2093/Is Ketchup a Tomato Smoothie

Is Ketchup a Tomato Smoothie
Date of Scene:	22 November 2024
Location:	WcDonald's
Synopsis:	Philip and Chiyo go out for a bite to eat. Chiyo drops that she may be getting new powers - Takuto comes by to feed Wako and explain a little... and learns that Philip was Phantom, and other questions and answers are given.
Cast of Characters:	Phantom, Chiyo Sakai, Takuto Tsunashi

---

Phantom has posed:
Sometimes, between school and work, it's hard to catch a moment's break to spend time together - even if both parties are no longer magical. But, it was a rare chance that Philip could ask Chiyo out for a bite to eat. And WcDonald's is the most logical choice, since he's no longer attached to his black card with Obsidian and has to earn an honest living.

Dressed in a punk rock t-shirt, black cargo jeans and sneakers, he holds the door open after arriving to wait for Chiyo to pass through. "After you." he offers with a small smile, a little bend in his head in a bow. "I don't know about you but I'm starving. I think it comes from working on candy all day."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai had been busy, and with the issues from Walpurgisnacht that had occured there had been a fair bit of cleanup around the shop too. At least nothing was seriously damaged in that area of the city. Still, a break sounded great.

When Philip holds the door open for her she ducks through flashing a smile toward him as she passes by. "It certainly does stimulate the appetite!" she agrees with a laugh recalling many days she felt her own stomach grumbling while working on various batches of candy and wagashi.

"I'm glad we're able to relax a little bit today, though." Her gaze skims over toward the menu considering various items. "I wanted to talk to you about some things as it is."

Phantom has posed:
The cleanup was well... it was something Philip felt bad about. If he had his powers, he could have perhaps defended the shop. But at the same time, would he have wanted to defend it. The ideas are conflicting as he shakes his head and moves to follow Chiyo into the restaurant.

"It really does!" he admits about working with the candy building up an appetite. "Though it doesn't show on you!" he quickly adds, so that he's not like... making a suggestion of anything or the like.

"Relaxing is good." Looking over the automated menu board, he puts in for a Third Pounder with cheese combo with a coke. Silly Americans, thinking that a Quarter was more than a Third. "Talking's good. Always willing to listen."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai doesn't order quite as much. Sure she *could* eat quite a bit, but she wasn't quite the endless gut that her cousin was. She just orders a cheeseburger and some fries, along with a Coke. Soda didn't hurt once in awhile.

With the immediate things taken care of she tips her head toward one of the booths in the lobby suggesting it silently. "Let's go sit. Wako-chan and her boys apparently had an idea and talked it out with each other. They brought it up to me after the 'monsoon' the other night when we were all out in it." She'd been at the school at the time, and tried to help keep the other students safe. Much as she could.

Phantom has posed:
Orders placed, Philip pays and pulls the little tab to lead over to a table to sit and wait, his attention turned back to Chiyo when she talks about what she was doing during the monsoon. "Wako?" he asks, a hint of confusion, before he realizes. "Oh yes, one of your roommates that wanted to make sure I was worthy of dating you." He remembers that, giving a little chuckle.

"But I doubt what she was talking about was dating advice this time." Philip points out as he settles back intio his seat. "That's important to you?" he asks her. "I mean, keeping the school and others safe. I remember that when you were well... in our past selves."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"I guess it has been awhile since she's been around. Usually her fiance or boyfriend stop by the shop, not her," Chiyo has to admit with a chuckle at the hesitation in his recollection of her. She leans comfortably against the table with arms folded one on top of the other.

It's the next question that causes her to look a little confused as her eyebrows draw together. "Of course it's important to me. That wasn't a regular storm, that was a Witch. I may not have my powers anymore but I can still help, a bit. Where I can. Naru-chan, Usagi's roommate, also used to help out a lot and she never had powers."

A hand lifts to wave slightly at the topic. "Ah, anyway. They're what are called 'Star Drivers' and work with their cybody counterparts when they fight. Kind of like sentient mechanical beings. I guess they're like the fairies or mascots are for other magic sorts."

Her hand drops back to the table as she grows momentarily thoughtful. "They asked if I wanted to become a Star Driver, too. Apparently there's a way to pass on the 'marks' that let you work with a cybody."

Phantom has posed:
Fiance or boyfriend? Philip looks confused for a moment before it clicks in his head. "Oh!" he exclaims in the realization. "So they buy candy for her. Smart." A firm nod of his head, before he hears the rattle of the tray of their meals being delivered. As the burgers and fries are set, there's a polite smile to the worker. "Thank you."

And then his attention returns to Chiyo. "That makes sense, I mean, you still wanting to help. And I wasn't putting you down for it. I was just curious as to your motivations." he admits to her. He's still a former villain after all, "And I'm glad you were able to help and stay safe." And then Chiyo is guiding them back on task. "Star Drivers... Star Drivers... I've heard that somewhere before. Probably a briefing or something, I don't think I ever came across one in my time as Phantom. But the cybody as a fairy... that makes sense as well. There's always a catalyst to a transformation..." his hand goes down to his left forearm where the Eternal Gauge once sat and rubs at it.

"Becoming one? You? You definetly have the heart for it, Chiyo. Is it something you want to do? Not just, hey I need power to help out my friends. But something you feel that will help the most in your heart of hearts?"

Takuto Tsunashi has posed:
It's like magic, that one of those Star Drivers does show up right then. He doesn't notice Chiyo and Philip yet, since he's ordering like 30 chicken nuggets or something, but it also doesn't take that long for his order to be put together.

Okay maybe a little long, there aren't thirty in there. They tell him to go have a seat, so he turns around, and-- there's Chiyo!! And a truly-red redheaded boy who is Not Him!

Obviously he goes and has a seat at their table, scrunnnnging the chair across the floor and then sitting in it backwards. He's wearing his usual style of slightly-too-small red shirt, jeans, and big white sneakers-- but over it he's wearing a varsity jacket that has STAR*DRIVER embroidered on the back with a star applique in the middle.

"Hi! Wako-chan is hungry. Who's this?" His voice is warm, friendly.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai looks up when the food trays are delivered. Out of habit she automatically thanks the employee before she turns her attention to opening up a few packs of ketchup. The burger was small but she'd gone for a large fry because she was just in the mood for fried potatoes. Who wouldn't be?

"My heart of hearts." That phrase causes a little wistful smile to tease over her lips. "I hadn't thought about it that deeply. Even when I became a Culinary Guardian I didn't get a choice about it. The idea that I get to choose now is definitely new to me, and different."

"But," she adds looking back to Philip. That little gesture of touching his arm where his own impliment of power had once rested didn't go unnoticed. "I do want to be able to fight again, and do more, and they're my friends." Which is to say she trusted them. "... How do YOU feel about it though? I know you worry..." Plus HE didn't have powers right now either.

The little skrreeeeech of the chair that Takuto suddenly pulls over earns a slight jolt breaking her gaze away from Philip to look at the OTHER redhead she was familiar with. "Takuto-kun! Ah, I guess it is snack time for her." A warm grin comes as she imagines he's waiting on a rather large order, knowing her friend. "This is Philip Tom, my boyfriend," she introduces with her hand lifting to gesture between the pair. "And this is Takuto Tsunashi, Wako-chan's boyfriend," she explains for Philip.

Phantom has posed:
"How do I feel about it? If it's what you want, I'm going to be excited for you, of course." Philip offers in response, a smile coming to his features quickly enough. "I know there's a lot of paths you can take though. Precures, of course, there's the... please never accept a wish from Kyubey. But this sounds like another way, I just have no idea how Star-Drivers work." he admits.

There's a pause as the new person joins them, and for a moment, the old shields go up. He doesn't know if Takuto knows their secrets or not, so he offers an up-nod in greetings. "A pleaasure to meet a friend of Chiyo's." he offers with a warm Britsh lit. His hand is offered in greetings.

Takuto Tsunashi has posed:
"Wako-chan's AND Sugata-kun's boyfriend," Takuto says serenely, picking up a couple of Chiyo's unused ketchup packets and opening them to squirt them directly into his mouth.

It's only after swallowing that he gives Philip a jaunty little salute, then takes Philip's hand and shakes it when offered. "Nice to meet you. If you mess with Chiyo's heart she'll fuck you up and then we'll yell at you, in that order. It's not like, a threat, it's just me saying how it would go." He grins toothily, but otherwise doesn't seem like he's posturing or anything.

He licks the torn part of the ketchup packet, then frowns thoughtfully. "Actually, Wako-chan would probably fuck you up too."

Takuto opens another ketchup packet and slurps that one out as well.

"But yeah! A pleasure to meet you too. Are you magic, or should I talk about a videogame Chiyo-chan and I are playing?" he asks cheerfully.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai draws a slow deep breath as the tension she had held inside starts to ease away with Philip's reassurance. It was good to know he wouldn't be upset if she did become magical again. Really she was rather frustrated with the inability to DO much of anything. Even if she could still help it, it was with a huge handicap.

Takuto's correction of her introduction earns a laugh, "Yes sorry, also Sugata-kun's boyfriend." The ketchup packet being slurped is eyed with just a little 'blech' face as she imagines that can't be all that good. Tangy maybe. Did she need to have an intervention with Wako about letting Takuto eat real food? He *was* skinny.

"Oh, right, ummm." Here she pauses flashing Philip a very uncertain look. It was his secret to tell after all even if it was one that 'didn't count' much anymore. All she does is nod toward him to indicate it's okay if he so wishes.

Phantom has posed:
There's a small shiver from the Brit at the ketchup squirting. "I guess it's a bit like a tomato smoothie, eh?" Philip asks curiously, a lift of his brow. "Oh, magic? I know a little of that." He takes one of the ketchup packets, turns it over in his hand a couple of times, and then flicks his wrist. And just like that, the packet is gone. Nothing up his sleeve, and he reaches behind Chiyo's ear and pulls out a red flower and sets it on the table. "Ta-da."

"But to answer your question, Chiyo and I met over ass-kicking - mainly her healing me after getting my ass kicked." he explains. "It was not the first time we met, nor was it the last. But once, not too long ago..."

"I captured Precure's for a living."

Takuto Tsunashi has posed:
"Ohhhh! Sleight of hand, nice..." Takuto says, glancing at Chiyo like what??? WHAT? whaaaat? and then looking back to Philip with a sort of frozen politeness as he goes through the whole ketchup packet vanishing act--

--and then Takuto starts to laugh and relax--

--and then he Captured Precures For A Living and Takuto's left with another packet ripped open, but only halfway to his mouth, as he stares.

Weak laugh.

"Well that's awkward," he says, sounding slightly better. "I guess? Maybe not? Since that's past tense and Chiyo is about to give me a killer look, right, uh. I'm the Ginga Bishounen, a Star Driver." A beat. "So I guess Cure Kinder was you...?"

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai was red faced. She couldn't not be, she was just blushing so very hard she was sure her cheeks would break from that or the smiling as the flower is drawn out earning a laugh.

It was awkward. She knew it would be which is why she decided to let Philip do it himself. The look she sends Takuto isn't chilling so much as almost apologetic for not having explained this whole situation sooner.

"Yes, that was him. He was Phantom, the Precure Hunter, and worked for Mirage and Obsidian." Lightly she clears her throat giving a bit of a helpless, awkward shrug of her own over the whole situation. "He tried to save me in Paris when..." She trails off unable to say it. Instead she opts for, "Things got bad. His powers were taken away shortly after that. That's around the time I learned his identity. Though," she adds giving Philip a look of amusement, "He apparently knew mine before then."

The Star Driver part at least is met with a look of relief. "Takuto is one of the ones I mentioned. I'm still considering the offer," she adds to both.

Phantom has posed:
"Yes. I was responsible for Cure Kinder. And a lot more. And without my powers, I have no way to change them back." A slight pause, and Philip adds, "To clarify, even with my powers, I never had a way to turn them back. One of the Precure teams might have the item they need to fix it, though."

And as Chiyo is all blushingly cute, he reaches over and pats her hand comfortingly for a moment. "When Chiyo nearly died in the sewers, I used my powers to entrapt her and moved her away from the battle. Queen Mirage did not take kindly to me doing that, nor did I know that there would be some mass healing thing at the end of it all with Beryl's death that would restore her."

He shrugs his shoulders. "Knowing the cost, I would still do it. And I'm pretty sure you knew mine by that point as well."

"Ah. I see." comes Philip's response when Chiyo explains further. "Then perhaps Takuto would be able to tell me how dangerous it could be for you to be a Star Driver and what this... cybody is?"

Takuto Tsunashi has posed:
Takuto nods to the further revelations, the explanation, and he slowly eats the last ketchup packet while listening to Chiyo. "I'm glad you're considering it!" he says, bright but firm. "We'd be very happy to have you stand with us."

Then he's earnest; he leans forward a little bit, not so much whispering as building dramatic tension. "They're kind of giant robots, except ancient and wise. They work with drivers who all have marks on their chests corresponding to their cybodies. Mine's named Tauburn. Their fullsize bodies are locked away at home, they can't get out, they're keeping the evil one in check. But we can hear them in our heads, or summon tiny versions of them to help-- except Sugata-kun's cybody is an ultrapowerful complete dick that wants to eat the world, so the tiny version of his cybody is a really small complete dick who wants to eat the world. It's really funny when Sugata-kun uses Samekh as a football..."

And then there's someone at the counter calling out Tsunashi, and Takuto gets up, holding a hand up to the cashier like just a second, and he says to Chiyo and Philip seriously, "It's no more or less dangerous than, I think, any other kind of magical fighting. But I gotta go. If the nuggets are cold when I get back I will get such a sad face. Nice to meet you, Toms-san. See you soon, Chiyo-chan!"

With that, he goes to get his giant order and go out the door. They will see a bright flash like a transformer going on the street, except bluish instead of greenish.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai finds herself grinning both from the sleight of hand, and the flower, and Takuto's assurance of wanting her to fight with them too. The pat to her hand causes her to turn it over to take hold of Philip's with a fond squeeze and she simply holds his hand while Takuto leans in to explain.

It's quite the explanation, too. There's bits there that she hadn't even been made aware of yet. She knew Samekh was a jerk, they all seemed to feel he was. WHY though? That was entirely new information.

By the time Takuto has rushed off to bring Wako her snack of way-too-many-nuggs she's left blinking after him uncertain of what to say. Eyes wide she looks back to Philip.

"... Okay that was a lot I didn't know actually. That'll definitely require some thinking over. Though... Sugata-kun is the one that has Samekh and he's as strong-willed as they come so I guess that's... good?"

Phantom has posed:
Philip squeezes Chiyo's hand when he takes it as Takuto runs down the explanation of everything (mostly) that a Star-Driver is. "So, they only have part of their power here. I wonder if that means you will need to travel to where they are from to get your own mecha gear." he says thoughtfully, liftng her hand to kiss her knuckles before releasing her hand.

"And one that wants to eat the world. But I do have another question. If they are all on the same team, and they are all dating each other..." Philip looks slightly concerned as he watches the flash of light dissapate, lips pressed together in thought.

"...does that mean that you will have to date them all as well if you become part of the team? And I mean, engaged, and youthful at that."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai laughs quickly at the last question only to quickly, very quickly, shake her head. "No! No no, not at all. That isn't part of their powers that's just how things worked out for them. Sugata-kun and Wako-chan have an arranged marriage between their families since they were kids. Takuto-kun showed up later for them both."

When the hand is raised and kissed her expression softens a bit. "Yeah. I probably would have to go there to get the mark though. I'll talk to Wako to get more information. They lived on an island called 'Southern Cross'?" He might have heard of it with all his travels at least.

"I'll make sure to get *all* the information before making a decision," she promises. "For now we should just enjoy some time together."

Phantom has posed:
"I once captured a Precure that went by Southern Cross." Philip muses. "Wonder if she was from there." A brief frown and a sigh. There's nothing he can do about that. "But yeah, make sure you get everything you need to know. This is your choice to make. Don't let it be forced."

With that said, he glances at his finished meal. "I should work this off. Want to go for a walk in the evening light and find a place to you know... kiss for a bit?" he asks with a grin as he gets to his feet and offers his hand to Chiyo.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai quickly grabs a few last bites of her food while Philip talks of the Pretty Cure he'd captured, and other such things. It's only a bit and then she's cleaning herself up with a napkin. Quickly. Because as he asks that last question she can't help but to smile rather knowingly.

"Thought you'd never ask."