It's evening. Late enough that most of the Hisakata family is starting to think about turning in for bed. A few hours ago, Ayana served a meal to the family on the whole, and although it wasn't terribly special, it was at least well prepared. Fried fish, rice balls, and steamed vegetables (Mama Hisakata insisted there be vegetables) went over well.
After her meal, though, Ayana begged away and slipped outside to go for a stroll in the garden while Ikiko cleaned up the dishes.
The weather is slowly turning warmer, and Ayana has come prepared. Rather than dress warmly for the bits of snow that still cling to Tokyo, she has instead put on a black summer dress for her barefoot stroll through the garden. Now, though, she's taken a seat cross-legged on a bench near a small pond. There, she's picking at the wood, staring into the water thoughtful and alone.
One of the advantages of a simple meal is that the dishes are likewise simple. It's not too long before some familiar-sounding footsteps come through the garden as Ikiko walks over. She gives her girlfriend a hug and a light kiss, then sits down next to the kitsune, leaning her head on Ayana's shoulder.
Reiko Touyama wanted to come visit Ikiko and Ayana, so she arrived, with her orange backpack, per usual. (It was, also, as usual, not koi shaped.), and she politely asked Mom Hisakata where Ikiko and Ayana had gone off to. She was pointed to the garden- and she followed along- she had a vauge idea where it was, though had never actually visited it properly.
She looked around and whistled, wooo, this was nice. Nowhere as nice as her backyard... which was just. Grass. and a tree in the corner.
She kept generally quiet as she huh. "Wow.." she said softly.
"This is pretty..." she softly murmured.
Ayana doesn't look up at the sound of Ikiko's footsteps. She doesn't turn her head or indicate any affection for the approaching girl. At leaset none that a human would register. But those fluffy orange ears both swivel towards Ikiko, and they track the girl's progress right up until the hug and kiss are delivered. A small smile escapes the kitusne, showing just a hint of fang over her lower lip.
Ayana doesn't say anything when Ikiko joins her; she just leans her own head atop Ikiko's gently, and shifts her attention from picking at the wood to petting her girlfriend's knee. In the quiet, she falls still again, until those orange ears once more pick up an approaching visitor. Ayana still does not turn, and save for the flick of her ears and the gentle petting, it would be easy to think she's completely oblivious to the fact that she's no longer alone.
Ikiko Hisakata idly puts an arm around Ayana's waist, just enjoying spending some comfortable time together with her girlfriend. The garden is peaceful, and quite pretty in the moonlight.
(But if you asked her, it's not as pretty as Ayana <3)
Ikiko doesn't seem to react much to the sound of another set of footsteps, although Ayana might feel an airy brush on the cheek as the werewolf's phantom ears try to swivel. She smiles at Reiko's comments, then tilts her head slightly, saying "Hi, Reiko-chan~"
Reiko Touyama sort of perks at the voice and she comes running by! A koi flips up out of the tiny pond and does a backflip. This is obviously one of Reiko's koi. Reiko is obviously in a better mood than she had been last visit. She beams!
"Hey you two~" she smiles. She walks on over and plops her butt nearby on the ground, not wanting to disrupt the two too much- whoops!
She feels kinda lame intruding on a private moment!
"How are you two doing?" she asks softly.
Ayana licks her lips at the sight of the koi. But then either realization or memory kicks in, and she wrinkles her nose instead. Glancing down to Reiko, she gives a little grin, then says, "Hello, Reiko-chan. I'm fine, I was just out here thinking. How are you?"
"And I'm enjoying this relaxing evening," Ikiko adds. "Had a wonderful dinner, cooked by Ayana, and I'm feeling good about the upcoming week in school. How about you?"
Reiko Touyama smiles! "Oh, you're cooking now, Ayana!? Good!" she beams. She head tilts. "What are you thinking about?" she asks. She looks over to Ikiko and nods nods. "So am I..." she says with a soft smile, no reason.
Then she suddenly leans forward..."He called me... /Reiko-chan!/." she beams with wide eyes. She blushes. "Erm, I guess that's not a big deal, but..." she scratches the back of her head.
"Um..."
Yeah that's what she was excited about.
"But-- erm.." she blushes. "I duno what to do now about it. But.. I.. I think I'm gonna try it again!... I'm going to get..."
"A magical love rose!" she says with wide eyes.
Ayana looks confusedly at Reiko. "I mean, I always cooked," she notes. Then she pauses, as if remembering something. "No, that's not true. I learned it recently. But it was before you guys rescued me," she notes, then tilts her head at Reiko. "'He'? Who's he? And um. I don't think you should do magical love roses. They don't seem to work."
"It's still a good sign," Ikiko smiles to Reiko. "It at least shows that he's willing to not be standoffish, which is a good first step."
She listens to her friend's enthusiastic idea, frowning slightly. "Giving him a gift isn't a bad idea, but maybe it should be one that's more uniquely you?" she suggests. "Like... some sort of art?"
Reiko Touyama blushes. "O--one of the boys I like.. the- the mysterious one.. Hunter..." she mutters with a blush. She bites her lip. "Hunter knows Haru... the other boy..." she mutters. "I've been told that... I should be honest to both of them-- because of that. I thin-- I think that's a good idea." she blushes.
"B--but! It doesn't mean it can't work!" she says to Ayana. "Why would there be a legend about it and why would those teenagers risk getting in trouble then!?" she says.
She looks down and crosses her arms. "I g--guess you are right though Ikiko..." she says with a sigh. "Maybe I should draw something really elaborate..." she says.
Ayana sighs and holds up a finger for Reiko, "First off, stop being embarassed or worried. I'ts not like Ikiko or I are going to go and tattle to your crush. Second, ignore legends. Even if they were true, do you want this boy to like you because you put a spell on him, or would you like him to like you for you? Don't use a magic spell, just be you. I mean, Misa clearly likes you, and you didn't put a spell on her, so ..." she trails off. She's not helping is she?
Ikiko Hisakata pats Ayana on the back. Helpful intentions, but not the best line of thought. "While most legends have a grain of truth to them, the important details are usually buried beneath the confusion that comes from countless retellings," she points out to Reiko. "So, while a significant rose may have once helped cement a relationship, just acquiring a rose probably wouldn't help."
A thoughtful expression settles on her face. "On the other hand... if you draw one of those 'magical' roses instead, then you might be able to pay respect to the legend while still showing your heartfelt feelings," she muses.
Reiko Touyama blinks. "...Misa likes me because I didn't run away like everyone else..." she says softly as she looks down, the mention of Misa immediatly destroys some of her good mood. Not all of it, she isn't in full dour mode, but she has gone more contemplative.
She looks at Ikiko and blushes. "Erm... maybe. Just..." she grumbles.
"To be honest...I'm kind of nervous..." she says softly as she sighs.
"Hoshi seems to think I have a chance if I'm more confident but..." she looks down. "I'm kind of awkward. and nerdy... and dorky..." she mutters.
It's evening, and Ayana and Ikiko are seated together out on a bench, in the garden by the pond. Nearby, Reiko is seated on the ground. The fox-girl's ears are fully visible. She's not dressed well for the weather, though, in a black summer dress and bare feet. Ayana puts her arm around Ikiko, cuddling a little closer to her, then admits to Reiko, "Then I don't know what you should do. I'm not good at honesty, and I'm not good with boys, and I'm not good with love. I got lucky," Ayana admits. "So um. Good luck I guess?"
Sora has just come home, wearing a black shirt and dark blue jeans and carrying with her a bag full of books. She passes by the pond just as she overhears Ayana says that, and mutters in a way that's pretty clearly meant to be overheard, 'Got lucky at our expense...' She slows down, but doesn't quite stop moving, trying to look like she's not wanting to see the response.
Ikiko Hisakata shoots a glare over at her 'cousin, but doesn't say anything in reply. Instead, she gives Ayana a gentle kiss on the cheek, then snuggles closer to the kitsune (and turns her back to Sora in the process).
"If he says to be true to your heart, then that's what you should do," Ikiko points out to Reiko. "He's told you what he's looking for; that implies that he thinks you're worth being pursued by, just as you are." She specifically doesn't mention names while Sora is nearby; best to keep those who aren't magical girls from finding out about magical social lives.
Reiko Touyama head tilts, at least two of those statements conflict with one another, but she doesn't point it out! She blushes. "Still, thanks..." she mutters softly as she bites her lip a bit. "I guess being myself might work I'm just afraid of making a silly butt out of myself." she sighs.
She blinks a bit as she turns to the person walking past. She head tilts at that glare and huhs.
"Who's that?" she asks softly.
She turns back to Ikiko and shrugs with a blush. "Maybe I'll try drawing something then... nothing to.. forward but.. something." she mutters.
Ayana either doesn't catch Sora's deprication (unlikely) or doesn't realize it's pointed her way (more likely). There's not a chance she's just ignoring it; not with her temper. Reiko's question, though, does draw a little smirk, as the fox-girl glances after Sora. "That," Ayana says, "is Sorry Hisakata. She's a complete brat. You don't want to be her friend."
"Sora Hisakata." Sora introduces herself, and shoots Ayana an angry glare, "Ikiko's my third cousin, and I'm a poor unfortunate soul who has to suffer through having little miss brat here to ruin her day." She takes this as an invitation to come along, claiming a spot on the ground, near the pond.
"Soon I'll find out what tricks Ayana is playing to make Ikiko think she's anything but, and then things will get back to normal." She smiles at Ikiko, then, "Don't worry, this will all be over soon." She then looks over Reiko, examining the girl, "So who are you?"
Ikiko Hisakata gives her 'cousin a pained smile, then rolls her eyes once Sora isn't looking at her. Well-meaning relatives causing trouble -- not much you can do about that, especially when the proof needed to counter their meddling is stuff that you're having to keep secret!
To help relax herself, Ikiko starts skritching the back of Ayana's head. It's a soothing action, perfect for taking her mind off of things. And if giving Ayana skritchies happens to help minimize the fighting between the kitsune and Sora while Reiko is here, so much the better!
Reiko Touyama was already thinking, 'why don't I want to be her friend!? /I bet I could be her friend!/', and then Sora begins opening her mouth and she's thinking 'She's mean! I don't wanna be her friend! She's like Hiroko! ;_;', and this thought process shows on her face with a smile, then a neutral expression, then a frown and crossing her arms.
She listens as she looks between Sora and Ikiko and Ayana.
She bows. "My name is Reiko Touyama!" she says softly. "I'm in 4th Grade at Seishou." she says softly. "But- why do you think Ayana is playing a trick!?" she asks. "I don't think she's playing a trick." she says softly.
Ayana's ears fold back almoset immediately at Sora's words, and she shoots the raven-haired girl a withering glance. But Ikiko's scrithces are quick to soothe her, and she takes a deep breath and looks back to Reiko before leaning over against Ikiko. Ayana closes her eyes and keeps her mouth shut. This is progress.
Sora sighs, and looks straight at Reiko, with the kind of exasparated 'not you too' kind of look. "She's a trickster, she can't conceive of doing anything that's not a trick. That's how girls like her just /are./" She opens up a box of pocky and takes one stick, holding out the box to Reiko so she can take some if she wants to.
"Even when they mean well, they're still playing tricks, and you can never be sure they mean well." She snaps a bite off her picky, and uses the other half to point at the water. "Do you know the story of the scorpion and the crocodile?"
"Isn't that the one where the scorpion winds up destroying itself because it stung the crocodile in the middle of the river?" Ikiko asks. She has noticed that Sora said 'girls like her', instead of 'kitsune like her'. So the problem her 'cousin has with Ayana is less a disapproval of the kitsune and more a conflict of personality, perhaps?
Either way, it means the two of them are snippier than a box of scissors.
Reiko Touyama kind of seems dumbfounded, she's an artist, but she can concieve of doing non-arty things, so how is that any different? She knows foxies are tricky, but she also knows that Ayana probably wouldn't trick her or lie to her on purpose- heck, she even /just admitted that/ with her warning a moment ago.
She takes a stick of pocky and purses her lips. "I don't." she says. "But Ayana isn't a scorpion or a crocodile so we should be okay!" she says with a coy, smary smile.
She thinks. "Oh!" she says to Ikiko's explanation of the story.
"But I am a kitsune," Ayana replies with a faint roll of her eyes. "Which means I will play tricks on you, at least if Sora-tan," and she deliberately uses the cutesiest voice when calling her that, "is right. But that would require me to be a nogitsune; a wild fox. But I'm not a wild fox, anymore. They fixed that," she notes, glaring at Sora. "Now I serve Inari, willingly and gratefully. And while yes I might play tricks on you, it will be for fun--hopefully yours and mine--and not out of meanheartedness."
Sora rolls her eyes at Ayana's defense of herself, and instead goes to tell the story. "The Scorpion wanted to cross the river, but Scorpions can't swim." She starts, "So the Scorpion asked the Crocodile, 'Brother Crocodile, I want to cross the river, but I can't swim. Can you carry me across?'"
"The Crocodile said, 'But you are a Scorpion, you will poison me if you get on my back.'" Sora sounds very serious as she shares this tale, "To which the Scorpion responded, 'But if I poison you while you carry me across, I will die too, as I can't swim.'"
"Convinced, the Crocodile helped the Scorpion cross the river, halfway along the way, the Scorpion stabs the Crocodile. 'Why did you do that, Brother Scorpion? You will die too, as you can't swim." Sora looks at Ayana meaningfully there, "The Scorpion responded, 'I am a Scorpion, I will poison you if you I get on your back.'"
Finishing her tale, Sora says, "And there's no difference between Kitsune and Nogitsune, they're tricksters all." She sounds like she believes that, or at least wants to..
"I'd rather have someone who laughs with me than someone who doesn't laugh at all," Ikiko shrugs. "But you're sounding like any laughter is laughter at someone, Sora-chan. It's hard to find joy when all laughter is squashed."
She gives Ayana a quick kiss on the cheek. "Besides, my parents are fine with it, and she lives with my immediate family," Ikiko points out. "Or do you think that you know better than they do?"
Reiko Touyama frowns. "But those are animals and they can't deny thier nature." she says softly. "Isn't it wrong to think Ayana is just an animal?" she asks softly. She doesn't of course, mention Ikiko- because she knows Ikiko is trying to hide her wolfishness. She closes her eyes and frowns. "It's like saying humans are always going to misunderstand or hurt people because 'it's our nature'." she says.
She sighs and shakes her head as she turns to Ikiko and Ayana. "I need to head home, I just... came over to talk to you two and clear my head-- and-- it helped!" she smiled. "A lot actually! I know what I need to do now~" she grins a little.
She looks at Sora and bows. "Sora-san, it was nice to meet you, I hope the rest of your day is well!" she says softly.
She grins and gives Ayana and Ikiko chan a quick hug before she reseats her bags on her back.
A koi peeks from the water and makes a face at Sorta, nyaaaaaaaaaah before popping away in orange. She may not see it.
Ayana frowns at Reiko when the girl turns to leave, though she certainly returns the hug. She waits until Reiko is out of earshot, then looks to Sora, "But I am just a fox," she agrees with the girl. "Even if you have no clue what you're talking about when it comes to foxes. Not all foxes are Wild Foxes. But you may continue to be wrong as long as you'd like."
"If you're tricking someone, you're hurting them whether you mean to or not, Ikki-chan." Sora makes it clear there that she believes that, "Not all jokes are tricks, you can laugh and have fun without making a fool out of someone else." She finishes that stick of pocky and holds out her box to both Ayana and Ikiko, "I don't know what your parents are thinking, but I know they're wrong to think it."
"But we are, and we will." Sora mentions to Reiko before she leaves, "Have a nice day." Clearly she means the girl no ill will, and she shrugs, leaning back. "And I'm not stupid enough to fall for that trick, Ayana-san, but you may continue to be wrong as long as you'd like."
Ikiko Hisakata takes one of the pocky sticks and shrugs at Sora. "Sometimes you have to take a risk in order to get a better reward, cousin," she points out. "But trying to pre-emptively go 'I told you so' doesn't make much sense when the thing you speak of hasn't occurred."
She rests her head on the kitsune's shoulder. "Going for a 'happily ever after' isn't easy, but the effort is worth it," Ikiko adds, smiling up at Ayana. "Sorrow is easy. Happiness is more of a challenge, but it's one worht going for."
Ayana rolls her eyes at Sora, then says, "Yes, that's me, hurting my friends who literally saved me from hurting them further." She makes a huffing noise, and then very suddenly the girl becomes a fox. That dress collapses onto the bench next to Ikiko, and the little fox bounds down off the bench and trots off towards the bushes. Only the glimmer of the little gem affixed to her collar gives the fox's location away as she hides among the bushes, seeking distance from Sora.
Sora shrugs, watching Ayana bound off and getting herself an additional stick of pocky, sticking it in her mouth and pointing at the little gem. "Going for a happily ever after won't happen if you sabotage your efforts every step of the way." She responds, and then adds, "And if your happily ever after relies on other people, it's doomed to begin with. Find joy in something that others can't break if they change their minds."
A joy of her own? Ikiko thinks about this for a moment, then realizes: helping to protect Tokyo, taking a stand to fight off darkness... that's something that makes her feel good about herself. A typ of joy, if you will.
"I think I already have," she smiles enigmatically. "Good evening to you, 'cousin, and sleep well when you do." Ikiko then gathers up Ayana's clothes and goes over to sit next to the bush that the fox is hiding under. And if her hand is slightly extended in such a way that Ayana can come over and get pettings... well, they both could use the soothing.