1880/Balcony wins

Balcony wins
Date of Scene:	28 August 2016
Location:	Earth Court Frat House
Synopsis:	When the actual residents of ECFH are out, the visitors take over the balcony for chatter about stupidty, school and fighting. (And no doubt keeping Fiorerose from sleeping).
Cast of Characters:	Naru Osaka, Kyouko Sakura, Momo Sakura

---

Naru Osaka has posed:
It is one of those rare and handy Saturday evenings. The sort that are spoken of in hushed tones, revered for their rarity. It is quiet.

Sure the world is still missing the colour orange, and today's youma was a particularly persistant critter that looked vaguely like a moose, except it opened its mouth and the snakes that made up its teeth started spitting slivers of bone at people.

Other than those minor details, it's a quiet and relaxing Saturday night. Quite possibly the quiet comes from most of the actual inhabitants of the ECFH either not being home, or not being in the living room.

By rights, Naru isn't in the living room either. A few of her paintings are, new ones, odd in their own right, but Naru herself is on a lawn chair on the balcony, watching the Tokyo lights twinkle in the night.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Suddenly, a hand shoots up out of the darkness from below the balcony and wraps around the railing with a slappy-clang. This, in and of itself, might cause some alarm, but luckily before Naru really has time to do more than register it, it's followed by the rest of Kyouko, vaulting up over the edge of the balcony to land lightly on her feet just a few meters from where Naru relaxes.

    She was in henshin to make the trip up, of course, but drops it as soon as her feet are on the floor, her Puella outfit exploding away in shreds of red light to leave her in the usual t-shirt and jeans.

    She blinks a little bit upon seeing Naru. "Oh.. hiya, Naru-chan. Didn't expect to see you here this time o' day. Everythin' alright?" Meaning, you know, no more crazy than usual. Her hands go into her pockets and she moves closer to the balcony door, peering inside. "Nobody else around? Jeez, what's everybody but us got a hot date or something'?"

Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo is more or less normal with her entrance.

If normal counts as bursting through the front door with a happy Dog in tow.

Dog, who's been dying to come up here okay trots and pants toward Naru. He leaps up to join her before resting his doggy snout on her hip.

Momo waves her arms. "If this is what you wanted, you coulda just told me!"

Dog looks up at her. "Woof!" A happy wag of the tail, but then he's busy with Naru.

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru really just had enough time to gasp and feel the adrenaline start to consider ramping up before she realizes it's Kyouko and her adrenal system gets the all clear and she remembers to breath again. "You startled me." She comments to Kyouko before she is pinned to her chair by Dog with an ooof.

"No more screwed up than this morning, which I'll count as win. I decided I didn't really want to sit in a silent house at my place, so I got a silent house here." Naru quirks a smile as she wraps her arms around Dog to bring at Kyouko. "I suspect you got it in one. Yes Hi Dog." Naru looks to the Dog in her lap who is trying to lick her face. "I can see you. I'm presuming you brought you Momo with you?"

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko smirks at Momo as her younger sister bursts through the door in the company of Dog (who soon takes up residence upon a Naru). "Beat you. Told you it would be faster to come up outside." She says, sticking her tongue out.

    She then turns to Naru to explain. "We're kinda half moved-in to our new place downstairs.. so Momo and I decided to see if it's faster to get up here via balcony-climbing or by taking the elevator. I guess the scenic route wins this time."

Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo puffs out her cheeks with a pout. "And I still say I told you it wasn't fair! Dog's afraid of heights."

Dog is a convenient excuse!

Dog is happily wriggling against Naru, especially in face of her words. Yes, face licks are good! And yes, his human is here!

Momo sighs and it's a woeful sound. "I still say, Kyou-nee, if it were all thunderin' and rain out there, the elevator would be quicker."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I didn't realize you guys were moving in downstairs." Naru comments as she tries to dodge her head around Dog to not be breathing dog hair, or have him as her 'hot date' for the evening.

"That's awesome!" Naru grins at the prospect of the two puella being in the same building. "Talk about making it convenient for visiting."

"Other than moving, how are you two? I wouldnt want to climb a balcony in a thunderstorm, personally. Granted, I get a little bit shakey at the notion of climbing the balcony regardless, this far up." Naru points out.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "The elevator would be exactly the same speed regardless of the weather." Kyouko comments drily to Momo as she moves to sit on the edge of another lounge chair near to the one Naru and Dog are on. "It would definitely be less wet. But unlike you, I don't have an unreasonable fear of takin' showers." She teasingly sticks her tongue out once again.

    Then she's turning to Naru. "Yeah, well.. what with those whole new... job, or whatever." She's not really sure how exactly she should treat being more or less adopted by Mamoru, "It makes sense to be close. And we really wanted to get outta that old place. It wasn't big enough, and that part of town wasn't so nice." She glances at Momo again as she says this, and the look is much different- Naru can probably tell it wasn't for Kyouko's own sake that she wanted a nicer place. Well, not entirely. She's not going to complain, either.

Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo gasps! So rude! "Blee blee bleeeeeeee!"

Hmph!

Then her attention is on Naru. Dog is happy not to be Naru's smoochin' buddy, so long as there's pets and the occasional 'good boy.' "I also think we need those porch decorations. Our neighbor is snooty!"

Momo, of course, misses the look completely. "Kyou-nee says the schools here are good when I get all caught up. Just you watch! I'mma be in the grade I'm supposed to be before you know it!" A bit of a puffing chest and Sakura pride!

Naru Osaka has posed:
"It makes sense that you guys are close." Naru agrees with a firm nod as she and Dog negotiate for less tongue and more scritches, an excellent arrangement all around.

"Enough space, good schools." Naru nods slowly and then grins to Momo. "Does this mean you're going to need help with your homework to get caught up? There might be a few people around here who'd be willing, you know."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Eh heh.. well, I was more thinkin' in case of like, magical crises and stuff. Y'know.. just cause we haven't had a loomin' apocalypse in a little bit don't mean there won't ever be one again." Kyouko smirks slightly, though her eyes go to Momo thoughtfully at the mention of 'good schools'.

    She's basically written off school for herself- she's missed too many years, and she doesn't have the temperament for it. She'd rather just work. But she wants Momo to go back to school.. she just hasn't broached that topic with Momo herself, yet.

    For now it seems discretion is the better part of valor, as instead of expounding on that issue, she adds, "It's a little fancy for my tastes, though. I ain't ever lived in a place as swank as this. Ghosts or no."

Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo blushes. "I don't know. Maybe? I don't even know where I'm at! All I know is I'm stupid for a..." She blinks at looks at Kyouko. "How old am I again?"

Then she's scoffing and rolling her eyes. "I'm telling you, Kyou-nee! The ghost is cranky enough to make our place awesomely not fancy. Besides, Obaa-san has a lot of furniture we can buy that totally clashes with...well, everything!"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"It seems likely that there will be another apocalypse, I mean I hope not. Cause the last ones weren't awesome, and I barely knew what was going on, to be honest. Still, I like the ideas of you guys being nearby." Naru points out with a touch of a shrug and then grins. "Are there ghosts? Really? That's so cool."

"Pfft." Naru waves a hand at the notion of being stupid for a however old. "You know that there's different flavours of stupid, right? And different flavours of smart. You're not very book smart, but you guys .. both of you.. are far more smart about how to live in Tokyo, and how to take care of yourselves. Street smart. I am book smart, but I've even had bad guys chastise me for being stupid in the street stupid way. Over and above /that/.. I'm working on being less street stupid, you /can/ work on book smarts. It's not a set thing, that'd be silly.. never learn anything ever again? Where's the fun in that?"

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "You're not stupid." Kyouko quickly snaps towards Momo. "You just haven't had a chance to learn a lotta stuff yet. And you're.." She visibly does some quick match in her head. "Thirteen." Yeah, that sounds about right.

    She then glances to Naru, and gives a little bit of a shrug. "That's kind of you to say Naru, but I dunno if I think it's about bein' stupid or smart. People are just good at different things. It's a rare thing to find somebody that truly sucks at everything." She grins. "I'm sure they're out there, but I ain't met one yet."

    "So we all just gotta do what's right for us, right?" She glances over at Momo. "Soon as we figure out what that is. I kinda feel lucky that I feel like I have. I think some people go a long time without really knowin'."

Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo hunches her shoulders at Kyouko's snap, even though it's completely warranted.

But then she perks up! "Oh yeah! I'm a rebellious teen now! Kyou-nee! I'm totally getting a tattoo now! And I'm gonna come in at 3am! AHAHAHAHAHA! (Though I'll text you first if this happens because I don't want you to worry!)"

And then she's sitting on the arm of Naru's chair, very much a wild child at heart. "You're not dumb, Naru-chan! You can't be dumb at something if you were never taught it! Sheesh. That's like tellin kids they're dumb for not being able to tie their shoes when no one's shown them how!"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"There's things you are good at, but there's also what you've been taught." Naru agrees as she scritches Dog's ears, wriggling a little to be able to have a sharp point of doggie elbow stop trying to become one with an internal organ.

"I will never be very good at fighting, but I am trying to learn as best as I can. School can be like that too." Naru looks up at Momo and there's a bit of a smile. "Thank you. I've done some pretty dumb things, but I try." She oohs softly at the declaration of Momo being thirteen. "Trying to catch up with me, are you?"

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko quirks a brow at Momo's less-than-frightening declaration of her rebellious intent. "Yeah well, jus' make sure you're home before I get done with my late shift at the conbenie, okay?" That's like 2am anyway. Besides, there's still Wraith hunting- Magical Girls tend to keep their own schedules which may or may not be similar to others their age.

    Then she gives a lopsided grin to Naru. "Aw c'mon, never be good at fighting? I saw you the other day, Naru-chan. You got the spirit, you just lack the trainin'. Like you said.. things you been taught. One day you'll be a champion brawler. I can tell."

Momo Sakura has posed:
Momo thinks, one eye squint closed as she looks up at the ceiling. Finally she nods. "Okay. If I don't, I'll make sure to let you know I'm running late."

Rebellion, kid. You're doing it wrong.

Then she puffs out a bit in the chest area. "Yep! I'mma reach seventeen before you, I bet!" A flex of her arms, which do not look as strong as they are. And then she's scooting a bit. Or more wiggling in place. "You'll probably be able to keep up with Kyou-nee one day!" Biased? Pffff.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Only if they stand still, and they /really/ tick me off." Naru laughs softly and shakes her head. "Being able to be injured by my bookbag, also would help a lot."

Naru laughs softly. "Better hurry up, Momo. I'm turning sixteen in January." She teases and then holds up both her hands around Dog. "Nope! Kyouko is pretty damn amazing at kicking butt, that's not where my talents lie. I won't ever be as good as she is, and that's okay."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko quirks a brow at Naru, though she smiles. "Aw shucks, ya'll are gonna make me blush." She doesn't seem as effected by Momo's flattery- probably because she's used to it at this point.

    "I wasn't always a great fighter you know." Kyouko says, to them both, managing to sound slightly boastful even while trying to be self-deprecating. "Just.. had to do a lot of fighting to survive, and found out I had a knack for it."

    She point at Naru. "But just cause I'm better'n you now doesn't mean I'll always be. Fightin's somethin' anybody can learn how to do. The whole magic part.." She shrugs at that. "Ehh, s'kinda like havin' a cheat sheet on a test. Doesn't count towards your real ability even if the end result is more effective."

Momo Sakura has posed:
Of course. Kyouko should be used to it! Momo often has Kyouko related stars in her eyes, after all!

She nods along with Kyouko. "Same here! I'm still not good! But blowing stuff up is fun!"

It's probably frightening how cheerful she sounds about that.

Dog is okay with not having 100% contact at all times. He's just happy to see his mirror buddy!

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Practice makes perfect. Clearly you got good practice." Naru comments to Kyouko as she leans onto Dog and listens to conversation around her. She lets her eyes close. Just for a moment, y'know. To rest them. She's awake. Honest. Truly.

Apparently it's been a long week, and possibly one without a lot of sleep based on how easily Naru doses off, her arms resting around Dog. Just resting her eyes. Truly.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko opens her mouth to reply, but then she notices Naru seems to be dozing off. Shaking her head slightly, she stands up. "C'mon, Momo. We answered our question about the fastest way to get up here.. let's go home. It's almost somebody else's bedtime, too." She casts a parental eye upon the 'rebellious teen'.

    Then she turns and heads for the inside door this time. "C'mon, Dog." She slaps her thigh as she walks past, indicating Dog should follow, and begins the slower but more Dog-friendly elevator ride back down.

Momo Sakura has posed:
For a moment, it looks like Dog's about to protest. He gives a whine and a quiet little woof. Mirror buddy!

But, Dog is a good dog. So he wiggles out of the chair and trots after Kyouko, tongue lolling as he pants.

Momo is busy humming, even if she's following. "It's not that late!"

Rebellious teenager is rebellious! She will stay up as late as she wants! Forever even!

Of course, this may only be five minutes as she yawns widely at her sister. "See? Not tired."