I don't consider "Rina nee-san" an enemy, even though we started on the wrong foot. We invaded their shop, after all.
Still, I would not air our laundry in front of an investigation target. Whatever doubts and conflicts we and/or our team may have, we should take care of it out of her earshot.
Oh I agree with this.
I'll even go a step forward and say this is possibly her attempting to be helpful to the rest of the group.
The thing is that Kikuko is legitimately probably
terrifying and turned flat out invisible. And magical girls in this universe probably do have the general power sets known. Turning invisible, and not being detectable through normal means? Yeah - Kikuko is probably very obviously off to anyone that knows what the typical magical girl team would be.
So
her being the reasonable one might not work as planned.
Think... oh the audience being let into the secret that the gray team of side characters has an obvious mole embedded. Who acts as the "reasonable" one.
Especially as - well,
the rest of the team were the decoys. Kukiko volunteered for a reason - but the source of the magical girl magic/technology was a world conquering empire. The team is using essentially converted elite jackboot technology.
Really this is probably an absolute mess - and I'd not be surprised if the older sister is only acting confident. The team was not actually converging - only two were fighting in the store as opposed to on the defensive.
Five of a seven member team? (Presuming she knows the color system) That's not good odds. The major thing in her favor is the abysmal teamwork - and thing is Midori, Pallavi and Kukiko actually are somewhat working as a unit.
With Pallavi following Midori's lead on grabbing Leroy (aka Shimizu).
And Kukiko backing up Midori physically. Who is also probably the one that the sister is most worried about. You don't want someone that can disappear in the middle of a fight in the middle of a multi person fight while defending someone.
Still, you hesitate a moment, feeling like there's something else you should do before leaving. Glancing about, you zero in on the clippers she'd used just moments ago, and a nearby fern still laden with strange fruits. Evidence. Before you can overthink it, you snatch up the tool and hastily scissor at the fern, chopping stems and fronds alike and jamming whatever falls off into your skirt pocket in a rush.
The wild defacement does not go unnoticed, as you hear an affronted "HEY!" behind you, and dive backward just in time to avoid a wild slash of her knife. You only get a split-second glimpse to see something long and shimmery jutting outwards from her bare back, but don't stop to get a better look. Throwing the clippers at her to buy time, you scramble the rest of the way to the door, half-opening it, half-phasing through it in your rush to leave.
Yeah I think the sister noticed the phasing through stuff here - especially if the door just did not open wide enough for a normal human to pass through. Or she thinks she's dealing with another shapeshifter who is pretending to be human that could slip through a half open door at speed.
And something else - Yukiko was scrambling from her perspective - but it would still be terrifying from the perspective of someone not aware that it's a very scrambling teenage ghost.
The door slams the rest of the way open, followed by a disturbingly guttural roar, but you refuse to look back. Transforming as you run, you tear down the hall and use the momentum to swing around the end of the banister, launching yourself nearly headfirst down the stairs like your brother used to, skipping three or four steps at a time. You land in a painful kneeling slide at the bottom, but the rush of panic pushes you to clamber upright regardless, leaning on your naginata to do so.
Really I just like this quick input of the fact that Yukiko has a brother. Helps ground the scene and a reminder/setup for her reading the situation.
Your frantic thoughts are already several steps ahead, considering how to regroup with the others in the front room without sabotaging their interrogation, but all plans go out the window a moment later as you stand and turn to the door-
I just
love the fact that for all that Yukiko's plans went out the door with the enraged shape shifter behind her - she actually was the person to stay on the ball the longest.
You blink, struggling to quickly take in the scene. Everyone is transformed and armed, seemingly having been squaring off… against each other? Sakamoto-san is cowering in a corner near the fire escape door, Pallavi standing protectively over him and clutching some sort of large axe or halberd in front of her. Miho and Shimizu-san are both facing her with their own weapons raised, while Midori stands between both parties as the very picture of frustration, though any prior hostility from any of them has been thoroughly derailed by your arrival.
@SpoopyGhost kudos to you for already introducing the characters so well we have a good guess of what happened. Miho and or Shimizu went argumentative, the other one jumped in - Pallavi defended Sakamoto, and it looks like Midori was trying to stop hostilities from breaking out. (Shimizu
thinks she's team leader - meanwhile Midori might end up with that hat due to being more assertive than either Pallavi and Kikuko).
The moment of shock is interrupted by another sudden loud roar, and the sound of something large barreling down the stairs after you. You only spot a brown blur in the corner of your eyes, as panic seizes you to jump out of its way just in time to hear it smash into the wall opposite.
Also well done with how the "Older sister rescuing younger brother" thing goes. Because I wonder why there's a sudden loud roar at this moment.
Whirling around to see what just happened, you find yourself staring in horror at nothing less than a massive brown bear, half-embedded in the wall plaster but seemingly barely dazed from the impact. Claws gouge further holes in the wall as it struggles to pull itself upright, shredding through the weak material until finally gaining purchase on an internal support beam that can carry its weight. With a low growl like a rattling car engine, its heavy jowels part in a grimace that shows off long, sharp yellow teeth, each at least the size of one of your fingers. Now towering over you, it blots out the light from the ceiling fixture behind it, and you feel frozen in place.
"What?" Someone demands exasperatedly, only to be drowned out by the loudest roar yet, and then the scene becomes lost in absolute mayhem.
Midori (just guessing) - the rest of the team's plan went more according to plan. Successful enough that exit while pursued by a bear happened. And that's a very good description of a terrifying bear.
The thought is interrupted by a harsh clang, and you glance back up to see Shimizu-san's weapon has been batted harshly aside. Wisely, she opts to focus on wresting it back out of the side wall it has been lodged in, instead of staying in the bear's path.
Taking advantage of this opening and her small size, Miho ducks through where Shimizu-san was standing and slides beneath the bear's arm. Thankfully, it seems to have turned its attention to Midori and Pallavi, giving her time to awkwardly clamber back upright from her otherwise impressive action pose; were the situation not so dire, you would have had to stifle a giggle.
Okay you can really see why Leroy (Shimizu) and Jenkins (Miho) were such good friends. I heartily believe that we should never leave tje Leroy Jenkins Brigade on the same team without supervision unless we want unmitigated chaos and will aimed at something. A
"You alright?" She casts a concerned glance your way, but without waiting for an answer, turns back around, setting a foot against the wall to ready her attack. At the same time, another thud sees Midori, having attempted to use her hoop blade as a shield, now slumping back against the fire escape door, wincing as she holds her midsection again. It's at this point that Miho decides to make her move.
Miho is not a bad person - but she sure is excitable.
"YYYAAAHHH!" She shouts as she kicks off from the wall and makes a running leap towards its back, and you can already tell how this is going to go. Sure enough, ears perking up at the sound, the bear whirls with surprising speed just as she leaps, and with an overhead paw, spikes her straight into the floor.
I am enjoying how much the fact the team is super new is being set up. This is just funny - and establishes Miho's character well - as well as lets us appreciate that Kikuko is surprisingly sensible.
For a moment you're terrified that it may step on her, and finally peel yourself out of the wall to stand between them if it comes to that. Your quarry glares over at you, growling in warning, and a connection sparks in your mind.
Yeah - given that Kikuko has the fruit - and Rina originally transformed to go after her - this says a lot about the priorities here. Protect the younger brother. Rina wanted Kikuko to stay out of the fight because already too many combatants for her I think. And given how she turns away after Kikuko takes position, definitely retains full faculties to realize that Kikuko is probably just moving into a defensive position for her teammate.
However the next moment, just as quickly as it took out Miho, she turns back away to focus on Pallavi, advancing on her with slow, purposeful strides, arms raised menacingly. To her credit, the other girl stands her ground over Sakamoto-san, expression fearful yet determined, clutching her long-handled axe before her in trembling hands, even as she's cast in the bear's imposing shadow.
And this is just great miscommunication here. Pallavi is probably trying to still protect Sakamoto here. She doesn't like fighting - but would be my vote for putting in a defensive position that cannot be breached at all costs.
You watch helplessly, the naginata in your hand feeling like little more than dead weight as you mentally race through and discard plans to try to help her, or stop the bear.. She's too fast to be bound like the monster from before, and too strong to fight… and you are not even sure if you want to use your blade on her, given what happened to Gushiken-san. Nothing feels good enough, not while Pallavi's still trying to stand against her… Oh. Perhaps that's the answer.
"Get out of her way!" you shout to Pallavi, and she casts you a wild-eyed look of disbelief. "She's not here for you, just get away from her brother!" Despite her clear confusion, after only a moment more of hesitation she takes your direction. Skirting to the side without turning away, she meet's the bear's gaze with an uncertain look, only for her to drop to all fours in the spot that had just been vacated. You and Pallavi both let out a sigh of relief.
Kikuko is a good kid - facing down a giant grizzly bear - and still not wanting to make bleeding holes in a person. And able to put two and two together - probably because she has a younger brother herself.
Taking only a moment to sniff at Sakamoto-san, she wraps one arm protectively around him, dragging him over to the back door. Roughly, scooping Midori aside with her other paw, she shoulder-checks the pushbar, shrinking down a bit to pass through.
Yeah - the older sister was
quite worried I think. She maximized her size despite the difficulties of maneuvering in the store.
you immediately turn to the pile of limbs and regret known as Miho,
Look I just love this description here.
However, your efforts to take further stock are swiftly interrupted by the last of the group. Shimizu-san, having finally freed her weapon from the wall, shoves past you on her way to the door, hefting the long and gleaming silver lance ahead of herself as if about to enter a jousting match. With a kick to reopen the door, she wastes no time in charging outside. The remaining four of you stare at each other for a moment, before Midori rolls her eyes with an irritated huff and limps to the door as well; you and Pallavi share a brief shrug before following suit.
Again Midori so far is team leader by being the assertive person to take charge
while having others backing her.
"Let's stop this from getting any more stupid, alright?" Midori grouses, before stopping to hold herself with another pained hiss. Pallavi quickly takes the hint, rushing over to Shimizu-san and grabbing her from behind right before she can grab the lance for another try. "What are you doing?" Shimizu-san demands, but after a moment of struggling falls still. Bending down to pick it up herself, Pallavi drags the bluenette back away from the bear, shooting a glance somewhere between terrified and apologetic as she does.
We do need to give Midori a hand for taking charge through all of this nonsense. And Pallavi steps up to the plate.
You can't help but feel relieved as she retreats further in return, depositing Sakamoto-san behind her and turning her gaze between the rest of you, hostile but restrained. Midori steps forward slightly, hands up, and for your part you take up a supporting position behind her, naginata at the ready in case the situation falls apart again.
Really the team is looking to be made of two parts right now - and you can see it here. There's Midori (trying to talk down the situation, Pallavi in grabbing Leroy (Shimizu) and Kikuko in falling back behind Midori in case things go immediately violent.
In the silence that follows, you could have heard a pin drop. Clouds roll slowly overhead, the moon coming out to bathe the enclosure in silvery light. The bear's gaze is fixed firmly on the captive Shimizu-san at first, before gradually shifting to take in the rest of you. Sheepishly, you lower your weapon slightly to match Midori and Pallavi's unthreatening stances.
Kikuko is falling in with Midori and Pallavi at the moment, bringing the team to lean towards lets talk things out as an option - albeit as the most aggressive of the three more investigative members. (The thread did vote to chase after Juice Box Nurse after all).
The tension continues to stretch for several moments longer, before the moon becomes half-hidden again, and the bear's posture finally relaxes. Suddenly, the brown of her coat turns pure black, until she's nothing more than a silhouette against the faint moonlight through the clouds. The shape is joined by other silhouettes, layered over one another like translucent cards, with a different one coming to the fore and regaining colors as the rest fade away. Now, instead of the bear, you find yourself once again looking at Sakamoto-san's sister, clad in the bathrobe from before, but no less imposing for it. Behind her, Sakamoto-san stands up and dusts himself off, looking sheepish. "Thank you, Rina nee-san…"
Rina is very much a shapeshifter - though I'd not be surprised if she doesn't have a true form persay - but she definitely has multiple ones. And also I just like the description of this section. One for the moon light's usage - second for just how evocative the silhouettes are without spelling out Rina's exact power set.
Behind her, Sakamoto-san stands up and dusts himself off, looking sheepish. "Thank you, Rina nee-san…"
"Are you unhurt?" She shoots back, gaze never wavering from the group before her.
Again - the fact that Kikuko had to deal with her brother is just very well done set up for this. Older sister getting violently defensive of her younger sibling? Textbook.
"Magical girls, hmm? You must be a new team, for that sad showing," she spits out at Shimizu-san. "I don't know what your masters think they're accomplishing, to send you after us, but tell them we won't take this insult lightly." Shifting her attention over to you, she adds, "Besides, I would worry more about who you're supposedly working with now. One of you clearly isn't who - or should I say, what - she claims to be." You feel yourself go cold.
So beyond the whole probably picked up through the shenanigans that Kikuko isn't human, between invisibility and what not.
Kikuko did in fact get slammed.
The back room is not strictly small, but with so many people and a whole entire bear filling the space, it becomes decidedly cramped. The animal rears back a meaty paw to swing at you, and only then do you finally regain your senses enough to dodge aside - only to back into a wall and still take a glancing-yet-heavy blow that pushes you into the plaster. Pain explodes across your front and back alike, and your vision blurs; it feels like a bell is clanging around your ears.
Not for the first time, some detached part of your mind has the wherewithal to grumble about the pointlessness of still feeling pain despite the lack of physical damage.
Which while it did hurt as Kikuko's narration points out - well compare her to Miho who is
distinctly concussed
Thankfully, despite how nasty her impact had looked (and sounded), Miho seems… relatively less hurt than you had thought. The way she wavers in place with a slightly cross-eyed stare is rather worrying, though…
And Midori who is limping and probably has at the very least
impressive bruising of her chest/abdomen and possibly some rib injuries depending on how hard she got hit/scooped those two times.
Kikuko has pain - but she's much more in the fight than the rest of her team. (No wonder she got fingered as not like the others so quickly.)
