Chapter Text
“Hyaah!” Masami smacked away a familiar shaped like a clown with a bird’s beak and wings away from her with her rake.
“Nice catch!” Mariko said. “I got the next one!” Another one swooped down towards them, and she threw her throwing weight at it. It smacked it out of the air and crushed it on the ground.
“Mariko, watch out!” Masami yelled. Two more of the clowns were zooming down towards them.
“Got it!” an unfamiliar voice yelled, and suddenly the clowns exploded in a blast of purple and blue flames. When the smoke cleared, a Magical Girl neither of them had ever seen before was standing there. A beret with a shooting star pin sat on her head. It looked like the pale blue star might be her soul gem. She wore a lavender and pale blue blazer and trousers and silver knee-high boots. On her shoulder sat a pale blue bazooka patterned with silver stars.
“Oh, hello!” Masami called. “Thanks for that!”
“No problem!”
“I’ve never seen you around before. Who are you?”
“I’m Izumi. I’m new at this whole magical girl thing.”
“Well, welcome!” Masami beamed. Mariko, who had paused to knock back another familiar, turned and smiled as well.
Izumi was shocked. “Wait… are you…”
“Ayacchi?” Mariko said. “Well, that’s not my real name, but yes.”
“Unbelievable! I’m such a huge fan!”
“Um, thanks…” Mariko looked embarrassed.
“Yeah, she’s great, isn’t she?” Masami said.
“Oh, stop it,” Mariko said. “I’m not any better than you. Masami here is an idol too, you know.”
“I’m just… not very famous yet,” Masami said. “But I’m working on it.”
“I can’t believe it!” Izumi said. “I'm an idol too, now! Well, I haven’t debuted yet, so maybe I shouldn’t say it, but…”
“I think it counts,” Mariko says. “I was signed for a while before they decided to debut me.”
“I can’t believe we met another magical girl idol,” Masami said. “And one who’s brand new, too! It's like fate or something. We should definitely be friends. Us idol magical girls gotta support each other, after all!”
“There aren’t many of us,” Mariko says. “It really is pretty crazy that we met.”
“Ah, I’d really love to be friends with you, but… I was actually just up here to do a photoshoot. I live on the other side of the city. So… it’d be pretty hard for us to meet often, I think…”
“I understand,” Mariko said. “Maybe just give us a call when you know you’ll be around here?”
“I can give you my phone number after we beat the Witch!” Masami said.
“That sounds great, thanks!” Izumi said. “You’re both, like, really nice…”
“Thanks, I try my best,” Masami said.
“We should start heading for the Witch,” Mariko said. “Get this over with, you know. Come on, let’s go.”