2014-05-09 - Cat Versus Monkey, Round One
| Title: Cat Versus Monkey, Round One | |
|---|---|
| Summary: A pair of peaceful afternoons, brought briefly together by a greedy Chuchu. | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Ohtori - Gardens | |
| OOC - IC Date: 11 January 2014 - 5/9/14 | |
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
It has been a long, long first week back at school, despite the fact that it is half as long as normal. Utena has gone through most of it kicking and screaming, sprawled out on lunch tables whining about how she's going to die; after this much vacation and fun, the idea of being back at school, doing things, has rendered her at /least/ an 0.9 on the Usa Scale.
It's nearing a close, though, so Utena finally feels like a normal person again. Her effort to recapture normalcy has brought her to Ohtori's gardens, which she's taking a few seconds to just appreciate; usually literally stopping and smelling the roses isn't quite her thing... but she needs a second or two.
And besides... usually, Himemiya's around here, isn't she?
<Pose Tracker> Anthy Himemiya [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
By contrast, Anthy has listened very patiently to Utena's complaining, agreeing with her about how terrible it is and how it would be nice if they could just stay on vacation forever and how unpleasant the return to homework and drudgery is. The kicker is that Anthy hardly ever does her homework, anyway, and she's never really taken to take for it because Reasons.
But now they've settled back into their routine, and the week is over besides. It's Saturday, so there are places she needs to be later on, but right now, she's watering the roses, as is her duty. Peaceful, etherial music seems almost to play as she tilts that golden watering can, casting rainbows over the seven-colored roses, a smile curling up her lips. It stays there when the door opens, but the sight of Utena brings a certain additional warmth to it, green eyes crinkling slightly.
Chuchu, despite usually spending his time around her, is nowhere to be found. Where did he go...?
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Minagi [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
School did start again, didn't it?
The main thing Mikoto noticed was that her search for her Lord Brother was interrupted by more travelling, and Mai insisting she go to school again. She reminded Mikoto of the bento promise, though -- so at the very least, Mikoto attends.
Attending doesn't mean she necessarily absorbs much, of course. Some courses, she simply doesn't catch onto well at all, and it's surely only the tireless tutoring Mai provides which keeps her head above water with them. Numbers simply aren't important, for instance!
As a reward for Getting Through The Week, perhaps -- and a distraction from all of the recent drama, which Mikoto remains largely unaware of, as is her right as a feral child -- Mai has taken Mikoto outside for lunch, today. You know, like a picnic! It's not a very lavish picnic, considering their funds, but...
Perhaps that's why Mikoto is so very, very offended when she sees a tiny interloper on their basket. And when it picks up one of the carefully-wrapped bento boxes, oh-- Oh, it's /ON./
Mikoto shrieks, leaping after it, chasing it down on all fours like a possessed cat, her bag of golf clubs (no one believes that any more) bouncing on her back. It leads her on a chase all through the rose gardens, and eventually, to Utena and Anthy.
That monster must not understand that nothing can protect it from the wrath of a hungry Minagi!
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Mai is in hot pursuit of the cat-demon - though she's hindered by differences in raw speed, her habit of sticking to the paths, and the basket she's carrying containing the rest of the prepared lunch. Really, all she has going for her is determination and her voice.
"Mikoto, get back here! It's just one box, it's not worth going on a rampa-" Mai cuts herself off as she finds herself having to dart around a flowerbed that Mikoto cleared in a single leap. If not for the fact that the chase is going largely at random, she'd have long since lost her roommate and whatever creature it's chasing. But, just around the corner is a greenhouse, door ajar, where she must have run-
And so, without a second thought, Mai bursts through the door. "Got you! Just give up the chase, Miko-"
...there's other people here. "...to." An awkward silence, as Mai just stares, starting to recognize Utena at least... "...I am so sorry about this."
Dangit, where is that cat....
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
How can you track people without numbers? 'Your nose' is not an acceptable answer.
As the garden quickly devolves into absolute chaos courtesy of Mikoto, Utena finds herself in possession of a hotly-contested mousemonkey, as it does an acrobatic leap up and onto her shoulder. "Huh? Chuchu, what are you -- she starts, shortly before she ends up presented with both Mai and Mai's... cat.
She opens her mouth for a moment. Closes it. Opens her mouth again, raising a finger this time. ... closes it again. Finally glancing to Chuchu's box, she looks back at Himemiya with embarrassment, then at the sudden influx of senpai. "... This, uh, must be yours," she says, before puffing her cheeks out a little and then sighing. "I..." Her gaze turns to Mai, and she blushes a little, before eventually saying, "... Hi?" She's still /kind/ of waiting for an explanation of -- well -- Mikoto, but...
<Pose Tracker> Anthy Himemiya [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
Before Anthy and Utena can have any kind of an exchange, Chuchu comes hurtling through the door like he's got the bats of hell on his tail, somehow managing to carry a box lunch that's many times larger than he is, and leap in sheer panic away from the cat-person who BURSTS through the glass door behind him, proving that he did have *something* from hell after him. Anthy gasps in shock, covering her mouth with one hand, and utters, "Oh, my!"
She clutches the watering can to her chest as Mai follows shortly thereafter, looking from her to Mikoto to Utena and Chuchu, and then to Chuchu's box lunch. "My! Chuchu, did you take that from that girl?"
"Chu," he utters, and has the good grace to at least look ashamed.
All the same, Anthy walks up to her friend and her fiancee, and if she comes to a stop a half-step behind the latter... She tilts her head at Mai, recognizing her, but only nods to her and Mikoto demurely without greeting them.
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Minagi [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
It's a good thing the door was open. There must be no doubt in anyone's mind -- Mikoto would have TOTALLY leapt through the glass.
She's probably done it already at least once or twice before. In her defense, it's hard to look out for invisible barriers when fighting enemies.
Mikoto comes to a skidding stop in front of Utena, where the tiny lunch-stealing demon has hidden itself. "Utena!" Mikoto barks, because, you know, she's met this lady, she's /provisionally/ acceptable, she should understand, "give him! That's mine! That's Mai food!" And, you know, any confusion between 'Mai food' and 'my food' is totally deliberate, probably. She puffs out her cheeks and glares, prickling even though she doesn't have proper fur to raise.
Utena is an ally, but she could /probably/ slice the foodsnatcher off of her without hurting her...
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
...is Mikoto reaching for her sword? A silly question - it's Mikoto. The answer is far too often yes. But Mai can see that her target has come to a halt - and awkwardness can be put aside to prevent a rampage from occurring here. Before responding to any of the greetings, Mai rushes forward. She grabs the back of Mikoto's collar, and hoists the girl up in the air somewhat like a mother cat grabbing a kitten.
"Really, did you have to go that far for one box? You don't have to go on a rampage over lunch!" She's about to admonish the girl more- but then realizes that she did actually get addressed, and should probably respond.
"Tenjou-san! Hi. Sorry about this. We were having lunch, and then part of it got stolen, and she..." Letting out a sigh, Mai turns to the other person here. "Sorry for intruding - I hope we haven't caused any trouble for you and your..."
Mai glances at the creature, still cowering and still holding the stolen food. Monkey? Mouse? "...pet. ...if it's all the same, I don't suppose we could get that bento box back?..."
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
They've met, but Utena has not /quite/ experienced the full brunt of... ... this. Once she processes who the little blur of motion is, she does seem to relax a little -- even though she probably /shouldn't/, because Mikoto is a little crazy.
When Mai explains the situation, Utena can't help but laugh a little. "Chuchu! You can't just steal food that isn't yours," Utena says, with a small frown. "Even if it /is/ probably really good..."
Reaching up to the little monkey-mouse, she gently holds him back with the fingers of one hand while delicately plucking the box away with the other. "Shame on you," she says, pursing her lips a bit as she holds out the box. Her other hand remains with Chuchu, because no one can trust that little guy. /No one/.
<Pose Tracker> Anthy Himemiya [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
Chuchu swings his tail back and forth as Mikoto demands that her food be returned, and Anthy glances at him. He looks abashed when Utena scolds him as well, and when she retrieves it from him, he does so dejectedly but without a fuss. "Chu..." is his only sad remark as he looks wistfully at the retreating bento.
His stomach growls. Loudly.
It seems as though the matter is probably mostly resolved, but Anthy glances over at Mai. "He's not a pet," she clarifies, her tone rife with the utmost politeness and respect. "He's my friend."
Mind, she says this while still hiding behind Utena, mostly from Mikoto who is still acting rather aggressive.
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Minagi [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
Mikoto glaaares up at Chuchu, fire in her eyes, and --
She's elevated through the air, courtesy of Momma Cat Mai. "Maaai!", Mikoto wails, blissfully unaware of how childish it sounds. "Yes! Mai worked hard to make that!" And so Mikoto had to go on a daring rescue mission to get it back. Also, you know, she's hungry--
Her stomach growls right along with the monkey-mouse-thing's.
Utena holds out the bento, and Mikoto snatches it from her, clutching it to her chest. It's only after the food is safely in her possession again that the girl -- still dangling from Mai's grip, like a helpless little kitten -- that Mikoto looks around the greenhouse, noticing people who weren't directly involved in the great lunch heist. Namely: Anthy. For a long moment, Mikoto stares at her, a piercing sort of look which almost seems unhuman...
And then she decides that, you know, Mai isn't threatened by her, and she's not threatening, so she's /probably/ not a threat. Mikoto looks away, back up at Mai. "Got lunch back!"
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
...the sight of Utena Tenjou scolding a small purple creature can't help but make Mai chuckle a moment, and she flushes a moment at the theoretical praise for the food. Anthy clarifies, and Mai nods after only a moment's pause. "Friend. Got it. I'm Mai Tokiha, and this is Mikoto Minagi, my-"
...she's not sure how to answer that question. Roommate? Friend? Comrade-in-arms? Pet? While Mai is debating the question, Mikoto snatches back the lunch, does her ominous stare, and then looks at Mai. That cheerful expression...frankly the debate's left Mai's mind entirely at that cheer. "Well, you got that part of it back - but I have the rest."
Cautiously, Mai sets Mikoto back down on solid ground - though not releasing her fully yet. "Anyway, I'm sorry about the trouble. We were having lunch outside, and your - friend here decided he wanted one of the dishes. Mikoto's not going to go attacking again, right?" She gives Mikoto a look - but holds up the rest of the basket as enticement. If you behave, Mikoto, you will be released...
<Pose Tracker> Utena Tenjou [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
Scooting a little closer to Himemiya once she realizes just how close the two of them are, Utena gives her a small smile -- and then Chuchu a mock frown. Fortunately, the tribulations of the moment seem to have passed; the three of them have returned the stolen goods, ostensibly none the worse for wear, and all's well that ends well. She hopes.
The feral teen gets a bit of a baffled look from Utena again; this sort of thing is never not going to be kind of weird. Mai is easier to talk to -- and so Utena does, saying, "Chuchu is... kind of a handful," shaking her head. "Sorry about that..." She wonders, for a brief instant, if Chuchu and Mikoto could be friends if they weren't in competition. They're clearly interested in the same things...
<Pose Tracker> Anthy Himemiya [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
So long as there is delicious food in the world and it's not of an unlimited quantity, Chuchu and Mikoto will probably always be at odds, because there is only so much to go around. Chuchu sulks a bit on Utena's shoulder, but Anthy only smiles at him.
"Now, now, Chuchu," she tells him soothingly, "I'll make you some shaved ice when we get home."
...Despite the fact that it's the middle of January. Nonetheless, the tiny monkey perks up with a happy, "Chu!"
Anthy laughs a little, eyes shutting briefly, and returns Utena's smile, resting her hand on the pink-haired girl's shoulder, not far from where Chuchu is. Then she bows to Mai and Mikoto. Her eyes linger on the latter as she stares her down with those almost inhuman eyes.
"Oh, no, Tokiha-senpai, I'm terribly sorry about the trouble Chuchu has caused you and Minagi-senpai," Anthy then says with every appearance of sincerity once Mai apologizes. "He just gets so carried away..."
<Pose Tracker> Mikoto Minagi [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.
The thing which is called Chuchu: a handful, a food-thief, that girl's friend. HRRRRRRRRRM. Mikoto will spare him. For now.
"Utena! Utena friend." Mikoto smiles and nods to the two girls, firm and cheerful once more. "It's OK! We gotta eat now." See, Mai? Mikoto is not going to destroy the food-thief. She looks up to Mai, with those big, golden eyes. "Right?"
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Mai takes a long look at Mikoto, meeting those golden eyes, judging the sincerity of this promise to not cause destruction...and cheerfully nods. "Right!" She turns to the two denizens of the greenhouse. "Don't worry about it. I can understand handfuls who get carried away."
Whoever could she mean?
Shaved ice is a little bizarre, but...in the grand scheme of things, relatively minor. She gives Anthy and Utena each a nod in turn, pausing briefly at the latter. A question comes to mind - but Mikoto's right, the two of them have to eat. "Nice seeing you two plus 'Chuchu' - and sorry again for having barged in. We'll let you get back to your day!" And with that, Mai and Mikoto head for the door.
