Mahou Madness!

[Mahou-Shoujo]

Luca let out a gasp of pain as she was grabbed, even as a front line fighter she hated pain... Which was part of the reason she went along with bullies who would very easily turn to violence if something made them angry.
She listened to Namiko with tears in her eyes, before getting up to hug her, her own emotions making her strong enough to cause a little pain as she clinged to her best friend.
"Nami... You... You can talk to me... We can go to my room... I wanna help... So please?..."

 

[twinkletide]

For a moment, feeling pain of both varieties in Luca's grip, Namiko contemplated not telling Luca. She could tell him no, and she'd probably just let it go. It would be hard, but she'd understand, or at least try to.

But...but Luca had already told her so much. And this was what friends do, right? Reveal themselves? Pull back the guises?

"Let's go to your room," she said blankly.

 

[Mahou-Shoujo]

Luca was all too happy to take Namiko by the hand and lead her out of the vomit smelling bathroom, right into her own room, it looked like someone had done a tidy and grabbed the laundry though Luca was too focused to notice as she sat on the edge of her bed, waiting for Namiko to speak at her own pace without any interruptions, she knew how hard some secrets could be to tell, and clearly this was quite a big one for Namiko, since she was so reluctant even knowing what she did about Luca.

 

[twinkletide]

"Do you remember when I told you about my time as a child, after becoming an orphan? and being kicked out of the orphanage?

"I didn't lie, didn't exaggerate, didn't furnish or intensify. When I was younger I had an insatiable hunger, something that could not be sated by anything. After leaving home I began, without knowing why, to eat. For two full weeks I did so, living on the streets like an animal with a drained DSi and digging through trash for food.

"Eventually, however, I was found by a lady. Apparently. I don't remember seeing her; all I remember is that suddenly I was plucked off the streets, bathed, fed, housed. They put me in that orphanage and treated me with love.

"But the woman told me: the day they found me I was chewing the rind of a can, so heartily they had to pry the bits of steel out of my teeth. For a while that image followed me around. The kids ran away, or when they didn't they called me names: mudgirl, Ouroboros. Anything to make me feel like an animal, a cannibal.

"I didn't let it happen, of course. Through force and time I ended up becoming friends with all the children of the orphanage, kids of all ages and genders and backgrounds, kids that had been abandoned, or left, or thrown out. Kids who had just never had a home. Among these kids I felt a real affinity, something to hold onto, to believe in.

"And then the orphanage was foreclosed. Somehow. We still don't know exactly why, or how this was even possible. But before we knew it we were homeless again.

"Most of my friends were moved to other places, other homes. But for some reason I refused. Instead I went out and wandered the streets again. My hunger was even more insatiable this time, even more uncontrollable. I could not stop from eating feces or animal corpses or car tires or linoleum. The AAD said that if I hadn't awakened when I did I would have died of so many diseases they couldn't even count them. And it was a month before that happened.

"Long story short: I don't want to eat that much ever again. I love food. You saw that. But now whenever I eat I remember that time and I want to eat and eat more, and before I know it my body reacts...like that...and it comes out. Almost as if it's trying to save me. From something. Myself. And I still don't know why. Why am I like this? Why did I run away from home, and what about that prompted me to do what I did? Was I always like this, and didn't know it? What is happening to me?"

 

[Mahou-Shoujo]

Luca was horrified, what Namiko was telling her was insane... That she would eat those kinds of things, and be so hungry all the time... But that she also ended up on the streets was even worse... Though of course her face showed more than a little pity... She felt terrible, had she been making Namiko feel bad like that? Reminding her of her horrible past in her misguided attempts to make her happy with her only real skill?
There was only one thing to do in a situation like this...
Luca hugged her tightly again, pulling Namiko as close as she could and lightly drawing circles on her back with a finger.
"Namiko... I'm sorry... I had no idea..."

 

[twinkletide]

Namiko accepted the hug. Honestly she felt empty. Not sad or happy, just blank. Vague disgust, maybe? She didn't know.

"Listen," she said. "Well but this isn't about me. Like I said, I care about you, and you shouldn't be burdened with stuff like this. It isn't your fault. If you want to help me, then you let me help you. When I finally see you in school with that uniform draped over your back: everything will be worth it."

 

[Mahou-Shoujo]

Luca was a little confused for a moment... But it seemed Namiko was saying she would feel better if Luca felt better? If that was true then Luca would be sure to be as happy as possible! And hopefully it would rub off on Namiko... Luca really wanted to see her smiling and maybe even cook a meal for Namiko without making her feel sick and throwing up...

The mention of a uniform brought back Luca's desperate desire for a moment, though she quickly pushed it off of her face, she couldn't be sad about that all the time...
It was at this emotionally charged moment that Namiko would receive a message from Pharah! It was marked as a mission statement and told her that she and Lucas had been selected for a mission out of country and would need to report to HQ in the morning.

 

[twinkletide]

The moment Namiko decided to never, ever let Luca go, she was forced to let Luca go due to her phone vibrating on her dresser. She bristled at the sound. Usually her phone had an actual notification sound, a rounded clink like that of spare change, but her phone was set to vibrate when contacted by certain people. And all of them were from Orphan.

"Sorry, I need to take this." Namiko picked up her phone, placing her thumb on the bottom to unlock it. She read the text for a full minute, then turned to Luca blankly.

"Hey," she said, "other than Australia, have you ever been out of country before?"

 

[Mahou-Shoujo]

Luca stayed respectfully quiet as Namiko read the text, assuming it must be both long and important, and was caught off guard by the question, she had been sort of staring at Namiko's face so it took a moment for the question to make sense to her.
"Oh! Well... I went to New Zealand once to visit a cousin..."

Well that was hardly epic travel record, and considering New Zealand had neither a dedicated Orphan or AAD presence, it likely wasn't where they would be going.
"Why do you ask?"
She seemed curious as usual.

 

[twinkletide]

Namiko said nothing but placed the phone of the table, facing Luca, the text displayed on the screen (incidentally also revealing her Touhou wallpaper, little chibi girls spread out uniform across the background). She sighed. "Geez...I have no idea how this is going to work..." she muttered. "Though this was bound to happen eventually."

 

[Mahou-Shoujo]

Luca squinted to read the phone and quickly seemed to figure out what was going on.
"Hahh?! A mission out of country... That... That's so exciting! Do you think we will have time to explore? Maybe grab souvenirs?"
She asked, clearly excited despite the danger.
"Umm... My parents have to work again... So they probably won't notice if we leave and get back before monday?"

 

[twinkletide]

"Oh!" Namiko said, relieved. "Okay, I thought that would be an issue. Though we'll have to hurry if that's the case." Thank god for the quick jets of Orphan; they wouldn't have nearly enough time if they had to take an actual airline. She sent a quick text back, saying, simply, "We'll be there first thing in the morning." She then put her phone away and hummed thoughtfully.

"Well..." she said. "They can't tell us where we're going over text, so I guess we'll see about it first thing tomorrow. For now, though..." Namiko yawned. "Well, it's probably best we get to sleep. When are your parents leaving?"

 

[Mahou-Shoujo]

"Yeah... They have been extra busy recently for some reason... So they don't usually spend much time here, so we never have to worry about missions!"
Luca declared, clearly trying to look on the bright side of things, most of her outlook seemed to be based on looking at the bright side and trying to ignore all the terrible things happening, very useful in their line of work.

"Yeah... Sleep sounds good..."
Luca agreed, holding back a yawn of her own brought on by Namiko's, yawns really did seem contagious sometimes...
"Umm... Probably before the sun comes up... They leave me some allowance and a note or something saying goodbye".
She replied, getting up to gather her pjs.

 

[twinkletide]

Namiko drooped visibly when Luca talked about her parents always being gone. She wondered—did Luca see her as a sister? Maybe she could...be like a sister to her. It was obvious the role of mother was not likely to be replaced at this point in time. Though, that had uncomfortable implications considering how she felt about Luca.

Anyhow, Namiko once again borrowed Luca's PJs, the same ones she had the last time. Once she dressed up she asked, "Where is the guest room? They said I'd be sleeping there." She regretted not being able to sleep with Luca, but, well; if they saw their ostensibly "male" child with a girl in bed, that would carry some regrettable connotations.

 

[Mahou-Shoujo]

Luca didn't wear her mouse onesie again... Instead switching over to one based on a Koala! Though of course it was entirely possible Namiko wouldn't even know that that was.

Luca's expression changed a little at the mention of the guest room, she had forgotten that her parents had told Namiko to sleep there... But in this one case she didn't think she could agree with what they said to do...
"Umm... Well it's next to mine... But I was thinking... My parents don't check my room much anymore and the door locks..."
Was this what it looked like? Good girl Luca actually plotting to break the rules?!

 

[twinkletide]

Namiko was surprised at Luca's willingness to break the rules. But she decided yes near immediately, despite her early rationale. Why? Because she cared about Luca and didn't want her to be alone; because she, herself, felt like she didn't want to be alone, after what happened earlier; because perhaps even if they did find them in bed together it would at least convince them of Luca's manlihood, for now; because of this and other reasons. That was why she smiled, after only a few seconds; smiled slyly and said "Well, if you insist on sleeping with me..."

 

[Mahou-Shoujo]

Luca's eager, almost desperate begging face, complete with puppy dog eyes despite her clearly breaking rules right then, quickly changed into one of joy, followed by a very clear blush... Somehow the way Namiko had said that seemed to embarrass her for whatever reason...
"I uhh... I do... I kinda had a dream where I slept with you before you came over for the first time.. Ahh! I mean in the normal, sleeping in the same bed way!"
She had worked herself into a flustered mess, and quickly dove into bed to hide.

 

[twinkletide]

Namiko couldn't help but laugh at Luca's over-the-top reaction. She was really adorable; a national treasure. And that dream. A small blush worked its way onto Namiko's face as well. She wasn't dense, and so Luca saying such a thing made her really happy. Caught up in her joy, she dove into bed after Luca and embraced the bulge in the bedsheets, molded into Luca's shape, before promptly diving back out and closing and locking the door, assuming Luca had no further business outside.

 

[Mahou-Shoujo]

Luca responded to the embrace with a delighted giggle, she was pretty much so comfortable with Namiko that physical affection wasn't even embarrassing anymore, well, in private at least, she wasn't sure how she would react to being hugged or petted in front of people, especially if she were to kiss her...
Whoah! Where did THAT thought come from? Luca was glad for the darkness of the room to hide her incredible blush, and when Namiko returned she hugged her tight, burying her face as she prepared to sleep.

 

[twinkletide]

Namiko clambered into bed in the dark, readily accepted the arms that sprung onto her shoulders. Luca's head felt warm on her chest. She stroked her head, slowly, drifting slowly off to sleep. "Good night," she whispered.

She slept extremely well.

Perhaps a bit too well, because soon a sharp and vivid light was bursting through the windows, far beyond the time they planned to leave; the first time in a while she'd slept so late. She continued to burrow peacefully into Luca's arms, snoring softly.