Follow her!
"Wait up!"
Contrary to Ai's call, Homura keeps ascending the cable. The magical girl underneath quickly leaps after her and balances along. A tiny spark of hope flickers in her heart over not being dismissed. At worst, Homura is ignoring her. "I didn't even get to tell you my name yet," she starts to chatter at her back. "I'm Ai."
There is no response, but that is alright. This girl is clearly the taciturn type, so Ai just has to do the talking for her. "I'm really glad to meet another Magical Girl, you know? It was only my three seniors and I for as long as I can remember. I never thought there would be others." They crest the bridge's highest point and Homura jumps toward Mitakihara; Ai follows. "I was wondering, you said someone else is in charge of this city?" And is that not odd to think about? More than one? "So did you just arrive, or are you intruding on her territory? Is she a good person?"
A long, expectant pause finally cracks Homura, though she never stops walking. "I transfer to a local school tomorrow. Mami Tomoe is... highly skilled."
That is not quite what Ai asked, but she leaves it be and engages with what she got: "More skilled than you?" No answer, even with another pause. "Well, I guess you wouldn't know if you just got here." A twitch. "But will you be alright? Actually, is this some sort of competition? Isn't more Magical Girls better?"
She almost misses the minute sigh her question garners, but Homura does look at her again. She glances back at Ai who keeps following three steps behind. They clear another roof before the taciturn magical girl answers: "Were you not told? Grief Seeds are a valuable resource. They are the only means of cleaning taint from a Soul Gem, the source of our magic. If the Soul Gem turns fully black...."
She trails off, neither finishing nor looking at Ai anymore. The light-haired girl slows down somewhat as she mulls that over. Izabel's Grief Seed now rests in her pocket; these are necessary to sustain the local magical girls? "Can't you talk to a Witch and ask her to clear the taint?"
"You are the second Witch that ever spoke to me. The first only wanted my soul, before I got my magic." Homura's words send a chill down Ai's spine, but she is not done: "I saw others try talking to them, too. It never worked out."
She wants to argue, but Homura obviously knows better than her. In the end, Ai can only shuffle after her. "I told you I'm not a Witch. But I guess I'm not a Magical Girl like you either?" Homura's head turns a fraction, the sentence interrupted by their leap across a busy intersection. The sun is starting to set, Ai notices as she finishes the statement: "I don't have a Soul Gem and no Grief Seed." She can only shrug, well aware of the incredulous look now levelled at her.
"What are you, then?"
"...just me, I guess?"
It is a weak answer and she knows it. Homura knows it. She actually stopped in her tracks to turn around and face Ai again. A breeze picks up, making their hair flutter around them. Ai's gaze falls to the ground first. "I'm sorry I can't answer your question." she mutters. She wants to tell the full truth, but a virtual stranger will not believe her. "Can we be friends anyway?"
For a moment, Homura stares at Ai. For but one moment, the colourful magical girl dares to hope this twitch going through the colourless one's calm expression is a positive sign.
Then Homura is gone. Just like this, without so much as build-up. Ai blinks, turning her head this way and that. "Homura?" she asks, but there is no one but her. She is alone as the sun's final rays warm her back. "Where did you go? Come back?" She wants it to be just a trick, for the other girl to reappear and agree to being her friend. But nothing happens. "Please?"
Ai slumps, almost dropping to her knees. She can not help but ask, even if no answer will come: "Why is everyone leaving me? Am I not good enough? Roland? Angela? Tiph? Why am I here?" Maybe it is not a coincidence after all? "Do you not want me anymore? Am I a burden?"
When no one answers, Ai sighs and hops off the roof; she lands in a crouch on ground level and starts walking aimlessly. Colourful lights surround her as the nightlife begins in earnest. She pays it little mind, ignores the handful of people trying to talk to her. The depressive thoughts make even the search for evil unappealing. She just walks. The Sweepers may come out soon, but what does she care? The worst they can do is kill her, melt her down. If there even are Sweepers here; by the way the laughter and conversations sound from various stalls and restaurants, she doubts it.
Her mind grows bleaker, though not entirely from depression. It has been a long day. Some Abnormalities need not sleep, but neither Ai nor the magical girls she knows are among them.
Wiping an errant tear from her eye, she stops in a somewhat desolate alley. Not quite a backstreet, what with the nearby bars, but her feet refuse to carry her further. An absent flick of magic clears the ground of dirt, then she nestles into a nook just big enough for her. Sadness subsides together with all other sensations, forgotten as she slides into dreamless slumber.
Far too soon, something pokes Ai. She grumbles softly, but it comes again. A sharp jab to her shoulder. Her eyes flicker open to find it still dark around her. The various streetlights illuminate three people in front of her; two stand, flanking the third who is crouching by Ai. He is the one who poked her. "...Roland?"
He hesitates long enough for Ai to realise her mistake. "No, you aren't." He just wears a dark, slightly rumpled suit and has alcohol on his breath. "Who are you?"
For some reason, her sleepy question earns a huff. "Not important right now. The street isn't really a place for you, little miss." She blinks again, blearily looking around. He huffs again and stands, offering his hand. "Come on, get up. Let's get you inside."
Still drowsy, she takes the offered hand and is pulled to her feet. The first man keeps holding her hand, but gently. The three escort Ai out of the alley and into a nearby building, where she is sat down at a low table. The leader calls for something and soon enough, a glass of juice and a plate of fried chicken are placed in front of her.
"Eat up."
"...thank you."
She absently separates the chopsticks, thankful that at least this is the same across dimensions. The men watch her eat in silence, giving Ai all the time she needs to wake up. She is still tired and honestly wants to find somewhere to cry, but it is... not so bad. Not anymore. The food helps. Tender meat fried crispy, with white rice and various vegetables. When it is all gone, she forlornly stares at her plate. A gesture that is not missed, as an amused laugh tells her. Gaze snapping up, she finds the same man from before smiling at her. "Still hungry?" A shy nod is all Ai can give and he calls for another serving. The sheer kindness makes Ai squirm on the pillow she was placed on. He gently reaches out to pat her head. "It's okay, I'll pay. Eat until you're full. But while we wait, how about we talk a little?"
"Um, okay?"
He takes a sip from some golden liquid in a thick glass, the same as what his companions have. They seem both comfortable letting him take the lead. "So, what brings you out here in the middle of night? Had a bad fight with your parents? Some friends dared you?" He takes off his jacket, likely due to heat. Ai has no idea what to say, staring despondently at her plate. That is, until he keeps on going: "Hey, it's okay. We all have these things from time to time. I'll listen if you need to talk."
"I'm kinda curious why you're dressed like this too," one of the other men chimes in. He almost collapses on himself under the heavy looks from his friends, for some reason. Meanwhile, Ai still tries to figure out how to convey her feelings. How does she explain being a magical girl, when by all accounts magic is not common?
"I am really, really grateful for all this," she finally begins, looking straight at the man. His hair is a leaf green, cut short and tidy. He is middle-aged, showing first wrinkles but little else. He is also built quite sturdily, with colourful tattoos running over his exposed arms. "But I... I don't know what to tell you. I'm just a burden on people of late. Can't do anything right, can't talk to people right, nothing." She failed in battle, failed doing much of anything today.
Two large hands land on Ai's shoulders, one each from the men to her left and right. They squeeze gently while their friend nods. "I get that, I really do. Some days life just kicks you hard. But you know what?" He leaves a pause and Ai leans in, hanging on his lips. He smiles. "It gets better. You just have to keep on going until it does, and work hard to get there. I bet some good things happened to you, too."
He is not wrong, Ai realises. She completely forgot about Izabel in her pocket. The fog over her mind lifts somewhat, but the day as a whole remains a failure. She mumbles something unintelligible and quickly attacks her second helping as it arrives. The man chuckles and indulges her. After just a few bites however, Ai pauses. "Say," she murmurs, "can I ask you a question?"
"Of course."
"Where does good stop and evil begin?"
He is clearly surprised by the question, as are his friends. One laughs openly and claps his shoulder while the other takes another drag from his drink. Ai shily puts more chicken into her mouth, watching him mull it over. "Oh my, that's a tough one," he mutters, frowning. "I rarely think of it like that, you know? For me, it's kinda...." He waves awkwardly, which tells Ai nothing. "I don't like asking myself if what I do is good or evil, you know?" Ai shakes her head. "Damn. Okay, listen, I had too much to talk philosophy like this. But, ugh, good and evil aren't objective, now are they? Like, my family's really important to me. If I need to hurt a guy to protect my daughter, I'll do it without thinking twice. Does that make me evil?"
Ai shakes her head, chewing. Of course it does not. He nods back. "Yeah, I agree. But to the guy I hurt, I'd be the evil one, no?"
The motion of Ai's jaw stops. She never thought of it like this. Swallowing, she can not help but ask: "Then how do I tell that what I do is good?"
He sighs at that, which is more than enough to disappoint her. "Sorry, but I can't tell you. I don't think there's an objective good or evil out there. But hey, if you think it's right, go for it I say."
She nods again and keeps eating. The men keep drinking, having some appetizers in-between. Once Ai is done however, the apparent leader rises. His compatriots do as well, all three somewhat shaky on their legs. He pays for the meal and drinks, smiling down at her. "Now let's get you home."
Ai immediately averts her gaze, making him rest a hand on her shoulder. His voice is gentle. "I know it hurts to go back immediately, but you can't worry your folks like that." He got the completely wrong idea.
Ai knows she can not let the misunderstandings continue. Not this far. "I have no home," she whispers. It hurts to admit, truly. The Library was the closest she ever came to having a home, but she was torn away. Or thrown away. Ai does not know which of them would hurt more.
The silence between her benefactors finally draws her attention back to them. There is a trace of pity, but also understanding in their eyes. "Alright," the one in charge decided. "Then you're staying at my place. We can sort you out tomorrow, when it's not so dark out. What do you think?"
She should refuse and stop imposing, but Ai can not bring herself to do it. In the end, she nods. "Okay. Thank you, sir."
He just smiled and holds her hand while one of the other two hail a taxi; Ai is soon sandwiched between two of the men while the third sits next to the driver. The ride is uneventful, interspersed with light chatter. Ai keeps nodding off, exhaustion returning in force now. She faintly rubs her eyes when she and her potential new friend disembark; the other two say their goodbyes and keep on driving to their own homes.
"Let's get going, the elevator is over here."
The lobby of a large apartment building opens before them. Ai follows without hesitation, looking around curiously. The entire place is richly decorated, certainly high-class. She does not have much time to contemplate; they soon ride several stories upward and step into a long corridor. Her companion produces a key and shakily fiddles with one particular lock. Opening the door with a triumphant "Aha!", he holds it open for Ai. "Come on in."
She enters first, carefully taking off her shoes to place next to a full rack. His black ones end right next to hers before he kindly squeezes her shoulder.
Which is when a throat is cleared behind them. Ai turns around, only to find herself face to face with a young woman. An innocently white nightgown flutters around her body, verdant green hair illuminated by the corridor's light. She sternly sizes them up, first Ai and then the man by her side. He seems oddly sheepish.
"Father," the girl greets curtly, inclining her head toward Ai. "I do hope this is not what it looks like?"
While he stutters an embarassed response, Ai herself can only tilt her head. "What does this look like?"
"Well," she begins with a devious glint in her eyes, sliding the door shut and turning on the light. "My father goes drinking with his colleagues, only to return home with a woman I do not know. What exactly am I supposed to think?"
"N-Now now," the man in question responds, holding his hands up placatingly. "Let's not get hasty here, Hitomi. You know I would never do this to your mother."
"Ah, now I get it." Ai brightens up a little and shakes her head at the girl, Hitomi. "I'm not a prostitute, no need to worry." Somehow, that one sentence has father and daughter embarassed for some reason. With no one else saying anything, Ai carries on: "It's just that, uh... your father said I can stay the night. That's okay, right?"
Hitomi's gaze flickers to her father, who nods back. "Says she's got nowhere to go," he tells her by way of explanation. Ai does not quite like the pity flashing across her features, but at this point she is too tired to care.
"Of course," the daughter agrees readily... and within a matter of minutes, Ai is situated in a guest room. The lady of the house remains asleep, but Hitomi shows her to the bathroom to wash up and even lends one of her nightgowns. The two of them have a similar build, it turns out. It happens so fast Ai still tries to make sense of it when a thick blanket is pulled over her. A Futon, they call this bed; a thick sort of mattress on the ground. It is comfortable, if nothing else. Fresh and soft.
Soon enough, she is out like a light. But with sleep comes the realisation that sometimes, good things do happen. A tender smile remains on her face throughout the night. And this time Ai dreams, if not for long. By the time her eyes open once more, all that remains are a shadowy smirk and a reverberating chuckle. And a gentle, golden light.
She wakes cradling the cross to her chest. Curious, seeing that she placed it with her clothes earlier. Putting the matter aside, Ai uncurls under the covers and slowly stretches herself out. It feels nice to have a real bed again; the last time was in Lobotomy Corporation. A thin line of sunlight streams in from beneath the blinds, warming her bare ankles.
Moments later, there is a soft knock at the door. Hitomi's muffled voice follows: "Are you awake, Miss Ai?"
"Yeah." It comes out as a croak; Ai clears her throat and repeats the singular word. The door opens behind her while she strips off the gown and changes back into her own clothes. Wearing them just feels right.
"Ah," Hitomi muses, "perhaps we should wash these? I could lend you some of mine to wear in the meantime." Now that Ai turns to look, hands on her sidetail, she finds the other girl in a white, button-up shirt and checkered skirt. Her green curls are already tamed and styled. She is perfectly polite, too... if a bit hesitant.
Ai glances down at her pristine outfit. This is magical cloth, not to mention her own E.G.O.. Staining it is an effort in futility. But Hitomi does not know that, does she? "It will be fine, don't worry. But thank you for offering." She finds it so easy to smile, which coaxes the same from her hostess.
"In that case, would you join us for breakfast?"
"Is that okay?"
The other girl's smile grows brittle, but it holds. She nods. "Of course. Please, by all means."
Just like this, Ai is led into a pleasantly decorated living room. Hitomi's father and a woman who must be her mother already wait for them at a richly set table. It feels a little awkward to intrude on their time together, but neither of the three seems to mind. It is now that Ai learns her benefactor's name is Reiji Shizuki; his wife is Saki. They indulgently pile food on her plate and praise her for her tablemanners.
For a while, conversation turns to more ordinary subjects. It turns out Hitomi has to head out for school soon; she is looking forward to it, especially today. "As class representative, I was already told that we are getting a new transfer student today," she reveals cheerfully. "It is a girl, and I am looking forward to meeting her." Then she turns to Ai with a friendly smile. "How about you? I do not recall ever seeing you at Mitakihara Middle, which school do you attend?"
Ai falls still, a mug of lukewarm tea on her lips. Perhaps it is the lost look on her face, but the entire Shizuki family knows her answer before she even gives it. "Um. I never went?" Not that there are many schools in the Backstreets, as Roland's memory helpfully provides. "Or maybe I did, but I can't remember that far back." Whatever was before Lobotomy Corporation, Ai does not know. She is curious, though. "Is school fun?"
Hitomi studies her for a long, kind of awkward moment. Then she averts her gaze. "It can be," she allows, "although the purpose of school is not fun. It is to impart all the knowledge you may need in life."
That makes sense, but it also takes a burden off of Ai's shoulders. She already knows everything she needs. Perking up, she smiles encouragingly. "Oh, that does sound important. I wish you good luck gathering all that knowledge."
She is aware of the alienated looks this earns from the entire family, but can not say why. In the end, Saki clears her throat. "If I may, Ai," she begins, gently motioning for their guest. "I was wondering where you found these pretty clothes?" Her husband makes a face while Ai tilts her head in thought.
"I always had them. They're mine." In the truest sense of the word, really. An expression of her self, just like the staff she wields. Saki is unimpressed, arching an eyebrow in this same imperious way Binah would.
"Is that so? And why as a magical girl, of all things?"
"Because I am one?"
The response is a question of its own, too uncertain to be a statement. Ai can tell that Saki does not believe her. Hitomi is just as sceptic, and so is Reiji. The magical girl frowns at that, disappointment welling up. They may be kind, but they do not trust her. But she wants them to understand, to believe in her.
And yet... they clearly know nothing of magic to doubt her so. Is there a reason? Will they be in danger if they know?
[] Prove it to them
weight: x1.5
[] Let it be, even if it hurts
weight: x0.75
Unlocked Character Sheet: Shizuki Hitomi
