1671/Tiny Goddess of Art and Coke

Tiny Goddess of Art and Coke
Date of Scene:	28 June 2016
Location:	Earth Court Frat House
Synopsis:	Post-asteroid, Ami wakes up in the ECFH. And desperately needs caffeine. Fortunately there is a Naru! She has Questions.
Cast of Characters:	Naru Osaka, Ami Mizuno

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Naru Osaka has posed:
There's been people coming and going, and heart stopping moments and a lot of coffee, and pizza, and booze and other treats going on in the main apartment of the frat house suite of apartments. There's also been a lot of sleeping going on in the rooms that aren't Mamo's living room.

There's been a fair bit of sleeping in the living room too, if the truth be told.

Naru crashed out and wakes when things are quiet. Finally. To say that just about everyone's sleep schedule is completely shattered is probably an understatement.

Naru pads out into the quiet, finding some of the doughnuts left, and a slice of cold pizza, and getting a tall glass of water. First one for herself, and then a second one that she brings with the plate of food. She's really rather good at quiet as she pads softly back over to the room where Ami's been crashed out in.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
After more than a week of not sleeping, Ami Mizuno was exhausted. It's a liability she should never have allowed herself when facing Fiore on his own turf, and it cost her dearly. Mid-fight, she'd fallen unconscious due to Fiore's attacks, unable to further help her team.

She's woken only once since they returned, and been reassured that no, the Earth isn't going to be crushed inside out and made food for the Xenians. After that she fell into a more restful sleep, from which she still hasn't truly awakened.

Someone was kind enough to help Ami out of her bluejeans, which are now in a pile on the floor beside her, but she's still in the same tanktop she wore before activating her Henshin on Friday: striped blue and white, with wide shoulders. Ami is resting peacefully when Naru sneaks into the room, curled up beneath the covers of what she will probably later have identified for her as Zoisite's bed.

Naru Osaka has posed:
The plate is set down on the bedside table, as quietly as Naru can manage really. It's a tossup on if Ami is likely to need sleep more at this point, or food more at this point, but to Naru's thoughts, if the girl is still sleeping, she probably needs sleep more. She sets the glass down next to it, a soft little click against the wooden surface.

Naru pauses there, considering the plate of food, and the glass of water and then to sleeping Ami. She's quiet yet, as she turns to slip back out of the room.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami is a deep sleeper, bu t after so many hours, the girl is finally approaching recovered from her long, sleepless ordeal. Although she doesn't hear Naru stalking in or out of the room, the scent of pizza--even cold pizza--does eventually reach the bluenette's nose. And pizza is one of her vices.

Slowly, Ami opens her eyes, then looks around confusedly at the room she's in. "Wh-?" she asks of no one at all, then shifts to sit up, pulling the blankets with her. She blinks once, stifles a yawn, then stretches and arches her back. "Eugh, sticky," Ami mumbles, pushing the blanket down to rest on her hips. She wipes the sweat off of her brow from the hot summer, then smiles as she looks out the window towards the blue skies. "We did it," she allows herself, quietly, then turns her head to regard the pizza beside her. "Ohhh," she says, leaning over to grab the plate.

Naru Osaka has posed:
It really isn't long before Naru's back, with a second plate in her hands, and another glass of water AND her sketchbook tucked under her arm. She stops in the doorway as she notes Ami awake, and eating. "I'm sorry, I hope I didn't wake you." Her voice is pitched quiet, as not to wake the rest of the sleeping household.

"I figured you'd be hungry." Naru explains a little as she lingers there.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami has the slice of cold pizza in her mouth when Naru enters. She blushes and bites through, then puts the plate back down in her lap almost guiltily as she chews and swallows. Once she's got it down, she grins at Naru and admits, "I am hungry. I don't know if you woke me or if it was the smell of pizza, but it's not a bad way to wake up."

Patting the bed beside her, Ami says, "You're welcome to join me, if you want. I probably smell like a locker-room, though. These blankets are comfortable, but it's been hot, and I think I must have slept more than twelve hours. Is there any coke in the apartment?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I can't fathom that I smell any better, all things considered." Naru points out and then pads closer to set her own plate down and her glass of water on the bedside table. "Usagi was drinking coke earlier, there's probably still some. Two secs." Naru is gone again, each trip back out to the kitchen, making her more confident that any movement at all isn't going to render everyone awake and startled.

It is short order that Naru returns with more pizza for Ami, and a couple of cans of pop. "Sugar and caffiene sounds pretty good." She has to admit as she offers one over to Ami and then moves to take over the end of the bed, perching her plate on her lap.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"You're like a tiny goddess of art and coke," Ami proclaims when Naru returns with her beverage of choice. Popping the top, she takes a few gulps of the soda, then sets it aside before going back to her food. She chews and swallows in silence for a few more minutes, until the first slice is entirely gone, then takes a breath and sighs.

"I really shouldn't wonder why you're here," Ami notes to Naru quietly, "but I do. I know you want to be useful and helpful," she says to the girl, "and I completely respect that. But ... I'm also worried about you. The more you become involved in this, the less you can protect yourself with a cloak of ignorance."

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru eats more slowly, it's been far less time since she last ate at the very least, and she can more nibble on cold pizza and sip from her coke rather than inhale it.

"This time? I ended up here because apparently my subconscious is smarter than I am, sometimes. Autopilot got me here after a fairly awful drain attack, and in hindsight, probably was a whole lot better than being home alone." Naru gives a little shrug, and takes another sip from her coke.

"There's not a lot of ignorance left." Naru admits quietly. "A lot of questions, some of which I manage to get answered, many of which I don't. I notice things now. A lot of things. Enough to make me wonder how much I didn't notice before."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
That earns a soft sigh of sorrow from Ami. She takes another sip of coke, then leans over to grab a second slice of pizza. "Never a dull moment," she murmurs to herself quietly as she nibbles on the slice.

After a few moments more, she motions to Naru, "Go ahead and ask. Some of the questions may not have been answered because very few of us really know what we're doing. I probably know as much as anyone, though. I'll answer what I can."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Never a dull moment. It'd be nice to have a few dull seconds tucked in here or there, however. Just for a change." Naru comments with a touch of a wry look and then she stretches her legs out, to be able to better lean on the footboard of the bed.

"At the moment, Kunzite's tackled most of my immediate questions. He gets the bulk of my questions." Naru is thoughtful, quirking her head. "I've a lot of big questions, that I know you can't answer. Nor can Kunzite answer. Nor anybody I think. A lot of thinky questions, like .. was I getting drained this much before too? Is this actually new, or is it new that I now notice, and keep surprising people by being coherent enough to talk. Not that I was earlier, but that's more an exception than a rule." She mmms softly. "I'll still mulling over how puella and pretty cure and .. whatever folks like Kukai call themselves.. all fit together."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Actually," Ami says, "I can answer most of those." She smirks at Naru, just faintly, then says, "You weren't getting drained this much before you became aware. But that's partly because things have escalated recently. Takashi and I started ..." she trails off, then clamps down on that thought. She scowls, then says, "Well, I guess we won't be finishing that research together. Regardless, the incidents do seem to be increasing," Ami explains.

"And it's not new; only new that you've begun to notice," Ami continues. "From what I have been able to glean, this has gone back at least several decades. But given the existence of the Silver Millenium, I believe it has existed since the dawn of time. I don't know who carried magic before Magical Girls, but I suspect it predates mankind, at the very least. And who knows how long the Belkans and other races have existed."

Ami wrinkles her nose at that worry, then banishes the thought to continue on, "Puella and Pretty Cure and Chara-bearers (which is what you call folks like Kukai) all derive magic from separate contracts, but it's all the same magic. I still haven't finished discerning how all of us are chosen, but I know most of it."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I think that's reassuring, actually." Naru muses on the fact that the drain is likely about as new as her noticing it. "Somehow, it seems far far creepier that days when I was just /tired/ for no good reason might have been cause I just didn't remember getting energy drained. I'd rather know." She considers that and then nods slowly. If she has comment upon Takashi's research, with or without Ami, she's leaving it off for now.

"Weird that I've begun to notice as well. I don't fit." Naru says this with simple certainty. "I don't have magic of my own, but somehow along the way, I ended up going weird. Which I'm alright with, but it catches people off guard." She nods in agreement. "Oh yeah. I didn't think magic was new, just the me being drained every week or so. Or people becoming plant zombies, or mind contolled, or shoved in mirrors." She lists just a few hazards of the mundane population of Tokyo.

"Chara-bearers?" Naru confirms and then nods, reaching for her sketchbook and her pencil. "I don't have the words for a lot of it, which is a challenge." She smiles, a touch wryly. "You clearly had all the same questions, and have gotten way further at getting answers."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"And about six million more," Ami replies with a smile for Naru, but is it any real surprise that Ami had questions and aggressively sought answers? Knowledge is kinda her schtick, what with being the Senshi of Knowledge and Wisdom (or Love and Exams, depending on who you ask).

Ami stifles a yawn--probably lingering sleepiness from the long nap, rather than any desire to go back to bed, then finishes her second slice of pizza and puts the plate aside. "You probably were drained once or twice before you started noticing," Ami admits to Naru. "I know you think you'd rather know, but knowing does put you in greater danger. What else do you want to know?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"At this point. I disagree." Naru shakes her head a little. "So far I've had .. mmm.. three attacks that I would have died from without intervention. So far. I can either flail and cry and passively just wait for the next attack, or I can learn about those that I keep having to call upon to rescue me, and those who keep attacking me, and at least be able to put names to things. I'm sure there's yet greater danger still, but at this point, I really don't think ignorance is shielding me from all that much."

Naru pauses, her expression going thoughtful as she nudges the bunny shaped doughnut on her plate, not yet eating it. "Of course, I suppose that's pretty much just begging the universe to prove me wrong, and show me all the worse that I haven't yet discovered. I'm sure I'll have more questions then."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"You'll note I'm answering your questions, despite my better judgement," Ami points out to Naru quietly. "Even though I think protecting you is better, I can't blame you for hating ignorance. I despise it, too," she confides, although that's not much of a secret. "But I hope you won't be too upset with me for worrying about you."

Ami stifles another yawn, then reaches up to run her fingers through her hair. "Bleh. I should really take a shower. And text my mom. And find some clean clothes. Ugh. Maybe I should just go home."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I know. Thank you for that." Naru replies quietly. "I still need an unreasonable amount of protection, and babysitting and picking up when I can't make it home by myself." Probably not precisely the protection Ami was thinking of. "Ignorance seems to be the only thing I can actually change, and it doesn't help much, save for satisfying my own curiosity, and working out how the world fits together." She smiles a little and nods. "I worry about you guys a lot, seems only fair that you get to have a bit of worry too."

Naru takes a deep breath, holding it for a few long moments and letting it out in a slow sigh. "I should too, eventually. Or sneak out and bring back real food for the kitchen, so that breakfast isn't what's left of the pizza Rei brought, and whatenver Hannah brought, and doughnuts and whatever else is out there."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
For a moment, Ami leans back against the pillow and closes her eyes. She doesn't explain anything, but she does seem more thoughtful than sleeping. Eventually, she murmurs, "I do know how you could work on more than just your ignorance. But you told me you weren't interested in being a magical girl, last we talked." She frowns, just faintly, then says, "The offer does remain, if you ever change your mind."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"This is going to sound kinda dumb and sort of arrogant and narcisstic and stuff." Naru replies quietly. "But I'm weird. I shouldn't /be/. I don't have magic, but I can see things, remember things, notice things as if I do. I.. I guess I sort of want to see .. why.. a little while." She looks down at her plate, still holding a doughnut that she doesn't seem to want anymore and half a slice of pizza. "I appreciate the offer, and I might change my mind. It wasn't a never, it's a not just yet."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"I hate to burst your bubble," Ami notes with a faint smile, "but you're not the first non-magical girl who has noticed things. It happens when you've been around magic enough, or if you have a strong enough magical destiny. It's not as abnormal as you'd like it to be, in the grand scheme of things. In your case, you've probably just been subjected to it too much, and your brain's ability to compensate has worn down too quickly."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Then possibly there's a few of us who are weirdos." Naru looks up and her smile is faint. "That's probably it, and I'm reading entirely too much into it." She nods a little and then wriggles to move off the bed and reach for Ami's empty plate. "Want my last half slice, or are you good?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"I'm good," Ami replies thankfully, then leans over to hug Naru gently. "You can be a weirdo as long as you want," she says, "but don't think you're less important than us, okay? I know Usagi-chan cares immensely about you, and Kunzite seems to be very fond of you, as well. You're a part of this as much as any of us; you just don't want to take up a wand. And that's okay." Then she lets Naru go and starts sliding towards the edge of the bed where her pants are. "If anyone asks where I'm at, will you let them know I've gone home and am doing okay?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru hugs Ami back and there's a quiet sigh. "I'm rather fond of the whole pack of you guys, but I've also got no illusions about the power balance." She reaches to collect up the empty plate, sliding it under her own still mostly full one. "I'll let folks know that you're awake and headed home, and all that." She quirks a wry little smile. "Getting up for school is going to suck, I think everyone's sleep schedule is utterly out of whack. I know mine is."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Get a glass of water and keep it bedside" Ami says as she finally pulls the covers aside and stands up. Rather than pulling her pants on, though, she pauses to pick up a note with her name on it, sitting on the nightstand. "When your alarm goes off, drink the whole glass, then get up and use the restroom. Wakes you up almost immediately." Unfolding the letter, Ami reads it over, then arches both brows. "Interesting," she says, then sits back down and grabs her pants to start dressing. "Tadase Hotori was here?" she asks Naru curiously.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I am becoming a really big fan of coffee. Your tactic sounds much healthier." Naru comments as she hops off the bed and makes sure to collect her sketchbook. "Not while I was awake, but I fell asleep on the couch, and woke up in a bed." She does not immediately speculate on who might have carried her there. "There was still people coming and going when I was falling asleep, so entirely possible." She pauses a moment and then takes a slow breath. "Who is Tadase Hotori?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"King's Chair of the Seiyou Guardians," Ami says thoughtfully, as she buttons up her pants, then hunts for her shoes. "Uh, basically the head of their student council. He's also one of the figureheads of Virtue." A title she'd probably claim for herself, as well, although she doesn't. "He's a good guy. Very devoted to doing the right thing. He's asked me to come talk to him about a special project for Virtue."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Hunh." Naru tucks those tidbits of information away in her thoughts with a slow little nod. She points to an errant shoe that ended up on the other side of the bed, and then just nudges it close to Ami. She doesnt even need to ask what Virtue is, any more.

"Sounds like a pretty cool meeting." Naru comments as she balances plates on her sketchbook.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Mmm," Ami agrees quietly as she finally pulls both shoes on, then gives Naru one more brief hug. "See you tomorrow at school," she says, then stands and steps away. Holding up a hand palm out, Ami forms a little bead of subspace there, which swirls and expands outwards until, suddenly, there is a long tunnel stretching out to infinity through the wall. "Oh, and definitely do not do Usagi's homework for her this weekend," Ami says, before she steps into that tunnel. The space closes up behind her, leaving Naru alone in the room.