“Hmph.”
She just stares right back at him.
styofa doing anything

Love Begins
noise dept.
NASA
KIROKAZE
Misplaced Lens Cap
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Mike Driver
art blog(derogatory)

Janaina Medeiros
will byers stan first human second
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH
Xuebing Du
TVSTRANGERTHINGS

@theartofmadeline
tumblr dot com

Origami Around
todays bird
h
seen from Russia

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@icystalker
“Hmph.”
She just stares right back at him.
Warming Up || [Closed for Mizore]
Anyone else might’ve knocked without hesitation. Mami rummaged through her bag for the fourth time, checking she had remembered everything as she awkwardly stood outside dorm J2. She had already wasted enough time picking an outfit and deliberating whether to wear make up or not, and now she was wasting more even time by just standing there. She wanted to look presentable as she delivered Mizore’s bag of treats to her, but now she started to doubt the amount of care she put into her appearance before arriving. Is the perfume too much? The lip gloss? Would Mizore notice? Would she care…? Mami laughed to herself and looked down at her shoes. ”Probably not,” she said under her breath, putting her insecurities to the back of her mind.
Mami’s dawdling had garnered a few confused stares from passing students. Upon noticing this she could feel a blush rising to her cheeks. Not wanted to be known as ‘The girl who laughs outside doors’ or any other such name, she told herself to bloody well get on with it and politely knocked on the door once then twice and awaited an answer before quickly straightening out her dress and hair and once again - checking she had brought all of Mizore’s gifts.
She sat on her bed, fan on high next to her as she read. The school newspaper was okay but it didn't update often enough and it wasn't as exciting as it was back home... Maybe she should actually go to the club. The last time she tried she just stayed in the small space in the school vents and didn't come out; there was just no subject (or person) able to capture her imagination.
And it was probably this train of thought that stopped her from noticing the presence outside her door until they knocked.
She placed the small newspaper in her sidetable, not bothering to properly close the draw. Her arms felt stiff as she stretched them, looking around the room. "... Huh." She quietly commented as she stood up and walked to the door.
The door inchs open and a monotone murmur breaks the silence of J2. "She's not in."
Hatter stands and puts his hands on his hips.
“It’s been teatime for hours now and you’re just now showing up? How very rude!”
Her eyebrow arched; normally she would have just walked away from him because he seemed rather... Well, Mizore preferred not to interact with any rather animated people, but the fact that he had invited her for tea? Was it just coincidence or did Mami know this strange man?
She put her hands in her pockets. "So it's teatime all the time?" Though... Why was everyone she seemed to be meeting obsessed with tea?
SoF Open {☀} Slumber under the sun's rays.
As she lofted around underneath the shade of the tree, Amaterasu couldn’t help but feel restless. Perhaps this dull headache would never leave from her! That would be absolutely terrible if that happened and all. Every now and then, she’d feel someone nearby and open an eye and see who passed by. It varied, from teacher, to staff member, the occasional student and a Secretary or guidance consular or two. It seemed like everyone else was active, except for her. As long as that headache remained dominant, she couldn’t work efficiently.
Closing her eyes again, she tried to focus on sleep rather on the presence that she felt every now and then.
..Although, she felt an icy feeling on her back, which caused for her to let out a yelp and stand on all fours immediately.
She looked around, pondering where the feeling came from and it no later fell onto the girl, who looked as surprised as she had. Well, this may come out to be an awkward start to introductions. She just stared at her for a bit, unable to do a thing at the moment really, just mulling things over in her head to say to apologize for startling her of course.
She didn't turn around when she heard the yelp, the dog obviously wasn't going to attack her. She instead raised an arm and waved her hand dismissively, not bothering to move the rest of herself.
"Just go back to sleep." She said quietly, in a dull tone. She was tired and just didn't want to bother with anything... Then she sighed and rolled over so she could see the dog, unfortunately touching it again. She grunted in annoyance. "I won't do that again, so just... Chill." She smiled in spite of her discomfort, sometimes terrible puns were the only way to go.
Her eyes then shut and her breathing became more and more regular, as if she didn't expect a response... Well, to be fair, she didn't.
All Right Stop [Open]
Mami listened as she took the rumbling kettle off the boil and filled the teapot to her desired amount. Her parents were avid tea drinkers and Mami had picked up their love of it and the knack of making a good cup of tea, she didn’t even have to measure anymore. Mami brought the pot over to the table, her eyebrows arched as Mizore spoke.
“A sophomore?” She said, voice lilting in surprise. Mizore’s height was very deceiving, Mami had thought they were in the same year or that Mizore was a junior at the very most. A crinkled smile came to her lips. She was assuming things again… ”Forgive me, I thought you were more around my age,” she chuckled nervously and delicately dipped her head in a small bow. With her formal upbringing, a faux-pas like this was quite the embarrassment for Mami. Even with Mizore’s laid-back attitude, Mami deemed it necessary to apologise.
After suitably embarrassing herself, Mami returned to the cupboards. With the teapot in such disuse Mami wasn’t expecting to find any teacups and so settled for two plain mugs. With practiced hands, she poured out the tea and passed over one of the mugs to Mizore. ”Enjoy,” she said cheerily, and took her own cup in her hands. She stared down into the golden liquid and smiled. Taking tea with a guest - not a bad first day in her new school. ”Thanks for staying, Mizore… It’s been a while since I’ve done this.” A hint of sadness escaped into her smile as she brought the mug to her lips.
As awkward as the young monster could be, she knew at least that this was her cue to take a seat.
Mizore's lips twitched, wanting to form a smile. "I think you're just rather tall for your age, wouldn't you say?" Some long lost memory flickered through her mind, something she had... 'looked into' when she first discovered Tsukune. "Isn't the average Japanese woman 5 foot 2?" That is, if Mami was Japanese. Mizore couldn't be quite sure, and since this was a boarding school, the chances of foreigners joining were higher... Sending your spawn as far away from you as possible was almost like a hobby for the more selfish humans.
"... Yes." She took the cup in both hands, grabbing it firmly and covering most of the available surface with her skin. Only her slight pause would alert anyone that she was worried about the tea but, considering her normal speech pattern, she was sure it would go unnoticed. She carefully studied Mami as she lifted her tea and mimicked the motion, easily cooling the tea so it became something similar to iced tea. The only things Mami could have noticed would've been the sudden lack of steam in the air and the fact she would not remove her lolly.
"Thank you." She said quietly, closing her eyes and taking a small sip, the now cold cup a much more pleasing sensation than the burning pain she had felt mere moments ago.
She placed the cup on her lap as she looked away from Mami for a moment. "It's been... Never since I've done this." She didn't say it with a hint of sadness, though a part of her felt it. She slowly took another long, slow gulp of cold tea.
All Right Stop [Open]
Mami smiled at Mizore’s rather business-like way of deciding. When she made her choice a small instance of surprise flashed through Mami’s eyes. She had some vague notion that Mizore would’ve gone for one of the less western choices. A sly smile spread across her lips.
“Hmhm~ Feeling refined today are we? Earl Grey it is!” Tin in hand she made her way into the kitchen, mood considerably more upbeat from the prospect of tea - with a guest no less! The kettle was easy enough to find as it sat plainly on the counter-top, a teapot however, proved to be a bit of a challenge. Mami called over her shoulder to her guest as she rummaged through the cupboards. ”Make yourself at home.” She laughed dryly. ”It doesn’t feel right saying that, seeing as I’ve only just started living here… Ah!”
She caught sight of something white and shiny. She carefully pulled the dusty teapot from it’s hiding place and planted it on the counter. ”Success~” she breathed and gave the teapot a rinse under the tap. Mami glanced back with a smile, there wasn’t much else to do except make idle conversation as she prepared the tea. She had the feeling her guest might not approve, seeing how little she had spoken so far, but for Mami as long as was talking to someone - anyone, about anything, she was happy.
“How long have you been in Tancho, Mizore?” She asked as she spooned tea into the teapot. ”Did you transfer too?”
"I guess so." She replied airily, not really sure if it was a big joke or not... Maybe it was just a 'tea' thing...
She moved away from the tea and stood awkwardly in the room, content to just watch the girl. While her mother was a tradition woman - well, of sorts - Mizore herself had never partaken in any sort of formal training, she only knew about one ceremony and how she needed to act - and that scared her - so properly 'enjoying tea' was something she didn't understand. It was with a hidden fascination that she watched the blonde set out everything she needed in precise order, it was obviously a well practiced event.
"But I suppose you'd best get used to it." She replied far too late for normal conversation as she looked at the beds in the room, staring at the one that was hers in her own room. All the rooms were set out the same, how boring.
She startled as Mami spoke again, she had been expecting it, but she wasn't used to so much conversation. "A year or so." She rubbed her chin with one finger, her eyes far away. "I transferred in as a sophmore." She looked out the window in contemplation. "So I think that's... Two years?" Her eyes slowly travelled the room, finally looking back at Mami, as if she was waiting for confirmation.
Waving just to say hi || Switch Open
If only for a short while, his own eyes seemed to dim - just a fraction, granted, but perhaps enough to convey the fact that they had at least one thing in common here: bewilderment. Initially, he had simply approached the girl out of curiosity, but now that he stood directly before her, he could have honestly said her confusion to be contagious, almost. As if micmicing her, he, too, turned his gaze towards the school gates - and what lay beyond them, for that matter. Despite her ‘elaboration’ (of sorts), incomprehension remained present; rather than dispel his lack of understanding, in fact, it only really served to increase the fault in comminication between the two.
“The… The first of your questions, I’m afraid I can’t really answer. You’ll have to refer to somebody else - be they student or staff - for a worthwhile answer. The second of your questions, however…”
His words trailed off, his faint frown returned. A peculiar young girl, he had to admit - but, then again, he was hardly familiar with a handful of students here, let alone a significant portion of them.
“In terms of what, exactly? What subject do I teach?”
She began to watch his actions now; he really didn't have any clue, did he. Not that she meant that in a bad way, Mizore was just as clueless herself, if not more so, it's just that... Weren't teachers meant to know everything? It was as if he didn't know where to take the conversation and he was treating her rather carefully, as if she was made from ice - she would have laughed out loud if it didn't make her seem crazier than she was.
"Why? Do you not go out?" She asked, rather bluntly. The words seemed a little harsh coming from Mami's tongue, maybe the girl just wasn't as neutral as Mizore was... And maybe he was the same as her then, she barely left the campus. With no real friends to motivate her to, why would she suffer? She sighed, turning her head away from him as she crossed her arms, of all the people she could have found, she had found someone like her. It was almost funny.
She shrugged. "Sure." Why not, at least she could see if she had him normally - though continuing to talk might make trouble in the future... "Don't teachers socialise?" She asked, in a neutral tone similar to her own voice.
SoF Open {☀} Slumber under the sun's rays.
She supposed that after walking around, trying to find out more information to increase her knowledge on Art would help with her teaching. After an hour or so in the library, she had left - with a bit of a headache, heading out of with subdued look, eyes wearily looking around. She walked across the campus, eyes peering about, flickering to see a student or two, or someone from the staff. She was about to poke her head into her classroom, and get a snack from her desk but it seemed like she left her key in the front office. Oh.
Going back would have require some more effort, and to be honest she didn’t want to do it. So she shrugged it off, and she walked down one of the halls and went outdoors. What time was it? She poked her head to one of her college’s classrooms (that seemed to be out) and saw that it was around 4 pm, which was good. It left her able to do what she wanted, thank goodness.
After heading outside she headed to that one spot, where the shade was and went underneath. She transformed into her wolf form and curled into ball and slowly fell asleep, hoping to sleep this headache off.
Sometimes she hated the sun.
Mizore sighed as she staggered around the academy's campus, even with a parasol - something she disliked having to carry - the sun's rays beat down on her as if they were a physical presence.
She felt like something was pushing down on her body, forcing her to bend over slightly in an attempt to lessen the feeling.
It did not help.
She didn't often feel frustrated, but this was one of those days, and she decided to just give up and find somewhere to try to survive until the sun set... Or until there were enough shadows to navigate the school comfortably.
She careened over to the nearest tree and sighed as she hit the ground - rather unladylike, but when had she ever cared about something like that - and felt a wave of relief wash over her. She sighed and shut her eyes, letting her body relax completely until she felt something warm and decidedly un-tree like.
Instead of turning to see what it was she simply moved herself a little and lay just far enough away from it that she couldn't feel its' body heat, though it could probably feel the cool coming from Mizore.
Waving just to say hi || Switch Open
A gentle frown creased his brow there - a rare gesture coming from him. The young woman admittedly looked a touch…blank, perhaps?, when he had first caught side of her, but in comparison to the present, she had been comparitively alert. Long story short, now, she looked more than ever-so-slightly perplexed or dazed: she looked outright confused, more than anything else. Whilst his brow didn’t remained furrowed for too long a period of time, the usual airiness of his voice faltered somewhat as he peered down at the blond; a noticeable pause proceded his answer - if, that is, the words with which he replied could even be considered to be an answer.
“‘What is there to do’, young lady…? Ah,” (a second pause) “forgive me - in terms of extracurricular activities, or—… Well, I must confess that I’m not quite understanding your words.”
She still didn't pay him much attention, though her daze started returning to him, she was rather too aware of the students around her. Maybe it was Mami's body, but she didn't feel strong enough, or as if she could run away at a moment's notice. She wasn't even sure how long Mami could run for!
She was brought out of her thoughts as he spoke. "I..." She paused as well, almost mirroring the man. It seemed that they both didn't understand what she was trying to do, a thought she found comforting and horrifying. At least if he knew what she meant, he could have told her and she would have been on her way, not in this embarrassing conversation... The fact that she noticed that was another alien feeling, in her normal state she wouldn't have cared less... "Outside." She stated, her arm slowly coming up to point at the school gates.
"What is there to do outside of the school?" She asked, clarifying, as she took her first good look at him. A teacher: wonderful(!) "What do you do, teacher?" Hopefully he wasn't aware of her less than stellar attendance... Not that he could, since she was in Mami's body.
Hot 'n Cold [Closed for Mizore]
Mami wasn’t sure what to make of Mizore’s aloof reply. ’Being the cold?’ She tried to make sense of it but her mind was far too muddled to contemplate who - or what the girl beside her may be. She decided to let her mind rest for now and save her questions for later.
Mizore stood up to fetch a glass of water, Mami’s tired eyes looked up to meet hers. ”Anybody…?” Mami took the glossy red lollipop from her mouth and twirled it between her fingers, she smiled wryly as she stared into it. ”I doubt it somehow.” It was Mizore’s body after all, and who would know how to deal with it better than her? Mami was surprised herself that she managed to get to Mizore’s dorm room, but what happened after she got in front of the door she couldn’t quite remember. Just snatches of heat-filled terror that made her wince when she tried to recall.
Mizore shortly returned with water. Mami thought to just take the glass from Mizore’s hands as she brought it closer to her face, but upon seeing the girl’s intention she let Mizore bring the tumbler to her lips. She finished the glass in a few short gulps, coughing a little as the water went down her parched throat.
“I didn’t?” Mami leaned herself back again, finding it considerably less painful to speak. “That’s- I’m so glad.” A wave of relief washed over her and with it a feeling of calm. Her breathing became rhythmic, the water rippled with the slow rise and fall of her chest.
“Yeah. And… let’s hope this wears off soon…” Mami’s eyelids became heavy, exhaustion getting the better of her. ”I don’t want you doing…” she exhaled deeply “…doing what I have to do…” And with that she drifted off into a deep sleep - along with the wonderful feeling that someone was watching out for her.
"Most people wouldn't want to see-" She stopped herself, most people wouldn't have understood what was happening, Mami sure as hell didn't. She couldn't say what she imagined was typical in this moment - though it was far from typical - something about caring about anyone in pain, or some other cliche. She settled for a shrug instead.
Her neutral expression twitched as Mami coughed, but it wasn't as if her life was being threatened again, though surely her powers made it impossible for water to cause any kind of damage - not that Mami knew about those powers, or how to use them. She set the glass down near Mami's head, just in case she wanted to reach for it herself.
"I'm sure it will do..." She trailed off, watching herself fall asleep. It must have been blissful, her face contorted into pure relaxation and joy... If she hadn't seen her own face make such an expression she wouldn't have believed it possible. Her curiousity was piqued and she almost wanted to wake her up to continue the conversation, but she knew she hated people waking her up, so it would hardly be fair.
Instead she drained the bath and slowly patted the girl dry, feeling a small blush on her cheeks even though it was her own body. Mami stirred occasionally but seemed to be down for the count, Mizore was more than grateful for small mercies.
She stood up, the sweat on her body from hard work rather than heat, refreshingly familiar but foreign in equal parts, and lifted her body as best she could, moving Mami slow and steadily to her bed, then fetching the glass of water.
"... Sleep well." She lay the thin blanket on the girl, not really sure why she felt the need to say anything as she lay on the floor next to her bed, having stolen some extra sheets from her dorm mates.
Waving just to say hi || Switch Open
From out of the corner of his eye had he spotted the girl’s…rather unenthused wave.
Not too significant an action, in and of itself, no, but he had stopped in his passing as a result of it nevertheless, interest apparently piqued by something so simply, so mundane. That being said, though, it perhaps wasn’t the wave that had the silver-haired spirit stop in his ambling as much as it had been the bemusement that had arisen from its (supposed) ambiguity: there seemed to be something distant to it, he thought, something at least slightly peculiar in the slowness of her gesture. That, actually, alongside the fact that he honestly wasn’t quite certain in regard to whose attention, exactly, she was trying to catch.
Or he’d simply spent too long an age observing from afar, and has since become skilled (if one will) in over-reading the simplest of movements, even if unnecessarily so at times - a normal enough wave fell victim to his habitual ‘analysing’, in this instance.
Whatever the case, whether she had been waving at him or at somebody else in an effort to attract attention to herself, he saw no harm in humouring the vague greeting with a hesitant wave of his own, a faint smile, before he stepped over towards her.
“Did you need me at all…?”
She had given up hope - not that she had any in the first place - of someone actually coming over to her when it happened.
She stood there and watched him, her mouth opening slowly as if to say something, then closing much faster. While she wasn't that visably shaken, inside she had no idea how to start.
"N..." She trailed off, staring almost longingly out at the school gates and whatever lay past them. "What is there... To do?" She didn't look back at him, her eyes jumping from person to person as they explored freely, something she could do now, though she couldn't quite wrap her head around it.
First assignment...!! ~Mythology open~
“Alright, you twerps, I’m new, and if you’re in my class, you’re all my victims. So, here’s your first assignment..!!” she barked. “It should be simple enough, just to get to know you miscreants. So, here it is! It’s due the 19th of July, so get it done before then! I will not tolerate late work unless you have a damn good reason!”
~
Name:
Age and year:
Astrological sign:
What do you know about your sign?
What do you already know about mythology? (1 paragraph minimum)
What’s your favorite legend? (1 paragraph minimum)
She sighs silently at the woman's demands. She's going to have to do this, isn't she? Mizore was never a good student - not that she wasn't capable - she just never put in the time or effort... She didn't go to classes that often, but maybe she should try to? Especially when it comes to a course that she must be able to ace, considering the fact that she herself is a mythological creature.
Name: Mizore
Age and year: 17 (Junior)
Astrological sign: Sagittarius
What do you know about your sign?:
She leaves it blank on purpose, she had to look it up to even find out. She frowns at the mention of fire, but carries on in her research.
What do you already know about mythology? (1 paragraph minimum) I know most, if not all, the creatures' names and appearances
What’s your favorite legend? (1 paragraph minimum): Yuki-Onna. Creatures made of snow and ice, weak to fire. It is said that they appear in snowstorms and abduct lone travellers.
The end of the sentence is thicker than the rest, Mizore leaning down hard and almost angrily as she finishes writing. Her family's habits are not something she likes to dwell on.
Fang roleplaying as Lightning. (SoF Switch Event Open)
“Really? Does this girl you’ve switched with… Is she important to you?”
Fang asked glad that she could talk to someone else who had switched. So far she had talked to one other, and she switched with someone that she did not really hold some sort of affection for. Fang didn’t understand, but it should matter as such a change as this shouldn’t be random at all.
“Or do you not know who she is?”
She looked at her feet for a moment, then reached into her pocket to open a fresh lollypop. The crinkle it made seemed to be much louder than normal, maybe it was the silence that seemed to envelop them as Lightning asked such a serious question. Mizore began to wonder if there was more to Lightning than met the eye. The fact that she met Mizore swapping bodies with someone without batting an eye was odd enough, but this...
Well, she had waited enough time. As she changed her lollies she studied the woman. "I just met her last week. She doesn't mean a thing."
She walked over to a nearby bin, away from Lightning. "Sorry to disappoint." A rare smile graced her as she began to walk away. I'll remember this.
Fang roleplaying as Lightning. (SoF Switch Event Open)
“No worries.”
Fang smiled and put her hands on her hips. Lightning might have changed her personality a bit, but her habits were still very much present. She was still Fang, underneath all that pink.
“So you’re Mizore huh? Well pleasure to meet you I’m sure. So what’s this about switching? You’ve switched something?”
Fang asked wondering who the girl switched with. So there was something going around switching people with other people’s body. So it wasn’t just her. Etro be blessed, she wouldn’t be the only one. Still she wouldn’t let the other find out, Fang was mischievous enough but Lightning would be yelling at her for it. In fact part of her mind was yelling at her.
"Mmm." She made a non-committal sound, she didn't often go to class, so meeting a teacher on a regular day wasn't a cake walk. She sighed, obviously this Lightning wouldn't let her drop it, so she'd let her have it. "I've switched bodies with some girl." She motioned to Mami's body - her's now - in one bored motion.
Now, would she call her a freak - she was used to that - or just laugh? As long as she didn't harm her borrowed body she didn't mind. This was probably the most interaction she had had month - not counting Mami - and she was in no mood for it, she'd already discovered that not everyone had been affected by this and seeing the pink haired woman so jolly in herself was not helping.
All Right Stop [Open]
Mami averted her eyes with a smile. “Then I suppose I’m not every girl.” She hadn’t intended for her reply to come out in such an obscure manner - but her answer was true. Normal girls don’t constantly put their lives on the line fighting deadly witches and forsaking their social lives to do so. But witches, territory wars and nights spent alone seemed faraway right now, and so Mami returned her attention to the girl in front of her who had accepted Mami’s invitation and was making her way inside. Mami’s expression became considerably brighter with Mizore’s response as she followed her in.
Mami stepped into the spartan room that was now hers and looked about. A desk in the corner piled with textbooks and a single bed beside the window, her uniform splayed upon the bed sheets beside her bag. She delicately picked up the smart black blazer and ran her fingers over the lapels. Such a contrast to the uniform she wore back home. A sudden realisation came that she was about to enter a new school and maybe even a new life. Hopefully one with a higher population density than her old one she mused.
“We have the same view.”
Mami gazed up from her uniform. The academy overlooked a section of the business district and so past the school grounds all that could be seen were tall glass and steel buildings. They appeared to shimmer in the summer sunlight. Mami wondered if any other Puella Magi had already staked it as their territory. She put the thought of possible confrontations with other girls out of her mind and took a moment to stare out beside Mizore.
“Do we now…?” That was at least one thing they had in common, Mami hoped to find another as she rifled through her bag. ”Mizore, I’m about to put on some tea. I’ve brought a few favourites from home, so… I hope I’ve got something you’d like.” Mami placed the tins of tea leaves upon the bed. In a neat row stood Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Hibiscus and Oolong. Mami cupped her elbow with a hand and lightly gestured toward the tins. With a genial smile she awaited Mizore’s decision.
"I suppose so." She watched Mami, watching seemed to be her default position after all, there was some deeper meaning in that sentence, but she didn't pry. She didn't see the need to.
She continued to look at that view she knew so well, hearing the odd small movements behind her, Mami was probably exploring her room. Mizore couldn't remember what she first did when she arrived, though she was pretty sure she shredded her uniform.
She turned to find Mami next to her. Her golden eyes seemed to be searching for something, but what, Mizore couldn't think. "Yes. I hear the shops sell most of the things a student could possibly want." She didn't often venture out too far, not in the summer. If she had any motivation to, she would.
She watched the girl pull out tin after tin of tea, almost showing her amusement as Mami finally finished. What kind of a student brings tea leaves to boarding school? Her eyes were attracted to Mami's movements, oh dear. She expected Mizore to drink tea. It was obvious the girl was serious about it as well... She held her hands behind her back and stepped forward, leaning down a little to examine the tea. After some stalling she replied. "Earl grey." It was more of a question, though it didn't end with the obvious upward infliction. She just waited and wondered if she'd answered correctly. What would Mami do if she hadn't, a small spark of mischief sparked inside her.
Hot 'n Cold [Closed for Mizore]
“Normal…” Mami sighed forlornly and reached out for Mizore’s submerged hand, holding it gently as the water lapped over their arms. Mami’s voice was dry and sombre. “I didn’t realise you had to cope with something like this,” it felt strange looking into her own eyes, staring into them as if they were someone else’s. “I had no idea…” Her voice cracked and she shifted her gaze elsewhere. A small laugh passed through her lips. “I’m sorry,” she smiled faintly, rubbing one of her eyes with the palm of her hand. ”I’m - I’m being strange… This has all just been a bit overwhelming…” ’A bit’ being a complete understatement.
“Oh! That’s right,” she suddenly released her grip on Mizore’s freezing hand. “This must be awfully cold for you now.” She looked away guiltily, and felt Mizore’s warm touch upon her forehead. She closed her eyes and nodded in response. ”I don’t think I can thank you enough for what you did.” She watched Mizore turn the tap off, water level now at a suitable height. The ice cubes started to collect themselves around Mami’s shoulder blades. For a moment all that was heard was the dripping from the tap, Mami quietly asked for a glass of water. She looked over to Mizore again, her voice taking a serious tone.
“… Please don’t think that I pity you, that’s the worst someone could do.” Mami inched herself up the side of the bath and rested her head on the cool fibreglass. ”And you obviously know what you’re doing, seeing how you handled me back there.” Mami glanced back at the marks now appearing on her body and sighed again. She had obviously caused a lot of trouble for Mizore, she rubbed at her face with a pained expression. ”I… didn’t hurt you or anything did I…? It’s all just… such a blur.” Mami’s mouth formed a crooked line. ”I would hate to hurt you.”
A single eyebrow raised at the contact but she didn't protest. In fact, a sad part of her wondered, when had she been touched last?
She shrugged, a little awkward in her current position, but it worked somehow (mostly because her entire outward persona was one of an unperturbed person. Still, when she heard her own voice crack, she felt a shiver run through her. So, even Mami thought she was something horrendous... Not that she had expected her to think differently.
"It's understandable." She gave her own hand a squeeze, it was the only thing she could really think to do. "You don't often swap bodies with a... Girl you've just met." She looked away, not to avoid Mami's eyes, just to think. "It must end eventually." The death of her life as a normal girl, Mizore almost smiled sadistically.
"It... It's a nice change. Getting to enjoy the cold instead of-" She paused for a moment, swishing her hand in the water before taking it out and drying it off. "-being it." It was true, Mizore was fine with what she was, but she never got to truly enjoy the cold... When you used something to survive it was hard to see it as anything else. For a moment she longed for home, she could truly enjoy it there... But this was a boarding school, she'd be trapped for a while longer. "Anybody would've done the same. Well done for coming to find me in this state, by the way." Her voice was monotoned, but she was impressed that Mami had made it to her room. In the state she was in Mizore had been surprised she'd been able to do anything but scream.
"You know you could-" She stopped herself, Mami had been through a lot. "Okay, wait a minute." She stood up and left the bathroom for a moment, returning with a clear glass, the clinking of ice cubes the only noise she made. She knelt down and placed the glass on Mami's lips, tipping it so she could drink. She was sure Mami could have handled it by now but wanted to be on the safe side.
Mizore was confused for a moment, why wouldn't she know what she was doing? She was born this way... Maybe Mami thought she had become like this? Then she remembered the girl's almost drunken speech before, she must have still been a little confused herself. She just nodded and let her finish speaking.
"No." She gulped inaudibly. "And even if you did, it's understandable. You were... In a rather bad position." She didn't want to worry the girl, but she was probably hours - and Mizore was being generous - away from death. "Just relax for now." She said quietly, surprised at her own cooing tone.
All Right Stop [Open]
Mami had barely heard the girl say her dorm number. This ignited a little bit of hope within Mami. You don’t give your dorm room number to someone you don’t want to associate with, surely? And when Mami saw something spark in her usually vacant eyes she felt that maybe… maybe they could get along.
“I’m sure you’ll be fine with an attitude like yours anyway.”
Not true. Not true at all. Mami had kept up this attitude all her life and what did she have to show for it? An empty apartment with a fridge overstocked with cake. ”Good to know,” she said in reply, keeping up that smile of hers. The girl finally gave her name: Mizore, but said it in such a way that it didn’t matter. Mami followed the direction Mizore had pointed in and smirked at what she thought was a joke, unaware that such creatures existed in Mizore’s world. ”I don’t have time for boys,” Mami smiled sadly and lightly shook her head. Although considering this was somewhat of a break from her magical girl duties, maybe she could find someone here. See if being in love is as great as her classmates back at Mitakihara had said.
Mami pulled the key out of her cardigan pocket and waved it in response. They continued up the stairwell and soon found themselves in front of the door marked ‘N-2’. Mami took the key and unlocked it, unsurprised to find the inside completely silent. Seeing as it was after school, her dorm mates were probably off doing extracurriculars. Mami looked back at Mizore and supposed she would have say goodbye. But the idea of spending the rest of the day unpacking alone in her room made her second-guess herself. And Mizore’s presence was… relaxing. Mami didn’t want to let this girl go just yet.
“Mizore, you want to come in?”
She was silent for a while longer, it wasn't like she had much to add or any real experiences to share. Only loneliness and being left behind or moved away from. Sometimes she thought about her old friends, how they were doing, what they could be getting up to... But it stung, like a flash of heat to her heart.
"Really? I thought it was every girl's dream." Her tone was almost bored, though she had a similar point of view to those very girls, if a little warped by experience. If Mizore was honest with herself she wanted someone, but after her experiences at Yokai Academy, her previous school, she just wasn't sure anymore. It wasn't like she wanted to rule out her own kind, but... She shook her head. As long as she could stalk someone that would be enough. She'd deal with the past at a later date... Or never. Whichever came last.
Mizore just nodded, it wouldn't have been much of a hassle but she'd rather not have to talk to someone else at the reception, she didn't think they liked her very much. She'd only let the ice she created melt that one time! Humans could sure hold grudges.
Mizore's eyes scanned the room: it looked like they'd be alone at least. She doubted she would feel comfortable if anyone else was there, hell she barely knew Mami... "Sure." She shrugged, walking into N-2 and placing Mami's bags on the empty bed, and looked out the window. "We have the same view." Well, she was trying!