Sunday, Tokyo City Japan, Momoko's world
"I totally can't believe she picked today to trade with me." Momoko checked the tire and began writing her ticket.
"What's wrong with today?" Mei-san asked, leaning against the car and swinging her chalk stick. "It's beautiful out."
"I know!" Momoko placed her ticket and moved to the next car, the last on this street. "But it's my birthday today! I was hoping to spend it having fun. This one needs chalking."
Mei stepped forward and marked the tire. "Your birthday? That's great! I can get a few of the others together for later, if you want? How old are you?"
Momoko totally braced herself, grinning slightly. She and Mei-san had a similar personality, at heart, which was why they'd been friends since Momoko's first day. "Twenty!"
"EH?! TWENTY?!?!" And there was squealing and Momoko was caught up in a bouncy hug. "Congratulations! We are totally going out tonight! I know the perfect bar! And it's not even that far from the station! We can go straight there!"
Momoko couldn't help laughing as she hugged back. "I'm working, remember? I traded a double shift in exchange for the one I needed off earlier?" To visit Priestly. Which had gone oh so well.
"Eh? That's terrible! Why did you agree to a deal like that? Was it Jun? She is so unfair!" Mei let go and rolled her eyes as she tapped Momoko's shoulder with her chalk wand. "Whatever. We'll go tomorrow! And you can't back out, okay!"
"It was that important to me," Momoko replied, still smiling as they started back towards their small car to head to the next line-up of illegally parked cars. "At least it was then. Now I'm not so..."
Momoko stopped talking as they finally got close enough to hear the radio. "All officers to report to the Lieutenant on-scene. REPEAT. Giant robot attacking downtown. All officers..."
Mei jumped into the car and started it up. "Come on; let's go."
"Uhm..." Momoko hesitated, clutching her ticket book as she tried to think of a way to not go with Mei-san. "I... I need to go to the bathroom." And change into Blossom!
Mei's look was sympathetic but firm. "You went at the last street. Come on. It's nothing to be afraid of and you'll have to get used to it, you know!"
"I'm not afraid!" Quite the opposite really; Momoko was practically trembling with eagerness. It had been forever since there'd been an attack! "It's just... are you sure we're supposed to go? I'm just an intern, remember. And there's still cars..."
"You're an officer, Akatsutsumi. It's our duty. I thought you were bored? This will be exciting! And the PowerPuff Girls Z will probably be there! Aren't you a fan?"
"Ye-es..." Momoko was struggling to find another excuse to leave Mei. She finally gave up and climbed into the passenger seat; she would try to find a chance to break away when they got there.
And she probably would have, if Mei-san had not grabbed her by the arm as soon as they'd arrived on scene and eagerly dragged her to report in. The lieutenant glanced at his notebook and ordered Mei to a nearby grocery store where reports of looting had been received, then gave Momoko a strong glare.
"This your first monster attack, Akatsutsumi?"
No. "Yes sir." Momoko stood her ground as Mei disappeared to her assignment.
"I've seen your file. Languages. Excellent knowledge of the city." More glaring, but it was now slightly softened. "Normally we'd have an intern sitting back and just watching, but I think I want you out in the hotel district. Keep those tourists safe and, most importantly, away from here. You've had traffic control training, right?"
Momoko nodded, trying to keep her face from reflecting her dislike for the idea. It would be that much harder to find a time and place to transform when she was supposed to be directing traffic and calming upset tourists! "Yes sir, but can't I...?"
He waved a hand, stopping her. "As I said, I've seen your file, Akatsutsumi. Even the notes. Being an otaku is fine, but in your off time, only. Yes, you'll be away from the action, and yes, the PowerPuff Girls Z are on their way, but you have a job to do. You'll be where you're needed the most. Remember that, Officer."
And with that, something in Momoko finally clicked. She pulled herself up and saluted, returning to her traffic car without another word. As she wove through the streets she caught a glance of the attacking robot, towering over the buildings. And flying towards it, she could just make out a bright green streak across the sky... Buttercup.
Momoko stepped on the gas and turned. Away from the giant robot and her teammate. Heading for the first of the major hotels in the area and Officer Akatsutsumi's assigned post for the duration of the battle.
---
"This was the scene downtown today as Buttercup saved the day again by defeating the giant robot. We go now to..."
"Can you turn that off?" It was hours later and a very unhappy Momoko was at the Kissu Kissu milkshake bar, shoving her empty glass at Masaki-kun. "And bring me another." It was past closing time, but Momoko was nowhere near ready to face the world again.
"I think you've had enough, Momo-chan," he replied as he turned his mini-tv off. But still he took the glass and replaced it with another dark chocolate double-raspberry shake.
"It's only been four. I'm nowhere near my limit. Plus it's my birthday." She hugged the milkshake to her, dropping her head to the counter. "How did you deal with it, Masaki-kun? This feeling of total... ugh." she couldn't describe it, except as 'do not want'.
There was some silence, and then, "Momoko. If being a police officer not what you want, you need to get out."
"I know. I've made plans; I just have to hang on until graduation. I thought it was what I wanted, you know? I totally loved the classes I took in high school." She sat up and took a sip of her milkshake. "Back then, every class was one more thing I could learn to be a better hero. To save people. That was always my real goal."
Masaki nodded as he towel-dried a glass. "There's a big difference there, you know. Police protect. They're not heroes. You can spend your entire career as an officer and not save a single person."
"Yeah. It just..." She didn't want to be officer, now, and she knew it. Totally and completely. She'd felt so hollow and empty, not being able to fight. And yet she hadn't been needed to stop the robot. What did that leave? Keeping crazy tourists and their cameras from heading towards the fight and then making sure they were all evacuated when the battle came to them. And feeling like this, after. "I don't like feeling like I don't belong."
"You'll always belong here, Momo-chan. And not just as a customer." Masaki reached out and patted her hand. "Ever tried working at a milkshake bar?" He batted his eyes and dangled the towel at her.
That finally had Momoko laughing and feeling just a bit better. "You totally don't want me on the other side of the counter during open hours, Masaki-kun. But I could use the distraction tonight." She tugged the towel from him and slipped off her barstool. "What should I clean first?"
[Long post is long. But it's also open! For phone calls or for txts! NFB due to distance, of course.]
"What's wrong with today?" Mei-san asked, leaning against the car and swinging her chalk stick. "It's beautiful out."
"I know!" Momoko placed her ticket and moved to the next car, the last on this street. "But it's my birthday today! I was hoping to spend it having fun. This one needs chalking."
Mei stepped forward and marked the tire. "Your birthday? That's great! I can get a few of the others together for later, if you want? How old are you?"
Momoko totally braced herself, grinning slightly. She and Mei-san had a similar personality, at heart, which was why they'd been friends since Momoko's first day. "Twenty!"
"EH?! TWENTY?!?!" And there was squealing and Momoko was caught up in a bouncy hug. "Congratulations! We are totally going out tonight! I know the perfect bar! And it's not even that far from the station! We can go straight there!"
Momoko couldn't help laughing as she hugged back. "I'm working, remember? I traded a double shift in exchange for the one I needed off earlier?" To visit Priestly. Which had gone oh so well.
"Eh? That's terrible! Why did you agree to a deal like that? Was it Jun? She is so unfair!" Mei let go and rolled her eyes as she tapped Momoko's shoulder with her chalk wand. "Whatever. We'll go tomorrow! And you can't back out, okay!"
"It was that important to me," Momoko replied, still smiling as they started back towards their small car to head to the next line-up of illegally parked cars. "At least it was then. Now I'm not so..."
Momoko stopped talking as they finally got close enough to hear the radio. "All officers to report to the Lieutenant on-scene. REPEAT. Giant robot attacking downtown. All officers..."
Mei jumped into the car and started it up. "Come on; let's go."
"Uhm..." Momoko hesitated, clutching her ticket book as she tried to think of a way to not go with Mei-san. "I... I need to go to the bathroom." And change into Blossom!
Mei's look was sympathetic but firm. "You went at the last street. Come on. It's nothing to be afraid of and you'll have to get used to it, you know!"
"I'm not afraid!" Quite the opposite really; Momoko was practically trembling with eagerness. It had been forever since there'd been an attack! "It's just... are you sure we're supposed to go? I'm just an intern, remember. And there's still cars..."
"You're an officer, Akatsutsumi. It's our duty. I thought you were bored? This will be exciting! And the PowerPuff Girls Z will probably be there! Aren't you a fan?"
"Ye-es..." Momoko was struggling to find another excuse to leave Mei. She finally gave up and climbed into the passenger seat; she would try to find a chance to break away when they got there.
And she probably would have, if Mei-san had not grabbed her by the arm as soon as they'd arrived on scene and eagerly dragged her to report in. The lieutenant glanced at his notebook and ordered Mei to a nearby grocery store where reports of looting had been received, then gave Momoko a strong glare.
"This your first monster attack, Akatsutsumi?"
No. "Yes sir." Momoko stood her ground as Mei disappeared to her assignment.
"I've seen your file. Languages. Excellent knowledge of the city." More glaring, but it was now slightly softened. "Normally we'd have an intern sitting back and just watching, but I think I want you out in the hotel district. Keep those tourists safe and, most importantly, away from here. You've had traffic control training, right?"
Momoko nodded, trying to keep her face from reflecting her dislike for the idea. It would be that much harder to find a time and place to transform when she was supposed to be directing traffic and calming upset tourists! "Yes sir, but can't I...?"
He waved a hand, stopping her. "As I said, I've seen your file, Akatsutsumi. Even the notes. Being an otaku is fine, but in your off time, only. Yes, you'll be away from the action, and yes, the PowerPuff Girls Z are on their way, but you have a job to do. You'll be where you're needed the most. Remember that, Officer."
And with that, something in Momoko finally clicked. She pulled herself up and saluted, returning to her traffic car without another word. As she wove through the streets she caught a glance of the attacking robot, towering over the buildings. And flying towards it, she could just make out a bright green streak across the sky... Buttercup.
Momoko stepped on the gas and turned. Away from the giant robot and her teammate. Heading for the first of the major hotels in the area and Officer Akatsutsumi's assigned post for the duration of the battle.
---
"This was the scene downtown today as Buttercup saved the day again by defeating the giant robot. We go now to..."
"Can you turn that off?" It was hours later and a very unhappy Momoko was at the Kissu Kissu milkshake bar, shoving her empty glass at Masaki-kun. "And bring me another." It was past closing time, but Momoko was nowhere near ready to face the world again.
"I think you've had enough, Momo-chan," he replied as he turned his mini-tv off. But still he took the glass and replaced it with another dark chocolate double-raspberry shake.
"It's only been four. I'm nowhere near my limit. Plus it's my birthday." She hugged the milkshake to her, dropping her head to the counter. "How did you deal with it, Masaki-kun? This feeling of total... ugh." she couldn't describe it, except as 'do not want'.
There was some silence, and then, "Momoko. If being a police officer not what you want, you need to get out."
"I know. I've made plans; I just have to hang on until graduation. I thought it was what I wanted, you know? I totally loved the classes I took in high school." She sat up and took a sip of her milkshake. "Back then, every class was one more thing I could learn to be a better hero. To save people. That was always my real goal."
Masaki nodded as he towel-dried a glass. "There's a big difference there, you know. Police protect. They're not heroes. You can spend your entire career as an officer and not save a single person."
"Yeah. It just..." She didn't want to be officer, now, and she knew it. Totally and completely. She'd felt so hollow and empty, not being able to fight. And yet she hadn't been needed to stop the robot. What did that leave? Keeping crazy tourists and their cameras from heading towards the fight and then making sure they were all evacuated when the battle came to them. And feeling like this, after. "I don't like feeling like I don't belong."
"You'll always belong here, Momo-chan. And not just as a customer." Masaki reached out and patted her hand. "Ever tried working at a milkshake bar?" He batted his eyes and dangled the towel at her.
That finally had Momoko laughing and feeling just a bit better. "You totally don't want me on the other side of the counter during open hours, Masaki-kun. But I could use the distraction tonight." She tugged the towel from him and slipped off her barstool. "What should I clean first?"
[Long post is long. But it's also open! For phone calls or for txts! NFB due to distance, of course.]