Sometimes ideas get stuck in my head. Sometimes I try to draw them out by … drawing. As seen by Sailor Sylkis, this isn’t always successful. Other times I write. This is one of those times

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"Now remember, we are only after the essentials" Rogue said, sternly.

"Oooh look at this sweater! It's got 3 dimensional wool sheep on the front. Feel it ... FLUFFY!" Niqote gushed, shoving the pastel wonder in Rogue's face.

Rogue brushed the offending object away. "We are not here to reenact Macklemore's video clip. We are poor Uni students setting up house." She turned away and started heading towards the household section. "We need important things like basic furniture, kitchenware and cleaning materials. Not … smurf snow globes."

Niq whipped the snow globe in her hand behind her back. Glancing around, she tucked it behind a Michael Jackson figurine lamp and a stack of Fabio-covered romance novels. "I'll be back for you later" she whispered, and then scurried off after her flatmate.

"Oooh look at this! A broom, mop and dustpan set for $2.99. Bargain!" Rogue enthused filling her arms. "You go look in the kitchen section. Imma take these to the person at the register so no one else can snag them"

"Rogue, the only other people here are that blonde bloke going through menswear muttering 'c'mon vintage!' and an old lady who I believe is stuffing spoons down her bra. I don't think either one would be likely to challenge you to a duel over a secondhand mop"

"Only ‘cause they know I'd WIN!" Rogue retorted as she walked away.

"You should move in with Rogue, mum said. She is sane and responsible, mum said. Well I have seen her haggle over a table at a garage sale. Sane and responsible doesn't make grown men cry!" Niq muttered. As she browsed through shelves of mismatched china a brief flicker caught her eye. The dim light from the bulb overhead glanced off a lonely frypan at the end of the bench. She picked it up feeling the heft and balance. "Oh yeah ... this is wake-up-at-midnight-with-suspected-axe-murderer-rapist-intruder-in-the-house defense worthy."

"What is what?" Rogue queried from behind.

"I found a frypan!" Niq exulted holding out her bounty.

"That’s nice dear. How much?"

Niq flipped it over to look at the sticker at the bottom "Only $5!"

Rogue looked around. "Oh hey, here is another one the same style," Rogue flipped it over. "Huh .. no sticker. Well we will stack the two together and claim it is a set for $5."

"What do we need a second frypan for?"

"Well since I am the prettier of the two of us, any axe-murderer-rapist-intruders would come for me first, so I need my own defense system," Rogue grinned. "Plus it’s essentially free".

Niq rolled her eyes. "You and the F-word, seriously."

"Okay now," Rogue pulled out her notepad and pen. "We got cleaning tools, frypans ... oh I got a nice dinnerware set at the counter. It wasn't missing any pieces and only $4."

"What colour is it?" Niq queried?

"Hmmm, its kinda beige-y."

"Beige?

"Yes, beige"

"Beige!

"Are you doing that thing where you say a word over and over until it makes no sense? Beige, beige, beige ...."

"Oh god, I am soon to be the owner of something beige. I am never getting laid."

"What is wrong with beige?"

"The fact that you had to ask that question."

"Would it help if we called it cream? Off-white? Stucko? Mother-of-pearl?"

Niq glared at her flatmate. "No it would not. Deep down … I would know..."

"Eh, it will do for now." Rogue plunked her notepad and pencil into her frypan, using it as a basket. "Now let’s get going. I got 3 more thrift shops on my list and we still need a set of glasses, mugs and some kitchen knives."

"Rogue, if you try to haggle over the cost of knives, please ensure that said knives are on the counter and not in your hands"

"Why is that?"

"Just a general tip towards negotiations of any kind."

"Thanks I'll take it on board. Oh look, a set of tea towels. 4 for $1, I'll be a-taking those" Rogue placed them also in her frypan.

Niq followed Rogue to the front of the shop, clutching her bargain frypan. As they passed the knickknack section a tiny little angel figurine caught her eye. She checked the bottom, it was only 50c. She figured a little guardian from above might come in handy in her new household. Placing it in her frypan she headed to the counter

They both placed their frypans on the counter. "Where is the cashier? He was here a second ago. He's better not have nicked our stuff!" Rogue reached out to tap the bell "Hellooooo...."

*ting*

A white light flared and the thrift shop surroundings faded from view. A mysterious male voice floated through the ether. "Yes, you are worthy. You have been chosen". The light flared again and suddenly the two girls found themselves back at the counter.

"What the..." Rogue burst out. "Is the clerk out the back smoking something in front of an air duct? Cause I must have inhaled something. Either that or I've got a tumor pressing on the part of my brain that makes flashy lights appear."

"Rogue"

"What?"

"Uh, am I seeing things … or are you a waitress?"

Rogue glanced down at herself. Her previous attire of practical jeans and t-shirt had been replaced by a waitress uniform complete with short skirt and frilled apron. She felt her head... yep there was even a perky cap on her hair. "I'm gonna go with tripping on fumes..." She turned to Niq and felt the rest of the sentence die in her mouth.

"What?" Niq shrugged at Rogue's expression. Then she looked down at herself. Her simple sundress had been replaced by an elaborate white dress trimmed with lace and feathers and red embroidery. “Oh this is cute," she said twisting to get a better look.

"Your tributes are accepted," a disembodied voice boomed from nowhere.

"The power is now in your hands," a second mystery voice thundered.

"Er wut?" "Who’s talking!" the two girls asked spinning around.

“Oh for …” The booming voice lost its majestic tone and just sounded irritated. “No. Literally we are in your hands". The girls looked down at the frypans. Now empty of the items previously stacked in them, the bases shone clear. Only now the metal reflected two faces that we're not their own. "You are chosen to be our bearers to fight for the side of good and righteousness."

"Rogue … I think these frypans are possessed." Niq whispered in a strangled voice. “Let’s put them down and back away slowly.”

"Oh come on ladies it's not that hard. You pick up the sacred vessels, offer us tribute and get granted magical powers to fight evil." Rogue’s frypan snapped.

"Since when are frypans 'sacred vessels'?" Rogue asked incredulously.

"I'll have you know there is a long proud history of women using frypans to smite evildoers."

"But why the hell do we look like this?” Rogue gestured to her outfit. “And why does she get to be all fancy and I'm a background character from 2 Broke Girls!"

"Well,” Niq said. “If what we put in the pans were the tribute, I had an angel figurine so I have an angel themed costume. You had a notepad and dishcloths, hence the waitress look!”

"Oh that makes sense…” Rogue shook her head “Oh what the hell am I saying! A kitchen tool has turned me into a magical girl. Sense ran out the door 10 minutes ago. It’s probably on its way to a tropical holiday with its friends reality, normality and sanity.”

"You ladies getting on with your pots there?" came a male voice.

"They are frying pans,” the girls said in unison looking up.

The tall shaggy haired cashier gave a wry grin “Whatever they are, they aren't yours ‘til you pay for ‘em,” he said dryly.

Rogue blushed. “Oh, uh, here,” she mumbled, handing over the money for the purchases.

“Oh, and nice outfits. We get lots of you anime chicks in here looking for bits and pieces for costumes. Yours are real professional like.”

“A-ha-ha,” Niq laughed weakly. “Thanks.”

He turned to Rogue “And you sugar…” He looked her up and down “You can serve me anytime,” he said with a sexy wink.

Rogue’s blush deepened. “We’re going now.”

The girls picked up their items and headed out, loading their purchases into the back of the car and driving off.

“That cashier guy was cute,” Niq started

“Was he? I didn’t notice.”

“In a disheveled, ruffled kind of way.”

“…”

“I think he liked you.”

“Not listening.”

“You were blushing.”

“It was warm.”

“You were quite distracted by him.”

“No I wasn’t.”

“You left our change on the counter.”

“…. I hate you.”


Fin

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What happens next?
What powers will each girl possess?
What will be their henshin animation and soundtrack?
What evil force will these two ladies be fighting?
Will Rogue get together with the cute cashier?

Find out next time on … wait I don’t even have a title for this thing … Bah, forget it. Writing is hard.