[img]https://i.imgur.com/mJqWtBQ.png[/img]

[center][color=yellow]”I need a break."[/color][/center]
[hr]

Haruna was doing Haruna things. 

Which was to say that she was busy. She was busy at night helping people, busy during the day with her schooling, and busy in her down time trying to help the detention club not implode on itself. It might be fair to say Haruna didn’t have time for herself. Or rather, what little time she had for herself she freely gave to other people. Her morning jog might have just been the only time she truly did something for herself. 

And it was then, when she was tying her jogging shoes, that her phone rang. It wasn’t someone calling to tell her about her car insurance though, it was from a certain pink haired magical girl that slurred her words. She pulled the strings tight before fishing her phone out of her pocket. The sight of the call ID prompted mixed feelings in Hibusa’s shiniest magical girl, but these didn’t stop her from answering the call. [color=fff79a]"Hello?"[/color]

[color=ffc0cb]"Ey you!"[/color] Came through the phone, confirming what should have been obvious. Though there was the small chance that an ape had stolen her phone before she could depart. [color=ffc0cb]"Are ya okay? Da ya need help? Should I bring the gals with meh?"[/color] She laughed like someone two-hundred pounds heavier than she was. [color=ffc0cb]"Couldn’t help mahself. Anyway, uh, dere’s a Pancake Abode halfway between us. We could meet dere if ya want. Talk face to face like old times."[/color]

[color=fff79a]"Yeah, that might be nice. I was just about to go for a run, but I wouldn’t mind getting a nice breakfast."[/color] Routines were important, but so were breaks from them. [color=fff79a]"And for the record, I’m doing fine. There are a few challenges here in Hibusa, but nothing I can’t handle."[/color] She hoped the conversation would lower her stress levels, not raise them, but given she had practical matters to address, that was less than certain. [color=fff79a]"I think I know the place. Race you there?"[/color] she asked, smiling a bit to herself.

[color=ffc0cb]"Sure ting!"[/color] 

And with that, the race was on. 

…

…

…

The Pancake Abode was nothing special. It was a small restaurant that owed all of its business to people driving past the gas station it was built next to. Travelers would fuel up and get a nice meal before continuing on to the city of light, where they would rent a hotel room and sleep for the night. The restaurant was very much a greasy spoon, but it was in an old, charming building. Some of the brick work had been repaired, with day old bricks sandwiched between decade old ones. There were evergreen trees at every corner of the structure and bushes that lined the front of the establishment. The real symbol of the restaurant’s age was from its billboard, which likely hadn’t been updated for decades. The little chipmunk mascot was not drawn in a contemporary style, and the font was bold and goofy compared to the contemporary minimalism that most businesses had adapted.

Predictably, Haruna had arrived about five minutes before Morganite got there. Or at least she assumed that was who was jogging to the Pancake Abode in a hurry. The identity protection magic tied to their transformations always made it a bit hard to tell, and Morganite had never revealed herself like this. She had never seen Haruna and had worked exclusively with Hizuki. The pinkette looked around, her eyes scanning the roof tops and the greenery in front of the joint. 

[color=ffc0cb]"Am first!"[/color] She threw her fists into the air before doing a little dance. She scuffed her feet and moon walked backwards (unconvincingly) three steps before turning to look in Haruna’s direction. Then she froze. 

Haruna flashed her a broad, smug grin before closing the distance. [color=fff79a]"Not quite. I’m still the fastest one around here."[/color] She clapped one hand on Morganite’s shoulder. [color=fff79a]"Good effort, but I’ve kept up training all this time. I’m actually joining the track team in Hibusa, so you shouldn’t feel too bad about losing this one."[/color] She gestured at the entrance. [color=fff79a]"Shall we go get some water, and then some pancakes? I could eat so many chocolate chip ones right now."[/color]

After Haruna concluded her humble brag, the girl gave a quiet little [color=ffc0cb]"ya"[/color] before they entered the establishment together. The interior was a great deal cleaner and fresh when compared to the exterior of the building, but was still dated. It really tried to look like a place where you could eat western style food, but perhaps they had leaned a bit too hard into that aesthetic. The interior was lit with old fluorescent lights that were a bit too dim to properly light everything, and the awnings over the windows prevented much light from coming in. There was also a lot of brown, from the picnic style tables to the tiled floor. Even the white countertops and vinyl seats seemed to be a light shade of brown. Pushes of the mascot were tucked in every corner of the establishment, and the squirrel’s brown coat didn’t alleviate the color oversaturation. 

There also weren’t too many people inside. It was easy to pick up on the untransformed Morganite’s desires. She wanted to understand, she wanted to keep a friend, she wanted to be understood. A lady at the counter wearing a yellow waitress outfit directed the girls to a booth, took their orders, and departed.

[color=ffc0cb]"Wasn’t sure how ya were gunna look."[/color] She tipped her head side to side as she viewed Haruna from as wide an angle as she possibly could. [color=ffc0cb]"Since we’re off da clock, ya might as well call me Saundra."[/color]

 [color=fff79a]"Then you should call me Haruna."[/color] She watched the other light girl pivot back and forth, wondering at what exactly she was doing. [color=fff79a]"Um, sorry again about the other day. I really appreciate you being willing to put yourself at risk for me like that."[/color] 

[color=ffc0cb]"Ahhhhh, dun mention it, Haruna!"[/color] She beamed with joy. [color=ffc0cb]"Riskin’ it all is what us GEMs ‘re all aboot!"[/color] 

Haruna scratched her head awkwardly. [color=fff79a]"Er, other than that, have you been alright? Anything interesting happened back home while I’ve been away? Are the GEMs still getting along decently with SF?"[/color]

[color=ffc0cb]"Az gud as we can."[/color] She lowered her eyes and sighed. [color=ffc0cb]"Da old boss has been kinda distant ever since da switch, but we all keep da city protected."[/color] Saundra made a not so subtle attempt to change the topic, and her dour expression changed with it. [color=ffc0cb]"How about da light girls around here? I know there aren’t a lot, but do ya get along with ‘em?"[/color]

[color=fff79a]"I’ve only really met the one, but she seems pretty nice. She really doesn’t like the Detention Club, but honestly, that’s pretty understandable,"[/color] she sighed. [color=fff79a]"Sayuri gave me a good luck charm and everything. If there’s other light girls around Hibusa, though, I haven’t met them. Everyone except Miss Gate has been either a GEM or a Detention Club member."[/color]

[color=ffc0cb]"Mmmm, dat’s not too surprising."[/color] She tapped her fingers on the table. [color=ffc0cb]"A lotta light girls who go to Habusa town don’t stay there. Da Detention club is massive. We’ve been ignoring dem because they keep to themselves."[/color] Clearly mentioning that she understood why someone would hate the Detention club was, to Saundra, an invitation to talk about why she didn’t like them. That was what her desires told Haruna before she opened her mouth. [color=ffc0cb]"I only went into Hibusa to look for ah missing person. I saw a mascot and figured it belonged to the detention club. Ah knew I was playin’ with fire, but ah only really wanted to get their help. But dey put some kinda hex on me."[/color] Her eyebrows became cross. [color=ffc0cb]"Dey suppressed my emotions or somethin’. It was disgusting magic! I got ah little sidetracked and followed them out to their beach vacation. Ah can’t do a lot on my own, but it was clear they were up to something. I got Pearl, but by that point they had already summoned a giga miseria. You know what dey are?"[/color] Haruna didn’t have to answer. Saundra could tell by the grave expression on her face at the mention of the word that she had. [color=ffc0cb]"And dey had da nerve to ask me why I didn’t help them kill it! Because giga miseria don’t create more of themselves, and I needed to take care of da bigger threat, that’s why!"[/color] She folded her arms and leaned back in her chair. 

[b][color=ffffff]"Here you are."[/color][/b] The waitress served their meals. For Saundra, that was a stack of pancakes with a mountain of whipped cream on top, covered in strawberries. The whole thing had been lightly dusted with powdered sugar. The pinkette was so delighted by her treat that she nearly forgot to speak.

[color=ffc0cb]"Tanks!"[/color] She scooped up her fork and dove in immediately. After taking a single bite, she leaned back in her seat, her eyelids closed, and while she chewed, a smile of pure bliss crossed her face. 

Haruna thanked the server and started in on her own pancakes a bit more sedately, drenching them in maple syrup before taking a couple small bites. [color=fff79a]"It sounds like you ran into Acid Drop in town,"[/color] she started. [color=fff79a]"I don’t think she meant anything by it, she was probably just trying to get you to leave the mascot alone. She’s not very good at communicating."[/color] She avoided pointing out the GEMs’ hypocrisy in their retaliation. 

[color=fff79a]"As for the beach incident, I don’t approve of them involving innocents, obviously, but I’m starting to learn why it happened. The Detention Club is under threat. Another dark girl showed up, burned down a flower shop, kicked the crap out of them, and then said she’d be back with friends. They’re trying to get stronger so they can survive, and your team being around is making them feel backed into a corner. Especially since they can’t always rely on Schrade to be around."[/color] Haruna took a few more bites, giving Saundra an opportunity to reply.

Two seconds into talking about the beach event, and Saundra already looked agitated. [color=ffc0cb]"Ahyea, dark girls are always da problem. Not too surprising they are a headache for their own."[/color] She stabbed her fork at her meal until it was loaded up with pancake and strawberry. [color=ffc0cb]"Ya pretty quick ta paint us as part of da problem, but den what did dey do to da other dark girl ta make her so angry? And what did she do to dem to prompt dem makin’ her angry? And was dere a ting before dat? Or before dat even?"[/color] She took some syrup and drizzled it over her sweetened pancakes. [color=ffc0cb]"An eye for an eye makes da world blind, sure. But dat was uncalled for, regardless of reason."[/color] Her cheeks bulged when she bit down on her fork full of food. 

[color=fff79a]"They’d never seen this girl before. She just showed up out of nowhere and trashed the place. If there was some kind of preexisting grudge, nobody’s said a word."[/color] Haruna frowned. [color=fff79a]"I’m not trying to paint you as anything, I’m explaining what’s going on so we can resolve this before someone gets seriously hurt. Or at least so you can understand why I’m opposing you if we end up fighting for real."[/color] 

Sandra dropped her fork onto her plate with a clatter. 

Haruna sighed. [color=fff79a]"They’re not actually bad people, mostly. Just. . . troubled. You know?"[/color] She looked down and to the side. [color=fff79a]"It’s not like you don’t know anyone dealing with their own stuff."[/color]

[color=ffc0cb]"Most people dealing with dere own stuff don’t summon monsters and endanger da public."[/color] She folded her arms. [color=ffc0cb]"Everybody does something bad once. Dark girls do it over and over. Dey will rob, cheat, steal, harass, and force people ta do things dey don’t wanna do."[/color] She exaggerated a look of sorrow and threw her hand onto her head. [color=ffc0cb]"Wahhh! My notebook got stolen! Betta burn down da school!"[/color] She switched hands. [color=ffc0cb]"Wahhhhhhhh! I got made fun of! Betta make it my life mission ta kill the person who did it!"[/color] With a groan, she shook her head. [color=ffc0cb]"If ya saw da tings I saw dark girls do, ya wouldn’t be staying in Habusa town. Dey are hurting, and dey don’t wanna get better. Dey just wanna hurt everyone else too."[/color] 

[color=fff79a]"That’s not true!"[/color] Haruna’s hand slapped down on the table loud enough for the girl to flinch at the sound, then look briefly sheepish as she realized other people were reacting as well. Sandra, however, only kept up her steely glare. [color=fff79a]"All they want is to keep their friends close to them and stay safe. Yeah, they do bad stuff sometimes, but that doesn’t mean they deserve to be hunted in the streets. Do you know how scared they are of us? Most of them think they’ll just [i]die[/i] if someone finds them in the city of light, and now they have light girls stalking them at school and trying to kidnap them on the way home."[/color] She was trying to keep her voice down, but it was getting increasingly difficult. [color=fff79a]"Seriously, why doesn’t any other magical girl believe in talking about anything!? It’s driving me crazy."[/color]

[color=ffc0cb]"I did try ta talk, and that’s how I got mind wammied by ‘Azid drop.’ I tried ta talk again after da fact, but dey are so proud dey attacked me for making ah funny bannah for dere club room."[/color] Saundra started to race her voice. [color=ffc0cb]"Diamond tried ta talk to them too, but dey attacked with ah big monstah they summoned! She ran with skiddle cuz she didn’t want ta fight and hurt her! Why does da Detention Club get ah pass on everything and da GEMS get treated like monsters for da smallest missteps?"[/color] She folded what remained of her pancakes in half and shoved them into her mouth.

Haruna took a deep breath. [i]Stay cool. Yelling at her isn’t going to help with anything. Even if she might as well be lying through her teeth at you right now.[/i] [color=fff79a]"Okay. I’m just gonna. Not respond to that right now. You don’t think I’m being fair, and I don’t think you’re being fair, can we leave it at that so we can keep talking?"[/color] She paused a moment for Saundra to reply. 

It took a moment for Saundra to finish chewing her food. [color=ffc0cb]"I guess…"[/color]

[color=fff79a]"You said you were looking for a missing person, and you wanted to see if the Detention Club would help. Can you tell me more about that?"[/color]

[color=ffc0cb]"Ah light girl went missing ah year or so ago."[/color]  She groaned, clearly still agitated with what the outing had devolved into. [color=ffc0cb]"Her name was ‘Glorious.’ We taught she was dead but some of us saw her, only she ran away when we approached. She was headed for Hibusa town so ah figured I would see if she stopped by. Ah don’t think she did."[/color] She sipped her orange juice.   

[color=fff79a]"Glorious? . . ."[/color] Haruna shook her head. [color=fff79a]"Doesn’t ring a bell. Although,"[/color] she frowned, [color=fff79a]"is it possible she fell instead of dying? There’s a dark girl that seemed newer to the area that I made friends with. She decided to join up with the club recently. I don’t suppose you know what she looks like when she’s not transformed?"[/color]

[color=ffc0cb]"If she is alive den maybeh she fell. Would kinda hope not."[/color] She looked away from Haruna, or rather, she was trying to search her memory. [color=ffc0cb]"She wus a strawberry blonde, usually smiled, About as tall as you but like, kinda toned? Bat not too toned."[/color] She rubbed her arm and tried to make her arm the correct amount of muscle, but decided to give up when her tiny noodle arms didn’t yield anything she liked. [color=ffc0cb]"She liked to dress cool. Like she wore shirts with cool designs on dem. Sorta like a punk rock aesthetic but den it was scaled back to not be overbearing. Her hips swung when she walked, and guys always turned dere heads to look at ‘ere."[/color] She sniffed. [color=ffc0cb]"Like, she had dis aura about her? Like she was really cool, but also approachable? Even though she kinda looked like a delinquent she didn’t act like one or hold herself like one, you know? She was just cool without any of the bad stuff. She wasn’t Japanese, like me, or like any of us really. Definitely a foreign beauty type."[/color] Sandra’s breathing became noisier. [color=ffc0cb]"And she was interested in a lot of stuff. Like, if you wanted to show her something, she would always come see and let you explain it to her. Even if it was kinda stupid, she’d make sure you never felt that way."[/color] 

Haruna searched her own memory for a few moments, but came up blank. [color=fff79a]"No, that doesn’t really sound familiar. That’s not what Miss Gate looks like at all. I’ll ask Evil Eye to keep an, uh, eye out though. If someone like that’s in Hibusa now, I’m sure we’ll see her."[/color] There was a reassuring note to her voice, but it didn’t do anything for Saundra. [color=fff79a]"What happened there, exactly? Did she just vanish one day, or did she get into a big fight or something first?"[/color]

[color=ffc0cb]"She was… Attacked."[/color] Saunda wiped her eyes. [color=ffc0cb]"She was never the same after that. We heard she was killed in a car crash so we came to the City of Light to see what happened, but all we found was her ruined car. Magical girls don always get ta leave a corpse. We suspected the dark girls did somethin’, but we never got da truth. Half of da dark girls in da city of light said dey never saw her. Da others? Dey all bragged about it! Not dat we think any of dem did it, but dey just tried to push our buttons. All we knew was she was gone, until summer. Den we had some hope. But…"[/color] She sighed. [color=ffc0cb]"Just lead ta more problems."[/color] 

[color=fff79a]"I’m sorry this whole thing has become such a mess,"[/color] Haruna said, sadly. [color=fff79a]"I’m also sorry for yelling at you. Like I said, I’ll do my best to find Glorious. Um. . ."[/color] She hesitated for a moment. [color=fff79a]"I’ve been a little too hard on the GEMs, I think. The Detention Club is nicer than you seem to think too. Can we forgive each other for that and maybe try to get our teams to try the whole talking thing again? It can just be a couple of them and a couple of you meeting in a place kinda like this to figure stuff out so people don’t need to be any more angry or scared than they need to be."[/color]

[color=ffc0cb]"We could try, ya."[/color] She looked down at her empty plate and then back at Haruna. [color=ffc0cb]"I haven't got faith in da detention club, but I got faith in you. Just keep everyone in Hibusa town for a while and den we can try talking again. If dey start summoning giga miseria again, well, we might be ‘fightin’ for real’ as you put it."[/color] She grabbed the top of her seat and slid herself out of the booth. [color=ffc0cb]"But I’d rather we not so dat we could do dis again."[/color] After flashing Haruna a smile, she walked up to the counter to get settled up for everything. The counter person accepted her money with a nod and waved to her as she departed. But Saundra stopped as soon as she got outside. 

Haruna nearly bumped into her as she followed, having polished off the last of her pancakes while Saundra paid. [color=fff79a]"Is something wrong?"[/color]

She turned to look at Haruna. [color=ffc0cb]"Da lighting wasn’t good but…"[/color] She squinted her eyes. [color=ffc0cb]"Ya, you need to go ta bed earlier."[/color] Neither girl was in great shape. They had just run, were still sweaty, and would likely need a shower before they did anything else today. [color=ffc0cb]"I’ll see what ah can do wit da other GEMs, take care."[/color]

Haruna shrugged at Saundra’s comment. [color=fff79a]"Someone’s gotta patrol Hibusa at night."[/color] Then, she nodded. [color=fff79a]"You stay safe, too. I’ll keep an eye out for Glorious."[/color] She gave the GEM a wave, then turned to jog back home. [color=fff79a]"See you."[/color]