>To Rin, lightly: Which is to say that if I wasn't trying to look professional right now, I'd just kiss you and make it clear why you're number one to me.
>With a touch of unexpected boldness, Rin replies,
Maybe a little reward if I beat her?>"She's a trusted confidante, but we're few enough in number that we've never needed to formalize decision-making."
>"Doesn't that mean you're not really in charge either?" Chisato asks, plainly confused.
>Poppy replies, "Lotus is the most experienced of us, and has proven herself to be a capable leader on and off the battlefield. We've learned to trust her judgement and follow her lead. Each of us knows we can act independantly, but if any of us ever needs our course confirmed, or corrected, we know who to go to."
>"And she, in turn, knows she has reliable allies to count upon should she ever find herself in a similar position." Haruka says respectfully. Then her eyes widen and she steps quickly to the side, as Magical Lily, who appears to have become entangled with one of the fairy mikos that had been chasing her, comes careening through the air and crashes to ground right where Haruka had been standing a moment ago. Seemingly oblivious to their crash, the two women appear to have moved on from 'tag' to 'tickle war.' Haruka smiles. "And allies that know how to play with fairies." she adds wryly.