Battleplans Over Tea

The Fool Arc

This is the portal to the world of magic. Well, actually, this is one of several portals to the world of magic, but this is the closest one between where the two Magical Girls had been staying while in the city.

It’s located on a construction site. There’s always construction going on in Tokyo, so no-one looks twice at the big vinyl curtains with the logo of some company or other, even if this particular construction seems to have been going on for a decade.

The bones of a large building frame support a series of tarps, and between them lies the entrance.

♖ Queen-Side Rook ♖

“Balderdash and botheration!” I look up as the sweet, but grumpy, tones approach me. Bishop is chewing on her lip in anger as she materializes, stepping from the other plane.

“Nothing good?”
“The nearest Inspectors are currently occupied dealing with a rogue Magical Girl who was using her powers to fleece pachinko machines in Akiba. And the Department says they ‘can’t waste good resources on a supposition’.” Bishop has a sour expression on her usually gentle face.
“Can’t Queen do something?”
“Queen is of the opinion that we are ‘quite enough on our own’ to deal with the threat.” Bishop replies, biting on her thumbnail as she thinks.
“And you think we aren’t?”
“We’ve ganged up on it with two at a time. And it was able to flee. There is no guarantee that it will not find a way out a third time. And I mustn’t allow that to happen, even if Queen has decided the threat is not quite so dangerous.” Bishop looks away from me. Oh. Oh.

“...This is because you saved me, isn’t it.” I say flatly. There’s a long moment of silence.
“Shall we go take tea together?”
“Answer me.” I glower at her. Bishop spreads her arms out, palms towards me, fingers splayed in a conciliatory gesture.

“...They may have decided that as I, senior Inspector present, chose to save your life over combatting the danger posed by the Maniacal, your report may have exaggerated the dangers to save face following your failure to defeat a standard-type belowling.”
“Bishop!” I hiss. This isn’t the first time her cavalier attitude to the mission has caused doubts about her perceptive abilities in management. More often than not, we’ve had to shoulder larger burdens because she was either too polite to refuse them, or because her actions convinced the upper management that further intercession was not needed.

“There, there.” Bishop smiles and reaches out a finger to boop my nose, I hiss in annoyance under my breath.
“Listen to Senpai. Now, let’s go. I’ve heard this area has quite the variety of tea shops, and I do so love Japanese tea. Shall I treat you?” She begins walking off in a direction before I have a chance to reply.

“Hey, wait up!”

*            *            *

Unlike Bishop, whose form can safely blend in with the average passer-by due to the simplistic nature of her outfit, and requires no transformation to walk around in public, I do not have that luxury. With the exception of cosplay centers like Akihabara, a mix of frilly skirts and plate armor catches attention that I don't want. I awkwardly duck into an alleyway as she waits for me outside.

Closing my eyes, I dismiss my transformation. Honestly, the brief period of quasi-nudity always feels embarrassing to me, so I dislike switching with people around.

“You know, the bathhouse and shared bathing is in the Japanese tradition!” Bishop calls over her shoulder, teasingly.
“And would you go to one?” I grumble back.
“But of course!”
“...In your non-magical form?”
“All my forms are magical.” The reply gets me rolling my eyes, but I step out of the alleyway. Like most Magical Girls, my transformed version is somewhat flattering. I don’t bother with makeup in my normal form as it runs, and my hair is far messier as I pull it into a ponytail. The gentle muscles are real, but my fashion sense is…

“Gym uniform? Again?”
“I came from practice.” I grumble, undoing the front of my green gym sweater. Underneath I’m wearing a plain white tanktop, and my blue trainers don’t exactly compliment the all-green ensemble.

“So diligent.” Bishop laughs, before she begins walking. Despite the head and a half height difference, and my clearly more defined muscles, I can’t help but feel powerless when not transformed and she is. For starters, I know that she could break my wrist with one hand. Although sometimes I wonder if she could do that while I’m transformed.

She leads the way like she knows the streets well, always brimming with confidence. I’m fairly certain that she just picks a direction and starts walking until she sees something interesting, but when I bring it up she gives me that eyes-glistening smile.

“You know… sometime I’m gonna wipe that smile off your face.”
“Oh really?” Smile, smile.
“Hrrrmph.” I find myself scowling a little. We continue walking until we find a small place, a traditional building standing out against the tall modern skyscrapers, and step inside. Removing our shoes upon entry, we’re escorted to a tatami mat room, where a few low dark-wood tables are placed at simple intervals with pillows for seats. I feel a little out of place, but Bishop takes to it like a swan to water. She takes to everything related to high culture like a swan to water. I’m fairly convinced that if she went to a burger joint they’d provide her with a tablecloth and a serenade, a suspicion I voice as we’re given our tea.

“A serenade? There is one burger place that happens to have a jester as the mascot.” She takes a sip of her green tea. Then pokes her tongue out like a startled woodland creature.
“Hot!” She starts fanning her mouth, causing me to laugh and point to the table’s water.

“Now. Down to business.” She says. She looks over at Boshi, who gives a nod and freezes time across the restaurant, allowing us to talk privately enough.

“We’ve known each other for a year, and I trust you.” She takes a smaller sip of her tea, and a bite of the fine traditional mochi, holding the wrapper tenderly.
“However, I also have a full understanding of your limitations.” She adds, the remark cutting, but with me still nursing my wounds from the other day I find it hard to argue.
“And I do not believe that you alone, or even the two of us, will be enough to deal with this monster.”
“Haven’t you, you know…” I whisper, addressing the common-knowledge rumors that float around Bishop.
“Yes. I have taken down Maniacals in the past. Though not for some time. I have no doubt in my ability to fight it, however what I do have reason to doubt is my ability to catch it.” She flexes an arm.
“My magical form may be stronger than most, however it is also significantly slower.”
“You mean that gentle drifting thing you do at the speed of an old lady isn’t just to show off?”
“I prefer to think of it as ‘graceful’. And refrain from the old lady talk, girl.” There’s a very slight crease of her brow, but her smile remains in place. Dammit, so close.

“No, the Maniacal will sense it is outmatched and run. That is what it has done every time in confrontation so far.”
“So that’s it, then. No way to beat it, we’re just locked in this stalemate where it kills and we chase it off.”
“With just the two of us? Yes.” Bishop’s smile takes a slight turn for the sinister.
“...See, the implication there is-”
“We ask the new girls.”
“That we’re going to ask the new girls.” I run my hands over my brow, fingers pinching the bridge of my nose.

“Of course that’s what you’re gonna suggest.” I glare at her.
“I am nothing if not consistent.”
“Stuck in your ways like most old ladies, yeah.”
“Do you want to spend the rest of our tea in a very small box? I can arrange that, you know.” She’s smiling, but once more there’s a slight crease of her brow. The smile of a frustrated kindergarten teacher realising the gulf in age between herself and her charges after being called ‘granny’ one too many times.

“Fine, fine. But even for you, going to a pair of newbie magical girls, one under suspicion and the other we haven’t even met…” I begin, folding my arms, and then sigh.
“And your orders to not listen to her about that long-range attack didn’t even make sense if we weren’t gonna investigate it.”
“I rather think that it’s Rinrin’s job to investigate her teammates. It would be rude to interrupt. And it gave her something to do out of the way to prove she wasn’t involved.” I let out a low sigh at that response.
“Tell me something, does Queen ever get frustrated when you play these games?”
“Queen doesn’t need to know.”
“...Do you know I get frustrated when you play these games?” I mutter. Bishop gives me a pat on the head, then leans back down to seated, pulling up her teacup for a sip, she pauses at the edge.

“Boshi.”
“Yes, ma’am?” The spritely obedient, if a little military, fairy flies up and hovers above the table.
“Send a message to the local magical girls. Request a meeting tonight. The plaza atop the Shin-Dai building.” Boshi blinks, and nods, glowing with bright light as it transmits a message for us.

“You could at least use your own fairy.”
“Drink your tea, dear. We have a long night ahead of us.”