Harumi laid in her new soft bed, out of costume since the first time she got to the Femme Flat, her baggy ninja robes traded for a baby blue nightgown as she cuddled her pillow. It was softer than the bed she had at home and for a while Harumi thought about her family and how happy they were for her; when she was selected out of all the applicant to be Lasso Lass' replacement in the Femme Fivesome. out of almost 20 girls she got chosen.
Actually sitting down with the girls and talking to them was interesting, getting to know them as people, the first time she saw one of the girls out of costume was an uneventful morning just after breakfast where Harumi had entered the rec room to see Nicole on the sofa wearing a T-shirt and pajama bottoms, watching TV, a paper plate of small buns beside her, they had a cinnamon scent, covered with glaze and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Harumi asked for permission to sit, still being new as the bear simply nodded, making way for the Panda to sit as she plopped down beside her. the two girls talked about the show they were watching; some cartoon about pirates with a few songs sprinkled in. Nicole simply held up the plate offering to Harumi who simply took a single, placing it in her mouth. the taste was a bit funny but nothing worth noting.
the two were interrupted by the two twins flying through the air in pink pajamas, at the sounds of cartoons as Danni noticed the plate, asking Nicole to pass over her warm buns, Sammi simply giggling at the way her older sister phrased the question. Nicole handed the plate in front of the twins, each taking a bun, biting into it as powdered sugar and glaze dripped down their chins, both letting out a murr of deliciousness.
Harumi got up, brushing her chin, claiming she was going to head to the kitchen to get some juice, getting up the sofa as the twins took her spot, cuddling up with each other, watching the cartoon. The Red Panda made her way to the kitchen, opening the fridge. most of the food was in plastic containers with names on it but she found the carton of orange juice pulling it out. Upon reached for a cup Harumi began pouring the orange liquid, stopping as the glass was full and screwing the cap back up before setting it back in the fridge.
"I smell Nikki's Buns" Zoey interjected, appearing behind Harumi, wearing only an undershirt and dark purple underwear. the cat reached for a bowl of fruit on the kitchen table, picking up an apple as she bit into it. Harumi simply gestured to Zoey, hinting to her attire without calling it out.
The cat got the hint, explaining she just woke up, and probably should get dressed, she walked around the corner vanishing the second she was out of sight; Harumi simply took a sip of the glass of juice. After Breakfast and morning showers the group eventually got dressed in their costumes. Nicole looked at Harumi asking her if she was ready to face the press as they would announcing Scarlet Shinobi as the new Femme Fivesome member at the interview. Harumi simply tugged the sleeve of her robes nervously.
A big part of being a high rank hero was the ability to navigate the press and the fact that she was replacing Lasso Lass, a founding member was equally unsettling. The Red Panda simply downed a second glass juice, checking the clock on the kitchen wall, there was still a few hours before this afternoon's press conference as Harumi finished her juice, washing the taste of bun away her throat as Nicole walked up sitting beside her.
"Nervous about the conference?" Nicole asked, pulling up a seat beside her, placing her helmet on the table as Harumi moved it a bit before lifting it, holding the attire in her hand, commenting on how light it actually was, handing it back to Nicole as she chuckled admitting the metal on her armor was deceptively lighter than expected.
"You should have seen the original suit, THAT was heavy Still, it gets hot and sweaty under that helmet" Nicole added as as Harumi nodded, wearing a hood and full face she also knew the hardships as covering the head and face as Nicole looked at her.
"Hey, crazy idea but how about we do some patrolling after the conference, just you and me; real good bonding exercise" Nicole suggested as Harumi was shocked by the suggestion, despite expecting it; patrolling with Shieldmaiden, the leader of The Femme Fivesome.
Eventually said press conference would occur as Harumi was in full costume getting herself ready, there was a table set up outside the Flat where she and the other girls would be answering questions from the press. The Red Panda simply prepared questions for the most basic questions she expected to be asked.
Nicole stood beside Harumi, clear she had faith in the girl, recounting her first time facing the press and how it helps to remain calm as Harumi simply took a deep breath, watching Nicole put her metal helmet on, The Twins also slapped their visors on as Zoey pressed her metallic eye mask to her face as they were ready to face the Press "Remember: Hero names only".
The Five girls sat at a long table, each spot adorned with a card with their hero name written down as Harumi sat down composing herself, glad that her face was covered in cloth, preventing anyone from seeing how flustered she really was. Shieldmaiden was the first to speak, thanking everyone from coming; her tone more stoic than the voice Harumi heard at the Flat, the voice reminded her of Shieldmaiden's reputation as a superhero.
Harumi sat there until eventually she was called on. the voice belonged to a woman in her mid-twenties, asking about what kind of experience Scarlet Shinobi has a hero and if she felt she was suitable replacement for Lasso Lass. The Red Panda caught her breath.
"Well, I have been making a name, stopping small encounters, a few muggings, a carjacking, though most of my deeds are reporting crimes, one of the benefits of being on a team. obviously, the Femme Fivesome see me as a suitable replacement given that they chose me as the new member, and I hope to live up to the standard that Lasso Lass set." Harumi answered as she listened to the crowd mummer and hear the sound of pencils scrawling on notebooks.
The Next question was for Shieldmaiden, asking why she and Femme Fivesome chose Scarlet Shinobi of all the applicants to be the new member. The Bear stood confident, mentioning that she was confident in her skills and that Femme Foursome was lacking a stealth and reconnaissance hero.
Harumi nodded at her leader's answers as the questions continued, the next reporter looked her, asking if Scarlet Shinobi had any experience with costumed villains, considering the Femme Fivesome occasionally fight other costumed youngster as she nodded her head. "I have experience with hand-to-hand combat, but I've never gone up against anyone with powers".
The reporters again wrote into their pads as they went on for about an hour, asking questions which the girls would answer. Zoey simply took a sip of water after finishing. Eventually a good hour passed as the girls were wrapping up their question, ending the interview as Shieldmaiden was the one to end them, telling the Press that was all the time they got and thanked them for coming up.
After the meeting concluded, The Zipper disappeared in a purple portal and the Twins shot up into the sky, flying off. Shieldmaiden gestured for scarlet shinobi to follow her as she did do. once the two were out of sight they headed back into the Flat, walking through the building as the bear led them to the garage.
"Behold, the Femmebuggy" Nicole called out, holding her arm out toward the pink two-seater dune buggy before them, the 'Femme Fivesome' logo on the hood. Nicole told her she and Lasso Lass used to do patrols together as the twins always patrol as a duo and Zoey preferred to do her work solo.
Harumi tried her best to contain the shrill eek coming her mouth, looking at the Buggy up close, feeling surreal as she walked towards the buggy touching it with her paw tips as Nicole dangled a key in front of Harumi, snatching it before she could grab it.
"You really thought I'd let you drive, on first patrol, take the passenger seat" Nicole replied, wishing she could have seen the look on Harumi's face as she watched the panda, sit herself in the comfy pink cushion. Nicole sat beside her, asking how it was as the Panda felt comfortable as Nicole added, the seats were heated and vibrate.
Harumi noticed the button for the heat setting, turning it on, still in disbelief she was sitting where Lasso Lass had previously sat before her. Nicole started the Buggy's engine as the vehicle left the garage.
"So, how do you do patrols, just sit back and wait for something to happen" Harumi asked, making a mental note of how boring her patrols really were; most nights being uneventful. On top of this she was not used to patrolling at day, preferring the dark.
Nicole explained that sometime that was the case, but they also had a radio system connected to the town's mayor and police chief to give them assignments, pointing to a small black box on the buggy with two lights, a red and blue bulb as it began buzzing. "Well, what do you know".
The blue light lit up as Nicle told Harumi that was for the Police chief as she flicked a switch, speaking in her hero voice, letting the chief know she was reading them.
"Come in Shieldmaiden, we just received knowledge of Blue Nevada acting up at the park, some hooliganism. we would really apricate it if you could come and put some sense into them" The chief said as Shieldmaiden said she would be there as soon as she could manage, hanging up.
Harumi looked at Nicole asking about Blue Nevada, never having heard of the term before as Nicole explained they were a group of costumed delinquents, nothing Harumi and her could not handle. "Blue Nevada is made up of three people, The Composite, Grawlix and The Peeping Eye.
"The Composite is a shapeshifter, no one know what he or she really looks like, they are always changing their appearance, Grawlix is a hand-to-hand fighter, no real powers, but has to habit of shouting vulgarities while fighting. and lasty The Peeping Eye isn't really a fighter, but they can fly and have a helmet with special vision so... should not be easy to take down" Nicole said driving the buggy on route to the park, hitting the break as they stopped on a hill.
"We go the rest of the way on foot" Nicole said, pressing a button on a keychain as the buggy beeped softly.
