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The park tended to be Briar’s general go to place - at least when he wasn’t at school or or at the library or down at the pool.

It wasn’t when he was at home either - although that last kind of went without saying.

He had been at the pool earlier and had decided to cut through the park on his way home, but had ended up lingering to buy a cup of hot chocolate and a couple of cookies from the snack stand near the playground and then had ended up going to the playground itself as the weather was still too cold for tree climbing.

Normally he would meet Kirra at the park and by the big tree in particular, however he hadn’t made any plans to meet up with his tree-climbing buddy - for either tree-climbing (because of the aforementioned too cold) or superhero stuff.

The playground was quiet as he pushed opened the gate with his left hand, causing it to creak noisily and Briar left it to clank shut as he made a beeline to the empty swings and sat on the one closest to the left-hand side of the frame and used his feet to idly push too and fro as he sipped on his hot chocolate.

With the snow and slush all but gone Irina was quick to seize the opportunity to dust her bike off in the garage and petal around the neighborhood for awhile, at least until dinner or if it started to get dark; whichever came first.

A lot of her bicycling resulted in aimless wandering through the streets; no real direction in mind as the houses wiped by in streaks of yellow, blue, green, brown and the occasional salmon color when she rode by.

At some point between humming the tune to Genie in a Bottle and Let it Go, Irina had made a series of turns that lead her towards a fairly large park about fifteen to twenty minutes from home. It was as she was riding by that she spotted a familiar red headed boy from with whom she use to go to school with.Briar!. Happy to see someone her own age out and about she turned her handlebars and peddled hard uphill towards the swingset he was playing on.

Briar wasn’t sure how long he had been idly swinging - although it was certainly long enough for him to have half finish the chocolate and start to contemplate perhaps shifting off the swings and over to something else in the playground..

He was still contemplating the 'somewhere else' however which was the only reason why he had yet to move from the position on the swings…

After all it wasn’t every day that he got the park playground pretty much to himself. Although truth be told, a part of it was probably down to the fact that he didn’t have quite so much time now that he was at high school.

Briar swung idly for a few more moments before deciding to head over towards the climbing frame in the centre of the playground, but was distracted as he caught sight of a girl peddling up the slope towards the playground.

He paused, because she looked kind of familiar, although he couldn’t quite place where… Perhaps from school maybe - although not from Azure because that was a boy’s school - which meant maybe Knightside.

When the hill finally plateaued at the top, to a more level ground, she let go of one handle bar and waived. Irina’s attempt to yell ‘hello’, or any variation of the greeting, was thwarted by her inability to properly breath. That is, at least for the next few moments.

It’s not that she was out of shape, for a kid she was pretty athletic for the most part since she loved to be outside, but that hill was one that took it out of her. This time last year Irina could only make it up about three quarters of the way before her momentum was spent and she’d have to walk her bike up the rest of the week. This year, however, a milestone had been reached the first time she made it to the top without stopping.

Finally slowing to a stop once close enough to the playground, Irina swung her leg over the side of her bike while still standing on the other pedal as it rolled forward into a small wooden retaining wall used to keep the bark in the confined area. ”Hi there!” she said, still a little winded, after laying her bike on the ground. “It’s been awhile; how is the new school?” she asked.

While the two never really spoke while attending Knightside, his vibrant red hair kind of made him memorable on the playground.

Briar had waved back slightly in a half wave of acknowledgement because the girl did look familiar, although his mind was still trying to place the from where-

Yes it was Knightside, he remembered seeing her in the playground from time to time and occasionally in the halls between the shuffle between classes..

He thought her name might be Rena...

No - that wasn't quite right and Reens wasn't right either.

She had virtually reached the playground by this time and Briar watched as she let the bike roll forward.

"Hi" he said as she laid the bike down on the ground - and her name finally clicked.

Irina - she was Irina - at least Briar was pretty certain that she was since the name sounded right. "Irina right? And yes it has been a while"

He made her name a question because he wasn't completly sure, but her nodding confirmation was enough to put his mind at ease on that topic. Wrinkling his nose up at her question about his new school "And school's okay, but there's a lot more homework" and he wasn't a great fan of his new uniform…

Although he hadn’t been particularly a fan of the Knightside one either - and Briar knew that there was worse out there - like shorts or the black and purple monstrosity from that new school that his Mum had briefly seemed interested in.

As it happened the two children - make that teenager and pre-teen - were not the only ones at the park…

Although the third came in the form of a small, tabby bobtail cat that was on the fluffy side.

There was little grassy knoll above the playground, which made for a good lookout spot - as well as a nice place to go through the various bits and bobs in his pocket in relative privacy.

It was the latter that Liryn had been doing as he sorted through the small spring that had come from a broken pen, as well as the couple of tiny cogs and some fluff when he had looked out and down at the playground and spotted Briar.

It had been a while since he’d seen the red-haired boy and so what was a mauvian to do but to say hello?

It had necessitated him vanishing the cogs and spring back into his subspace pocket minus the fluff as he still wasn't sure just how it had managed to get in there before making the trip downwards.

Perhaps he should have looked out for a bit longer, because maybe he would have noticed the girl pedaling her way up the hill and towards the playground…

He didn't. Instead he padded downwards before trotting down towards the playground, calling out as he got closer and within earshot "Hey Oort..."

And perhaps Liryn should have used Briar rather than the other's senshi name - but the playground was empty - apart from the red-haired boy –

Or at least it had been when last he checked.

The sound of another's voice had Irina looking around in confusion, leaning over to check beneath the play structure she saw nothing except a cat on the pavement that looked at her with owlish purple eyes. “Huh...I swear i just heard someone yell out the name Oort. New kid in the neighborhood maybe?”

She shrugged then righted herself once more. The name itself was unique enough to be remembered if it was someone from her school, a last name perhaps? Who knew?

Either way she stepped over the threshold onto the bark covered ground and waited patiently for the kitten to approach. Irina crouched down and with her hand stretched out in an attempt to coax it near by making a clicking sound to get its attention. “It’s okay, I won’t won’t hurt you.”

For a moment she turned her head to look back at Briar “Were you scared to go to the new school?” she asked curiously since her time to move on was coming near.

Reddish eyes looked startled at the sound of the nearby voice, but not because he didn't recognise the name - because he did...

Because as it happened Briar knew the name only too well - which was not surprising given that it was his senshi name.

Fortunately Irina hadn't seemed to noticed anything amiss - at least Briar was hoping that she hadn't - because he didn't think that he'd been able to quite hide his initial surprise.

There was a small cat trotting in their direction, although Briar knew that the cat was no ordinary cat - knew that the pale green star on its forehead marked it as a star-cat–

And there was the fact that he recognised this particular star-cat as the one that had helped him with the Nega-Lieutenant that had been picking on Kirra - and who had helped his tree climbing buddy to become Euporie in much the same way that Horatio had helped him become Oort and Tomlin had helped him to become Super Oort.

But Briar also knew that he couldn't tell Irina about star-cats or being Oort or any of the other stuff that went along with it, so whilst he watched Liryn, he resolved to talk to the little star-cat later and shook his head at her question "No but it's really different from Knightside."

And whilst he hadn't been scared, perhaps he had been a little nervous - although it wasn't something that Briar was going to openly admit to - because admitting to being nervous about changing schools wasn't exactly cool.

The puzzled look on Briar's face had been a bit of a surprise, although mayhaps a part of it was down to the fact that he had called out to the other by his senshi name–

But the fact that the red-haired teen hadn't returned his greeting was something that came as more of a surprise to Liryn - because he was pretty sure that the other had heard him - well at least it was right up to the point where he skirted around the roundabout and realised that Briar wasn't alone in the playground…

Which was just as well because he had been planning to call out to the other again just on the off chance that he hadn't heard him earlier.

Instead he mewed at the girl next to Briar and padded closer to her - because whilst he knew better than to reveal that he could talk to those not powered and therefore not involved in the war, Liryn wasn't one to turn down what looked to be an offer of free scritches.

“Hii there!” Careful not to scare the feline away, Irina waited until it had smelled her first before petting its soft fur. “Such a pretty kitty.” She cooed while scratching behind the mauvian’s ear and beneath its chin.

“Aww, that’s so mean.” She commented to no one specifically upon noticing the thing on the cat’s forehead. A deep frown pulled the corners of her lips in a most displeased expression. “Someone kid put one of those gem stickers on it’s head…” The young girl reached out, brushing her index finger against the star shape seemingly stuck to the mauvian’s fur.

Liryn purred at the girl as she offered out her hand, because he wasn't above playing cat-cat in order to get what he wanted - in this case scritches - and she seemed all too happy to offer them.

It was as she was scratching beneath his chin that he felt it - the fleeting sense of something, that was barely more than a flicker.

He had already decided that he was going to take a chance on it as she reached out to brush a finger against the jade on his forehead, his purplish eyes cheerful as he told her "Actually I was born with it" and whilst Liryn wasn't really sure whether that was the case, the start had certainly been there when he had awakened to himself and what he was.

And then to make no mistake, he looked behind at Briar as he added "Oort who's your friend?"

Briar had been relieved that Liryn had seemed happy enough to pretend that he was an ordinary cat - the small cat seemingly more interested in trying to get strokes from Irina than anything else - at least right up until the point where she had noticed the star on the small star cat's forehead with a frown.

A part of him was worried that she would try to pull it off and was thinking that he would have to stop her if she did…

Because whilst Briar didn't know what attempting to pull off the star would do - he had a feeling that it wouldn't be anything good…

But then Liryn picked that point to start speaking again - and it was clear that the small tabby bobtail was addressing him by the way that purplish eyes turned to look at him as he once again called him Oort.

“AGAH!” Irina was quick to her feet and even quicker to fall back on her butt as she scooted away from the little tabby. Shuffling sawdust away in her hasted flee.

“YOU SPOKE!” Shock filled eyes turned upward towards Briar “IT SPOKE!” Again she looked back at the cat, noting the collar like thing around its neck and almost had to wonder if this was some sort of prank. The cat’s mouth definitely moved but… oh… he didn’t… did he?

Irina finally stood up, brushing the chips from her hands and backside. “This is like that dog on the X-factor or got talent show right? Like that guy with the dog that could talk and sing? You’re learning ventriloquism aren’t you?” That had to be it! Right?

Briar couldn't help but wrinkle his nose slightly as his reddish eyes blinked at Irina - because it seemed obvious that Liryn had spoken - well at least obvious to Briar.

"No I'm not" he said, because it probably wasn't any point in trying to keep pretending if Liryn was going to keep speaking.

Although he couldn't help his voice being a little huffy as he added pointedly. "And he's not an it - he's..."

But Liryn started speaking again before he could say anything further, the other's cheerful voice cutting him off.

"Actually my name's Liryn" Liryn told the girl as he gave her a feline smile "And if you want to be specific, I'm a mauvian rather than an it - and I rather suspect that you have the potential to be a senshi like Oort - or as you know him - Briar."

Reddish eyes couldn't help but look a little startled as Briar turned to look at Liryn at the small star cat's pronouncement.

Irina? A senshi?

Before Irina had a chance to point out that she wasn't about to pick him up and check what gender he was, she crossed her arms over her chest in a huff.

Lips pursed, she raised a brow at the mauvian. “ok, I'll bite… What's a senshi?”

"I guess the best place to start is with the fact that magic is very real" Liryn said. "And a senshi is someone with the ability to do magic."

He continued "The word itself means guardian or fighter, although senshi are more than just mere fighters" it was something that Liryn felt quite strongly about, because there were those amongst his fellow mauvians that did see senshi as just fighters, and whilst it was true that senshi were strong - they were also people.

"Basically senshi are superheros" Briar said "Complete with secret identities and we have to protect people from the monsters and from people who can do the creepy hand trick." He thought about it and then added "And the people with the creepy holes."

He continued "But there's neat parts too - like being able to go to space" he hesitated for a moment before admitting "Although I haven't been to my homeworld yet."

Liryn found himself blinking at Oort for a moment, as a part of him couldn't help but wonder just what the cat that had done the red-haired boy's awakening had told him.

While the two talked Irina nodded her head as if she were following along but in truth they were talking circles around her like ring-around-the-rosie. “So.. what you’re telling me is that we’re like the power rangers?” Bad analogy but that’s the only thing that came to mind because of all the commercials on TV for their new movie.

“And your identity is Oort. Did you pick that name or did someone give it to you?” She paused thinking about what she had just asked “I don’t mean to be rude, I really don’t. It’s just- not a name I would have ever heard of before or thought of.” Then again Marvel superheroes weren’t much better in the name department either; X-men however were kinda cool.

Briar thought about it for a moment "Actually I've always thought it more like the Incredibles" he admitted, his reddish eyes serious - although that could have been because he personally wasn't really a Power Rangers fan.

He looked at Liryn as he continued "The Power Rangers are a group of people who are superheroes - just like the Incredibles is a family of superheroes - but the Incredibles are cooler than the Power Rangers."

Although that was perhaps a matter of opinion.

"And yes Oort is my senshi name - it's an asteroid apparently." Briar had looked it up back when he had started reading the senshi primer.

"I guess you could liken being a senshi to being a kind of superhero" Liryn admitted, although his purplish eyes were still a little worried as he stared at Briar. "Especially powering up does makes you stronger and faster - although there's a bit more to it than that and senshi names are either star or asteroid names."

He continued "So Briar is Oort - but there is also an asteroid called Oort - and there is a senshi called Polaris - which in that case is a star."

A brief pause and then he added "But whilst I and other mauvians can work out senshi names - the name itself is actually linked to the magic."

Or at least that was the theory that Liryn had come up with.

"By the way feel free to keep asking me questions" because Liryn honestly didn't mind being asked questions - and whilst he couldn't promise that he would know all the answers, he certainly didn't mind doing a bit of digging in the name of finding out.

The girl seemed to be eyeing him warily but the fact she wasn’t back peddling away left enough room to assume that she was warming up to the idea of a talking cat. Oh there were questions on her mind but she’d ask them later.

Briar had been listening to Liryn's explanation, because it wasn't something that Horatio had told him - although it wasn't as if Horatio had really told him much of anything outside of the whole monster stuff.

Although maybe it was something he could talk to Tomlin about when he saw the ginger star cat next.

He looked back over at Irina "If you want to see what a senshi looks like then I supposed I could show you - but you have to promise to keep it a secret."

Because whilst it wasn't something he would generally do because of the whole keeping it secret thing, Irina already knew that he was a senshi and Liryn said that she was one too.

Or at least as far as Briar was concerned, the small star cat had said close enough...

And it also helped that the park was seemed quiet and that he couldn't see anyone else around.

“I promise.” Irina held her pinky out to Briar. Not that her sister, or anyone for that matter, would believe her anyway. Nonetheless, if there was one takeaway she learned from those Saturday morning cartoons it was the importance of keeping identities a secret otherwise people get caught and bad things can happen.

It had been kind of a while since Briar had done a pinky promise with anyone - in fact the last pinky promise he'd made had been the one with Kirra back when he had told her that he wasn't going to be going back to Meadowview - because pinky promises were kind of a kid thing and he wasn't a little kid anymore–

But even he knew that pinky promises were serious - because everyone knew that pinky promises were serious - well at least the ones not hiding under rocks or things.

So Briar held up his own pinky and hooked it through Irina's as he said solemnly "I, Briar Mackenzie, promise to show Irina what I look like as a senshi as long as she promises to keep it a secret."

It would have been very hard to miss the suspicious glances that the girl was shooting his way, but Liryn was taking it as a good sign that she wasn't running away.

And whilst he still couldn't help but think that he and Briar needed to have a long discussion at some point, the red-haired boy was helping in his way.

Purplish eyes watched in interest as the two of them linked their little fingers, as Liryn resolved to make sure that he kept an eye out for any stray auras - just in case.

“I, Irina Marin,” she began as he did. “Promise not to tell a single soul Briar’s identity so long as he shows me what he looks like.”

Sure she believed in magic, that’s why magicians existed. But what he, and Liryn, were talking about was something completely different. Something that only seeing first hand could make her believe because, for all intents and purposes, she still felt like she was being mocked in some way. That perhaps there was a third person hiding behind a tree making it seem like the cat was talking. However she was still stumped on how they would have got its lips to move…

Either way, the prospect of actually having magic was the hook that caught her attention and reeled in her curiosity. She not only wanted to know if what he said was true, but to a degree she needed to know.

Briar had listened as Irina had spoken up in turn, his reddish eyes serious as she promised to keep his secret and then when she had finished speaking he had moved to shake their interlinked little fingers in order to seal the deal that the two of them had made.

And then because a promise was a promise, Briar had wandered over to where he had left his rucksack and had rummaged in it for his henshin pen, before holding the star-topped item in grey and green out for a moment so that Irina could get a better look at it.

"This is what lets me to go into senshi mode" he said by way of explanation, before holding it up and calling out "Oort Asteroid Power, Make-Up!"

And whilst powering up was something that was now normal to Briar, the key and key hole shaped lights that covered him up was something that may have looked very strange to Irina.

And when they finally faded away the boy standing in front of her would look very different.

Whilst Liryn had been expecting the flare of aura, the strength of the aura was something that had come as a surprise - because the other had been a chibi basic when his path had crossed that of Oort's last–

And whilst the aura in front of him was still that of a chibi, it was also very much that of a Super senshi.

"Oort you got stronger" he said cheerfully with a wide cat-grin, because he was happy for the red-haired boy "Congratulations."

Irina stood there a bit shocked. On one hand she felt somewhat embarrassed having stared the way she did when the lights illuminated his form in a series of keyhole shapes, but on the other hand she honestly couldn’t force herself to look away.

“That is so COOL!” she finally bursted out after a few moments of stunned silence. Her attention then turned to Liryn. “Is that what I’ll look like too ?” Irina asked enthusiastically. “And what do you mean he got stronger? How can you tell?”

“What was it like to change?” Her attention snapped back to Briar… Oort she mentally corrected herself. The floodgate of questions had been opened and from her poured a plethora of queries that only stopped long enough for her to take a breath so they could get a word in edge wise.

"Well I can't say that you would look exactly like that" Liryn said "Because each senshi is different - but all senshi have outfits that look different to their un-powered clothes."

Well at least Liryn was guessing that they did.

He added cheerfully "And I could tell that Oort has gotten stronger because his aura has gotten stronger from when I saw him last."

He continued "All powered things give off an aura of some sort, even I give off one, and so it is a good way to sense other powered things - but senshi can only do it when they are powered up."

Oort gave Irina a small smile - because it was cool being able to go into superhero mode.
"It was very sparkly and there was lots and lots of light" he admitted "Kind of like there is now - although you kind of get used to it."

Well at least Briar - or Oort as he was now - had gotten used to it.

"But it doesn't stop it from being any less neat."

“Hmm. I don’t sense anything. He- You feel normal to me.” Irina’s face contorted into a confused expression as she circled Oort taking note of the different aspects of his outfit. “What’s your superpower? Can you fly?” A bit cliche to ask but it was the first ability that came to mind.

Liryn had actually kind of mentioned it before, but Oort figured that maybe Irina hadn't heard him and so he said seriously "That's because it only works when you're in superhero mode."

He shook his head at her follow up question about whether he was able to fly "No but I can run faster" adding "And my magic's a little key really - but I can use it to make people stronger for a little bit - although sometimes it makes them faster instead."

He turned his gaze to glance over at Liryn "And the star cats can shoot lasers - but it kind of poops them out after."

"Just as the outfit differs from senshi to senshi, so does the magic" Liryn explained "Although it broadly seems to fall into 3 categories - attack, defend or support."

He looked over at Oort "Oort's magic in this case is of the supportive type" and then nodded as he added "And the kitty beam's a kind of last resort thing - although it's not the only trick that I have up my paws."

“Oh?” Curiosity piqued once more. “What else can you do. Other than talk of course?”

Irina finally took a step back away from the two to give them both some breathing room. Her excitement only barely tempered while her curious mind wanted to know more.

"Well I can show you the other form" Liryn said, "Although not for long" because whilst the cat-human form came with hands and by extension opposable thumbs, his aura became a lot more noticeable in the other form.

Much, more noticeable.

But it had worked out okay when he had shown Goretti and he wasn't picking up on any other auras so perhaps he could make a second exception…

And it would only be for a little while, so what would be the harm?

Reddish eyes turned to look at Liryn "Other form?" And his voice reflected his curiosity because whilst Oort had heard of and seen the kitty beam in action, he'd never come across star cats having another form.

"Like a superhero mode of your own?" Although Oort wasn't quite sure how that would work given that star cats didn't really need to go into superhero mode.

Liryn laughed in amusement "Not quite - but it's probably better to just show you."

And so he did, a shower of jade green sparks covering the cat as he shifted and then the small cat gone only to be replaced by a young man with jade green hair, tabby grey-ears, tail and the same cheerful purplish eyes..

“WHAT!?!” Irina’s eyes grew to the size of saucers where the whites could be seen around her irises “No way!” She looked to Oort then back to Liryn then back to Oort again.

‘Mind blown’ was the term she had heard used before when something amazing happened and while Briar changing his clothes was cool and all. LIRYN WAS A CAT BOY like the characters she doodled in her notebook when she should be listening in class! What was more awesome than that? Not to mention his outfit, complete with star decorations, now that was pretty or handsome, whatever; she hoped her outfit looked like that!

The most curious part though was that while he appeared human like, he still had cat features as well; the most prominent one being the ears perked atop his head; and oh man did she want to touch them. “Do you have human ears too under your hair? Or just your kitty ones?”

“Oort! This is amazing!” and for a moment she felt like the young child on the trike at the end of the movie Incredibles, and yes she fought the urge to belt out “That was totally wicked!” just as he did.

Whilst Oort heard Irina's words he was too busy looking at Liryn with wide eyes to comment, or rather the man with jade green hair that was standing where the cat had previously been.

Because whilst he hadn't known what to expect at Liryn's talk of the other form, he had honestly not been expecting this.

Because the aura was huge and one of the biggest auras that he had ever felt–

And Oort had found himself listening in interest as Irina asked the cat - well make that cat man - more questions because he was curious about the answers too.

And maybe, just maybe, he was curious about whether Tomlin could do it too.

Liryn laughed cheerfully "Nope - just cat ears" he told Irina with a bright-eyed wink. "But having hands really comes in handy."

He continued "Although I should probably shift back because my aura is a lot more noticeable when I'm like this" and he didn't want to attract any unwelcome attention and then maybe he could see if Irina was interested in trying to act on the potential that he had sensed..

Unbeknownst to the mauvian however, the flare of auras had attracted something - a something that even now lumbered towards the playground on clawed appendages–

And whilst truth be told it had already been attracted by the earlier flare of the super senshi’s aura, this new aura was a lot bigger than the first and promised lots and lots of its favourite thing...

Promised lots and lots of energy.

Meanwhile Irina simply gawked at the two. This just turned into the best day ever! “What do I need to do to be like you guys?” Already her mind was going a hundred miles a minute thinking about all the super power abilities that would be totally amazing to have. Flying, why cliche, would still be awesome and was high up on her list.

The excitement she felt was not to be contained within her small body as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. If gravity wasn’t a thing she’d be to the moon by now.

"Well in order to power up like Oort you need something called a henshin pen" Liryn told Irina.

He had waited until he had shifted back into the cat-cat form before answering the question - in part because four paws would be a little easier for the next part and in part because he was aware that he couldn't stay in the cat-human form for tooo long given that it made his aura exponentially bigger.

He followed up the words by launching himself in a movement that bore a startling ressemblance to a backflip - although that might have had something to do with the fact that it really was a backflip–

And there was a clatter as something - no make that couple of somethings - fell to the playground tarmac with a clatter as tabby paws hit ground.

He picked up the closest item that seemed to resemble an oversized pen and padded over to lay it carefully down at Irina’s feet before adding "Would you mind holding this up and calling out Transylvania Power, Make-Up with as much feeling as you can muster."

Oort watched as Liryn shrank back into the - to him - familiar form of a small tabby bobtail cat as he made a mental note that he was definitely was going to ask Tomlin if he could do something similar.

It wasn’t the first time that he had seen a henshin being produced because, whilst he hadn’t been there to see Liryn do it for Euporie, he had watched Horatio do something similar the first and (as it turned out) last meeting.

Unfortunately for Liryn his use of the cat-human form had already attracted too much of the wrong sort of attention and whilst the large flare of aura had faded out when he had shifted back to cat-cat form, it was far to late to dissuade the thing that was approaching.

“Transylvania?” There was a confused question carried in her tone as she lifted the pen and looked at it critically. Like where Dracula is from? Irina wondered with a shrug. She had already come this far, may as well humor them and see what kind of powers came with a name like this one.

"Transylvania? As in Dracula" Oort couldn't help but look at Liryn for a moment as Irina picked up the henshin pen with a shrug and held it up high.

“Transylvania Power, Make-Up!” In the moments that followed she too was covered in a light but unlike Oort who had keyholes appear she had small paper like flecks floating around her. When finally she felt the magic from the transformation subside the Chibi Senshi opened her eyes and looked down. Whhaaa?? I get puffy shorts? Now that’s uncool and a bit embarrassing. As a preteen girl that did a lot of bike riding you can bet she cared that her butt looked like chipmunk cheeks. “Definitely unfair” She pursed her lips almost teasingly as she looked at Oort’s more normal looking shorts.

It was then though that she took notice of this ‘aura’ thing they were talking about. “Ah ha! I see, I get it now. What you meant about sensing each other's powers.” Fascinating! “Now what?”

Liryn was busy didn't immediately answer either Irina's half query or Oort's question, although the way he was fiddling with the second item from before - which on closer glance would appear to resemble a smartphone of sorts - may have had something to do with it.

He looked up cheerfully from his fiddling as Irina transformed and felt the warm aura of a chibi bloom into life.

"No Transylvania as in Garlic" he said with a wink, before reaching down to pick up the phone in his mouth and pad over to carefully lay it down at the newly awakened chibi senshi's feet.

Garlic? Irina mused, That explains the shorts and design on my shoes. The little patterns looked like a clove of garlic had been cut in half and glued on them. At least I don’t smell like the herb.

"This is your..." he started, before his voice trailed off as he picked up on a third aura. Unlike the auras of the two chibis however, there was no warmth to this new aura - only the cool, chill of chaos.

Oort frowned as he picked up on the new aura, noticing that Liryn seemed to have noticed it too "Do you feel that?" He asked Irina.

No not Irina - because she was Transylvania now - just as he was Oort when he was like this.

Liryn looked up at them "Oort is talking about the fact that it looks like we are going to have company of the youma variety" he explained, adding "If you concentrate you'll be able to feel it too - it's the aura that feels chaotic and wrong."

And whilst he hadn’t expected a youma so soon, he had every faith in the two senshi in front of him - well that and he was fully intending to lend a paw to help - well make that all four paws.

He patted a garlic clove decorated shoe as he added "By the way you can do magic when you are powered up and for yours I would try calling out 'Garlic Clove Rapid-shot'" and whilst it would be for Transylvania to find out what it did - the words in themselves seemed right to Liryn.

The youma slunk closer to the sources of energy and they were close - very close. Yellowish eyes narrowed in excitement because it could feel how very close they were as a fanged mouth opened in a snarl as it broke into a run.

A rush of goosebumps rushed up Transylvania’s arms. “I don’t like this feeling” Just as Liryn described, the approaching aura felt so incredibly wrong. Where the little tabby’s was like a sweet piece of candy this ‘youma’ thing he said was coming was more like gooey smelly fresh asphalt; disgusting in its own right.

The motions felt like second nature as she took a step back, a wary look on her face as she glanced between the two, and summoned her attack. “Garlic Clove… Rapid-shot” Transylvania called out the moment the creature came into view. Above her hand a bulb of garlic appeared and almost immediately the skin began to peel away leaving her with a handful of cloves.

Snarling as it got closer, the younger senshi preemptively released her attack in the beast's direction only to watch in horror when the pellets exploded only a few feet away, completely wasting her first attack. “What just happened?!?!”

Oort heard the snarl first before he spotted the youma, the thing resembling a dog - at least as far as size went - as clawed paws dragged their way through the ground.

Shape-wise it made him think more of a bear however - albeit one with razor sharp looking fangs poking out of a short snout - which seemed to mirror the claws in sharpness.

He heard Irina calling out something, although he kept his eye on the thing dog-thing stalking its way towards them…

Something launched its way towards the youma-bear thing, Oort belated realising that it was garlic as they exploded - although it hadn’t been close enough to actually do anything to the youma.