View source for 1930/Walk in the park

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/09/13
|Location=Mitakihara/Pikarigaoka - King Penguin Park
|Synopsis=Just a walk in the park, with cryptic questions, friendly puella amubushes and plenty of chat of food.
|Cast of Characters=127,182,171,78,157
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>September and a return to school, but the weather is determined to cling to summer. It's hot. It's humid. It's at least not brilliantly sunny, but the clouds are determined to hold that warm in close to the ground. At least in the park there's a bit of a breeze, and there's plenty of people who are out and about to try and catch some of that breeze, and generally just not be in warm stuffy apartments or schools.<br /><br />Naru is not a fan of the park. Not anymore. Not after many incidents, and even more that haunt her dreams. The park is not a happy place for her. Naru is also stubborn, and fairly determined to win over such silly things as 'well deserved aversions'.<br /><br />"There is something fundamentally cruel about still being tired after going to bed at a reasonable time." Naru is commenting to Alex as they walk in the park, hand in hand.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Alex is trying not to look too much like he isn't... well, completely akward about the fact that he's walking along with a hand in Naru's. The other is rather pointedly kept in the pocket of his brown leather jacket, for that matter.<br /><br />"WEll, I mean," the german boy murmurs to her words, however, while his eyes idly move along their surroundings. "Supposedly sleeping for *too long* is not very good for you either. Can leave you just as tired as sleeping too little." Eventuall, his green eyes settle down to Naru. "You know?"

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki doesn't have bad memories of the park, though there is the fact that she has good memories of haunted houses and other things scary. Her nightmares are of a different place entirely though. She's got an extra bag slung over her shoulder as she takes a shortcut through the park and she's talking to something in Chinese, phone up to her ear. A close look would reveal her phone isn't on, but it makes it a lot easier to explain conversing with a ghost when it's done with a phone. <br /> <br /> Though she spots someone out of the corner of her eyes, breaking her concentration causing her to do a mad scramble for her phone to avoid dropping it on accident. Fumbling over, she waves to Naru and new guy! What was his name again? New guy doesn't work, but bike guy does for now.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko just happens to be passing through the park on her way home from work. She doesn't attend school, of course, and her hours at the conbenie are variable, so while she generally works 'full time' that involves some morning shifts, some evening shifts, some late nights, etc. Today it seems she was on the morning shift, because she's on her way back to the apartment in the afternoon.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Walking along with hands in the pockets of her jeans, she happens to spot Naru and Alex walking on a cross-path to the one she is one. Oho, and what's this? Hand-holding! Tee hee. Switching to stealth-mode (mundane stealth-mode: no actual invisibility, although that is within her capability thanks to Enchantment) she tiptoes up behind them.. then throws one arm over each shoulder, leaning forward between them. "Oyyy, Naru-chan! What're you doin' with this kid?" She opines, energetically, with a toothy lopsided grin..<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Alex is tall and Naru is short, so her intrusion is almost painfully lopsided. She hasn't noticed Jiaying yet.

:'''{{#var:157|Ariel Theodore| (157)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Afterschool means a few things for Ariel. Tryouts for the athletics club is one thing, and then there's her new membership to the gardening club as well. Today though invovles niether of these things, which means for the tiny foriegn girl and her massive dog, the only thing on schedule is her membership to the Go Home Club.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well when you live in the park, going home is pretty easy. And well. She kind of sticks out like a sore thumb, considering right now, the silver-haired girl is sprawled out on a patch of grass by the path, in a shady spot, Lucky curled around her. Looks like someone was TRYING to catch a little nap- because napping in the grass in the park on a hot sunny day isn't that out of the ordinary right? A familiar voice, Naru's specifically, has her sitting up pretty fast though, squinting blearily at the two- now trio when joined by Kyouko- quartet even as Jiaying appears.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Oh hey. She knows some of these people.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cue a big yawn and bleary wave from the little girl and a little 'wurf!' from the big dog.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>A wave to Jiaying as Naru spots the other girl across the way and then she notes to Alex. "I suppose. I don't think I've ever actually found what 'too long' might be, unless I'm sick and then all bets are off, cause of course they are.<br /><br />"Ahh!" Naru startles as they abruptly gain a Kyouko upon shoulders and she turn her head to laugh softly. "Hi Kyouko. I am shamlessly using him as distraction from the park. Cruel, I know. How was work?"<br /><br />"Ooh. Hey Ariel. Hey Lucky." Naru adds as she catches glimpse of the sleepy little girl and her dog, giving them a wave too.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Well, I mea-WHAT THE--?!" Alex's reaction is one of brief startling too, even if he somehow does manage to keep himself upright even when Kyouko comes along to impose herself on the two of them, head and upper torso immediately snapping to twist sidelong to help direct his eyes on the perpatrator. "...You!" He lets out, accusingly. "Don't sneak up on us like that! Geez!"

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki had been making her way towards the trio, having missed Ariel over in the area. Or wilfully tried not to acknowledge the giant not-dog because it's a dog. It's clearly a dog! Even if it smells funny. She recognizes Kyouko, though she doesn't recall the name offhand there either. That was kind of a strange night really. She starts to say something to tease Naru about Alex, then realizes she can't remember if Naru teased her and Sora about the same thing or not. Should that stop her? <br /> <br /> The thoughts of trying to be silly are interrupted, creating a different silly situation as she jumps in the air at the bark with a distinct look of a scrambled illusion for a brief moment and she's already taken a number of steps at a flat run away from the source of the bark until she looks over her shoulder and sees the two from before. A couple of more steps, then a stop. She calmly smooths her skirt out, tweaks her illusion to hide her embarassment which doesn't help as she's standing there like she's still about to bolt and she calls out to Ariel, "Hi there!" having remembered her too. "So uh... hi?" she finally says, trying not to sound too out of sorts there.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko snickers at the reaction from both of her 'victims', although if she were a bit more congizent of Naru's park-phobia she might have restrained herself from the 'leap on her unawares' tactic of greeting. After a moment she disengages herself and swaps around to walking beside Naru, shrugging her shoulders at the question about work. "Meh, workish. Pays the bills 'n stuff."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As for Alex, he gets a tongue stuck out. "Then don't be such a tempting target. Walkin' all love-love through the park. How could I not?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a whuff, and she glances over towards Ariel and her dog. She quirks a brow, but doesn't recognize them- though she infers that they probably know Naru and/or Alex. Jiaying approaches, then darts away, then seems to recover, and Kyouko gives her a bit of a look. "Maki-san, right? Yo." SHe greets, remembering the girl from her visit to the ECFH.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"You alright, Jiaying?" Naru asks as the other girl gets startled in all different ways than getting pounced by a Kyouko. "And.. I got distracted before asking around about that thing you asked of me. I'm sorry." She wrinkles her nose, irritated at herself for forgetting.<br /><br />"No calling people 'tempting targets' in the park, Kyouko or you'll pretty much ensure that I hit full freak out." Naru notes almost absently with a rueful little smile. "I'm breaking my own rules, after all."

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kyouko's accusation does end up causing a sudden flare of RED on Alex's face, even if it is so only momentarily. "Wh-- I don't know what you're talking about!" He protests-- all while *still* holding hands with Naru, which likely does not help his case AT ALL.<br /><br />With the quietest of non-verbal grumbles, Alex settles back into normalcy from the pounce eventually, at least, and then follows the gaze of Naru to the way of Jiaying. "Oh. That's... the girl. Who was with..." Names. Did he ever get them? "... Back when it was raining. Right?"

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki looks around quietly a few moments, trying to see if she has an escape route in mind. Not because of the dog, but because of her reaction to it. "Eeeeh..." excuse? Looking for an excuse, anywhere- Eventually she gives up and says, "I don't like dogs." Hoping that's enough of an excuse. Naru can probably guess why after all. She tries a meek smile and says, "Thank you for your concern though Osaka and Sakura." <br /> <br /> Oh an excuse to change the subject, "Yes, the day it was raining last week, all of those days! You forgot your jacket for some reason! Did you at least get a kiss as a reward?" Deflect the embarassment, that works!

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Don't call me Sakura," Kyouko says to Jiaying, although she doesn't sound mad, the comment is off-handed. "Just Kyouko, alright? There's too many damn Sakuras in this city." Kyouko is a common name too, actually, the curse of uninventive parents, but at least it's not as common as Sakura, at least in her experience.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She has the good grace to look mildly chagrined as Naru chastises her for her choice of works. "Sorry, Naru-chan, I keep forgetting that you've had.. experiences around here." She glances around. Seems perfectly safe at the moment.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You got nothin' to worry about as long as I'm here, though." She adds, unintentionally(?) devaluing the protection offered by Alex, who just gets a sideways look.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Jiaying, who was with Norie, yes." Naru replies to Alexis and there's a soft sound of snickers. "Alright, perhaps Kazuo has a point about a lack of nouns." She comments with a little shake of her head and then turns back to Jiaying and then quirks a smile. "Mmm.. No comment?" She offers with a grin on the topic of kisses. "Lucky's a good dog, but I get how that doesn't help as often as not."<br /><br />"Yeah. Why the park is the one that gets the stupid only semi-rational freak out and not other places, I'm not sure. It's not so bad when I'm with people, that whole 'safety in numbers' thing, I guess." Naru nods to Kyouko and then grins. "Have no fear, I'll happily hide behind all of you, at least until I get properly ticked."

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"...Also no comment," mumbles Alex in echo of Naru. This does not help the presence of the red coloring over his cheeks at all, no sir.<br /><br />And the sideways look from Kyuoko is returned in like, with an additional serving of squinting. "That's my line, kid," he mutters, and just *barely* manages to keep himself from sticking his tongue out.<br /><br />"It's just a park, anyway," he murmurs then, to Naru, with a subtle squeeze given to her hand -- although probably not as subtle as he'd hope. "Ain't any different from any other place. Besides the-- er. You know what I mean."

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki shakes her head and says, "No dogs, nonono." Though she knows Lucky's not a dog, he looks like one. A nice one, but that's a lot to get over in just one or two meetings. She runs her fingers through her hair shakily, then to Kyouko she says, "Kyouko then. Did I get your surname mixed up?" <br /> <br /> She tilts her head from side to side and asks, "How long has that been going on for? The hand holding thing, not anything else." Beat, "Hi Ariel." She finally says, nerves settled down enough for that.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko shakes her head. "Nah, it's Sakura, I just don' like to use it if I don' have to. Like I said.. too common." Not to mention it dredges up poor memories of her family- her actual family, that is. Her blood family.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To Alex, she just smirks slightly, shaking her head. "I'll believe that when I see it, /kid/." She shoots back. There's a tone of friendly confrontation in her voice though- the sense that this is just how she deals with people, not that she actually dislikes this guy in any particular way.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To Jiaying, she adds, "It's new to me." Re: hand-holding and Naru/Alexis.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Eeeehh?" Alex's eyes narrow noticably to the direction of Kyouko. "I've been in enough brawls to know I can back that up, *brat*." And thus the verbal competetiveness continues on between the two. All is right in the world. For now, anyway.<br /><br />And *of course* they have to point out the handholding. He peeks down at Naru's hand in his, and then glances pointedly somewhere *else* away from everyone else. "...A while."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Naru wrinkles her nose and nods. "Rationally, I know its just a park but the nightmares are really persistant about reminding me of all the ways it figures prominently in various attacks, real and imagined."<br /><br />The verbal sparring between Kyouko and Alexis is noted and not commented on, just a little half smile as she listens to the two of them.<br /><br />It's the answer of 'a while' that prompts Naru to quirk a brow at Alex, even if he's looking anywhere else and then back to Jiaying and Kyouko with a bit of a shrug and a smile. "Not that long." Is her clarification on how much of a while is 'a while'.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki nods at the mention of the name being too common, not really finding the problem in it there, though there is some relief that she wasn't named Meimei or something so, maybe it's understandable enough. <br /> <br /> Looking to Alexis, then to Naru, then back to Alexis, she snrks and asks, "Is he always that punchy?" There's a curious look, then a laugh, "Osaka! What can he do?" What, she couldn't think of a better way of asking that question. It also means she may be tempted to mess with him more if he can't do anything! There was a hint of laughter from behind her. Or was it from her? The sound is weird either way

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"No offense, kid," Kyouko snarks back at Alex with a lopsided smirk, "You ain't fought ''me'' yet, and I ain't seen you fight yet so I dunno if I should trust Naru-chan to you. You gotta prove yourself." What is she, Naru's parent, all of a sudden? Then again, most parents do not require their daughter's potential dates to undergo trial-by-combat.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A slightly softer smile for Naru. "Eh.. I know how it can be, Naru-chan." She says, her tone light but weighted. "I'm no stranger to nightmares."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She just grins slightly at Jiaying, not adding anything to her comments.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Alex's eyes narrow all over again at Kyouko. "Oh," he scoffs out. "You tryin' to have a go? Is that it? If not, then--" A thumb jerks up at himself. "I can take on any creepoid that might come out. Just watch m--"<br /><br />Any further boasting is cut short when he overhears Jiaying. And his eyes immediately snap to her, with some red starting to rise up along his skin again. "......What kind of question is that?!"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I'm pretty sure that everyone I know is punchy on some level." Naru comments with a certain degree of dry to her tone. "Including me, although my level is solidly in the 'very bad at it' level, but improving. Slowly. Which is just more proof that this has been a helluva year, all in all."<br /><br />Naru ers softly as Alex asks the important follow up question on 'what can he do' and she waits for further clarification before answering.<br /><br />The shared misery that are nightmares is met with a nod to Kyouko and a rueful little half smile. "I'd of figured that dealing with what started them would have helped, but apparently not. I did give Fiore's plant a hard time for them, but somehow that also didn't help."

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki doesn't get an answer, which gets laughter from the diminutive Chinese girl. "Oh, oh! Naru, you may want to sit him down sometime." She walks over towards Kyouko, her shadow doing something weird for a moment. There's a murmur of Chinese to whatever it is before she asks Kyouko, "You were sparring with her right? We should spar sometime, I need to do more than watch videos online and practice in a small room even. No application, no practical use right?"

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"...............What?" As might be expected, the answer - or lack thereof! - that Alex receives from Jiaying is not exactly satisfactory to him, and he ends up slooooowly turning his head to peer at Naru in confusion. Expectantly even. Like somehow she might know how to enlighten him now.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I got nothing." Naru shakes her head to Alexis at his questioning look before she turns back to Jiaying, legit not following where she's expecting this to go. "I almost fear to ask what I'm sitting him down about."<br /><br />"Sparring is WAY better than videos. It was completely different. Different than panic flailing too, which is the only reaction I had previous experience with, by and large." Naru returns to the safe topic of fighting. Because of course it's the easy one.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki stretches, a big long stretch, standing on her toes, hands above her head, the works. Then she shakes her hands out and grins, Does he know why you're learning to fight Naru?" That's a slightly less esoteric angle to approach it from. Is her shadow making funny gestures again? Can't be, must be tricks of the light.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You wanna fight me?" Kyouko asks Alex, and there is actual seriousness in her tone. Now, Naru at least should know her well enough that she's not asking in a 'to the death' manner, but she ''also'' should know Kyouko well enough to know that if Alex says yes, she is liable to try to deck him in the jaw right here and now. That's practically the way Kyouko shakes hands.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then Jiaying is approaching, saying she ''does'' actually want to fight, although she's smart enough to include the qualifier 'sometime' to indicate she doesn't mean 'right now'. "Sure, I don't mind. I'm always up for training. I work out at the gym kinda near the apartment. You know how to find me."

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Do *you*?" Alex counters to Kyouko's question, and his eyes narrow at her once more, body visibly tensing up for a moment. Although that particular tension disappears soon to make way for some measure of confusion over Jia's question.<br /><br />"...What?" He asks with a look tossed to the chinese girl, and then down to Naru, and then the chinese girl again. "...Yes? More or less...?" Not really, he doesn't, but he *thinks* he does.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Because of my ability to attract every creeper and mugger in Tokyo?" Naru asks of Jiaying, quite notably not mentioning youma, curses, aliens, vampires or any of the other myriad of less mundane threats that make up her reality. "That I warned him about as best I could when it makes no damn sense."<br /><br />She adds after a moment, and probably mostly for Kyouko's benefit. "At least they're slowing down again, or I'm getting so good at avoiding them I dont even notice anymore."<br /><br />Naru looks between the three of them and then grins. "If you're throwing down here, at least give me enough warning to dodge and I'll sit and draw 'til you're all done with the bravado. The gym seems WAY more comfortable for this sort of thing, however. Water fountains if nothing else."

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki snrks and says, "Exactly." While looking at Naru, happy to have the answer she wanted. Which means she's got what she wants to do all sorted out now. She'll... wait a few minutes though. Or longer, who knows. Looking to Kyouko she nods and says, "Yep yep, I do, I'll set something up. Otherwise what's the point in learning mizongyi right?" <br /> <br /> Back to Alexis, she looks him over from head to toe, then back to Kyouko, then back to Alexis and shrugs.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Dude, I always wanna fight." Kyouko laughs, truer words having never been spoken, though 'fighting' in her case means everything from a good-natured scuffle to a battle for existence against monstrous creatures from beyond. After a moment though, she shrugs, glancing back to Jiaying, and then to Naru. "Alright, alright, point taken. At the gym then, some other time."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She shrugs and stuffs her hands back in the pockets of her jeans. "That's good," She adds to Naru. "Maybe it was just some kinda.. allergic reaction." Whatever that means.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Alex still sends a suspicious look at Jiaying. Despite all the extreme aversion to school, he lets an awful lot run through his head, and those particular thoughts focus on the chinese girl for a moment. He lets go of that particular stream of thought, however, with an eventual shake of his head.<br /><br />"At least you won't have to deal with all that alone either, hopefully," he murmurs to Naru, and gives her hand a more noticable squeeze this time around.<br /><br />And Kyouko gets another look now, too. The subject of a potential fight has been dropped already, so he doesn't say anything about that so much as he just arcs one brow up and says, "Allergies, huh?"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Hey, could be now if you all want. I don't mind. However, I suspect there will be really awkward questions if there's a brawl, no matter how friendly, in the park." Naru comments and then grins.<br /><br />There's a returning squeeze of Alex's hand and a smile. "Between you, Kyouko and everyone else who gives me hell if I dont call for help.. I haven't actually been touched .. well.. since that last one you bailed me out of, Kyouko. Stalked, sure. Followed, yep. But no breaking, which is nice."<br /><br />Naru laughs softly. "Yeah. I'm totally allergic to quiet and boring, clearly."

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That isn't actually what Kyouko had meant with that allergic comment. What she had meant was more like this- Naru had found out the magical world existed. That magical world had, in fact, reacted to her in the fashion of an allergic reaction- sending its antibodies, so to speak, at the mundane intruder into a world where she does not belong. Naru, having survived long enough, is now beginning to get past that stage- becoming 'accepted' by the magical world and thus less of an 'outsider' and less of a target.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is, of course, just a theory supported by nothing. And either way, Kyouko can't voice it, the reason why obvious as she shoots Alex another look, then just shrugs her shoulders. "Yeah. I dunno." Is all she actually does say.

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Suspicion runs alon Alex's face again, but this time it's sdirected at Kyouko, with his brows knitting together for the moment he spends in eyeing the girl. Before he actually manages to cast off the particular thoughts running through his head, they do cause him to subconsciously squeeze down on Naru's hand.<br /><br />"...Did that happen before or after the coffeeshop?" He asks sidelong of Naru after, his voice a quiet murmur with that, and he glances down at the girl only after he's already said that much.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unspoken theories, speculations and wild ideas. Naru returns the shrug for what it's worth and then takes a slow breath. The question from Alex causes her to pause, and think about it a moment. "Before. Before I met you, even. Hunh." That reality says a lot both on how long its been since she actually got signficantly hurt, and how recent and whirlwind this whole 'handholdng' thing actually is.<br /><br />"So do we get to call the bbq a housewarming party for you and Momo, even if it's on the roof and not in your apartment?" Naru asks of Kyouko with a grin and a solid subject change. "Which probably will keep Momo's obsessive cleaning down to a vague minimum at least."

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki looks to Naru and asks curiously, "Coffee shop? What happened there? A bad spill, did someone get the mocha thingy doohickey wrong?" What, she's a tea girl. Coffee makes her feel really bad. The mention of a barbecue gets her attention though. She looks between the two and asks, "House warming party?"

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko doesn't comment on what passes between Naru and Alex, but at the mention of a party, she merely laughs, shaking her head and causing her long ponytail to shimmie back and forth. "Nah, it's for everybody. We been in there a couple weeks already, so. But that's no reason not to come and have a good time."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She glances at Jiaying, and adds, "We're havin' a bit of a cookout on the roof of the Court on Friday. You're welcome to stop by if you like."

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"And here I thought I was gonna have to punch someone," Alex mutters after Naru's explanation. Only to reconsider that whole proposition immediately after with a thoughtful grunt. "...I could probably still punch them actually. Do you want me to?" ... somehow, that sounds like an entirely sincere offer, too.<br /><br />The mention of the party brings him to start scratching one finger along his cheek, sheepishly. "...I think Naru has the thought of dragging me there, too."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"A couple of weeks is the /perfect/ time for a house warming party." Naru protests to Kyouko. "It's still new, but you've settled a little. Pfft. It might not be the only excuse, but totally part of the party, in my opinion."<br /><br />Naru shakes her head at Alexis' kind offer to punch wraiths for her. "There was a lineup for the punching at the time. No regrets, no shame in calling for the cavalry to bail me out on that one, and those guys won't be coming after me again."<br /><br />Her smile rturns at Alex's sheepish comment and she nods. "I figure it's a great way to meet a swack of people I keep talking about that Alex hasn't actually met yet. With suitable food distraction."

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki rubs her chin at the offer of free food. There's the risk of overeating free food too though. NOt that she'd overeat and get full, more that she'd keep eating. High metabolisms aren't fun sometimes. Running her fingers through her hair again, she begins laughing when she hears Alex wanted to punch something. She's almost fidgeting with the thoughts of messing with him at this point. <br /> <br /> Looking to Kyouko, she tilts her head instead, using that as a focus and asks, "Should I bring anything? I could do dumplings or something, light, snack-y and tasty right?"

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko glances at Alex as he mentions Naru wanted to 'drag him' to the barbecue. She shoots Naru a look. A look which plainly says, 'this barbecue is going to consist of a concentration of the greater amount of magical people in Tokyo, are you ''sure''?' Then again, if he wants to be hand-holdy with her, she supposes he'll have to find out at some point.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she grins slightly. "Well, whatever you want, Naru-chan, though from my point of view, it's just an excuse to eat a lot."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She glances at Jiyaying, then. Nobody has to worry about overeating with Kyouko and likely Usagi in residence! What's one more bottomless pit? However, she says aloud, "Bring whatever you like, but I don' think you have to unless you really wanna. I mean, these are people with essentially infinite money. There won't be any shortage of food."

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Oh how blissfully ignorant Alex is. It's the reason that when KYouko gives Naru the LOOK, he probably ends up just thinking that maybe she just doesn't want him there because she thinks he is a buttface.<br /><br />Or something like that anyway.<br /><br />"Fine, fine, maybe it's better that way anyway," he murmurs after Naru's assurances on the lack of need for punchings (for now), and waves his free hand idly along. "Hopefully won't be need *later* either, but... You know." For whatever reason, he throws a sharp glance Kyouko's way for a split second with that said. For WHATEVER REASON.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There are moments that are better for figuring out that the world is an even stranger place than one imagined, and moments that are worse. A relaxed barbecue where (ideally) no one is trying to kill anyone else seems like one of the better times, rather than say mid-fight. Or during an unexpected scenic visit to the now defunct dark kingdom.<br /><br />"Yeah. I know." Naru acknowledges that Look from Kyouko. "We'll talk later, kay?"<br /><br />The mention of food just makes her laugh and Naru waves her free hand. "Between the people who live there, the people who half live there and visitors.. basically I'm pretty sure someone is always eating, about to eat, or just finished eating. So many teens, all of whom are various degrees of eternally hungry. Food is so not going to be an issue."

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki shrugs and says flatly, "I will bring some food, it's polite. I won't bring something like chicken feet though. Or the eggs soaked in- I don't like those. It's weird." Quick shake of her head, arms crossed and head tilted to the side. "I'll find something neat to bring, at the least to be polite." <br /> <br /> The cross-talking happening again gets laughter from her and while she's distracted deciding what to do, her shadow reaches out and waves it's arms through Alex's shadow, darting around before resuming it's natural look. Did it pull a face just before that? Jia's not acknowledging it though. "What time is it starting S-Kyouko?"

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko might think Alex is a buttface, but that's not really damning coming from her- some of her best friends are buttfaces. However, she can't exactly explain that correction here and now, so when Naru simply says we'll talk later, she shrugs her shoulders. "Sure thing." Is her easygoing response.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As for Jiyaying, she shrugs, offering a slight grin. "Bring what you like, I ain't ever gonna complain about too much food. Um.. after lunch, I think? People are probably gonna be comin' and goin'."

:'''{{#var:182|Alexis Raskoph| (182)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Alex's eyes flick to the side and peer at his own shadow. Did... did he just see something really weird from the corner of his eye? ...Nah. He's probably just imagining things. Right? Maybe. His face scrunches up in brief moment of confusion, either way, before he peeks down at Naru instead.<br /><br />"Weren't we supposed to get ice cream?" He points out to the girl, and gives the lightest tug to her hand. "And you have that dance thing or whatever to get to after."<br /><br />"I'd say I'd bring something, but I can't cook for damn." Beat. "... Actually, I could probably just bring pizza, couldn't I? Yeah."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ghostly shenanigans don't even make Naru blink, she's clearly no fun at all.<br /><br />"I totally want ice cream." Naru confirms with a nod to Alexis. "And if I'm late to dance class, then I get that /look/ from Kazuo and I don't want that. Sooo.. talk to you soon, Kyouko. And perhaps see you on Friday, Jiaying." She makes her farewells to each of them.<br /><br />Ice cream with cute boy wins.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You don't bring pizza to a cookout." Kyouko says to Alex, then pauses, apparently considering how good pizza is. "..but you can if you want." She amends, with a bit of a lopsided grin.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then talk of dancing lessons and ice cream and look-giving-Kazuo begins, and she laughs a little. "Nobody wants that. Alright.. good talkin' to you kids. You have fun. See ya, Maki-san." She adds to Jiaying as well, before turning down a sidepath which leads back towards her apartment and going on her way.
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