charas." She shrugs, then says, "Your koi are very cute, though, and they seem to like you quite a bit."<br /><br />"Also," she says after a pause, "I bet I've got you beat on the 'silly outfit' front. When I Chara Transform with Ran, I look like an obnoxious cheerleader. Actually it's really embarassing, because I'm pretty sure the outfit would look better on a high schooler."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"It might. I don't think I've seen anyone else try to cleanse an egg except Amu and Tsukasa, but I have to take the eggs to Tsukasa which isn't always doable. They can be really hyper." he says.<br /><br />Tadase nods along with Amu. "The Koi are adorable. The take some time getting used to, but I could say the same thing for Kiseki and the others." he grins. "I can usually maintain my identity but I didn't have a real henshin for a while, and a lot of people know me as a contact for Virtue, so..." he shrugs. "My magical secret identity isn't very."<br /><br />Tadase suddenly gets quiet sharply. "I... I think it looks really nice on you, Amu-san." he says - it's quiet enough to hear it, but now it's Tadase's turn to blush a bit.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama blinks. "I kinda look like an orange pixie fairy. With fish." she admits sillily.<br /><br />She smiles a bit. "They just appear like I said. I don't even...see em half the time. They usually appear over my shoulder or behind me. Though I can create and use them in attacks if I'm transformed. They do as they're told then, but---I can't be Prism Keeper Orange all the time either." she says, pointed finger and a wag.<br /><br />She peeks at Tadase as he blushes at Amu. Then to Amu and----does her eyes narrow!? Maybe just a little. Reiko isn't reading too hard into this.<br /><br />"Maybe...it couldn't hurt to speak to these Virtue people myself..." she mumbles. "And I can give Red the lowdown later..." she mutters.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Did ... Tadase just compliment her!? No, no, he complimented Amulet Heart. Amu frowns faintly even as her cheeks redden just a little, trying to sort through what that could possibly mean. Unlike Reiko, she's reading way too hard into this, and coming up with too many possible answers, none of which settle the sudden butterflies in her tummy.<br /><br />"Sure," she replies to Tadase as if it doesn't matter to her. Oh but how much it does matter.<br /><br />Rather than letting herself drown in endless possibilities, Amu instead says to Reiko, "Maybe we should meet them together. I would sure appreciate not having to feel like the newbie all by myself."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Yeah, I can't be Platinum Royale all the time. It takes up a lot of energy and if I tried Kiseki and I would just end up seperating at strange times." he adds. "Plus I think Kiseki would get bored even easier than he does now like that."<br /><br />"You should. Even if you don't 'join up' there's a chance Blue-sama or Tsukasa-san might be able to help you a little bit. They're very nice people." Well, Blue isn't technically people. Are gods still people? Tadase's brow furrows as he gets stuck in thought. This is why he misses Amu's reaction to his compliment.<br /><br />"You should totally come and meet them together someday soon. I just have to make sure Blue-sama is around. He travels around the world so sometimes pinning him down requires a little advance warning." This would likely be less true if Tadase was a Pretty Cure, but he is not.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama looks around and peeks. Well that was weird. Amu blushed a lot. Reiko nods.<br /><br />"Yeah, I can meet them. That can't hurt anything right?" she asks. "Even if I don't join or anything...." she trails off and seems in thought now. Not as mopey or depressed-- the Hiroko situation slipping to the back of her mind for now it seems by all this talk.<br /><br />Blue is a spirit but also a person. A flawed, messed up person like everyone else on Earth. Gods are not perfect! Tadase can ask Gull nicely to poke him with the Wingstick when she gets a chance. That's what the Cure Line is for, afterall!<br /><br />Reiko merely taps her foot.<br /><br />"So...are you going to call me then when you guys are ready to chat?" she asks curiously.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I'll make sure to include you whenever I meet with them the first time if you promise to do the same for me," Amu says to Reiko with a wink. "Us newbies gotta stick together." She glances at the playground, then up at the sky, then notes, "But it is getting late. Ran! Miki!" she calls.<br /><br />"I should probably get home. Hopefully Miki got enough drawing done," Amu continues as she stands up from the bench. The pair of Charas fly towards Amu exciteldy, and Amu actually ducks behind her arms, worried they're going to run straight into her. They don't, of course. "Ahehhh. You two ..." she starts to threaten them, then takes a deep breath and calms herself. "Did you have fun?"<br /><br />Ran giggles and spins around. "Yes yes! Kiseki and I played soldier, and looked for the Embryo so he could wish for world domination."<br /><br />Miki, meanwhile, tears a sheet of paper out of her notepad and flips it at Amu. It grows in size until it's appropriate for a normal sheet, and Amu catches it. On the page is a drawing of a family of penguins sliding around in the snow. Miki just looks smug.<br /><br />"Wow, this is really good, Miki," Amu tells her Chara, then shows off the picture to Reiko and Tadase.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:62|Tadase Hotori (62)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Tadase smiles. It's obvious whatever Reiko talked about with Amu has lifted her spirits, and Amu's pretty good at that, so he's not surprised. "Yeah, I'll send you guys both a text. It'll probably be on a weekend or something, but I won't know till I can talk to both of them." he says in response to Reiko.<br /><br />"Yeah, I've got homework to do /and/ some stuff for the Guardians." he adds as Amu notes it's getting late.<br /><br />Kiseki comes up with the others - though he does not nearly crash into Tadase. "We didn't find the Embryo here, Tadase." he reports.<br /><br />"Well of course not." Tadase says, and tries not to roll his eyes at Kiseki's efforts to 'find the embryo' by crawling around in the grass and swordfighting with a toothpick against a beetle. Which is something he totally watched happen earlier.<br /><br />Tadase and Kiseki both lean in to look at the picture. "That's really amazing, Miki. Maybe I can get the guardians together and we can go on a visit to the aquarium to look at the penguins there..." he trails off. And /maybe/ they won't all say they're going to go, then find excuses to ditch and leave the two of them alone. (yeah, right)<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:66|Reiko Touyama (66)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Reiko Touyama peeks at the drawing. "Wow! That's really good!----I wish...I brought my backpack..." she mumbles. Just not for the drawing pad of course, but for the other thing she isn't going to talk about openly in a box!<br /><br />She sort of blinks. Tadase said a magic word and it was 'Aquarium'. Her eyes go wide. "If you ask me along I'll come, too!" she says.<br /><br />Reiko just likes fish in general so the Aquarium is naturally one of her favorite places.<br /><br />She giggles at Kiskei antics a little. "That's kinda silly...." she giggles a little.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:85|Amu Hinamori (85)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Yeah, I think that'd be great," Amu says to Tadase, then smiels at Reiko's optimism. "Anyways, it was good to meet you, Reiko-chan. I'll see you both around," she calls last, before turning to walk back out of the park and towards her home, Charas in tow.<br> <br>
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