2181/Blizzard Entertainment

Blizzard Entertainment
Date of Scene:	02 December 2016
Location:	Earth Court Frat House
Synopsis:	Kyouko and Naru have some hot cocoa and cookies and reflect upon the weather.
Cast of Characters:	Kyouko Sakura, Naru Osaka

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Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    It's snowing! Snow is not unheard of in Tokyo- most winters come with a few dustings. This level of snow though- an honest to goodness snowstorm, is fairly unusual in Tokyo itself. As a result, things have slowed down to some degree. People are staying indoors if they can, and some schools have been cancelled (an even bigger deal in Japan than it is in the States, as you can imagine).

    For her part, Kyouko is happy to stay inside for the time being. She's in the living room of the ECFH, although she's dragged one of the couches across the floor to position it in front of the glass doors which lead out to the balcony. There she is sat, with a blanket bunched up around her, peering out into the drifting snow with a thoughtful expression on her face.

    It's nice and warm in the apartment, at least- Mamoru is not the type to have to worry too much about energy bills. Downstairs, Momo probably has the thermostat set to 'barely not freezing' but it's pretty toasty up here!

Naru Osaka has posed:
It's hard to say if a lack of school is more stressful or less stressful as exams approach, but Naru is calling it a win. What snowstorm /does/ accomplish is cancel her morning run, as like most Japanese runners, she is woefully underequipped for running in actual honest to goodness snow. Which puts her puttering on painting the mural through her usual morning time and now that she's ready to relax a bit, she's padding into the main apartment.

There's a glance over to the furniture rearranging, and a smile for the cocooned up puella upon the couch. "Cocoa?" She offers as she heads for the kitchen.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    There are probably some hardy athletes up in the more mountainous regions that could handle this level of snowfall without too much complaint, but here in Tokyo? Yeah, Naru is among the majority who would rather stay inside with the frozen water falling from the sky.

    Kyouko glances over as she hears Naru enter the room, and at the suggestion of cocoa, visibly perks. "That would be lovely." She agrees, while making no move to remove herself from her comfortably ensconced position.

Naru Osaka has posed:
No need for Kyouko to move, Naru is perfectly capable of making cocoa for two. She gets out mugs and gets the kettle on and scoops powder into said mugs and then wanders back out as she waits for the water to boil.

"Walking over here this morning, it was /so quiet/." Naru comments as she perches herself on the arm of the couch for the moment, ready to spring back into action the moment the kettle clicks.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Naru may be capable, but Kyouko does feel a little bit bad about making her play the servant- not bad enough to actually move, though. Such things must be weighed against practicalities.

    She smiles to Naru as the girl perches on the couch-arm. "People ain't used to this sorta storm in Tokyo. They get this much snow around here mebbe.. once a decade, or somethin'. That's what I heard on the radio, anyway." She sighs. "I gotta work later. I doubt we'll get many customers, but y'know.. can't shut down a convinience store 'cause of a little snow."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I'm not used to this kind of snow, that's for sure." Naru nods in agreement. "It was sort of fun though, but only because I wasn't on any sort of real timeline. I didn't have to get to school on time, I could take some pictures wiht my phone and play and know that I was going to get to dry off and warm up when I got here." She tucks her legs up under her as she perches.

"Sucks that you have to work though, but makes sense." Naru nods at the idea of not shutting down the convenience store. "I should be studying to make up for the missed day, but I'm being lazy."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "I don't think slacking off for one day is gonna kill you." Kyouko says, with a little smirk. She shrugs faintly at the notion of it sucking that she has to trek into work in the storm. "Hey, at least I got a roof over my head, y'know?"

    "It's a far sight better than living in a ruined church without a full roof during a snowstorm. That's somethin' I have experienced, and I'll take walking from one dry, warm building to another any day over tryin' to start a fire with a busted up pew and a dimestore matchbook."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"There's a lot of things that sound a whole lot better than ruined churches without a roof, and starting fires with busted up pews." Naru comments with a wrinkle of her nose. "I am /so/ spoiled." She declares as the magical sound of a kettle click spurs her into action.

A little tip off the edge of the couch and Naru heads for the kitchen to pour boiling water into cups and add enough milk to make it better and then go hunting for marshmallows. And cookies. Because it's just not /right/ without.

"I've been doing more art this week than school." Naru explains from the kitchen. "Which would be fine if I was going into a fine art high school, but I'm not. I need to pass exams, not hand in a portfolio."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Sometimes you gotta do what you need to do to keep yourself sane." Kyouko calls from her position on the couch, from which she still hasn't moved. "Drivin' yourself crazy to meet other people's expectations ain't gonna do you any good in the long run." She pauses, then adds, "Wish Mamoru would listen to that advice from time to time."

    Then she chuckles. "You're not spoiled, Naru. I just had uncommon bad luck. It's not like you're expectin' someone to hold an umbrella over your head while you walk down the street."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I'm totally spoiled, but I console myself that at least I /know/ it." Naru counters with a grin as she emerges with two mugs and a tupperware container of cookies. Her baking, rather than Makoto's, to judge by the plain appearance. Just sugar cookies, nothing too dramatic.

"How about driving yourself crazy to meet your own expectations." Naru grins as she offers a mug to Kyouko before stealing a spot on the couch for herself. "Although I had my sanity day earlier this week. I just ran and hid and Kunzite came and talked me down."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    When Naru sits next to her on the couch, Kyouko uncocoons herself enough to offer the other girl a corner of the blanket. It's not large enough to cocoon two, but it is large enough for two sets of shoulders, at least, and the company makes up for the lost warmth- it's not cold in the apartment after all, as previously mentioned.

    Kyouko accepts the mug and blows on it a few times before taking a sip. "Mmm.. this is something I haven't gotten to enjoy for a while." She says with a faint grin.

    At the mention of Kunzite talking her down, Kyouko just shakes her head with a slightly fond, knowing smile. "He's real good at that. It's when he needs to be talked down that you know we're in a crisis situation."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Thanks." Naru snuggles under the blanket. Not cocoon, but cozy if they sit close, and the apartment isn't /actually/ cold, as noted.

"I drink coffee more often than not, but I'm /trying/ to quit being fueled entirely on caffeine now that I'm doing the whole sleeping thing again."

"He /is/ really good at it, especially for someone who doesn't talk much." Naru agrees before taking a sip of her cocoa. "I feel bad sometimes, that he does a whole lot more talking me down than I do for him."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "There's just somethin' traditional about hot cocoa when it's snowin' out." Kyouko shrugs. "Even in a place that don't get a whole lotta snow, like around here, it's still true."

    She glances sideways at the other girl at the mention of feeling bad. She shakes her head. "You shouldn't. Trust me, knowin' him like I do, and knowin' where he came from and stuff.. I think he gets as much out of being able to help you, and everyone else, as you do bein' helped by him. It's definitely somethin' he needs to do in order to help himself, I think."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Hot cocoa and watching the snow and blankets. We could be on the cover of a Christmas card." Naru agrees with a twist of a smile. She takes a cookie and then offers the container over to Kyouko. The cookies aren't going to be long for this world, not with the two of them at it.

"He's eternally patient with my questions, doesn't even laugh when I'm an idiot." Naru nods a little. "I can sort of understand that. I'd be lost without being able to help you guys out too, even as little as I do."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko takes a cookie as well. Or two. They are indeed not long for this world, but considering the purpose of cookies is to be eaten, as least they are being fulfilled.

    "These are good." She comments after biting into one, between sips of the cocoa. She looks out at the falling snow, considering in silence for a few moments. "I think you sell yourself short, Naru-chan. I appreciate havin' someone laid back to talk to more than you think." SHe says, with a little laugh."

    "I don't know what I'd do without any one of you at this point."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"It still isn't much, even if its appreciated." Naru points out as she munches on cookie and watches the snow fall. "It's hard to think of not having the whole pack of you guys in my life at this point. I mean, I knew some of the girls before, thanks to school, but its different."

A slow sigh, not one that's edged with sadness, but rather gentle contentment. Hot cocoa and companionship and quiet falling snow. "We should totally decorate for Christmas."

So what if neither of them live there.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Yeah." Kyouko says. That's really all she needs to say about being grateful for what she now has.

    On the topic of Christmas, though, she has some more cogent thoughts. "I dunno Naru-chan.." She shifts a bit, glancing away. "I ain't never been much one for Christmas. It brings up.. unpleasant memories." That probably makes sense, considering her father was like a zealous preacher and all.

    She glances back after a moment. "Which ain't to say you have to like.. tiptoe around me with it or nothin', just.. I dunno, hard to get into the spirit for me, I guess."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Well of course you aren't much for Christmas." Naru smiles as Kyouko looks back. "You haven't /had/ a Christmas yet. Not really. Not with this family and new stupid traditions and twinkle lights and paper garlands and cake." Because Naru clearly appreciates the truly important parts of Christmas.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko gives Naru a rather even look for a few moments, as if considering her words. There's a lot of baggage associated with Christmas in her mind.. but on the other hand, Naru is correct and she can appreciate that.

    "Well.. I really can't dislike anything that involves cake too much.." She says, after a mild pause. Then grins and bikes into another cookie.

    "Mmmf. I need to get somethin' for nii-chan." She suddenly says, sounding mildly panicked. "I mean.. for everybody. But he's the one I'm worried about! He likes books and I barely read!"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"To be fair, this entire apartment could hate Christmas and I might be entirely alone with my twinkle lights." Naru points out with a smile. "But I'll still make you cake."

"We can go book shopping together, if you want." Naru offers easily. "Its early enough, we could order from online and get him basically /anything/." She oohs, rather delighted at the prospect of book shopping for Kunzite.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko has to blush just a little bit. "Aww.. you're too good to me, Naru-chain. And I ain't even saved your life lately." She jokes, finishing off the cookie in her hand.

    A brief glance sideways. "I'd appreciate the help with the shoppin'. I honestly wouldn't know where to start."

    She glances out at the snow again. "Hey.. does this storm feel at all odd to you? I mean.. I know we don't get 'em very often around here, but. Somethin' about it feels a little weird to me. But I'm famously paranoid, so.."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I havne't been nearly dead lately, so don't think you're slacking." Naru points out with a grin. "Other than psycho little fairies who /do/ seem to get the idea that pranks aren't funny anymore when someone almost gets hurt. Other than that, I've been all about the angst in my own head."

Naru turns to consider the falling snow outside. "Well. Tokyo does get 'once in a century' kind of storms semi-regularly. I mean not like /often/, but you cannot deny that last winter was sort of .. extreme." She goes with the gentle term. "And more than half the time when we got stupid weather last winter, it wasn't climate change. Wasn't /entirely/ climate change. Sooo..." She shrugs and sips her cocoa. "Probably weird."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Trust me, angst in the head is somethin' I'm familiar with." Kyouko says, with a hint of dry humor in her voice.

    "Yeah.. maybe I'm just bein' paranoid because of the rather unfortunate experiences we had with storms last winter." Kyouko mutters. "I mean, it's snowin', but it ain't like the buildings are shakin' or anything. Still.. I can't help but feel like I sense.. something."

    She sighs again, sipping her cocoa. "Probably just me bein' paranoid."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"At some point, I am going to manage to successfully transform when I am thinking about it and want to, and that would be /really neat/." Naru comments lightly. Very lightly. Too lightly.

"Mmmm." Naru reaches for another cookie, resettling on the couch as she steals just a bit more blanket from Kyouko in doing so. "Paranoia seems pretty valid at the moment. You're the one more likely to notice weird stuff when you're going to and from work than me curled up in here with cookies."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    "Practice makes perfect, Naru-chan." Kyouko says far too sagely for her own experience. "And also mind over matter. Or something." It breaks down after a moment, and she actually giggles. So much for her Kunzite impression.

    Blankets are stolen. Kyouko scowls and tugs on the blanket, trying to steal some of it back, but the expression is playful rather than actually angry. "Paranoia is one of my better traits, it's true." She says. "At least when it's justified. Which is more often than I'd like, really."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"If I'm not thinking about it, it goes WAY better. So mind usually needs to get shoved, and let matter win." Naru laughs in return, tugging back. It's just as playful, with a bright and silly grin.

"Hey, you were lamenting that there wasn't any new things for you to kick butt and patrols were getting boring. You can't have it both ways." Naru points out as she loses blanket ground again.

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    They could also go and get a second blanket, but that wouldn't be nearly as entertaining. "Well," Kyouko says, finally letting go and allowing Naru to have as much blanket as she likes, kicking one socked foot up against the glass door as she peers out, feeling the cold against her foot through the thick fabric, "Hopefully when it comes down to a crisis, your mind will be so panicked you'll do it without thinking. That's how it works for me anyway."

    "That's true," She allows at the reminder of her recent complaints about boredom. "But it's rather hard for me to kick a snowstorm's ass."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Once yes, once no for crisis situations." Naru snuggles into her purloined blanket for the time being before leaning over and letting Kyouko share it again. Principle of the thing, and silly. She pauses thoughtful. "Oh. Except that of course no for the other one. I didn't have the necklace, and sometimes I'm an idiot in not putting that together til /right now/." She hunhs softly. "Okay. So far, yes for crisis."

"You could make a snowman and then kick /its/ ass." Naru smiles brightly. "Possibly also not satisfying."

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko eyes Naru as she talks about necklaces and stuff. "Whatever you say, darlin'." She says, with an easy shrug, taking the blanket as it is offered back to her.

    Kyouko laughs. "I could. I haven't made a snowman in years, although last time I wasn't exactly into the whole ass-kickin' thing yet, so that'd be a novel experience for me."

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru leaves aside the necklace and stuff in favour of a much easier conversation. "We should totally go out and make snowmen." She beams, even willing to get up from the couch at the idea. "I havne't made one in forever /either/. There's time before you have to go to work, right? Enough to go get snowy and cold and have time to work up again before you get snowy and cold going to work?"

Kyouko Sakura has posed:
    Kyouko's hot cocoa and cookies are just about done anyway. She glances down at her empty mug.. then sighs, rising for the couch.

    "Alright, but only for you Naru-chan." She says, teasingly, before going to deposit it into the sink, and then to find her boots and scarf. "Race you downstairs."

    Of course, she cheats by henshining and jumping off of the balcony to fall amidst the snowflakes.