Ooh, SHINY!

Konoka sighed as she twirled a piece of her beautiful, long hair between her fingers. "Hey, Konoka, what's with the sighing?" Asuna, her best friend asked, popping up out of nowhere. "Oh…nothing…" Konoka heaved another wistful sigh. Asuna's brow scrunched up. "Konoka, I may be a Baka Ranger, but I'm not stupid. It's obvious that something's up." Konoka finally turned to her friend out of exasperation.

"Asuna, who is the only person I ever sigh about?" Asuna scratched her head in thought. "…Uhh…you gotta go to another omiai?" Asuna tried. Konoka shook her head. "It's Secchan, Asuna! Sakurazaki Setsuna!" she exclaimed. "I can't ever seem to get her attention these days…"

"OH! Yeah, hmm…" Asuna scratched her head in embarrassment.

"Setsuna's always polishing Yuunagi," Konoka whined pitifully. "She doesn't pay as much attention to me…" Asuna snapped her fingers I recognition.

"Yeah, I got blinded by how shiny it was last week." Konoka rolled her eyes a bit and huffed in a way that Setsuna would have found adorable. "I need to find a new way to get her attention," Konoka mused. There was a thoughtful silence as the two girls attempted to concoct a solution. Suddenly, Asuna clapped her hands together.

"Setsuna's a crow, ne? And crows are known for their love of shiny things! Maybe old Setsuna's so interested in Yuunagi these days because of how shiny it is, and she keeps polishing it out of some weird crow OCD!" Konoka stared at her friend for a long, long time. It was outrageous. It was impossible.

It was brilliant.

"That has to be it! Yeah…" Konoka nodded feverishly. "So, what should I do?" she asked. There was a long silence as the two mused and mulled over various ridiculous schemes. "Oh! Hey, maybe I should dress up in all sorts of shiny things! Yeah…"

The idea was the most ridiculous one they had. It was near humiliating. It was out right silly. It was pure genius.

"Great! I know this really great place that does this thing called Hair Bling where they basically tie tinsel in your hair," Asuna exclaimed excitedly.

"I can go out and buy a silver kimono," Konoka mused quietly. The two grinned at each other. "Secchan's not gonna get back from training for another few hours," Konoka said deviously. Asuna grinned widely.

"SHOPPING SPREE!"

It was near dusk when poor Setsuna dragged herself from Evangeline's Mansion. The small vampire had been having an especially bad day that day, and had thus been rather touchy during that day's training session. Her bangs on the right side of her face stuck stubbornly onto her wide forehead. She attempted to simply blow them off with a puff of frustrated air.

It did not work.

She trudged tiredly in the direction of the school when she heard the voice of an angel call out to her. "Seeeecchhaaaaaan~3!"

Setsuna turned to the wonderful sound out of instinct, habit, wont, and need. 'Ojousama-' The poor crow hanyo's thoughts halted as she watched the angel run towards her on gilded wings.

Actually, those gilded wings were simply a very shiny piece of cloth around Konoka's arms. The effect was desired, however.

Setsuna gaped as Konoka came over the crest of the hill, into the full beauty of the setting sun. Konoka looked like a phoenix, burning bright in the evening light.

And oh, Kami, how shiny!

Those wonderful, already shiny chocolate tresses seemed to be threaded with the light itself, causing Konoka's every move to send another wave of sparkles all over the surrounding area. Her dress, a beautiful silver color, reflected the sunlight, giving her the look of a true angelic creature. Her mocha eyes glittered in a warm and inviting way, and her lips, her soft, oh so kissable ones, bent into the most adorable little smile, shone in the sun as well.

Honestly, Setsuna couldn't help but gawk a little.

Konoka approached Setsuna with a rather triumphant aura. She smiled at Setsuna, whose shock face, if nothing else came out of the whole ordeal, was very funny and adorable. The shock face made it all almost worth it. Setsuna's mouth opened and closed like a fish's, Konoka waiting very patiently for Setsuna to get a hold of herself. Finally, she spoke.

"Ojousama-"

"Kono-chan," Konoka corrected. "K-k-k-k-kono-CHAN!" Setsuna stuttered, her face lit up brighter than the sunset's glow. "Yeees?" Konoka crooned. "Y-you're…so…so…"

"Hmmmm?"

"So SHINY!"