514/Fauxlor Moon and Fauxedo Kamen

Fauxlor Moon and Fauxedo Kamen
Date of Scene:	31 October 2015
Location:	Uminari City - Central Harbor
Synopsis:	Usagi and Mamoru trick-or-treat in costume-shop copies of their henshins, on a secret Halloween date of irresponsibility and candy and fun!
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Usagi Tsukino

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Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Monsters swarm the streets. Witches, princesses, and even the occasional bumble bee jump out, scaring strangers and annoyed siblings alike.

The only thing keeping these bizarre creatures from world domination is the promise of candy appeasement.

That's okay. Sailor Moon is on the scene to save the day!

Well, actually, Usagi is on the scene dressed as Sailor Moon.

...Just not in the common, ordinary, magical way.

That's right! She's wearing the cheapest, gaudiest Sailor Moon costume money could buy. (She even attached the yellow streamers in her hair, though they're ridiculously short! They only go to her waist!)

So, it would be more accurate to say, with red cloth boot covers and a skirt that's probably made of the same material as knock off barbie dresses, Fauxlor Moon is on the scene!

And with her? Who could it be!

That's right! Fauxedo Kamen!

Right at this moment, she's bouncing in place, checking all around for the all clear, before she grabs his hand and pulls him across the street.

"Come on!" She's giggling as she runs, and when they're on the porch she has to readjust her foam tiara and puffy Odangos. (Yes. She's even wearing those. Her head is a bit crowded with real and fake hair!)

And she's bouncing again, giddy, because Trick-Or-Treating and Mamo-chan.

"Okay, okay, you ring this time." And then, as stern as she can be (which isn't really stern at this point, because giddy) she adds, "And say it loud enough for them to hear you, this time! Candy!"

She shakes her bag in emphasis.

They will get all the candy!

And all the...smooches!

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
He can't help but laugh as he's dragged across the street, candy bag around the wrist of the hand Usagi's holding, other hand up to hold his cheap felted plastic top hat on his head so it doesn't go flying off as they run.

"Usako--" he half-protests, holding his hands up as she bounces, "I'll ring the bell but you have to say it, I can't-- I-- here." He's just brightened considerably. This is probably something to be worried about. "I'll give you all my not-chocolate candy if you don't make me say it," he bribes, leaning in and grinning.

Mamoru's costume is equally terrible. First off, it doesn't fit right, it's made for someone shorter and wider, though not spectacularly -- it's just enough that the legs and arms are a bit short, and it hangs off his frame, screaming for a tailor.

As if a tailor would touch a thousand-yen priced-to-go Tuxedo Kamen costume made of polyester and rayon.

It's got bright yellow buttons painted on, doesn't have his medal, the shirt and vest and bowtie are all one piece, the gloves have a hole in each of them where he tore the tags out in a fit of pique, and the jacket, American-style, covers the bottom of the 'vest'. The cape's just-- let's not talk about the cape. The mask is held on by elastic, and boy is it ever uncomfortable. Also, it keeps slipping on his face and he has to either keep adjusting it or just forego sight.

Usagi's definitely looks better.

Well. Possibly because Usagi's wearing it.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It looks like she's going to fall for his cheaty ways.

She leans up, almost on tip toe, and then her finger is on his lips and she plops back down.

Hah! He thought victory would come to him so easily?!

HAH AGAIN! This isn't her first time Trick or Treating!

(Though his company is much prefered over her brother's.)

She tsks and waves a finger from her (sort of) free hand. "Not so fast, Mamo-chan." Again, her stern just isn't stern at all when she's grinning like a school girl on a Secret Date with her crush.

(Hey, even if they ever become publicly official she'll have a crush on him then, too! Crushes aren't delegated to pre-dating!)

"I will give you..." She hums in thought. The stakes will have to be high. Gulp. "Half of my chocolate if you say it tonight. And not always, but a lot, and starting here."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
The bajillionty tall (in comparison) older boy looks absolutely stricken. "You--" he starts, but seems unable to find exactly what to call her, or how even to protest this.

It's not just a bribe of chocolate.

It's the fact that Usagi is promising him half of her chocolate.

HER CHOCOLATE.

She must really, really, really, really, really want him to do it.

He just stares at her, eyes wide behind his terrible mask for a long second, and then grimly turns to the door and rings the bell.

"TRICK OR TREat..." he starts off loud and then sort of trails off, wincing.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
He did it! He actually did it!

She is practically thrumming with the giddy when the door opens.

It's a man at the door, clearly a father home on Candy Duty.

Clearly, because there's a three year old squealing, and darts past her father to cling to one of Mamoru's legs. "Sorry, she's a fan. This is the fourth time, Minori!"

Minori, of course, just giggles and clings.

And of course, Usagi's a melty puddle at the extreme cuteness of the girl. (Who, she admits, shows exceptional taste at a young age!)

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru startles, but that's about all the negative reaction this gets-- because all of a sudden he's laughing, and he leans way down to ruffle the little girl's hair before carefully detaching her so he can crouch down in front of her.

Taking one of her hands in his, he reaches inside his fake tuxedo jacket and solemnly pulls out a thornless rose. "Here you go, then, Minori-chan. Always be brave and careful and wise, and you'll win just like Sailor Moon! Do your best! I believe in you."

He winks at the tiny kid, then straightens up, grinning again when he looks back at her dad. "That's not necessary, sir. Always glad to meet a fan."

And then he glances aside at Usagi, eyebrows up, and the grin turns a little ridiculous when he holds out his candy bag. "I will take candy in lieu of apologies, though."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Minori's eyes grow little hearts before she nods quickly. When he stands, turns to show the rose to her father, and squeals her way back into the house. Night made!

If it was possible to die from cute and adorable, Usagi would be at her own funeral right now. Fortunately it's not! (Well, maybe, you never know, but not from this!)

She holds her bag out as well, all happy beams.

The father sighs a bit in relief, because maybe now his little girl wouldn't try to hug all the tuxedos ever and he mouths 'thank you.'

Then he has a wink, and large handfuls of candy are placed in their bags. "Anything for the Protector of Tokyo."

And then the door is closed, and Usagi's happy squeal rivals that of Minori's and she's hugging him tight.

"That was so cute!"

And then, because his voice had been almost squeaky, she offers to rewrite the stakes.

"If you want, you don't have to say that anymore, and you can still have...a fourth of my chocolate?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Just wait until his voice does go squeaky at her. It's happened a couple of times in the last six months or so; it could happen again.

However!

Usagi's squish-hugging him after the dad's silent 'thank you' and the tiny bouncing bundle of energy's just had her night made, so Mamoru does the only thing he even wants to do right now, and bends to hug Usagi right back, close and tight.

After a second he lets go a little and says, voice a little quieter than maybe it should be, "You don't have to give me any of your chocolate, Usa." Quieter, but he's smiling, and it's That smile.

Then he straightens up and takes her hand, tugging her gently to come down the steps. "What do you say we take a break, though? Do you normally save the candy-eating until you get home, or eat it on the way, or what? I'm not sure what the halloween candy protocol is."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
She's a flustery ball of giddy and she is completely okay with this.

(She doesn't have to?! She'll probably sneak him some anyway, just because he's sweet.)

She falls in step beside him. Even through the cheap gloves, his hand is very warm. It makes her realize there's a bit of chill in the air. "A break sounds good. Sitting on the curb break or strolling break? Or another kind?"

"Well, usually we wait until we get home. Too many years in a row, Shingo decorated some bushes with his lunch. But! If nothing else, we can 'lose' the icky medicney tasting candies and maybe have one or two of the yummy ones."

She glances at him out of the corner of her eye. "You sound like you've never done this before."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Let's transform and sit on a roof and people-watch while we ditch the gross candy and eat some of the good candy," Mamoru suggests, a twinkle in his eye. "Then we can come back down and wear these silly ones some more while we finish up the rounds. Then I'll get you ice cream. Unless you're too chilly -- we can stop at my car to get your coat if you want, too..."

He seems to realize he can't actually just not acknowledge Usagi's question, so he just squeezes her hand a little and laughs somewhat self-consciously. "I haven't. I mean, not that I can remember. Maybe I did when I was really tiny, but there aren't any pictures, so I don't know. C'mon -- rooftop? Unless you think transforming would attract youmas..."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Hmmm. There is a Story here!

However, he seems just a tad bit reluctant to share it, so she'll save the prodding for another time.

Just this once, Mamoru Chiba, you're off the hook!

So instead she hums and her nose turns up with pride. "Well, lucky for you, your first experience is with a Trick or Treat pro. By the end of the night, you'll feel like you've been doing it for years."

She pauses a bit. The coat would be smart. But...cuddles.

"A rooftop's fine, I think. I'm pretty sure most if not all Youma are being distracted by masks. Because that's why they're worn, to confuse demons!"

And then she has an impish grin. "And if I get cold, I can snuggle up in your cape."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Years, you say? Well-- all right," says Mamoru, as if grudgingly, but it's so not grudgingly. His eyes are twinkling behind the mask again. "And you know-- I don't think I wear a mask to confuse demons. It just kind of came with the rest of the outfit."

Then she grins at him like that, and for half a second, he feels ten himself -- but not the ten he was, the ten he should have been. Giddy, mischievous with a co-conspirator, doing things they're not supposed to be doing...

...and he scoops her up in both arms and drops his candy bag in her lap, grinning right back. "Well then. Good thing my real cape is warm, isn't it?"

When did he change? When did the costume become a reality? There's no transition, there's just the lovely wool and silk to lean against, warm with his own body heat, and too-blue eyes smiling down at her behind the glimmering ghost of a white mask. Then they're up in the air, clearing rooftops and springing off them light as a feather, headed to the boardwalk to see the fantastic costumes of young adults with money and time.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Well, maybe that's why it's there! It confused me, though I'm not a demon. Well, unless you ask my brother, so point one for the mask!"

She's giggling again. Should she be worried she's a bad influence?

Nah. It's Halloween!

She doesn't change. If she did, it would imply she wants to hop around on her own, and what fun is that when she's snuggled and warm? (Ignore the bite of air against her legs and frosty nibbles through the thin material of her costume!)

She points at various houses brimming with decorations (which she loves) and giggles mischievous ne'er-do-wells (who really aren't doing no wells, they're just being silly kids).

On the roof at the boardwalk, her legs are drawn as close to his body heat as they can be, and she doesn't slide down right away.

Still, she points with on hand, her other arm wrapped around the bags of candy.

"Look, Mamo-chan! There's a couple more us's down there!"

Finally she does slide down, huddling under his arm, and conveniently, his cape.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"So there are," says Mamoru with a laugh, peering over the edge of the roof and wrapping his arms -- and his cape -- around Usagi as he rests his chin on top of her head. "Which reminds me -- we should probably pretend to be frenemies again when we're not in henshin, otherwise we're both going to end up getting scolded all the time. We can try to make a game of it..."

He doesn't sound like he really wants to, but he doesn't sound much of anything about it. Just mild-toned talking. "And I have to admit I wasn't expecting to basically get put under surveillance, which makes sneaking off inconspicuously to be Tuxedo Kamen a little difficult. But at least-- if they're with you, they're not with me, and I can join you; if I'm with you and they ask later what you did with me when it's just you and Tuxedo Kamen there, I'll find a default friend to cover for us."

He tilts his head down and noses the top of her head, then says against her hair, "Or am I seriously overthinking this?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Wow. She really is tiny, isn't she?

And right now, she prefers it that way. (Convenient chin rest!)

She hums in thought as he speaks. "I really sucked at the frenemies thing for a few weeks, I think."

Once again with an impish grin. "But I can try to steal your icky tea or attempt to sneak sugar in your coffee. Maybe even some...cream!" Would she actually dare?! (Totally.)

"I wasn't really expecting the twenty-four-seven thing, either. But, my girls are thorough." A hint of pride is in her voice. She shifts so that her arms are under his, fingers in a loose grip on his jacket sleeves. "You're not overthinking, I don't think. They're smart. But, if I'm supposed to be with you, and then I'm not in a fight, I could always tell them I pawned you off to Random Friend A and ugh can you believe he made fun of my hair again."

She tilts her head back, not really the best way to peek up at him, but twisting required more moving and more moving meant the possibility of more cold. "Think Hannah-chan would mind being a cover patsy?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"A cover patsy?" Mamoru asks dubiously, then laughs under his breath. It's not the most dignified sound. "What kind of manga have you been reading? I don't think she'd mind, but they'd probably want someone around who could get me away from one of the Generals. So probably more like Akemi-san. You remember her? She's the one who took me to the hospital after we fought that glam rock space elf. She's a Puella Magi, like Kyouko. Here, you, you're going to get a crick in your neck--"

And this is the part where he shuffles them over and picks Usagi up again, then sits on the ledge with her on his lap sideways, black mantle still wrapped around them both. "And don't worry about it. I suck at the frenemies thing too. I also-- sort of told them how I felt about you? And they said you might like someone else, so I said, well, if that's the case, then I'd rather you were happy, and that would be all right. Now-- if that someone else wears a mask and jumps around in a cape, we really can keep using this excuse, since while you were in the bathroom I said I didn't want to get between you and Tuxedo Kamen..."

He sounds hopeful. But also faintly worried.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I read all the manga." Mostly. Some she didn't. Some her parents wouldn't let her buy...

Usagi hums in thought. "Akemi-san would work! That vanish thingy would sure come in handy." And keep him safe. (Oh, sorry! Old habits!)

When they're seated, she shifts a bit to get more comfortable and to look at him better.

And she's melting! He's being sweet, but also insecure.

"Don't forget the roses. Those are enough to make anyone swoon."

And she wants to give him a sweet, chaste kiss for it so she does.

"I never told them. Apparently I wasn't as secret crushing as I thought I was."

And then, because who knows, his neck may be cold, she drapes one of her twiltails around him like a loose scarf.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
To be fair, the amount of times he's tanked for her, keeping him safe is probably legitimately still on the list of 'useful bonuses' at the very least. Mamoru, thy name is not 'personal safety'.

That kiss is sweet, and chaste, and it even lingers a little. Is it the cold or something else that has the masked boy's cheeks red? We might never know-- but he tastes strawberry on his lips. "We weren't secret at all," he says in a voice only faintly wry. It's too busy being low, combined with that understated smile.

Then her hair's around his neck, and he laughs. "Is that why your hair is so very long? Instant scarf?" His arms tighten fractionally around her.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Never doubt for a moment that Usagi will not hesitate to keep her honey safe. She knows of his bad habit of almost, you know, dying so she won't step on a thumbtack and walk with a limp for ten minutes.

Her grin grows, because the confirmation of a mutual crush, even though it was also just recently confirmed, gives her another burst of giddy.

Then she's giggling. "Yup! But also, when I was little...okay, little-er, Mama promised I'd never have to get my hair cut if I kept it brushed. And voila! Neck scarfs!"

She gives herself one, too.

"Thanks to these bad boys, I only get scarfs as fashion statements."

"Oh!" That reminds her!

She reached between them and pulled out her cell phone, and in seconds she found what she was looking for.

"I never actually sent the text, but a promise is a promise."

It's her closet, in all its messy glory.

Organized Chaos.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"That... is a messy closet," Mamoru says, not entirely sure what else to say as he looks at it with a sort of morbid fascination, craning his neck a little and squinting. "... Usako, how do you even find anything in that? That's amazing."

It's not disgust, not remotely -- but he might be slightly intimidated by the idea of that kind of a mess being a daily thing. His eyes slide from the phone right back to Usagi, though, because he can't actually keep his attention on the picture any longer than a half-second. Her hair-- and the silly fake hair with streamers, too-- is everywhere, and he can't stop looking at her, like he's memorizing her face.

She's so-- happy. She's so happy. The faintest smile's playing at the corners of his mouth as he watches her expressions, watches her talk.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
She giggles and points to various parts of her closet even if he's not looking. She really does have a system!

And she's not really watching her phone, only enough to look, point, and tap if the screen goes dark. The rest of the time, she's watching him.

"This section is for regular After School. You know, the Crown. Here's the stuff I wear if I go a little more...dressy, maybe? Here's dressier dressy, and this teeeeeeny section here is Stuff Papa would lock me away forever for wearing in public. I think Minako-chan 'forgot' them at my house over time, though she denies it." And then she points to the drawers. "Here's where I keep, er, socks." Cough, cough. Blush. "And then shoes here, organized from Casual to Dressier Dressy, and then alllll this down here is mostly my stuffed animal over flow."

She hums in thought at the picture for a moment before putting the phone away. "I may start color coding the sections, because that's a great idea you have, but if I did the whole thing I'd never find anything."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Possibly more like 'never find anyth--' because...

She's looking away just long enough to put her phone away, still talking, and when she looks up, she's still talking, and he kisses her.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Mamoru Chiba has probably found the most efficient way of shutting Usagi up without making her cry.

She's startled at first, but soon she's humming (okay maybe not completely shut up) and her fingertips are light on his jaw.

They can be fake frenemies later. Maybe even starting tomorrow. But in secret places like this, they don't have to pretend anymore.