Rebuilding From Scratch

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

OOC:  At the start here, this is a thread for me and @Chiyako.  Check in the OOC before trying to join in.  It is possible others could join in later at points.  Or, more likely, make separate threads that involve characters from this story.

One day passed after another.  The shine of life had long faded for Alexandrine Deforest.  Once she was secretly the ‘Diamond Sorceress’.  Magical Girl, hero.  Those days were gone, as she watch her team die one by one.  She killed the demons who did that, but after that, she felt cold empty.  Had nightmares for a long time.  Now, she just ‘lived’.  Went from day to day, working an ordinary office job.  No ambition, no hobbies, no friends.  Cold even around her family.

It was a hidden world.  She used to secretly live a whole nother life.  She had contact with world leaders.  Made the world a better place.  Went to events surrounded by fans.  She could not stand it anymore.

But deep down, she knew she could not hide from her duties.  The world was constantly threatened, by enemies no human army could defeat.  The general public knew about some of it.  Saw the battles that happened in the middle of cities and such.  But there were many battles they knew heard about.

There were other teams out there.  But very old agreements were made between them.  Each would protect the areas around where they lived.  Only exceptional threats caused teams to band together.  Alexandrine had a responsibility.  Even if she could not fight, she had to find a new generation that would.  But it was hard to motivate herself to do so.

She sat in a chair in her apartment, after work.  A cheap, small apartment.  No hint of belonging to anyone special.  That was when the phone rang.  One of the girls from another team.  With a sigh, she picked it up.

”…Jumi…?  What is it?”  Her voice was cold, but not hostile.  The public did not know what happened to her team.  But the other teams did, this girl knew the source of her pain, the loss of the woman she used to be.  “Sorry, Alexandrine.  I thought you should know this.  Been seeing weird stories on the internet about your area.  People claiming to have seen something weird.  Something that might not be human…”

This was a world where such stories could not be immediately dismissed.  Maybe it was fake, or misunderstood.  It might be a genuine monster though, or something else.  It was not impossible it was a potential magical girl, new to their power.  Not understanding what they were.

”I know this isn’t easy for you.”  Jumi continued.  “Could you at least take a look.  If it looks like something big, we can probably find someone to take care of it.  But if it is an isolated monster…or…one of us…”.  Alexandrine sighed again.  “I’ll take a look, but I can’t promise I’ll do anything.  If there is anything.”  Jumi thanked her and hung up.

Alexandrine left the apartment, walked down to her van.  An old beat up vehicle.  But it was special.  The old team sometimes used it as a mobile ‘base’, or place to sleep while looking for enemies.  Especially when they were younger.  She could not get rid of it.

As she got in the phone dinged, she looked at it.  Jumi sent her the stories she was reading, giving Alexandrine a sense of where to start looking.  She turned it on, and began the drive.

[Chiyako]

Within the darkened room of a long abandoned house hummed the screen and tower of an unusually new computer system, the former of which bathed the space in a soft blue glow. Like the polished wood desk it sat upon and the black computer chair sat nearby it was very much out of place. Within that chair was seated the small pale form of one Emi Ueno, currently in the midst of tapping away upon the keyboard of said computer system. Dressed in naught but her frilly black underwear she was currently in the process of checking over the daily news alerts she'd set up.

From the outside the building appeared to be more or less run down, and indeed it certainly was in need of a lot of work. When one entered however they would discover that the home had been at least picked up and kept somewhat cleaned. Most of the furniture within was old, and many pieces were falling apart or makeshift builds utilizing patches or modifications. The floors were worn and torn, and the ceiling above was patched with wood and paint and plaster to keep out the elements. Electricity for the computer and a fridge were provided by cables which ran up the old creaky stairs, through a hallway, and out to a small generator sat tucked away upon a second store balcony. There was no running water.

But this was her home, really the only place that would accept a monster like her. Nobody would rent to a person carrying the blood of a Demon. No, she was forced to move from one abandoned home to the next. At least she could look up demolition permit dates. It gave her notice on when she might need to move, and she certainly had moved quite a few times already, some of them in a hurry and with pursuers too.

For that reason some of the alerts she'd set up were focused on herself. Weird news sightings of Demons matching her description, or monsters, or ghosts, or whatever else people decided to call her. Knowing this information allowed her to gauge whether or not she needed to move early. Coupled with this were the various heists she pulled off. Nothing major: some food stolen here, a computer there, generally whatever was needed and little more than that. Becoming intangible certainly made it easy enough, and she really only needed to wait for night time to strike.

There were alerts for other magical girls and knights. Those that might secretly be terrible people, or those who might for whatever reason hunt her. Knowing a potential foe beforehand was always useful. It had allowed her to avoid being caught thus far, although she never did enjoy those sorts of engagements.

Other alerts were geared towards other monsters, those that she might hunt, for despite the way the world treated her Emi was still trying her best to be one of the good girls. Coupled with this of course was information on one Demon specifically, although he rarely seemed to pop up these days. Still, he was one of the main reasons why she hunted in the first place. What she was going to do with him if she ever found him even she didn't know.

A low grumble emerged from the bunny's stomach. She knew that she was out of food, and yet it was not yet night. Still, it wouldn't hurt to be ready. At least then she could leave as soon as possible. And so with a slight spin in her chair Emi turned and pushed herself to her feet, snatching up the clothes laid out upon her bed. She really only had a single outfit which was why she tried to wear as little as possible when she was at home. It kept it cleaner. A white dress with red trim, a red hat, and of course her little bunny collar pendant. When it was winter time she was often able to leave more easily, as people tended to dress up more heavily. Nicer seasons meant wearing less, and that was not at all good for keeping her identity a secret.

I hope it rains tonight. Then I'd have a reason to wear something with a hood.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Alexandrine had been sent a number of stories, rumors, which may or may not have been about the same thing.  Old instincts uncomfortably returned.  Monsters could be elusive.  It was also taking her to familiar territory.  A run down portion of town.  One that had been significantly damaged years ago, in a battle when she was much younger, against an unusually large and destructive monster.  It was not completely abandoned, but many buildings were damaged or empty.

She pulled up into the area near the epicenter of all the sightings.  Most were brief glances in the dark, uncertain of what they actually saw.  She did not transform, but for the first time in years, she wore the ring that was the source of her power.  She could quickly change if she needed to.

She looked like some random woman, wandering around a potentially dangerous portion of town.  For now, she looked for anything suspicious.  ‘Haunted’ houses or such.  A sign of someone that did not fit in.  She was feeling the area for any unusual sense.  Monsters, magical girls, knights, they could give off an aura that others like them could potentially feel.  Monsters usually did not hide it.  Magical Girls and Knights learned to, to help protect their identities.  An untrained one might not know how though, might not know they could.

[Chiyako]

Upon each thigh Emi strapped a thin black holster, each of which carried a couple extra slim magazines and a small handgun. Her transformation wasn't required for every job. Sometimes mortal weapons worked well enough, especially when it came time to deal with other magical girls or knights. As long as they hadn't transformed themselves it was often all she needed. Heck, she didn't even need to fire them. If she was quick enough on the draw that was typically enough to allow her a chance to escape. It also came in handy when dealing with civilians or, occasionally, law enforcement. And of course there were quite a few monsters who were still vulnerable to firearms.

Thin arms slipped through the bands of a soft pink backpack. Within this she held some basic lockpicking tools, four extra magazines for her pistols, a towel, and finally some soap. The water in her place generally didn't work. It was, after all, supposed to be abandoned. That left only finding an unused location to bathe and wash her clothes, or the local gym. Alternatively, breaking into someone's home. She had utilized each option in the past. It was good to do so whenever she had the chance, and so she brought what was necessary for it regardless of whether or not she planned on it. The rest of the backpack was left empty for anything she might pick up, whether that be food or money or more ammunition or new clothes.

Over everything she had decided to wear a very dark blue somewhat tattered old hooded cloak, one which was almost black but not quite. Once it became night this would help to conceal her form well. She would have rather had the cover of rain to offer an excuse for it, but then if there were few enough people out and about she could still get away with everything, provided she kept out of sight. That was generally preferred regardless.

Food first. Maybe a fast food joint. They generally don't care. I could pilfer a supermarket once night falls, provided they close. Or maybe even if they don't.

With her plan decided upon Emi departed from her home, making certain to lock up on her way out. Despite the lingering daylight she did her best to keep to the less traveled alleys and streets. It wasn't just normal civilians she had to worry about, after all. Other magical girls and knights may be hunting her. The monsters she hunted generally kept out of sight as well. But beyond that there were also criminal elements to worry about. Being as small as she was generally painted a large target upon her back.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

This was the problem with ‘hunting’, especially by herself.  Without a stronger lead, or the target causing damage/making a scene, they were hard to pin down.  She was just as likely to run into some petty criminal, the sorts of thing they preferred to let conventional authorities handle.  Alexandrine wished she left it up to others.  But now she was here, she had to at least give it a good look.

She looked for higher ground.  Working her way up to the roof of a damaged abandoned building.  Three stories up.  She knelt at the edge, looking over her surroundings, for any hint of anyone who might fit the description.  Anyone who looked or moved in a strange way.  Someone who could be intercepted immediately, or watched and followed a bit first, if they were only a little suspicious.

[Chiyako]

Usually she didn't need to worry about this part of town. Those who might spot her were often the sort to drink excessively. People who imbibed in drugs. Suffered from hunger. Or, of course, were criminals. And those who were simply down on their luck were often believed to be one of the former. Their word wouldn't go very far. Not for most officers. It wouldn't however stop magical girls or knights from investigating. Weird tabloid news articles had often ended up with the discovery of some monster.

I doubt any article written about me would be very serious. 'Bunny girl spotted in the city!' Real scary. But I suppose it is better than any of the saucier ones.

She paused at a corner, the hood of her cloak twitching ever so slightly. Her ears were not simply for show. In fact her senses in general were elevated thanks to her demonic blood, but especially so for her sense of hearing. Emi was in many ways like a rabbit. It was strange though because her mother had described her father as being not exactly rabbit-like. A hulking bestial creature with fur, fangs, claws, and perhaps rabbit-like ears. He was like a beast in many ways, and not just physically. But he could also apparently take on other forms too. It was part of what made hunting him so difficult.

Maybe he has a transformation too. That will make things more difficult.

When she had figured that the coast was clear Emi darted out, hurriedly shuffling forward, keeping herself low and glued to one side of the street. This was the most dangerous part of her journey out. A very long, mostly straight wider street. The main road, in fact. But there was an abandoned shop she knew she could duck into in order to wait things out until night fell. She even had some snacks stashed away there.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Alexandrine kept her eye on the street.  It was getting darker now.  Harder to see, but then there was something.  An unusual figure running down the street.  With the distance and growing darkness, she was unsure if it was anything unusual.  But it was worth investigation.  She chased after it from a distance, sticking to the roofs.  Drawing just enough power to keep up the chase and jump from roof to roof, without transforming.  While powers varied by individual a degree of physical enhancement was shared by all such people.  Stronger, faster, more agile than ordinary humans.  Though only slightly so when not drawing on their power.  She was trying to avoid being noticed, or she would have transformed.  But at the distance the figure should not be able to detect the little power she was using.

[Chiyako]

So focused was Emi on her destination that she didn't notice her new pursuer. At least not initially. The darkness hid them both to a degree, sure, but it was also one of her greatest allies. Her bestial blood enhanced her senses, including her vision in the night, but most importantly her specific breed could detect sounds far beyond what any Human may be able to achieve. This was especially true at night when the air grew colder, the wind speed generally decreased, and ambient noises fell overall thanks to reduced activities, especially in a place like the one she was in now.

By the time she had noticed the one following her it was too late: she had arrived at the little safehouse she'd been traveling towards. Suddenly directing her attention elsewhere would give away the fact that she did indeed know. No, at this point it was safer to continue as though she were unaware. Allow the one following her to let their guard down. Then she could strike or run depending on what it was that was following her, an answer she had not yet deciphered.

And so the cloaked figure slipped into the long abandoned boarded up shop. Once inside she hurried over to one of the display cabinets, pushing it aside to expose the little hole which had been created beneath it. Her backpack was pulled around to her front. Bags and packages of snacks were stuffed inside, as were a few bottles of water and tea and sodapop. She filled it as quickly as she could before slinging it back into its proper place. Then she snatched up a bag of chips and pulled the shelf back into its proper place.

Probably not law enforcement. They don't use the rooftops. Not like that. No common criminal either. It's a monster or it's one of us. Not good in either case.

The bag was popped open as she made her way towards the door leading into the back rooms. She made certain to munch upon the chips far messier than she might normally do, to leave behind traces. Into the back office she went, and then into the storage closet. There she tossed the bag. Then she left, moving into the bathroom opposite the storage closet. Once she was inside the little rabbit drew one of her pistols and waited next to the door, allowing one ear to leave her hood and press against the door itself. She only need wait for her pursuer to follow the trail. It would, if she were lucky, provide her a brief moment to surprise whatever it was that was following her, and in that moment she could trap them.

Or so she hoped.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Collecting supplies?  Well, that could still mean any number of things.  Some criminal, a monster that learned this was a convenient place to find easy food?  Maybe someone who just needed help.  She jumped down from the roofs, followed into the dark store.

How much was still left here?  How much was good?  It felt a little more like she was some kid exploring a supposedly haunted pace.  She had seen much worse though.  Nothing was going to scare her.  For now she listened.  Listened for any hint of the one she followed in.  Sticking near the door.  Everything else appeared boarded up.  This was the only way out.  At least the only easy one.  She listened for any hint was doing, if they intended to come back, or look for another way.

[Chiyako]

Silence fell over the store.

Then came the muffled jingle of the shop's door. Someone really was following her. Or this was all a coincidence but, given what she knew already, that was unlikely.

More silence. Whoever followed was doing exactly as she was doing now: listening for movement. Or they were much quieter than she'd given them credit for. But, again, that was unlikely.

Or maybe they are capable of moving without contact with the ground? Flight? I would probably hear wings. They could be quiet wings, like an owl's. I'd need for them to be closer then. Some sort of hovering ability?

The possibilities raced through her mind. For her this might as well have been life or death. She operated alone, after all. There was nobody coming to back her up should the worse come to fruition. In fact it was even more dangerous considering what she might be facing. A monster or a demon could have any number of capabilities or minions to worry about. As for a magical girl or a knight, they tended to operate in groups. If that were the case it meant she could very well be outnumbered.

Or surrounded. They could be moving to pin me in now. I only heard one but there very well could be others. Staying here might be more dangerous if that is the case. There is a back door but it is boarded up. A transformation would allow me to pass through but it might also draw more suspicion, and if it is a monster they might be able to sense me more easily.

If they were being cautious now would they really fall for her trap? Then again they might not even catch on to the trail she left.

For the moment she decided to remain as she was. Time would shed more light on the ones following her. A group, after all, wouldn't allow one to linger for too long, and if there really was just one then it meant she was either being chased by a monster or, perhaps, some sort of acrobatic criminal.

Maybe. She was only so experienced in these things, after all.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Quiet.  This was one used to stealth.  Hiding.  If it was a monster, it was not one of the animal minded ones.  It likely knew it had been followed.  Probably came her for food, not it’s home.  This was potentially dangerous.  Alexandrine could not see very well here.  She was physically better than ordinary humans in many ways.  But her senses were essentially the same.  A few did have one or more senses improved as part of their power, but they were the exceptions.

He fingers twitched a little.  Thinking about whether to transform.  She could make a show out it, or do it very quickly.  But unless some homeless ordinary person, searching for food, they would sense the transformation.  Revealing what she really was.  That might be the safer option.  But she hesitated a little longer, seeing if the other would break the silence, move towards her.

[Chiyako]

A minute passed. Then another. She heard no movement. No taunting or whistling or any of the other telltale signs of an arrogant monster. Nor did she hear anybody around the nearby boarded up exit. In all likelihood it was just a single person. Probably Human. A normal one, perhaps. That or one very confident magical girl or knight.

The Human will use a gun too. It may come down to whoever fires first. If it's a magical girl or a knight then they probably haven't transformed yet. Which means they aren't sure what I am. Someone careful, not just about judging their foes but also avoiding civilian casualties. More than likely someone experienced if they are also alone. Experienced or arrogant, but the arrogant ones usually talk a bunch.

Within the back rooms the door leading into one of the bathrooms quietly squeaked open. Her decision had been made. She slipped out and stepped quietly, though swiftly, towards the entrance leading into the store proper. For the moment she kept her hands and, consequently, her pistol concealed beneath the cloak. A mistake if it was a criminal, but the right move if it was an experienced magical girl or knight. That is unless they also used firearms, or had some sort of magic at the ready. Then it may end the same way.

Emi's short, cloaked figure emerged within the doorway. Blue eyes darted about, seeking out the one who had followed her. Beneath her hood her ears twitched every now and then. It was more difficult to nail down where her pursuer was with the hood up, but then it also concealed what she was. It was entirely possible that they may simply allow her to pass.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Alexandrine watched from the side, as the figure approached.  At the first glance, what appeared to be an ordinary young girl.  A runaway?  Orphan?  Maybe she would she would just let her pass.  Then her eyes caught what was partially hidden by the hood.  Poor girl.  Was probably the daughter of a woman a monster forced itself on.  That was something all Magical Girls had to worry about, also something random ordinary women occasionally experienced, if they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Many experienced it.  The sex at least, children were rare. It was also possible that had happened to one of the girl’s ancestors, rather than her mother.  But if that was the case, she was likely to look human most of the time.  Only transform into something else.

At that point she stepped in front of the door, showing herself.  “That’s enough of this little chase.  I’m not here to hurt you.”  She felt a little responsibility to do something about this.  The girl’s mother would not have been one of her old teammates, but it might have been someone she knew.  This was something the government or other conventional organizations were poorly equipped to handle.

Edited April 19 by SataiRolePlayingGuy

[Chiyako]

The bunny's hood twitched a slight bit as Alexandrine stepped out into view, as did her cloak. A single woman. Not someone as young as she was. Was this why only one was following her? As glamorous as the life of a magical girl could be it was also extremely dangerous. They shared the same threats that idols faced albeit with the vastly increased chance of death. This is, after all, why they often hunted in small groups. A magical girl operating into her twenties, or perhaps longer, was generally one who was very experienced.

This isn't good. She might be very powerful. Could I escape? I suppose it depends on what she is capable of. Could she transform quicker than I could shoot her? It would probably be the only real chance I'd get.

Shoot or listen. A decision had to be made swiftly. Every moment which passed brought the two of them closer to an inevitable confrontation. Of course others had promised peace before. The same words she used had been used dozens of times to get her to lower her guard, either by monsters pretending to be something they weren't, monsters desiring some minion to keep, Humans pretending not to be monsters, or the odd magical warrior hoping to capture or kill her. Generally the better option would be to simply engage them first.

However this one felt different. An experienced magical girl hunting her on her own probably wouldn't enter the situation untransformed. If they'd come upon a civilian they could explain it away. The risk of doing what this girl was doing now was otherwise far too great. She was either far more arrogant than anyone Emi had ever met, or she was genuinely not hunting her.

There was another issue to keep in mind as well. If she transformed and they got into a prolonged battle then that might emerge again. It might be powerful enough to allow her a victory, but it was not something that she could control either. The only time she'd brought it out had ended in the taking of a life. A Human life. She had almost rampaged further too. Thankfully there had been a team of girls present quickly enough who had been capable of driving her off, but she had really hurt them too. It had been one of the lowest points in her life thus far and she wasn't about to revisit it, especially not with someone who might have been here in good faith.

"Why are you following me?"

Her voice was soft. Quiet. She did her best to sound unafraid, and indeed she often did a fair enough job of presenting an apathetic expression, but the truth was that new people terrified her. The only person who really ever treated her well had passed a couple of years ago. That and she really just didn't speak very often to people, didn't engage with them because to do so would be to extend some level of trust towards them, and that had gotten her into trouble one too many times before.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Why indeed?  “Responsibility?  Duty?  I know what you are now, and you have probably guessed what I am.”  Alexandrine still did not transform.  Even done innocently, it might be taken as a threat.  “I keep an eye on the area.  Protect it…at least I used to.”  Her tone was difficult to interpret, the past weighing down on her.  “I was asked to check on strange things people had been seeing.”  Up close, sensing the girl’s aura, it was odd, she felt something vaguely familiar.  Not entirely pleasant either, but she ignored it.  This girl could not be blamed for what she was.

”Now I have seen it.  You aren’t some random monster roaming around that I have put down…”.  But did she have a different responsibility now?  The two of them were technically the same.  Alexandrine did not have monster blood in her line that she was aware of, but the girl still like her in the end.  “…I feel I can’t exactly ignore you here, just walk away.  You aren’t a monster, but I’d guess you have met plenty who thought you are one…”.  She was not going to fight, except to defend herself if the girl attacked.  But she was still trying to decide exactly what to do, and gave her a chance to respond while thinking about it.

[Chiyako]

Responsibility and duty. Those were words used often enough in the past in order to justify an attempt upon her life. They too claimed to be simply protecting others. But then generally they were already fighting by the time such things were uttered or, at the very least, both parties tended to be transformed and close to it. Alas she had ended up staying too long in one spot. Word had gotten around about her. If she wasn't what she was then perhaps it might be a neat marketing gimmick to use.

The woman stood before her had apparently already decided upon at least some sort of direction. No plans to eradicate the Half-Demon, but no plans to let her leave either. At this point she didn't see any need to fight. Not unless she really was going to force her somewhere else. They could still use their words.

Even so, she kept one pistol drawn and tucked away beneath her cloak. Just in case. A nod was cast towards the magical girl with regards to her assumption about Emi's life of being prey for one person or another. It was true. She could at least understand why the woman thought she shouldn't allow her to escape. It didn't mean she had to like it though, or agree to comply with it.

"What happens now?"

It felt like one of those old western movies she'd rarely managed to glimpse through people's living room windows. One cowboy standing off against another. Would they draw? Or do whatever else happened during those films? To be honest she'd only ever seen it end in a shootout.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

That was the question.  "We can't just leave you here.  You are getting sick of this, aren't you?  Having to hide?  Being treated like a monster?"  Alexandrine gestured to the shelves.  "This is the only way you know how to eat isn't it?  I suppose you could hunt animals, but I guess you don't want to live in the wild do you?"  It was time for a sensitive question.  "If you are doing this, do you have any family?"  She guessed the girl's mother was another Magical Girl.  It would have been extra unfortunate if she was an ordinary woman.  Either way, the mother seemed to be gone.  Abandoned the girl. or worse.  She needed to learn a little more before trying to decide what to do.  Maybe evaluate the girl's current living situation.  Just find out a little more.  "Your mother, she was like me?"  Was was a risky word to use, their was a chance she was still alive.  Alexandrine was mostly curious who she was.  Maybe the girl had family she did not know about.

[Chiyako]

For just a single moment her expression faltered, a single twitch of her lips into what was most likely a frown. She wasn't wrong. Emi had been tired of living like this for as long as she could remember. In fact she had never really known a day of being free from worry of hunters, whether they be Demons or magical girls or knights or police officers or mercenaries or whoever else had decided that it was their week to hunt her and her mother down. Exhausted would be an understatement, as she couldn't even really afford to sleep for too long, nor did she tend to. What she suffered almost made her pity the ones that she hunted.

Almost.

"I used to" the bunny whispered in response to the woman's question about family. Her mother used to be with her, used to do her best to protect her. Even then however they were forced to keep on the run. They had more money, more food, but only just, and only because her mother had sacrificed everything to maintain even a fraction of what a normal home should look like.

"She was like you."

Not 'us'. 'You'. Neither were like her. Emi was an abomination, some thing which never should have been in the first place. If she hadn't been born then her mother might have enjoyed a life similar to the one standing before her now. She might have been some experienced magical girl. Maybe with a job. A home. Children who were normal. Perhaps a even a husband.

A life.

She would not have perished from hunger and thirst and disease dressed in rags within some cold ramshackle house.

Her body had relaxed, just a slight bit, as the weight of everything started to catch up to her. "I try to be" she whispered again, a tremble only present for a moment within her voice before she managed to silence it. Heck, she had been hunting the monsters to keep the very people hunting her safe! And what had she to show for that? Nothing. Maybe she had her father to blame for what she was, but she had Humanity to blame for how she lived. They weren't innocent. The blood that she had spilt was equally upon their hands.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

“You are more like us than you think.”  Alexandrine knew that was likely to be little comfort.  She knew loss, how hard it could be to heal.  It also looked like certain others had been more aggressive than they should have been, perhaps believing she was a proper demon or monster.  She could not apologize for them, but she could try to help the girl.  She meant what she said.  “You are not the first of us to have been born that way…you can follow your mother’s path.”  It was true that it was very rare though for hybrids to show what they were without transforming.  That made it much harder.  But with help, Alexandrine believed the girl could be saved from this life.

”I can help you.  Make sure you are not targeted by those who should consider you an ally.  I will not say I understand how hard your life has been…but I know I know what it is like to feel alone.”  She considered the next step.  “For now, let me see where you live.”  Depending on the circumstances, she could try to find her a better place.  She had connections.

[Chiyako]

Emi was perhaps about half like this girl if she was being generous. Sure, she had the blood of a Human flowing through her veins, and she could transform as well. She also tried to help other people. But even she with her limited knowledge of things knew that she was very much not like the ones who hunted her. They lived in a world she could only imagine joining, one with people who adored them, one filled with adoration and luxuries she could only dream of! But, also, a world where they were followed by many people. That part frightened her somewhat. Would it be worth giving that life a shot? She doubted if she'd ever really get the chance to find out.

This woman wasn't the first to suggest that Emi could be a proper magical girl. Others had tried to lure her in with those words, had figuratively and once literally stabbed her in the back through them. Nor was she the first to offer her help. She had been caught once with that, had accepted food and drink and had woken up tied to somebody's bed. It had been a terrifying ordeal but, thankfully, otherwise uneventful thanks to her abilities. Even so it had been a close call, albeit not the first nor the last of similar incidents.

However there was something different about this offer. Perhaps Emi was just tired of being chased around. Or maybe something rang true within her words. Could this be one of the woman's abilities? Had she already secretly transformed? Maybe she was just trying to avoid a fight. Whatever the case Emi decided that she could, at the very least, give it a chance.

I can just run again if I need to. If this is bad I'll need to move again regardless. Maybe. . .maybe this time will be different?

For a moment she crouched down, mostly to allow her cloak full coverage over her skirt so that she might holster her pistol without it being noticed. Then she straightened out and nodded once, cautiously approaching the woman to step around her, eyes never leaving her.

The trip wasn't long. She rarely took a straight path back to her home, but right now it didn't really matter. The only thing which really slowed them was how much attention the bunny paid to the magical girl. Emi didn't completely trust her, after all.

Eventually they arrived at her home. An abandoned house which was very clearly run down. Holes in the roof, in the walls which had been patched up with wood planks and parts stripped off other nearby buildings. Inside it wasn't much better. Much of the furniture present was mismatched, patchwork, and with some pieces which had been rather poorly cobbled together. Even so she at least kept it clean enough to not be a total mess. Electricity didn't work in the home, but an electric generator was running on a balcony upon the second floor, mostly to power her obviously stolen computer system. Really her bedroom was the only place with nicer furnishings, although none of it matched and was most likely not legally purchased. Nor, upon inspection, did the place have running water.

"This is where I live. It was better than normal" she explained softly. Was being the key word. She figured that she was going to have to move now regardless of what happened next.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Alexandrine followed the girl, not making any sudden moves.  Nothing that could be interpreted as hostile.  One solution did occur to her.  But it was one that would likely take some convincing, she would not say it yet.  She followed the girl into her home.  It resembled her own 8n some ways, except that she no holes to board up and had electricity.  As she did so she introduced herself.  “My names is Alexandrine.  Alexandrine Deforest.”  It was offer of trust.  A Magical Girl did not casually give that out to someone who already knew what she was.  Was it the first time the girl learned the name of one who was not her mother?

She looked over the various surroundings some more.  “How long have you been here?  How often do you move?”  She was curious how long the girl would have stayed here if the two of them had not met.  Not especially long, she guessed.

[Chiyako]

Alexandrine Deforest. Deforest is a silly name, isn't it?

She wondered if it meant that someone in the woman's ancient past had a job specifically tailored to the removal of forests. Or perhaps it meant something else akin to forests? Whatever the case, this woman was making herself quite a bit vulnerable simply by divulging what Emi could only assume to be her real name, after all who would make up a name like Deforest? It wasn't as though giving away her own name was going to make things much more dangerous than it already was. A name didn't conceal what she was.

"Ueno. Emi Ueno."

Not that she knew what her own name meant. It just hadn't really come up. All she knew was that it came from her mother's original homeland. For all she knew it was also quite silly.

A few moments were taken to consider just how long she had been here. Time passed weird when most thoughts were set upon survival or fleeing or hunting down monsters. "Two months. I think" she mumbled softly. "I move when people find me. It happens alot."

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Alexandrine thought on the name.  Trying to remember if she ever met the girl’s mother.  It sounded a little familiar.  Not a friend or anything.  But they might have met once or twice, even fought together on a rare team up.  It was unfortunate that she seemed to be another Magical Girl who had met an unfortunate end.  She would not try to make Emi talk much about her, let Emi decide if and when to talk about that.

”I live in an apartment building myself.  I would offer to try to find you a room there.  But that is a little crowded.  You deserve more space.  A chance to live somewhere you can relax.  Not hide yourself….I do have one idea.  But I’m not sure how appealing you will find it.”  Free housing, where Emi did not have to disguise herself.  That was not exactly easy to find.  There was one option she had thought up, but she would not be surprised if Emi did not like what she would have to do to get it.  But maybe a girl like this, so used to surviving would consider it a small price.  Emi’s reaction would determine if she elaborated.

[Chiyako]

An apartment building. Her mother had tried to do that a couple of times with her but it hadn't turned out well. The first they were chased out. At the second her mother was blackmailed and then they were eventually chased out. Even so, it was better than many of the places she had stayed, and for more social people it could have had more of an appeal. Probably. She didn't really remember much about living in one. It had been so long.

I did have space though. But I guess having a nicer place might be nice. And not having to hide myself?

"How? What is it?" the little rabbit asked, her normally soft, apathetic expression and tone both betraying perhaps a bit of hope, maybe even excitement at the prospect! Surely it couldn't be too bad, right? If she needed money she could get that through perhaps not quite legal means, but she could get it none the less! Really the biggest issue was finding somewhere that would accept her in the first place.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

Well, it would be interesting to see how Emi reacted to this.  A possibility she probably had not considered.  “I know a man.  A knight.  He lives out of town, a large gated home.  He is something of a traditionalist.”  Someone who stuck to some older traditions, dedicated to the fight.  “He would not care about your blood.  Your appearance.  If you were willing to fight as a Magical Girl, he could shelter you…”. Well that was true, but there was something else he would need.  “…If you were also willing to become his wife…”.  He was a traditionalist.  He needed a new wife, he did not need love though.  It was a practical thing for him.  He looked at it like a nobleman, he considered Magical Girl/Knight bloodlines to be something similar.  Sure, they did not rule people.  But to protect people, to preserve the power.  The bloodlines had to be preserved.

”He won’t try to control you.  He is not a traditionalist in that sense, does not look at women that way.”  Sure, certain ‘activities’ would come with being his wife.  But he would largely let her do her own thing, probably even look the other way, if she found herself interested in others.  It was essentially an arranged/‘political’ marriage of sorts.  Was Emi willing to do that for a real home?  Alexandrine was unsure, curious to see her reaction.  The details would have to be talked out with him though.