Shape of a Miracle EP 2 - FreezeFrame

Nobody likes camembert (except Plagg)

Yuzuru Nishimiya leans back against the kitchen counter, carefully taking off the camera strap from around her neck and over her short black hair. Shoko smiles at her little sister, in return, Yuzuru gives her a silly little grin. Lifting her hands, Shoko asks in sign language:

"You're home early."

Yuzuru's grin falls and she takes her weight off of the counter. She walks over to the kitchen table in front of them both and places her camera on it, freeing her hands to sign a response:

"Skipped cleaning time."

Shoko glances over Yuzuru's shoulder, to the microwave clock behind her. It reads: 15:44. This can't be right, it's a good twenty minute walk from her elementary school, and her class definitely ends at half past.

She looks back at Yuzuru, who's eyeing the baked camembert on the table. "What did you do today?" She asks.

Yuzuru leans over the table and opens the box "Studied." She says and flashes her eyes back to Shoko " You? "

"Studied." She replies.

Her sister flicks her gaze over Shoko's shoulder, at the computer desk behind her. The Mysterious Mewsings' blog is still open, Proudly displayed in big green text on the computer screen. Yuzuru glares back at Shoko and smirks.

"Really?"

Shoko calmly turns around and picks up a grey notepad from the desk. She opens it up to Yuzuru, showing pages upon pages of perfectly boring notes on geography, history and biology.

"Really." Shoko asserts.

"Seriously?" Yuzuru scoffs "Sis, you've finished all your exams, don't waste your time studying!"

Shoko puts her notebook down next to the plate of camembert cheese, never losing her simple smile "I know" She hums "but the school term isn't over yet."

"It is in your case! Why be stuck at home all day, when you could be going out and having an adventure!"

Oh, no thank you. Last night was enough of an adventure for her. She lost so much sleep that she could barely keep her head together to do her homework. Although, Yuzuru is right; she doesn't need to study anymore, she only needs to focus on being a hero. And right now she needs to focus on feeding Plagg, so that he has enough energy to transform her into a superhero.

"I baked some camembert..." She smiles, gesturing to the plate on the table "I think that's rather adventurous."

Yuzuru winces "Yeah, I smelled it."

"Would you like to try some?" She beams. She knows full well that Yuzuru hates this sort of stuff.

"Kay."

Yuzuru sticks her finger in the cheese and scoops up a glob of camembert.

"Ah-Wait! Yuzu, don't-" She cries, but it's too late, she's already plopped it in her mouth.

"YUCK!" Yuzuru yells and spits the half eaten cheese onto her chin. "What kind of cheese is this? You really like this stuff, sis?"

Shoko nods and grabs some napkins to clean her sister's chin, who, making a face, snatches it out of her hands and wipes the rest off herself.

"If you like it so much..." She huffs, wiping the last bit of yellow goop from her face "Then eat it."

"Excuse me?"

The girl grins, clasping the cheesy napkin in a ball, she nudges her head towards the camembert on the table.

" Eat it. "

Shoko slowly winds her head back to the stinky cheese.

She swallows.

Grabbing a fork, she cuts into it. Immediately, an even horrider stench escapes from the wheel of fermented milk, as runny yellow liquid starts oozing out of it. She holds a chunk up to her mouth with a fork, feeling her sister's eager little eyes waiting on her in anticipation. She can barely stand the thing being anywhere near her face. But she has to take the dive. She bought this for Plagg, afterall, a magical kwami that no one, not even her sister, should know about.

She takes the bite.

"MMM!!" She winces "I- LOVE...camem...camembert!" She grins, desperately holding back her gag reflex.

Yuzuru bursts into laughter " Seriously?? " She cries "You're such a weirdo, sis!"

As Shoko attempts to chug the rest of the cheese down, Yuzuru drops onto one of the chairs around the table in complete hysterics. Shoko can't help but smile; It's been a while since she's heard Yuzuru laugh.

Behind yuzuru, she notices something sitting on the microwave: A very sulky kwami glaring at the semi eaten cheese on the table. Sorry Plagg .

"So, what's the plan?"

Shoko breaks out of her own thoughts, a little startled by Yuzurus question, but quickly plasters her smile back onto her face.

"I'm going to make sure this camembert gets eaten." She answers. She's not technically lying.

"Okay..." Yuzuru nods, carefully studying her "Then what?"

Then what?

"I'll study..." She signs.

"Yeah, I think you've done enough of that, sis." She says, smiling back through gritted teeth "C'mon, let's go Christmas shopping, betcha haven't gotten me a gift yet!"

Shoko looks down at her ring, her miraculous. It sounds so nice, almost tempting, but she really shouldn't.

She shakes her head.

Yuzuru's face drops. " Why not?"

"I'm sorry. I don't have time for that right now."

"Oh?" Yuzuru snaps "And you have time for..."

Her eyes glance at the computer behind Shoko.

"Nevermind." she scoffs, walking away. Before shoko can do anything, she's already reached her bedroom door, slamming it shut.

Shoko stands there in silence, in the now empty kitchen. Plagg pops out from behind the microwave and begins devouring the cheese. She sits and once again looks down at her miraculous, her little sister's hurt expression spinning in her mind. She really couldn't stand the sight of it. But it's for the best. She's a hero now after all. She doesn't have time for her sister, not anymore.