837/Catch Ikuto By His Tail

Catch Ikuto By His Tail
Date of Scene:	10 January 2016
Location:	Mitakihara - Fairy Drop Fashionables
Synopsis:	Usagi sees Ikuto! Arm Cling to make sure he's okay! Confusion! Mamorambles (dude, it's Usagi, duh!) Beautiful Violin music! Bad Guy Violin music! Threats! Intrigue! Oh, also, Ikuto now knows who Sailor Moon is, whups. (Plus, Yoru gets a cootie shot!)
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Ikuto Tsukiyomi

---

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi is just strolling down the street, again. Trying to be happy, again. After all, it's worked for her the last time!

Unfortunately for her plans, the first recognizable person she meets is someone she's met in her alter ego.

BUT!!! She's heard enough on the Grape Vine to know he hadn't been doing okay.

When she sees him, her reaction is immediate. An arm cling. "Ikuto-kun?!"

And then the realization he won't recognize her. "I'm sorry! I heard you weren't feeling well, and a friend of mine..." Blah, blah, blah. "But I can tell her you're okay, right? You and Yoru? Sailor Moon is concerned!"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
That's right, Ikuto's here. He's leaning against the side of Fairy Drop Fashions, dressed all in black, as usual. He's got his violin case looped over one arm, and he seems to be scanning the crowd. Yoru is nearby, looking through people in another area of the crowd, but from above. With two sets of eyes scanning for strong heart's eggs, success is assured.

Except suddenly ARMCLING! Ikuto is clearly startled by this; only Usagi's grip on his arm keeps him from leaping away. One who knows he usually has cat features could almost picture his tail fluffing up and ears going back like a startled cat. He doesn't have them out NOW, mind. He hadn't found a heart's egg to steal yet.

With the HIGH SPEED USAGI, his concentration is broken, too. He emits a quiet, choked sound of surprise, eyes going wide, at suddenly finding someone clinging to his arm. "...Uh..." How did somebody deal with this?! "....Y-yeah. I'm fine. Both of us. We're fine." It's a bit awkward, but he's rather surprised.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
She is Not Convinced.

Her own boyfriend has been Taken, much Against his Will, and she wants to make sure people are clear minded. "You're sure, right?" She lets her grip loosen, only somewhat, until her hands are clasping one of his. "I--She heard it was really bad. And she's been wanting to make sure you were okay." She may be looking at him with the widest Bunny eyes imaginable, the kind that halts even the most stoic of characters. (At least, on her own show. This is a mahouMUSH, after all, hah hah.)

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"...Yeah." Ikuto supplies. Blink. It's thankful he's so startled that he doesn't notice her slip-up. He'll get it together in a bit, really. Just give him a minute.

For his part, Yoru looks over, sees the clasped hands...

And immediately squawks out a horrified "NYAAAAAAAAA!"

Without a thought about his own safety, he FLINGS himself through the air, at Usagi's face. He's not going to scratch, no. But if he can make contact, he'll cling tightly. "LEGGO! LEGGO OF IKUTO-NYA!" And not just that. He calls back at his larger companion, "Ikuto! Ikuto, SAVE YOURSELF-NYA! Save yourself from the cooties! RUN! I'll distract the girl-nya!"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Are you sure?" Because from what she's heard--

As she was when she was first introduced to Ikuto and Yoru, by their own devices, Usagi is shaken by the cuteness. She is literally trembling. At least, by how utterly adorable Yoru is!

"Oh my goodness, Neko-kun, you're so cute. Can I hug you, pleeeease?!" She's trying to contain, within herself, just how adorable she finds the chara kitty plastered all over her face. "I promise not to kiss your cute little nose if you don't want me to!" Why yes, this is her holding back. "OR I'LL TRY SO VERY HARD NOT TO, YOU'RE JUST TOO CUTE FOR WORDS, NEKO-SAN!"

'Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Yoru's tail fluffs up at Usagi's proclamations. Hug him? Kiss his nose?! Cooties! He's gonna get COOTIES! "Run, Ikuto-- run-nya!" Yoru declares. "Save yourself!"

Ikuto's eye twitches, and then he reaches over to Usagi's face, grips the back of Yoru's shirt, and pulls him off of the girl's face gently. "...Sorry about him. He's a bit excitable." Yoru dangles from Ikuto's grip on his shirt, looking surprised. Also not fighting. Because, well. Ikuto scruffed him.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi is still trembling at the cuteness overload, even as she tries not to be! "So...cute..."

And then Ikuto is pealing the chara away -- literally -- and Usagi is still trying to contain herself. Perhaps a little too cheerfully.

"That's okay!"

Oh yes. Too cheerful.

Her forehead is against this veritable stranger's shoulder. Someone who can use her weakness against her. "I just want him back. Even if he doesn't like me anymore...he just needs to be him, so he can be happy..."

She looks up at Ikuto, trying so hard to not make her problems his own. "I'm sorry! I wasn't being polite. Are you sure you're okay? Sailor Moon likes you, she'll be very worried if you lie!"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
And suddenly Ikuto's got a girl against his shoulder. Awkwardness with girls and their love life-- whether it involves him or not-- seems to be a running theme with him. But first. To deal with Yoru. Because he's flailing again. Ikuto turns Yoru so that he faces him. "Girl-cooties only occur in a mouth-kiss," he informs Yoru. "Nose-kisses are fine." Then he releases the Chara to float again.

"Really-nya?" Yoru inquires. Ikuto gives an affirmative nod. "Whew! I was worried I'd be infected for life-nya!"

"Nope. Mouth-kisses are the only thing you get girl-cooties from," Ikuto repeats.

...Seriously? These two are talking seriously about girl-cooties. Like, with a completely serious tone of voice. They don't both really believe that do they? The little floaty one with the paws maybe. But Ikuto?

Something Usagi says catches his attention, though. "I'm okay," he says, having composed himself. "The other one... the one with the little nurse Chara. He made sure of it." Pause. 'Want him back'? Want who back? She couldn't be talking about Mamoru, could she? He frowns. "...A lot of people want people they care about to come back to life. But it doesn't work like that. He's not coming back." Font of hope and cheer this one is, right?

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi listens to Ikuto, and her heart melts.

"Don't worry, Yoru-kun. I don't cootie people I don't see in that way, okay? And I only see one person in that way. So your Ikuto-kun is safe. And I only want Mouth-kisses from one person. So."

She has helped, even if her face is still hidden in a shoulder. A productive day!

Slowly, as he speeks, she looks up. She starts to grip at his arm, so much a determined girl.

"You're wrong."

It's not a question. It's a promise.

"Mamo-chan's coming back. He will be here. For everyone who liked him. For everyone who didn't."

She looks up at Ikuto, eyes flashing with determination. "I will bring him back. Not for me, but for him."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto looks at Usagi with a strangely unreadable look. A little closer to the scary person he is when he's Black Lynx. But not completely. Inside he's wondering. How can she hope so much? How can she really believe that?

Oh he's heard the school rumors, all the explanations for Mamoru's disappearance. But he heard those AFTER the news that he'd died. And from non-magical people, too. How can she hope? If Mamoru's really dead...

And there's a decision to be made. Crush a girl's hope? Or let her believe a lie? It's a hard choice. Believing lies can only lead to being hurt later. But if he tells her the truth now...

He looks at the hand that's gripping his sleeve. Looks up at Usagi's determined face...

"...Good luck," he says. It's not snide. It's not snarky. It's quiet. That tone he takes when he's not being the mischievous cat he usually is.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Her eyes don't waver through his words, taking them in as intended. Her eyes don't chance, and if anything, they are more determined.

"If he was your friend..." She doesn't know, though, if they were. She just knows they should have been. Her Mamo-chan was so much like a stray, a grumpy boy who needed occasional ear skricthes, a warm bed to sleep on, and other things she won't go into now.

Her fingers tighten against his sleeve as she tries to make herself look bigger than she is, tougher than she could ever be. "I'll bring him back. He may not be the same, but I'll bring him back. And he'll be mine."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"He wasn't," Ikuto replies to Usagi's words, looking into the crowd, his hand tightening around the strap of the violin case looped over a shoulder. "I only met him once." Which is... technically true. Even though he saw him at a bunch of situations. Situations he didn't need to be in.

Always trying to save people that didn't need saving, Ikuto thinks. Always throwing his life away... and now it's gone. Now people miss him. That's what happens with friends... they miss you when you're gone. It's why Ikuto has elected to have none.

He sighs at Usagi's continued optimism. "...I guess you can hope for the best," he says. "But prepare for the worst. There's always the chance he won't come back, even if you have to believe that's not going to happen. Be prepared for the worst, even if you have to hope for the best."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Oh." She lets go of his sleeve, reaching out for Yoru instead. "You kind of remind me of him, in ways. But his eyes aren't as sad as yours. Or they weren't, near the end."

She whispers to Yoru. "This is the oldest magic. Playground magic." With very small movements, she recited that mystical spell all kids seem to know. "'Circle, circle, dot, dot. Now you have the cootie shot.'" Satisfied, she lets him go. "Now you're inoculated against most forms of cooties. Forever."

A firm nod!

She looks up at Ikuto, a small smile forming. "Of course. I have a contingency plan in place. If he never comes back, I'll have lots of cats. And I'll feed them tuna every day, and let the ones who want to sleep on my bed." She shrugs a little.

Then she sees the case. It's not the first time she notices, but it's the first time she realizes what it is. "Ohhhhh. Do you play?" Well, duh. "I mean, are you just learning, or can you play?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto side-eyes Usagi when she says he reminds her of Mamoru. "I don't know if that's a compliment or not," he points out. Though he's actually saying he's not sure if it's an insult to Mamoru to compare him with Ikuto. But he's not going to specify.

Yoru is reached for! And he flails a little. But ultimately ends up grabbified. "No kissing-nya! I'll bite!" He peers at Usagi, closing one eye and propping his hand-paws on his hips. Though no kissing results. Instead there's a cootie shot! "Hey, really?" Ikuto smirks. He remembers that. "Thanks! That'll be useful with that Miki around-nya."

Then the subject turns to Ikuto's violin. He looks at the case on his back when it's mentioned. Shrugs. "...I'm all right at it, I guess," is his assessment of his talent. He's definitely being modest, though.

And Yoru pipes up, "You're better'n just 'all right'. You been playing since you were like five-nya."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Her nose tilts up, high in the air, and her hands are on her waist. "Of course it is. Mamo-chan's the best person in the world, so there." Of course, what she doesn't say is his sort of grumpy loneliness is what she sees. But still, she thinks it's high praise, regardless!

"I'll bite back, Yoru-kun!" A playful snap of her teeth. "You're welcome! Ohhh? Who's Miki?" Curiosity!

And then she has stars in her eyes! "Since you were five? Wow!" There's a little scooting toward him. "Can I hear you play one day? I haven't kept up with anything since that long, except for hugging friends! And video games! And eating!"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto smirks at Usagi's innocently high opinion of Mamoru. It does sound like something that a girl would say of the boy she likes, yeah. He doesn't speak up, though. Yoru does, though, in the mention of Miki. "She's one of Amu's Charas-nya. Lotsa blue. Artist. She does pretty drawings, an' she acts all cool 'n everything. But she totally loses her cool when I'm around-nya! Always tryin' ta hug me!"

Suddenly Usagi's going a little 'eeee' over him, and he leans away a little. The request makes him pause. He's thinking. And then suddenly he smirks. "...Why not now?" he asks. And then there's a sparkle and a tiny flash at his ears, and with a tiny 'pop' sound, blue cat ears and a tail appear. Then he's standing straight, turning so that he faces the opposite direction she does, and trying to loop his arm around Usagi's waist!

Why would he be trying to do that? Well, because if he CAN manage it, Usagi may find herself lifted off the ground by an arm around her waist! And Ikuto leaps up, aiming for the roof of another building. How nobody sees that is anyone's guess. Maybe no one's really paying attention.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Of course Usagi has a very high opinion of Mamoru! She's completely biased, and is aware of this. "Ohhh, right! I think I've only seen her pink one. And I can't really blame Miki! You're just huggable, even when you're a grumpy boots!"

Uh oh. He's making a face. But oh yay, now! She lets out a bit of a cheer, and is distracted enough by it that she is easily scooped.

Fortunately for his cat ears (ahhhh kitty ears so cute they look fuzzy aieeee!) her shriek of surprise is lost in the wind. She does, however, cling onto him tight! She's used to going to rooftops, but not in civilian clothes!

When they land, she's doing her own impression of a cat, this one afraid of being dunked in water! (Or dropped, in this case!)

No body noticed, probably because nothing's blowing up! Life in Tokyo.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto chuckles at the sudden clinging. "It's okay, I'm not gonna drop you," he promises. This close, yes she CAN smell his cologne. It's an expensive cologne, a spicy scent... and most definitely not one a boy his age should be wearing!

As soon as they're both safely on the roof, the ears and tail disappear. Yoru has followed, and as he sees Usagi clinging like that to Ikuto, he starts to laugh. "Hahaha, Ikuto, you gotta barnacle girl-nya!"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi most definitly smells the cologne. (Prettyyyyyy!) Were she not too busy clinging, she'd enjoy how it didn't attack her nose and try to take over the world! Her only answer to his reassurance is a squeak.

When she manages to (finally!) peel herself off him, her knees are wobbly but she's doing a bit better now that she's on solid ground! "It's not the dropping I'm woried about! It's the splatting!"

Ug, stagger, stagger, stagger.

Yoru gets a noise from Usagi that sounds similar to what a dying zombie would make.

"Okay. One sec." She wobbles toward to Ikuto. Sniff sniff sniff! SNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFFFFFFFF!!!! "Ahhhh, so pretty. Okay, I'm better now!"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto raises an eyebrow as Usagi sniffs him. But he's not too weirded out by it, really. Notably Yoru doesn't mention it either. He does it sometimes. Heck, Ikuto does it sometimes. Granted, he realizes how weird it is for everyone else, so he does it specifically because it weirds people out. But anyway.

There's violining to be done. Ikuto crouches down on the roof, setting the case down and unlatching it. Inside is a violin, one that looks old and shows signs of wear-- most obviously, the chinrest is worn smooth-- but still looks to be in good shape. That he cares a great deal for it. He picks up a rectangular block of something that looks like amber, encased on three sides by thin strips of wood. The uncovered side has a very clear trench cut into it, probably where he has done the thing that he's doing now-- he picks up the violin's bow, turns it over, and runs the block down the strings on the bow.

Once that's doene, he actually picks up the violin itself. From the way he picks it up so carefully, with such familiarity, tells that he has held the violin before. He stands then, placing the violin at his shoulder and placing his chin in the chinrest.

He pauses to think a moment. It would be a great opportunity. She's surely got a strong heart's egg, if she can be so determined to bring someone who's dead back to life. Could her heart's egg actually be the Embryo? If it was... he could end this whole farce, get rid of the charade.

...No. That's not why he's up here. And so, as his eyes slip closed, he draws the bow across the strings and a melody springs from the instrument. It's not the usual sad melody either. It's something much brighter and upbeat. He definitely shows the skill of someone who's had about ten years experience, too.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi watches with rapt attention before he's even playing. The way he sets the instrument up, fingers moving over it like an old friend.

And then he's almost ready. But he's waiting! Pausing for something! And the anticipation is so great!

And then -- he's playing.

There's a few different types of audiences. There's polite and mildly interested, or there's that crowd that is very much in awe and listening with everything they've got. Usagi is very much of the last!

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
This time, now that he's not playing along that magical frequency that rattles the heart's eggs right out of kid's souls, it's heard by more than just those on the roof. They're high up, and that means a good vantage point. For them, anyway.

For those on the ground, it's hard to tell where the music's coming from. But it's obvious they can hear it. People near the building look around in surprise. A few people stop to listen, even though they don't know where it's coming from. And for his part, Yoru reclines in the air, his eyes closing and a smile coming to his face as he listens to Ikuto play. Ikuto doesn't get to do this very often anymore, to play his violin just for the sake of playing his violin.

For Ikuto's part, he is very much into his music. His attention is focused on the violin. His whole world is the violin. While he plays, his world is made of strings and wood and music.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi's unaware of the people below, of course. She's too focused on his face as he plays, how much he loves doing so, and the music he makes.

So very pretty!

And she's sitting on an HVAC unit, leaning forward, just watching and listening!

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Once the song comes to an end, there's a half-smile on Ikuto's face, lifting the corner of his mouth just a little. And he hears the applause from street level too. He doesn't blush or make as though he's embarrassed. The half-smile just gets a little wider. As if he's doing something familiar and enjoyable. He's used to that, people watching him play, people hearing him. Makes him want to go back to busking.

Though as the song ends, he takes the violin from his shoulder. He doesn't say anything. What is there to say, really? Apparently Yoru has something. "Ikuto, you oughta start buskin' again-nya. It's been a while since I've heard ya play."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
And she's clapping! Excited, cheerful, and happy!

"That was beautiful! Yoru-kun's right! I think you should play more, when you can! You obviously love it very much!"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"There's usually not a lot of time," Ikuto replies, crouching down to put the violin away. "I work and go to school."

"When you don't cut clas-nya," Yoru comments. Ikuto says nothing to that, but pauses, glaring at the little feline Chara. Yoru snickers into his handpaws.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi giggles at that. She'd cut classes, too, if she wasn't afraid of her parents grounding her for life!

"It's a shame, though."

She slides off the HVAC and looks up at him, determination on her face!

"Promise me something! If you get spare moments, practice if you want to? Okay?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto tilts his head at Usagi. "Oh I get plenty of practice. It's part of what I do." Suddenly there's a dark look on his face, predatory. And his crouch doesn't help with that illusion, either. Yoru just sighs, his ears beginning to droop. Ikuto's doing That Thing again. Where he tries to convince people he's bad.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Her eyes widen and she's fretting above him. "No, no, not for whatever makes that face on you!" She is concerned, worried!

"Practice for your other face! The happy one! Please?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
The look suddenly evaporates from Ikuto's features, leaving behind a teasing smirk. "I use that face a lot more often," he admits. "It's more useful."

A pause. and then suddenly he asks, "...Do you want to see why? Do you want to know why I have to use that face?" He sounds entirely serious. Not malicious though.

Why's he doing that? Well, clearly. If she knows Sailor Moon, then this girl's as into the magical world as a civilian can be. She might even HAVE a magical identity and he just doesn't know it. And if he does, she can spread the word too-- Ikuto's bad news and everybody should stay away.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
This causes her to pause and blink. And worry, a little.

"Um..." Yes, she should know. "Do you want to tell me, or are you trying to scare me away?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"I'm going to show you, if you want." Ikuto shakes his head. "Not to you, no. You wouldn't be able to see it if it happened to you." He picks up the violin again and stands, then heads to the edge of the roof. His ears and tail suddenly reappear, and he leans over the edge to look down. And then he closes his eyes, and draws a few breaths in through his nose. As if he's scenting for... something...

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Her fingers tremble. "Will you...will you tell me why? When you show me?"

There's a sense of dread on the air, and she looks at Yoru, biting her lip.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Yoru looks at Usagi with a helpless look on his face for all of a moment. Then Ikuto straightens. "...I smell eggs," he says quietly. He places his violin back on his shoulder. And begins to play again.

This time it's a soul-wrenchingly sad melody that rises from the strings of that violin. It reaches out to try and touch the heart, to grip the soul and pull it down into an abyss of sadness. And this time something answers.

A boy on ground level goes stock still as Ikuto starts to play. His eyes go dull. The air in front of his chest ripples, and a black egg with a white X exits his chest. And then the boy faints. The egg floats up, to Ikuto's outstretched hand. The boy's still unconscious.

Ikuto brings the egg close to his face and sniffs at it. "...It's not the one," he decides. But he doesn't immediately release it. He looks at it. Then he turns to Usagi. "Do you know what this is?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi sees the look, but it's gone before she can comment on it.

Then he's playing. This time, it hurts. The song...actually hurts. And his face isn't the face she saw before.

Her fingers clutch to her chest as she just watches, even as she knows she needs to do something.

She keeps her eyes on the egg, lip trembling, as she shakes her head. "Not much."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"That little boy down there--" Ikuto points down with his bow. "--Had a dream." He looks at the egg again, then at Usagi. No, that's not the sme face. It's that predatory look that he had briefly. "Now, I have it." The smirk widens.

He's really trying this time, too. There's nothing half-assed about this evil smirk. No, Usagi's getting his best evil face. His fingers tighten around the egg, and the egg seems to visibly shudder in his grip. "But it's not the one I need. It's junk to me. Useless. I could crush it. Easily. It's so fragile..."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
And his look is Very Effective.

Yes, she's a little scared, but she's not sure what she's afraid of. Him? But before, his music...

When his fingers threaten the egg, her hand comes out and grips his wrist. He smirk is met with the steely determination of Sailor Moon's, even though she's just a girl dressed for winter.

"There are no such things as useless dreams. Whoever told you that is lying."

And then she's yelling at him. "Is your violin useless?! Is it junk?! Even if you never played for anybody else for you, it's a beautiful, beautiful dream, so don't you dare believe there's such things as useless dreams!"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
The smirk seems to fade, becoming an unreadable expression as he regards Usagi, making no effort to pull his arm from her grip. Of course, that might make it scarier. BEFORE, she knew he was being evil, even if it was only temporary. Now? It's hard to tell, because his expression's so stoic. But that close, if she looks? Yes, there's still sadness in his eyes. It's always there, throughout whatever evil things he's doing, whatever evil expression he might have.

That unreadable look covers a moment of thought. She's brave. Maybe stupidly so. But... I guess I can't talk. I have to be this determined, this stubborn, too. And that's all it was, a test of her resolve.

His eyes close, and a half-smile pulls at his lips. It's not that evil smirk from before, no. It's an almost teasing smirk. Suddenly the egg clears, the blackness seeming to flake away until it's pure white. And then he simply releases the egg. It floats back down to the boy, merges with him again, and the boy wakes.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Her shoulders relax and she gives a sigh of relief as the watches the egg turn white again and floats down to the boy.

She's still watching the boy, too, even as she speaks to Ikuto. "Why did you show me that?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"That's what I do," Ikuto replies quietly, going to put his violin away again. He places the instrument in the case carefully, then places the bow beside it. He doesn't immediately close it though. He picks up the cloth inside to wipe the chinrest and the bottom of the instrument. Then he folds the cloth, places it in the instrument case where it belongs, and finally closes it. "That's why I showed you. So you can tell Sailor Moon not to worry about me. She's supposed to be fighting people like me, not worrying whether I'm dead or not."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"That's for her to decide, isn't it?" She scratches her arm, more something to do than anything. "And to be honest? She's going to worry even more about you now."

"Usagi!"

The girl turns to see a small, black cat running for her, and soon she has fur against her neck. "I'm okay, Luna."

A gentle scratch to the throat. She looks back at Ikuto. "You didn't tell me why you do it."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto and Yoru both turn to look as the other voice appears. Ikuto raises an eyebrow as he straightens, slinging the closed violin case on his shoulder. "...A talking cat-nya...?" Yoru muses aloud, scratching his head as if confused.

For his part, Ikuto answers Usagi, a response to the mention that Sailor Moon would worry more now. "Then she's a fool," Ikuto states flatly. "If you show mercy, your enemies will take advantage of it. They'll pretend. Wait until your back is turned. Then they'll get you."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Luna blinks and tilts her head at Yoru. "You're one to talk." A curious shift on Usagi's shoulder, leaning in for a delicate sniff.

Instead of getting angry, Usagi looks at him with wide, sad eyes. "Who did that to you? To make you think that?" She sighs. "Besides. You didn't drop me. Even if I was scared, I knew you wouldn't. And besides, of course she's a fool. But you wanna know a secret?" She places a finger to her lips. "She already knows she is. She's already been burned like that, but she'll keep trusting anyway."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Yoru knows cats. He's leader of a pack of them, after all. He can literally herd cats. Successfully. This is an accomplishment. So he understands the sniffing. In fact, he sniffs at Luna a little himself! Yoru doesn't quite smell like a cat. But close enough. "I'm not literally a cat-nya. I have a people body," he points out.

"If I'd dropped you you wouldn't have been able to see that," Ikuto replies. As for getting burned? He shakes his head. "They're all so stupid. It's a wonder all those magical types haven't already ended up like Chiba." Yes, that was an intentional barb-- as far as he knows, Mamoru's dead.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"So you do!" Sniff sniff. Luna, herself, may not smell completely cat. At least, she'll have an odor of something more...not of Earth, perhaps. She brings out a paw, not exactly to bat at him, but more...further testing. A curiosity! She's intrigued!

Usagi, for a moment, sees a flash of red and her hand comes up to strike his cheek. Whether lands or her wrist is caught, she will say what she does regardless.

"Don't you ever talk about them like that again. About him. He did everything he could to protect people who can't protect themselves! He's a better person than you or I will ever be, so don't you dare! And don't give me that crap! You didn't drop me because you wanted someone to hear your music!"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto doesn't dodge or move to catch her wrist, and emits a low grunt at the slap. And it's the loud slap that draws Yoru's attention over to the altercation. He puts his handpaws to his mouth and watches with wide yellow eyes. Ikuto doesn't interrupt her either. But when she finishes?

He starts to laugh, low and mirthless, under his breath. He's found the Berserk Button, he realizes. "They feel pity for the people who'd destroy them. What else can I call it but stupid?" Ikuto asks, finally turning to look at her again. He takes a step back, his gaze hard and cold as the sapphires they resemble. "If any of you really want to save this world from whatever's threatening it, save the ones that need saving and not bother with the ones who can't be saved. You can't save everybody."

No, he doesn't know Usagi is Sailor Moon. But he figures she's SOME kind of magical girl, otherwise she wouldn't have such strong determination. So he puts her in with the magical crowd when he speaks.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
She feels bad about the slap, but refuses to let it show!

"Pity? It's not pity! It's sympathy!"

She steps close to him, eyes angry, ready to throttle him!

"And fine. You want me to save people who need to be saved? I'm going to start with you." She pokes his chest, hard. "You think you can get me to hate you because you're acting like a jackass?" Poke! "I got news for you, buster. I have a ten year old brother. Your little temper tantrums are nothing compared to his. And at the end of the day, I still love him." Poke, poke, poke! "So don't you dare just assume that I'll turn my back on someone who needs me. And buddy, when I save your sorry ass, the only music you'll be playing is what you want to be playing. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
And Ikuto just grins. He's trying really hard to make it look like an evil grin. Time for another Berserk Button. "Oh? You have a younger brother?" Ikuto notes. "I wonder if he has a dream. I wonder if it's the dream I'm looking for? The shining sparkling dream that will make wishes come true..." He's talking about the Embryo of course. But he's not going to say that. He just wants Usagi to think she just messed up in grand fashion and essentially gave her brother up to an evil dream-stealing cat.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
One step, she's Usagi. The next, she's Sailor Moon.

She grabs him by the shirt collar, tugs him down, and glares at him.

"Do you really think that will work? You think I haven't seen scared cats trying to scratch and bite someone who's helping? How do you think I met Luna?" Still. Narrow eyes. "Threaten my family again, and I will Moon Tiara you in the gut. Got it?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
That's a momentary surprise, both Usagi changing into Sailor Moon and her grabbing him by the collar. And Usagi has the pleasure of seeing the widened eyes for a moment before he gets control of himself. "Is that so?" he asks quietly, that grin faded to a bit of a smirk.

Yoru suddenly breaks away from where Luna is, and zips behind Ikuto. He pulls on the boy's collar from behind. "Ikuto... let's go-nya." His voice is sad, his ears are drooping, but he insists it's because, "I'm hungry an' I wanna sleep." He is a poor liar.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The fight leaves her as she realizes she was just Very Mean. "I'm sorry." She straightens his collar. "It wouldn't be...I mean, I'd make it so you only had a tummy ache for awhile, that's all. And I probably won't even do it."

She sighs. And then she's looking at him, eyes sad. "You don't get to leave here thinking I hate you, thinking it will justify something for you. Because I don't. I'll just be...incredibly sad for you."

She takes a step back, fingers tugging at her gloves. "So. Yeah. Yoru-kun, look after him, okay?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto emits a 'hmf', and shrugs. "If you want to end up dead, it's no business of mine," he states. He steps back, straightening and adjusting his violin case on his shoulder again. He's still got his ears out, so he merely turns his back to the Senshi. He heads to the edge of the roof... but pauses. He doesn't turn to look at her-- mainly because as soon as he'd turned his back that smirk had disappeared, and a defeated look came over his features. What's he going to have to do to get these people to give up on him?! Is he going to have to ACTUALLY KILL SOMEONE?!

Regardless, he speaks to her. His voice is dull and quiet. "...I suggest you stop worrying about me. You and everyone else. I'm where I want to be." And that's not exactly a lie, either. Maybe he doesn't want to be with Easter, but he's taking care of it the only way he can. And THAT is where he wants to be. "If you keep wasting your energy on people who don't want to be saved, you aren't going to be able to help anyone. Least of all Chiba." Without waiting for a response, he leaps up, to a higher roof, and begins to leap away from the scene. Yoru pauses, looking back at Sailor Moon and Luna with an almost stricken expression, before he follows Ikuto across the roofs.

Yes, he totally did just leave Usagi stranded on a roof.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Sailor Moon sighs as she watches Ikuto leap away. (She'd actually be more insulted if he stranded her as Usagi!)

To Yoru, she gives a tiny wave. Maybe even a blown air kiss and a wink, though there's not a whole lot of humor on her face.

Luna leaps in her arms, and Sailor Moon cuddles the cat close. "I think I came on too strong."

Luna sighs. "Probably. But maybe you gave him some things to think about."

Sailor Moon shrugs, and is able to get off the roof safely, you big giant jerk cat!