Shine On Me

The cameras constant clicking left very little place for error. Every step had to be calculated and confident. Morgan was sure she would have hated these events if she wasn’t transformed. In her old life she always was an anxious creature, afraid to do the wrong thing to say the wrong thing. Nowadays, that life felt like a distant dream. Thankfully in her magical state she had nothing to worry about, everything about her was as just as flawless as she felt. During the past years she came to love giving interviews. She realized she actually liked talking to people now that she no longer felt threatened by them. And the people were desperate to give her their attention for a glimpse of magic and she soaked it all in.

She was sitting in the interview room, alone this time. A cup of sparkling water was placed before her by a blushing intern then she was asked to wait. She grabbed a tabloid that read “Afterglew Member Suzana Breaks The Silence About Her Familiar’s Death!” and “Love Triangle At Everglew!” and there was of course “Crisis At Team Mooncatcher!” Morgan boredly flipped through the pages. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to be sulking or relieved that their team didn’t make the cut for such a prestigious newspaper.

- Miss Night you’re up next - the intern squaked as she put her head through the heavy studio door. Morgan nodded at her with a smile. She had brown hair and eyes, and she seemed to be around her age. Not yet thirty, but uncomfortably close. The intern, Vanessa, said her badge at a quick glance smiled back and waited for her at the door.

Morgan flashed her a warm smile as she stood up and headed towards the stage.

- Thanks, Vanessa.

The girl looked surprised by hearing her name but she enthusiastically smiled back at her. Morgan could she her tired posture, the barely visible bags under her eyes hidden by hastily applied make up. The least she deserved was a thanks for her hard work. She could remember what it was like to live this life. Morgan Before.

As she entered the stage the lights illuminated her and she added a bit of her own magic to make her entrance. Really, at this point it was expected of her. She sat down on the couch and chatted with the interviever like old friends. Fittingly enough she asked about her life before the magic and sparkles so she told her about Old Morgan.

Morgan Before, the little gray mouse working in an office who could barely keep up a conversation for more than two minutes with her coworkers. She always felt overlooked, barely good enough, despite all the work she put in. Working 8-10 hours with no thanks only the meager paycheck that barely covered her living expenses. Feeling like she was living from paycheck to paycheck with not enough time or energy for anything else. With nothing or no one to ground her. Now, though? She felt incredible and valued and she didn’t even have to pretend to be someone she was not for it. She loved this stupid, amazing job and her team and her cat. She was never going back to those grey days.

❧

Morgan was backstage, changing after the interview. She could have transformed back right there and she would be back to her ordinary clothes that she wore before transforming and her ordinary self. As everything magical - her magical girl appearance was also temporary. But she didn’t want to let go yet and she didn’t want to leave the building feeling ordinary. So instead she only dispelled her uniform and changed her ordinary work out clothes for a nice button-up dress. Less magic, more magical girl uptime.

As she checked out from the security and left the building she noticed a cafè stacked right next to the entrance. She figured stopping by for a go to drink still left her with enough time.

She spared a glance for her fellow late night stragglers in the café, among them she could see Vanessa gingerly holding a cup in her hand, everyone seemed beat for the night. As she grabbed her coffee and turned to go someone called out her name.

Vanessa blushed and averted her eyes as she came up to her.

Morgan quickly run through her mind what post interview customs she could have forgotten about but her mind came up blank. There was nothing else that required her attention. Not to mention they were already outside of the building.

- I hope I am not overstepping but I just felt this connection to what you said tonight..

Oh. Unless..

- And I would love to get to know you over a cup of coffee. Or tea. Whichever you prefer.

Oh. There it was. It was a gratifying thrill to have read the situation right and it was flattering but being asked out still wasn’t something Morgan has gotten used to.

She glanced around and plucked a flyer from a nearby table and produced a pen from her thigh garter. She quickly scribbled down her social contact and mustered all her elegance into holding it out to Vanessa while winking at her.

The girl blushed like a tomato and quickly plucked out the paper from her hand. Morgan’s gaze lingered at her for a moment and she could make out a small barely suppressed grin playing at Vanessa’s lips. A night already well spent. Isn’t this what she was here for? To help people any way she can?

She could tell though that this was the last rush of her powers and she couldn’t hold onto it any longer. She hastily left and as turned the corner at the end of the road she powered down for the night.