Close to midnight, a loan office lady finally starts getting ready to leave for the day, eyes tired, makeup ruined, hair messy, clothes coffee stained, fingers with snapped nails and broken high heels, this was Kyoka, an over worked office worker, finally stepping out the office and into her orange Mazda.
As she drove off, midnight was ready to chime, each one changing Kyoka.
The first chime fixed her makeup and added more lipstick.
The second chime restyled her hair into voluminous gentle hazel waves.
The third chime, her neck and ears glistened with bright diamond jewelry.
The forth chime, her hair sprouted beautiful red roses.
The fifth chime fixed her nails and encased them in the finest blue silk gloves.
The sixth chime, her business suit started to expand with fabric stretching it to breaking point.
The seventh chime, her suit burst into a beautiful blue and gold ball gown.
The eighth chime, she was no longer moving the wheel as her car interior became that of a royal coach.
The ninth chime, her car reformed into a fabulous golden pumpkin coach.
The tenth chime, the call of horses pulled the carriage.
The eleventh chime, a new driver took over the vehicle.
The twelfth chime, her heels hardened into sparkling glass slippers.
Kyoka had become Cinderella, escaping the ball as midnight chimed, speeding through the night passing all ongoing Metro battles including the battle between Zoe and Sujin, the presence of the pumpkin coach ending the battle immediately.
"Jansen wanted me to watch after midnight Cinderella?" Zoe wondered.
"That was the point, Kyoka has the most elegant race style on the metro, your pro experience will benefit from it" Jansen arriving.
"Well this is cramping my style, I'm out" Sujin set off quickly, neither her or Zoe won as Kyoka took the spoils, only the damaged Mustang remained of the battle.
To the public, all they see was a Mazda racing through the mountains, to racers and especially Jewel Maidens, they see Cinderella escaping the ball as midnight chimes, this was aura, and it's how Metro battles are settled, Zoe only knew the basic forms, she possessed no special forms, the thought of returning to the BWI for advice made her dread.
The morning after, Ramona received the news of Dave Dreamer leaving the team.
"So he's a man after all, I doubt you'd go far in such a third rate team but I'd like to see you try" Ramona her usual calm self.