{003}

[burdenbearing]

[Action: Around town.]

[Mirai's run out of drone clothes to destroy and re-use as pieces for her growing clothes and teddy bear collection, so that leaves her one option: getting a source of income. The solution? A job, of course!

She's wandering around town with a few job applications in her hand, muttering to herself in an annoyed tone.]

This is so stupid! How can it be this annoying to find a job?

[Action: John Doe Park]

[Later in the evening, around sunset, Mirai has snuck into the park to test out her latest regain. She's not very well-hidden, and anyone wandering nearby might see a bright flash of light, and a girl in a pink, fluffy dress holding a heart-shaped wand behind some bushes.]

It worked! Hah, I knew I would get it back sooner or later! This town can't keep my things away from me for long.

[How smug. Despite that, though, she seems genuinely pleased.]

Comments

[answerer_sword]

Are you a magical girl?

[It seems that there were quite a few of these in Mayfield.]

[burdenbearing]

[She twitches and spins to face the speaker. She hadn't realized someone was behind her. Careless.]

Yeah, I am! What's it to you?

[A touch defensive. This is supposed to be secret, but considering this town... It might not be such a big deal.]

[answerer_sword]

I am Bazett Fraga McRemitz, an Enforcer of the Mages' Association. Currently, the only ones from that organization in this town are me and my superior officer. My mission is to offer aid to any magi who might need it. So if you ever need help or shelter, come find me at 1130 Taylor Road. Otherwise, I will not interfere with your matters unless I catch you hurting innocents.

[burdenbearing]

[That was not what she expected at all. She blinks, before sighing and leaning her wand on her shoulder.]

...Mirai Wakaba. I'm a member of the Pleiades Saints. I don't hunt people, I hunt witches, and there aren't any of those here.

[answerer_sword]

Witches? Do you have something against users of witchcraft?

[If so, then she would have to keep this girl away from Kirisame.]

[burdenbearing]

[She rolls her eyes.]

Not witches who use witchcraft. Witches are monsters that cause people to murder and commit suicide. They're not human.

[answerer_sword]

How are they different from other magi then?

[She has only seen witches as a subcategory of magi, not as a separate species of being.]

Action ☆ Park?

[fatedmagica]

M-Mirai-chan?!

[ Madoka feels kind of bad for walking in on this... it feels like something she isn't supposed to see. ]

[burdenbearing]

[Mirai spins around, wand held out like the weapon it actually is. When she realizes it's Madoka, she lowers it to her side. The unmistakable glow of a Soul Gem shines from her neck.]

Madoka?! What are you doing here?

[fatedmagica]

I-I um... was looking for someone...

What about you? You um... [ She notices the Soul Gem and her heart drops. ] ... You look really cute...

[burdenbearing]

[Mirai grips her wand tightly for lack of anything else to hold. She didn't want anyone she actually cared about to know--if they knew, she would have to explain while leaving so much information out, and she was not very good at keeping secrets.

She shakes her head and tries to compose herself.]

Sorry, you startled me. I was just testing to see if I really got it back.

[fatedmagica]

No, it's fine, I...

[ Madoka looks down. ]

... That's... your soul gem, right?

[burdenbearing]

--You know about that?

[Mirai knew that Madoka was friends with magical girls like her, but apparently it went deeper than she thought. How much else does she know?]

...Yeah, you're right. I guess there's no point keeping that hidden, if you already know about it.

Park

[coldiceflower]

[ He saw something from behind the bush, and when he wander past them (fingers flexed slightly to easily be able to create his ice sword in case it's needed), he's a little surprised to find his not!daughter there. He relax his fingers again as he tilt his head a little to the side. ]

Mirai?

[burdenbearing]

[The sound of footsteps escapes her, but the voice doesn't. She spins around and points her wand in the direction of the speaker on instinct.]

--Yukihina?

[Oh. Oh dear. This wasn't planned at all.]

[coldiceflower]

[ Head still tilted there. ]

Hi.

[burdenbearing]

[Yukihina, that is not helpful!! Mirai is just getting more flustered.]

What are you doing, sneaking up on me like that!? Do you want to get hit or something?

[coldiceflower]

[ He's the most helpful guy in existance.

He shrugs. ]

If you try to hit me, I can just put up a watershield or something.

And I was just going to see what was glowing behind these bushes.

[burdenbearing]

[Oh, she is so close to throwing that wand at his head. She doesn't do it, though.]

It was just me, okay!? The stupid town finally gave me back some of my magic, so I was testing it out.

[--wait, she hadn't meant to say that much. Oops. She puts her hand over her face and groans.]

[goodevenyan]

_{[Satomi had a feeling she'd find Mirai here.]}

Your Soul Gem was returned, Mirai-chan?

[burdenbearing]

[This voice doesn't make Mirai jump. It's familiar, so when Mirai does turn, it's with a grin and not an upraised wand.]

That's right! They couldn't keep it forever, obviously. And with this, we're almost even again.

[goodevenyan]

That's good to know! I haven't actually received anything in the mail lately, come to think of it.

[burdenbearing]

You haven't?

[She puts a hand to her chin, thinking.]

Hmm. But they still have some things of yours, don't they?

[goodevenyan]

Mm, that's right, they do have some of my things from home still. I wonder when I'll get them back, then...

[burdenbearing]

They usually give you something after they make you do something or do something to you, right?

[She hums, a little frustrated.]

It has to be that stupid prank thing they made me do! You didn't have to do that, did you?