I really wonder what my friends have been up to. It’s been so long since the last time I’ve seen them!

I bet Maven’s spending her time reading lots of books. She really is such a bookworm!

Oooooor, maybe she’s preparing for a concert of some sort. She’s always been real good with the piano.

I bet Sajid’s gone to the beach or, I dunno, practicing his swimming technique. I wonder how Tito Tonyo’s doing, too.

But, I really do miss Maven. It’s been sooooo long since we’ve hung out and exchanged stories and stuff!

I’d have so much to share with her– like about Christmas at Shiori’s house and stuff–

Eep–!

Guess who, Lumie!

Missed me?

I didn’t think you’d be such a trickster, Maven… but I’m so glad you’re back!

Meeeeeerry– hey! Wait a second! Lumie, why haven’t you changed your outfit for our holiday greeting? We were supposed to be wearing red and white today!

Eheheh… um… I guess it slipped my mind? S-sorry, Ichigo.

That’s not a very convincing argument, you know.

Um– but you know! There’ll be lots and lots of sweets later at the party! It’ll be less of a waste to wear this dress rather than wear a new one only to get soiled! You know, it saves water and stuff like that! Besides that, didn’t you wear that jacket just some days ago?

Huh. I guess you have a point there. Fine, then.

Merry Christmas from Krishna’s half of Dormitorya Tzara!

Oh wow…

Really… wow…

I wonder…

How did they get so big?

What do you think, Sabine?

Maybe you shouldn’t care about it so much? I mean, not all boys want to look at what’s on your chest, right?

Well… I guess so…

I thought this body was an L-bust!!

Bueno. You should rest well, Ulalume.

But I don’t wanna, Tito Tonyo! I wanna stay up and keep waiting for Maven!

Sige, but if you do, your cough will get really masama, you know, bad?

I know, tito.

Hm? Sounds like someone’s at the door.

Good evening Tito Tonyo. How’s Lumie doing?

Welcome back, hija. And she seems to be getting well na. I’ve been trying to get her to go to sleep pero, you know, she wanted to wait for you eh.

That’s so sweet of you Lumie, but really, you should go to bed early if you want to get better soon.

*cough* But I’m fine! Tito Tonyo said so himself. He’s taken really good care of me while you were out.

Well, since you’re still up, want me to tell you about what happened at the meet today?

Yes, please!

Today was such an exciting day! Tito Tonyo, is it alright for her to stay up just a little while longer?

Oh alright. I’ll leave you hijas to your kwentuhan. But you go sleep right after ha. I don’t want you to get binat, Ulalume.

OK, Tito Tonyo. Good night!

That was a great party, wasn’t it, Ichigo?

Everyone came in such awesome costumes! Like that cat and dog pair! And– and do you remember Aya as that witch?

That glow like fire in that hat was like– MAGIC!

I’m really glad you enjoyed the party, Maven! You’ll definitely have a lot to tell Lumie later.

Was there anything you enjoyed best about the party, Ichigo?

Naya was stunning as a bloody bride! Then the little ones– Quibble and Yuna– were so adorable as little animals!

Honestly, I think everyone had some of the best costumes I had ever seen! It’s so hard to really tell which ones I liked the most.

It’s just too bad that Lumie got sick and missed this party… you’ll do your best to cheer her up, right, Maven?

I will, definitely! Anyway, Tito Tonyo’s at the dorm keeping her company so she won’t be so miserable.

Haha! That’s really good to hear, Maven. Please give Lumie my regards.

I will!

I’m sure she’ll be looking forward to our stories!

Ooh! Maven, Maven! Isn’t it awesome? All that sound and stuff? I’m really really excited to hear what they’ll come up with next!

Lugosi is such a genius! It’s really amazing what he can do with music… Manx, too! She also helped write the music, right?

Mmhmm! Uno wrote the words, but I don’t hear a lot of it yet. It makes me more excited to hear more when they update.

Ulalume! Donde esta?

[Read the rest at Fully Articulated]

wuumie? wuumie?

Hm? Oh! Is there something wrong, Yarnie?

we thought wuumie would worget uuuuuus~!

Don’t be silly. I like my games, but I love you guys more. There’s no way I can forget you. Real or imaginary, I won’t forget any friends!

Yaaaaaay, Ulalume!

Speaking of friends… I wonder how Maven’s been…

I hope I made my face up like how Almark told me while I was in Singapore… everyone was so pretty and stylish there.

And I hope Lobo will notice me more, too.

Maybe he’ll like me better now that I’m not a plain ordinary-looking girl anymore.

Maybe he’d like me better if I seemed someone different…

… but I can’t just be that way. I can change from a rabbit to a girl, but I don’t think I can change who I am like that.

But… I really want to know how he will really like me…

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

The sky was moonless. The familiar figures of rabbits pounding rice cakes she could faintly remember from her childhood were not in the sky tonight. There was no light save for the faint pale yellow glow of streetlamps outside her room. Tonight she sat still, human, feeling more comfortable in that form rather than that of the rabbit she was at any other time.

In this form, the young girl felt more alive and yet more dead. Sixteen was a tempestuous age. As she sat near the windowsill, she could make out the feeling of her heartbeat– slow and calm. All was quiet except for that little drum in her chest. And all at once, she felt a lump in her throat and a coldness that chilled her skin even in the warmth of a tropical night.

She wanted to rip the little drum from her chest and ask it “Why? Why do you make me feel so unsure when I have been so sure before?” She was nervous in her hesitation. Afraid of what could happen when she and Lobo would finally meet, as if he could kill her without even the least bit of effort. And although she did feel longing propelling the pain, she also felt the urge to step backwards like any prey would in the face of a predator.

“Why does it hurt?” She curled up tighter, without the comfort of her fur to buffer the resonating beats of her heart or the coldness of emotions she could not place into words. No matter the pain, though, she wanted to feel it, as if the ache was something necessary and natural.

But tonight there were no answers to her questions and her chest ached even more. And she began to cry. The sky was moonless. The stars were eclipsed by the city lights beyond the confines of her room. Sixteen wasn’t as sweet as they said it was.

Tracking number EI417952911JP. Delivery failed due to absence. This sucks.

I guess I’ll just go sleep it off. I’m sure it won’t be long before I become a real resin girl.

いちご．．．(Ichigo…)

… am I hearing things?

Such a silly bunny you are. Thinking that you’ll only be a real girl just by ordering a body.

Have you been away for so long that you’ve forgotten believe such a thing as “mahou”– magic?

You have so much of it in you and it lies unawakened.

Just remove your bell and remember these magical words– “キラキラクリプリピョン！”

As long as you remember your magic, you can do anything– even become a real girl. But don’t forget that all magic has a limit.

You can’t be a girl any longer than three hours. After that, you’ll turn back into a rabbit. And if you use your magic too much, you’ll become weak.

Use your magic wisely, little strawberry bunny.

きをつけて。 (Take care.)

The next day…

キラキラクリプリピョン！

I-I can’t believe it… i-it really worked!

So, yes, Ichigo is a mahou shoujo bunny with Japanese roots. I’m not really sure who the fairy godmother is, but what I’m sure of is that we owe Lauren a lot for being an awesome “fairy godmother” for helping bring Ichigo and Ulalume home

At least you have this nightie with you. It would be embarassing to be a real girl for three hours and have nothing to go around in.

Thank you muchly, Lauren! And thanks to Almark, too, for Ichigo’s pink hair!

Also, if your computer (or you) can’t read Japanese text, Ichigo’s magical nonsense chant is “Kirakirakuripuripyon!”