[color=fff79a][b]Nakajima Hoshi[/b][/color]

It was the evening.

It was most definitely the evening, for the sinking sun had painted the sky with a dazzling palette of red and gold.

It was most definitely the evening, for that soothing and warm light leaked in through the windows of one humble abode in a last gift of illumination, before the power of electricity would need to take its place.

It was most definitely the evening, for those red and gold rays cast themselves upon a blonde saboteur, a daring sneakster, and a swift-of-foot thief, crouched in front of an open pantry in near-complete silence. She primly, carefully, and ever so painstakingly slowly raised a piece of cured, smoked, and seasoned pork to her mouth...

[color=a36209]"I [i]knew it.[/i]"[/color]

[i]THWOCK.[/i]

[color=fff79a]"Gyaaah!"[/color]

And was brained by a foam dart travelling at speed, right in the temple. Caught and dealt with in the act of thievery, without warning, without arrest, and without trial. She had dared go against the man who was judge, jury, and executioner.

She was swift-of-feet, but not always so swift-of-mind.

With a weary sigh, the lights were flicked on and the earthy colors of the decor returned as the red-gold hues were outshone, revealing the peeved form of Kyotaro Nakajima, NERF pistol in hand, standing over the downed rapscallion.

[color=a36209]"You're gonna eat me out of house and home, seriously."[/color] he grumbled, as the girl defiantly munched upon the strip of jerky and glared up from the floor (albeit with no real heat). [color=a36209]"Hoshi, I bought that stuff yesterday, ate like three pieces, and I come back today and half the bag's gone! Seriously?"[/color]

[color=fff79a]"Well, maybe Kohaku could have taken it!"[/color] she hedged non-seriously. [color=fff79a]"You never know!"[/color]

The family cat could not have taken it. He was both napping on her bed right now, and lacked the opposable thumbs to have done so.

[color=0072bc][i]Not to mention, his training is coming along quite rapidly. I've made him far too well-mannered to do something so dishonest.[/i][/color]

That was also true. Tendou would not have allowed the Maine Coon, her trusty around-the-house steed, to have acted so capriciously. No, it was obvious to anyone observing that Hoshi was the only possible culprit, not in the least because she was [i]just caught doing so[/i].

[color=a36209]"How dumb do you think I am?"[/color] Kyotaro queried flatly.

[color=fff79a]"Dumb enough to get distracted enoUGH FOR A COUNTERATTACK!"[/color] Hoshi cried in response, whipping out a pistol of her own—

[i]THWOCK![/i]

Right between the eyes. A sure kill.

[color=fff79a]"Hgyah! How'd you know?"[/color]

[color=a36209]"You had your hand behind your back the [i]whole time[/i]."[/color]

[color=fff79a][i]Tendou, your plan didn't work![/i][/color]

The fairy that she, in becoming the Magical Girl Shooting Star, had become a contractual partner with, simply shook her head from within Hoshi's room, as Kohaku's fluffy tail brushed past her robes.

[color=0072bc][i]It is because you were far too hasty in its execution, Hoshi. To rush is to become sloppy, and to become sloppy is to leave yourself open at the crucial moment.[/i][/color]

She frowned, less than pleased with the response, before her beloved cousin and guardian spoke up again.

[color=a36209]"While we're in there, we aren't out of Peanut Butter, are we? I'm craving a PB&J right now."[/color]

[color=fff79a]"Actually, me too..."[/color] she murmured, springing back into her low squat and scanning the contents of the cabinet.

[color=fff79a]"Ugh, we are..."[/color] she grumbled.

[color=a36209]"Dang... Would you mind going out and grabbing it for me?"[/color] he asked with a sigh, fishing through his pockets for his wallet before producing roughly 750 yen. [color=a36209]"I'd do it, but..."[/color]

[color=fff79a]"Sure, no worries!"[/color] she chirped brightly, before his sentence could inevitably continue into "but work's got me real tired" or something along those lines.

After all, feeding two mouths was pretty hectic for one 25-year-old. Small errands were the least she could do to ease things up on him.

[i][color=fff79a]Tendou! We're headed out![/color]

[color=0072bc]I know,[/color][/i] came the fairy's response, as cool-headed as ever. [i][color=0072bc]I'll be ready as soon as you are.[/color][/i]