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Who: Minako and Edge
When: April 27nd
Where: The Near Shore
What: Prayer #86: a prayer for responsibility

[ It's no secret that Minako doesn't do too well with kids. If anything, it's almost ironic that for some reason she seems to end up with a prayer related to children in some form every single time she tries her hand at trying to fulfill one. But if she's nervous about it at all, she sure doesn't show it - and she took precautionary measures anyway! She brought along someone who's responsible!

.. Semi-responsible, anyway! Edge passes the bar easily in Minako's book, let's just put it that way.

The prayer was vague enough that she wasn't sure what to expect, but the task seems more simple than indicated. The kid - a young boy - only started middle school earlier this month, and has been tasked today with getting to school on time by himself for the first time. And what's the worst that could happen to a kid on their way to school? Minako ~~is still~~ has been a kid! She's gone to school by herself dozens of times! She's jumped over cars when almost getting hit by them! Totally normal and doable.

It's why she smiles at Edge as they walk a few steps behind the kid as said child is starting on his way to school. Generally going unnoticed as a shinki sure is useful in these cases, because she'd go nuts if she had to be quiet the whole time. ]

It seems we sure got an easy one this time, huh? What's the worst that could happen!

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[But Minako is responsible! Edge holds to that as a vow! After all, being irresponsible when you didn't have to be responsible isn't really being irresponsible! Minako has come through for him every time he's relied on her. If he knew what she was thinking--!]

[But he doesn't, so he strolls along with her, wondering if he could get away with holding her hand as they do this. As much as they weren't anything official to each other, he still feels like there's something there, in the blurry gray area --]

[--whoop, words!] I know! I'm not even sure this qualifies as some big life event.

Right? What's the big deal about going to school by yourself?

[ Although Minako's perspective might be colored slightly - or rather, more than slightly - by the fact she never really got along with her parents and was a super independent child. It sure makes decisions like choosing to go to school by yourself a lot more natural. ]

Maybe this kid's parents were worried he'd wander off somewhere else while going to school. [ She sighs, lazily stretching out her arms above her head. ] Do they think we look like babysitters?

[ To be fair, Minako, it's not like anyone knows wishes are literally being granted like this by gods and their shinki. ]

Edited 2019-03-23 14:31 (UTC)

I think his parents are probably worried a lot, but isn't the important thing that they let him go? They could've put it off or kept on taking him themselves, but they trusted him!

[That stretch is pretty enjoyable to watch. If trouble had been trying to evade the ninja's eyes, it would have done so effortlessly in that moment -- but his ears remain open, so the loud and aggressive barking that grows closer by the second has him jerking his head back to look for the dog in question.]

[ Minako sure has a lot of thoughts on that subject, but (perhaps thankfully) they're cut off before she can even start when Edge suddenly starts looking around. The sound registers with her a moment later since she isn't a ninja, but at least it's pretty easy to place one she does hear it. ]

.. Huh? Is that a dog?

It sure sounds like one -- whoa!

[Confirming their theory, a medium-sized dog comes around the street corner so fast its claws skid on the sidewalk a little. It doesn't have a leash, but it does have a collar. Maybe it escaped from a yard?]

[Whatever the case, puppy is heading straight for their ward, who has frozen up in alarm at the sight.]

[ Uh oh. That sure is a problem. In more ways than one, since it's not one that's exactly easy to solve. It's not like they can go around harming random dogs in order to get it out of the way so this child can keep on walking, especially since the owner won't be too happy with it either.

That only leaves one option, right? ]

We need to distract it, quickly! We don't have any food to distract it, so.. do something to draw its attention! [ She's counting on you here, Edge. You're distracting enough to Minako, so surely you can manage a dog. ]

[He doesn't have a bone or anything? Uhh -- think, what bothers dogs?]

[Oh, they hate it when people run around, don't they? Especially when they're mad, they think it's fear or something! So, okay! Edge takes off like an arrow, running past their frightened ward and right at the dog, only veering off at the last second.]

[ Minako is actually pretty surprised by what he's doing. Sure, she told him to distract the dog, but she thought he'd just do some eye-catching motion or something, not run straight at it!

So she gasps when Edge suddenly takes off like that. Maybe this dog isn't dangerous, but you never know. She sure doesn't want to be the cause of him getting bit. ]

Ah..! Watch out!

[ She watches as the dog takes off after Edge now. It must be a strange sight to the kid, since it can't see them and only sees the dog no longer running straight for him, but still.. ]

It's coming after you..!

That's the plan! Watch the kid while I lose him!

[Edge scrambles around the corner, barking dog in hot pursuit. At least she can tell by the continued noises that Edge has NOT gotten his butt bitten; dogs can't bark so well with their mouths full!]

[ Watching the kid is a pretty easy task. Even for someone who isn't quite fond of kids. Like Minako. If anything, she's a little irritated by how the kid just won't start walking again - she'd shove it to get it to walk if they just were allowed to interfere that directly!

At least it gives some time for Edge to get rid of the dog and get back to them while the kid is still waffling. Even though Minako is making sure to watch the child, she's casting worried glances in the direction Edge ran off to with the dog. ]

Geez, how much energy does that dog have.. [ It's a good thing for that dog that she can hear it bark, otherwise she'd have some dog butt to kick for being rude to Edge!! ]

[You know, that's a really good question, Minako! If Edge had to answer right now, he'd say, "more than I expected!"]

[Taking a cheap way out, Edge promptly scrambles over a fence, leaving the dog to dance around and bark frantically at the other side, trying to catch his prey.]

[And yet Edge still lets out a yelp, because the sprinklers are on in this yard.]

[A minute later, a soaking-wet ninja wearily climbs over a fence near Minako, then slops to the ground wetly.]

That could've gone better.

[ It's kind of hard to determine what exactly is happening, since she can only judge by sound. There's more dog barking, and then.. a pretty odd bark? (No, that's not a dog yelping, Minako.)

But then Edge returns, and even if she doesn't know what exactly happened, Minako can venture a guess. The details aren't important anyway, the fact that poor Edge returned all wet is!

A look of sympathy crosses her face, and when she moves until she's next to him, she starts smoothing out his wet hair a bit. Both as an affectionate gesture and just to put it back in place a bit.

(It doesn't help much with the latter. Kind of a lost cause here.) ]

Just look how much you're sacrificing for this mission already.. [ Looking good is important, alright! That's a big sacrifice! ] So you did well! Don't say stuff like "that could've gone better", you're great!

[With Minako fussing with his hair, how can he possibly stay even the least bit grumpy? He smiles, the sort of thing you see in the eyes even if his mouth is hidden.] Of course I'm great, Minako! That's always true! But I would've preferred not to be great and also wet!

Unless we're going swimming sometime soon. [But playfulness aside, he turns back to check out their ward, who is only now beginning to creep forward once more. That dog had clearly scared him, but here he goes again!]

Hey, maybe we should get ahead of him, ward off danger before it gets to him.

[ She nods. ]

Alright, let's do that.

[ Hopefully with less getting wet though. Minako sure doesn't feel like ruining her cute outfit for the day! They should've warned her about this in advance, how was she supposed to know that helping out a kid walk to school would involve the possibility of getting wet or dirty?!

But she dutifully follows what he's saying, moving to walk ahead of the child instead. Not before grabbing Edge's hand to drag him along like that. She does feel kind of bad that he got wet, so she might as well spoil him a little in return, right? ]

You keep an eye out with your ninja senses. We'll be ready for the next dog!

[Being dragged around by Minako does feel like spoiling, despite how many times it's happened before, so mission accomplished! He deliberately hangs a step back, trying not to drip on her.] Definitely! No more dog troubles, and --

[They round the corner ahead of the child, and ooh. That's a big wide busy street. No problem for the two of them, who could just go merrily vaulting over the entire thing like the ninja and anime high-schooler they are, but definitely a bit intimidating for a kid.]

.. guess this is a whole new kind of trouble, huh?

[ So she says once she notices the child hesitating. There's a hint in her tone that she thinks it's kind of dumb that it's happening, but that's mostly since Minako was a very, very wild child, and the thought of a busy street being dangerous never even ocurred to her at that age.

Come on, kid, try to live it up a little! ]

It's not like we can just go ahead and stop cars.. Do you think we should try to find a crosswalk?

We gotta teach him proper safety, right? [Edge is totally with her on this, though. He didn't even grow up around cars, but he did grow up around monsters, and these don't seem nearly as bad!]

Down there, right? [The crosswalk isn't at a light, just across the street, where cars are expected to stop for pedestrians.]

[ She nods. ]

Well, alright then, kid. Time to get over there!

[ Of course the child can't hear either of them though. Maybe Minako forgot in a moment of enthusiasm for getting things done, but she just grows awkwardly quiet for a moment as it slowly dawns upon her that the solution isn't that easy. ]

.. oh, come on! You don't even notice it's right there? [ Hey, if the kid can't hear them, she might as well complain out loud too. ]

Edited 2019-04-07 14:17 (UTC)

Hey, don't be too hard on him, he's teeny. [Compared to the two of them, anyway -- even accounting for Minako not exactly being Amazonian in height.]

Let's get his attention. [With ninjalike grace and subtlety, Edge runs over to a trash can that sits further on down the street, and boots it. The metal clatters against the container inside noisily. Come on, kid, look this way!]

[ Being teeny is no excuse! Minako is five feet tall and she will fight the world.

But fine, fine. They won't get anywhere unless they somehow make the kid notice the crossing, so she does follow Edge when he moves over to knock against the trash can. Deciding it's not enough noise yet, Minako moves over to a cyclist waiting for the crossing while an old lady is slowly moving across it, and she reaches over to loudly ring the bell on the bike.

Sure, it makes the cyclist look at their bell in surprise as if it must be haunted, but it's for the greater good! ]

Is he coming yet?

[All that noise does seem to have attracted the kid's attention, and the wheels turning in his head are practically visible. You cross the street at a crosswalk! And so over the kid heads, right for the white stripes -- but not hitting the button first!]

What-- how stupid is this kid?!

[ Sorry, Edge, guess you'll have to see the slightly less great side of Minako just once. Sure, she has a lot of good qualities, but being patient with kids sure isn't among them. Other people may call her childish, but this is not the level she wants to be compared to, okay! ]

Did no one even teach him how traffic lights work?! It's obvious!

[Look, Edge totally agrees with her in principle, but --]

Hey, I didn't know how traffic lights worked when I first came here! Why's it a little button anyway?

[The time for subtlety has failed. Judging his moment, Edge casually hip-checks the kid just as he shoots by, sending him stumbling sideways and almost into the light pole. When he gets his balance back, the button is right there -- and with dawning comprehension he swats it! Crisis averted, only at the cost of roughing up a middle schooler!]

[ Hey, if he's looking for someone with no complaint about roughing up middle schoolers, then he's sure found the right person for that. Minako doesn't even really bat an eyelash at it. It's not like it was useless, anyway-- he got the job done! ]

You're from some ancient ninja place though. [ Now she's pouting at Edge a little. (At least it's.. kind of cute?) ] What's the kid's excuse! Traffic lights are totally a normal thing in modern day Japan!

Probably being afraid and nervous. [Okay, now he feels a little bad about bonking the kid, but all for a good cause, right? And look, the light is changing and now they can cross!]

Heh, now I'm imagining a little Minako. Teenyko. I bet you were the cutest kid.

Well, I was definitely never afraid. Or nervous!

[ And also pretty cute, but she'd linger on that compliment longer if she wasn't trying to make a point here. Still, no matter how much she might be arguing the kid they're helping out is a total weenie, she's still dutifully following said kid as he crosses the street. ]

I know that much even without any memories.

I know that too. [Well, okay, he doesn't know it for sure, but he's prepared to believe that about Minako. All her fears are about things other than traffic lights!]

[Speaking of which, that's one more disaster navigated. The school can't be too much farther, right...?]

[ Indeed, the school isn't far away at all anymore! They manage to walk after the child for a little bit without anything special occuring, and then a building that obviously seems like a school appears in the distance. Maybe they can pull off the last part without a hitch!

.. Except for the part that once they're getting closer to the school, there's a bunch of boys standing there on the sidewalk that obviously look like a bunch of bullies. And they're already eyeing the child! ]

Hey, what are they looking at?! [ Yes, she's still ready to fight after those traffic lights. ]

I recognize their sort. [Edge scowls fiercely, hand dropping reflexively to the hilt of his blade. Not that he intends to actually go sword them -- or let Minako beat them up either.] It's too bad they can't see us or you could distract them...

[ Why can't violence just be the easy answer, Edge. :( There's no problem in her life that giving someone a kick in the butt hasn't solved!

.. Okay, maybe there's a few problems. But that's besides the point! ]

Then we'll just have to make something that they can see distract them, right?

[ Not that she has an idea right away when she says it. It just seems like the obvious solution. She tries looking around for something nearby, and then she points at the grass behind the bullies. ]

Oh, look! They have one of those sprinkler systems! [ Totally not considering whether Edge even knows what those are.. Ye Olde Ninja Worlds don't exactly sound like they'd have super modern lawn care. ]

[If only all problems could be kicked in the butt!]

Right! Great idea! What does it sprinkle?

[Rough crash back to reality there, Minako.]

What does it..

[ Minako repeats the first words back at him, staring at Edge like he suddenly grew an extra head on his shoulders. ]

Water! Water, of course! [ It's not a free drinks dispenser, Edge! ] Don't you think they'd be distracted enough if they got all wet all of a sudden?

I thought sprinkles were what came on ice cream. [He muses this to himself for a moment, just one more reminder that the pair of them come from very different places, then shrugs slightly and turns back to business at hand.] Absolutely! You can't menace someone when you're soaked!

[ Right! Getting back to business is the important part! ]

Then all we have to go is get them running somehow..

[ And there's not really any time to sneak into the building and turn them on. Especially without knowing where the control panel or whatever they use for it is. ]

Maybe if we cut the cord leading up to it, the water will have no choice but to come out! [ Ruining property in the process of a mission is a-okay, alright. For the greater good and all that. ]

[Considering he once burned down a warehouse to answer a prayer, yeah, he's good with that.]

This is your specialty! [Well, inasmuch as she understands things like cords and sprinklers and various elements of modern Near Shore life that Edge doesn't get.] I'll keep those brats in position till you get them soaked!

[ Minako grins rather proudly at him saying it's her specialty. Which is slightly more unsettling when you realise she didn't understand the "modern stuff" implication as much as the "general wanton destruction" angle she's reading into it. ]

Alright! I'll give you a sign so you won't get soaked as well.

[ Or.. well.. ]

Er.. Soaked again.

[ He's just started to dry up! ]

[He really needs to keep her away from Saber.]

All right, but don't worry about me! I've already sacrificed once for the cause, I'll do again!

[With a thumbs-up, he parts from her to go... stand in front of the bullies. They can't see him, but some hindbrain instinct tells them he's there, they can't walk forward. Their confusion at the war of instinct and sadism has them pausing, long enough to buy some time.]

[ Thankfully some time is all Minako needs. No way is she going for the way that will damage less, but take more time - they don't have time! This incredibly incompetent kid needs to get to school, and he needs to get there fast.

All she has to do is quickly transform, cast a glance in the direction of the bullies and their surroundings in general for a moment to make sure no one is looking in this direction so they won't see the light show that's about to happen, and then-- ]

Crescent Beam!

[ -- she shoots a beam of light straight at the sprinklers' cord, severing it completely and making water burst out of the sprinklers.

The effect is a little (more than just a little) stronger than intended though, so it really is just completely soaking the bullies. She lets out a gasp when she realises that's where Edge was standing too, so Minako quickly looks over. ]

Edge, are you okay?!

[ She didn't double soak you just now, did she. ]

[Luckily for them both, yelling 'Crescent Beam!' isn't subtle. As soon as he heard that, Edge had bolted for cover, leaving the bullies alone to get soaked to the bone!]

[From his safe spot on the other side of a parked car, he lifts a fist in victory. Their charge, never known how close he came to vicious mocking and lunch money loss, speeds up slightly at the sight of his school. Looks like he's going to make it!]

[ Minako visibly lets out a sigh of relief before she starts smiling too. Looks like she at least did this one right. Especially since the kid is now so close to school - there's no way something else could still pop up in the way to keep him from jogging that last bit, right?

So she takes her eyes off the child for a moment, instead quickly running up to where Edge was taking cover next to the car. ]

We did it, right?

[How much more could there possibly be? Edge straightens up fully, shielding his eyes against the morning sun to monitor his progress.]

I think we did.

[And he can't help but feel a little bit of pride at that, let it slip into his voice. Despite everything they had going for them -- shinki powers and ninja skills and light beams and incredible good looks on both their parts -- this had been a real hassle.]

As if there was ever any doubt!

[ As the pride slips into Edge's voice, Minako starts beaming it as well. A huge smile appears on her face, even though she doesn't feel nearly as confident about this whole deal as he seems. Minako worries about her performance in anything ever, after all, and especially as a shinki.

But Edge seems to have enough faith in her - for whatever reason. And that's enough for her now, making her smile very, very genuine. ]

Because we're a dream team!

[Because she's earned it. That's why he has faith in her. She may not see it or understand it, but she's earned it.]

You bet we are! Lava or middle school, nothing can stand up to us!

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