Puella Magi Urbem Magarum

[Choo Choo]

Episode 1: Heroes of Love and Justice!​

The afternoon sun shines down upon Takiwa City, warm and bright. It's Thursday after classes, the first week of school, and the cherry blossom viewing is in full swing.

In a park by the riverside, a happy and cheerful crowd of people is gathered to celebrate hanami and the coming of Spring. There's plenty of food and drink to go around, as there always is, and laughter drifts on the soft, soothing breeze flowing through the city.

With the sunlight glittering warmly on the river's surface, the sky a boundless blue, it's difficult to imagine that only ten years ago, Takiwa was ravaged by a devastating earthquake. While other parts of the city are still in need of some reconstruction, particularly the poorer districts, it all feels very distant on a lovely day such as this.

In one corner of the park sits a small and isolated grove of cherry trees. This far from the riverbank, the crowds aren't quite so dense and stifling, and the chatter and laughter is a rising and falling background noise.

Among the scattered groups of people near this grove are six teenage girls. Some might be celebrating hanami with their families and friends, others may sit in solitude, and others still might just be walking on a street just nearby. Some might know each other, some might not.

But the six all have one thing in common: their lives will never be the same after today.

OOC THREAD

 

[Firnagzen]

Drifting pink blossoms in the wind.

Clack... clack.

The gentle, pleasant scent of cherry trees in full bloom.

Hey, fresh meat! Care for a bout?

Hands snug in her grey jacket, worn open, an atheletic looking girl wanders along the park, kicking sourly at the fallen pink flowers. One mistake. One careless slip, one loss out of how many wins, and everyone laughs at her just for that.

O-oh, sorry, sempai!

The wind gusts, sending another rush of cherry blossoms descending from above, and a few stray strands of hair into the girl's face. She brushes a stray strand of brown hair back, and frowns - did she not braid it properly today? Well, whatever. It's not like anyone will find her here in the park, anyway, she thinks sulkily, fixing angry glares on everything crossing her path - frolicking children, happily chatting couples...

Bah.

Koizumi Yumi shakes her head, and tries to put the entire thing out of her mind. It is a nice day, just... coloured by a certain incident. For now... well, this honestly is a rather nice park, if rather crowded.

OOC: Yumi is her first name.

 

[TheOneMoiderah]

Emiko sat by the river, before she tossed a pebble into the pond. She took a deep breath and sighed, watching as it skipped once, then twice, and then hit a rock and flew haphazardly into the water. She rolled her eyes a little, before she leaned back to look at the sky.

"...Fuck." She muttered. "Fuckin'...fuck." She laughed a little at what she just said. "Oh god that was stupid." She lied down on the ground, before she sucked air in...and exhaled. And then felt a hand on her mouth. She squealed a little, before she forced the hand off. "What was that for?!"

"It was a wake-up call!" Right in front of her was a girl with dark-blue hair. She smiled broadly and, immediately, Emiko felt a little tightening in her chest. "I mean, you looked like you were about to start napping!"

"...That was fuckin' rude, Shizuko." She crossed her arms and pouted a little. "I mean, seriously. Did you really need to do that?"

"No."

"So why'd you do it?"

"...Okay, it was because I thought it'd be funny." Shizuko smiled. "But well...I thought we were gonna have fun at the arcade. Or something."

"That was our dating spot. We aren't dating."

"We can still go there. You know, as friends."

Emiko clenched her teeth, before she swallowed. She took a deep breath. "...okay, maybe later. Right now, I just wanna look at the river."

"The river's boring, though." Shizuko pursed her lips. "It's just water."

"Look, just gimme a few minutes, okay?"

Shizuko shrugged. "Alright. I'll just be at the arcade, then." She turned and walked off, leaving Emiko there by the water.

She took a deep breath. She really missed actually going on dates.

OOC: Emiko experiences vapid teenage angst.

 

[mothematics]

"You know, I think I finally get why people would spend their whole fuckin' afternoon watching flowers."

One leg crossed lazily over the other, one eye half open, one eye closed, the lanky, dark-skinned blonde sprawls lazily across the picnic blanket.

She puts her arms behind her hed as a makeshift pillow. "This is actually kinda relaxing! I wish spring came more often... What do you want to eat fir- Hey, Mary, quit zoning out girl! I'm trying to talk with ya! "

Aoi sits up, groggily rubbing her eyes.

@Dirtnap

 

[Dirtnap]

Mary was lost in her own thoughts as Aoi rambled on not two feet from her, staring up at the puffy white clouds. Almost enough to forget about that one cunt in 2-C...almost. Dammit, I wasn't gonna do this, today I was just gonna relax and...

What do you want to eat fir- Hey, Mary, quit zoning out girl! I'm trying to talk with ya!

Click to shrink...

"Huh? You what mate?" Mary says as she sleepily looks over at one of her few friends across the blanket, "Oh Aoi. Sorry, all the sun just makes me sleepy. It was always cloudy this time of year back home."

Leveraging herself up on her elbows she rolls over onto her stomach, "Hmm, all this bloody rice, I dinnae, maybe some yakisoba? I like the noodles. Oooh or some takiyaki, good stuff, that is."

 

[mothematics]

"Hmm, all this bloody rice, I dinnae, maybe some yakisoba? I like the noodles. Oooh or some takiyaki, good stuff, that is."

Click to shrink...

Brushing some hair out of her face (fucking pink strand) Aoi stands up, arching her back and letting out a yawn that would sound better fitting to a dying cat than a human being.

"Takoyaki, not takiyaki. Silly Scot." Aoi mutters playfully whilst craning her neck, looking over the crowds of people under the sakura.

"There's a yakisoba cart about... twenty meters -I'm still shit at converting those from feet- thataway." She gestures somewhere off to her left, approaching the river.

"Should we get off our lazy asses and get some of that good shit?" She grins, leaning down and offering a hand to Mary.

 

[Dirtnap]

"Should we get off our lazy asses and get some of that good shit?" She grins, leaning down and offering a hand to Mary.

Click to shrink...

"What fooking ever, sounds the bloody same t'me," Mary gripes as she takes the offered hand.

As Mary stands she throws her arm around the shorter girl's shoulders, "Ya know, its a lot easier ta see when you happen to be taller than everyone else," she grins at Aoi, "C'mon short stuff, I can see it just fine."

A minute or two later, they're in line at the yakisoba stand.

 

[TheOneMoiderah]

Emiko yawned, before she slowly stood up. She still had a da-she stopped herself and swallowed. There was a hard lump in her throat. "...just friends." She shook her head. "Fuck." She took a deep breath and started walking, before she noticed someone out of the corner of her eye.

It was a lanky, dark-skinned girl with blonde hair. Emiko paused, her walk suddenly stopping as she took a look at the girl. "...foreigner?" She murmured. She tilted her head a little, before she blushed brightly and clasped her hands on her mouth. "Uh...shit." She shook her head. "Probably straight. Probably..." She just kept moving, and didn't bother to look where she was going.

A minute or two later, they're in line at the yakisoba stand.

Click to shrink...

There was a thud, as she ran right into someone face-first. She stumbled a little in surprise, before both this girl and the dark-haired pretty one stared at her. Emiko shook her head, before she looked up...and her eyes widened a little. "Oh...uh...Mary!" She said. "Uh...shit I didn't think you were here!"

 

[Muramasa]

Yuko was gone.

Not even ten minutes into the festival and she had slipped away.

Haruna sighed as she brushed away strands of dark red hair. Maybe she'd find her in the crowds? No, probably not. Her sister wanted nothing to do with her.

But she had made plans! They were going to do so much together! They were going to eat and listen to music and play games and watch the cherry blossoms and... and-

A pang. No, no, she wasn't going to cry out here.

Despondently Haruna drifted back toward her own picnic blanket. Off to the side, were two carefully prepared bento's she had made herself. It looked like she'd have to take the second back home.

"But... I can't just give up on you like this."

She stared at the two bento's for a long moment before deciding to take both of them with her.

She wouldn't get anywhere with her sister if she just gave up. She was out there, somewhere.

Haruna took a deep breath, and commenced her search.

...

The cherry blossoms really are beautiful this year, she noted idly.

 

[Dirtnap]

There was a thud, as she ran right into someone face-first. She stumbled a little in surprise, before both this girl and the dark-haired pretty one stared at her. Emiko shook her head, before she looked up...and her eyes widened a little. "Oh...uh...Mary!" She said. "Uh...shit I didn't think you were here!"

Click to shrink...

Mary stumbled into Aoi as something, make that someone, ran into her. Turning around she faced her unseen attacker, ready to be passive aggressively assaulted by yet another stuck-up, snobby, oh so prim and proper, I know that hair color.

Blinking a few times, she raises an eyebrow at Emiko. "Now why the bleedin' hell..." she starts before switching to Japanese, "Why wouldn't be I here, Emiko? I'm kinda surprised that you are here. This isn't what you are usually doing...but where are my manners."

Mary turns to Aoi, "Aoi, this is Emiko, she's my walking partner on the way home, she's pretty cool. Emiko, this is Aoi, my fellow gaijin at school. We gotta stick together."

@TheOneMoiderah @Rook

 

[mothematics]

"And by this point half the section is marching backwards as a fuck you to the-"

THUD

"...Ow."

Mary turns to Aoi, "Aoi, this is Emiko, she's my walking partner on the way home, she's pretty cool.

Click to shrink...

"Sup."

...Wait, wrong language.

"Nice to meet you, Emiko. Hell of a way to meet, huh? How ya doing?" Aoi raises an eyebrow, putting her smile back on like nothing happened.
@TheOneMoiderah

 

[TheOneMoiderah]

"Nice to meet you, Emiko. Hell of a way to meet, huh? How ya doing?" Aoi raises an eyebrow, putting her smile back on like nothing happened.

Click to shrink...

Emiko almost wanted to swoon. "Uh...doing good." She gulped. "Yeah." Her eyes darted between Aoi and Mary. Quickly, she stepped to the side. "Okay that's a little awkward." She muttered under her breath, making sure only Mary would hear.

@Dirtnap @Rook

 

[mothematics]

"Uh...doing good." She gulped. "Yeah." Her eyes darted between Aoi and Mary. Quickly, she stepped to the side.

Click to shrink...

Aoi couldn't quite make out what this new girl (hopefully friend!) was flustered by. Maybe she was just embarrassed about bumping into her and Mary?

Fucked if I know. Think, girl! How do I people!?

Inclining her head down a bit, Aoi asks quietly in English "Please, tell me I didn't just do the dumb and offend your friend somehow?"
@Dirtnap

 

[Dirtnap]

"Okay that's a little awkward." She muttered under her breath, making sure only Mary would hear.

Click to shrink...

Mary screwed up her eyebrows for a second, "What is? Running into us like that? Don't worry about it, Aoi's cool," Mary mutters back.

Inclining her head down a bit, Aoi asks quietly "Please tell me I didn't just do the dumb and offend your friend somehow?"

Click to shrink...

"No, I think she's just a little embarrassed for running into us like that," Mary replies in English, shaking her head a little. "Anyways we're holding the line up. Would you like to join us Emiko?" she finishes in Japanese.

 

[Mister Bad Guy]

Minori Sakaguchi looks up at one of the trees. A few low-hanging branches, a trunk with some knobs, a sturdy look. It's an old tree - not the prettiest, but about as grizzled as one can look when it's currently covered in pink flowers.

She immediately resolves to climb it.

Her father and brother left her behind some time ago, to go meet with work-friends. Minori was left behind... but she doesn't mind. She leaps up and grabs a branch... and it's only a matter of minutes before she's sitting on a fairly high branch. She's difficult to see in all the thick petals, but her efforts end up causing quite a few blossoms to fall. Initially, she wonders if this is disturbing the sanctity of the occasion... but nah. She came here to see cherry petals, and now she's completely surrounded by them.

She looks out. Under one of the other trees, not far from hers, she sees a gaggle of other girls chatting. She grins. It's great being up here; she can see everything.

 

[Firnagzen]

Yumi wanders along the pathways, breathing in the gentle fragrance of the trees and trying to put the incident out of her mind. Out of the corner of her eye, she spies someone, a blonde girl with hair done up in two long tails, scrambling up a tree. She raises an eyebrow.

"Huh."

What the hell, why not?

@Mister Bad Guy

Yumi wanders over to the tree, leaning casually against the trunk, and announces, "I can see you up there, you know."

 

[Mister Bad Guy]

With a surprised yell that's definitely not a scream and a massive flurry of cherry blossoms, Minori falls out of the tree. Fortunately, her fall is broken by the thick head of the brown-haired girl directly beneath her.

She finds herself in a tangle of limbs with said brunette, and grumbles. "You ruined my serenity."

 

[Firnagzen]

A yell and a crashing sound gives Yumi just enough time to flinch before the girl in the tree falls out of it.

A few confused seconds filled with flailing limbs and an enormous cloud of cherry blossoms later, Yumi disentangles herself and drags herself to her feet. "Serenity my ass. You're lucky I can take a hit," Yumi grumbles right back. On the other hand, this is a good distraction.

The brown haired girl holds a hand out to the blonde to pull her up. "Why a tree?"

 

[Mister Bad Guy]

Minori graciously takes the proffered hand with a slight grimace. "Because it's cherry blossom viewing, why do you think? I figure, if you're gonna view something, view it up close." She shakes the girl's hand. "I'm Minori Sakaguchi. You?"

 

[Firnagzen]

"Koizumi Yumi," Yumi introduces herself. "Up close? Well... I guess I can see that. But really? You're supposed to take it as a whole!" She gestures at the cherry grove surrounding them. "'Don't miss the forest for the trees!'" she quotes in passable, if heavily accented English. "Or the, uh, cherry blossoms for the flowers?"

 

[Mister Bad Guy]

Minori tilts her head. "Was that English?" She doesn't recognize a single word; she's failing English on account of it being a dumb language. "So... whatcha doing here? Just enjoying festivities, or is there something on your mind, Koizumi?"

 

[Firnagzen]

"Yes, that's English," Yumi grins. "Translated, it's... don't miss the forest for the trees; don't concentrate on a single aspect of something so that you wind up missing the whole of it, you know?"

She very pointedly does not respond to Minori's second question.

 

[Mister Bad Guy]

Minori doesn't notice Koizumi's refusal to respond, being more interested in a nearby butterfly. When her attention snaps back, she grins. "That's a good proverb, I guess," she says. "So, uh... you with anybody?"

 

[Firnagzen]

Both of Yumi's eyebrows shoot up, and she eyes the platinum blonde girl, head tilting slightly. "With-with, or with?" She pauses. "Answer's no, either way, but uh... if you're asking me out... uh, we kind of just met, so I'm going to go with no, sorry."

 

[Mister Bad Guy]

Minori's eyes bug out. "With-with? What are you... oh." She slaps her forehead. "No. I meant did you come to the viewing with anybody. I'm not looking for a girlfriend."