3787/Dreamer On The Roof

Dreamer On The Roof
Date of Scene:	01 August 2019
Location:	Uminari City - Residential District
Synopsis:	Out on patrol, Sailor Mercury comes across Kotomi trying to transform. They chat a bit about Kotomi's situation.
Cast of Characters:	Kotomi Kobana, Ami Mizuno

---

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
It's the evening in Uminari, and Kotomi has started practicing. Normally, she'd wait until it was time to go to bed before doing this, but she's more-or-less perfected her transformation in the world of dreams, and so she's trying to deal with the one thing that has given her much more grief: the waking world.

She's standing on the roof of the upscale apartment building where she lives. "Dream Power, Rise Up!" she says. "... mmm ... Dream Power ... RISE UP! Ugghh ..." Whatever she's trying to do, it clearly isn't working.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
It's a good evening for a patrol. Sailor Mercury is nearby, hopping from rooftop to rooftop, when she sees Kotomi. Tilting her head, she watches the other girl with curiosity. She doesn't announce her presence yet. She just watches for a long moment, her blue eyes curious.

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
Kotomi is, as of yet, unaware of her audience. "Dream ... Power ... ugh." That grunt sounds even less girly than her usual not-quite-so-girly voice. She shakes her head and sits down, clearly frustrated and slightly despondent. "This is not working," she mumbles to herself.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
That's when Mercury approaches. "Hey," she says, like she just saw the girl sit down without watching her at all. "What's up? Are you okay?"

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
Kotomi jerks upright. "Urk!" She whirls around towards Sailor Mercury in a panic. "Y-yes I'm --" And then she blinks in surprise as she sees who it is. "Oh! Y-you're a Sailor Senshi, right?" She's actually cracking a smile -- somewhat shy and nervous, but that's just her ground state of being, rather than a modifier for the smile itself. (Not that she recognizes Ami from that brief meeting in the park, of course.)

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Smiling, Mercury nods. "I'm Sailor Mercury," she says, warmly. "It's nice to meet you. What's your name?"

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
Kotomi smiles nervously. "Um ... Dream Defender Kotomi," she says. "Or ... just ... Kotomi Kobana, but. I ..." She shrugs. "Well, I can't transform ... in the waking world. I sort of ... I dunno how I can do that, I guess --" She suddenly freezes up, and then smacks her forehead. "Argh, I forgot to ask Ariel-san about that!"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Blinking, Mercury hesitates. "You know Ariel?" and she looks at Kotomi more closely. "You're a magical girl?"

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
Kotomi takes half a step back at Mercury's sudden scrutiny. "Um, yes," she says, sounding very self-conscious. "I can fight Nightmare youma just fine ... but in the waking world, I'm just sort of ..." She looks away. "... this catgirl-Nightmare called Yasumi Yumeji put a spell on me or something, and now I smell 'delicious' to youma."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Mercury blinks again. "I see. Have you told Ariel?" Her tone is concerned. "Sit with me," she says, moving to sit on a ledge nearby and patting the seat beside her. "I won't hurt you," she adds, perhaps unnecessarily.

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
Kotomi nods, and gingerly sits down next to Sailor Mercury. "Yeah," she says. "Ariel-san was the one who rescued me from Yumeji-san. I ... actually found out about the 'delicious' part from, um, Lacrima-san, if you know her."

She immediately realizes that if Mercury does know Lacrima, this might give her the wrong idea about how she found out about it from her. "But I mean ... She and, um ... Cure ... Shield-san immediately saved me from this fog-youma that came after me." She shakes her head. "I've actually been defended from monsters by a bunch of magical girls, and one magical boy, but, like ..." She smiles weakly. "I wanna be able to protect myself, y'know?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Sailor Mercury nods and looks at Kotomi closely. "So you're magical in the dream world. That's cool! But you want to be helpful here." She considers. "What seems to be the holdup?"

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
Kotomi reflexively leans slightly away, but manages to straighten back up. "Um, well ... I dunno." She shrugs. "I mean ... my magical stuff in the dream-world seems to be, like, based on lucid dreaming. And. But. I know I'm ... magical enough that I can at least remember all the stuff that happens ..." She shakes her head. "I just ... I dunno."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Mercury nods, thoughtful, looking into the middle distance. "Maybe I should scan you some time, with your permission. I'm good at science sometimes. Maybe I could help you figure that out." She turns to smile at Kotomi, then. "We always need more help."

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
"Oh, you don't have to --" This seems to be an automatic reaction. "I mean, uh." Kotomi manages a faint smile. "Y-y-you'd do that for me?" she says in a small voice.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"I would be happy to, and honored," Mercury says in her friendliest, most soothing voice. "You seem sweet, and you know many of my friends. I would be honored to help you, Kobana-san."

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
Kotomi blushes at the 'sweet' comment, and fights back the urge to say that she already has a girlfriend. "Ah! Um. W-well ... thank you!" she squeaks, sounding fairly bashful about this.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Mercury has a boyfriend; she's just being kind, really. "You're welcome. When would you like me to do that? I could now, or--" She shrugs. "Whenever I can suit up, as it were, and meet you."

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
"Uhhhh ..." Kotomi freezes up. "M-maybe ... later," she says uncertainly. One thing she can't do is make that sort of decision on the spot. "Do you know how, um ... I can get in touch?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Oh." Mercury smiles. "I have a cell phone for that purpose." And actually, she does. She keeps a burner cell phone with her for that. "Do you want the number?"

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
Kotomi nods, looking visibly relieved, and gets out her own phone. "Um, sure!" she says, smiling faintly at Ami.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Giving Kotomi the number, Mercury waits until it's in there--"Just call me Mercury if you have to put a name in, please!" she adds after a moment--and then she says, "I prefer texts, especially during the day. My job isn't very forgiving about phone calls, even on breaks and things, so." Her "job" is really school, but she's old enough to have a real job. Kotomi doesn't need to know she's still in classes, however.

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
Kotomi giggles faintly and nods. "Yeah, um, I'm honestly better about texts, too!" she says. "Talking is ... making phone calls, um ..." She shakes her head. "Yeah, um, it's just kinda 'no'."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Mercury grins. "I know that feeling. I prefer texts all the time, really. But sometimes calls are more urgent, you know?"

Kotomi Kobana has posed:
Kotomi nods. "Yeah, basically," she says.

The door to the rooftop, facing away from where they're sitting, opens up. A woman's voice calls out, "Kotomi?"

Kotomi scrambles to her feet. "Coming, mom!" She smiles at Mercury. "Um. I'll see you later, then, okay?" she says, in hushed tones.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Sailor Mercury nods. "Soon," Mercury promises in a quiet voice. "Text me, any time you want to meet." And off the Sailor Senshi goes, bounding to another rooftop, disappearing into the bright, falsely light Tokyo night.