♘ duel the eleventh. ( video. action. )

[revolutionized]

I. video.

[Utena had been scarce after the night of the fireworks - the cold did not agree with her, and even her basketball court had been abandoned for the time being. The Vine unfurls to show her using the magic dirt for something, perched in the window sill of one of the high, arching windows of her room. A piece of the Tower, here in the Gardens. It looks as if she just got back in the room - she's still dressed for the outside, with her jacket and gloves, not caring that they are covered in dirt. Her cheeks are flushed with cold.

There are birds outside of the window, a number of them, and if one listens carefully, they are singing a familiar song. Finally, Utena speaks:]

Would you cut it out? Geez. I can't even count how many snowballs I threw at all of you. [The dirt in her hands changes shape into what looks like a picture frame. Utena makes a triumphant noise, goes to place the frame with a set of others. The Vine pans in on the frames - primarily images of other teenagers with strangely colored hair, and continues to follow her, until she eventually catches sight of it.]

You might as well make yourself useful. [She kneels in front of the mirror.] Say, does anyone know how to get rid of these birds? They've been following me all day.

II. action.

[A little after Utena makes her last picture, she's headed outside again for a walk! Unfortunately, her new feathered friends are following her around too, trilling the "Happy Birthday" song. One perches on her shoulder, and she irritably waves it away.

She'll be all over the Gardens today, trying to escape the birds. Bother her! Or throw a snowball at her...or build a snowman! Or just wish her a happy birthday, that works too.]

[ooc: Utena's birthday is today, so...the birds are wishing her a happy birthday. Or maybe messing around with the magic dirt has got them following her, whichever works.]

Comments

[revolutionized]

[That response appears to make her relax.] Me neither. I talked to Homura-san about it too...it'd be nice if we could all go sledding together, wouldn't it?

[She grins and rubs the back of her neck.] Honestly, I didn't know either. The birds are the ones that told me. [She nods her head, seeing nothing unusual about the request.] And yeah, we can visit your apartment. Are you ready to go?

[headedforhope]

[Together. The word causes an inexplicable shortness of breath, for just a moment, for all the wrong reasons. But Mami recovers quickly before her mask can slip again.] Yes, I certainly think so! We should try for it sometime, before the snow melts.

Mm...I am. [A final glance at her creation, and Mami nods as she takes a step toward Utena; she can sculpt the snow another time.] It's not far from here, anyway.

[revolutionized]

Great! [She is, perhaps, a little more excited about that than she should be, but she doesn't seem to notice her own enthusiasm. It's not bad to be excited about being with a friend, after all.]

Okay. [And she begins to walk! After a moment, she glances over her shoulder - both to check and see if Mami is following, and to give the snowman a final look.] Hey, is that supposed to be Madoka-chan?

[The birds are following the two girls, but they have at least stopped their birthday serenading.]

[headedforhope]

[She is indeed following, and is soon no longer trailing behind Utena but is matching her stride the best she can. Mami tucks her hands into the pockets of her light jacket; her smile is a little sheepish, but pleased all the same.]

Ah, you could tell? I must have done an okay job, in that case.

[revolutionized]

Mm, it looks a lot like her. [She smiles.] You even got the pigtails right. Are you gonna show her it before it melts?

[headedforhope]

Ah- [Mami glances off into the scenery at that.] -no, I wasn't planning on it.

[Just one more thing Madoka doesn't have to see, or know about.]

[revolutionized]

Oh, too bad. [She hooks her arms behind her head.] I bet she'd like it. Have you been out here long?

[headedforhope]

[She just hums in response at first, a low and thoughtful sound, unable and unwilling to deny that possibility - not when Madoka's the type to appreciate even the smallest efforts done for her sake.

One of the birds decides to alight on her head, cheeping softly as it hitches a ride. Another soon follows, resting on Mami's shoulder when it becomes apparent that she's not going to oust any interlopers from their perches.]

Oh, not very long....

[A slow shrug, an easy smile. She absently raises one arm to stroke the downy head of the bird on her shoulder.]

You know, seeing these birds follow you reminded me of something, Utena-san.

[revolutionized]

[Despite being annoyed by the continued presence of the birds, Utena can't help but smile while watching Mami interact with them.]

Really? What does it remind you of?

[headedforhope]

[The bird chitters, fluffs its tiny wings.]

Well, you see, awhile back....

[There's a pause as she thinks. Her forehead creases, the brows furrowing in thought, as Mami looks back over the course of months. The fact of her lengthy stay in the Gardens hardly registers anymore.]

....I don't quite remember how long ago it was, but there was a brief time when the animals here were quite taken with me. The cats, the birds, they were all very affectionate. I don't know what started it or why they suddenly stopped, though. [Because Mami never learned that it came of her wish, uttered so desperately and with such shame down in the bowels of the Labyrinth, to not be alone....a wish that was technically granted when Madoka arrived.]

[revolutionized]

Ah... [The thought makes her smile.] That sounds really cute. [She looks slightly flustered after that.] It wasn't your birthday, was it? Did something special happen?

[Another bird flutters down to land on Utena's head.] That's why these guys are bothering me today. They've been singing since I woke up.

[headedforhope]

[The comment brings a light tinge of pink to her cheeks, easily explained away as stemming from the cold.] No, I'm sure it happened quite awhile before then! And I don't think anything "special" happened...

[Mami wouldn't use that word to describe what had come before the sudden display of camaraderie from the animals, the terror and horrific sights the Labyrinth had put her through.

She watches the bird roost on Utena's head, smiling a little herself.]

I guess it's different for everyone; they didn't do the same for me, at least.

[revolutionized]

[Utena seems full of energy - she jogs forward a few steps, slows her pace to allow Mami to catch up, stretches her arms in front of her head. Throughout this, the bird manages to keep its precarious position atop her head, though there are a few angry cheeps.]

You had a birthday already? [When she tilts her head to regard Mami, the little bird does the same.] When was it?

[headedforhope]

[Mami keeps her pace steady, her stride measured and composed. The smile grows bigger by inches, warmer by degrees.]

Ah, well.... [She trails off for a moment in favor of giving the bird on her shoulder another pet.] Do you remember when there was that fair, with all the rides and games?

[revolutionized]

[She has to think about it, but eventually she remembers.] Yeah, I remember...it was that day? Aw, man. I didn't get you a gift!

[There had been the stuffed toy she'd won playing one of the games, but it seems like such a small thing that it doesn't cross her mind.]

[headedforhope]

Oh, don't feel bad. It's not as if you could have known - I never said anything.

[To anyone.]

Besides, you did get me something. [Her small, subtle blush doesn't fade.] That stuffed bird, remember?

[revolutionized]

Stuffed bird? [It takes her a little while to remember, but her eyes light up as soon as she does.] Right, I remember that. [A sheepish grin.] I'm glad you kept it.

[headedforhope]

Well, of course! You won it for me, after all.

[She doesn't elaborate on how the toy has come to give her comfort - held in her arms at night, pressed close when the loneliness and nightmares come for her. It's childish, sure, but soothing, and it's a secret Mami can't imagine admitting while she still breathes.

She's spared from speaking further along this vein of discussion by the way the apartment complex has loomed into sight.]

...Ah, here we are.

[revolutionized]

I would've gotten you something better if I'd known it was your birthday, though. [Her shoulders slump a little. It's like Utena, to miss the value in her gestures, and this is not an exception.

She looks a little disappointed when they reach the apartment building. The birds flit back to her, to land on her shoulder.] Hm...that was a fast walk.

[headedforhope]

[She raises an eyebrow at that - not unkindly, but perhaps with a touch of exasperation.] Believe me, I'm satisfied with it.

[Ah, but regardless...] And time flies, as they say. I'll be right back.

[She strides forward, ignoring the quiet impulse to ask Utena if she wanted to come along, and is soon lost to sight as she passes through the entrance doors.]

[revolutionized]

Well, that's good, at least. [Utena sounds a little skeptical, but she allows the answer without further commentary, and waits for Mami to return.

One of the birds lands on her fingertip, and she studies it - the dark, intelligent eyes. Birds shouldn't look like that, and she gets an unpleasant chill down her spine.

Quietly, she asks it:] Did you lead me here? [Her head jerks in the direction of the looming apartment complex.] To her?

[But she gets no response, and she's irritated at herself for expecting one.]

[headedforhope]

[She's not gone too long. It's only, perhaps, ten minutes later that the doors open again and that familiar blonde figure walks out. Mami doesn't run out of the apartment complex: her strides are as measured and calm as they were when she first entered, hiding how her heartbeat has quickened and her mouth has gone dry. There's little sign of these odd changes, of a budding and not exactly painful anticipation.

Save for that new soft, even shy edge to her smile when she catches up to Utena.]

Ah, hi. I wasn't in there too long, was I?

[There's a bundled up scarf tucked into the crook of her arm. It's blue, like the sky on a clear day - like Utena's eyes.]

[revolutionized]

No, you weren't.

[She smiles in return, just as shy and sheepish as Mami is. There's no real reason to be so nervous, she realizes, but it's difficult not to be.

Her gaze flickers over to the bundle tucked in Mami's arms.] What's that?

[headedforhope]

Oh, good! [A pause. Her eyes briefly follow Utena's to the bundle of blue cloth, as if she hadn't immediately understood what the other girl was referring to - as if she wasn't attempting, in some small and unconscious way, to draw out this moment that's leading up to something inevitable, something with an end she can't foresee. Only gather up her courage, and hope for the best.]

I thought I needed a second scarf, but....I think you can make better use of this one. It's the first one I managed to knit. [Another pause, more brief than the last, before Mami holds it out to Utena in offering. Her smile deepens, although those gold eyes seem to shine with a soft sort of pleading; she doesn't mention the pricked fingers, the painstaking care put into every stitch, the hours spent picking out the exact right shade.]

Happy birthday, Utena-san.

[revolutionized]

[Utena slowly takes the bundled cloth, studying it instead of Mami's face. But when her hands brush against the other girl's, she doesn't pull away. Something softens in her expression, and although she knows it may be a small thing to other people, this gift...it nonetheless means a great deal to her.]

...Thank you. I'll be sure to take good care of it.