[center][h1][color=lightcoral]The Great Penrose Movie Marathon[/color][/h1][/center]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/rKTmUnL.png[/img][/center]

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Shortly after the Shoggy debacle had been resolved, Sakura returned with replacement movies, along with yet [i]another[/i] guest. The new girl seemed nice, though, so Connie didn’t mind. With her customary swiftness, Lily went to work setting up the first film. Connie let out an internal sigh of relief at this, for while she had mustered up the courage to play spin the bottle, she had been fervently hoping it wouldn’t land on her. Now, she quietly excused herself from the circle to go sit with Mia, Hilde, and Ronin near the television. 

[color=SpringGreen]“I wonder if this’ll be the Raymond Burr version or the original Japanese…”[/color] Mia mused as the film began.

[color=DarkOrchid]“Huh?”[/color] Connie asked, clearly baffled as to what her friend was talking about.

[color=SpringGreen]“Oh, well, there are two different versions of the original Godzilla,”[/color] Mia explained. [color=SpringGreen]“You’ve got Gojira, the original Japanese version, and then there’s—”[/color]

[color=DarkOrchid]“G-Godzilla?!”[/color] Connie stammered as her body began to shake. [color=DarkOrchid]“T-That’s w-what w-we’re w-watching?!”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]“Uh, yeah…”[/color] Mia replied. [color=SpringGreen]“If that’s a problem, I’m sure Emily wouldn’t mind letting us do something else in one of the other rooms.”[/color]

[color=DarkOrchid]“N-No,”[/color] Connie said with as much firmness as she could manage. [color=DarkOrchid]“E-Everyone else w-wants t-to w-watch t-this, s-so I’m g-gonna w-watch it too!”[/color]

Mia smiled as she took her friend’s trembling hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

[color=SpringGreen]“Okay, little sis. If you [i]do[/i] get scared, just remember, I’m right here.”[/color]

[color=DarkOrchid]“I-I will,”[/color] Connie said, returning her friend’s smile. [color=DarkOrchid]“A-And it’s not just you. [i]All[/i] m-my friends are here. I c-can’t believe I’ve made s-so many in such a s-short time. It makes me really h-happy when I think about it. Oh! T-That reminds me! W-Why didn’t you invite that c-cat girl you were t-telling me and Hilde about a few d-days ago? I w-would have l-liked to meet her…”[/color] 

[color=SpringGreen]“The aristocat?”[/color] Mia asked. [color=SpringGreen]“I really don’t think she’d fit in too well with a crowd like this,”[/color] she explained, pointing her thumb at the commotion surrounding Shane. [color=SpringGreen]“Besides, you know I don’t like to carry my phone with me when I’m doing magical girl stuff. I’ve always tried to keep my magical and mundane identities as separate as possible, though, lately, it’s gotten kinda difficult.”[/color] 

[color=DarkOrchid]“Oh, gosh! I-Is t-that because of m-me?”[/color] Connie asked, her voice filled with concern.

[color=SpringGreen]“Sorta,”[/color] Mia conceded reluctantly. [color=SpringGreen]“But you haven’t done anything wrong, Connie, so please don’t worry yourself about it,”[/color] she added, while giving her friend some comforting head pats. [color=SpringGreen]“It’s actually kinda nice hanging out with friends as plain old me, instead of as the ‘Daughter of Mother Earth’,”[/color] she noted, using air quotes for her magical girl title.

[color=DarkOrchid]“O-Okay,”[/color] Connie replied, while snuggling against her friend’s coat. [color=DarkOrchid]“A-And it really is!”[/color] she agreed. [color=DarkOrchid]“H-Hanging out with friends, I mean.”[/color]

Yes, sitting here, watching a movie with friends (plural!) was something truly wonderful for someone like Connie. The movie may have been a little scary, but her friends were here for her. With them by her side, she could face anything, be it a man in a rubber suit or whatever dangers the future might hold.

Now, more than ever before, Connie was sure of it.