Gurl Workin' Dat Bootayyy (Brittany)

Admittedly? Maybe exercising has recently become more and more of a hobby for Maria. Already she spent time flexing and honing those muscles at the Martial Arts Sorority and dedicated some time in Class Zero's Training Grounds with Hatsuharu. She had just left the sorority.

She was remarkably sweaty with beads slowly crawling down her neck and her attire drenched, after lifting those weights and partaking in her daily exercises. If it weren't for the Coffin, Maria would rather head to the showers right away. But seeing how it was going to be a problem, it was only natural that she would head towards the Tea and Trumpet Club to drop off her belongings before returning to wash up.

Maria noticed that not a whole lot of people were passing through the Halls. Perhaps one and two per floor that she trotted through. There the usual stares that were always ignored with each fleeting step. But they came to a stop when her glasses spied on a taped paper on the sorority's door.

At first it was confusion, next it was--


Her expression grew perplexed at what she read. It was a notice that she needed to completely vacate the room within a few days. This, was an issue. Maria groaned as she continued to stare at white sheet with her eyes glued on it. "What am I going to do...?"

She was in the middle of thinking on what to do with this predicament. There hasn't been many interested students for the Tea & Crumpets club. Almost seemed as if the club's demise was set in stone. How saddening, it was only a few days since this school semester started and already she got this notice. What to do...?

"...eh?" was the only word she could utter out when the girl heard her name. She had the face of a deer in headlights when Maria turned to face the cheerleader. The postulant shook out of her reverie and found herself awkwardly waving her hand at a familiar woman in her presence. "Oh... hi, Brittany."

Ah, what a way to start out the day. A notice of dismissal and an overly outgoing woman whose very presence that made Maria's self-esteem descend lower and lower. The awkward smile on Maria's face struggled to get words out as she realized her peer's attention was on her sports attire, "T-tattoo? No no no. I was just exercising for a bit. I still wear the habit when I'm at work. Ha ha..."

Had Maria been a cynical person, she would chuckle at the tattoo statement. Andraste wasn't here right now, since the tattooed contract seals on her body wasn't showing up. In that respect, it was good that they weren't. The Forgotten didn't want any more unwanted attention.

"Well, you know what they say. A healthy mind resides in a healthy body." she sheepishly replied.

Did she like exercising? She had originally saw it as a means to get stronger in order to able to beat down tougher enemies, especially the inhuman demons. The Church had always been an organization that relied on personal strength and efficient teamwork whenever available. Many in their number never had a Persona or used a Forgotten Weapon that were more available today. In fact they relied on blessed weaponry and martial prowess to fight back against the supernatural before the Eternal Divide. This practice continued even today.


Maria's face flushed an embarrassed hint of pink. She curled a sad, but amused smile at her while shaking her head, "I'm afraid the habit is more or less my work clothes. So I'll be wearing them pretty often. And well... It's nothing really special, really. I don't look anything special or anything at all..."

If anything, Maria always saw herself as someone who lacked a "girly characteristic". Being secluded in the Church for all of these years had caused her to throw more or less that away to focus on something even more important. She thought she was prepared to give that all up for that cause. But growing up, the Cadet was beginning to question that decision. And certainly, meeting Brittany had done a number on that resolution.

She blinked in confusion, but shrugged, "I tend to have a good sense of smell. But I don't think it'll be a problem for you right now as long as you don't stick around for long. But personally I like taking a shower soon because I don't like that feeling of being sticky and slimy when I'm done working out, you know?"

Hot.

It was the last word that Maria would ever use to describe herself. She always saw it as something describing women and men with the bodies of Romanesque perfection like those marble sculptures in the Church and with the sensual charm that would melt steel beams. Looking at herself, she always thought she was far from reaching those characteristics. Dull and mundane, was the only words the Cadet could only see herself as. Now, one of those 'perfect' people was trying to tell them they were one of 'them'. How strange.

The flush on her face grew a deeper red as she looked to the side to avoid Britanny's eyes, "No. N-no, Brittany. I'm just... a bunch of muscle. There's really nothing hot about that..."

In some way, she was ashamed of what she appeared to be. If anything Maria wanted to be more slender and less bulky with the muscles that the Forgotten accumulated in those years of training and experimental procedures. It conflicted her image of being an ideal woman, no doubt those confiscated magazines did a lot to influence it. But that was the price for power that she sought for, after all and it was something she really can't complain about.

"Uh, sure. What do you-- Wait. Wait! Waiiiit!! What are you doing?"


Maria wasn't one that loathed parting from her glasses. Her eyesight were fine, even enhanced from the procedure. But the glasses held meaning for her. They were a memory from a time long ago. The postulant hesitated at first, as she bit her bottom lip. Surely, Brittany wasn't going to do anything morally reprehensible, right? She was a raging ball of positive energy and all. So... it was okay, right?

"Well... Okay."

She let her take the glasses off from her face, looking wistfully at the cheerleader.

She felt squeamish, uncomfortable. Yet, she also felt expectant. Maria already expected Brittany to take back what she said. There was nothing flattering of her friend's reassurances. This was a body that wasn't really hers anymore. Riddled with drugs and poked about with surgical implements as if it was some kind of plaything. She was herself as a tool to be used by the government and by the Church. How can she feel proud of it anyway? But watching the cheerleader's reactions caused her to reciprocate with a kind of child-like wonder. Maybe... maybe it was alright. It was alright to enjoy these things. No. Of course not.


"Well..." she began to speak, trying and struggling to find the right words, "Its... It's complicated. I-I really appreciate what you're saying.... Thanks. But isn't grandma even a bit much?"

Maria, despite the awkwardness, appreciated her words. But in the end of the day, the Cadet felt like they were wasted on people like herself. It was a long way before any meaningful change could sprout out. She then motioned Brittany to give her eyewear back. Without them, Maria felt like she couldn't act like she usually did during the day. It was without them, that she felt more vulnerable in a way. Strangely, she fought as a Cadet without them. That was accounting for the fact they could be broken and get in the way. Not only that, but for other reasons too. In a way, her glasses were a kind of mask for her.

Then there was a ringtone blaring from the clubroom that she almost forgot about for that moment, thanks to Brittany. It was the noise of some opera singer uttering the words of 'Ave Maria'.  "Uh... That's mine. Give me a moment, please."

She unlocked the club door and opened it to enter. Her phone lit up and the Cadet grabbed it to see who was requesting a conversation with her. The soft eyes that most people at day usually saw, began to harden. Almost as if there was another side of her, something that people shouldn't be seeing. Yet, it was laid bare for only that moment.


She hung up and stared at the phone for a moment, then smiled back apologetically at her, regaining that other side of her again. "Ha ha... Sorry about that. A call from work. But um... what do you think I should be wearing instead of my work clothes...?"

Maria pouted her lips at her answer. That really didn't give much of an idea to begin with. Did the nun-wear look that bad? At best it made her a modest servant of the Lord and the Queen. But maybe she should start reconsidering her wardrobe...


She tried to reassure her friend. Of course, Maria was telling her a lie. In this way, one could say she was sinning. But she didn't want Brittany to know this side of the Church and her involvement in it. The model/idol didn't need to know that kind of life. It was a cross for Maria to bear.

"So is wearing a school uniform at least a step in the right direction?" she tried to change the topic, obviously. Then she admitted hesitantly, "I actually... don't have much to wear other than them."

Maria gave a farewell wave towards Brittany, who would be leaving for her work. It finally gave her some time for herself inside the club room, to get ready and to steel herself for the work at hand. She wasn't sure if she'd be able to see Brittany again the next day.

But one can only hope...

[Exit]

Brittany Wilson of the Sun Arcana and Maria Woodsworth of the Chariot Arcana Ranked Up!