View source for 1955/Purity, Affection, Portraits and Milkshakes

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/09/23
|Location=Uminari City - Game Center Crown
|Synopsis=Over food and milkshakes at the Crown, Sayaka, Kunzite and Naru discuss art, skills, parties and relationships.
|Cast of Characters=127,109,7
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's been the sort of week that calls for milkshakes once one has gotten to the end of it. Or, in the case of visiting the Crown, 'ice cream smoothies'. Naru is clearly doing her part, a lychee milkshake already half empty as she relaxes in a booth, drawing in her sketchbook, half paying attention to those moving around the table. It's after school, there's a fair number of people here, laughing and joking and teasing each other, as the school crew tend to.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Bribery will not get you ''everywhere'' with Motoki, but there are some things. Like occasional menu changes, especially if they make him laugh.<br /><br />Kazuo is not, in fact, trying to bribe Motoki right now. He may possibly be trying to bribe someone else, given the amount that he's quietly prepaying on someone else's tab. "If Usagi's never discovered the lethal dose of ice cream," he's currently telling Motoki, "I doubt he will either. And if he ever does keel over on your floor because of it, now you can blame me."<br /><br />Another brief couple of exchanges, and Kazuo collects the inevitable coffee, puts his wallet away, and surveys the crowd. He's looking for either an out-of-place woman in a suit, or someone (one of a couple of someones) with purple hair. Neither are in evidence. The sketchbook is, however, in evidence, and he glances from that to its owner before approaching her booth.<br /><br />"No broken escort," Kazuo observes to Naru by way of a hello. "Is he recovering, or just unconscious?"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The appearance of Kunzite looming over her table brings a quirk of Naru's brow as she looks up. Way up. "What are you doing here?" She asks, simply enough, and curiously enough before moving on to his questions.<br /><br />The drawing on her page is clearly just for practice, the napkin dispenser on the table is not precisely the most interesting subject, but does provide a convenient stationary item to work from.<br /><br />"Daisuke finished patching him up, so I expect that he is probably off punching something." Naru speculates with a rueful little smile.<br /><br />There's a gesture to the seats at the booth, silent invitation should he wish to join her.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Napkin dispensers have the benefit of being largely harmless, as a bonus. Relatively few youma have ever managed to blot spills on people to death.<br /><br />(Kazuo does not voice this, lest the universe consier it a challenge.)<br /><br />"Good news, then." That to the patching-up-and-punching. Kazuo seats himself, though on the edge of it. "I was checking in with Motoki about the woman who made herself a nuisance to you a couple of months ago, and investigating the chance of Daisuke being in. We haven't seen him in a while; vacation made an excuse, but he didn't turn up at the party. Glad to hear you made contact."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"The investigator lady? Or any of the other nuisances?" Naru asks as she returns to sketching. There's energy in it, but quietly. As if she's making the effort to find that trickle, rather than all or nothing.<br /><br />There might yet be a challenge to the universe, but so far so good.<br /><br />"I've chatted with Daisuke a couple of times since summer vacation. Once at Verone, we met for lunch, and then when he was patching Alex back up." Naru nods. "I think he's trying to make a focus on school, rather than quite as much social. He hasn't said as such in specific, but it's as good a theory as any."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Don't tempt me to suggest study nights," Kazuo says blandly. "We both know how well those would work." He shakes his head briefly, letting her theory on Daisuke's focus drift for a moment and fade without comment. Maybe he agrees. Maybe he's reserving judgment. "Yes. The investigator. Apparently she's been driven off for the moment; we'll see if that lasts."<br /><br />Naru has ensconced herself in a booth, sketchbook out and pencil at work on a drawing. Kazuo's settled opposite her for the moment, just on the edge of the seat as if he were liable to make an escape at any moment. Naru: lychee milkshake. Kazuo: coffee. Drinks of habit.

:'''{{#var:7|Sayaka Miki| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sayaka had visited the game center not too long ago, and battled some wraiths who had targeted some overworked and stressed out students. Naturally, she was pretty stressed out herself with midterms coming up, not to mention fighting more wraiths that didnt give satisfying grief seeds. And she still has all that homework to do!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, she might as well grab a milkshake before heading home, after all that work! With a tired sigh, she enters the cafe looking a bit ruffled up as if she'd just been in a kerfuffle. As rumours travel pretty quickly, some people may already be murmuring about the weird argument that broke out between a couple of stressed out school girls in the cafe below.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sayaka however, seems more interested in searching for a place to sit and relax for the time being.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I am entirely in favour of study nights, even knowing that they will end with not even a single word of homework being accomplished." Naru grins brightly to Kazuo, impish really. She takes a sip of milkshake and then looks over to Kazuo, her expression thoughtful. "One down, three to go?" She asks with a quirk of her head.<br /><br />Spotting Sayaka, Naru lifts a hand in a wave to the puella, a touch of a frown at the ruffled nature. Rarely is that a good sign.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Celebrate before January dooms us all?" Kazuo inquires, dry -- there are high school entrance exams coming up, too. The latter receives a nod. "At least two of them are reasonably likely to be out of the country. We may hope."<br /><br />And then Naru's focus goes elsewhere, and Kazuo's turning even before her hand is lifted. He adds a nod across the room to Sayaka, and shifts further into the booth. Less making space than giving the alternative of space that doesn't cramp Naru's drawing.

:'''{{#var:7|Sayaka Miki| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With a yawn, Sayaka searches for a booth, but it seems pretty busy here today. Eventually she catches sight of Naru and Kazuo, and smiles a little. She doesn't know either of them particularly well, but they're Kyouko's friends so...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hey!" she calls out to them with a tired smile, making her way towards them. "How's it going? mind if I sit here? I guess it's pretty busy here today, with all the midterms coming up soon, and..." Sayaka pauses as she hears the girls in the next booth murmuring about the weird argument that took place in the arcade not too long ago.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yeah, I could do with a milkshake.." catching sight of her ruffled up hair and tired eyes in the window, she hastily tries to brush down her hair with her hands.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Enjoy it while it lasts, before everyone ends up a basket case." Naru agrees wiht Kazuo and then smiles to Sayaka as she approaches.<br /><br />"Hi. Pull up some bench." Naru offers with a gesture and reaches to ensure that she's left enough room, with sketchbook and milkshake and general sprawl.<br /><br />The mention of the 'weird arguement' catches Naru's ear and she glances up at Sayaka with a quirk of a curious brow. "You look like you've had a workout. You clearly could use a milkshake." She comments casually.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Forget the drawing in to give space. Kazuo sets his coffee out of the way of the sketchbook, and rises. "What kind?" he says. "And anything to eat?" Apparently he has appointed himself Temporary Fetcher of Things for the Frazzled Sayaka. There are worse things.

:'''{{#var:7|Sayaka Miki| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sayaka smiles, taking a seat in the booth as she peers at the menu. "Thanks, Naru-san! I think i'll be fine, now that the excitement has ended...Just a little argument in the game center. I guess a lot of people are up tight with midterms around the corner.." the look in her eyes suggests its more than that, but she doesn't elaborate as she peers at the menu. "Hmm, lobster macaroni sounds good, I'm starved!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For a moment she peers at Naru's drawing, "Wow, that's pretty cool, are you taking art class, or is that just for fun?" she simply shrugs at Kazuo, "Nothing to worry about, just stressed kids, and..Other stuff. Everything's back to normal now. What's new with you folks?"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Midterms do tend to make emotions run high, and stress and all that not so great stuff." Naru nods in quiet agreement, taking a breath and nodding. "Messy." She comments as she turns her attention back to her drawing, letting Kazuo be the chivalrous one.<br /><br />The drawing of the napkin dispenser is approaching almost photorealism, no matter that it's just pencil on paper. One could almost swear the light glints off the chrome corner, but that would just be silly in a drawing. Of course.<br /><br />Naru mmmms. "Practice, so I suppose for fun?" She decides on and then there's a little half smile. "Just keeping my skills sharp, I suppose." She mmms softly. "What's new.. it's been a busy week, and a quiet week, all at the same time. How about you?"

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Lobster macaroni and some unidentified milkshake it is," Kazuo says, deadpan, and steps away while Naru is talking. No, he does not order her a random milkshake; he trusts Motoki's memory instead. It's not too long before he's fetching Sayaka's food back. Apparently, it is secretly 'Puella should not have to pay for their own calories' day.<br /><br />"Only one medical issue all week, and that one had nothing to do with the party," he adds, coming back in on the conversation. "It undoubtedly won't last, but we'll enjoy the lull while we can." His head tilts toward Sayaka slightly as he sets down her things, a silent echo of Naru's question.

:'''{{#var:7|Sayaka Miki| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Wow, that's an amazingly realistic napkin dispenser!" she chuckles, although it'd be nice to see a drawing or something a bit more interesting. "Do you do portraits as well? I'd love to see a portrait of myself. I mean, not that I'm vain or anything, but it'd be fun." she shrugs at the question, "Yeah, I guess it's been pretty busy with midterms coming up for me too..But other than that, a little quiet. But I guess I got a bit of a workout last night." Sayaka grins and winks. "Always nice to have something keeping you on your toes...I do kinda miss hanging out as much with Kyou-chan though.." She seems a bit sad as she says that, and still hasn't learned that she's officially joined the sailor senshi.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She smiles at Kazuo as he gets her order. "Thanks! do I look that tired? Oh yeah, I guess I missed that barbeque. That kinda sucks, I hear it was a blast. Last bbq of the summer I guess?"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"It's kinda what I do." Naru comments on the notion of the realism of her art, with that half smile yet again. "I draw all sorts of things. Yes, I can do portraits. We can talk about that, if you want. I've never done a portrait commission before. Hunh. That could be neat." She considers that a moment and then reaches for her milkshake.<br /><br />"Even I'm getting a lull, which is nigh on unheard of, but I'll take it." Naru grins to Kazuo and then turns back to Sayaka and nods. "First of the summer too. It was fun. It was absolute /chaos/ for a while, so very many people, but it was good. We'll have to try having more parties, if perhaps not always at the apartment, to save these guys always needing to do the cleaning up."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Not entirely first. I think your friend Madoka ran one or two." Kazuo leans and reaches for his coffee. "Though varying the places would be a good idea. We might try coordinating with her; she enjoys that sort of thing. Anywhere you'd particularly enjoy?" The question is aimed at Sayaka, yes.<br /><br />There's a pause for a moment. "You do look like you might be able to use a little more -- something. Rest. Company. You're welcome to stop by if your path takes you near, you know. Kyouko often does, particularly around dinnertime." There's a little bit of an amused glint, there.

:'''{{#var:7|Sayaka Miki| (7)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sayaka chuckles, "That'd be great! I dont really have a job, but I'd be willing to pay you well for a good commission. I'd love to see your other art as well. Me? I cant even draw stick men well.." she smirks, "Well, I hope I can get in another party. All this school work kinda gets to me sometimes, I'd rather be out and about, bashing heads and what not. I guess the Kendo club will be starting up again soon though, so there's that to look forward to!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her milkshake and macaroni finally arrive, although the meal doesnt exactly match. Still, she scarfs it down hungrily, clearly having missed breakfast this morning. "Mmm, I need to come here more often, their milkshakes are the best!" Looks like she ordered vanilla maple milkshake, which sets off a sweet aroma.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unfortunately, as she hurriedly glances at her watch, Sayaka quickly springs to her feet after gulping down the rest of her meal. "Geez, it's already that time? Speaking of which, I'd better get to my club, before class starts! Thanks for the chat! Say hi to Kyou-chan if you see her for me, ok?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She pauses briefly, glancing at Kazuo, "Yeah, thanks, I'll do that. I really do enjoy the arcades, and I'm looking forward to another musical performance. I'll see you guys soon, 'kay?"

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"First at the apartment." Naru clarifies and then nods to Kazuo. "I've been to a couple of her gatherings, but I certainly knew more people at the barbeque." She's thoughtful on that a moment as she listens to Sayaka.<br /><br />"As much as I am sure I'm breaking some sort of artist's code, I expect we can work out some sort of barter. I don't want to leave you short on cash, and I'm not relying on art at the moment to earn a living, so we can work something out." Naru nods to Sayaka with a smile. The inhalation of food appears to be a puella trait and then she's gone in a swoop of energy.<br /><br />Naru looks back to her drawing a moment, thoughtfully considering it as she taps her pencil against the page.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kazuo glances after Sayaka, and seats himself again in her wake. "Sometimes I worry about that girl more than others," he says, mostly under his breath. Only mostly. There's a brief shake of his head then, and he turns his attention down to Naru's drawing.<br /><br />The lack of any quiet warning commentary might, perhaps, be notable.

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I dont know her very well." Naru comments, still looking at her drawing. "I can see why you might, though."<br /><br />"I'm trying to find a happy medium." Naru comments softly. "To where it's energized, but not glowing and jumping off the page, and done with intent. It's hard. It's like my fine motor control on the dial is totally non-existant."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Neither do I. But she feels ... brittle, somehow. Subtly so; she's strong. But what might happen to her if she took a sharp blow from the wrong angle..." Kazuo closes his eyes for a moment, then says, as if to dismiss his own concerns, "We all have weaknesses."<br /><br />The art draws attention again. "You seem to be developing quickly, all the same. It's a new set of muscles to you. You should, eventually, be able to command them as deftly as you do your hand with a brush; but there's some time learning, first. Like dancing. You're better at that than you were, too."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"We all have weaknesses." Naru agrees and then adds. "Some are harder to get to than others, some are more obvious than others. Even the strong ones appreciate knowing someone has their back, even if they might not have the words to admit it."<br /><br />"Well. I practice a lot more than I practice dancing." Naru points out with a little smile. "More than I run, more than the gym, more than anything. So I'm glad it's progressing quickly, it won't last forever." She sets her pencil down a moment and looks over at him. "I'm glad of dance classes. Thank you."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There's a quiet inclination of his head toward her. "That should be my thanks to you," Kazuo says. "Even if it comes attached to occasional messages from horrified acquaintances informing me that I've been broken up with in favor of some German boy. Our circles need more hobbies."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Were we dating and I missed it?" Naru giggles softly. "Drat, I really should pay better attention to these things. I hope I was kind in our breakup." She grins brightly, clearly terribly distraught. "A cute, pain in the arse, German boy, no less."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"I wonder how long it'll be before someone asks you whether the reason that Usagi calls him 'Bandaid-kun' is that I keep punching him in the face for revenge." Kazuo leans back in the seat, closing his eyes briefly. "If we could harness feverish imaginations, we could run this city off the spare energy for ever."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Naru laughs all the more at that speculation. "He'd need more than a bandaid if you punched him in the face." She points out pragmatically still giggling softly. "You've also probably set that seed of gossip in motion, purely for the uttering of it aloud, you know."<br /><br />"Feverish imaginations, rampaging speculation and drama. This city would run forever, and no one would ever lack for energy, indeed." Naru grins as she drains the last of her milkshake, pushing the glass aside for the moment. "I appreciate our relationship too much to have ever really wanted to screw it up by trying to make it something it isn't." She comments, plainly enough.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"For which I'm grateful." Her appreciation, presumably, not the gossip seeding. Kazuo's expression turns faintly wry, even without his eyes open. "Particularly as I have little experience with these things in ''either'' lifetime. My title was as much of a private joke as anything else, but it's half accurate in that respect."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"What was your title?" Naru asks curiously. "Or perhaps is your title might be more accurate." She leans back in her own seat, taking a pause from drawing. "I probably have even less experience, if only for the reality of having a single shorter lifetime to draw on. I just.. fake it better?"

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"You've been doused in romance stories virtually since you were born," Kazuo replies, faintly amused. "And you've had people around you to point out the flaws of those stories -- and you pay attention."<br /><br />As for his title? He opens his eyes after, and that wry note in his expression is accented. His tone is, as ever, absolutely level. "Knight of Purity and Affection."

:'''{{#var:127|Naru Osaka| (127)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"It is an occupational hazard of being a teen girl." Naru acknowledges dryly on the topic of romance.<br /><br />There is just a pause of consideration on the Knight of Purity and Affection sitting before her and then Naru grins. "I can see it."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kunzite's tone dries out further, somehow. "You'd be the first."
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