The City of Falling Stars (MB 4.0)

[acecipher]

Shinhwa was transfixed. Her state of shock seemingly had been cemented into her by the happenings around her, and the tactile feeling of the fine paper she held in her hands only made the disconnect more jarring, preceding her asking questions like, "When did she grab ahold of the talsiman" and "Why is her hair in front of her and the sky suddenly forward and--"


The near-accident gave her the needed adrenaline rush to break out of her thought cycle into a world of clarity, albeit equally as unrealistic and dreamy as the one she had just come from. However, understanding the need to physically remove herself from this potentially disorienting situation, she bowed quickly to start uttering an adieu: "Thank you for your generosity and kindness, most emminent High Priestess and Tsukaima Memory, and I hope you will not take objection to the most strong desire I have to celebrate this in the way I feel can only be appropriate for a priestess: Solemn and heartfelt prayer over several hours, that which is best suited to my cloistered closet back at my residence. I hope you do not mind my absence, for you always have my ear if you ever do need me. Praise for the most high, High Priestess; I must be going now to commence with my dutiful worship." She turned to walk back towards her residence, not caring if her friends were following or were jumping off the wall; her mind was already swarming with thousands of thoughts that appeared as if they had been there all along.


Shinhwa opened her door, locking it behind her, and went straight to her bed and prayed until she slept.

 

[Snekwitch]

It's late morning, misty and cool. The seven girls, in their respective homes, each receive a mental ping!--an invitation to a group video call. The invitation message shows a girl with short blue hair (except for two braids at her forelocks), light brown skin and brilliant lapis lazuli eyes. Her wide mouth seems always on the verse of a smile or a grin, and her limbs have a restless energy to them.

"Hi! So I hear all of you are magical girls as of last night. Congratulations! I'll be your senior squad member, which is why I've been sent to pick you up. But uh, I didn't want to drop by without warning, so that's why I'm calling you." She gives a shy chuckle, scratching the back of her neck.

"But oh! Yes. I am Hokulele Shoal. You can call me Hoku! I can't wait to meet all of you. About that, though, we should probably coordinate how we're going to meet up, because--" Her eyes refocus on something beyond the virtual "camera" and then widen in surprise. "Wow. Yeah, you guys live all over the place. I can come pick you up though if that works best. I'm pretty strong even for a magical girl," she says with a grin, and then her face flushes. "Ah, I didn't mean pick you up literally. Just you know, come get you from your houses. Yes. And 'strong' as in, I can travel all over the City without problems. Um. Yes."

 

[Gadjo]

Emma doesn't put down her fork in response to the call, still shoveling a hearty pile of bacon and eggs into her mouth. Emma's family eats in relative silence, her little sister despondently plays with her food, disappointed at the lack of pancakes, and her mother and father politely chip at their portions, oblivious to the call.

A grin spreads across Emma's face as she learns that she's going to meet more magical people. This is how heroes meet right?

Is that Alicia?

"Mom, Dad? I'm going to work, okay?"

Her father nods his head. "Be safe, Emma."

Emma runs out the door, and once out of earshot of her house, calls Hokulele back.
@Duskwitch
"Uh, Hokulele? Where are we meeting? I'm on the edge of town, but I know my way around. I can probably get there on my own if you don't have time to pick me up. Also, Morning Natalya, morning, Alicia. You're a magical girl too, huh?"

 

[Dirtnap]

Hikari wakes to the fitful purring of her new pet, warm and safe in her cocoon of blankets. She squeals a little as she runs her fingers of the short hair of her calico and then climbs out of her 'nest'. She's halfway out of her shower when Hokulele's call comes, startling her a little.

@Duskwitch
"Ms. Hoku, was it? I normally work with my parents down at the docks, but they know that I am leaving for training today. I know the market area fairly well, should we want to meet up there. But I, ah, must finish getting ready for the day first." Hikari smiles at the blue haired girl's flustered face. "The least I can do is to make so it isn't so far for you to come meet me." She leaves the connection open but cuts the video off as she quickly dresses. A skirt with a checkered pattern and stockings, sensible flats and a tank top along with a light jacket make up her clothes. She reverently takes her gunmetal gray barrette and pins her bangs in place. She smiles as she remembers the changes that came with the transformation and leans down to scratch her cat behind the ears.

"Okay, all ready here. Just one last question, Ms. Hoku...are pets allowed?"

 

[Krecart]

Alicia lounges on her bed, bored out of her skull. She'd gotten ready for the day hours ago. Habit had her waking up near dawn. The verdette had almost put on her work clothes before catching herself. It was tempting to get in a few sessions of VR but she was waiting on a call. Didn't want to be forced to bail on a game. Wouldn't be fair to whomever she'd ended up with.

The digital ping of Hokulele's invitation comes as a welcome relief.

A group call? Neat. She could get a look at her fellow Priestesses in traning.

"Ah, I didn't mean pick you up literally. Just you know, come get you from your houses. Yes."

Click to shrink...

"Aw..." Alicia draws out the sound, putting on an exaggerated pout, "and here I was gettin' my hopes up!" She manages to hold the expression for nearly a full second before she bursts into a fit of giggles.

You're a magical girl too, huh?"

Click to shrink...

Alicia blinks several times in confusion. "Farm Girl?" She blurted out before looking briefly embarassed. "Uh, sorry, Emma, but yeah! You and Nat ran into, um... Dream? The tsukaima? Crochets? Reacts adorably to hugs?"

"Anyways," she chirps, directing her attention to the rest of the call. "I can catch a ride to basically anywhere y'all'd like to meet up. Could probably even pick one or two folks up-" she winks at Hoku. "-on the way. So just let me know, yeah?"

 

[Krekalie]

Natalya's already up and about when the call comes. She's actually in class. Ballet lessons. Daily practice. She plants her feet on the ground and waves to Emma and the others, paying no heed to the other dancers still continuing to dance around her. So now was the time to leave it all behind.

"Natalya! What are you doing? No calls during lesson!" The middle ages woman that was her instructor shouts across the room.

She raises a finger to everyone on the call. Be right back. She cuts the video feed.

Natalya sticks out her tongue at her instructor and runs out of the mirrored dance room. She slides into the locker room and quickly finds the one with her name on it. Natalya Kalashnikova. She opens her locker and pulls out her drawstring bag of essentials she packed last night and keeps running, not pausing to close the locker. She can hear the voices behind her as she runs into the woman's restroom. This was it.

She brought a hand to her trinket at her neck and transforms in a burst of white light. She tried this last night, her magic, it would work. She leaps into the bathroom mirror.

It feels like slipping underwater.

She's inside another world. A mirror world. All different yet the same. Left is right and right is left, everything is flipped except her. It's quiet, soundless, silent, mute. Like her. Not that she was really mute. She makes her mind to rise up and keep moving before they see her through the glass. Natalya races past her instructors reflection into the hall, hearing only the pitter-patter of her feet and her own breathing in the stark silence of the world behind the mirror.

She enters the foyer, where her father normally is during her classes. She sees him. He's sitting there at one of the chairs that line the walls. It's like she's invisible to him. Natalya's eyes linger on the man for a few moments more before she bursts outside. It's the same as the real world but also different. The bustle is there but the sound is gone.

She wonders if the video call still worked.

She reenables the video, and waves again at all the participants in the call as she runs through the streets. She raises a finger to ping on a virtual map, her exact location at the moment. She raises both hands up and shakes them, also shrugging while smiling. This is where she is right now, she can meet anywhere at all.

 

[NLRose]

Akane yawns and stretches her arms out trying to get her blood flowing. Today is the day she meets the other girls that were picked to be magical girls. I wonder what kind of people they are. She brushes her teeth, and washes her face. She wouldn't need breakfast since Shouhou would probably have something for her already. With only a casually wave bye, as though she will be back tonight, Akane rushes out the door as quickly as possible to meet with Shouhou. I hope we meet someone easy to tease.

Shouhou is cooking breakfast when her sister Haru comes down stairs.

Shouhou: "Good morning Haru-ne. Today's eggs are?"

Haru: "Scrambled?"

Shouhou: "Too bad, poached. You're picking up dinner tonight." She sets the plate down in front of Haru. "Akane and I probably won't be around the training hall for a while."

Haru: "Ehh what's up?"

Shouhou: "Shinhwa was picked as a high priestess candidate, so Akane and I are being considered as potential guards for her."

"Mhm," Haru replies with a peace of toast in her mouth.

Shouhou gathers her things and starts heading to the door. "Well I'm off to meet up with Akane."

Haru: "Why so early?"

Shouhou: "It's not early." She slides a clock app across the room to her sister. "It's already nine."

Haru: *cough cough* "Why didn't you wake me up sooner!?!"

"I did you just fell back asleep again; twice," Shouhou calls back as she leaves, "You should still make it to work in time if you hurry and take a shortcut across the back canal."

After she is a little away from home,
Hair band: "Why did you lie about becoming a magical girl? If you wanted to keep it a secret shouldn't you have said you were a priestess?"

Shouhou: "I'm not suited to being a priestess, and I don't intend to stay a magical girl for long. I'm just ensuring I have a place to return to once I give up my magic."

@Duskwitch

Shouhou and Akane meet up near the knight barracks when they get the call.

Akane: "He~, all these people are also magical girls?"

 

[acecipher]

Shinhwa's sleep was rough and restless; her mind never gaining any peace from the chaos of yesterday. It should be no surprise that she was able to sleep in well past any reasonable hour, and given how she had secured the doors to her room fast, none could enter to rouse her. Rather they tried knocking, making a ruckus that would stir her to half-wakefulness, then grumble some half-formed thoughts and go back to half-sleep. As such, when the ping came, this similar cycle repeated itself, and she ignored the call, fully intent on trying to solve the myriad of issues plaguing her in her dreams.

 

[Snekwitch]

Hoku pouts back at Alicia, her cheeks reddening, and then grins brightly at everyone.

"I'm glad you're all here! And by here I mean speaking to me! I love meeting new magical girls!" She gives a soft eeeeeee! of glee, and then glances at a point "beside" the virtual screen. "Hmm well, there's one person who hasn't answered yet... Anyone know a 'Shinhwa'? Anyways, why don't we all meet at the market? That good for everyone?" Her eyes find Hikari. "And sure, pets are no problem!"

 

[Dirtnap]

Hikari can't help but smile at Hoku's antics but shakes her head at mention of a Shinhwa, "I cannot say I have heard of her, perhaps we'll see her at the market," she offers before her smile blossoms fully at hearing that she will be able to bring her new cat, "Oh that is most welcome news. I look forward to seeing everyone at the market." Distractedly she giggles, as her kitten bumps it's head affectionately on her shins and leans down to pick up the animal.

"Did you hear that kitty? You get to come with me!" Hikari rubs her cheek against the cat's, the fact the phone call is still on going doesn't even register with her.

 

[Krecart]

"Not off the top of my head, no." Alicia says. "Also. the market's fine by me. Serious about that offer for a ride, by the way." She pings her own location on as her eyes scan the various video feeds. "Could probably call in a few favors if anybod-"

"Did you hear that kitty? You get to come with me!" Hikari rubs her cheek against the cat's, the fact the phone call is still on going doesn't even register with her.

Click to shrink...

"That's not fair." Alicia mutters, a bit poleaxed by the d'aww before her. "She doesn't get to be that cute and- and look like-" Alicia covers her face with one hand for a moment and then points at the screen. "I just- you- no. Cheating. I'm calling shenanigans."

 

[Krekalie]

Natalya gives up bright thumbs up to everyone and starts making her way towards the market. It doesn't take long for her to her to the market at all, a strangeness she attributes to her little private mirror world somehow distorting the distance? Or maybe she moved faster here? Either way she finds a nice reflective store front to exit into the real world not far from where everyone is supposed to meet up.

One look at the crowd and Natalya decides to keep a distance, leaning back against a brick wall and idly watching for familiar faces with an enthusiastic smile.

 

[Gadjo]

"The market?" Emma grins. "Yeah, I know how to get to the market."

"Did you hear that kitty? You get to come with me!" Hikari rubs her cheek against the cat's, the fact the phone call is still on going doesn't even register with her.

Click to shrink...

"Ooooo bring the kitty! I wanna see! That reminds me of my old cat gato. He died though. Buried him in the tomato patch. I'll see you all at the market before you see me!" Emma waves and hangs up.

Throwing her cloak over her shoulders (what kind of hero shows up without a cloak? You can't do a dramatic reveal without one of those) Emma makes her way to the market, taking several unnecessary detours down side roads in the name of making a unseen approach to impress her new team.

In truth, the tall, muscular girl stalking down the busy streets wearing a ratty cloak in broad daylight was anything but subtle, drawing a stare or two from unaccustomed townspeople. The wind seems to pick up as Emma approaches Natalya, whipping her cloak out behind her as she breaks from the crowd and leans on the wall next to the (mostly) mute girl.

She lowers her hood, as if to reveal herself. "Morning Natalya!" Emma chirps, in an almost obnoxiously chipper tone to the lithe ballerina. "Seen Alica around? I think we're the first ones here."

 

[Krekalie]

Natalya bounces in surprise at Emma's arrival and her proximity. Too busy scanning the crowd, she didn't expect the Master Thief to sneak up on her from the side. She takes a sidestep away, sliding a few paces down the wall from the other girl and gives Emma a friendly wave.

Was that the same tablecloth she wore last night? An odd choice of outfit for the daylight hours, but then who was she to say a thing. Natalya looks down at her own outfit. A white caroling cape type deal over a white dress that had far too short a skirt. She had no idea what kind of shoes she was wearing, some kind of stocking-shoe, all in one package? She shrugs to herself and looks back at Emma, eyes trailing down to Emma's legs. She quirks an eyebrow.

Natalya brushes back the white caroling cape of her outfit back behind her shoulders so that it doesn't get in the way of her gesturing. She points at Emma, then she sticks out her tongue. To better illustrate her point she brings up her hand next to it, pointing forward with her palm down, pointing and splaying out her index and middle finger so that she can vaguely refer to a snake's tongue. She furrows her eyebrows not at all satisfied that the message got across, and after a moment she grins and instead wiggles her arm in a snaking motion and pats her own butt. Why aren't you going around as a snake?

Natalya raises a finger and brings up the video call again. She pivots on her feet, turning so that Emma is in the view of the virtual camera as well. She pings the market on the map, and waves at everyone, then points over her shoulder to Emma. She's here at the Market with Emma already.

 

[Dirtnap]

"That's not fair." Alicia mutters, a bit poleaxed by the d'aww before her. "She doesn't get to be that cute and- and look like-" Alicia covers her face with one hand for a moment and then points at the screen. "I just- you- no. Cheating. I'm calling shenanigans."

Click to shrink...

"E-Eh?! This is still on?!" Hikari flushes as she realizes she was just acting like some idiot teenage schoolgirl, where all of her new fellow priestesses could see. "I-I-I!" She sets her cat back down and buries her face in her hands, cheeks burning in embarrassment.

"Ooooo bring the kitty! I wanna see! That reminds me of my old cat gato. He died though. Buried him in the tomato patch. I'll see you all at the market before you see me!" Emma waves and hangs up.

Click to shrink...

The exuberant voice of one of the others brings Hikari out of her embarrassment long enough to see a girl wearing some sort of tutu with a cape over it and another girl, also wearing what might charitably be called a cape already standing in the market.

"I...I will be a long shortly," she mumbles, face still red. Cutting the call she quickly begins to pack, a couple of outfits, a pair of her sturdy work boots and one of her pillows. Once it's neatly put into a rarely used suitcase, she opens a voice only line to Alicia. Her cat meows an interrogative as it leaps up onto her shoulder. "We're going now kitty, to meet the other girls like me."

@Krecart
"U-uhm, Miss Alicia, I would greatly appreciate a ride to the market...if you'd care to meet me where you dropped me off last night?"

 

[Krecart]

"U-uhm, Miss Alicia, I would greatly appreciate a ride to the market...if you'd care to meet me where you dropped me off last night?"

Click to shrink...

"Can do." Alicia chirps. "Be there in a sec if this works."

She rises, stretching like a cat before transforming in a burst of gold light. A bit of experimentation last night had suggested her magic could be used as a sort of teleport... assuming it was somewhere she could've arrived at on her own. Which seemed odd, but very handy when she was doing it on purpose and not making a fool of herself. Like right now, for example. Alicia concentrates for a brief moment--

-- appears at the little dock she'd dropped Hikari off at last night, standing at the stern of her gondola and scaring the naga-loving shit out of the nearby birds. Which was fine by her. Anything that pooped on her boat deserved whatever came to it.

"Oh," she sighs in relief and sits down. "Good. Okay, nothing silly happened this time. Ready whenerver you are, Hikari."

 

[Dirtnap]

@Krecart

Hikari blinks a few times as her blush finally fades, "That was...exceedingly quick, Miss Alicia. It will take me a moment to arrive at the dock." She grabs her suitcase and quickly strides out of her house and down the road, her cat remaining perched on her shoulder the entire time. As the dock comes into view she slows to a less frantic pace, really I shouldn't have to run anywhere, and she gingerly steps on to Alicia's gondola.

"Good morning, Alicia. I trust you had a good evening?" Hikari asks as she sets her suitcase and herself down. Her feline companion warily regards the water around them as it hops off her shoulder and settles in Hikari's lap.

 

[Krecart]

"It was alright." Alicia shrugs as she starts rowing. She considers dropping her transformation, but it probably wasn't too outlandish and she could always say the family was trying out fancier uniforms. The sash and the pants were pretty similar even if her new outfit hadn't come with a hat. She was going to miss her hat.

"Had fun teasing my sisters, and trying to figure out some of this whole..." she trails off, gesturing at her magical girl outfit with one hand. "ya know, thing. I think I've figured out how to stop--"

-- She's standing a step closer to Hikari with her hands clasped together beneath her chin. "I am soooo sorry about last ni--"

"...doing that." Alicia finishes, now returned to her original position. She sighs and nods at Hikari's furry companion. "So... does kitty have a name yet?"

 

[Dirtnap]

@Krecart
Hikari jumps back a little bit, blushing at the unexpectedly cute sight, confused as to how the gondolier had gotten so close and then at her apology for last night. Her confusion only doubled after the girl re-appeared back in her original position, apparently non-plussed. "I ah, am a bit confused, what exactly would you be sorry for last night? And no...not yet. She just kind of showed up at my house last night, after everything." Hikari idly strokes the cat in her lap, smiling unconsciously as it mewls and purrs.

"Also, do you think that you should uhm, untransform? Detransform? What even is the right word..." she trails off, lips pursed in thought. "I can't exactly wear my own outfit around...it is a bit scandalous."

 

[Krecart]

"O-Oh, um... ya know, whistling at you?" Alicia winces at the memory, using an AR overlay of the canal to help keep them on course even as she turns her head away from Hikari.

When she resumes speaking the words start to tumble out of her mouth. "That was really- I shouldn't've- Idon'trememberifIapologizedornot."

"Also, do you think that you should uhm, untransform? Detransform? What even is the right word..." she trails off, lips pursed in thought. "I can't exactly wear my own outfit around...it is a bit scandalous."

Click to shrink...

"Yes, it, uh- no, I mean" Alicia very carefully doesn't think about a transformed Hikari as she kicks absently at a storage compartment near her feet. It pops opens to reveal tightly packed clothes and other personal effects.

"If, I just-" she starts loosening the mantle or... Alicia blinks and focuses back on Hikari. "Hey, is this a mantle or a shawl?" She manages to untie the shoulder-thing- It definitely wasn't a cape. - with one hand and drops it into the storage compartment, pressing it closed again with a soft click.

"Now, if I just had my hat," A frown creases her features before vanshing with a shake of her head. "this wouldn't look all that out of place, yeah? A bit fancy, but compared to a flash of light and inexplicable wardrobe change, not that bad."

"Market's just up ahead," Alicia indicates with a small jerk of her head, "but if you're worried I can find a spot to pull over and change back?"

 

[Gadjo]

Natalya brushes back the white caroling cape of her outfit back behind her shoulders so that it doesn't get in the way of her gesturing. She points at Emma, then she sticks out her tongue. To better illustrate her point she brings up her hand next to it, pointing forward with her palm down, pointing and splaying out her index and middle finger so that she can vaguely refer to a snake's tongue. She furrows her eyebrows not at all satisfied that the message got across, and after a moment she grins and instead wiggles her arm in a snaking motion and pats her own butt. Why aren't you going around as a snake?

Click to shrink...

Emma tilts her head, confused. "Snake... butt? Oh! It's not a butt, Natalya, that's my tail." She insists, mock indignation in her voice. "But anyway, you don't just go around town as a snake all the time! You have to wait for a good place to reveal it. Anyway, I can't exactly sneak around with my awesome tail out, and I wanna see the look on everyone's face when I show them that I'm a lamia."

Emma beams with pride and stares off into the distance, apparently daydreaming about her dramatic reveal of her ancestral snake blood.

Moments later, she seems to snap out of it. "So, have you tried out your powers yet? I was too tired last night. I don't even know what I can do."

 

[Dirtnap]

"O-Oh, um... ya know, whistling at you?" Alicia winces at the memory, using an AR overlay of the canal to help keep them on course even as she turns her head away from Hikari.

When she resumes speaking the words start to tumble out of her mouth. "That was really- I shouldn't've- Idon'trememberifIapologizedornot."

Click to shrink...

"O-oh. Right, that." Hikari looks at the floor of the gondola, fighting to keep the blush off her face. "Uhm, I err," she stumbles over the words, fidgeting in her seat. "It's okay, I'm not mad about it..." Thankfully Alicia changes the subject before Hikari completely loses her composure.

"I think it's very shawl like." She says as the the other girl drops it into the storage compartment. "And your outfit isn't quite as...bold, eccentric, odd, weird as mine is. I think you should be okay if you wear it to the market. And yes a hat would compliment your new outfit, you could always acquire one." A sudden thought crosses her mind and she blurts it out without thinking, "Besides if you changed before we got there itsnotlikeyouwouldhaveanywheretochangeatandwhyamIthinkingabouthisohGoddesses." Hikari buries her face in her hands, refusing to look up at all. Her cat purrs in her lap, occasionally headbutting her hand in a demand for pets.

 

[Krecart]

"What? Why are you..." Alicia's brows knit in confusion and she tilts her head to the side. She'd just meant dropping the transforma--

"That is not what I meant!" the black and gold-clad magical girl nearly shouts. She spends several seconds sputtering before managing to reply further.

"O-Okay, you know what? Before either of us dies of embarassment, I-" Alicia declares, placing a hand over her chest. "-am declaring a moratorium on any conversation that does not involve your cat, or me buying a new hat."

The gondola rounds the final bend in the canal, and Alicia guides it expertly up one of the numerous little docks lining the shore.

"After you." Alicia indicates with a sweep of her hand before moving to secure her Enhydrina to the dock. "I need to gather my things and let somebody know where to pick up my gondola since..." Alicia sighs. "Since I won't be needing it anymore."

 

[Dirtnap]

"Th-that is a good idea," Hikari mumbles, still red-faced as she lifts her cat back onto her shoulder. She grabs her suitcase and and gingerly steps out, not wanting to tip the gondola. "Thank you for the ride, Alicia." Once on solid land she idly fidgets, unsure of what to do next, other than wait on Alicia.

"I need to gather my things and let somebody know where to pick up my gondola since..." Alicia sighs. "Since I won't be needing it anymore."

Click to shrink...

"I know we are leaving our old lives behind, but it is doing a duty to the city right? Surely once it is done we can return to what we did before."

 

[Krecart]

"Dream did say something like that was possible, but..." Alicia secures her Enhydrina and fires off a text message to her eldest sister, Bianca, to swing 'round and pick it up. She pops open the storage compartment and starts re-packing her clothes.

"'s mine, ya know?" Alicia regards Hikari with a sad smile. "Dunno if you've got any siblings, but that matters- mattered? - a lot to me." Alicia finishes piling her things into a small duffel bag.

"Alright, let's go." Alicia takes a reluctant step onto the dock and walks past Hikari.

She looks over her shoulder at her fellow priestess in-training. "Emma and Natalya are already here. Farm Girl's not easy to miss so we should find 'em easy enough."