Chairwoman Oomiya's Tea Party [Azur Deutschland Only]

[Sanghyeok]

[OOC]

Relations between the United Socialist Federation of Sanghyeok and The Empire of Azur Deutschland have long been strained. The two super-powers have been at odds over many areas, especially in ideology. One a revolutionary socialist state led by the philosophy of Marxist-Leninism, the other a Fascist, Nationalist country brought from a barely-victorious Germany from the 2nd World War. However, there was a sudden breakthrough on 15 September, Year 2 of Kazue Era (2020). Speaking to the Central Press Agency, Chairwoman Oomiya was asked her opinion on the Twin Rulers of Azur Deutschland, Chairwoman Oomiya remarked.

---

Would you like some tea? “Well, I've already given my opinion on the two twins from a political perspective. Again, I strongly oppose their support of fascism and Nazi power, and how they treated our ideological left-allies in their world's Soviet Union. I also reject their nationalist stance.” “Saying this, if we were to avoid politics for a while, I think we would get along quite well. For one, I am also rather fond of sweets, and I would love to share a pudding or parfait with them, as well as taste Azur's dessert specialties. We could make a small trio of violinists, or maybe I could play the Koto for you while you are on piano. We could even do cosplay together! It's a shame we are ideological enemies. I do hope someday you will change your ways and we can enjoy each other's companies. Well, all three of us are bound to live for many hundreds more years, so I am hopeful yet.” -Chairwoman of the Federation, Secretary General of the United Front, Supreme Leader of the People's Armed Forces Oomiya Sakura -社会主義連邦政府主席、統一戦線総書記、人民軍隊最高指導者 大宮 咲来

---

This was met with later with a comment in kind from Sylvia Dellamorte, one of the two sisters. Rose Sister Sylvia noted:

"While incredibly strained, I would wonder if Oomiya would be interested in sitting across a table from me and my sister, indulging in some tea and candy. Despite radical differences in thinking, we seem to share much of the same interests and hobbies. It would be rather lovely to indulge in some of the pleasantries that usually come from having friends with similarities. Please note that I have no intention to bend my views on communism and socialism. I also know that Oomiya has a dislike towards our thinking. So, I would ask that if we were to meet, no political discussion is to be had. I won't try to change your mind and you won't try to change mine. Hopefully that wouldn't stop us from forming maybe not a friendship, but at least an acquaintance."
-Sylvia Dellamorte

---

This response was immediately seen as a possible breakthrough by the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the United Socialist Federation of Sanghyeok, as well as their Azur Deutschland counterparts. The Ministry of Foreign Affair's senior-level official Sato Hitomi immediately contact Chairwoman Oomiya, who said:

We may not like the ideology, but we can be tea-friends “Thank you for your offer, which I just received word of from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.” "I do believe that a meeting with you and your sister would be beneficial for both parties. Although I understand as well as you do that our political views are far too opposed to lead to any meaningful discussion of ideology, I am more than happy to have a tea-time with the two of you. I agree with your request that politics and anything related to political means should be avoided, and topics should be kept to our mutual interests and love of sweets, pastries, tea, and dolls. I have already contacted Sato Hitomi to set up the arrangements, which I hope you or your foreign office can negotiate." -Chairwoman of the Federation, Secretary General of the United Front, Supreme Leader of the People's Armed Forces Oomiya Sakura -社会主義連邦政府主席、統一戦線総書記、人民軍隊最高指導者 大宮 咲来

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs then expanded on this with a formal invitation below

Regarding the Meeting of Chairwoman Oomiya Sakura with the Dellamorte Sylvia and Dellamorte Julienne
From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Socialist Federation of Sanghyeok

Frau Sylvia and Frau Julinne,

The Chairwoman Oomiya Sakura, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requests your presence for a "Tea Meeting" on the 15th of September, Year 2 of the Kazue Era (2020).
The address is: Chu'o Tokai Capital Region, Golden District, 1st Section, 101 People's Street
The Chairwoman asks you bring only yourself and some sweet specialties or tea from your country of Azur. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment asks that you should not bring any plants or animals that can spread diseases. All other tea and food, as well as cosplay wear and dolls, will be provided by the Chairwoman.
The Chairwoman requests that you do not bring any other personnel into her living quarters. The two of you and the Chairwoman will be the only ones in the room and in meeting.
We hope that you will accept this request from the Chairwoman Oomiya Sakura.

Your truly,
Sato Hitomi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

---

This was soon accepted by the Azur Deutschland officials

"The date and the address have been noted along with the terms of the meeting. Sylvia and Julienne shall arrive with only themselves and any refreshments they choose to bring. No other personnel shall attend along with them. Schnee Kristall and Rosenkristall shall stay here in Azur Berlin to look after the country along with us, The Great Azur Court of Heaven."

Now, it is the early morning of 15 September, and the Rose Twins Sylvia and Julienne are scheduled to arrive in the United Socialist Federation.

[End of OOC. IC from here]

[Sanghyeok]

Oomiya Sakura smiles as she steps out of the hot bath, the steam forming clouds that dissipate into the slightly-chill autumn sky. She dresses herself, quickly, although not in the formal style that she has worn so often in her identity as Chairwoman, or the military uniform for her role as Supreme Commander, nor the suit-and-tie of the Secretary General. Today she is meeting informally, and that means she has more freedom to wear what she wants. One might not expect it, but she is rather fond of gothic dresses. The reasons of course, are twofold. First, because it makes her feel more like a tea-drinker character, and second because this style makes her look taller, even if just a little bit. But she'd never tell anyone that, not at all.

"The Twins, they are coming soon, no?" Oomiya asks her aide Suzuki Chisaki, who appears just in time after she is finished dressing. Suzuki lifts her eyebrow, just slightly. It has been a long time since the Chairwoman has ever used honorifics to describe anyone, never mind foreign leaders whose ideology they had opposed for so long.

"Yes, if I am not wrong they shall be coming within the next few minutes" replies Suzuki, knowledgeable as ever.

"Excellent. Then, I ask you set the room and make it ready. I will treat them as well as I can. This is a rare opportunity." Suzuki shakes her head again, not sure if she heard it correctly. Another honorific? One more and the Chairwoman might as well be a different person.

"I will do as you said. I will be leaving your side, then, Chairwoman Oomiya." Suzuki bows lightly, and leaves for Oomiya's bedroom, leaving Oomiya to herself in the main room. And once again, Oomiya is left alone. Alone as she has been for so many years.

Oomiya wanted to meet someone, someone who was not human and temporary, but someone like herself, who could understand her past and her present, her interests and her ideas. And yet only Oomiya herself knew the true reason for the visit. Well, perhaps the Twins knew as well, given all they could sense.

[Please continue from the arrival of the Twins in the Federation]

[Azur Deutschland]

Using their magical ability, Sylvia and Julienne manage to travel to the realm that Sanghyeok resides. The two were up most of the night, fidgeting over what to wear and what to bring. They decided on wearing Gothic style dresses that matched the dolls they have. They also thought to bring some cake and chocolate for the party they were to have. They were still a bit nervous about all of this, though. This would be the very first time they've stepped outside of their own world. This would also be the very first time the twins would be able to participate in the events that should've happened during their childhood. The magic brings them just outside of the address they were given.

"I'm still worried..." Julienne says, clutching the arm of her twin sister.

"I know, but from what we've read, they are quite peaceful. Nothing should happen to us as long as we're respectful." Sylvia smiles along with her reply.

[Sanghyeok]

A flash of light appears in the middle of Chu'o Tokai Capital Region, Golden District, 1st Section.
For a moment, it outshines the sun, before disappearing. There is no sound, not even a slight tremor, and if one hadn't been looking they wouldn't even have noticed it. Seeing nothing else had happened, the citizens in the street who were surprised for a few seconds turn back to what they were doing, and soon all is forgotten.

Except, of course, one Oomiya Sakura.

"So they have come, haven't they" she murmurs to herself, before adjusting her dress one more time. After all, when one receives guests from another realm, well, impressing them is more important than anything else. Well, almost anything else. Tea and sweets are, of course, the most important thing. But tea and sweets are later, and the first impression is now.

She checks her appearance one last time in the pocket-mirror, and finding it satisfactory, stuffs it nearly it in her handbag and walks out through the front garden towards the entrance of her residence.

"Salute!" the guards at the gates snap back their hands in a quick motion. Oomiya gives a quick acknowledgement, before the entryway opens before her, and Oomiya exits. A few steps down from the entrance, past the spot where her favorite wild-cat sleeps, and there they were. The Twins, looking a bit surprised, were standing there, not too far from where the gate to her residence was.

A journey across how many dimensions and they landed just a few hundred metres off target? Their magic is certainly powerful, Oomiya thinks to herself. If we had that sort of power years ago when we were fighting for the future of our own land..... Oomiya cuts herself off, reminding herself that this is the present. And the present is the best time, for cakes and tea await.

She straightens her posture as much as she can, before walking into sight of the Twins Julienne and Sylvia.

"Welcome to my homeland. I am Oomiya Sakura, pleased to make your acquaintance. I hope we can get along well." she says, giving a slight bow.

[Azur Deutschland]

Their first instinct was to wait and look around from the position they were in. This world is foreign to them, so running off wouldn't be a very smart idea. Besides, they were guests here, so someone should surely be coming to get them soon. They were certain that they would meet the Chairwoman in person, considering they weren't far off from the address they were given. So, upon making eye contact with the woman who stepped outside, both Sylvia and Julienne knew they made it to the right place. The two girls both smile as Oomiya steadily walked closer to their view. Just from looking at her in person, they could certainly tell that they really did all have some of the same interests.

Julienne unlocks herself from Sylvia's arm at that moment. Sylvia then gave a slight curtsy in response to Oomiya's bow, Julienne following just a beat afterwards.

"Nice to meet you in person, Oomiya. I am Sylvia Lucienne Dellamorte. Your home, just from the outside view, looks rather lovely. As do you, if you don't mind me opening with this flattery." The elder twin replies during her curtsy.

"And I'm Julienne Victoria Dellamorte. A pleasure to meet you." The younger twin, giving her soft and short, yet polite greeting.

[Sanghyeok]

"And I'm Julienne Victoria Dellamorte. A pleasure to meet you." The twin with the blue rose named Julienne finished her own introduction.

How interesting...they really are quite similar to me, Oomiya thought. Is this who the me in the other worlds would look like? What is more, they are clearly Twins, and yet their personalities are already markedly so different. The worlds- ours and theirs and all the ones in between- are such a fascinating place

Placing those thoughts aside, Oomiya smiled again, more sincerely this time. "I hope your journey here has not been too difficult, for traveling the realms is a magic even I dare not touch" Oomiya said to Sylvia and Julienne. "You must be tired from your travels, so why don't we start our little tea-drinking as soon as we can?"

Oomiya beckoned with a slight wave, and the sisters nodded in agreement. The three of them walked back towards the residence, through the gates, and across the garden and courtyard.

"This is my residence" Oomiya explained as they traveled along. "Although it is perhaps not so large as your own Palace, I find this sort of arrangement rather aesthetically pleasing, wouldn't you agree?" Oomiya said as she pointed out some of the features of the garden. A small artificial stream here, some rock formations there, and even a stone bridge crossing a pond filled with koi-fish.

"It is certainly different, the amount of nature here is not something we would expect back in Azur." Sylvia offered before turning to Julienne and asking "I do think we could adopt this for the Palace back home, couldn't we?"

After wandering about through the gardens, Oomiya, Julienne and Sylvia finally came to the main path, which was straight and wide. "Walk on the right" Oomiya instructed "The path in the centre is historically reserved for the Gods...although I do not believe in them, I still recommend you do this."

The Twins complied, although Oomiya wondered if she saw a slight smile on Julienne's face. Without any issue, they walked along the path that led to the main gates ahead, imposing and made of solid wood.

"These are the main gates" Oomiya told them. "Modeled after those from the lost Imperial Palace- the second Imperial Palace of Kyoto, that is. The two of you are the first foreigners to step inside of them, ever since their construction." Oomiya was about to say something, but decided against it.

"My sister and I certainly feel honoured" Sylvia replied, filling in the awkward silence. Although it was still mostly pleasantry, Oomiya noticed that her tone had been growing warmer.

And then the main residence of Oomiya Sakura appeared before them. Although Oomiya guessed that the Twins had probably seen such architecture in their home world, she was surprised that the Twins seemed to be admiring the building greatly. At least they are enjoying it so far, she thought to herself. Perhaps this really can make friends of us all.

[Azur Deutschland]

"This being our first time ever using our power to do something like this, yes, it certainly is a bit tiring. It would be nice to get our meeting started." Sylvia had replied before nodding her head along with Julienne.

As they walked, Julienne reached forward and clasped her twin's hand dearly. Sylvia gave a smile at this and gripped her sister's hand tightly. They followed Oomiya closely, listening to her words and offering replies. The twins were quite impressed. They had always read about the East's architecture and way of life, but this was definitely the first time they've experienced anything like this. They remarked softly to each other about everything they walked past. Even if this little meeting had only just begun, with the main event still yet to start, they were already warming up to the Chairwoman. Both Sylvia and Julienne hoped that the feelings were reciprocated.

"The way nature flows with everything, it looks so serene, so peaceful." Julienne remarked, smiling more.

As they reached the main building, Sylvia turned her head to Oomiya. "I think I can reinforce my statement that everything here looks beautiful. Julienne and I... Outside of the required traveling from being soldiers... We haven't had the opportunity to really explore and appreciate other cultures. While I hope we don't make a mistake, please forgive us if we do something that is out of your customs."

"Maybe after our little party, you can show us around some more before we head home?" The younger twin asked, wanting to know and see more.

[Sanghyeok]

“Of course" Oomiya said, "You may see and experience as much you would like". Once again, she smiled gently. A real smile, not the kind that she had grown used to as a politician, or as a public figure, or the ten-thousand other various this-and-that roles that require one to know how to smile and charm. How long had it been since she'd smiled for real? Well, the last time was for last night's pudding, but Oomiya couldn't recall the last time she had smiled for a person, and now she had done it for the second time in a day.

Entering the main residence, Oomiya removed her shoes at the genkan entryway, and gestured for the Twins to do the same. Though a bit perplexed, Julienne and Sylvia complied. Seeing the confused look on their faces, Oomiya gave an explanation. "For purity of the house, you take off your shoes here, and leave your shoes in the storage-cabinet" she told them. "You can wear these slippers here" she continued, handing Julienne and Sylvia each a pair of slippers. Once this was done, they headed past the entryway, into the residence itself.

Oomiya's residence was surprisingly...simple... for one surrounded by such beauty Julienne thought. Not that it was plain, but there was a lot less-furnishing- than she expected. Sylvia nodded in agreement, knowing what her sister was thinking. They had grown used to seeing the inside of their own Palace being decorated with all sorts of paintings, rugs, and cabinets and silverware. Instead before them was Oomiya's rather sparse-looking collection of rooms: a few scrolls here and there on the walls, some flowers on the desk, but not much else.

"This way" Oomiya told them, guiding them to a small room with a sliding door. The door opened smoothly, and now the Twins saw a room somewhat more decorated than the last.

There was a small table on the tatami-floor, and a few seats, as well as another wall-scroll of difficult-to-read calligraphy. More impressive though, was the view from the window. It overlooked the gardens and streams surrounding the entire complex.

"This place was really built for harmony of nature" Julienne exclaimed. "The design is really beautiful, and suits my taste" added Sylvia.

"Indeed" replied Oomiya. "The scroll on the wall reads 花鳥風月, that is The beauty of natural landscape. Because this residence is built on a hill, you can see all the way from here to the inner and outer gates where we walked in from. That's why this place is my favourite room in the entire residence."

"But enough about this place" Oomiya continued. "What would you like to drink?" she asked the two sisters. "We have all the teas of this world and some others, I am sure there is something you would love to try."

[Azur Deutschland]

Sylvia and Julienne admired the cultural differences between themselves and the Chairwoman. Experiencing it for the first time was admittedly weird, but not unpleasant. Following Oomiya, the twins conducted themselves in a manner fitting guests.

After arriving in the meeting room and after discussing the simplistic and natural beauty of it, they started to discuss how to begin the party. Both Sylvia and Julienne fidgeted a bit, nervously and embarrassed. Despite holding themselves to high standards and a royal-esque way of life, the both of them were still pretty much just ordinary girls at heart. Well, as ordinary as two orphans who were raised by war could be. So, when Oomiya asked them about what would they want to drink, they froze up for just a second.

Rather than feigning some sort of high intellect about tea, Sylvia just put it bluntly. "Ah... Um... Your favorite tea is Darjeeling, correct? That should be a pleasant way to start this off. I don't think Julienne and I have tried it. Well, to be completely honest, we aren't exactly enthusiasts of tea. We just drink whatever we found enjoyable..." She then blushed rather embarrassingly.

Julienne did so as well while nodding along with her sister's statement. "I hope that's quite alright."

[Sanghyeok]

Oomiya smiled again, as if reassuring them. "Of course, Darjeeling is my favourite. You do know me well". She paused for a moment, and then continued "I know what you are thinking" she said "Fortunately for all three of us, I also drink whatever I think tastes good. To enjoy what one is drinking that's what is the most important, isn't it?"

Sylvia nodded.

"So long as you are willing to find the taste agreeable, then I am more than happy to drink it with you." Oomiya finished saying.

The Twins became a bit more relaxed after that, and the three of them chatted for some time about just what kind of sugar one should place in tea (at this Oomiya was surprised to see that the Twins placed 6 spoons of sugar, even more than her 5), the ideal serving temperature for tea (Julienne preferred very hot, while Sylvia agreed with Oomiya that it should be cooled a little before drinking) and finally the manner of holding the teacup itself.

"The little finger must be raised" argued Oomiya. "This is of course the proper way to drink tea."

"But it's rather tiring" said Julienne.

"It hurts to raise the cup for so long this way" agreed Sylvia.

"Do try it today, at least" Oomiya said, trying to convince them.

As if on command, a voice came from outside the screen door. "Dear Chairwoman, your tea is ready."

"Come in"

At Oomiya's instruction, slightly tall woman dressed in formal-wear walked into the room, bowing once deeply before placing the cake-tower on the table, and then the teacups and teapot. "Dear Chairwoman, and Dear Ladies Sylvia and Julienne, as you requested. 1st-pour Darjeeling, served with assorted sweet-pastries and cucumber-sandwiches. Please eat them as you see fit."

Julienne and Sylvia stared, wide-eyed at the tower of cakes and pastries. There were all sorts of delicious sweets on there- scones, macarons, ecclairs, puff-pastries, and small finger sandwiches filled with jam.

"I was told the two of you enjoyed sweets very much" explained Oomiya. "That's why today's tower has even more sweets than ever."

"Then...I'll begin eating, if that's alright" said Sylvia, eyes still looking at the very-delicious-appearing ecclairs in particular.

"Of course. But before we begin, I would like to formally thank you and your sister for coming here today." Oomiya replied, before saying:

"The best tea is not that which is served in the finest cups, nor planted in the best fields and harvested in the ideal weather. It is not that which accompanies the most high-class of pastries or the poured from the finest teapot. The Darjeeling here is all of that of course, but what makes tea enjoyable is the ones you share it with. And I am truly happy to share it with the two of you today."

Oomiya raised her cup a little, before saying "To friendship, for it makes tea taste more pleasant, and cakes sweeter."

[Azur Deutschland]

Reassured, the girls relaxed. As they conversed about tea stuff, the inner feelings of Sylvia and Julienne slowly started to show even more. They both were smiling and laughing softly, explaining their love for sweets and their preferences and all that.

Once the tea and snacks arrived, both the twins gasped in surprise. Their eyes darted from the chinaware to each individual type of sweet and snack. Not only were they admiring how delicious everything looked, but also how elegant and beautiful everything was laid out. It was all so nice.

""And thank you, Oomiya, for accepting us as guests."" Both of the twins replied, smiling genuine smiles.

Sylvia gently took her cup and raised it a bit, followed by Julienne. As they lifted up their tea cups, they also had their fingers raised, just as Oomiya had asked them to try. ""To friendship, making the world sweeter."" They both giggled lightly.

[Sanghyeok]

Oomiya laughed too, seeing how Sylvia and Julienne had raised their fingers while holding their cups before sipping a little of the Darjeeling. We really are too similar, Oomiya thought. It was only an hour into their first meeting, and already they were speaking each other's thoughts and copying each other's actions. I will have to deliver another letter of thanks to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both our own and Azur Deutschland's, for they have worked to hard to bring us this opportunity for friendship.

Afterwards, the room became quiet, but that was not to say it was a bad thing. Rather, the main reason was that everyone- Oomiya included, even though she had been enjoying the same tea-time snacks and drinks for many years now- was too busy eating and drinking. There was nothing but the sound of chewing and tinkling of tea cups for a while, as Oomiya, Julienne, and Sylvia seemed to be eating the pastries and finger-sandwiches nonstop. Before long, all the tiers of the cake-stand were empty, and the teapot was empty, leaving only a lingering scent of milk and sugar in the air.

"Already?" Sylvia's eyes seemed to say, and Oomiya did agree that it would be a shame to end the tea-party now. They hadn't talked much during the tea-party, focused as they were on eating scones and ecclairs. But to extend it would mean that the next activity: the cosplay part- would be cut short as well. More importantly, eating more food now would obviously limit what they could eat at dinner. I'll ask their opinion then, Oomiya thought.

Oomiya explained the situation, and the Twins were silent for a moment. More tea time, or more cosplay time? Julienne had her head tilted, as if deep in thought. "It is entirely up to you" Oomiya emphasized, "After all, the two of you are most honourable guests, and we can do whatever you would like."

[Azur Deutschland]

After finishing their tea and the snacks and sandwiches, the twins both gave another look over everything, the empty tea cups, the empty pot, and the empty stand. They both blushed and smiled, enjoying how nice, sweet, and lovely everything was. Once they were done collecting their thoughts, they looked to Oomiya before answering her question.

"Hmm... Well, Julienne and I did bring some of our own snacks over to share. It's not really much though, just a cake and some cookies. We can probably save that for later though, after dinner maybe?" Sylvia suggested, gesturing to a little pack she had with her.

"I think it would be fine to save them to join for dessert after dinner. Hehe, it would be fun to continue our little party with the next event. It might give us more time to converse when we aren't focused on sweets." Julienne added on with another smile and laugh.

[Sanghyeok]

Oomiya nodded, agreeing with the Julienne and Sylvia's conclusion. More snacks could wait, for now. Although, now that I think of it, I am curious what sorts of delicacies from their world they brought. Oomiya knew about Germany, at least the Germany of her world of course, and she was no stranger to their delicious desserts. Black forest cake and apple strudel came to mind, and Oomiya found herself anticipating it even more.

But first, it was time for the second part of today's events: the cosplay party and doll party. Oomiya stood up in from her sitting position, and so did the Twins. "If you don't mind, let us go to the room over, my sleeping room." Oomiya explained, before guiding them over there. This door slid open as well, and the room inside became visible. It was a very large departure from the rest of the residence, to say the least. Gone were the old Japanese-style tatami, scrolls and windows, here was a completely different world. It was like a sea of pink and white and gold, elegant and yet rather childish at the same time. Pink-white-gold almost-everything: pink curtains, white bed, pink pillows (of which there were at least 7), and so on.

It doesn't look like the room of the most powerful person of their country, Sylvia thought. It looks like a room a 9-year old girl would like. Of course, I would like this kind of room as well.

"As you can see....this is, em, my room. It was going to be repainted, obviously, but...." Oomiya's voice grew notably smaller as she explained.

"It is a room both my sister and I would agree is most fitting for all of us" Julienne said. "I think the style, the layout, and especially the colour are perfect as it is!"

"Do you really think that?", Oomiya questioned, voice unsure.

"Of course! And you agree too, don't you Sylvia?" Julienne asked her sister.

"Certainly. We could do with some more pink at the palace too, but it seems Oomiya is one step ahead." Sylvia replied.

Oomiya, looking somewhat relieved after that, stepped into the room, followed by Julienne and Sylvia.

"It's alright for you to sit on the bed, if you like" she mentioned, before opening the closet. Inside were a large variety of formal wear: mainly dresses. "Not this" Oomiya explained, before opening another compartment inside of the closet. "Oh, there it is!"

She pulled out a pile of neatly-folded clothes, before showing them to Julienne and Sylvia.

"Oh...these are!" Julienne looked to her sister, and Sylvia nodded.

"Magical girl uniforms" Oomiya explained. "These dresses enhance magical ability somewhat, but more importantly make you feel stronger and more beautiful. Would you like to try one on?"

"I would" Julienne and Sylvia said at the same time, their voices eager.

Oomiya smiled, and let them see the different uniforms. There was a pink coloured uniform, a purple one, a blue one, a red one, and even a white one. "Choose whatever you would like" Oomiya offered.

[Azur Deutschland]

Sylvia and Julienne, as they followed Oomiya into her personal room, they both gasped in surprise. Looking around at the decorated room, both of the twins giggled and smiled. Their eyes admired pretty much everything, the pink pillows, the white bed, etc. Moving further into the room, they felt the bed, surprised at how soft and plush it was. Once Oomiya gave the permission, both girls sat down softly on the bed. They blushed and nuzzled into each other, smiling even more.

While sitting down, they watched their host casually dig through her clothes. Silently, they praised and adored the dresses that Oomiya flipped through. When she found what she was looking for, Sylvia and Julienne gasped once again. The magical girl uniforms Oomiya presented were cute, elegant, and pretty.

"Maybe I could try on the purple one?" Sylvia asked, though she was eyeing them all.

"I would like to try on the pink one, hehe" Julienne said with a light giggle.

[Sanghyeok]

"A good choice" Oomiya said, before handing the pink and purple uniforms to Julienne and Sylvia, respectively. Oomiya then took the white-blue uniform for herself, one that she had never worn since receiving it from her friend in the magical girl forces.

Julienne was shocked to find how- soft- the magical girl uniforms were. Other countries really do have different ideas on magic, don't they, she thought.

"Now, put them on, all you have to do is to press this part here" Oomiya told them, gesturing to a small pin on the front of the uniform. "It's much more convenient" this way Oomiya explained, "The dress adapts itself to your body, so you don't have to measure and tailor it by person. It's quite nice, isn't it?"

Sylvia and Julienne admitted that yes, it was quite nice to skip that troublesome process of finding a dress that could fit.

Then, Oomiya pressed the pin on her white and blue dress, and the room was illuminated for a moment with pure light as the uniform fitted itself around Oomiya's body. When the light was gone, Oomiya was there, but now dressed fully in the magical girl uniform.

The twins looked at her, admiring, speechless.

"Em...if you keep on looking at me like that when I'm the only one dressed like this, even I can get embarrassed, you know" Oomiya said softly, turning her head a little. "At least say something.."

"You look wonderful, Oomiya" remarked Julienne, and Sylvia quickly echoed her sister's sentiment.

"Then, will the two of you change as well?"

"Oh, but let us look at you for a little longer." Sylvia teased, her voice playful.

"It's not fair!" Oomiya complained "Now it's your turn!"

The three of them laughed for a while, and then Sylvia and Julienne both pressed their pins, and the room was filled again with two bright balls of light, one pink and one purple. After a while, the lights became dim, and in their place Sylvia and Julienne were there, wearing their own magical girl uniforms.

"There is a mirror here," Oomiya said, gesturing to the side of the closet "Why don't you take a look and see how you appear?"

[Azur Deutschland]

Looking over Oomiya, both of the twins complimented her, while also teasing her very slightly. After laughing and giggling along with Oomiya, Sylvia and Julienne pressed the pins on their uniforms. Once the flash of light passed away, the twins looked at each other. They both gasped in excitement, looking over each other. As Oomiya gestured over to the mirror, the two girls both moved to get a look at themselves. With wide smiles and bright blushes, Sylvia and Julienne let out adoring coos and giggles.

"Aaah! We look..." Sylvia began, glancing over herself and her sister in the mirror.
"So pretty!" Julienne finished, also looking over herself and her twin.

Turning back to the Chairwoman, the twins moved closer and gave her a group hug. After a little bit, they pulled away, slightly embarrassed and hoping they didn't overstep any personal boundaries.

"We all look so cute, hehe" The younger twin giggled playfully.

[Sanghyeok]

Though it was a little bit embarrassing, Oomiya had to admit she liked the group hug quite a lot. Oomiya gave a small smile of encouragement to the Twins, who started giggling again. When they did so, Oomiya couldn't help but giggle along with Sylvia and Julienne. Their bright energy and enthusiasm, and their happy expressions were truly infectious, Oomiya thought. And then, 860 years and I'm still a child. Well, at least I have people I can be childish in front of.

When they were done complementing each other's dresses at last and the laughter died down with the room becoming quiet, Oomiya decided to propose something new.

"I was thinking" Oomiya said, "Why don't we try out some spell casting in these dresses? It would be a shame to wear these beautiful uniforms and not do anything."

"A good point" Julienne agreed. "I would love to try to see what this dress can do for my abilities."

"But wouldn't it be dangerous?" Sylvia asked. "We're in the middle of the city, what if something happens?"

"Don't worry," Oomiya replied, "I can cast a null-magic screen around this complex. And besides, we don't have to use any sort of destructive magic- just some basic spells to have fun would be amusing, wouldn't it"

Sylvia still looked at Oomiya and Julienne with a questioning look on her face, as if unsure.

"I know what it is" Julienne said with a teasing expression, her eyes naughty. "You're afraid your magical powers haven't gone up one bit from wearing this."

"Don't be ridiculous" refuted Sylvia. "And even if they didn't, as the elder sister I would still be more powerful than you, anyways." Unfortunately for her, the slight blush on her cheeks gave away her true feelings.

"Is-that-so?" Julienne said, dragging out each word with a suspicious look on her face. "Then you'll come with us and prove it," added Julienne, holding Oomiya's hand and gesturing for her to leave the room.

"Oomiya, you wouldn't-" Sylvia's words were cut off with when she saw Oomiya with a mischievous expression and a slight grin on her face, the same that Julienne had. Sylvia knew that her little sister had won this time. Hmmph, this time will be an exception, she thought before reluctantly leaving. If this dress does nothing I will definitely be embarrassed. And then, a moment later: It will work, won't it?

The three of them: Julienne and Oomiya at the front, Sylvia hurriedly following behind them, exited the room and went downstairs and wore their shoes. Then, following Oomiya's directions (which weren't very clear because she was getting dragged about by a very energetic Julienne), they managed to walk to a small pond in the middle of the gardens. "Hyaka-chi"*, Oomiya explained. "The flowers here are the most beautiful in perhaps the whole of the Federation. More importantly, it is far enough from the buildings that we can try our new skills here."

"To try our new skills is not enough" commented Julienne. "I propose we have a contest"

"A contest?" asked Oomiya.

"On who can use their strengthened magical powers to make something unique and creative," explained Julienne.

"I'm in" said Sylvia, perhaps a little too confidently.

"Consider me in as well" added Oomiya.

"The rules are simple" Julienne told them, her eyes excited. "20 minutes, to make something beautiful using only the materials here and your own magic. I think this kind of contest is fair for all of us, since this is less about the strength of magic and more creativity and technique. Begin!"

"Wait-" said Oomiya and Sylvia, simultaneously. They looked at each other, a bit surprised by how they were thinking the same thing, before turning back to Julienne.

"That's all the rules we need" Julienne insisted, before starting to walk away. "Good luck everyone!" she said, before turning back again. "The theme is "nature and magic" she said, not turning back this time as she disappeared into some other part of the garden.

"I suppose it's begun, then" Sylvia said with a steadfast expression, and Oomiya nodded, determined as well.

The contest had begun. Who would emerge as the winner, with the most creative and inspiring use of magic and nature?



*百花池 (ひゃっかち), meaning pond of a hundred flowers

[Azur Deutschland]

Upon the proposal of a contest, Sylvia thought about what to do. Something creative that combines magic and nature. She looked around the pond, thinking and pondering on what to do. Suddenly, her lips curled into a smile as she struck what she thought was something unique. The older twin started to cast some spells for water and ice. Slowly, she decided upon doing a magical ice sculpture.

Julienne, meanwhile, was humming softly to herself. She giggled a bit softly, thinking about how cute her older sister was when she proposed the contest. The younger twin wasn't really going to be insanely competitive. She just thought that this would be a fun activity that could result in some pretty sights. She looked over at the flowers and knew exactly what she wanted to do. The younger twin was going to make some cute magical flower arrangements.

[Sanghyeok]

Oomiya, alone now, was wondering just what she should make. Something that stands out she thought to herself. Something that is undeniably me. But what was something special, that everyone would know was a specialty of Oomiya?

She fell into thought, trying to come up with how others might see her, and her own interests. "Tea, parfait, pudding...." were the first few thoughts." No, that wouldn't do at all. This was a contest of the arts, and as delicious as those three were they just didn't seem appropriate for the contest at hand, and in any case they had nothing to do with natural beauty. "What else am I?", she asked herself.

Next to come to mind were a few more of her favourite things. A few of my favourite things that might be related to nature? Cherry blossoms and the cherry blossom rain during spring, the red leaves on the trees in autumn, and poetry.

Oomiya considered it for a moment, and soon enough she knew exactly what she would make: a poetry scroll, which could reveal either a poem about cherry blossoms or autumn leaves, and shower the reader in either sakura or maple leaves.

This should be creative enough, Oomiya decided. Plans completed, she summoned a piece of paper, her calligraphy brush, and ink from her study room to her present location, before starting to write the first poem about cherry blossoms.

[Azur Deutschland]

Sylvia glanced around at both Julienne and Oomiya. She had a slight smile as she returned to working on her ice sculpture. Slowly and steadily, the water she summoned froze into three human-like shapes. She knew exactly what she wanted to do. A perfect sculpture to commemorate this outing. In her head, she envisioned the three of them smiling and looking up at the sky. With her powers, the ice took more precise looking forms over time as she continued to use her imagination.

Julienne, still humming to herself, was busy summoning various different colored roses. She arranged them into patterns and shapes, depicting hearts, candy, pastries, etc. She also set aside some to make small representations of flags, Azur Deutschland's flag and Sanghyeok's flag. The younger twin was also taking the time to use her powers to weave her creations together, making sure that each one could be picked up with being damaged.

[Sanghyeok]

The sound of calligraphy brush on paper, along with the faraway echoes of running water, were all that disturbed the silence in which Oomiya was writing her poetry. She made extra care to emphasize her flowing-style calligraphy, practiced over the hundreds of years she had been writing poetry. Julienne and Sylvia are undoubtedly making something beautiful and mystical, she thought to herself. The only way I can defeat them is by making sure I use all my advantages, magical and non-magical. After all, Oomiya was confident that no matter how skilled the Twins were in their magical ability, it would be no substitute for her honed skill in calligraphy or appreciation for art.

Soon enough, the first poem was finished. Oomiya quickly added a small title "Blossoming Friendship", and then started the first magical portion of this work. First, of course, she used a time-stop hex on the cherry blossoms she had summoned, so both their colour and scent would stay fresh for many, many years. Then, she followed by casting a simple displacement spell on the paper and the preserved cherry blossoms. The paper glowed for a moment, before folding on itself and absorbing the cherry blossom petals, leaving a blank sheet with a no signs of anything inside.

Finished with the first poem, Oomiya turned the paper over, and started creating her second. She wrote the title first this time, "Red Autumn Rain", and was soon composing again. I wonder how the Twins are doing, she pondered for a moment, before turning back to her work. This will not be an easy competition to win with their level of creativity and magical powers, but I will certainly give them a challenge

[Azur Deutschland]

As she worked on her ice sculpture, Sylvia started to sing gently. Maybe a little bit surprisingly, it managed to match Julienne's humming. The words she spoke and sung were of happiness and friendship. She moved around, casting more magic and incantations to continue her project, all while singing. Slowly, the three figures she created started to resemble the three of them with more detail. The water and ice also started to softly take in colors, making the sculptures appear even more detailed.

Julienne's hums continued. It was almost as if she was aware that Sylvia was singing despite it being not that loud to really notice. She was putting some of the finishing touches on a couple more little figures made of roses. There was three that she was currently working on. One of herself, one of her twin, and one of Oomiya. They would be like little plush chibi dolls, but made out of colorful magical roses that had surprising durability. She was aware that they weren't super detailed, but she thought that they were cute.

Both of the twins thought that they might be going a little excessive, but they smiled and continued. After all, this event was to build a friendship and they were doing this contest not really to win, but to have fun and make some gifts for their host. They both wondered, though, about what Oomiya would be making for the contest. Secretly, they hoped it would be some form of poetry. From what they read, they really enjoyed some of the Chairwoman's earlier works.

[Sanghyeok]

Oomiya was almost finished with the second poem now, and with a final flourish the last character was written, in the same flowing, flowery style she had made the others. Once done, she stood up and took the autumn leaves that she had saved and once again cast the same time-stop spell on them, locking in their bright red colours and slightly earthy scent. Oomiya was about to start the next step of using a displacement spell on the paper and leaves, just like she did with the cherry blossoms before, when she thought she heard the soft sound of music.

At first, Oomiya thought she was simply hearing the sounds of nature, but sure enough the same sound came again, and she was sure this time that it was definitely human. A lighthearted, upbeat melody that was oddly familiar and yet strange at the same time- she was sure she had never heard it before, but she could also follow along as if she was familiar with this song. It almost sounds like someone has been singing, Oomiya thought to herself, and for some reason she felt a strong urge to follow the melody. Why not? she decided, and started added her own voice to the faint harmony that reached her ears.

Happily singing along, Oomiya prepared herself to start the last, most difficult part of her creation: the magic that would change what appeared based on the desire of the person reading it. In theory, it would not be too difficult to use a simple emotion charm to detect the wishes of the person holding it, and switch between autumn leaves and cherry blossoms. But in practice, she had never cast such a spell before, and certainly not on such a delicate object.

I hope this works, she said to herself, before calming her mind and heart to ready herself. After some time, she started creating the spell. Oomiya was careful not to create the spell with great force like she usually did with magic, but this time with far more precision, directing the magic gently into the paper. The paper started glowing with energy, but Oomiya stood unwavering, continuing to release the magic into it without hesitation. At last, the paper went back to its normal state, and Oomiya breathed a sigh of relief. She had finished her creation, successfully and on time. I have done my best, she thought, now it is time to see what Julienne and Sylvia have made. I don't know their magic well, but I imagine it would be something elemental. Fire or water, perhaps, since they do come from nation named Azur after all. But of course, it could always be an unexpected surprise, since they are rather creative.

Thinking about what sorts of wonderful creations the Twins were working on, Oomiya started heading back to meet with them.

[Azur Deutschland]

While reaching the end of her little song, Sylvia finished the ice sculpture. Taking a step back, she looked at her work, smiling happily. Standing in front of her was three statues made entirely of ice. They depicted herself, her twin, and Oomiya to some pretty excellent detail. The magical ice was even colored to bring out the resemblances even more. With a nod, the elder twin cast a spell to make sure her work would never melt. After going over it a few more times, Sylvia turned around, ready to meet her sister and Oomiya.

Julienne was still humming along as she started her finishing touches. She looked over her creations and aligned them neatly on a magical surface. There was various different kinds of plushies, from cakes and cup cakes to hearts and flowers, all of them made from differing colors of magical roses. In the center was the three she was most proud of. The three little representations of the three contestants in this little tournament. She hid them behind two curtains, the curtains of which were the two flags she made earlier.