2018-12-12 - TIMELINE 1: White Night! Silver Dreams!
| White Night! Silver Dreams! | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Madoka and Kasagami get some air away from the main party, and talk about their shared dream. | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Kaname Household | |
| OOC - IC Date: 12/12/2018 - 03-14-2014 | |
<Pose Tracker> Madoka Kaname [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
It's very late at night, now, hours after the party began, and the house is getting hot and also quite loud -- the party shows no signs of slowing down. Not yet. Maybe not ever, given the lack of parents. That remains to be seen.
Madoka and Kasagami happen to be in the kitchen, getting mashed against the counter by the glass door leading to the garden by people moving past them to get another bite to eat, and the former looks at the latter and asks, "Want to get some air?"
And that is the story of how the two of them found themselves outside amongst the tomatoes. It's another world out here, with the almost full Moon above and the many plants below. Mostly flowers, at this time of year, but plenty of vegetables too. Or, well, leafy things that will someday produce vegetables.
Madoka walks among them with the casual ease of long familiarity. There are numerous gardening slippers, a whole family's worth of sizes, right on the edge of the porch by the door, and she stepped straight into them before heading out into the loam.
"It smells like spring," she says happily, and accurately, as she looks back over her shoulder at Kasagami. It's true. There's a weight in the air, like it's carrying a million almost-born baby green growing things, and could burst at any moment.
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Kasagami, her cup of the famous Kaname-brand hot cocoa suitably devoured, manages to squeeze herself flat past yet another party goer. Even her outgoing self has limits. Luckily the hostess of said shindig beats her to the punch, and says words that has the Duelist chuckling lightly at with relief.
"I think I'll take two or three lungs-full, Madoka-chan." Wink!
Outside, the young woman lifts her arms above her head and works into a long stretch right and left. She'd come to the party dressed casually. Boots ditched out of respect, she slips her feet into a mostly-fitting pair of garden slippers. Coat still inside, black jeans and a red, loose muscle shirt leave her arms uncovered. She doesn't even bother with gloves, a testiment to the friendship that's blossomed over the past months when she saw this brave young woman die.
It rattled her, to be certain. But out here, those worries seem far away, almost distant. Kassie smiles to her pink haired friend, and turns her gaze to the full moon.
"Yeah. Nature's promise, that no matter how much is lost, there's always new life just waiting to be born into the world! And hey, once those tomatoes come in, maybe we can convince your Dad to let us steal the kitchen. I know a great spicey sphaghetti recipie." If it's not the joy of swords and sparring, Kassie can't help but push her love of cooking onto others.
"Your parents are wonderful, Madoka." It's said without a hint of envy. Longing, maybe, but not that poisonous thought that might infect her in less happy times. Her gaze turns from the moon to Madoka, and she lets out a sigh as she finally seems to relax a bit. She's been on edge, like many, given that shared dream.
<Pose Tracker> Madoka Kaname [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
Madoka winks back, once they're outside, at the thought of making homemade Italian, then follows her guest's -- her friend's -- gaze up to the glorious silver orb in the sky. It steals her color, casts her in black and white and gray. The only pink in her strong enough to fight it glitters in her eyes.
"I know," she agrees, simply. "I'm so, so lucky. Mama and Papa and Tatsuya... they're everything to me. Keeping them safe is why I do this."
She falls silent for a long moment, still bewitched by the too-distant, too-close Moon.
"...I guess that's why she did it," she murmurs, both a little dreamily and a little sadly. Without realizing it, her empty hand floats up to clasp at her pajamas above her heart. "Queen Serenity, I mean. She did it all for her daughter, and her subjects... she gave everything, to give them a second chance."
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
There's a snap of fingers, and Kassie flicks her hair. It flutters briefly as she points at Madoka as she agrees. Her eyes are sharp, full of respect and quite a bit of friendly challenge in them. "And that, Madoka Kaname, is why you're strong. Steel might as well be glass compared to the bonds between family. A sword can only be powerful if it's wielded by the hands of justice and love!"
Cough. Arms go up behind her head, crossed, after her bout of dramatic posturing. It's reflex at this point for the Student Council member.
There's a long 'mmmm' thoughtfully from Kasagami. Eyes half-lid as she considers. "A mother's first thought is always their child. A true King or Queen would throw themselves in front of a tidal wave of flame if only to save the weakest among their subjects." Starts Kassie, before walking over and aiming to gently squeeze Madoka's shoulder comfortingly.
"...As long as her daughter uses that second chance to become strong and worthy of having their name, then it's all worth it, no matter how much it hurts them both." Kassie's entire body tenses. The pain from that dream has left the Duelist sleepless for some time. Rather than brilliant silver, she can't help but see beautiful raven hair being snuffed out. The conflict shows, as she has to choke down grief. A scab-wound ripped open and painful miracle all in dreamland at once.
<Pose Tracker> Madoka Kaname [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
Madoka tends to just ignore Kasagami's challenges; she has nothing to prove, and needs no proof from the other girl of her own bravery and goodwill, either. So, as usual, she just smiles, rather serenely.
It fades, slowly, as she senses Kasagami's distress. She leans into the shoulder squeeze, lays her head on the older girl's shoulder. Or well, she's not tall enough for that, so it's more like her upper arm.
"I don't think so," she disagrees, softly. "That isn't what Serenity wished for, in the end, was it? She didn't yearn for her daughter to be great or 'worthy', and she definitely didn't think it was acceptable for her daughter to be in pain."
She tilts her chin up so that Kasagami can see her comprehending, clear eyes, and squeezes her arm under the Duelist's, and around her waist, in a gentle little hug.
"She wished for her to find happiness. Ne?"
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
The warmth of a friend, a head to her shoulder, has some of that tension slowly bleed out of the slightly older young woman. For all her airs of bravado she puts on, Kasagami is a tightly-squeezed ball of sorrow, frustration, and ambition even in these best of times. Here, alone and away from the social pressure of friends, peers, and Ohtori's nature, she can let some of her mask slip.
"...Yeesh, Madoka, you make it all sound so simple. Just the sort of thing you'd say, Pinkball!" It's meant to be joking, pulling out her favorite nickname for the arrow-toting mahou, but her tone is simply tired. Physically and emotionally, the last few nights have been draining. Arm arm steadies her, and steel-and-white peer into those crystal clear peepers of pink.
An arm returns the gesture only somewhat awkwardly given the height difference. A light squeeze. "You're right. I hope that Serenity's daughter has found that elusive thing called happiness." Eyes narrow, if softly. The desire for the same is writ on her face.
Her free hand rubs that ring that she so rarely slips off.
<Pose Tracker> Madoka Kaname [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
Madoka does not love the nickname Pinkball, which ironically makes her look all the more like one whenever it comes up, because she briefly puffs up her cheeks with irritation, then doesn't bother pursuing it. This time is like the rest, but with a more tender expression.
"Well I hope you do too," she says, a little stubbornly, nudging her companion with one hip, then using the momentum to bounce back off and take a few steps into the grass. "Happiness isn't only for Princesses or Madokas, it's for everyone. So there."
She bends at the waist to gather something up out of the plants. It's too dark to tell. Is it a weed? An earliest-spring flower? An over-winter veggie?
Madoka kind of shimmies a half-circle so that her miniscule frame can, nevertheless, block the tiny spark of pink light she's summoned, to not give its use away; and then she rises, and returns.
It isn't a rose at all.
She presents Kasagami with a white crocus, shimmering beneath the moon. It's opened wide, wide with health and growth, wide between her palms.
"For you," she announces.
Then, on tiptoes, she tucks it behind her friend's ear.
"You are worthy, you know," she says, in that moment when their faces are very close. "Of happiness. I'm sure your parents agree."
Her heels lower again until she's back on the ground.
"You want more cocoa maybe?" An out is offered, to this path of endless emotion.
<Pose Tracker> Kasagami Araki [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
There's this brief moment of a twinkle in Kasagami's eyes, so otherwise absent tonight. That puffing up, that irritation...and then that tender expression following it. Conflict drives the Duelist, and in this case, only makes her more fond of her adorable friend with such a loving heart.
That little bounce of hip starts to provoke the eruption of what might be a vague wrestling match in other situations, but here Kassie actually has to keep her footing. There's a light blush to her features at the stumble. The heart is troubled, for all that Madoka tries to impart that lesson of happiness. It puts her off her usually sublime physical game, and it shows in ways that both annoy Kasagami and yet make her pay that much more attention.
The pursuit of perfection at Ohtori is a horrible siren.
But her mood breaks as the shorter girl has some treasure to hide, only to return with something special. A beautiful, flowering white crocus. Upon toetips bestowed, Kassie can't help but dip her form just enough that Madoka need not strain too much. Only just enough. Kasagami is caught a bit off guard by this beautiful thing given to her.
A few blinks, heels lower, and Kasagami is silent for a time that almost stretches to awkward.
A hand goes, and brushes that crocus gingerly, as if it's worth a house full of gold. She brings the sent from fingers to sniff it.
"Am I?" That doubt is small, but far smaller than it has been in months previous. She gulps. "...Maybe it doesn't matter. If I can find happiness, then maybe they'll be happy too. Whether I'm worthy or not." She offers quietly, in contemplation. Would her parents smile, if they knew their daughter found a fulfilling, loved, happy life?
Kasagami knows the answer. She smiles warmly to Madoka, life fading into her features once more like a sunrise over her melancholy feelings. Long legs devour space, and she's trying to throw an arm in companionable fashion about her shorter friend's shoulders.
"Cocoa, cookies, and a late night movie is what tonight calls for! ...I've got this American slasher flick that your parents definitely wouldn't want anybody to watch if they were here! Dad was always terrible about hiding stuff like that!" Griiiiiin! Mischief and that renewed spark of potential for true happiness flares in the Duelist's eyes as she laughs, light and content for the first time in a good week!
