Session Start: Sat Sep 03 15:31:55 2005 [Monday, March 8, 2004 - 655 local time] [Early-morning Kendo Club practice at Akamori High School] [mini start] * Rin is there, punctual as usual, in her school uniform. She seems to be waiting for something, or someone, before changing. * Natsuki is already there, changed, and pummeling a target dummy. * Kenta strides in with a queasy look on his face. * Rin rises from the bench she was sitting on, and bows a polite greeting. "Good morning, Captain." HA! *smack* AAAH! *pow* OOUH! *crack* NNNMAAAH! *pop* Rin! Did your breakfast disagree with you, Sora-kun? You seem unwell. *friendly smile, a bit of laughter in her eyes* * Kenta doesn't quite run over to the girl, but it's close. He reaches out as if to embrace her, then flinches, and just rests his hands on her shoulders. Are you... what happened... um... * Rin continues smiling, though maybe just a bit less certainly. "I am well. And...a great deal happened." She looks to the side, then settles her face into a more serious expression. * Kenta looks around the gym, and realizes that while there aren't many people around, this is a pretty public place. * Kenta grabs Rin's arm and lightly pulls her into the girls' locker room. * Rin quirks an eyebrow, smiles sardonically, but follows without comment. * Kenta stops just inside the door. "What happened?" * Rin takes a deep breath, her usual aplomb noticeably wavering. "I... I really suppose I owe you the truth, Soramaki-kun. I, um. Well. Can you promise me what I reveal to you in here... that you'll tell no one?" She swallows, adding in an entirely out-of-character quiet and nervous tone "...and that you won't hate me?" You're one of them. You're a magical girl! Please, Kenta... *stops herself, and gets control again* Sora-kun, please promise. I... ...yes. And no. Sort of. Why would I hate you? Gods, you're a hero! Charging into... THAT! ...because... Well. Please don't freak out. *pulls out her Tessen, and holds it in her hand, loosely. She's rather clearly nervous...and embarrassed?* ...please block the door. I-- I don't want anyone coming in. Yeah, that really is a magical sword, isn't it? I knew I saw it transform on Friday. * Kenta moves in front of the door, not taking his eyes off of Rin. It is. It's, um, my transformation object. * Rin steps back, giving herself some room. Watching Kenta's face, she nervously, but with increasing confidence as the magic takes her, points the Tessen to the floor, and brings it up in the clock-hand gesture she always uses. As the crescent purple moon rises behind her, her features shift subtly and her uniform turns to a boy's, before the slash with the Tessen turns it into the black hakama, and the Tessen into a naked Katana. * Lord_Darkmoon looks at Kenta, almost defiantly. Though the set of his jaw is more worried than anything. *blink* *blinkblink* ...okay, that's not what I was expecting. * Lord_Darkmoon deftly sheaths the Katana at his hip. "This is why...Rin didn't want you to know. She--I--well. I am sorry. You really deserved to know sooner." * Kenta works his mouth, as he thinks of several things to say, then thinks better of them. Finally: "No, why would I have a reason to know? I imagine you don't tell anyone." * Lord_Darkmoon sighs. "As few as possible, at least. Until...you heard what happened at the school we were at, when we were held captive instead of giving our presentation?" * Kenta rolls his eyes. "Has there been anything else in the news this weekend?" * Lord_Darkmoon smiles, almost looking like Rin for a moment. "No, I suppose there hasn't." Before...that happened...those with whom I worked did not know of Rin. They only found out because of Feral's inability to control itself. Because of what? ...uh, oh. Right. *swallow* My...powers...include a second transformation. Into a monster. A very powerful monster. You've seen me lose my temper...roughly once a month, right? *clearly embarrassed* * Kenta blushes. Nice guys don't talk about that. *cough* In my case, it's tied to--well, I can't transform properly during the full moon. Every time I try, I become that monster. But, if I become Feral, I'm going to pass out and go back to being Rin. * Lord_Darkmoon begins to pace. When he notes the click-clacking of his wooden shoes, he pulls out the Katana, turns it back into a Tessen, and uses it to change his uniform back into a boy's school uniform. Last week was a full moon, Kenta. Yeah. So... when I saw them attacking M-- my friends, I lost it and transformed. So, they only found out last week. They only knew me as Lord Darkmoon. Why... why would you keep it - uuummm. *slowly* I guess the Rin I know would want to keep things private. * Lord_Darkmoon pauses, and turns to fully face Kenta again. He nods, slowly, a sardonic grimace on his lips. "Exactly. If you turned into 'Lady Kendo', would you want to tell -anyone-? And I'm... Yes, you know Rin. Really, you know me." ...so. Are you, like, in danger now? Are they going to come here as well? No. Rin is in no danger that she hasn't always been in, and nobody really knows -who- I am. Would you ever have guessed, really, that a Lord is really a girl? My identity is probably the best protected of any of us. If I thought it put this school, you, Natsuki, and the others in danger, do you really think Rin would not just vanish? Not even my parents know. ...I think it would break Father. * Lord_Darkmoon chuckles. "Can you imagine his reaction? 'Hey, Dad, not only am I a magical girl, but your darling daughter turns into a boy!'" But... why are you showing me? * Lord_Darkmoon sighs. "Because, you're Rin's-- my best friend. I really should have told you sooner; you deserved to know. So did Le--er, another friend. *cough* Anyway, this is why I've been missing kendo practice lately, too." * Kenta nods. Is that a little disappointment on his face? Hard to tell. "Are you okay after that... mess? Will you be okay?" * Lord_Darkmoon politely doesn't notice the disappointment, since it clearly was just a trick of the light. "Physically, I'm fine. We heal from just about anything that doesn't kill us. Feral more than most of us, even. We'll find the ones who did this, and eliminate them. So, yes, I'll be okay. My life's probably changed the least of any of my teammates'." ...eliminate them. And you say your life hasn't changed? Don't fool yourself, Rin. You were always serious, but when we were freshmen you could never have said that without it giving you pause. * Kenta tilts his head. "I'm not arguing what you need to do - just... you know... worrying. * Lord_Darkmoon laughs bitterly. "When we were freshmen, I hadn't found this accursed thing," he says, holding up the Tessen. "Though it is a convenient tool. And it's not as bad as it could be. For once, my teammates are friends, too. Wish I could introduce you; I think you'd like the ninja." He winks mockingly. Please don't worry. When this is over, you'll have Rin back, just a little more grown-up. She'll always be there for you, Kenta. Just as you've been for her. * Kenta is silent for a while. "...I hope it's that easy." Nothing ever is. Oh... I suppose I owe you an apology for that time I came in to your family's ice cream shop transformed. *rubs the back of his head* I needed someplace to talk to a teammate without showing her my house or detransforming. It wasn't a nice prank to play on you, though. ...not sure I remember that. We see a lot of people in there. I'm not magical, I don't transform... but is there any way I can help? Rin is... you are... important to me. Just...keep being my friend? And take care of yourself. She-- I couldn't forgive myself if my problems hurt you in any way. ...do you think I should tell Natsuki? No, probably not. But...just knowing my secret, and keeping it, is a huge help. Lying to you has been very hard, Kenta. * Kenta smiles faintly. "I appreciate that. A lot." And, for what it's worth, while I wouldn't wish this on anybody, I know you'd make a fine Lord. If you say so. * Lord_Darkmoon bows to Kenta, as if in introduction. "And, should we ever meet on the street, you can call me Rinada. I'd be honored to consider you a friend, in both states." Can't you just be Rin? ...that didn't come out right. Why do... argh. * Kenta pulls on his hair, then grins ferally. "Rinada. Sure. Fine." * Lord_Darkmoon blinks. "...you're right, actually." With almost no fanfare, a little bit of purple magic washes over Darkmoon, and Rin is standing there, in a boy's uniform. Which she quickly uses the Tessen to turn back into a girl's. Thank you, Sora-kun. You, uh, look good in the boys' uniform, Rin-kun. * Rin smiles and winks. "I'll have to wear one, sometime. Do you think the teachers would complain?" * Kenta looks away. "You could get away with it for a day." * Rin schools her expression to be more serious. "I just might, then. Is there anything else you want to ask, Sora-kun?" * Kenta looks faintly disappointed by something. "No, no, I think I found out more than I ever really wanted to know. Keep yourself alive, Rin-kun. Please." * Kenta turns around and slips out of the girls' locker room, to cheers and jeers from the club members outside. * Rin says, slightly sadly, to the closed door, "I will, Sora-kun." [end mini]