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Jennie lied to her mother -- because approaching the creature was not, in any way, safe. The youma had terrorized its way down her block, setting neighboring dogs to barking and harassing a half-dozen patrons who'd run screaming down alleyways. It had knocked over a post box, left angry grooves down the side of someone's Camry, spittle flying off its fangs as it snarled --

And it was headed right toward Jennie, now that she'd confronted it, orange eyes settled challengingly on her face.

"Daring, but unwise." The voice came panting, halting, from the corner of her porch's railing, where a rather large golden cat perched. Lee's hackles were up, fur exploded outward to make her about twice her usual size, tail turned into a giant pipecleaner.

"I'm telling you to run, now. Run. Around back. Your obedience will be rewarded." It was too public here. Lee didn't wait for argument. She just took off at a bounding, easy, effortless run.

Laoise might have been a guardian cat, but she was still most certainly a cat. In the time it took Jennie to round the corner and catch up with her, she'd managed to get ahead, to set herself up tidily on a door stoop, tail wound around her feet. Bright eyes flashed past the girl to the alley's entranceway and --

Well. They didn't have long, now.

"I'm giving you a gift. I want to make sure you know that, because if you whine or throw any hissy fits at me because of it, I simply won't tolerate it." Old annoyance crept through in her voice as she unwound her tail to reveal a henshin pen on the ground in front of her.

"If you accept that, take this. If you don't, go die."

It was strange, perhaps, to watch a cat work her mouth -- to watch her chew on words, consider the pronunciation, rehearse something in her mind before she spoke. Most cats had a spark of intelligence in their eyes, perhaps, but not like this. Cats plotted. They didn't think.

But Laoise did. She straightened, at last, getting the words out just as the beast started to poke its nose around the corner to sniff them out.

"Penthesilea Power Make Up." She said it in a very matter of fact way, not stumbling on the name in the slightest. The girl could choose to add drama, if she wanted.

Could a cat shrug? Laoise tried anyway, a rippling roll of one shoulder that lifted her out of her sitting position to stand, tail swiping up as she did. If the thing kept coming at her, she wanted to be able to run. After all, she was a one-hit wonder; her only defense was, essentially, that self-destruct button.

Unconscious, she couldn't help herself, let alone anyone else.

"So fight back, don't just whine about it." Her tone was annoyed, but that was hardly new. Laoise just sounded like that. "You promised me no whining. Kick it again."

"It's that or lie down at its feet to die." It seemed Laoise couldn't help but bite -- even when her expression took on an approving edge, even when she approved of a Senshi. For once. For once she had one with spirit, who actually put a little effort into things. And knew how to do it.

"I suggest fighting, though." Her tail twitched. Maybe the girl wouldn't even need to use her powers. "Try pulling on its tail."

"There seems to be an inexhaustible supply." It still held a note of that sarcasm, Laoise settled off to the side -- not helping in the slightest. But then, what could a house cat do against a tiger, a lion, a beast twice her size? She shook her head a little.

"Try this: hands in front of you, say "Penthesilea Call to Arms"." It came with a slow sigh, a twitch of her tail. Maybe she should have waited longer. They'd find out soon.

"Hrrm." It was as close as Laoise came to agreeing, watching the pile of dust for a long moment like she expected it to get up again, and come at them with renewed vigor. Then her attention slipped away, out toward the street, ears flicking as she listened for more creatures.

"I think that is it, for tonight." She tipped her head, paws settling close together, and then turned yellow-green eyes back on Penthesilea. "You get the idea, I think..."