(open)

[happyends]

Who: Madoka, her new kitty (Maru/Sleepy Ash) and you!
When: Day 2 of Fiddlesticks
Where: Everywhere on the train
What: Madoka is very excited about her new cat. And also likely making very bad life decisions for herself here by making a contract with a vampire.
Warnings: Likely mentions of vampirism.

(note: threads will mostly be between madoka and your character, maru might randomly jump in to pipe up on some threads, you'll know if/when it happens!)

( a: dining carriage )

If you've seen Madoka going anywhere on the train since yesterday, you may have noticed something new about her. Namely the fact that she's dragging a tiny black cat with her everywhere she goes.

Right now she can be found with it in the dining carriage, where she's seated at the table not to eat, but to instead draw in her notebook. She keeps sneaking glances over at the cat as it's sleeping on the table next to her notebook though, and after a while Madoka can't take it and giggles as she gently boops his face with the not-sharp end of her pencil.

"So cute.. Who's the most adorable kitty around? It really is you..!" She's staring at the cat with so much endearment in her eyes, but that's the exact moment where she looks up and only then seems to notice you being there too. Madoka's face immediately grows pink with a blush.

"A--Ah, I'm sorry!" Because apparently she feels the need to apologize for gushing over her cat publically..

( b: near the on board shop )

Or you may spot Madoka near the on board train shop. Apparently she's been using it, since the girl's arms are loaded with way too many chips for one tiny teenage girl to eat. There's six different bags in her arms, and the tiny black cat is precariously balanced on top of her head. It seems to be going well.. until one of the bags of chips slips out of her hands, falling onto the ground.

"Ah..!"

The girl is trying to pick it up, but it's a difficult process with her arms this full and her not wanting to disturb the sleeping cat on top of her head.. Someone please help the poor girl instead of watching her attempt to bend down and pick it up only to fail.

( c: anywhere in the train! open to madoka's close cr! )
(if you're wondering if you're close cr, then the answer is probably yes.. but feel free to check with me on plurk or discord!)

After a while she figures though that she should probably at least tell some people about the true nature of her kitty. It's going to be really awkward if someone sees him transform and freaks out about it in the middle of battle.. So while carrying the cat in her arms, Madoka makes her way through the train to try and look for people she's close to.

When she finds one of them, she'll offer a small smile and say: "Um.. Sorry, but do you maybe have a moment for me..?"

Comments

[unfavorableinstigation]

"It helps that the local worldgating complex is run by cats, but I help them with more mundane stuff too, sometimes."

It all depended on the nature of the errantry she was assigned to - or took upon herself.

And she just can't stop grinning at how cute these two are!

[happyends]

Something being run by cats is a slightly odd idea to Madoka. Then again, she's already met not one, but two talking cats who seem to have more significant roles than just any regular cat, so maybe she can't be one to judge here.

.. still.. that thought makes Madoka think, frowning very slightly in worry.

"Um.. Do those cats all look like regular cats..?" Maru, for all that he is, at least does look fairly normal for a cat, Madoka thinks. But the other talking cat she knows is a different story entirely. "I.. I mean.. You've never seen a white cat with an extra set of ears, right?"

You two can carry on without Maru~

[sobothersome]

Giving a big yawn, Maru lays down across Madoka's shoulder to sleep. He gave her a little, comforting purr before he basically snuggled himself into the crook of her neck to nap.

o7

[unfavorableinstigation]

"They are regular cats; at least on Earth, they're the best species at seeing the hyperstrings that the worldgates are laid out on," Nita explains.

Another door opens, and Nita catches it swiftly, stepping through-and-beyond to hold it for them.

[happyends]

Well, at least that sounds like there's no Kyubey present. Which is a relief, honestly. The last thing all these oher worlds need is an alien cat running around and causing chaos and misery wherever it goes..

But Nita's explanation still seems to make Madoka's brain fry. Oh, sure, she's still walking, and - thankfully! - managing to balance the bags of chips she's holding, but the look on her face is very confused.

"Seeing.. hyperstrings? I didn't know at all that cats could do something that sounds so complicated! It makes them sound smarter than humans.."

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita nods while she's facing Madoka, turning right around to continue the trek to Sleeper Two.

"In some ways, they are; though it helps that they're wizards too. But there's all kinds of ways to be smart. For example: being compassionate for people and looking out for them? That's a kind of smart, too!"

She aims another grin at the girl; she's being sincere on this point!

"And I know that that's one of the ways you're smart, in particular."

[happyends]

Oh no. Compliments. Madoka's natural enemy! Especially when she doesn't see them coming, like right now.

It's so obvious that it manages to catch her off guard. Her gaze turns towards Nita, her eyes wide, and then a second later her cheeks pink too.

"Ah, that's.." For a moment it almost seems as if she might not even be able to find the proper words to respond to this! "I--I don't think that has much to do with being smart..? But.. um, thank you anyway, t-that's so nice to say!"

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita stops for a moment, just in case Madoka does drop anything, and the expression on her face turns more thoughtful.

"There's all kinds of people smarts in addition to, say, book smarts. Or motion-smarts. Compassion's one of the people-smarts."

She winks, knowing it sounds a little silly put that way. "Wouldn't say it if it weren't true. Come on, we've got at least two more cars to get through!"

[happyends]

"Ah, right..!"

Thankfully she has managed to hold onto all the things she's got crammed into her arms, trying to pick up the pace a little and keep walking, no matter how much the subject matter is making her think.

"Um.. I guess I've just never really thought of book smarta and people-smarts being on the same level.. Usually people just call others smart if they got high grades in class, right? I'm not like that at all, so I've never thought of myself as a smart person at all. You seem much more like you'd be that type!"

[unfavorableinstigation]

"It's one thing to be smart in school, yeah," Nita replies, looking away for a moment.

"And you're right that I do well there... but it's not nearly as much fun as being a wizard, and sometimes, well... it doesn't feel like it matters. Not as much as getting out in the world and helping people, you know?"

[happyends]

"Sometimes people who get those high grades end up helping people though, right? Like.. um.. I'm pretty sure you need to do really well in school in order to become a doctor.." Which would therefore be a very, very far off dream for Madoka. But she's pretty sure she wouldn't do well with having to see a lot of blood and all anyway.

She laughs slightly though - maybe a tad awkwardly. "Although I guess your grades at school don't really matter for becoming a wizard, huh?"

It's not like they matter for becoming a magical girl either, after all.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita nods again, though she stops abruptly to make sure she doesn't trip over a dog toy that's been left in the hall for some reason.

Moving on, she answers, "Not really. One of the tendencies in those who are offered the Oath is being a big reader, but that's not exactly the same as being particular in what you're studying for, and it's not an end-all-be-all either."

[happyends]

".. right. Since some people are smart without reading a lot. And.. well, I like to read stories like fairytales.. but I'm not a smart-- um, not a book-smart person."

She's learning! Or trying, at the very least. Madoka doesn't want to put herself down about this particular thing when Nita is being so kind to her about it.

She might also not be the least clumsy person ever though, since Madoka mostly avoids stepping on the dog toy.. Only for her heel to catch onto it all the same. Not enough to throw her off balance, but just enough for it to let out a loud squeak, which in turn makes Madoka yelp as if she's seen a ghost.

A moment later all the bags are starting to slip right out of her hands because of it.

[unfavorableinstigation]

"And that's not a bad thing," Nita agrees, nodding.

"Did you get those books from the shop?"

The answer to that question is not quickly forthcoming, however, and Nita turns around quite rapidly, mind blanking on anti-gravity spells-

"Are you alright?"

But she's still there to help pick up the rest of the bags, possibly before they hit the ground.

[happyends]

"I'm fine.." Just embarrassed, judging by Madoka's tone. And slightly disappointed in herself. She really thought she would be able to make this trip without dropping everything.. Although she's grateful for Nita's help while the other helps her gather it all back up.

For a moment she's quiet as she works at it, but then she slowly nods.

"And.. u-um, sorry, I guess I kind of got distracted from your question there for a moment.. But yes, I did buy those books from the shop. Why, do you want to read them too?"

[sobothersome]

Maru is woken up by the commotion. He opens his eyes to see all of their things on the ground and a wave of sadness coming from Madoka.

He yawns and sits up before jumping off of Madoka's shoulder. As he does he changes, a puff of smoke and Maru starts gathering up the dropped items and then holds his hand out to Nita for the ones she had picked up.

"I'll take them from here."

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita is just plain taken aback by the transformation - both its abruptness and because of the need to adjust to another person in the carriage passageway.

"Ah, sure."

She hands the bags over, quietly glad for the distraction.

"Thanks, Maru."

As surprised as she is, she does mean that.

[happyends]

At least Madoka looks much, much less surprised by the transformation. She's already seen it before, after all, and she thinks Maru is helpful enough that it's not a surprise either that he'd want to help with this. She just thinks it's sweet..

But she can - at least - notice that Nita seems a bit more surprised. So she first gives Maru a smile and a "Thank you, Maru.." before turning to look at Nita.

"Um.. Sorry if you got surprised! Maru isn't exactly a regular cat.. But he's still super cute!" At least Madoka seems less embarrassed now than a moment ago.

[sobothersome]

Maru barely registered the surprise as he took the things from the other woman to hold them. He should have been doing that in the first place but Madoka had made it seem like he shouldn't. Not that he blamed her at all. He just felt bad he hadn't been helping her to start with. They were items for them to eat after all.

He did register being called 'cute' though. Maru was starting to think she enjoyed using that word.

"Hm...?" His attention was on Madoka first, and then her friend, his Eve's words making him finally realise the other was surprised by him. "... Sorry. I'm Maru. I'm not really a cat. Mostly... sometimes... I think it would be better if I was a cat." Then he could sleep and eat snacks and never be judged for it.

[unfavorableinstigation]

"-Oh! It's not that bad..."

Nita shook her head, recovered now the surprise had passed - but she gave Maru a sympathetic, puzzled expression all the same.

"An easier kind of trouble to handle, that way?"

His hands were now loaded with chips, or else Nita would have offered a hand to actually shake (not sniff!).

Instead, she redirected her focus back on getting the doors. Only one carriage left now!

[happyends]

At least Madoka is having an easier time walking along with the two of them now half her vision isn't obscured by a pile of bags of snacks.. But as she's listening to the exchange Maru and Nita are having, her eyebrows knot together into a slight (mostly worried, really) frown all the same.

"Maru, you're fine the way you are."

[sobothersome]

Maru tilted his head to look down at Madoka. Why was she frowning at him?

"Oh..." But surely she would have liked him more if he was just a cat, right? Her friend got it at least.

"Being a cat is easier." There were no expectations. Even if they knew he was a vampire, a vampire cat was less a monster in most people's eyes.

[unfavorableinstigation]

"But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be valued for being you, Maru," Nita replied, glancing between Madoka and Maru.

"It may sound weird, but everyone deserves friends, regardless of who or what they are."

Everyone deserves a chance - or a second chance, even.

[happyends]

Nita! You're a blessing. Madoka may not realise exactly how deep these issues run with the guy, but she's still glad to get some backup on her point all the same. It's not that the worry fully disappears off her face, but she sure looks a lot more encouraged when she speaks up again.

"T.. That's not weird, it's just the truth!" She quickly nods, as if she's determined to emphasize this point as much as possible. "See, Maru? I'm sure plenty of people here will want to be your friend! Everyone is so nice. And you're nice too!"

(This is exactly why just being a cat would be easier, huh.. Because he wouldn't have to endure this..)

[sobothersome]

Maru shot a look toward Madoka, puzzled as to when he missed the part of their conversation where they'd talked about him. How did she know? For a long moment he wasn't sure how to reply.

His head lowered, he didn't really believe he deserved any of those things. But he couldn't find it in him to argue with both girls when they looked at him with such determination.

"... Alright." Is what he finally said.