View source for 3610/Why not just ASK for advice

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2019/01/03
|Location=Pikarigaoka - Clover Street - North
|Synopsis=Unmei is having some issues... coping. And decides to go talk to an old friend she hasn't seen in a while. But hey, if you can't trust Kukai, who can you trust?
|Cast of Characters=190,141
|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama was sitting at a small coffee shop, in the back corner. A hot chocolate she'd barely touched in front of her, all the marshmellows having been picked out of it. She kept glancing at the door.<br /><br />Why? Because she'd sent Kukai a text. 'Hey. It's Unmei, can we talk? I just... need someone who's like... Not in my life, to talk about my life. Okay? I don't know if that makes sense. I just... I'll send the address. Please come, if you got the time. Sorry.'<br /><br />I mean, yes, she knew it was selfish and like... How could she not? She really needed someone who wasn't... involved, she supposed.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's been a clear and cold day in Tokyo, and now in the evening it's growing even colder. So when Kukai got a text from Unmei, of all people, while out on his evening patrol, he gave out a small silent prayer of thanks to whatever spirits were listening for an excuse to get out of the chill. <br /><br /> Kukai arrived at the little coffee shop after several minutes, enough time for Unmei to start to worry if he'd gotten the text, and waved at her over in the corner as he approached the counter. Something warm and caffeinated sounded excellent, and coffee filled the bill nicely. Daichi, however, invisible to the normal folk but visible to Kukai and Unmei, flies over to Unmei and hugs her neck tightly, grinning. "Hiiii!" <br /><br /> Kukai follows over after a minute, carrying a cup of coffee and a small plate of tiny cookies of various types, setting it between them. "Hey Unmei. I'm here. How're you doing?"

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama couldn't help but smile, reaching out to pat Daichi on the head. "Hey, little guy. Having fun?" she asked with an affectionate smile. She glanced up at Kukai as he got his caffinated beverage. And then there was.... She started shuffling his drink a little bit. Just to keep her hands busy. She just stared down. However, after a few minutes she finally sighed and decided to be an adult about things.<br /><br />".... Good enough, I mean. Not going insane with gluttony, not homeless, allowed to be a girl. Things are definitely better than they could be," she said.<br /><br />Then glanced up to him. "So like... you're... pretty smart.... Right? Can I have... Can I talk to you about some things, and can you promise you won't tell anyone? Ever? If you can't, that's fine. I won't bother you with them. But.... I need you to promise. No 'Sure, I won't tell so long as it's not dangerous' or 'sure, if you're not in trouble'... I need a flat 'I will never tell anyone. From you, too, Daichi," she said with a sigh.<br /><br />Ugh, she was so greedy.... But the look on her face said she was desperate....

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Daichi snuggles in, grinning and nodding. "Yeah! It's great to be in outta the cold!" <br /><br /> Kukai sat and waited for a response from her, finding a cookie and nomming on it as he sipped at the hot coffee, listening. "Good! Those are all good things. Not doing any villainy or anything?" <br /><br /> Kukai laughs. "You're the first person to think I'm smart, but sure, you can talk to me about stuff. And I promise, I won't tell anyone. Ever, never, nobody. Daichi either, I'll make him not tell." Daichi nods, in full seriousfase mode. Kukai motioned at her with his mug. "So. Go ahead. What's going on?"

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama sighed and swirled her mug around and then... Well. She just said it. "I went to my parents. Well... I went to them twice. Mamoru and Kunzite don't know. I don't intend to ever let them know. Lacrima let me use one of Eclipse's helicopters," she mumbled, before sipping her drink. "It went poorly, of course. Otherwise I'd have gotten out of everyone's hair by now..." she mumbled.<br /><br />"And i know it was stupid, and a bit dangerous. I mean, I actually threw my dad into a wall. Makoto's training was.... really helpful." She gave a sigh and closed her eyes.<br /><br />".... I feel... isolated. Secluded. I mean... I'm not really needed for anything... Am I? I'm just... generic, or off brand or... barely even a magical girl. I really appreciate what Mamoru and the others did for me. Giving me a place to stay but... They don't want anything to really do with me."<br /><br />She glanced off to the side. "I'm not stupid. I know they shipped me off, out of the way, because they pitied me. And I should be grateful. I have a life I wouldn't otherwise. But... I'm also... lonely," she mumbled. "I have a few friends, but the only one who's actually... interested in me. Who actually asked me for help is Lacrima... The others just... talk to me a bit. But they never need me. And... I don't think they ever will. I don't think anyone ever will. I'm just kind of... there... And I dion't know what to do with it. Or how to come. I want to be useful, a valuable member of the team. But I don't know how..."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai leans in to listen. "This is your parents that.. still know the old you, right? And why did you not want those two to know you went?" He winces. "Ok... You hurt your dad? That's not good... What did they say to make you do that?" <br /><br /> Kukai reaches over, patting her hand. "You're not really isolated, you're just alone. It's not like you can't interact with people or do things, and honestly it's not a bad thing to not be magic. Not having to fight or deal with things is nice. I appreciate my chances to rest when I get them." Kukai sighs and rubs his head. "Yeah. I know. Mamoru has a bad, bad habit of 'I am the biggest fish in the ocean and I solve problems and then I don't interact with people outside my little circle.' He means well, but he either forgets or gets busy doing other things and doesn't think about people." <br /><br /> Kukai nods. "Again, maybe pity isn't the right word. They empathized with you for sure, and wanted to solve what they saw as a gross injustice that also caused somebody to be a villain that threatened the peace, but I don't know if there was pity in it." Kukai nods and then sighs. "...OK, here's my own secret about loneliness. Nadeshiko decided that we were doing good but that she had things she needed to do to.. grow, as a person. So she left to go do them. Months ago. We haven't talked since. We didn't actually talk for a while before that. So I know what it's like to be lonely." <br /><br /> Kukai sighs. "To be honest, I'm kind of in that place, but another part of it is that you and I aren't around a lot. I mean I do my patrols in the park, I respond if something happens or if somebody calls or texts me, but for the most part I haven't gotten involved in anything." Kukai picks up a cookie and nods at her. "Yeah. I know what you mean. I think part of it is that nothing's come up that needs our attention just this second. Like in animes - you have characters that are really big in one season, but then in the next season they're not so involved, but then later on after that they show up again. You and me, we'll show up again as a big deal. I promise." He grins at her.

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama flushed. "I-it was an accident. And... I don't want them to worry. Just... err.... Well, my dad grabbed me and he wasn't going to let me leave. I kind of reacted and... Threw him. Like Makoto taught me," she said with a small smile. "I didn't really hurt him. I did stun him, though. And Lacrima stepped in so they couldn't... grab me... Again..."<br /><br />Unmei's eyes widened when Kukai said THAT about Mamoru of all people. "Wait, he IS?!" she asked. "Oh my gosh, I'm not just being an ungrateful little brat, it's not my imagination?!" she asked, her eyes bulging. Well, of all the things she'd expected, it wasn't confirmation that how her feelings felt were... well, valid. "And... you're right. I guess isolated is the wrong word. I guess more... Ignored? I usually feel when I try to involve like.... I'm just getting in the way. That they don't really want me there. Or... that I'm just... an add-on. Like the salad that comes with a steak dinner that you eat because 'Eh, why not? It came with the meal'," she mumbled, before taking another drink.<br /><br />She cringed as he said all that. "Oh... I uhhh,... didn't know you two had... Err... s-sorry... Hey, so that means you're single?" she said with a small chuckle, before sighing. "Bad joke, sorry."<br /><br />She flushed and nodded. "Y-yeah. I guess... I was off on mmy own little world a lot... It's probably my own fault no one ever... has any interest in me as help..."<br /><br />She sighed and looked at her drink. Then... "Also... as you are now newly single, may I just say that being single sucks?" she mumbled. "I miss cuddling so much. And I know we didn't have a lot in common, but I still miss getting her calls and that small thrill when she came by... well... Before I started... being annoyed at her visits..." she mumbled. "Am I unattractive? Or is it because I'm magically me, not like the other girls?" she asked.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai nods, then winces. "Oh. Well, I mean. At least you didn't hurt him. I hope." He rubs his chin. "Lacrima didn't hurt them either, right? I mean... look, however things are going now, one day you may want the option to go back and see them and make things up, right? So..." <br /><br /> Kukai sighs as Unmei leans in. "Yeah. I mean.." He thinks. "Let me back up for a moment. Mamoru is crazy busy. He's going to college to be a doctor, he's got a business he runs, he and Usagi are apparently getting engaged or something, he has two or three romances running as far as I know, he's got an entire previous life hanging over him like a ton of bricks, and a current life that's also hanging over him like a magical ton of bricks. So I don't hate him for how he is. It's just that he gets caught up in things, like everyone does." He reaches over and pokes Unmei's hand. "Like you're caught up, thinking you're so alone without realizing you can be involved." <br /><br /> Kukai nods and then smiles. "Hey, at least the salad gets eaten, right? And some people make a point to fix a big salad to go with their meals so they have vegetables with the entree. So it's all a matter of perspective. Don't feel so bad about yourself." <br /><br /> Kukai sighs and raises both hands, spreading his arms a little in the universal sign for 'what the (censored) are you gonna do?' "Yeah. I hadn't spread it around. I don't want people to think badly about Nadeshiko or me either one. It's just what happened. She'll be back one day, and we'll see what happens then. Tokyo's still the Fujisaki home, after all." Kukai nods. "But yeah, I'm single." He eyes Unmei for a second. "..Oh that was a rotten joke." He grins and reaches over, punching her shoulder very gently. <br /><br /> Kukai thinks. "I... dunno. Kinda? I was single for years and never knew what I was missing. I've been single for a few months and I miss a lot of things involved in being with Nadeshiko. Maybe I enjoy having the time back, but I have less good things to do with it." He grumbles. "Yeah. Random calls every so often and visits for Na-chan to cook in the kitchen out of the blue or going to watch her dance at a recital or be her escort at a party so the old guys don't pinch her butt and leer at her and ..." He makes a little unhappy noise in his throat. "Unmei this topic sucks on toast. Let's drop it." <br /><br /> Kukai looks up at her for a minute and then shakes his head. "I don't think you're unattractive at all, and whatever makes you you doesn't make any difference. So that's not it at all."

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama nodded with a sigh. "Y-yeah. I mean... The first time ended badly. And the second... They made it very clear if I came back as Unmei they wanted nothing to do with me. But... maybe in a year, they'll calm down and change their mind," she mumbled sadly. That soft longing lingering in her voice. That just... desire to have a family. To have parents.<br /><br />She flushed and nodded. "Y-you're right. I'm just being too... sensitive about all this. Being the salad isn't so bad. And they really are busy, it's... I shouldn't be latching onto them like that. I mean, they.... saved me. Right? I'm now in a position I CAN make friends. So... I... should try and get closer to people..." she said with a feeble smile. She just wish she knew how.<br /><br />She snickered. "I'm sorry. I mean, I came onto you once, I figure if anyone could make you laugh about it, it'd be me."<br /><br />And then he said those things and... Yeah. She nodded. "Agreed. This topic needs to be buried," she muttered. "And you get used to the butt squeezes," she joked. Right. As if she went to parties. She then sighed.<br /><br />"Ah... Then my personality, huh?" she grumbled. "Can't say I can blame people for that. I am a hot mess. At least I'm 'hot', though. I can still look at myself in the mirror," she joked, sipping her coffee. Then....<br /><br />"What's your family like?"

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai sighs and then shakes his head. "They're just not used to it. At some point they'll want you around, and it's good to not break ties with them. They'll come around to it at some point. Eventually." He nods, reaching over to pat her shoulder. <br /><br /> Kukai laughs. "Hey, some salads are whole meals unto themselves!" He smiles at her and then nods. "Well I mean, people try to latch onto their friends. When everyone's gone, it can be painful to know they're not there to talk to, or otherwise occupied with wives and girlfriends and husbands and families and jobs. Don't feel bad about that. But yes. Exactly. You can make a lot of things out of your life now. This is not the end, this is a beginning. Beginnings are hard." <br /><br /> Kukai chuckles. "I remember! Man, if I knew then what I know now..." He grins at her and nods. "I'm joking. But yeah. And yes, less talking about breakups." He shrugs. "I wouldn't know, nobody's ever squeezed my butt. I don't think." <br /><br /> Kukai rolls his eyes and then pokes her shoulder again. "Oh come on. It's not like that. You're fine, just.. yeah, a hot mess." He chortles. <br /><br /> Kukai thinks, then nods, pulling out his phone, looking over at Daichi who's working on a cookie. "Well, there's Daichi. He's part of it, in his own way. But I've got my mom and dad, who're overseas working, and my four older brothers." He shows her pictures of each of them on his phone as he talks. First, a redhead with short hair, made of muscles and wearing a tight t-shirt. "There's Kaido, who's built like a pile of steel I-beams and has the sense of humor to go along with it. He's the most serious person I've ever known, and the strongest and toughest too." Next, a blue haired, fair skinned, tall young man. "There's Shusui, who's the smartest .. second smartest person I've ever met. He's canny and sly and smart and works as a computer programmer and part-time stock market investor." Another picture of an average-sized young man with blonde hair up in a top knot, a sly smile, and a modern jacket tied up so that he can rest one arm inside it like an old-school ronin. "Unkai, who's the most cunning person I know, and knows how to really ''live'' life." And finally an incredibly cute, almost feminine young man with poofy purple hair and a giant smile. "And Rento, who's the most open and friendly person I know, and really, really popular with the girls. He just finished an internship at a newspaper and is beginning a career in journalism." <br /><br /> Kukai nods to Unmei, then points to himself. "Then me. That's my family!"

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama couldn't help but smile, and nod. "R-right. They'll come around. I'll just... keep trying until they do. Right? I mean.... They're still my parents... They.... have to love me, don't they? Don't answer that," she said quickly.<br /><br />She then snorted, giggling. "Well, I'm sure I'm at least a mouthful," she said with a laugh. "Probably lots of cashews, too, because I can be a little nutty," she teased.<br /><br />She then leaned forward. "Oh ho? Is that an invitation? If you want, I can give your butt a little squeeze," she teased, sticking her tongue out at him. If nothing else, she was smiling now.<br /><br />And then the pictures. His family. And her cheeks went a little red. "Heyyyy... are ummm... any of your brothers single?" What? Kukai came from good genetics! And she was only... partially joking, giving a little giggle. "You're... nice to talk to, Kukai. Really. I think I needed this. I just... you're..." she sighed. "You've always been nice to me. Even when I was shitty to you, you were nice to me. And I've never really... felt like I owed you for it. You just... are. You have that pressence, I guess... So... I'm... I'm really happy I met you, you know? I should probably get going, though. It's been great talking to you..."

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kukai grins. "That's all you can do. And they ''should'' love you, always, no matter what." Kukai chortles and then nods to her. "A quarter cup of mixed nuts in every serving, yup yup." <br /><br /> Kukai looks at Unmei for a minute, then grins. "You should maybe take me to dinner and a movie before you touch my butt!" He sticks his tongue back at at her, then laughs. "And at least I've been a gentleman enough to not suggest anything about your butt!" He grins, happy to see her smiling now. <br /><br /> Kukai laughs. "Well, actually, they all are, but the youngest is Rento, who's 18, and the others are two years up as they go. Maybe he's 19 now. I forget." Kukai scratches the back of his head. How old is he again? He forgets. "Well. You sounded like you needed someone to talk to, so I decided to come and help. And no, you don't owe me anything." He smiles and then nods to her, standing. "OK. Well. If you need this again, you can talk to me, ok? It's been great talking to you too.."

:'''{{#var:190|Unmei Tama| (190)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Unmei Tama chuckles and nods. "At least mixed nuts are the best kind," she joked, before... Moving forward to give him a tight hug. "Thanks, Kukai. Really. Talking to you... it... it was the right thing to do..."<br /><br />"And hey, my butt is awesome. I'm more than happy to talk about it," she joked, before giving his a firm squeeze and letting go, with a giggle. "And thanks! I should really go on patrol! I've been kicking a lot of butt since my powers shifted!" she said happily before running off and leaving him behind.
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