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Technically speaking, Celestia's life was simply just a series of bad decisions. Missed opportunities; conversely, opportunities she should have passed on; people she shouldn't have trusted; people she should have. If Celestia were more poetically inclined, she might have termed it as a comfortable shambles - rather like sitting on top of a pile of objects you'd discovered while cleaning. Her life was filled with the consequences of these decisions. One of these, however, which she most definitely did not regret was her son, Kokichi.
The boy's existence was technically unintentional, but Celestia'd be damned before she ever let him know that. It was the best mistake she'd ever made, and she did feel like something of an expert on the matter of mistakes. Sure, she hadn't slept properly at all for the first year and a half or so, and having a kid turned out to be awfully expensive, but she did at least have her brother to help her out after they reconnected, and Kokichi was a cute kid. Not only in her eyes, but apparently in everyone else's as well. Many a time they'd stopped in the middle of the street for some old lady to coo over the six-year-old (he hated that, almost as much as he hated being little). And not to be the clichéd mother often sighted on inane television shows, but the stress that having a kid caused her was absolutely paid off by the unconditional love and cute little smiles.
Still, one thing she would always detest about being a mother was the dreaded wait at the school gates, waiting for the kids to come out. Hordes of mothers and slightly fewer fathers, all pushing for a better spot, and making inane small talk she could rarely relate to. Celestia was inept at small talk and the crowd activated her fight or flight instinct (namely, fight), but acting on those was obviously not socially acceptable so she had to simply grit her teeth and bear it. Anyway, the other parents seemed somewhat repelled by her. It wasn't their business whether or not she'd decided to keep her alternative style she'd had since she was a teenager, but still they stared. It doesn't matter, she reminded herself. I don't need their approval.
To distract herself from the irritation of waiting at the gates, Celestia played a game she'd played since she was a kid: looking at the people around her and guessing their jobs. It was a lot more fun when there was little to no clues, and save the nurse she'd seen a couple of times, the school gates were an excellent game board, almost none clear and not open for speculation. As usual, she glanced around, looking for anyone new. And there was someone.
The woman was slim and pale, with long lilac hair that fell in a smooth curtain down her back. She gave an impression of tallness without actually being tall, which intrigued Celestia, and she found herself admiring the woman's elegance. She could only see a side view, but her face was dainty and pretty, with purple eyes and a long, straight fringe. And she was wearing a suit. A freaking suit. It fit her like a glove, pulling it off effortlessly, and Celestia was momentarily envious. She realised she'd accidentally been staring at the mystery woman for a little too long, so shook her head and returned to her game.
Hmm, the suit indicates some professional class. Business, most likely. Perhaps self-employed, there's just something about her that suggests she isn't the type to work under someone else if she can help it. Maybe something in the way she holds herself. She looks pretty intelligent as well, overall.
Celestia considered approaching her and attempting to start a conversation, but just as she thought that thought, the lilac-haired woman's phone rang, and she picked up, saying something into it that Celestia couldn't hear. She sighed. Perhaps another time?
Of course, at that moment, Kokichi came barrelling out of the school gates faster than a freight train, and crashed into her with a hug. Whether the boy's eagerness to escape the school building was because he missed her or because he hated school was debatable, but nonetheless he was clearly happy to be out. He grinned up at Celestia. "Hey mum! I made a picture at school today, wanna see?"
"Sure," Celestia smiled, slightly distractedly, eyes still lingering on the woman. Quickly, however, she tore her gaze away, and back down at her kid.
"It's in my bag," he said, "so maybe I'll show you when we get home?"
"Okay, Kichi," she agreed, and taking the child's small hand, they set off together out of the school grounds.
***
Celestia never saw whatever kid the lilac-haired woman came to pick up. She suspected that this was probably because Kokichi was always out before most of the other kids, as he was full to the brim with energy. She did wonder why she was there, but with no real reason to stick around, she never got to ask, or find out through some other method. So the mystery simply stewed in her brain, the curiosity multiplying over and over, until one particular day, around two weeks later.
As per usual, Kokichi had been one of the first kids out, and the two had been about to leave when Celestia felt a firm tap on her shoulder, along with a smooth Excuse me. Wondering what the person needed, she obligingly stopped and turned back, eliciting a displeased noise from Kokichi. To her surprise, she was met with the indignant eyes of the lilac-haired woman.
"Are you Mrs Ludenberg?"
"Miss, actually. Can I help you?" Celestia said politely, masking the odd nervousness she felt from speaking to this lady.
The woman nodded firmly. "Kyoko Kirigiri. Your child," she began, looking down at Kokichi with some distaste, "has made my nephew cry."
Celestia was about to ask what she meant when a small boy poked his head out from behind her. He had navy blue hair and tearful golden eyes, and he seemed to be fidgeting with his sleeve. Her nephew? Well, that was one mystery solved, but she did have an immediate problem at the moment.
"Kokichi, did you make this boy cry?" she asked her son.
"No," he replied plainly. He was playing with his hair. Definitely a lie.
"So you did, then," Celestia deduced. Kokichi sighed softly and gave her a defeated smile. Maybe one day he'd manage to get a lie past her, but not today. As a liar herself, she knew how they acted and talked. "Why?"
"Was an.. accident," he muttered.
Kyoko tilted her head to the side. "I don't think it was. Shuichi, what did he say?"
The boy, Shuichi apparently, seemed rather embarrassed, but attempted an explanation nonetheless. "Uhh... He came up to me and- and said I was cute and he- he wanted to be my friend? But then after- then after he said it was a lie. So I... I was sad. It's.. not a big deal, Auntie Kyoko, I-"
Kyoko made a humming sound. "I think it is, Shuichi." Observing Celestia, she asked, "Aren't you going to give him into trouble for lying?" She gestured to Kokichi.
Celestia kept her face impassive. "Liars rule the world, Kyoko. Politicians, leaders, salespeople. They tell people what they want to hear. It's a useful skill."
"It's not a good one. Truth should be valued higher." Kyoko returned, frowning.
"That's a matter of opinion. Lying is useful. Seeing through lies can be useful as well. They're on equal par. If I thought my six-year-old could get a lie past me I would perhaps stop him from doing it. But he can't, so it's alright."
"And for everyone else? What happens when he lies about something big that affects everyone? What if something like what just happened today happens? His lies are hurting people."
Out of the corner of her eye, Celestia observed what was going on around her vaguely. The other parents had moved away from their debate, and were whispering amongst themselves (clearly, they had nothing better to do). Shuichi was still looking incredibly embarrassed, and Kokichi detached himself from her hand to move toward him, although he shrunk back. Hmm. Perhaps there was some underlying reason behind Kokichi's lie. Did he genuinely care for the other boy?
She turned her attention back to Kyoko and started her reply. "Well, there is a line. There are some lies he shouldn't tell, and I try to teach him that. Tell me, do you teach your child to tell those common white lies? To say the food is nice so as not to offend? Kokichi may be in the wrong today, and I'll address that, but he will be in the right many more times."
Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "Fair point. Still, I suppose it's not totally my business, but isn't that too much of an extreme version of those small lies?"
"I shouldn't think so," Celestia said. "It's all about balance, much like many other worldly aspects. Tell the truth, tell a few lies. Realizing how liars work through your own experience and being able to detect them is very useful, I find."
"And you would know?"
"Indeed. I'm something of a liar myself, Kyoko," grinned Celestia.
She could have sworn she saw Kyoko's face heat up for a moment, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared and the woman was composed again. "I find it odd you'd be proud of that."
Celestia shrugged. "I find it odd you'd get into a heated debate with me in the middle of school pick-up, but here we are." She was not flirting with the beautiful (and clearly very intelligent) woman, not at all.
Kyoko's lips curved into a tiny smile. "Fair. I suppose you've won today, Miss Ludenberg, but I assure you, you won't next time."
Celestia's chest felt warm at the mention of a next time. "I wouldn't be so sure there. And please, call me Celestia." she grinned, and without another word, she took Kokichi's hand and left.
"Mum, you're cool," Kokichi said quietly.
Celestia fought to not break out in a massive, stupid-looking grin. "Of course, Kichi, it's what I do."
***
When she and Kokichi were sitting down to dinner, Celestia was reminded of the thought she'd had in the middle of the debate, and voiced it.
"Kokichi? Did you tell a lie when you said Shuichi was cute?"
"I did. I wouldn't want to hang out with him of all people." Kokichi said, somewhat disgustedly. He wasn't quite making eye contact and was speaking louder than usual. Lie.
"You do." Celestia stated. "So is there any reason you decided to tell him it was a lie?"
Kokichi squirmed and Celestia gave him a moment to formulate an answer. It came around twenty seconds later, from a serious-faced Kokichi. "I got nervous pretty much. I... wanted to say that to him anyway, but his other friends, they're Kaede and 'Taro by the way mum, well, they were looking at me weird and I just felt like it was best to backtrack and say it was a lie."
Kokichi had used his hands a lot during the last statement, and had spoken in a quiet voice. This led Celestia to believe he was telling the truth.
Calmly, she said, "Kokichi Ludenberg, that is not how you use a lie. You've upset the person you were trying to be nice to, and I know that was not your intention, but you have to fix this now."
The boy shook his head hard. "Don't want to."
"I can't make you, but I can keep talking to his aunt and force you to stay around him for half an hour. Believe me, it'd be my pleasure." Definitely. Not only was Kyoko terribly pretty, she also had a pretty name, was a good debater, and was clearly fiercely intelligent. Celestia was beginning to wonder if she might.. like her somehow. They'd only had one conversation, and yet the thought of talking to her again made her excited and nervous all at once. It was... strange.
Kokichi considered the thought for a moment before shaking his head again, even more vehemently. "Don't do that, don't do that. I'll say sorry to Shumai."
"Shumai?"
"Shuichi. It's a pretty clever nickname, huh?"
Celestia laughed. "Definitely. Well done, Kichi."
***
"I'm curious," Celestia began, looking over at Kyoko, "What job do you actually do?" Around her legs, Kokichi chased Shuichi playfully, both of then laughing. It always amazed her how easily children could make up when they were young.
Kyoko raised an eyebrow but answered the question. "I'm a detective. I run my father's old PI business, I got it after he died. Built it up a bit and we're doing pretty well."
Celestia hid her face as she felt it heat up. Of course Kyoko was a detective, what else would she be? And if it wasn't the most attractive job she could possibly have come out with. She cursed her strange attraction to literally any detective ever. So much so she almost didn't hear Kyoko parrying her question back to her. "So, what do you do?"
"I'm a gambler," Celestia answered, pokerfaced (and no pun intended)
"Well, you certainly gambled on that," Kyoko quipped, with an equally deadpan expression. "Lie, am I correct?"
Celestia quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, you're good. I work in a call centre, actually. Sucks, but I get paid so..."
A small grin from Kyoko. "Seems like it. I guess I was just one of the lucky few who actually get a job they like."
Celestia nodded. "Well, good thing you do like it. I wouldn't want to be stuck in a job because it's a family business."
Kyoko nodded, then studied her impassively for several long moments, and Celestia felt an odd impulse to look away. "A call centre doesn't suit you, Celestia. Somehow, it seems like you should be in some high up position. Regal, almost."
Celestia forgot to breathe for a moment, a grave mistake. After a few seconds which felt like hours, she quipped, "What, like a princess? Princess Celestia? I'm not a My Little Pony, Kyoko."
Kyoko stifled a giggle with her gloved hand. (What was she talking about anyway? Kyoko was clearly the regal one here.) "And you know that show... why?"
"I do not, and you cannot prove that I do." Celestia said, mock-defensively.
"I'm a detective, didn't we go over this? I'll prove it somehow!"
"I have to hide the evidence," whisper-shouted Celestia, looking purposely furtive, and Kyoko laughed, properly this time. It was quite the beautiful sound, Celestia would say, like music, or almost like birdsong.
Everything about Kyoko was elegant and graceful, to be honest.
***
"So," Kyoko asked, "What types of music do you listen to? I think I have an idea."
"Oh, classical music and the like."
"Lie," she said carefully.
"Actually, no. It's not the only music I listen to though. Set It Off, AJR, bit of k-pop as well." Celestia shrugged.
"I'd hope you don't play some of that in front of Kokichi."
"Oh, definitely not," said Celestia, face neutral. Kyoko gave her a knowing look. "Ah, fine. He may have learned a few colourful words which he's been warned not to say in front of responsible adults or kids who might alert those adults."
"So not in front of you?" Kyoko asked innocently.
"Yes in front of me. I think we've already established I'm not a responsible adult."
They laughed for a few moments before silence fell. Celestia inhaled deeply and somehow managed to get out her next sentence.
"Well, apart from that, I do like to listen to Girl in Red as well."
Kyoko's eyes flickered with recognition. "Ah, yes, I listen to her too. Good music."
Celestia hummed her assent, feigning indifference she didn't feel.
***
Well then. It had only taken Celestia several months of quiet chat outside the school gates to realise it, but she had finally realised the reason she always felt her face heat up when Kyoko even spoke to her, why she enjoyed their chats so much even when they consisted of very little meaningful conversation (dangerously close to the dreaded inane small talk Celestia despised. Although somehow she knew she'd never he bored of this talking.), and why she was so glad Kokichi and Shuichi were sort of friends nowadays.
It did seem like she had fallen in love with Kyoko Kirigiri.
Wouldn't anyone, though? Everything about her was perfect and so very beautiful it took one's breath away.
The next step of action was, of course, to tell her. But Celestia somehow found herself unable to do this. Staring at the back of the woman's head and willing words to come out of her mouth, to tell her about her feelings for her and maybe hear them back. But she just couldn't manage it, so life went on as normal.
However, the day school let out for the spring break, Kokichi stared up at Celestia intently, and declared, "Mum, can I go over to Shumai's in the holidays? Please please please?"
It was almost like the little guy knew, Celestia thought absentmindedly. "Of course, Kichi, if it's alright with his parents."
"Actually," Kyoko interjected, "Shu's parents aren't often in town, and he's staying at mine these holidays, at least. We'd be delighted to have you, Kokichi."
The purple-haired boy grinned so widely it almost looked like the grin wouldn't fit his face. "Thank you!"
Shuichi grinned back at him, both kids clearly excited for the coming holiday. And Celestia couldn't say her feelings differed from theirs: she'd have an excuse to spend more time with Kyoko, and that was never a bad thing.
Maybe, this spring, I'll manage to tell her.
***
"Shumai?" said Kokichi, swaying from side to side by changing which foot he was leaning on. The action seemed to be rather absentminded, and he did it continually as he waited for Shuichi's response. They were at the park again, looking for insects.
Shuichi looked up from the small beetle Rantaro had just discovered and passed to him. "Yes, Kichi?"
"I think," Kokichi began, with a thoughtful look on his face, "that your auntie has a crush on my mum."
Two bewildered blinks from Shuichi. "What? Does she?"
"Yeah. Hey, I thought you were the one who wanted to be a detective?" The boy grinned widely. "Well, I guess I've surpassed you already, Shumai! You'll have to step up your game!"
"Kichi, we're literally six. I don't think it's a big deal yet."
Kokichi pouted. "Aww, that's no fun. Anyway I was thinking about that."
Shuichi, not making the connection, made a confused-sounding hum, waiting for Kokichi to clarify.
"Well, maybe if they like one another, I should have a crush on you as well!" Kokichi smiled.
"I... Kichi, I don't think that's how it works-"