"Damn right it's sensible. I'm long overdue on a good dose of deliciousness. Alcohol too, but I already covered that."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty one, now."

"Oh. Huh. You're really lucky, then, new magical girls almost never activate that late."

"So whatever is handing out reasonably vast power not only prefers women... It prefers teenagers. That sure sounds responsible. Not that there aren't responsible teenagers, but stereotypes exist for reasons."

"Yeah, it...has an aesthetic."

"It certainly does. Very dramatic. Like overdone theater plays, sort of."

"Had they not invented movies in 1939?"

"Oh, I never much liked those. I keep getting distracted by the bad special effects. 'Planes don't work that way' and such. You can see the wires half the time."

"They get better, I promise."

"I'll have to see one. Recommend me something, you or Bar?"

"Pick a genre?"

"If we have the same genres... An opera?"

"...Opera is a genre, but if they make opera movies I haven't seen any and you'll have to go to Bar for your recommendation."

"Probably different genres. What do you think, Bar?"

Bar recommends The Princess Bride as a solid introduction to film that she will probably enjoy, and suggests she can watch something animated after that if she's interested.

"If you say so. Can I borrow a tech thing to see it on? Promise not to disassemble it."

She can.

"Thanks!"

"Oh, that's a good one."

"Bar makes good recommendations, apparently."

"She does!"

"I have an itch to do some kind of experiment too though. I think I'll go sit on that couch and set a magic gyroscope up to see if it precesses while I watch."

"Sounds good."

"Don't be afraid to interrupt me if either of you have something to say."

"Okay."

She watches the movie. It's funny, and dramatic, and overall a good movie.

She glances toward the bar once in a while. A few people come through and go from the upstairs rooms. Emily and Edie are still here.

She keeps having moments of panic that she's not working, that that tall man is a guard with a gun, trying to find her checklist, ready to stammer excuses - and then she blinks. And nobody's even looking at her... It's nice to disappear into the corner.

When the movie ends she nods decisively, observes that the gyroscope is still upright, stretches and goes to find Edie or Emily, whoever's more convenient.

Edie is more convenient at the moment!

"Hello again. I never did get that display of firepower, did I? But, I think it's time to start planning this thing. I'm decompressed enough for now."