sirenspull | twenty-third date; [video]

[This is Larry standing at the foot of the stairs of his house, beside the life-size statues of Phoenix and Edgeworth, his two best friends who have long since left the Port (again). His head is bowed and he looks strangely thoughtful. The NV is perched somewhere some distance away so that you can see much of Larry and the statues.]

Well...if there's one thing I'm thankful for, it's my friends. All the friends I've met in the Port, and back home. [He brightens up a little bit.] Like...really, really thankful. I've met a lot of 'em.

[A pause. Larry grips something he wears around his neck - the round orange pendant he had been wearing for several months now.]

That's why...some time ago, I made a wish.

[He cups the gem in his hands, and it morphs into something more ornate and egg-shaped, shining with a dazzling orange light. The light spreads all over his body and he closes his eyes as if asleep as his clothes change - his jacket becomes a tailcoat, his shirt becomes a vest and a cravat (with a small orange gem mounted in the center), his trousers become breeches tucked into boots high as his thighs...and when the transformation is complete, he is clutching a six-foot orange halberd with a mean-looking edge - which he quickly moves away from Phoenix's spiky head.

Suddenly Larry looks a little more confident, even breaking into a confident grin.]

'Bout time I told you guys. I became a Puella Magi to protect my friends, and I kept it a secret 'cause I thought someone might get hurt by a witch or something if they found out. But...I dunno, witches don't seem to do that sort of thing. [He scratches his head with his free hand.] Besides, it was pretty hard to keep this sort of thing under wraps.

I have to fight witches from now on, but I don't mind if it means having the power to protect the people I know!

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You-

[Okay. Okay there are, admittedly, weirder things she's heard of before.]

The... power of ruffles?

[Larry flails and shakes his head. Who is he, Edgeworth?!]

No, no, the transformation thing comes with the Puer Magi package! My real power is creating shields.

[Well you certainly look like him right now?]

So, you signed a contract that would give you the power to create shields. Okay.

What are the terms of this contract? Did you get a lawyer to look it over before you signed anything?

[LARRY IS NOT A STICK IN THE MUD. He is also orange. Not magenta or fuchsia or wine red or whatever.]

It...n-no, it wasn't written! I got the shielding thing when my wish was granted. Then my part of the deal would be gaining Puer Magi powers that would help me fight witches for the rest of my life.

I was on my own when I made the contract. Why're you asking?

Edited 2012-10-09 08:05 (UTC)

Wait. You agreed to a lifelong contract to fight witches-

[She'll leave the absurdity of that statement for the time being because otherwise this will give her a migraine.]

-without even consulting anybody before you agreed? Larry that's- are you crazy?

I had to! [PLEADING, DESPERATE EYES.] I'm sick of not being able to do anything when people I know are in danger! I wanted a better power than just erasing memories, and that was my chance!

It's a noble thought but... do you really think that committing yourself to a life time of this is what any of your friends would want you to do for them? There are other ways of protecting people than this, this is insane!

I...

I-it was the only way I could think of at that time...

[Well she's beginning to understand the old adage now.]

Larry, I understand. Believe me, I know how it feels to watch things happen to people you care about and be completely unable to do anything about it, but recklessly throwing yourself in harm's way instead is just not the way to go about helping anyone.

But I'm prepared! I have powers...and I can now fall off buildings without dying!

What on earth would you be doing where you'd even be in a position to fall off a building?

Well...I can see a lot of things from roofs, which means seeing witches and other kinds of trouble. So I run and jump over them.