"...There's the pestilential neisances who write for autographs, All people who have flabby hands and irritating laughs. All chilcren who are up in dates and floor you with 'em flat. All persons who in shakings hands, shake hands with you like that..." The song continues. Its very much Opera but its a little rough, like the person singing it is just learning. The person singing it, a strawberry blonde who seems way too happy to be out in the cold tonight, is standing in line at Kaoru's donut stand.
Quietly the blonde flips a page and smiles and starts again, "...Ther's the banjo Serenader, and the others of his race. And the Piano-organist, I've got him on the list! And the people who eat pepperment and puff it in your face..." She starts laughing as she tries to sing it.
Finally its her turn at the line. "Hi! Kaoru-san! I would love an order of your donuts and some hot cocoa! Its really cold!" She smiles as Kaoru nods and takes her yen. A few minutes later, she has her food and drink. Quietly she moves over to a table and sits down. Taking a bite of her donut her eyes go as heart shaped as the donut she's eating. "OISHII!!!" SHe cheers out and Kaoru just smiles happily.
Magical Girl Clotho hummed as she walked up to the stand, giving a big grin, her hips swaying slightly as she walked. She was strong, confident and... okay, she was -strong- and that was JUST AS IMPORTANT as confidence! She grinned happily as she made her way up to the stand and... "I'll take your biggest donut!"
She hummed and watched him, smiling as he worked and then... taking it! Oh, all was good. All was well... she looked around for a moment before... sitting across from Rena. "Hey. The donuts here are pretty good, right?" she asked with a grin. Ha! Okay, so sure, that kyouko girl had been a bad idea, but this girl looked ripe for the picking! She was absolutley sure no one who scarfed donuts like that could be a magical girl.
... Ignoring the fact she devoured hers.
Rena laughs and nods, "Oh yes! I make donuts sometimes but Kaoru-san's got a real talent for it! They are just so yummy." She finishes off her donuts while they are still hot and then sips at her cocoa.
Rena had of course had her bag with her. She had been in school after all. Suddenly there is someone or something poking at her leg! Rena looks down at her bag only to find it open and a little fairy in a top hat gesturing to her. She whispers. "Rena-chan, This person is dark! Be careful!"
Rena looks back up. That smile has never left her face. She's genuinely happy. "I've not met you before! My name's Rena Sakai! Nice to meet you. I go to Seishou Middle School and I'm in the Theater club!" She does a little pose using her cocoa cup as a prop." She giggles a little at her own antics.
Magical Girl Clotho smiled and then leaned forward. "mmmm. Well, you should get another, and another, and another and..." A blue crystal formed in her hands and she pushed it forward. "Unleash your sin."
... And... nothing... happened. She blinked a few times, then looked at the gem. Then at her. Then back at the gem. "It's not... oh my gosh, SERIOUSLY?! Can we just... can i just... You're one too, aren't you? That's not fair! Why can I not go ten feet without hitting someone with magical powers? I mean, come on!"
Oh dear she looked like she might start bursting into tears. she dropped the gem and then crossed her arms and rested on the table, her head on it. "I-it's just not fair. I-I work twice, n-no, three times as hard as anyone else there! But all I ever get is yelled at or told to get coffee or to stop being such a massive s-screw up! And then they all laugh at me! It's not my fault you can't swing a stick without hitting a magical... something in this town!" Oh gosh she was starting to cry.
Rena blinks a few times as this person tried to do... something to her. "Unleash my sin? I errr, Wow." She idly winds her watch.
"Aether Spirit, SHINE!" Immediately the world around her shifts as the ticking of a clock fills the air. Things go a fiery orange color as her clothing begins shifting, becoming more like that of a pirate? Or something just flat our Victorian. "The fires the melt the coldest heart! Steam Sentinel Joy!"
The transformation ends and the magical young girl just looks sharply at the girl across from her. Who is now crying? She frowns and just twitches her face a little. "Errr, Umm. I really dunno what you want me to say right now. You just tried to use dark magic on me." She puckers her lips and just glances to the side. "Kinda hard to be sympathetic when you're trying to be evil and stuff. Maybe you should change your stance on things?"
Magical Girl Clotho nods, sniffling and moping. "Y-yeah. T-that's what my girl friend says. B-but like, it's never that easy, you know? I mean, I kinda don't have a choice in the matter or I'd already be one of the good guys. But ugh, maybe it's better this way. If i was a good guy, I'd probably just mess up then too and g-get all the good magical girls b-beaten up too," she said, wiping her eyes and glances up.
"... Should I transform now? Well, put on my battle suit? Can... can we just... not? Honestly, after the whole... incident with Kyouko I just... I'm just so sick of getting stabbed and beaten up and humiliated I just... ugh. You win, okay? You stopped Clotho. Woooo."
"I mean, come on! You were SCARFING that donut down! How was I supposed to know you were magical? Aren't they supposed to be like... dainty and cute?" HEY! "Maybe I should just give up on going gluttony. Ugh. Or get Pin back. He may be a jerk, but at least he... oh, right. I'm Cloth..." She paused. "You know what? Screw it. Everyone already knows anyway. I'm Unmei. Nice to meet you."
Part of Joy is just thinking,'wow, talk about issues.' She doesn't say it thankfully. Instead she just sits down and listens. "Its your choice. What you do I mean. You have the choice to be as good or as not so good as you want. It all depends on what you want to do."
She smirks a little and shakes her head. "Not unless you want to fight. I only fight when I need to and right now, it doesn't look like I need to. I powered up because you tried to use magic on me. Besides, you're not my usual enemy. That guy is a real jerk. You just seem like you're in a rough place."
She laughs a little, "If you call that scarfing I'd hate for you to see me when I've got freshly baked goodies in front of me. Here!" She reaches down into her bag and pulls out a few bags of cookies. "I made these the other day! Help yourself."
"Anyway, Like this I am Steam Sentinel Joy. Honestly though, The best advice I've got for you, is you should just be yourself. Being yourself is the absolute best thing you could ever do. You're an original. No one else is Unmei-san. So, enjoy being Unmei-san!"
Magical Girl Clotho snorted. "Yeah, what I want to do. As if that was ever an option... and no, I don't really wanna fight. I'm honestly not much of a fighter. I mean, I thought I was? But then I actually started... you know... fighting. First that sword girl who kept singing almost cut me in half, then Kyouko completely humiliated me, then I finally start to feel like I can do this again and my bosses are breathing down my neck to start gathering magic again so I have to try to find another drainer, lo and behold, it's another gosh darn magical girl."
She takes some cookies, biting into one. "T-thank you. They're delicious." Oddly polite for someone who just tried to turn her into a youma. "T-thanks. You're really nice. If I had to be publically humiliated, I'm happy it was you and not someone mean." She powered down, the rings on her hands disappearing and going back into her school uniform.
She then snorted, laughing into her hand. "Oh gosh. Being myself? Hee hee hee. I-I'm sorry, I can't tell you why that's so funny. But oh, trust me. Wanting to be myself is exactly why I'm stuck doing this stuff. Hee hee hee." Well, at least she was laughing and not crying now. "... Please don't tell any of the other youmas that I, err, hung out with you and had cookies, okay? I get made fun of enough as it is." Pause. "And can you totally pretend like... you were scared or something? If they ask? I-I mean, I doubt they'd ask, but if they do."
Joy just laughs a little. She shakes her head and cracks her neck a little. "Sounds to me like you need a new boss or something. Seriously, if its that bad you should really consider some different employment." She smiles a little and pulls out a piece of coffee cake from her bag to nibble on.
She smirks a little. "I highly doubt this can be considered public humiliations. Its not like we went into an all out battle. It just looks like two magical types having baked goods and chatting." She laughs and with a flash of orange, she powers down.
"The fact is, I can see that you aren't exactly Evil material. Why not turn over a new leaf. Be the person you are. If you need a job, I can help with that. As for telling youma? I usually don't talk with youma. I usually just end them, purify them and go back to what I was doing. "If anyone asks me though I'll say that you were creepy, okay?"
Suddenly there is a little fairy in a top hat flying up beside Rena, "You should listen to Rena-chan about the being yourself. There are people in this world who will use a desire to be someone else or to fit in. They will turn YOU into a youma and its really scary stuff!"
Unmei Tama nods. "Yeah. Though, Hannah is nice. i wouldn't mind having her as my boss. She bought me a dress." She then snickered. "Yeah, my girl friend says that too. I should quit, but not really an option, you know? It's not exactly a money issue."
She nodded, eating another cookie. "I am sooooo thankful for magic eating calories, you know? I'd be sooooo fat."
She nodded. "Good. Most youma are jerks. I'm not a fan of them myself. Even if I can make them. The magical girls are wayyyyy cooler. Most of them. Some of them suck." She then blinked and snorted. "Everyone says that, you know? Be yourself. Be the real you. Show the world who you are. But they don't -mean- it. What they really mean is, be who you are as long as it means they don't have to accept anything difficult, or as long as it's convenient for them, as long as they're okay with it. No one ever means be the real you. Besides." She took another cookie. "If I was the original me, before all this? I'd likely be dead by now. Is that what you'd like, Rena? Would it really be preferable for me to just be dead, than working for them? I mean, I may not have the best job. But it sure beats being a corpse, doesn't it?"
Rena Sakai frowns and shakes her head, "Of course I wouldn't want you dead. You ARE being yourself or trying to it seems. You're a strong girl you just are in with the wrong crowd. You have a choice. Its not like you're trying to be someone else right?" She smiles. "Dabble is right though. If you spend your time trying to be a person you're not, there are a few people who will make you into a youma. A Cog. They are mechanical, soulless, and serve only to work for Red Tree. Horrible jerks!"
She smiles a little and gets out some more cookies and hands them to Unmei. "Here you go! Have some more. I help my parents at a resturant. So they let me oook and stuff in the morning so I can bring stuff to school with me and share. You can make a lot of friends when you have yummy treats to give out!"
Unmei Tama nods, taking another cookie and biting into it. "Mmmmm. But that's just it. Being in this crowd is what lets me live. It's what gives me a home, school, a family, magic. Without it I'd probably have died or been near death by now. And they can take it any time they want, so I can't really cross them, can I?" she asked with a cocked eye.
"I mean... I'm not like you, after all. You seem like you have a nice family, a nice life, good friends, and you got this magic all based on your own worth, right? But not everyone is like that. I have to obey, or I have to give up everything." She leaned in a little. "So... you still think I should do it? Know what it'd cost me, everything that'd be taken from me, do you really think I should give it up? I mean, all I have to do is gather magical energy for them. i don't have to kill anyone or anything. just tire them out for a bit. That's not such a bad price, now is it?"
Rena Sakai frowns. "I'm sorry. I wish I had something cool to say. I'm just not the greatest at all of this. The best I can do is give cookies and other yummy good stuff and be a friend. Thats what I do best!" She smiles happily.
"Oh no Nonono!" She frowns, "I am lucky with my parents and friends but my Magic comes at a big cost. I didn't ask to be a magical girl. A watch started ticking and suddenly I was dressed crazy. Dabble was in trouble and I was trying to protect her. She's from another world. I didn't really have much of a choice if I wanted to be a hero or anything. Now I'm a Steam Sentinel and I'm not only supposed to protect this world but I gotta help save another world too! Imagine every person in the world stripped of their individuality. Forced to work in factories and having their world stripped of everything valuable. That is what I've got to fight against. Its not a lot of fun."
Unmei Tama nodded, chewing on another cookie. "Well, i do like the cookies. And I don't mind being your friend, if you don't mind having a bad girl as your friend, too," she said with a smile. "I'm a really good friend aside from the whole... being naughty, thing."
She then nodded. "Really? You didn't choose this? Heck, I would have. It's freaking awesome. You get magic and stuff like that. Who wouldn't--" Then she froze and slowly lowered the cookies. "Oh. Stripped of their... forced to... yeah. That sounds... pretty... terrible. i think I've... met people like that. Who did that. Liked to do that." She gave a soft sigh. "Well, don't worry. I'm not working with anyone that bad. My powers amplify a person's individuality. It does NOT steal it. Cause that would suck, you know? Not... being able to... be who you want to be."
Rena Sakai smiles, "I don't mind having a bad girl as a friend!" She giggles, "I don't mind having anyone as a friend because that is one more friend. Friends are really cool and wonderful!" She cheers happily. "Sorry I get a little excited."
Rena makes a little face and shrugs, "I had the choice after the first time I powered up. I couldn't do nothing because I knew there was so much riding on Dabble finding Magical Girls. I didn't know anything about being magical! I just wanted to be a baker and an actress!" She shrugs. "Now though, I just know there is so much more out there. I mean there is a whole other world out there and they need help. If I can help I definitely will!"
Unmei Tama nodded, then slid out of her seat and scooted into the one next to Rena. And gave her a hug! "Well, yay, then! We can be friends, okay? I like having friends! Friends are the absolute best thing in the world! I didn't have many back home. But now I have... two! And a girl friend. She's totally awesome."
"And see? Why would anyone wanna give this up? I mean, it's so incredibly awesome! We get powers! We get to do all kinds of things! Me? I can make stuff. Also, you knew, new body. How is this not the best thing ever? Baker and an acress? Odd combination, but hey, whatever makes you happy. I actually kind of want to be an actress, too. I'm currently in the drama club at school. Dance, too, but I am just... sucking at that."
Rena's eyes light up! "OH MY GOSH!! I'm trying out for a part in Seishou's next play! They are going to be doing The Phantom of the Opera! I was thinking of trying out for the part of Christine Daae! I dunno if I will get it though! I usually wind up playing the bad guy because I just have fun with them."
Then with no warning. "MUahahaha! I shall destroy the good guys and make them Suffer! MUAHAHAHAHA!" She then smirks, "Maybe I should try out for the Phantom? That would be fun! But I wanna be the hero!" She giggles.
Unmei Tama nodded and then gave a giggle. "Oh, yes~ I think you'd make a very cute Christine!" She reaches out and grips her chin. She then moves her head slightly to the left, the right, looking her up and down. "Mmmmm. Yeah, you're pretty enough alright. So, does that mean there will randomly be horses in the sewers?" she asked with a grin.
"So, have you practiced everything? Like... this?" And then leaned in and pressed her lips to the other girls, She let it linger for a few moments before pulling back, giving a nod. "Cause remember, that happens a few times in the play, too, and you'll really need to sell it."
Rena blinks. Blink Blinks. Blink Blink Blinks! "I err... I um... Wha... I just.. I dun.. I err..." Her face goes bright red. She just wasn't expecting to get kissed. "I guess I umm I do need to practice that more."
She finally shakes it off. "Err You really think so? I think it would be fun to play Christine." She begins throwing her voice a little. "Wi! Christine Daae is French after all and I guess I would need to use a proper accent when not singing."
Unmei Tama gave a little snort, grinning to her. Well, she was hoping for more of a reaction, but okay. "Of course! I've known a few french people. i was almost from there, but from italy instead. I don't know much french, sadly, so I can't really... give much help in that area, you know?"
"Yeah, you would. Singing and acting can be hard, too. You'll need to practice both! But you're cute enough. Though..." She paused. "What'll happen if a monster attacks during the play? Is it really okay for you to be the main girl... if you could have to run off at any time and leave them behind?"
Rena Sakai winces. "Well. My first time as a Magical girl was at a play. I'm hoping history doesn't repeat itself. It would be really aweful!" She frowns over the idea of that happening. "If it happens though, I will do what I have to do. I'm not going to just standby and let them hurt people."
She sighs and gives a little smile, "Lets see." She softly begins singing. "Think of me, Think of me Fondly when we say Good Bye. Remember me, once in a while please promise me you'll try..."
Unmei Tama blinked a few times, cocking her head to the side. "Well... I think your voice is pretty. But like... honestly, isn't that kinda..." She tapped her chin. "A little too self sacrificing? I mean, you need to have your own life and all. There are a ton of magical girls, right? Do your bosses really need you to break your other promises to take care of things like that, if you have prior commitments?"
She gave a shrug. "I could never do that. I'd be too upset breaking my promise to perform. Especially with all the magic people out there."
Rena Sakai smiles, "If something attacks during the play, do you really think the show will just continue? Most of the time these baddies want to be out in front of everyone. So the show will probably get stopped. Then will continue and go on when the jerks are taken care of."
She smiles, "Yes but thats what it means to be a Magical girl. We gotta protect the people that can't protect themselves right? I mean, no offense, but evil types would just destroy people who have no idea whats going on with out magical girls standing up and using their abilities to protect them.
Unmei Tama shrugged. "Meh. Honestly? I think it depends on the evil. I mean, sure, I've met a some who were pretty bad. Like that witch. But that thing was crazy, I mean come on. But I got to totally save the blue sailor moon! It was awesome! I was soooo cool then. But like... they're all different, you know? Some are nasty! But then there are plenty who just aren't. Ones who arel ike me, who all I really need is a bit of energy. People get tired, they have to nap for a little bit, maybe eat a bit, but then they get better. What's really the harm?"
She paused. "Well, though your guys sound pretty shitty. Stealing people's... well, yeah. I'd probably stab them a few times myself."
Rena Sakai frowns and nods, "Craft is a piece of work. He's the only on I know that has been on Earth. Craft has a lot of tricks up his sleeves. He hit me with this dark energy... It was horrible. I mean I immediately started to doubt myself and just wanted to be anyone but me."
She shakes her head just looking for the moment. "I got the better of him though! I hit him with a purification attack! He so deserved it! That was when another Steam Sentinel awakened and it was so cool!"
Unmei Tama nodded. "Really? That's so cool!" she said with a big, wide grin. "You actually get like, a purifying attack? I've seen a few of those when they hit my youma, they're sooooo awesome! I wish I got some cool finisher move like that."
"Oh, so there are others? Well, I hope you all get together, then! How many are there? Three of you, or five?"
Rena Sakai frowns, "Just two of us right now. Joy and Spirit. I hope more awaken though. There are more fairies out there and stuff. Dabble says there are a few more out there who are trying to find the other sentinels but Its a very tough process. The only way a fairy can find a sentinel is if the their watch starts ticking." She raises her arm and shows a watch that looks like it would put a rolex to shame.
"When that happens, the person has to choose to be a magical type. Its tough. Can't just slap a watch on someone and expect them to do the job. Right Dabble?"
Dabble blushes brightly and hides.
Unmei Tama blinked a few times. "Two? That's... weird. Like. So weird. Magical girls are supposed to be in 1, 3, or five. A group of two isn't going to do a very good job. Haven't you ever studied the rules of magical girl ness? You need to find a third, as soon as possible. Otherwise you might be fighting a loosing war."
"After all, how many magical girl groups do you know thato nly have two?"
Rena Sakai Laughs a little, "Ummm, I dunno." She shrugs and just smiles. "I would love to find another steam Sentinel. I know there are more then two people within Red Tree and I think they made some friends here on Earth. No idea who though. I hope that that jerk isn't recruiting here!"
She sighs, "Anyway the big boss of Red Tree is named Wraithton. He's a real shady guy who only wants profits. He doesn't care about people or anything."
Unmei Tama gave a snort. "Really? How is that any better than half the people who live in this world already? I mean, look at all the politicians and business owners who all they want is money and profits. Shouldn't he just get in line and wait his turn?" she asked with a small smirk. "And I'm sure you can find another, you seem like a smart girl, Rena."
Rena Sakai frowns, "Half this world hasn't taken over and forced people to work for his company to destroy their own world. Not to mention strip away everything they are so they would be more efficient workers. After all, if all anyone cares about is doing what they are told, then they have no hope of following their own hopes and dreams."
She sighs. "I hate that we are in this situation. I hate that we have to go in and rescue another world because this guy hurt the sentinels of that world."
Unmei Tama nodded. "Oh. Yeah. That does sound worse. Well, less worse, just on a... broader scale. I mean, let's be honest, there are plenty of people who'd do the same here if they could. Without even a moments hesitation," she said with a snort.
"But hey, you'll win. The good guys always do. right? And then you'll beat back and save their world, because that's how it always goes. Sure, you might die in the end... but you'll save the world."
Rena Sakai nods, "Yes there are people here that would do that. Thankfully there are a bunch of people here who will stand against that. The people who would do that here aren't using dark magic for force people to do stuff against their will."
Rena winces a little. "Yeesh. Thanks for the vote of confidence there. Hope I don't wind up dead. It might hurt a little!" She laughs a little. "Honestly I'm hoping I don't wind up failing. One world's fate is sealed if we fail and then they will likely come here.
Unmei Tama gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "Meh. They've been trying for centuries and they've come really close a few times," she said with a shrug. "Who knows? Maybe one day they'll get what they want."
She then gggled. "I doubt they'd like it. You can't throw a stick without hitting like, five magical girls here. If they have trouble with one or two of you, imagine if they have to content with one or two dozen of you."
Rena nods a little. "Yeah this world is much better equipped to deal with that kind of attack but doesn't mean we shouldn't be ready." She smiles a little and tickles Dabble's side just to tease the fairy. The Fairy squirms and quickly moves to hide behind her.
"Anyway I think I should probably head home here shortly. If you ever want to get a good meal, come by my family's resturant. Its right in the center of Tokyo! They do fusion cooking from all over! My mom is from Britain and Dad's from here!"
Unmei Tama nodded. "Oh? I will? What's it called?" she asked with a grin. "Maybe I can bring my girlfriend by! We're always trying new things! Though, err, she's actually good. Though she knows I'm bad. So no worries about that, okay?"
Once she got the info, she'd give the girl a big wave, then chew on another cookie and sigh. "Wish it really was just as easy as quitting..." Her phone rang and she blinked, picking it up. And sighing. "yeah, yeah, I'll getr the magical energy. Just hit a small snag. Yeah. W-what? N-no I'm not eating! I'll get the magic, okay? Sheesh." clicked herphone off.