Mascara

Mascara - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Year 2012

“This, Danny, is for you,” Chastity announced as she planted an object in Danny's hands.

“What?” Danny's eyebrows were raised as she dropped her gaze down at her gift. “Isn't this... a gun?”

“A pistol, to be exact,” Chastity replied smugly. “I stole it from a policeman earlier.”

“Chastity!” Danny shouted. She did not take stolen items, at least not those stolen by others. She would fight honourably for her own things.

Her thoughts flashed back to Pavo’s dainty little magic trick. This world did not work in the same way hers did two centuries ago, that was for certain. Since money could appear out of thin air, stealing wasn’t necessary anymore. People could just materialise the items that they needed, or easily replace things that had been stolen – stolen, because Chastity here insisted on continuing her thieving ways despite having such useful powers at her disposal. Furthermore, she was helpless in this era. It hurt her pride, but she conceded that she had to accept help from outsiders once in a while.

“So, this pistol is to protect myself?” Danny inquired, eyeing her weapon apprehensively.

“That's right.” Chastity bounced on the chair in the hotel room. “You're the only fresh body here among us, since we've all overcome our Mascara already. And there are those forces from this era as well, which are just as deadly.” As she spoke, she shot a glance at Pavo, who waltzed past and winked at Danny. His hair was still damp from his shower, and he was now garbed elegantly in a silver suit with a purple ascot tie.

“Where did you get that?” Danny snapped. She knew that Pavo had not brought a single item with him, other than his unending supply of red roses.

“I swapped it with a rose,” Pavo stated, completely matter-of-factly.

Right. She knew Pavo was capable of producing things, but she still could not grasp the logic behind it.

“Not nonsense, hai dao, just a magician with real magic instead of clever tricks.”

She paused. ''Hold on a second – does that mean you guys have powers?” It was absurd. This world was absurd. She wouldn’t dismiss such a possibility anymore, even if she was a completely sensible, down-to-earth person. It looked like she was going to have to become down-to-this-new-earth. She pressed the cold metal against her flesh. It brought about a sense of familiarity, something she sorely missed amidst all the disarray around her.

Chastity shrugged. “Pretty much. Taking those thugs down from the future would be more than easy with our powers alone. But the high level ones are those we have to look out f—what's up?” Her gaze followed the direction Danny was glaring daggers in.

Pavo grinned weakly. Danny took a deep breath, and opened her mouth to speak. “So... all this time I was stranded in the bathtub, you never needed all those plugs and the like… PAVO!!!”

- MASCARA -

Chastity pushed the glass door open and the wind chimes tinkled lightly from above. She strode into the provision store, followed closely by Pavo. An old man sat in a moth-eaten armchair next to the counter with his head lolled back, and snored. A small television crackled from where it hung from the ceiling.

Chastity ignored it, intent on her hunt for— “Found it!” She snatched the object from one of the shelves.

“Contraception pills?” Pavo questioned, looking at it. He shook his head disapprovingly. “This is why I like guys. We never need such pointless things.”