2022-10-09 - A Belated Welome
| Title: A Belated Welcome | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Mami calls on Kyouka to welcome a new magical girl to the neighborhood, and comes bearing a gift! | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Kyouka's House (Shitamachi Low City) | |
| OOC - IC Date: October 09, 2022 - Monday, January 08, 2016 | |
*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+* Shitamachi Low City +*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
The traditions that the Shitamachi cultural region keeps alive were ancient long before the Shogun turned the fishing town of Edo into Tokyo, "Eastern Capital." The area has evolved greatly since then, but though Shitamachi is a highly modernized metropolis, its traditions somehow coexist with bullet trains, research universities, and electronics markets. The occasional person in kimono and sandals will wait at the crossing alongside salarymen in business suits. Compared to Yamanote, there are more bicycles, family businesses, and food carts, and fewer scooters, corporations, and convenience stores. Certain wards in Shitamachi can be just as dense and urbanized as anything in Yamanote, but there's a tendency toward low-rise apartment complexes in the residential areas, and office buildings rather than office towers in the commercial.
The distinction between Shitamachi and Yamanote is messy, both geographically and demographically, but significant enough that it remains the most significant cultural divide in Tokyo. Shitamachi people, as a whole, take themselves less seriously, and have a stronger sense of community that feeds upon their active street culture of markets, shops, and festivals. They may not be fashionable, but they are /fun/. The Juuban public schools, undistinguished but in some ways better off for it, exemplify this plebeian joie de vivre quite well. The Shitamachi dialect is less distinct than it used to be, but it is still a force to be reckoned with, with a broader, less refined, and more energetic sound to it than standard Japanese.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Sanbu had been... an experience. It was true that she loved new experiences, wasn't afraid of change, had barely been affected by the torpor infesting the poor village, but all the same... That was one experience she never wanted to have again.
Kyouka was... well, distressingly fine, considering the ordeal she'd been through. She had had a better time of it than some of her compatriots, at least. But in all honesty, she was far more concerned about her mother. She couldn't help herself: she'd been extra attentive, extra watchful and protective the last couple of days, even though the elder Okazaki had no idea why.
At least Yuki was recovering, as far as Kyouka could tell. And she seemed to have no real memories of the experience--let alone any recognition that her daughter had been there.
On the one hand, it meant that she had less to explain. On the other hand... more lies.
She tried to be content with the fact that her mother seemed none the worse for the wear.
But... in a weird way, it'd let her meet several more magical girls, which was a strange kind of plus, considering what it took to meet them. And one of them had reached out, asked to meet up, and she'd said okay.
Kyouka made it home after track and took a moment to change into jeans and a t-shirt, and busied herself with straightening up the house. There wasn't really that much to do (with just the two of them and a dog things stayed pretty tidy, most of the time), but it helped keep her distracted while she kept an ear out for her new friend.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
It would be cool to say that for Mami, Sanbu was just another day. ...But that's not really true; the worst Wraith infestation she'd ever seen was not just another day, for all that she knew what was going on. Knowledge may be power, but it's not omnipotent. ...Not Mami's knowledge, anyway.
Be that as it may, she's fine; the Grief Cubes they harvested made up for the magic she had to expend, and after the drive back she got to rest. SHe has patrolling to do later, now, to ensure her environs never get that bad...
But today she has a different plan. Today, she is walking to Kyouka's house. Walking, and taking the train--no illegal driving this time for a girl not quite old enough for her license. She appreciated meeting another magical girl, and wanted to make her feel welcome in the group...
Which brings us to the knock on the door. Mami Tomoe, still in her Ohtori High School uniform, holds a moderately sized white box, in which is a gift! And she waits, pleasantly, to deliver it. "Hello, Okazaki-san," she'll greet if Kyouka answers the door.
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Mami's arrival is heralded first by... a dog barking! From right behind the door.
Did Kyouka forget to mention that? She might've.
"Easy, boy! It's just a friend!" comes a shout from further in the house. Then the door is opening, Kyouka peeks through and smiles. "Tomoe-san! Hi! It's nice to see you again! Oh! Um..." She looks at the box, then down at the very eager dog behind her and then up at Mami again. "Sorry, give me just a second." The door is cracked, and Mami can hear--and see--Kyouka dragging Wolfy a good distance from the door. "Sit. Sit! Stay. Good boy."
Having freed them from doggie pestering, Kyouka opens the door more fully. "Sorry about that. Wolfy's really eager about meeting new people. Here, can I take that for you?" Assuming Mami lets her take the box, she carries it to the kitchen while gesturing Mami in with a tilt of her head. "Come on in, please. Make yourself comfortable. Sorry I forgot to mention Wolfy, I hope dogs aren't a problem for you. Can I get you something to drink?"
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
A dog!! Mami smiles when she hears the dog barking; a dog in a house is usually a good sign. She doesn't have one herself, of course. ...They're too messy for her as a rule. However...
"You have another friend here I see," Mami answers amiably. "It's likewise nice to see you. Thank your for the invitation!"
Mami steps inside once allowed, and she nods along about Wolfy. "Well, that's fair, isn't it?" She hands the box to Kyouka, "Hello there, Wolfy. It's nice to meet you, too."
"Certainly. And oh, if it's no trouble, certainly."
She turns towards Wolfy. "And you seem very excited!"
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"Feel free to pet Wolfy if you want," Kyouka says as she puts down the box on the kitchen table. "He's really friendly, just be warned he'll probably try and jump up on you." The bottom floor is a bit open floor plan, so the living room and kitchen area form one rather large, open space, so it's rather easy for Kyouka to keep up the conversation as she moves behind the countertop to the fridge. "No problem at all. Let's see, we have water, milk, soda, orange juice--" she pauses from looking through the fridge and then glances over her shoulder to Mami as she remembers something. "... oorrrr... should I put a kettle on? I'm not sure what we have, but I can make a note to stock up a bit..."
Wolfy barks, and Kyouka's warning is very prescient. Wolfy was waiting, like a good dog should, but when Mami comes over, and says hi... he can't help himself. His tail is wagging happily as he gets up and runs up to the other girl, sniffing at her curiously before he indeed jumps up at her to try and lick at her face.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"Certainly," Mami asys once invited. She is a little... well, a little prim, a little out of step for a Big Rowdy Dog, but that might make it charming when she approaches.
Then, when Kyouka mentions drink options, "Tea would go well with what I brought over, if you have any black teas. But anything is fine." lfy approaches! "Oh! You are friendly, aren't you?" she asks with a little laugh, and while she doesn't let him lick her face much (It would smudge her makeup!), she does pet him with both hands. "Down, down. But you are a nice one, aren't you? My name is Mami."
"It must be nice to have him around. I can tell he's a very good dog."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Mami references the gift, and Kyouka glances over--she is curious, but... hospitality first. "Black tea, black tea..." Kyouka says to herself as she thinks back... The fridge closes as she moves to a cupboard. "I think... ahha, yes! Okay." She takes out the box and sets it on the counter, and then fetches a kettle and starts it boiling. If Mami cares to look, it's at the very least a fairly nice brand--not top shelf, but not a knockoff store brand, either.
Wolfy, is, indeed, a Big Rowdy Dog. Anyone who gets to see Wolfy and Kyouka together will definitely pick up on... a certain synergy, if you will. The claims about pet owners and pets being like each other definitely holds true, at least for these two. (Kyouka, at least, does not go around licking people, so there is one distinction.) Wolfy himself is easily deterred from said face-licking without any ill feelings, growling happily at any affection Mami wishes to bestow.
With the pot started, (and a few saucers and tea cups fetched in anticipation), Kyouka wanders back over to add her own scritches behind Wolfy's ears. "Yeah, he is. He's been with us for... about 7 years, now. It's great having him around with all the moving we do." There's a very brief melancholy note to her voice for a moment, but she quickly brightens up again. "So! Um... My mom seems to be doing okay. She... doesn't really remember anything, as far as I can tell, which... thank you metaphysical laws of the universe, I guess. How are you doing?"
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Mami glances at the box, but does not comment. Even if it wee the worst of teas Mami would not complain. ...But it's a relief that it's not. She appreciates tea.
She definitely picks up n that synergy. "Awww. What a nice boy."
But hen Kyouka wanders back over and answers, Mami inclines her head. "I see!" Seven years is quite a while. And all the moving... Yes, Mami picks up on that melancholy. She hasn't done a lot of moving, for her part. "That's good," the blonde answers. "She should make a full recovery. Even the people who were there for longer should eventually recover, but definitely sooner than later for the group from the Sister Schools." A pause. "...Yes, it would cause a lot of panic if people realized the dangers around them. It's... a mercy."
"But I'm doing well! Everyone came home alive, and that's the most important thing. Tonight I start my patrols again. I'm loking forward to the lighter load comparitively." 📱 You paged Abiko Tsugaru with 'Oh, but Thursday might be DnD, but I'll have to confirm that.'
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka nods in relief as Mami mentions that the Sisters Schools group, and indeed all of the villagers, will recover. "Good," she says, though her tone is subdued compared to a moment ago. "... they might get to forget, but..." She lets that thought trail off as she takes a deep breath and lets it out. "Sorry, I'm just... um... kinda new to this, so I'm still adjusting to how things work."
"I'm glad to hear it," she says whem Mami professes to doing well. There's a moment when Mami's phrasing of 'everyone came home alive' seems to prompt--a question? a commonent.
No, she shuts that down. There's more than enough to deal with without adding that to her plate of existential questioning.
"Right, patrols," she says instead, moving onto something slightly less dreadful. "Those sound like a good idea. Another friend of mine offered to let me tag along, I should let her know that I've recovered so we can do that."
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
That's a fai thing to be subdued about. ...So is what eles Kyouka says. "There's no need to apologize," Mami says. "The things we see are often disturbing. Some of us chose this life... and some of us didn't. But we all have to deal with it. That's one of the reasons it's a good thing we have each other." She smiles, faintly. It is not a hearty happy kind of smile, but an encouraging one.
"Yes." Mami doesn't press for that question or comment.
Instead, "It's common for many of us--Puella Magi like me need to patrol for Wraiths regularly, to keep their numbers thin and to replenish the mana in our Soul Gems. But any kind of magical girl would like to keep an eye out for monsters in her environs, and so patrols happen. I could bring you along on one or two of mine sometime; you did well against the Wraiths, and might benefit from the practice... but I understand if you'd rather not deal with them more than you have to."
"You should go with your friend, too. I'm glad you're already making friends. This life... can be very lonely, without them."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Takes in a good long deep breath, one meant to help fortify herself and steady her nerves. "Yeah... I guess I don't know which of those categories I fall into. I kind of... stumbled into it by accident. Strike Wolf-- Oh, right." She holds up her wrist so Strike Wolf's standby form is visible. "My partner."
<Please to meet you,> says the device, plesantly.
"Sent out a sort of cry for help, and I heard it and responded. Got him away from a mage trying to steal him, formed a contract, drove him off, and... here I am. Here we are." she corrects herself. "It's been... kind of a wild trip."
She's quiet and thoughtful for a moment, but... she does manage to return Mami's smile, at least a little bit. "Yeah. If there's one thing I'm grateful, it's that I'm not alone in all this." She laughs, just a little it's a little ironic but also a little sad, too. "I was hoping I'd make friends when I moved to Japan, just.... had no idea this would be how it happened."
She nods a bit as Mami explains about patrolling for wraiths. One more type of magical girl to learn about. Seems like there's an endless variety. (Which, on her less maudlin days... is kind of fascinating to her.) And then Mami makes an offer. "Oh! Um, sure! I'd like that." Not exactly the type of frindship bonding activity she'd imagined, but, well... friendship and keeping the world safe are at least both good goals. She laughs a little nervously at being complimented on how well she did. "Oh, I'm glad you think so... it felt like it was getting kinda dicy towards the end, there... I've only really been a magical girl for like... a couple weeks. I've been training, but... at some point I just need practical experience, so, yeah." When Mami offers her a way out, she quickly shakes her head. "N-no, it's fine. Many hands, and all that, right?"
The kettle whistles, and she gives Wolfy a final pat as she gets up to go get the tea ready. "Yeah, me too," she says of making friends. "I was kinda freaking out when I first found Strike Wolf. I had no idea what was going on, but... well, I am starting to meet people. If I hadn't met Mikoto I never would've known about everyone else going up, so... I was more than happy to have you over today." She looks over her shoulder. "Do you take anything in your tea?"
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"It can be hard to tell," Mami answers about which type. Kyouka gives one story that demonstrates that; Mami doesn't give others for now. "Hello, Strike Wolf!" Mami replies. "Pleased to meet you as well."
A cry for help... Mami is thoughtful. "Yes, I can imagine so."
Being alone in this... "I'm glad you're not, too." A pause. "...Yes, it's not exactly the safest or easiest 'hobby', is it?"
"Wonderful," Mami says of patrolling. Then, "It was getting pretty dicey," mami admits, using the same words. "It was very dangerous. It took all we had to win... and if you hadn't been there with us, we may not have been able to save everyone--or ourselves. Everyone counted. So even if it's difficult... You can be proud that you helped."
"I've been a magical girl for... rather longer," Mami says, "So if you have any questions, feel free to contact me, all right? I consider it one of my jobs to be available to help."
Many hands! And the tea whistles.
"That's how it goes. One tie at a time, we become..." Pause. "Well, that's starting to sound a little self-important," she says with a laugh. "I'm glad to be here, too. I like making new friends."
A pause. "A bit of sugar, please."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka gives a little bit of a wry laugh when Mami calls it a 'hobby'. "Yeah, that's... that's definitely an understatement. My mom already thinks that when I go out at night to do my magical girl training that I'm pushing myself extra hard for Track." She makes a face. "I nearly exhausted my mana in a fight and made her concerned when I slept all the way through dinner, but it's not like I could tell her what really happened. I hate lying to her, but... What else am I supposed to do?"
She just nods when Mami says she can be proud of how she helped--when she more directly addresses the stakes. "Yeah, I am too. I... well, I see all of these talented magical girls around me, and... Heh... I still can't help but think of it as a challenge to try and catch up to them. That should be the last thing on my mind after everything I've been through, but..."
Then again, she has no idea what some of those same magical girls have been through, either. Might be best to introduce that knowledge rather slowly.
Kyouka smiles at the offer of assistance and nods, "Sure! It's... really comforting to know that I'm not just making friends, but that there's people trying to look out for me as I learn this stuff. I appreciate it."
"Me, too!" she says of friendship making. "So, what do you do when... you're not saving the world from the unknowable horrors of existence? You know, for fun?"
"Got it," she says as she adds just a bit of sugar to one cup, and brings them both over to the kitchen table. "So if this is meant to go with the tea..." she sets the saucers down, and then opens up the box, curious to see what's inside.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Lying to her parents about magic is a problem Mami Tomoe never had. She can be empathetic about it at least, making such an expression. "It's hard to balance. I know a lot of girls find their own approaches..." But Mami doesn't have advice on this one. Not much firsthand, anyway.
"So long as you don't let it drive you to risky behavior, a little competitive spirit isn't a bad thing. Just do your best." A smile.
Mami's not going to bring up the time she died anytime soon, there is that.
"You're very welcome," Mami answers.
For fun? "Ahah... Well," Mami says, "I spend time with my friends, mostly. And... well, you'll see," she says, glancing at the box. "But I'm not the best example there; I spend more of my time on my magical girl business than most."
The box, as it turns out, contains a beautifully decorated cake. Inside is vanilla orange, with buttercream frosting, and outside it is done up with flowers and intricate icing lace. ...Chocolate may be popular with most people, but Mami thought it better not to give chocolate to someone whose partner was a Wolf without checking first. So this one has a subtle citrus flavor to meld with the vanilla.
"I hope you like it."
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Kyouka's eyes light up when she sees the cake. "Oh--Oh wow! Did you make this? This looks amazing!" She very carefully lifts the cake up from the box, setting it on the table so she can get to it to slice it more easily. Then she takes her phone out of her pocket and snaps a shot--a cake never looks so amazing as when it hasn't been cut yet, so save that shot for posterity. "I'll get some plates." Back to the cupboards, plates, forks, a knife, a serving utensil. "Tomoe-san, I think you and I are gonna get along great. I bake too--well, okay, I cook more than I bake, most of the time, but--well, that's me. I dabble in a lot of different things, but anyway. Remind me to invite you over for dinner sometime."
And soon enough, she's got two slices carefully lifted up and out of the plate and on two saucers to go with the tea. (She may not be the world's foremost expert on tea preparation, but... her mother did make sure she knew how to do it well enough, at least.)
"Please, come have a seat!" she says finally once everything's been placed.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"I did," Mami answers. "Thank you! I'm glad you think so. That's a lot of what I do with my time..." That, and tea. But that might go without saying, considering her display after the battle. She manages to hold back from outright beaming but she definitely smiles when Kyouka snaps a shot. "Wonderful."
Then a little laugh at the prospect of getting along great. "I hope so!" A beat, "Do you? That's excellent! I find that having a few things to practice is always good. I do cooking as well, but baking is really what I love..."
Invite her over for dinner??? That's a surprise. "Oh... Certainly."
Mami will indeed come have a seat!
<Pose Tracker> Kyouka Okazaki [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"There are," Kyouka opines, "Worse things you can do in life than making good food." That statement gets a serious and important nod to punctuate it. "Sharing good food is just as, if not more important."
Kyouka nods enthusiastically to confirm that she cooks. "I do! It's... well, it's probably the thing I do the most after my martial arts." If it wasn't clear she was a martial artist after last night, well... She gives off a self-conscious grin at seeing Mami's reaction to her future dinner invitation. "Sorry if that was rather sudden, I just... well, I like cooking for people. Sharing good food, and all that, you know? Plus, when I see something that looks this good, I can't help but want to reciprocate."
As Mami sits, Kyouka finishes with a last little bit of place setting, including some napkins. Then she sits down with her slice of cake. She holds up a forkful of cake and grins. "Here's to new friendships!"
