2020-08-09 - It's All Fun And Games Until...
| It's All Fun And Games Until... | |
|---|---|
| Summary: Following rumors of magical girl sightings to Uminari Park, the magical girls discover that they're true... in a matter of speaking. (The matter at hand is cosplay.) | |
| Who: Niramo Umokeshi, Usagi Tsukino, Nori Ankou, Mami Tomoe, Fuu Hououji, Honoka Yukishiro, Rei Hino, Fumiko Inoue, Steven Universe, Nagisa Misumi | |
| Where: Uminari Seaside Park | |
| OOC - IC Date: 8/9/2020 - 09-19-15 | |
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed. <SoundTracker> Saturday - Sailor Moon OST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIjDlSqzrjY
It's a lovely afternoon to visit the park. The sunlight, with a nod to oncoming autumn, is more golden than usual, sort of rustic -- well in tune with the leaves of the many trees of Uminari Seaside Park, which are right on the edge of transformation from green to a riotous combination of red, gold, and brown. A few early-bird trees have already begun, though the canopies are still an only slightly wan viridian -- as though the trees are starting to feel a little pooped out. After all, it's not easy being green.
The playground is packed with little kids; they are cheerful, but maybe a little less noisy than usual, for the given density of children involved -- there's a slight hush across them, an anticipatory feeling, that is perhaps preventing them from full boisterousness. It is not too pronounced, however, to prevent typical kid activity, and every swing is swinging, there's an almost circular line up and down the King Penguin slide, and the monkey bars and jungle gyms are all in use.
A little ways away, separated from the sandbox by a line of those pretty trees, a set of picnic tables, benches attached, are lined up all in a row. There's still quite a lot of empty seating, but those present have an outsized presence anyway, because they're all -- cheerfully -- arguing and declaiming with and to one another. It's a mixed grab bag of students, mostly from Juuban's middle and high schools, but there are a few from Infinity or Ohtori. Nobody's in uniform; it is, after all, finally the weekend.
Chloe Bourgeois, the nominal queen bee of Juuban's ninth grade, has her nose high in the air, which sends her blond ponytail spilling down her designer-shirted back. "--Ladybug is obviously the best, and I happen to know she's both beautiful and talented!"
Sabrina Raincomprix, Chloe's best friend slash minion, doesn't dare to disagree. She adjusts her glasses until they're set to stun -- um, opaque gleam. "Even so, I think Chat Noir's wonderful... there's nothing like a black cat for loyalty! And craftsmanship!"
"Is that so?" drawls their classmate Hoshi Tashiro, who wears her brown hair boyishly short, almost to the edge of punk. She's in the drama club. "I really admire Sourisi," she counters with a grin. "The Mouse that Roared -- she's the bravest!"
Misaki Yoshinaga smirks, as she tugs the end of her black braid long and taut, like a tail. "Well, you have to be brave when you run in headlong without a plan. That's what makes Serpentina Ruse the best -- ssssssshe's the sssssssssmartessssssssst!"
Further down the table, Juuban eleventh-graders Natsuko Koshino and Kyoko Mori glance over fondly at Hoshi and Misaki, who they consider something of kohai, though of course high school drama and middle school drama are two separate clubs.
"Being the bravest or best isn't the point, really, we all know that," Natsuko reminds her. "This is about what only YOU know! Real secrets, because of what you've learned! For example: Cure Black prefers strawberry cake over vanilla!"
Kyoko flips one of her pigtails around a finger. "And Cure White thinks eating too much cake is gross no matter what kind it is."
Natsuko punches her best friend in the arm. "Hey!"
At the next table, Gurio Umino, Juuban tenth-grader and notorious nerd, runs a nervous hand through his shaggy hair, then pushes his bottle-thick glasses up his nose. "...you really want to hear?" he asks the girl sitting next to him.
"I do," Kotono Sarashina, Ohtori tenth-grader, Supernatural Research Club member, and, if it wasn't for that fact, Would Be Way Too Glamorous For This Sketch. Her long blond hair, adorned at the back of her head by two blue bows, is glorious. Nevertheless, here she is, enthusiastic as anyone else at these tables. She leans in, intent.
"Well, you see, what if Tuxedo Mask had a younger, unappreciated brother? He was forever overlooked until, one day, he seized his chance to save the girl -- um, save the day..."
Unazki Furuhata -- Kotono's classmate, also the younger sister of the hunk who runs Game Center Crown (while she herself is a part-time waitress at Fruits Parlor Crown, the cafe above it) -- yawns. "Please. Tuxedo Mask or Younger Brother Tuxedo Mask, neither of them could hold a candle to a real warrior like Sailor Mars! She'd always be saving HIM!"
Further down the table still, Manami Nakamoto, a strawberry blond Infinity tenth-grader, is listening politely to the Extreme Enthusiasm of Juuban Elementary students Momoko Momohara (purple hair in a bun; competing for Best Dressed with an extremely cute qipao) and Kyusuke Sarashina (Kotono's little brother, despite their different schools; he has shaggy black hair and a T-shirt with incomprehensible English on it).
"Is not!"
"Are too!"
"Is NOT!"
"Are TOO!"
"Now, now, what's all this fighting?" Manami interjects.
"The Golden Queen of Shibuya is WAY cuter than Starman Universe," Momoko explains tersely.
Kyusuke pulls a face.
"If the Magic Knight of Wind were here," Manami scolds gently, "She'd tell you not to fight over such things!"
"Wow, you really know who she is?" Momoko gushes.
Manami nods eagerly. "Sure do."
Not at the table itself, but under a tree, are two more people: no lesser a person than Mr. Damocles, principal of Juuban Middle School, and Chiyoko Sekiguchi, Ohtori tenth-grader. They're both silent, but very differently. He's in a typically overdressed three-piece suit that probably fit him better when he was younger, and is shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably. Chiyoko, on the other hand, has a contented silence, as she sits crosslegged, heedless of the possibility of getting grass stains on her black gothic lolita dress, and works on some kind of sewing project in her lap.
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Fingers drumming lightly on a clear plastic cup, Niramo lets out a drawn out sigh. Not one of boredom, distraction or fatigue, but a sigh showing just how content she is at the moment. Summer's twilight hours are here and bringing with it the perfect weather to simply sit outside and enjoy. The lemonaid she's sipping occasionally makes it that much more enjoyable.
Perfect weather to be out on a stakeout, after all.
Niramo wasn't quite sure what to think of the rumors going around at first, of magical girls showing up in parks lately. There wasn't really a lot to go off on, but there was reports of a few people being identified as Miraculous Heroes, and that's worth looking out for. After all, Serpentina Ruse has shown up a few months after Sourisi did, so who could say that more Miraculous could be used in Tokyo lately?
Though it seems really bizarre to hear them doing speeches with other magical girls. Was there public lessons on making heroic speeches she was missing out on?!
The ravenette is drawn out of her inner thoughts as Chloe stands her ground on her admiration for Ladybug, and Sabrina brings up some good points about Chat Noir being a wonderful ally, though Ladybug would dispute his craftmanship with puns. And Serpentina Ruse has a good head on her shoulders with her sneaky plans-
Wait...did Hoshi just say Sourisi was brave, and that she admired her for it?! A casual sip turns into a light coughing fit, cheeks becoming slightly rosy from a mixture of pleasure and embarrasment as she gasps for air. Hoping she didn't draw too much attention from anyone nearby, Niramo sets her cup down on the picnic table and speaks up towards the quartet gossiping about the Miraculous Heroes.
"Being the smartest is fine and all, but what about Sailor Moon? She has the courage to deliver aspiring speeches calling out the evils being done and makes sure it won't be tolerated any more." Sure, she could have jumped in on defending Sourisi...but Misaki isn't exactly wrong.
Tactics are much more her thing, anyways. No need for a plan when you make it up on the fly!
<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"So?"
"So - with all the rumors being passed around... I just thought a new Sailor Senshi might appear if I go to that park!"
"Usagi-chan..." Luna pads to the edge of the bed, looking at Usagi with a certain gravity. "...we've literally run out of planets."
Usagi Tsukino, now dressed in a turquoise dress with a bow and the back, and sporting a crescent moon pendant, hoists up her bag. "That doesn't rule it out! They're discovering new planets all the time."
"Usagi-chan I'm not going to explain exoplanets to you..."
"And - and - maybe they came from outside our galaxy!"
"You mean Solar System right?"
"Anyway! New Senshi-! I'm going! Bye Luna!"
Luna sighs heavily as Usagi tromps down the stairs and mutters, "If she finds a new Sailor Senshi while she's out I'll eat my collar."
Luna is of course, not wearing a collar.
-=-=-
Usagi Tsukino, upon arrival to the park does not spy any Magical Girls. Right away, but what she does spot are classmates and familiar faces.
Never truly disappointed at the idea of a meet up with friends, she slips over to the table, hands enclosed on her bag behind her back. The conversation though takes her off-guard, "Oh wow - did all of them appear around here? Is that why they're talking about them?" She murmurs to herself, wondering if something is truly wrong.
Though slowly Usagi Tsukino crosses her arms in front of herself, looking full of herself, because she has the facts on many of these figures being talked about. She lifts a finger and is about to speak up when, Umino says something. And normally while she doesn't ignore Umino, it'd be hard for him to interrupt Usagi...
Except, this time he does.
"Eh?" Usagi looks upon his face, blinking her eyes. And then after Unazuki chimes in about Sailor Mars, and Usagi tries to butt in after that, "W-Well I mean, he's not that..." Usagi clears her throat, deciding to refocus, "Say, Unazuki-chan. What do you think of that adorable champion of Love and Justice - Sailor Moon? She'd definitely save, Tuxedo Kamen-sama and his little brother just as fast as Mars-chan. And she'd look better doing it! I've heard her legs are nicer than Sailor Mars...'"
After waiting for an answer, she leans in, cupped mouth and leans over to Umino to whisper, "H-Hey Umino-kun, have you actually seen Tuxedo Kamen-sama's little brother around here - you're not thinking of Masked Tuxedo-sama right? He's doesn't strike me as a younger sibling..."
Usagi's drops the hand by her mouth as her pointer fingers suddenly make contact with each other in a self-conscious gesture. "And... I mean - either way he sounds pretty cool and all but... maybe I wanted to ask him, about Tuxedo Kamen-sama... or Moonlight Knight-sama you know. If it wouldn't be too much trouble?"
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Maybe it's just one of those things that comes up in whisper campaigns, like Bloody Mary, or Aka Manto, or the legend of the ghostly kart racers. Who is to say? Nori Ankou is not; she has heard that magical girls come to this place, and so she thought it was time to make the scene.
The irony of this is thus far lost on her, but Nori is just that kind of a person. Nori Ankou comes from the direction of a train station carrying a heavy shoulder bag and a rather large and new model phone - no doubt her intention is to present herself as someone taking a video log if she is challenged.
Who is going to challenge her? NORI ANKOU will challenge Nori Ankou if it comes to that.
The scene, though, is full of...
Other young people.
Where are the magical girls? thinks la Sirene de Diamant's alter ego.
"Oh, Sekiguchi - good afternoon; the weather's memorable, isn't it?" Nori Ankou asks presently as she drifts towards her co-student, her eyes drifting momentarily towards the Secret Project.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
A lovely afternoon indeed, and Mami Tomoe is fond of lovely afternoons, partiularly in gold. And even if it weren't a lovely afternoon, there is the matter of a particular rumor...
Mami Tomoe is dressed in flowy whites and yellows, out of uniform on a sunday but not in her Secret Other uniform, either.
Mami just happens to overhear some of the conversational debate, naturally. Just a little bit. Internally she swells with approval at this important pastime, but externally she has to maintain her cool.
So she walks over, and--takes one of the empty seats, looking with some interest to the topic at hand.
And Usagi is definitely drawing some attention on her own... But Mami does seem to be in a pretty good mood, mysteriously. "My, you even know their cake preferences...? That's very impressive."
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
To any random onlooker, the small, contented smile on Fuu's face might come from enjoying the weather as she sits under a tree, or the way the soft gold-brown yarn in her bag is gradually becoming something more as she works it around the knitting needles she's holding - a difficult skill to some, but simple enough in principle. She has a *long* way to go before she can do anything close to crafting a plushie like she saw at the festival; it's going to require a different set of skills, not to mention different tools. In truth, her smile stems from both the pleasant weather and her own gradual mastery of knitting. And then there's one other reason ...
Because there was a time when she despaired that magical girls would ever be held in the regard with which these children now talk about them. Hearing her own title from the mouth of her classmate Manami makes Fuu's lips quirk into more of a grin, before she suppresses her reaction - she's not here to listen to students talking about magical girls, but to find out who *else* was talking about them ... like they knew where to expect a bunch of magical girls to show up.
Her needles finish the last stitch on the row, and Fuu exchanges them between her hands, carefully reversing direction. The basic knit stitch was easy enough to learn, but she still has to pay more attention when purling. Not so much attention that she can't keep an ear and an eye out for whatever's going to happen, of course; she glances up now and again, keeping alert to her surroundings, and nodding a smiling hello to Manami if their gazes happen to meet.
<Pose Tracker> Honoka Yukishiro [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
When she's not in her school uniform, Honoka favors long, flowing skirts and simple blouses. Today the former is dark blue, the latter is blue-white striped, and she's shrugged on a sensible layer, an open, white denim jacket, as well. She barely leaves a mark in the grass with her brown leather loafers... there's a lightness to her steps that's less about stealth and more about grace. Maybe there's something to all those mothers who nag about posture; if you carry yourself well enough, half your weight gets transferred to a skyhook, apparently.
She and Nagisa take a moment to watch the little kids at play on the swings, then continue in a broad arc towards the picnic tables. It's one of those subtle things, but they're perfectly in sync, beyond merely well-matched strides. Somehow, they walk with their shoulders hardly a hair's-width apart, but never bumping... perfectly aware and accommodating of each other's presence. Although, there's so much more width to Honoka's mane that it can't help but occasionally slide across Nagisa's back in its pendulum-strokes behind them.
They stop near their classmates. "Mori-san, Koshino-san, everyone," Honoka greets, flute-soft, flute-sweet. Her expressive black eyebrows are raised, perhaps more bewildered than curious -- a rare expression on the young woman's face. She speaks in Mami's wake, politely inquisitive. "Pardon me, but... how would you know Cure Black's cake preferences? Surely you don't mean that you know... who she is?"
<Pose Tracker> Rei Hino [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
REI HINO, Ohtori superstar and secretly a magical girl, would never dream of being fooled by reports of NEW MAGICAL GIRLS. They say there are Sailor Senshi here on Saturdays, but Rei knows all the Senshi, thank you very much. She would never think there was a secret extra one waiting in the wings. That's the sort of gullible belief she'd expect from Usagi.
If Rei happens to be in the park on a Saturday... armed with her camera...
... it's just because the leaves are starting to turn, and Rei's myriad talents (really, an astounding amount of talents) include AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHY. Yes they do, shut up. It's the leaves. She's here for the leaves.
L E A V E S.
And if she happens to take a break from photographing the leaves to go check out this grouping of friends which has spontaneously gathered here on a Saturday (totally normal, happens all the time), it certainly has nothing to do with...
No, okay, this is where credibility breaks down a bit. Not even Rei Hino's narrative can hold up that Rei doesn't angle into this gathering to go bother Usagi. Of course she wanders over to go bother Usagi. Camera in one hand, she gestures with the other as she barges in without preamble: "No way. Sailor Mars has way better legs than Sailor Moon. And better style."
She smiles, brightly, to the waitress Unazki. "You have a good eye for the real warriors out there! I'm glad someone appreciates true burning passion!" Beat, and she laughs, waving a hand. "Someone else, I mean!" Does this mean... Rei Hino is a Sailor Mars fan..?!
The fact that she's enough of a Sailor Mars fan to miss Usagi whispering is it's own little tragicomedy, really.
<Pose Tracker> Fumiko Inoue [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Could the rumors be true? Were heroes making appearances in the park? This Fumiko had to see. Especially since some of them are her secret allies, if true. However, more likely than not, these were the thieves who stole her- er... the Drama Club's - supplies to 'play superhero'. Either way, she had to see this.
Due to this not being a school day, Fumiko might be a bit out of place wearing her school uniform. But no time to worry now. Instead, she worries about the heat. She makes a futile attempt to fan her face with her hand, and grumbles something about needing ice cream. It was a childish thing to whine about but... she's in a park with other kids, not fighting villains. She has the right to be immature here!
Then the talk about different Magical Girls and Boys sparks Fumiko's interest. She keeps mental notes, nodding along. These could all be good allies. Then... 'That's what makes Serpentina Ruse the best-' Fumiko tries to hide her proud embarrassment, failing as her cheeks redden a little. The best? The smartest (ssssssmartest)? She quickly hides that with a sheepish grin and laugh. "Wow... SerpentIna? I kept calling her SerpentAna!" Well, she has, and other intentional mispronounciations of less-famous-but-rising-in-fame defenders of justice.
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
Magical GIrl hangouts? So close to his home? And he wasn't invited?!
Well, sortof. Steven may have misinterpreted this whole ordeal. But hey, it gets boring when your three mother-like figures are saving the world and you get left home alone. The location is super close by, too!
The boy has ended up at a... debate of some kind? What was this? A good deal of Juuban students Steven recognizes are here too, from friends, to classmates.
He is wearing his standard after-school attire, star and flip-flops representin'! The only thing brought with him is a apple juice box. "Uh... well, I expected something different, but this is cool!" he says, bobbing his head excitedly. His hair bobs in it's fluffly styled as well, lagging behind the motion just long enough to make it seem all the more pillowy.
"A... Are people making a fan club for this or something?" This is something most unprecedented! Kinda cool
He is mid sip when he hears Momoko, and a bit of juice goes up his nose with a sudden exhale. "Ighhhh-- I'm okay, sorry!"
Thats kinda a cool name.
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.
Fumiko may be on the lookout for thieves, but what she's found are clubmates -- indeed, Hoshi Tashiro and Misaki Yoshinaga are highly experienced drama club members, and responsible for a lot of the costuming in their school plays.
"For a while I thought it was SerPENTia," Misaki reflects with a floaty voice, pushing a finger into her cheek thoughtfully, "But when I met Serpentina Ruse, she set me straight!"
Hoshi nods seriously, though her grin belies it, playfully. "That Serpentina Ruse, she's really STRICT. A know-it-all... likes to give her friends a tough time."
"Funny you should say that," Misaki shoots back, nose in the air, "When I met Sourisi she was kind of mean to her friends..."
"Hmph!" Chloe Bourgeois declaims. "Souri-whatever, Somebody Ruse, they're all nobodies compared to Ladybug!"
A glint comes into Hoshi's steely-gray eyes. "Oh yeah? I heard Ladybug was a selfish snob."
Sabrina Raincomprix shifts nervously; she hates confrontation. "Well, you heard wrong... Ladybug is a perfect lady, it's right there in the name!" Chloe, buoyed by this support, folds her arms and nods with the superior woman's conviction.
Kotono Sarashina was finding Gurio Umino kind of boring, but she perked right up when she heard Niramo mention Sailor Moon, and ditches him; he has Usagi now anyway. Walking past Rei, she pauses, surprised, and pauses to bow very deeply. "R-r-rei-sama!!" she stammers at her idol, the greatest of Ohtori's Mysteries. "I-I, I must disagree... Sailor Moon's style is unbeatable. As this girl says," she doesn't know Niramo, but nods at her in a friendly greeting, "It's all about the speeches. You can't affect real change in the world by beating people up. It's WORDS that move the world!"
Unazki Furuhata sticks around at her table, both so Umino won't feel totally bailed on, and because Rei's talking to her. "Hino-san," she greets her classmate, and frequent cafe patron, cheerfully. "Wow, you certainly have a lot of strong opinions about the sailor senshi! I admit, I'm just kinda here because Kotono-chan talked me into it..."
Meanwhile, one seat down: "YOU'VE HEARD OF HIM TOO?!?" Umino explodes in shock, when Usagi mentions the Moonlight Knight.
All conversation comes to a stop for a moment. Heads turn towards him.
He slowly and steadily turns the red of an overheated teakettle.
Heads turn away.
In a hushed voice, Umino leans in, cupping his hand around Usagi's ear (and bun). "That's who I'm talking about!" he hisses in a stage whisper; it still carries. "The Moonlight Knight... Tuxedo Mask... they must be related!" His other hand rests over his heart, clenching soulfully. "I know in my soul that we're kindred spirits... we both love heroics, and moonlight, and knights..."
His blush... adjusts. "...you really wanna meet him...?"
Unazuki interjects before he can suffer, or embarrass himself, any further. "Usagi-chan, I like Sailor Moon too...? But Sailor Mars, she has better taste in shoes." Nodding firmly, this seems to decide the matter for her.
Meanwhile, under the watchful and somewhat manic eye of Mr. Damocles, and also a tree, Chiyoko Sekiguchi startles when she's addressed by Nori. Chiyoko lives at the intersection of Shy and Goth, strongly enough to appear in the dictionary under either entry. "U-um," she mutters. "Too much sun..."
For a while it looks like that's all she's going to say; she continues stitching incredibly tiny lace onto some incredibly tiny item in her lap. But just when Nori might have given up, she adds: "...I like the mists..."
Back at the first table, Natsuko Koshino and Kyoko Mori beam at Honoka's credulous question. "WE SURE DO!" they say in unison. "That's why we know..."
"...that Cure Black likes comedies!" Natsuko declares.
"...while Cure White likes tragedies!" Kyoko chimes.
"And Cure Black's favorite color is blue!" Natsuko bubbles.
But Kyouko frowns. "I thought we agreed Cure White got blue..."
Now Natsuko's frowning too. "What? Is Cure White the kind of person who complains over every small detail?"
Kyoko pats her friend on the shoulder. "No, it's just that Cure Black doesn't always think about the feelings of others..."
They glare at each other, then suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Momoko Momohara offers Steven a hankerchief; Kyusuke Sarashina shakes his head as to the question. "This isn't a fan club," he says, low and tight, as though he's afraid to be overheard. "Can you keep a secret?"
<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
Usagi starts at Rei's presence, like she has her hand caught in the cookie jar. After all, she just said something embarrassing and got caught for it. Usagi gratefully looks sidelong at Kotono's defense of Sailor Moon, and Niramo's mention of her, "Rei-chan! I didn't... see you here. And..." Usagi mouths the word Rei-sama, as if surprised she'd encountered another girl that gives Rei that honorific, "See! Your classmate is right that she does have a way with words...! That's a style all of its own..."
Umino's blurted word though does the impossible. It distracts Usagi Tsukino away from Rei Hino's arrival. As she'd just been about to offer her own strong opinions on Sailor Senshi.
As Umino cups her ear, she has her full attention rapt on him, "You think so too!?" Usagi's looks excited. Though there's a slight quaver in her lip that's easy to miss, "... I mean I kind of thought... they might be connected."
Umino though continues chatting about how they're kindred spirits. And Usagi arches a single eyebrow, "You are?" Like she disbelieves in them being kindred spirits, the image of Umino not matching up to Tuxedo Kamen or Masked Tuxedo or the Moonlight Knight. "Oh! I mean - you are!" She amends, with a hand over her mouth, as if she realized how mean that could be - and trying to be nice to her classmate/Naru's boyfriend.
Though then he asks... something important. And Usagi pinkens faintly, having not caught the implication at all. A hand lightly, self consciously touches one of her twintails, adjusting it, "W-Well... I'd really like it... if I could ask him something..."
Unlike Unazuki. She has missed entirely the implications of... the moment. And thus Usagi simply takes the interruption for what it is, perking up with an instant smile, "Oh! You do! You know - I always thought that you had really good taste in heroines Unazuki-chan!" Pause, "And I guess that's true... noone can nail wearing heels quite like she does."
Though a thought does occur to her as she talks about Mars, and instead turns over to Rei Hino, "Wait why are you here?" Usagi puts a hand to her mouth, and squints at Rei. Then looks at her camera.
"Rei-chan..."
Usagi titters all of a sudden. "You're here because of the rumors of Magical Girl sightings aren't you Rei-chan? You got excited enough to bring your camera!" Usagi Tsukino is teasing her of course because she of all people knows that Rei Hino is not as elegant a girl as she makes herself out to be. Finding that they have common ground because Rei got just as excited as her is actually endearing to her...
... but she's still going to tease her about it.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
There are quite a few familiar faces congregating by this point, so Fuu carefully folds her knitting into the bag, making sure no stitches will slip off the needles, and gets to her feet, brushing dirt and/or grass off the seat of her denim shorts. She's wearing a short-sleeved blouse, a pale green color which manages to complement the blue of her shorts.
"Good afternoon, Manami-san, Steven-san," the bespectacled blonde greets her classmate and the younger boy, also favoring Momoka and Kyusuke with a polite bow (never mind that they're both substantially younger than Fuu is). "I trust you all are doing well today? And ... hmm, did I hear something about a magical girl fanclub?" Fuu does not try to sit down with the group, at least not until she's actually invited to join them.
<Pose Tracker> Fumiko Inoue [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"Serpentina, a know-it-all?" Fumiko feigns curiosity and disappointment. "She really didn't seem like the type, but I guess you never know until you meet them. And Sourisi was mean? She seemed so cool!" She hangs her head sadly, body slumping slightly. And then an argument about Ladybug brings conflicting 'information'. Huh... wait... I'm hearing lots of different things about all of them... could it be that..." Her voice is slightly accusational, and a hard glint was in her eyes.
"...That there's more than one Ladybug or Serpentina or Sailor Moon? It would explain how you all have such different views on them. I heard Sailor Moon was both impressive with amazing speeches... and kind of silly. And Sakurada probably made the funny mistake of thinking Usagi was because one Sailor Moo-" She then goes quiet, staring at Usagi. "...never mind. Sorry." Her shoes suddenly interest her quite a lot. "...well... anyways... what if there's more than one Ladybug? Or any of the others?"
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Niramo raises an eyebrow as she looks over towards Fumiko as she joins in the conversation, questioning about the correct way on how to pronouce Serpentina Ruse's name. Not about how to properly say it, (she heard it straight from the snake's mouth), but the fact she's starting to look red in the face from the heat. "Hey, Fumiko, you look a little parched. You okay?" The ravenette tilts the cup towards her nearby friend, an offer for the lemony drink inside.
Niramo's not usually one to doubt someone when they speak, with Chloe being an known exception to the rule, but when someone is saying out right lies... "I'm pretty sure Sourisi is nothing like that! If anything, I heard she's as sweet as can be to her friends!" A moment after her miniture outburst, Niramo seemingly draws into herself slightly. "I mean, pretty sure Serpentina Ruse would keep her in check if she did, anyways."
She straights up as Kotono strides over and joins into the defense of Sailor Moon's good name, and smiles thankfully at the support. "Exactly! When the battle is over and done with, a good speech is needed to bring peace." Niramo then waves a hand towards Kotono informally, but friendly enough. "Glad to know there's another person who supports Sailor Moon here."
The outburst from Umino has the ravenette standing up from the picnic table to see what the ruckus is about, but sits back down after a moment. She does spy Fuu sitting off to the side, and waves another hand in greeting towards the Archery Captain. Even Steven is in the neighborhood, but it makes sense because the park was in his neighborhood. Usagi seems to be bouncing back after what being a prisoner in a Sky Jail, if how animated she was being is any indinication.
Though she gets the feeling Usagi wouldn't confirm if one of the Sailor Uranus really is a guy...
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Nori Ankou says, "Oh," and then she glances round for a moment, though only for a moment. She takes in where others are speaking, including the live spontaneous manzai act coming out of Natsu and Kyo, the Ko Squad, some distance down the row.
Nori steps partway round Chiyoko. Her position casts a shadow over the girl for a moment, and it is then that Nori gazes at Mr. Damocles for another heartbeat.
Chiyoko speaks again - and Nori tells her, quietly, "I do, too. The light's better, when the sun is hidden."
"Do you mind if I sit?"
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
Steven's eyes puff up and squint as he bites his lower lip as what just happened sets in. His hand grips that little box quite tighly. THe boy kindly takes the offered hankerchief and dabs his nose. He politely folds it up and offers it back. "Thanks! I uh, I was just-- Where did you get that name from?" he asks.
THis could be the start of having a cool magical nickname...! Everyone else has one, he needs an identity too!
Steven tilts his head toward Kyusuke. He looks a little nervous at the question. "Yes! I uh, I think I can!"
"Heeey Fuu!" Steven says to a friendly face nearby. "You came here too?" he asks. "Well, guess the word got around, I do see students from other schools."
Rei and Usagi are also here, who get a wave. As does Nori.
"I can uh... I can hang out a bit and chat if you want! It is really boring at the beach house anyway..." the boy says, an annoyed tone being present.
<Pose Tracker> Nagisa Misumi [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
Honoka's counterpart Nagisa prefers a mixture of athleisure and a Tokyo-style urban look; she's always moving. She usually has something pink on, and today is no exception. A pink track jacket with its short little collar popped, a black tank top, and rugged neutral-colored shorts abandon her about halfway up her thigh. From there on it's all leg, straight on till morning, until the low-rise trainers on her feet.
Her anxiety over the apparent knowledge these girls have about Pretty Cure shows on her face more clearly than it does for Honoka. "I do like strawberry more than vanilla!" she whispers at Honoka, quiet enough to hide it from Kyoko and Natsuko, though she doesn't bother to modulate it low enough to hide it from any known magical girls in the area. "What are the odds she'd get that right at random?"
Her math grade isn't doing too well lately.
It only gets worse when Honoka presses them on their knowledge. "Eh?" she comments on her preference for comedies (correct! ish... the reason psychics do well is that sort of "close enough" feeling). Honoka preferring tragedies gets a larger "EH?" But the color blue...
"Sou," she murmurs. Her eyes follow the debate back and forth. A miniature conflict plays out between Black and White before her eyes.
"This is trauma," she comments softly to Honoka, the last word full of import and poorly accented English.
<Pose Tracker> Rei Hino [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
As soon as Rei recognises Kotono Sarashina -- at about the moment she hears 'Rei-sama' stammered out, because Rei, it turns out, is a little self-absorbed at the best of times -- a mysterious transformation takes place.
No, it's nothing magical.
This is the henshin... of Keeping Up Ohtori Appearances.
All a sudden she's sitting a little straighter on the bench, and her wild gestures become a much more ladylike wave. "You are certainly correct," she says, to Kotono, and the you and the are get deliberately portioned out this time, proper, "Sailor Moon does have a way with words. But I'd expect nothing less from one of the foremost Sailor Senshi." Senshi do seem to love their speeches.
Even if Sailor Mars's speeches are usually just chastisements in the form of declarations.
She nods, seriously, as Unazki decides on the shoes. "It's true," she declares, a little less uptight. "It's all true." The real magic is balancing in those heels!
... has Rei forgotten she came out here to find the new magical girls..? Er, that is, appreciate the leaves?
At least she notices Steven waving and waves back. And this is the moment Rei-chan gets called out.
All her elegance at once falls right out the window -- which is a real accomplishment, mind you, they're outside -- as Usagi makes that declaration. "I -- I am not!" Rei insists, a bit of red in her cheeks, grasping her camera with both hands and pulling it away from Usagi as if she could physically abjure her from knowing the terrible truth. "The leaves are turning! I'm out here to get some good photos! I'm not the sort of person who would go chasing after silly rumours like that, Usagi!" Lifting a hand, she points accusation: "That's just why you're here, isn't it?!"
Well, the impression that she was a proper Ohtori lady was nice while it lasted.
<Pose Tracker> Honoka Yukishiro [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
'I do like strawberry more than vanilla!' whispers Nagisa.
Honoka whispers back with her eyebrows. They have that superpower. One quirks down. The other quirks to the side.
Sh! Don't say unnecessary things!
Their two classmates keep talking, then start fighting -- sort of. Comprehension comes to Honoka with its typical swiftness, and her expression replaces confusion with a certain bemusement. The concern, however, remains; she is neither completely without a sense of humor nor completely willing to surrender to the hilariousness of it all.
"I see, you're talking about yourselves," she says out loud, mostly for Nagisa's sake; otherwise she might have held her peace. She gives her partner a gentle look. Patient without being patronizing. "I think they're just having fun," she adds, but more uncertainly than reassurringly.
She's not always the best at reading people... maybe that's what she's not sure about?
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.
Umino doesn't blush LESS at Usagi's agreement and interest. He's incredibly dedicated to Naru, mind you. But she couldn't be here, or more accurately, he couldn't convince her to come. And he's always admired Usagi a great deal, for various reasons.
He nods at her interest, then nods again. "I'll -- I'll make sure you get the chance!" he swears, then rushes off somewhere.
In fact, all of them are starting to extricate themselves.
Natsuko and Kyoko would have been sad if Honoka HADN'T asserted what she did. And Nagisa's amazement is even more delicious than strawberry cake.
"Oh, surely you're not suggesting that we are Pretty Cure," Natsuko says, fanning herself. "I'm blushing." She isn't.
"If you want to see Pretty Cure, you've definitely come to the right place," Kyoko adds. "But... secret identities are crucial, so, I won't say anything else."
"Yeah, we have to go... for your safety!" Natsuko cries, grabbing Kyoko by the hand and running away, laughing.
Chiyoko looks uncomfortable at Nori's friendly advance -- or maybe it's something else making her tense, she's far too awkward to explain -- but either way, interpret it as you will, she flees immediately. "I have to go..."
Mr. Damocles clears his throat, after she's gone. He looks down at Nori, and might be trying to smile through his bushy gray beard. "Don't worry, young miss." He doesn't know the names of all the Ohtori students. "Go ahead and see for yourself." He sets off down the path at a more sedate pace himself.
Steven gets the answer to his question with the secret that Kyusuke is sharing: it turns out, they're the same. "I'm Starman Universe!" the even littler boy whispers in his ear. Then he scampers off, yelling at Fuu over his shoulder, as he goes, "IT'S NOT A FAN CLUB, AUNTIE!!"
Momoko Momohara charges after him, leaving a cutely outraged pint-sized cloud of dust where she was. "KYUUUSUUUKEEEEEEEE don't talk to people like that!!"
Manami smiles apologetically at Fuu, shrugging a shoulder beneath her floral parka. "He said it badly... why don't you follow, go see what he means?" She drifts away.
Hoshi and Misaki share a look as Niramo and Fumiko start defending Sourisi and Serpentina Ruse, or, at least, seem willing to come up with outlandish theories to explain any accused misbehavior.
That can only mean one thing:
"Ooooh, we knew it, you're Miraculous fans!" gushes Hoshi.
Misaki indulges in a mysterious look. "We've gotta go, duty calls, but you should... come to the playground in a few minutes."
Chloe pastes an L to her forehead on her way out. "Like there could ever be more than one Ladybug. How stupid can you be?"
Sabrina is low-key embarrassed. "I mean..." She stiffens her conviction. "L-losers!" Then she leaves almost on Chloe's arm. Just one step backwards and to the right...
Now only Unazuki and Kotono are left. Rei's jig was up long ago at Fruits Parlor Crown, so Unazuki is more entertained than anything by the airs she puts on for Kotono. Kotono eats it up completely, though. Her hands clench together in front of her chest, reverently.
"Your opinions are so nuanced and interesting, Rei-sama!" she declares. "As befits an occultist and priestess of your power and experience!"
"They're sick heels," Unazuki confirms. Noticing the lack of density at the table, she checks her watch, then rises. "C'mon, Kotono-chan, it's almost two-thirty."
"Farewell, Rei-sama!" says Kotono, bowing deeply. "Nice to meet you, Sailor Moon fan!" That was for Niramo.
"'Bye," calls Unazuki. And off they go.
A passing breeze stirs a single fully dead leaf off one of the trees overhead.
And it falls...
...and falls...
...until it lands on the now suddenly emptied picnic tables.
There's a sudden, childishly shrill buzz of excitement over at the playground, though...
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
Fuu abruptly goes COMPLETELY still, save for one word in Kyusuke's wake: ".... 'Auntie' .... ???!"
There is a distinctly strained quality to Fuu's smile. It still *seems* friendly enough, for the most part - eyes closed, lips curved gently upwards at the corners, a largely beatific look on her face overall ... except for her left eyebrow, quivering as if somebody just yanked on a bowstring and left it all a-jangle, without even an arrow's flight to soak up the kinetic energy.
Honestly. If Kyusuke was going to call her out for being older, she's still young enough that 'big sister' would be more than adequate to acknowledge the difference. She's still in high school, nowhere near even the age of 20; calling her 'auntie' is just plain old downright rude. But she's doing her utmost not to respond to rudeness with rudeness. It's just going to take a bit of a struggle to make sure she doesn't do that.
The buzz of excitement around the playground *does* seem to be worth investigating, though, even if she didn't have an impertinent pipsqueak of an elementary student to possibly chastise for his execrable choice of words. Fuu takes a deep breath, settles her bag more securely on her shoulder, and lets the breath out slowly, expelling some of her anger with it. "Shall we see what has their interest, Steven-san?" she asks, her smile more relaxed and regular by this point.
Just .... ignore the way her eyebrow's still twitching. It's not much any more. Seems to be settling back down.
Except for the lingering occasional *big* twitch, but that should pass shortly.
<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
"You will!?" Usagi answers with a gasp of excitement, as Umino runs off. "Oh. He left." And Usagi considers this turn of events with a murmur, "Does he have his phone number? I should have asked..."
Fumiko's statement catches Usagi's attention with Sailor Moon, and she hears it all the way to Sakurada. Usagi is about to say something, when Fumiko suddenly quiets down while staring at her. "It's alright... I can see where... someone would think it's funny." Usagi says quietly, the smile on her expression subdued, "I just... don't think it's that funny."
Rei though... Usagi can't let that slide, which suddenly defuses any awkwardness from the moment. "Leaves?" Usagi looks at Rei skeptically, "That's what you're here for?"
Beat.
"Are you going to write a Haiku?" Usagi teases.
And then Rei Hino points at her-! J'Accuse! Usagi suddenly laughs and raises a hand, "Guilty! There's nothing wrong with it right? I mean - there's no reason why 'Rei-sama' can't be here because she wants to snap pictures of magical girls!"
Usagi though then waves at Unazuki as she leaves, "I'll see you at the Fruit's Parlor next week Unazuki-chan!" Usagi slowly lowers her hand then, as if suddenly realizing just how empty the picnic tables became in such a short time.
Usagi lowers her hand, then eyes the empty picnic tables. And opens her mouth like she's going to say something. When she suddenly squints at a falling leaf that's headed towards the picnic tables...
"Rei-chan look! Look!"
Usagi has the biggest, grin. You know the one Rei, where she thinks she's suddenly the most hilarious individual that has ever trod on this green Earth. "A leaf."
Usagi gestures to it as it lands. "You should take a picture."
The buzz of the playground doesn't immediately draw her attention... because she's too distracted grinning at Rei like a fool.
<Pose Tracker> Fumiko Inoue [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"Hey, thanks Niramo! I am way too warm!" Fumiko eagerly accepts a sip from the elixer of life Niramo offered. "I'm overheated... and a little embarrassed by how I butchered her name all this time is all."
Did the temperature just go up several...hundred degrees? Fumiko sure feels that way. "I... Usagi... I didn't mean your situation was 'funny'... I... I just meant how a trained cop could mistake a student for a superhero. I... shouldn't have brought it up so soon." A topic change, please? Anyone?
There. A topic of her being a Miraculous fan. "Eeh... a very new fan, but yes. And of the Sailor Senshi, and some of the others, but... definitely a fan. I've been trying to learn as much as I can about all of them!" Fumiko was being honest here. She is trying to learn about her allies, and herself. She honestly didn't believe her own theory, but... "Stupid? Losers? Wow, what a clever rebuttal."
Things were winding down... or were they? Everyone was leaving, but... not that far, and Fumiko has an odd feeling about this. She turns toward Niramo and raises an eyebrow. Should she follow?
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
The slander of the two fans badmouthing the other's favorite is defended by Niramo - and surprisingly Fumiko as well? Niramo is a little surprised by the supportive words, even if there's a bizarre theory behind it all. "I don't think there's copies of them, especially copies of someone so different." Then again, with how crazy magic gets sometimes...
The mention of the former Superintendent General has Niramo wincing a little. The time she's spent hanging around Fumiko has shown Niramo that sometimes the wrong words just come out at the wrong time. No need to draw more attention to it, but how to push onward...?
Hoshi and Misaki seem to just nod their heads in understanding to their theories and explanations before an accucation is thrust at herself and Fumiko! One...that isn't too far off the mark, honestly. "Well...more magical girls in general. But I do have some favorites!"
The remark about the playground seems a little sudden, and Niramo just blinks as the quartet leaves the nearby table to go do their own thing. Though Niramo does stick out her tounge at Chloe once she's sure she wouldn't be caught. "No need to be rude about it..."
"You as well, fellow Sailor Moon fan!" It's always nice to meet a possible new friend, and she seems perfectly normal for someone from Ohtori.
In fact, there's quite a lot of people who have suddendly left the picnic tables barren! The park almost feels like it's lacking the warmth of Summer without everyone. "Uh...that was a little odd." Twisting around to face Fumiko and then looking over towards the playground...the invitation to check it out seems too perfectly timed. "I think i'm going to take them up on their offer. Want to come?"
The self-sustatined stakeout doesn't seem to be accomplishing anything, so maybe relocating to another spot is what she needs to do.
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
Mami smiles as it all goes on. ...Mostly at the nice ones, she is not so much focusing on Chloe at the moment. But she does wonder--what they mean, as Manami says it. Mami is a little apart at the moment ust listening, but she watches them all ust leave, mentioning two-thirty...
Besides, they are sick heels.
"Hmmm," Mami remarks, considering the others. "I wonder..."
Mami doesn't turn to leave, but she certainly does turn to look towards the playground's excitement. ...Even if she does laugh softly in passing at Usagi and Rei's antics.
<Pose Tracker> Nori Ankou [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
And she runs away, leaving Nori Ankou to look at Mr. Damocles. She smiles at him, though with some careful effort. "Go and see?" she asks.
Nori feels a subtle frisson in her spine. A sense of mystery. It is a delightful sensation; like mist, like mystery. The sensation of a revelation about to be unveiled. It's a subtle aesthetic feeling and Nori Ankou stands there, as if to let it -
'it's not a fan club, Auntie!!!!!!'
there it went. Nori's eyes blink once, and she turns her head to see - Fuu! And past them, Mami, Rei, Usagi. Her lips purse into a momentary moue of surprise. How long have they been here? She squints: No, it seems to be really them. There is no mystery in that front.
"Perhaps," Nori Ankou answers Mr. Damocles, "I shall..."
SOON: "I think this season suits you, Ms. Tomoe," Nori says to Mami as she comes up alongside the golden queen of Shibuya. "Were you here for the park air, or did you also hear of...?"
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
Steven waits for the secret with bated breath. What could it be?!
The boy hears it, and looks over toward Fuu, and raises an eyebrow. "Uh. Whaaaaat?!" he exclaims. Possibly not for the reason Kyusuke may think the energy is for. And then, all the kids make a mass exodus for the playground area. "Uhm. Yeah, sure Fuu! That was really weird."
What could have inspired them? The boy does stop by Usagi and Rei first however. "So... this is strange, huh? What do you think inspired them all to do this? Do you think the are uh, actually magical?" Best to ask and see what the normal school folk think about this, after all.
Steven, curious about these sudden revelations, starts walking toward the grounds where they ran to. May as well investigate! If anything, it might be entertaining.
Part of him expects something crazy to happen now. A common mental reflex when so many magical shenanigans happen with the same airspace as your bedroom.
<Pose Tracker> Rei Hino [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
"Of course!" Rei responds, to Usagi's sceptical expression. And then -- "Ahh..." A glance to Kotono, who clearly has big dreams about The Glory Of Rei Hino, and she goes on: "Of course!"
Rei missed the comment about Sakurada's mistakes, thankfully, because she is very wrapped up in being complimented. And stealth complimented. Except -- oop, there they go. "Take care!" She calls, to Kotono and Unazuki, the latter of whom surely knows just how full of it she is from all the times she's called 'ja ne', see ya, casually over her shoulder as she leaves the Parlour.
Luckily, this also means she doesn't have to think up a haiku on the spot. That's the sort of thing she'd want to draft all night to get it just right. As a seasoned creative, she knows her first attempt is never as good as the final draft.
But here comes the first leaf, and Usagi isn't going to let Rei pass this up. "Obviously," she ripostes back, as she raises her camera up. And adjusts. And adjusts. And...
Click!
It's an analogue camera, naturally; Rei is a traditionalist. So it really does make that click noise, and the whirr as she winds to the next frame of film. Rei lowers her camera with a triumphant look at Usagi.
And Rei looks past Usagi.
And Rei looks back, and Rei looks forth.
"Ano..." Rei starts, that uncertain filler noise, as she looks back to Usagi. "Did we miss something..?"
And lo: a leaf blows across the camera to reveal what are now increasingly empty tables. There is the sound of whistling wind. Rei's silence hits like a hammer with each period, mouth slightly ajar: ". . ."
yeah they missed something
It's okay, though, because Rei and Usagi are experts at hurrying after a crowd. And Rei, certainly, gets up to hustle after the others. She doesn't want to miss this!! ... whatever 'this' is!
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed. <SoundTracker> Ladybug Transformation Theme https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oFVkapjsTo&t=3
The playground is possibly even more packed than it was a few minutes ago. But nobody's playing on the slides or the swings. No, a small army of little kids are assembled in a surprisingly well-organized crowd. Or maybe it isn't so surprising -- kids learn how to safely pack themselves in young, in Tokyo. Some, down in front, are even seated.
Standing or not, though, everyone is squirming with excitement. It's easy to see why: the playground has been SURROUNDED by mysterious... ghosts, or maybe men in black, or something? There are a lot of big coats, and they favor high places, like on the tops of benches, or up on the jungle gym. Trench coats, lab coats, home ec coats, basically whatever coat could be found -- a fur one screams Ohtori closet. With their heads tucked beneath the collar, they're just white, black and tan blobs, who start shouting:
"TRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANSFORM!!"
The coats go flying.
"Go back to the darkness from whence you came!" shout Cure Black and Cure White in unison, as they strike dramatic poses.
"In the name of the Moon, I gotta stop you!" declares Sailor Moon. Her hands are perfect.
"In the name of Mars, me too!" grins Sailor Mars, clicking her admittedly fabulous heels together.
"Miraculous.... LADYBUG!" shrieks Ladybug, tossing an object into the air that explodes into a red firework that can't possibly be legal.
"Way to go, milady!" agrees Chat Noir, who's on standby with a fire extinguisher.
"Evildoers look out -- SerPENTia Ruse has arrived!" calls Serpentina Ruse. Her nose twitches, but she doesn't fix it.
"Prepare to be MOUSE-matched!" yells Sourisi, twirling her tonfa.
"I'm STARMAN UNIVERSE," sings a little boy who's fluffed up his black hair and ripped off his T-shirt and has a giant yellow star painted around his belly button. "I'm HERE TO SAVE THE DAY! AND IF YOU THINK WE CAN'T, WELL--"
The Golden Queen of Shibuya -- Mami Tomoe in perfect miniature, but for the purple hair drills, instead of blond -- hisses, 'Kyusuke!' before he can finish his lyric. Then she puffs out her chest. "MIRROR FINALE!!" That's what she says, right?
A gothic lolita who now also has a TINY LACE-TRIMMED HAT bends down to wipe an invisible tear off a child's dry cheek. "I'll take your tears, little one, and twin them in the mirror," she tells him earnestly. "For I am LA SIRENE DU NORD!"
A girl with a bow, a really long sword, and a full suit of glittering (glittery?) green armor raises said sword to the sky. "Cease your fire immediately, or I, the Magic Knight of Wind, shall blow you away!"
Last but not least, a boy in Arabian white appears on top of the head of King Penguin.
He flings a white rose at the front of the crowd, then bends down to trigger a boombox that he's staged behind him.
<SoundTracker> Tuxedo Mask - Sailor Moon OST https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zy02zX_rSjc
"How dare you sully this beautiful evening with your darkness?" shouts The Moonlight Knight. He has the most incredibly huge dark gorgeous eyes. "The Moonlight Knight will not stand for your evil!"
And the kids...
...go...
...WILD.
Screaming and shouting and cheering for each of their favorites at the tops of their lungs, they jump up and down while their heroes mug and caper and shout.
The costumes are, on the whole, really good! Obviously the older kids must have helped the younger kids to some extent. There aren't any wigs, so hair color (and to some extent, style) is easily the biggest discrepancy.
As for the clothes, they tend to kind of interpret overliterally: Cure White has too MUCH white, and Cure Black is TOO black, for example. Sailor Mars has huge Mars symbols printed on the fabric that her bows are made of; Sailor Moon's buns are missing their red thingies, but have full moons pressed into them instead.
Everyone even has accessories -- earrings and hairclips and brooches. Serpentina's parasol is a real parasol, but Sourisi's weaponry, as well as everything the Magic Knight is armed and armored with, is some kind of miracle of paper mache or something -- still, it looks great. La Sirene du Nord is wielding a black piece of plastic that does a perfectly credible job, if kind of out of date.
They've gone all out.
Beaming and panting a little (it was a quick change) at their legion of fans... older ones inclusive, they flash Vs for victory and take a bow.
<Pose Tracker> Fumiko Inoue [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
So that's where the Drama Club's supplies went. Fumiko's anger is tempered by the pure spectacle of the situation. Fireworks? Boom boxes? Amazingly-done costumes! They certainly went to a lot of effort. "Wow, all of them are here! All of my heroes! Can you believe it~? The Miraculous! The Sailor Senshi! The Pretty Cure!" She applauds the obviously-real Magical Girls, before whispering to Niramo. "Unless my theory was correct, I guess this proves you aren't one of the Miraculous or Sailor Moon after all. Sorry for doubting you~" Voice back to loud and 'starstruck', she asks excitedly, "What are you all doing here? Is there danger? Are you here to save the day?"
<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.
As Fumiko tries to fumble, Usagi looks at her, and not unkindly. Instead she continues gently, "... But... she was under a lot of pressure and made a mistake." Usagi says quietly, hoping that the person that she targetted saying something will change the subject, "And lost her job... her career standing up for... something good. I just don't think she should... be made fun of... that's all."
Usagi grins as Rei takes a picture of the leaf. "Your shot of Cure Maple is going to be the envy of Ohtori." No Usagi doesn't know if it's actually a maple leaf or not.
Though Steven catches her attention, and Usagi considers him seriously. "Mayyyybbee?" Usagi looks to Rei. Then Mami Tomoe as if looking for confirmation that yes possibly all of the people here awakened as Magical Girls and boys.
Though then Rei asks if they missed something? "M-May-be...?" Usagi repeats the word in a slight stammer. And then she hurries over to see the commotion.
And when she gets there, she's astounded by the display. It's... astounding, incredible. "It's like watching a live show of ourselves." Usagi says with a quiet, but fervent whisper. Her hands clasped together. As she sees Sailor Moon, and Mars appear, her expression one of delight as she looks sidelong at Rei. Then Mami, and Nori, as if to say 'Look look it's me!' "You said it - Sailor Moon!" She calls out cheerfully. And then her expression runs across her friends again for 'Look look it's you!' "Oh gosh. They're all so good!"
And then, Usagi turns her head at a flash of Arabian white garb. A rose flying through the air. Usagi instinctively lifts a hand as if to catch it, but it goes wide. Usagi gasps with a sound of... "Moonlight... Kni-"
Then she looks, really looks. And... "-ght-eh!?" The crowd grows wild. And Usagi's expression subtly goes through several shifts, as she realizes the truth of his presence. Of being just subtly disappointed, to even more crestfallen. To joyous again in no time at all, and she's applauding at the crowd as enthusiastically as anyone.
If anyone sees the subtle sparkle of water in her eyes, it's obviously because she's so flattered by the experience of seeing someone dress up as Sailor Moon.
"Rei-chan! Rei-chan!" Usagi shakes her by the shoulder as the cast lines up to take a bow. "Take a picture! Take lots of pictures!"
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
Well. If this is what the rumors about, Fuu thinks, then it was worth it to come and see what was up - and what the costumes may lack in accuracy, or the performances in detail, they make up for in the feelings that went into both. Even Kyusuke's earlier affront is dismissed from Fuu's mind as she smiles, joining in the applause for the magical girls and boys and the spectacle they've presented.
She smiles a bit more as she overhears Usagi exhorting Rei to take pictures, and Fuu's clapping abates as she pulls out her smartphone, taking a couple of snapshots while she can - trying to get at least one of the group, and then a few that focus more on individual champions of love and beauty and justice.
<Pose Tracker> Niramo Umokeshi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
The sight of so many younger childen not swarming the playground is a little bizarre, eagerly awaiting something to happen with held breath. The sight of so many cloaked people using the playground equipment as their own is much more so, enough that Niramo starts eyeing possible escape routes just in case something sinister happens.
It's only when the coats are sent flying away and the sight of Sourisi in the flesh that it starts dawning on her that this is thankfully nothing of the sort.
The kids absolutely love the show being done just for them, and Niramo for one is clapping and cheering alongside them! Sure, it means that what her and Takk thought when Miraculous Heroes were being spotted is just a rumor, but she has a fan! FanS, actually, as Niramo hears more than a few cheers for Sourisi in that crowd.
And this show has more than just entertainment value going on for it! She leans towards Fumiko and makes an exaggerated roll of her eyes. "See? I tooold you i'm just a normal girl, but someone wouldn't believe me." But mentally, Niramo feels like she can finally rid herself of some weight that's been building up the last few days. No unmasking is going to happen anytime soon!
Sure, there was a few details wrong here and there, but the magical girls (and boys) posing on the playground did a wonderful job! Niramo pulls out her phone and starts taking a few pictures, though she is a little envious of the professional-looking camera wielded by Rei. "Maybe I can offer to buy a copy from Rei-san?"
<Pose Tracker> Nagisa Misumi [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
Nagisa knows that look intimately. She doesn't always think about people's feelings, it's true, but she rarely misreads a Honokan glance after years of partnership. Her poker face isn't even good after being called on it, but she zips up, her lips cinching pointedly closed to remind herself.
The two 'Precure' girls re-confuse Nagisa, but only briefly, by seeming to accept the identity. Give Nagisa a break on this one: MANY times she has discovered someone she knew is a magical girl. It happened with her precious kouhai Cure Bloom for god's sake. Discovering someone is Cure Black would have been a bit of a mind-bender though, and combined with Honoka's reasoning, it clicks for her.
"Oh, right... because your enemies might attack us," she agrees, with that odd mixture of total sincerity and complete falsehood that she learned playing with Ryota. "Thank you, Pretty Cure! ...or something like that." She's not pretending to believe them, just being part of the fun.
When they leave, though, Nagisa's eyes suddenly widen. "Wait... are they right? Should we be trying to keep them away from all this?" She sighs. "I guess it's not like they're shouting it around."
SOON AFTER
"They're shouting it around," Nagisa admits in defeat. "It's... 'return to the darkness,'" she complains. "It's more official-like, because we're giving them a formal warning before we hit them, right?" She slumps a little. "But I guess I don't know why we started saying it to begin with, so I can't really act like I have the last word on what it means..."
She sits up, though. "Uwah! Starman Universe is way cooler!" Her head zips around looking for Steven. "I gotta tell him later."
Around her, she can see other magical girls watching. "Haha, Kyoko looks kinda awesome," she realizes, suddenly aware that these imitations may reflect on their actual reputations.
<Pose Tracker> Rei Hino [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
"Cure Maple is the envy of all Tokyo," Rei clarifies, now Kotono is gone and she doesn't have to put on Ohtori airs any more. It doesn't really matter if it's a maple leaf. It's maple... in their hearts.
TO THE COMMOTION... of the playground!
Rei is pretty tall for a high schooler, at a tidy 5'3"; she naturally takes up position near the back of the crowd, because she, too, knows the Laws of Height Distribution. "Amazing..!" She calls out, with a broad smile, from the back. That fairness principle doesn't stop her from getting close enough to whisper to Usagi. "They've really put their all into this," she reflects back to her, and for all her preening earlier, she sounds a little stunned now she's lowered her voice to a whisper. "We matter to them..."
Her voice raises, again, as she waves with her free hand. She's absolutely beaming. "Yeah! Get 'em, Sailor Mars! You've got this!"
She looks for Nori in the crowd and waves excitedly to her, because look at that costume. Sure, it's a little dated, but look! She doesn't look away for long, though. She's cheering on the show! She does aside, though, to Usagi, at that strangled noise: "... they're good costumes, aren't they?" It's a subtle reminder. ... well, Rei thinks, she has good reasons to hesitate, in the end.
And just as Usagi says, click, click, click -- there's a picture of STARMAN UNIVERSE, and one of Sailor Mars and Sailor Moon, the Golden Queen, La Sirene du Nord, Miraculous Ladybug... whirr. Click!
"You're amazing!" She yells up to the crowd -- and, in particular -- the Senshi standing up there.
But it applies to all of them, really.
And she asides to Niramo, because Rei can always pick her name out in a crowd: "This is really an astounding performance... if you like, I'll get you a copy of my photos, too!" It sounds so casual, but, well -- she's an amateur photographer, and a creative, and sharing things she makes always has a veil of nerves over it. But celebrating these girl's passions is important, to Rei.
<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
It was time to get to the bottom of these schoolgoers and their fascination with the Magical Girl community. Was it true? Were they just fans, or were they more than that, according to someone admitting to it openly...!
The answer comes quickly, as the odd clothing they were wearing is revealed to be something most unexpected! "Oh wow! Check it out!" the boy says, pointing at the crowd. "Augh! I left by backpack at home! I wanted to get an autograph from Sailor Moon and Mars for my Sailor V comic, and theres /finally no monsters around! But I don't have it on me..."
True despair is felt this day.
"I mean, they have to be, they have the outfits, right?" he asks Usagi. "I mean, her hair is a bit different, but people change up hairstyles!"
And then he sees Starman. The juice box his the ground. "Oh, huh!" A look toward Nagisa. "Wait, he knows the song, he says somewhat quiet. "How did he know that-- augh, dad always said I should copyright my music, but I thought he was kidding--"
Though that is quite flattering. Steven never found himself worthy of praise, he doesn't have a styled image or costume. No fancy catchphrases. Well, apparently that song he sung as a little kid kinda fits now. He does hum or sing it a lot.
"Yeah, okay! You could bust some badguys pretty good, I would say," he says to the clearly magical hero that wears the shooting star symbol.
"Who are your villains you oppose? Or did you all beat them up and send them packing already?"
<Pose Tracker> Mami Tomoe [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
"Thank you," Mami answers Nori's compliment pleasantly. "Though a bit of contrast is lovely as always." A beat, "While the park air is nice, I also heard the rumors," the blonde answers. Mami indeed appears to be Mami. And Mami looks to the playground...
She ends up closer, naturally. It just sort of happens. When did she move? it is a mystery.
But Mami's eyes go starry as she she sees the magic that comes, complete with costumes, with glitter, with hairstyles if not wigs, and--
Mirror Finale. It's good enough.
"Aaa..."
Mami claps her hands once, and watches. It moves past introductions, and could it be dangerous? Sure, but...
Well, maybe Mami needs a minute. She is kind of entranced, and a little overcome. But she couldn't begin to actually explain to anyone why...
"Ah, they're all so..."
She doesn't quite find the words, but she smiles at Nori before she keeps watching, not just Momoko's rendition but so many. ...And, yes, a certain violet Golden Queen, still.
<Pose Tracker> Honoka Yukishiro [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
Nagisa's gotten straight to the heart of Honoka's worries intuitively, catching up to her own reasoning: 'because your enemies might attack us.' Her partner will have an easier time spotting her gloom than the others, because she tries awfully hard to smile at the show that erupts on the playground. That's a rare thing; she prefers honesty, even, especially, emotional honesty.
But she's not a monster either, and for the sake of everyone's momentary happiness, her lips curve sweetly but stiffly into a crescent-moon smile.
But Nagisa knows the truth: all of Honoka's smiles start in her eyes, to such an extent that they often end there too, her lips followingly only vaguely and belatedly. And right now her eyes are a deep and solemn blue, with little shine in them at all.
"Let's find them at school," she decides aloud, softly, and with the wisdom of a few extra years. There's not much point in trying to talk about it today, not with the fresh high of audience acclaim in their veins. "Besides..."
Maybe there's room in her gaze for a little bit of twinkle. The second star to the right.
"Koshino-san looks marvelous," she agrees without raising her voice, returning the compliment. She's less concerned what others may think, and more determined that Nagisa know what she thinks of Cure Black's raiment. "And you're right... Starman Universe is very cool."
<Pose Tracker> Pink Moon Stick [Admin] has posed.
The show goes on for a few silly minutes, before, with reminders to be good boys and girls and to believe in love and justice, the "magical girls" scatter, shucked-off coats in tow.
The children shout promises after them dutifully, and afterwards, the playground is much louder, much more overflowing with joy and excitement, than it was before.
The day was saved...
