166/10 Reasons to Hate Hospitals

10 Reasons to Hate Hospitals
Date of Scene:	12 July 2015
Location:	Mitakihara - Mitakihara General
Synopsis:	After getting piledrived by Ail's Space Oddity to keep Sailor Moon from getting hit, Homura had to drag Mamoru to the hospital. Mamoru hates the hell out of hospitals. Then lots of friends visit! And there's a nurse with odangos! And between Homura pretending to be his sister, Usagi pretending to be a nurse, Madoka actually being a candy striper, Suzuki being delightfully overprotective, Mamoru being completely overwhelmed, inadvertent contact happening, cinnamon rolls, panic, edible arrangements, and Usagi being Usagi, this scene basically needs its own OP.
Cast of Characters:	Madoka Kaname, Homura Akemi, Suzuki Natsume, Mamoru Chiba, Shiori Sato, Usagi Tsukino

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Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Last night, one Chiba Mamoru was admitted to Mitakihara General after being rushed there by ambulance. Straight-A student, frequent tutor, competitive athlete, fairly popular but until lately with absolutely zero close friends, he does not expect to get visited. In fact, he expects to be able to demand to be released later today and avoid a fuss being made, and if he can get enough time alone, maybe even be able to go to school tomorrow. The last bit might be a stretch, but where there's life, there's hope.

At the moment, he's lying in bed with the television off, glued to phone-tumblr after an afternoon of frequent texting with Suzuki. He looks pretty rekt to be honest, and is putting up with an IV with ill grace. It's a horribly sterile room, white-walled; he's rich enough to make sure he has a single, and irascible enough that the nurses don't come in frequently, despite his pretty face.

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
     Suzuki Natsume had been texted and made aware of Mamoru's situation, and why he hated hospitals. Thus, when she arrived, she seemed to just be carrying a small boquet of flowers. In reality, it is a clever ruse! There is a small car freshener hidden in the bottom part of the boquet. She also had a small bag hanging from her arm.

     There were snacks inside that were totally not healthy and the nurses probably would not allow him to have, though. She may or may not have made some home-made cinnamon buns for Mamoru as well. ... It probably looked absolutely terrible to anyone who was watching. Suzuki did not know how to friend, but she had heard that care packages were good things to bring! ... It may or may not make people jealous if they also have a crush on him.

     Soon enough, Suzuki had wandered into Mamoru's room, after explaining that she was a friend of his and asking where his room was. She opens the door quietly, stepping in. "...Mamoru. I brought you a care package." She says, making sure the nurses couldn't see... before carefully pulling out the car freshener. "...And something to help with the hospital smell."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
As soon as she heard, Usagi Tsukino is right over! Really, she'd protest that she doesn't like Mamoru Chiba. He's a jerk! But still, she's worried. And so, with a bit of use of her Disguise Pen, she's in a cute nurse outfit! It doesn't take long for her to find Mamoru Chiba's room. There's flowers and a card in her hand! The 'nurse' walks in, humming gently. Suzuki has some time to put those cinnamon buns away!

"Oh, hi! ...Are you a relative, Miss?" Inwardly, she stiffens. Her face grows ride, and did that nurse just pout for a moment? Jealousy rises, only for her to dive in to caring for Mamoru!

"Mister Chiba, you have cards!" Usagi giggles oddly. Doesn't she look a little young to be a nurse!?

Then the cards are laid down, and the flowers set on a side table.

"Now please lay still!" She sounds almost mature thanks to her pen!

Thankfully, it gives her knowledge too, and she's starting to look him over! All the while, she blushes!

"Are you feeling okay Chiba-san?" She can't disguise some concern here!

Homura Akemi has posed:
"Yeah, that's right. I'm his sister. Can't you tell just from the amazing hair?"

Homura runs a hand through her hair, flipping it back to demonstrate to the nurse who intercepted her in the hallway. It's been a while since she wore glasses, but today is a different situation. She's also bought some flowers and a get-well-soon card. "I was the one who called for an ambulance after he suddenly collapsed."

"A-ah... right... So that was you? ... but the documentation..."

"Y-yeah... Our parents aren't really... um... you see, there was..." Homura's voice trails off. It looks like she's about to cry. The Nurse picks up on the idea that this might be a sensitive topic.

"O-oh don't worry about that dear. Go in and see your brother."

Homura immediately brightens up, saying, "Thank you!" before walking on to visit Mamoru's room. The nurse doesn't give it a second thought.

Homura closes the door behind her, adjusts the moe glasses, and looks at Mamoru's other visitors. "Oh, hello. How is he doing, nurse?" She walks over to the side of Mamoru's bed, saying, "How's it going, 'Oniisan'?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Suzuki-san--!" Mamoru says in surprise, reaching over carefully to turn his phone off and put it down on the bedside table. He reflexively starts to sit up, then winces and absolutely doesn't sit up after all. Instead, he gives her a wry smile. "Pine scent--? Ha, thank you." His eyes, in fact, after giving her a real smile, are locked on the cinnamon roll box, because seriously pastries are second best next to chocolate and he is a huge fan. "Thank you so much, I thought you'd be telling me off..."

He trails off as a suspiciously familiar-looking nurse bustles in, and he gives this super-cute nurse hella side-eye for a second. "Cards--? From whom? Hey!" The indignity of being poked and prodded and checked over warrants an instant defensiveness; Suzuki may wonder what he's going to do about his no-contact rule--

--but something about this nurse kills off both the defensiveness and the actual irritation, and her hands are warm and she feels bright and somehow true. Also, she's blushing. He doesn't end up objecting to her nearly as much as Suzuki might think he would. "Aaa-- careful, that-- ow. I'm fine, I'll be fine, I just wish you all would stop with the painkillers, my head's all fuzzy."

It sounds cranky, but if Usagi can meet his eyes at all, they're not. They're almost teasingly conspiratorial. For some reason he wants to make her blush harder.

Then Homura comes in and... oniisan. And moe glasses. He just stares for a second, then coughs because he's trying not to laugh, which hurts so he ends up grimacing instead. "Been better, Homerun-chan."

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
     Crap. There's a nurse. Was she going to get in trouble for bringing the air freshener? Suzuki looks towards the Usagi-nurse, noting how ... odd and pouty she seemed to be. "...A friend. We're part of the same study group." Suzuki responds simply to Usagi. "...He texted me mentioning that he couldn't stand the smell of hospitals, so I brought him things to help with that." Honesty is the best way to make things worse! Possibly!

     Still, that nurse seemed to be acting odd. Why was she blushing? And she was giggling slightly oddly. Suzuki had initially intended just to drop off the presents and leave. Now, she wasn't ... quite as sure she wanted to. Was this nurse some sort of stalker that had snuck in?! Still, she seemed benign enough. At least for now.

     And then there is a Homura coming into the room. Someone Suzuki recognizes! And she doesn't think is a bad person. "...Ah. Hello, Akemi-san. I didn't know you were Mamoru-san's... ... sis...ter?" She tilts her head curiously at Homura. How strange. She thought Mamoru lived alone, and the last names were different. Maybe their parents were divorced? This conflicts with current information. She'll have to get to know Mamoru better again! "...I hope you found your friend, Akemi-san." She adds.

     And then her attention focuses back on Mamoru, the person she'd actually come for! "...You're welcome. Please don't hurt yourself in excitement over a lack of hospital smell." Suzuki says calmly, stepping closer to Mamoru. Interesting. This nurse didn't seem to trigger that phenomena that had happened with Hannah. Maybe it had faded? She debates a few moments. Curiously. And then she lifts up her phone, and types out a text on it. <Mamoru is that problem gone now?> ... Of course, since it's Mamoru's phone that would likely buzz almost immediately, it is the least subtle attempt at subtlety ever.

     Still, there was that ... cranky sound to his voice, and that lack of cranky face. Did he actually know this nurse? Hmm. And his response to Homura made it hard to completely believe her story of being his sibling. Curiouser and curiouser! "...I hope they let you keep the snacks. ... I got some breads from the store, and made some cinnamon rolls. ... There might actually be enough to share with your sister." She adds.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
More people entering! Homura gets another big old pout, and then homura is /sitting right beside him/!

"Hey! Get away from Ma...Chiba-san!" Point! That's entirely too petulant a response for a nurse. Which she quickly covers up, odangoes wobbling.

"Ah...ah I mean the patient needs his space! He's very hurt and weak and needs plenty of care!" She's grinning and giggling a little here as she checks Mamoru over. All blushes, too, as those gazes meet! She actually pauses.

And just stares entranced for a long moment. Mahou bubbles float in the air as their eyes meet, and the background fades to pink!

And then he talks to Homura, utterly shattering background and bubbles like a pane of glass. Ker-crack! Nurse Usagi is back up on her feet.

One might note most of the cards read 'Usagi Tsukino'. They're hand drawn (badly) with little rabbits!

Usagi's cheeks puff out as she /stares/ at Suzuki this time!

But then her better nature takes over. She beams a warm, happy smile to Suzuki.

"That's really sweet of you to bring those." She whispers conspiratorially.

"...I think the patient can have one! But the rest the nurse will have to take for...rationing!" Grin!

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homerun-chan?! From anyone else, a nickname like that would arouse anger, but Homura knows well Mamoru's good nature. With a grin, she says, "You have enough energy to tease, at least."

To Suzuki, she blushes slightly, "U-um... well I mean... we're... er... it's complicated! ... and yeah, I found her. Which is also complicated."

How is she going to explain that she lied to the nurse when there's another nurse right next to her? Even worse: how the heck is she going to explain how she was looking for a transfer student who hasn't been around for years? This is going to get really strange really fast.

.oO(Nobody ever listens to me until I lie to them...) is a frustrated thought that crosses her mind. She'd just come out and tell the truth, but there's a nurse in the room with them!

"But it's good to see you again, Natsume-san! We haven't met since that day, have we?"

She sweatdrops at the mention of Mamoru sharing cinnamon rolls with her, and she just says, "Well I mean I think he needs to recover his strength, right?" Taking those rolls would be really mean.

She looks over at UsagiNurse as she pouts, blinking for a moment. "Heeey wait a second. Is that really how things are done around here?"

She peers suspiciously at Usagi, through her little moe glasses.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
Madoka Kaname, nurse's aide and hospital volunteer extraordinaire!

...well. 'Extraordinaire' is a bit strong, seeing as she's nowhere near intelligent enough to be a doctor, and the most she can really help with is making people comfortable and running errands for the busy nurses. Even so, returning to her routine of volunteering at the hospital on weekends has calmed the girl's nervous heart somewhat, and has helped warm her to this new Tokyo she's found herself in, after three years away. Helping people -- even in small ways -- has always made her feel better, no matter the situation. And this one is no exception.

Dressed in her adorable pastel pink volunteer scrubs, she hums some strain of a cheery pop song as she walks down the hallway, towards the room that the older nurse told her to check up on. The patient within had been difficult, they said, ill at ease in the hospital and stubbornly insisting that he's fine. This isn't new to Madoka; in fact, calming such people down and getting them to accept help is something she's become known for around Mitakihara General.

(Besides, the last room she helped with had just had twin babies, so how can she not be in a good mood?)

"Good evening!" the pink-haired girl begins as soon as she sets foot in the door, smiling so wide that she doesn't really take in the scene in front of her. "My name's Madoka Kaname, and I'll be helping ou -- oh!" Madoka stops when she catches sight of the unfamiliar nurse, smile dropping just a bit. That's funny. Why would another nurse send her if someone is already on duty? "I'm sorry, nurse! I must have the wrong assignment, I'll let you work."

She bows respectfully, then turns to leave. She's not even facing the door again, though, before she sees a familiar face.

("I love your glasses, Homura-chan! They look so cute with your braids!")

She blinks. That's definitely Akemi-san, but...why is she here? Are those glasses new?

Her eyes linger on her mysterious classmate a moment longer, and she's about to say something -- until she finally looks down at the bed and sees the patient she's assigned to help.

A wave of shocked dread clutches her heart. "Chiba-senpai?!"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Managing to get his hands on one of the cards, Mamoru opens it amidst all the fuss and blinks. And he looks up at the nurse. And at the nurse's odangos. And through the haze, he says softly, "...soldier of justice..."

Then his hand comes up to cover his mouth, eyes wide, and he covers by asking with forcible cheer, "I like your hair. Are you a Sailor Moon fan, too?"

Maybe she won't eat all his cinnamon rolls if he can fluster her enough.

His phone buzzes immediately, yes, and he fumbles at setting the card up open on the bedside table so he can grope around for the phone and pick it up, and he stares at the question in complete blank confusion before looking at Suzuki like 'problem? what problem?' But he says, "I am going to try to make sure this 'rationing' means I get more than one." Side-eye at the nurse.

He reaches to pat-pat Homura's sleeve (which may answer Suzuki's question) and says consolingly, "I don't think so but I can be very persuasive. But you may have a cinnamon roll if you would like one. Suzuki-san is a very good cook. Also-- I'm very very glad you found someone you were looking for."

It finally registers that the nurse almost called him by his first name, too, and he side-eyes her harder, thinking about a bus to hell. Abruptly the side-eye turns into straight-up amused, smug affection. "If you let me keep my cinnamon rolls, I'll buy you some of your own when I get out of here," he offers. "And a milkshake. In fact--"

In fact, there's the door opening again, and Mamoru turns to look, and his mouth drops open. He is not fast enough right now to come up with any kind of reaction. Actually: he just hit critical mass of weird coincidences. Well maybe she won't notice him--

She noticed him. And she looks horrified.

Mamoru's head thumps back on his pillow and he faces the ceiling, lifting a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Good afternoon, Kaname-san, I'm fine I promise. I didn't get hit by a truck. I think. Akemi-san what did you tell them?"

It registers a second later that that was probably also the wrong thing to say, so he totally doesn't even open his eyes, and his hand shifts to just cover his face.

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
     That nurse really was acting strange. Suzuki kept an eye on her the whole time she was there. She shifts carefully, watching her and listening as she speaks. The way she was looking at him and acting... it was very suspicious. Suzuki might be questioning herself right now, she might be doubting everything she had acted and fought for right now. But she did know one thing: Mamoru was her friend. And she did not want to leave her friend in danger. "...Ah? ... I do not believe that you are allowed to do that." Suzuki says simply. "That is a gift for him."

     She would move suddenly though, moving to step towards the 'nurse', and move to place herself between Usagi and Mamoru. "...I do not know who you are, or what your intentions are, but I believe that impersonating a nurse is a crime." Suzuki says, frowning slightly. "...You will explain yourself. Now."

     Homura's epxlanation is more or less ... kind of disregarded. Complicated explanations were fine, and suspicious Homeruns weren't a threat! But Suzuki did not really recognize Usagi, and Usagi was acting as a very strange nurse. She gives a glance towards Homura though. "...We haven't, Akemi-san. I keep to myself a lot though, so it is not so surprising. I didn't see your friend, though, so I didn't have a particular reason to seek you out." Perhaps she was even more of a shut-in who avoided people than Homura was?! "...He does need to recover his strength, yes." She murmurs, caltering in her thoughts. But... nurse. Right. Suspicious nurse. Focus on protecting Mamoru from the suspicious nurse.

    Suspicious nurse that was not really all that suspicious if she said who she was. But that is just how things are. Still, she was tall and intimidating, so she might be worse for the situation than Usagi pretending to be a nurse was!

     And then more people show up, and Madoka steps into the room. She looked like she actually belonged. Volunteer scrubs. She looks towards Madoka, giving her a Look. "...Miss, we have an impersonator here, please be cautious. She's so far seemed harmless, but I'm not entirely sure." She says, before looking back towards Usagi, keeping her stance defensive as she faces Usagi, at at least one eye on her at all times.

     ... And then Mamoru begins to offer to buy her cinnamon rolls and a milkshake. "...Mamoru that is not how you handle stalkers." Suzuki responds to Mamoru, her stance faltering slightly. "... Unless she isn't a stalker and you actually know her." She adds. Maybe she'd overreacted? Maybe she was about to make a girl cry unnecessarily because she was big and scary? ... Maybe this room was getting way too full for her and a mild panic was beginning to settle in? There was possibly a little of everything there. Still, her stance slowly loosens and her arms drop to her side. "...I'm sorry if I scared you. ...I'm protective of friends." She says towards Usagi.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
'It's complicated'. The 'nurse' looks from Homura, to Mamoru, and back again. Now /both/ are getting glares. Suspicion reigns in her eyes! Accusing odangoes drape across Usagi's shoulders!

"Yes! Rest and recover! Too many cinnamon rolls will...uhh make him get frostbite!" That's totally how it works.

And then Homura calls her on it. "Yes! Here, uh, let's just get him his first dosage..." She's unwrapping those cinnamon rolls if no one stops her. Suddenly, there's plates. Suzuki, Mamoru, /and/ Homura get one each!

But she's stopped from the attempt by a tiny cute gradescho...middle schooler! The nurse ducks aside, and very nearly trips over herself!

"Oh, it's ok..."

Two hands go up, and she waves her hands at Suzuki!

"I'm a real nurse! I swear!" She even pulls out a nurse's id card. These Diguise Pens are /awesome/!

And then the pink haired one is over to Mamoru! She flees away from Suzuki just a bit!

"...If you're a friend, then you should visit. Right, Chiba-san? I think it'll be good for the patient." Pause. Scowl!

"BUT NO CROWDING!"

"Y...yes! She's my hero!" Comes the nurse quickly to Mamoru, only for him to speak again. She's flustered already, but those cinnamon buns are utterly forgotten.

'What did you tell them'". She freezes. Her entire body stiffens. She trembles, and then, she turns around! The cinnamon rolls are put down hard on a table!

"F...fine! JUST EAT ALL OF THEM!" She cries out, before running out of the room, eyes full of tears! Suzuki gets a look back, full of fear and childish jealousy!

Homura Akemi has posed:
Madoka enters the room.

Homura takes a moment to process this.

Madoka is now in the room with them. With her. Seeing her with her glasses. Homura actually stutters for a bit, unintentionally looking a bit like her old moe self, if only for a moment. "U-u-um hi, Kaname-san."

She's at a loss for words. The awkward just shot through the roof. What would Madoka think if she caught Homura lying? Her first impression was bad enough as it was!

Mamoru's question distracts Homura from the awkwardness. She tries to find an answer. "Oh, I told them the truth! That you saw a bunny in the middle of the road, about to get run over, and when you ran into the street to rescue it you were hit by some J-Rocker jerk on a motorcycle. Don't you remember?"

She playfully pinches his cheek, saying, "I couldn't /possibly/ let you get away with being so brave. Not on my watch."

Suzuki doesn't ask further questions, and instead manages to drive off the strange nurse! Well, Homura isn't surprised to find out that Mamoru has a stalker. He's popular with the ladies, or at least he has been recently.

Homura turns back to Madoka, saying, "So, you're volunteering here, Kaname-san?" .oO(That's so like you, Madoka, going out of your way to help others.)

Madoka Kaname has posed:
Madoka briefly breaks her horrified staring at Mamoru when Homura stutters before greeting her, looking up to the black-haired girl with confusion. How unlike the cool, collected girl from class, to fluster and stammer like that. Had she startled her somehow with her entrance?

Come to think of it, why is Homura even in the room with Mamoru? Does she know him somehow?

"H-Hi, Akemi-san..." she says, then trails off as the other stranger in the room (aside from the nurse) begins to talk to her. And such scary things she has to say! An impersonator? A stalker?! Pink eyes turn to the unfamiliar nurse, full of uncertainty and more than a little anxiety. She doesn't *look* mean...

She's way, way out of her depth here.

"Um, well, if she has her identification, then she can't be -- eek!" Madoka's cut off once more as the possible fake rushes past her and out the door, wailing as she goes. She lets out an embarrassing squeak of surprise, which turns into distinct embarrassment as the room is left quiet in her wake.

...did Mamoru say something about a soldier?

Speaking of the upperclassman, the girl wheels back around to him, looking over his injuries with nearly palpable concern as Homura explains what happened. "That's -- that's just awful, Chiba-senpai!" she says, clearly agitated, if the worried hands and wide eyes aren't a clear enough indication. "I mean -- not that you saved the bunny! That you got hit by a motorcycle. Are you very badly hurt? I-Is there anything I can do to help you?" Madoka bites her lower lip, looking to the floor. "I'm not a nurse, but I volunteer around here, and I can get you juice...or fluff your pillows. Or something."

(A small voice in the back of her mind whispers 'useless.')

A thought occurs to her, however, and she looks up at Homura. "So you were there, Akemi-san? When Chiba-senpai got hurt?" Her clasped hands clench even more tightly. "You didn't get hurt too, did you?"

Never once does it occur to her that the larger-than-life story is a lie.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"N-no--!" Mamoru yelps, reflexively trying to get out of bed and reach for the nurse as she bursts into tears and flees, and this both really hurts his back and tugs at the IV in his arm, and he makes a sound of pure frustration as he freezes in pain and then carefully sinks back to the bed. "I hate. Hospitals. I hate them! I hate them so much!" he cries out, as impassioned as a justice speech; his cinnamon roll sits on the plate on the bedside table, forlorn and forsaken.

Now both hands are over his face, and he says from behind them, muffled, "She's not a stalker, Suzu-chan, but thank you for trying to help... I don't even know what's going on anymore, it's really hard to think straight..."

He peers out from between his hands before dropping them, eyeing Madoka, and he says almost sulkily, "She's fine, I'm fine, I just want off of these painkillers--"

--and Homura pinches his cheek. He's trying, he's really trying, especially with all these people around him, to keep his walls up. But he's overwhelmed, he isn't sure what's happening, his mind is slightly dissociated from his body, and he did not see it coming.

The contact brings with it a measure of his own physical pain, and a brief flash of a series of striking mental images with heavy emotion attached:

A hospital room from the perspective of a six-year-old, full of confusion and fear and total lack of comprehension.

A roaring fire racing through a beautiful palace, with screams and the sounds and smells of battle ringing through it, attached to feelings of betrayal and loss and deep abiding fear for someone, determination and a sense of the end of everything.

The clanking of armor and a sword in hand, pushing through smoke and mist, desperately grabbing someone's small, soft hand, and a name being called out in gut-clenching fear: "Endymion!" The deep abiding fear is on her behalf.

A battlefield, a feeling of mixed despair and triumph as a blank-faced, red-haired figure that seems a mile high drives a sword toward the point of view's chest; a broken shriek from behind.

Mamoru's hyperventilating suddenly, pushing Homura's hand away.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
~A few minutes, one plate of cookies, and a de-disguise later~

Not-Nurse Usagi slowly slips back into the room. She's dressed in her normal school uniform, and the odango atama is sniffling. There's a big cup of coffee in her hands. Black. Just like Motoki always gives him.

Sniffle. She rubs her eyes.

"Ma...Mamoru-kun?" Not Chiba-san. Not 'That Jerk'. She looks to the others, then sets down the coffee on the table.

"I...I...I'm so glad you're alright! I heard about what happened!" She finally blurts out. There's fear and guilt in her eyes, both from her disguise and jealousy. She turns to Homura.

"D...did you help Mamoru-san? Thank you!" She's threatening to cry again, but somehow holding back.

Then she's offering a card too!

"Motoki-kun wanted me to give you this too! Uhm, did my card get here?" She's definitely more subdued than usual. Mostly through concern.

But then Homura touches Mamoru, and he's hyperventilating. Her tears dry up, her eyes widen. Maybe it's Sailor Moon rubbing off on her. But she doesn't panick. She's over to the emergency button.

"We need a nurse! A doctor!"

She ducks out the hallway. There's no tears this time, only desperately looking for someone to /help/!

Suzuki Natsume has posed:
     That fake nurse produced a real nurse ID card. If Suzuki knew more about nurse ID cards, she might have tried to verify it. Instead, there is a kind of dumb, "...Oh." As Suzuki watches her response, listening to her and watching her as she continues. Hmm. 'No crowding'. That was probably for the best. She'd already delivered the air freshener and snacks, and the room was started to get crowded. Suzuki looked around slowly, at least she knew most of them. She takes a small breath as she thinks on things. And then... then the nurse is running out of the room. "..." She'd just made a nurse run crying down the hallway. Crap. And she felt very bad for it, at this point. Even if she thought that Usagi had been a stalker, she didn't like making people cry! Or scaring them!

     Homura's explanation of what Mamoru had done... was actually something she found reasonable and thought that Mamoru might actually do! ... He seemed the kind of kind person to try to save a bunny, though she hadn't actually see him interact with animals yet. She makes a mental note to bring her little Kuzu around to see how he interacts with her, sometime. she was a sweetheart, so she was sure he wouldn't hate her. Probably. But that was a distraction. Crap. Why couldn't she think straight after that fight with Miss White?

     Suzuki's gaze turns towards Madoka as she responds to the situation. ... Had Suzuki spooked and upset /this/ girl too? "...I apologize for making a scene." She says, bowing formally towards Madoka, she slowly straightens up. She was very rapidly beginning to feel like she was overstaying her welcome. Very, very rapidly.

     Mamoru's reaction is what seemed to drive it in even further, he reached for the one who ran, he covered his face as he talks to her. "...I will take my leave then, Chiba-san. Please get well soo--" ... Oh crap. How had she missed it. Akemi had reached for him. She'd forgotten in the flurry of things happening. "...Fuck." Comes out under her breath, incredibly quietly. Mamoru would be fine, she was sure. He would be fine! ... But goddamnit this could have been stopped. She steps towards him, her hands lifting as she reaches towards him, intent on trying to calm him, but she didn't want to touch him. She shivers slightly, looking towards Usagi as she walks in. "..."

     Useless. Useless. Useless. She couldn't do anything, she hadn't stopped Homura. "...He will be fine. Just let him rest." She says, her tone dull and level. "Calm down." She says towards Usagi, reaching for her and beginning to attempt to push her towards Mamoru. Touching her hadn't seemed to cause anything bad. "He needs friends. Be by his side." She then, wide strides began to take Suzuki towards the door. Which might be enough to keep Usagi from being able to leave immediately. Though she also intended to leave. Which might just seem suspicious.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Oh, Madoka. The lie might be larger than life, but the truth is even more ridiculous. If you look at it from a metaphorical perspective it's not really false!

"No, I'm fine," says Homura. "I had to stay up late to look over this big dummy, but that's nothing a good night's sleep wouldn't fix. Don't worry about me, Kaname-san."

It takes a lot of concentration to not call her 'Madoka-chan' or just flat 'Madoka'. She also doesn't feel good about lying to her, but she isn't going to tell the truth, either.

Suddenly, the touch of her fingers against Mamoru bring forth a flood of images and feelings. She zones out for a moment, lost in the vision, until Mamoru's hand pushes her away.

Her back gently brushes against the wall, and after a moment her daze fades. Her eyes lock on Mamoru... what the heck is up with him?! What did she see?

Wait, is he hyperventalating?!

Homura is starting to regret having brought him here. Usagi shows up and almost immediately starts trying to get help, and Homura is suddenly glad that someone is handling that, but at the same time she can't help but consider what it is that just happened to her.

"Sorry, Mamoru-san. I didn't mean to... Are you alright?"

She doesn't touch him again. She doesn't even get near him. Her hands go behind her back and one clasps the other. She has questions, but she can ask later. For now, she's keeping her hands to herself.

Suzuki starts to leave. Whatever it was, she seemed to know about it. If she thinks about that for more than five minutes, Suzuki might realize that Homura was lying about being Mamoru's little sister, since a little sister would know about something like that.

Welp. There goes that.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
When basically everything hits the fan for probably the third time in twenty minutes, Madoka hears 'get help' and it's something she can do: out the door she goes, flitting past Suzuki and expertly navigating around Usagi; her footsteps can be heard pounding down the hallway.

Mamoru, he's so -- he's flooded by the panic in the room and there is basically precious little he can actually do aside from curl up, which hurts in its own right, and think really really hard about Sailor Moons and Princesses and was that just Usagi really here a second ago--?

And people are calling for doctors and there's running footsteps and he's not going to be able to keep them all off him and

hospitals

are

the

worst.

"No," his voice comes muffled, "no no no no--"

Shiori Sato has posed:
    Wow, that's a ruckus. And it's Mamoru's room, isn't it? Ouch. Probably means now's not the best time to visit. Shiori had been talking with the nurse about going in to see Mamoru, but when he sees the ruckus start, he shakes his head. "Now's a bad time, I guess. Can you give this to him for me?"

    It's one of those 'edible arrangement' things, a small one, made of various types of fruit cut to look like flowers. It's got a simple card that just says, 'Feel better soon! --Shiori'. He sets this on the counter of the nurse's station. "Thanks a bunch," Shiori says, stepping back from the station to get out of the way of the rush of doctors and nurses.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi is tiny and a middle schooler, and so, she's very easily Suzuki-handled towards Mamoru! At least she's gotten to call for help! For all that she almost seemed on top of things, Suzuki can feel her body trembling in pure fear and concern for this boy. Really, it's a wonder she doesn't curl up into a ball right now.

Between the pushing and trying to leave, Usagi wobbles a little, but vaguely manages to stay on her feet after some stumbling. There's a pathway open to Suzuki.

But Usagi, in her heart of hearts, looks back upon Suzuki. There's concern, there, too. No suspicion. She's too innocent to think that Suzuki is at fault.

"...I'll never leave him alone." She calls after Suzuki, lightly. Then she's back over to the man. She reaches out, trying to take his hand.

"It's okay, Mamoru-kun! We're here for you! All of us are!" She implores. There's a look to Homura, pleading, silent.

"You have three friends here! So please...we don't want to see you hurting...There's nothing to be afraid about!"

Her eyes, already filled with tears again, stare into Mamoru's.

"Stay...stay with us...please..." She begs.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura watches as everything unfolds, taking off her glasses and folding them into her pocket. Seeing Mamoru in this much pain is bad enough, but knowing that she caused it is even worse.

She sees Usagi reaching out for Mamoru's hand, and she tries to grab her wrist, to stop her. "Don't. Touching him already caused one problem. Don't repeat my mistake."

A bit more quietly, she adds, "In fact, it might be better if no one else touches him..."

She releases Usagi after making her point, and turns towards the door. She opens it to address the worried nurses and doctors starting to gather around the room. "It's alright. It's alright. Just a false alarm. He's still a little sensitive to the touch, but he's alright."

She disappears into the hallway to try to calm things down and explain things, closing the door behind her and inadvertently leaving Usagi and Mamoru ~alone~ for a few moments.

It won't last. She'll be back in after a bit.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
It really is Usagi-- she really is here! First she said to him he was a friend, then the whipped cream, and then the cards, and now she's so desperately pleading: her voice cuts through the building panic, and Suzuki's leaving and he starts to feel bad about that, and Homura's grabbed Usagi's hand and he's looking at this happening, but Usagi's talking and it's to him and she's telling him to stay--

--and as Homura leaves, and while Usagi's not looking

i'll never leave him alone

his hand moves to take hers and just squeeze it, and he's ashamed and still overwhelmed and so ashamed, and it's such a scene he's inadvertently made, and he puts his face in the pillow and just holds Usagi's hand for a moment. The door closes.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi breathes a little gasp, then a deep sigh of relief. Her knees give out, and she's on them right beside the bed. She trembles a bit as he takes her hand, and she is squeezing.

A bright, warm smile slowly fades from her pure terror as her eyes stare into his.

"You worried me!" She pouts, lightly, before reaching up to brush back some bangs despite head-pillow-ness!

"But I'm glad you're okay, Mamoru-kun." She looks back to the closed door. He has so many friends.

"You've made so many wonderful friends. It's great!" There's no jealousy here. No, just happiness for the young man.

Then, she's waggling a finger at him.

"Just next time at least get hit by an idol so you can get their autograph!" Ends Usagi, childishly, giggling just a little. She's content to kneel there, at his side, showing no signs of leaving for anything.

Homura Akemi has posed:
Homura spends more than enough time chatting, assuring people that things are fine, and generally trying to calm things down. When she comes back in, she has a tray of dinner and a number of medications that the nurses have /insisted/ that Homura make Mamoru take.

She comes back in to see Usagi and Mamoru holding hands. Huh... it really isn't a problem? Homura really has no idea what's going on right now, but whatever.

Hey wait, are they making eyes at each other? Oh geeze, Homura doesn't want to imagine what it would look like if Sailor Moon got jealous over this Usagi person. She frowns a bit, but she doesn't say anything.

Homura walks around the side of Mamoru's bed opposite of Usagi, placing the food tray over his lap. She looks between Usagi and Mamoru before saying, "Hey, look... I'm glad you're alright, Chiba-san. If you don't make it out by tomorrow, I bet we can get some of your classmates to send you lecture notes and homework."

Sensing that she might be interrupting something, .oO(Mamoru is going to get in so much trouble), she says, "I'll see you around, 'Oniisan'." The word Oniisan is said with a hint of playful sarcasm.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Not to mention basically everyone who thinks Mamoru is dating someone getting annoyed, no matter who they think he's dating, or those who've heard him saying he doesn't date, NOT TO MENTION the Senshi being irritated over maybe-a-bad-guy sticking so close to their Usagi-chan, or their Usagi-chan so stubbornly sticks by, and... ALSO not to mention boy when Makoto hears that her Tuxedo Kamen nearly bit it protecting Sailor Moon...!

Mamoru is going to get in SO much trouble.

As Homura comes back in the room, he's started to relax (which hurts) and is gripping that hand like it's a lifeline. He's not necessarily 'making' eyes, per se, but being lost in Usagi's is a lot better than being adrift in a sea of panic and overwhelmed incomprehension, that's for sure.

Finally, he looks up at Homura, and his face is so, so very apologetic. It also says he'll answer her questions later; he recognises they're there. He had to tell Hannah after that, after all.

And then she's leaving and he doesn't even notice Homura's teasing him again, because Usagi's still LOOKING at him. "Odango atama," he says with all the affection in the world, "I would get run over by David Bowie for you."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
'I would get run over by David Bowie for you.'

Usagi doesn't even hear Homura leave. All she does is /stare/!

Between all the food, the stress, and general worry, now this? Her face is red as a beat.

She passes out! Thud! Odangos settle on the bed, Usagi half slumped over Mamoru, drooling as she slumbers on his chest.

Snoooooore! Snooooore!