There's a warm wind blowing across the park tonight. It rustles the tree leaves and makes the flowers bend, but it's so warm and enjoyable that it keeps people from wearing heavy jackets and sweaters. There's moisture on the air, too, but it's not too muggy, in the night.
Kukai Souma is enjoying the night. The park has several people in it, open stalls selling foods and trinkets and little things, the sky is partially cloudy, and in short it's a good night for jogging and patrolling. Daichi is riding on Kukai's shoulder, eyes open, watching the people around them, looking for those little flowers Mamoru and his friends had mentioned.
Daichi looks up at Kukai. "Y'know Kukai, I haven't seen any of those flowers in a long time. I wonder if they dealt with the guy who was planting them everywhere?" Kukai shakes his head. "I think we'd have seen more of Mamoru if we had." He sighs. "I mean, not like I know much about what people are doing lately. I'm still wondering where Sachiko got off to... but I know she's ok. Just gotta get back in the swing of patrolling."
Momo had told (her buttmunched fartfaced sister) Kyouko that she could be found in the old condemned church they'd grown up in. And she was! For about a day. But the small town is about two hours away by train, and it's always easier to find the random odd job to do for someone, or to find enough cans to sell for a light meal to be enjoyed between her and Dog.
Right now, on a whim, she's scouring the park for various bits and bobs listed on lost and found posters. A wedding ring, a child's toy, a cat.
While she hasn't found any of those, she has found 275 yen! Apparently people don't really pay attention to their loose change when they don't need to.
Her attention is pulled to a jogging boy. Not because he's jogging, but because he's talking to someone. And the someone answers back.
Curious, she starts to jog behind them, ears picking up words here and there. She recognizes the name Mamoru, and she begins to think that maybe Tokyo isn't that big after all.
Dog jogs beside her, tongue lolling out as he pants.
Kukai doesn't really pay attention to someone jogging behind him. He's so used to it by now that as long as she stays a little ways back he'll never even look back. Which is fine for him, he's still talking to Daichi as they go. The little Chara looks back at Momo, but for the most part his eyes go right past her.
Kukai hmms, speaking a little more quietly. "So what all do we need to do? Talk to Tadase, catch back up with Yellow and her friends, find Sachiko, see what Utau's up to and if she's still looking for Ikuto, find Sierra, see what she's doing... so much crap." Daichi hmphs. "Maybe not find Utau..." There's a chuckle from Kukai. "C'mon, we promised we'd help. As long as Hannah and Haruna around around."
The two of them move along through the park, moving at a slow, steady chug, easy for Momo to keep up with.
Momo tilts her head a little whenever Daichi looks back her way.
She's not imagining him, right?
Pretty soon, her stride lengthens. She's not too close to cause a bunch of alarm bells to go off, but she may be a tad too close for comfort.
"I see you, right?"
It's not a frantic question of someone agonizing over their sanity. It's the question of someone who's accepted it may not be all there.
Daichi blinks for a moment, then peers at the girl as she approaches them. When she speaks, Kukai slows and Daichi stands up on his shoulder, as Kukai turns to face her. Daichi speaks first. "I guess so? I'm here!"
Kukai looks back at Momo for a moment, blinking, then grins, nodding to her. "Hello! Yeah, you see him." He looks around, as other people around them seem to be giving them a wide berth - in fact, most of them seem to be vacating the area. Not because they notice, in fact, the opposite.
Kukai smiles. "I'm Kukai. This is Daichi. Who're you?"
She is pleased that she does indeed see Daichi!
She doesn't really notice as other people disperse. Or if she does, she doesn't know she does.
"I'm Momo. This is Dog."
"Woof."
As they continue to jog, she looks at them both curiously. "Are you a curing pretty?"
She thinks she's done, after all, you gotta give someone time to answer a question!
"I met Mamoru-kun the other day."
Kukai nods, then grins down at Dog, giving him a pet on the head. "Hi Momo. Hi Dog." At least, he tries to, as long as Dog doesn't try to bite him or anything.
He keeps moving after a few moments, with her besides him, then looks over at her. "A.. curing... what? Oh, wait. A Pretty Cure. No, no. I think they're all girls. I'm a Guardian Bearer." He nods at Daichi, who grins. "Daichi's my Guardian Chara."
Kukai thinks for a minute, considering the younger looking girl. "So... you've run into Pretty Cures, but don't know what they are... and you met Mamoru. Are you a new Sailor Senshi?"
Dog doesn't try to bite Kukai, but he does keep a wary eye on him! (Pets are acceptable, though.)
"Oh." She makes mental notes. Someone's corrected her before, right? Homura, maybe? "I haven't met a Guardian Bear before."
She blinks at him. "No, I'm not a sailor senshi."
And then she clears her throat. "I'm done running now." And she stops.
It's only polite to tell someone you're not going to keep running with them, right? Even if you're suddenly a tad uncomfortable?
The last three -- and only -- times she's told people what she was, there had been varying degrees of upset.
Kukai huhs. "Guardian Bearer. Close, though. And that's ok." He huhs and stops jogging as she does, nodding. "Fair enough. I guess I should stop too."
He sees the look in her eyes, the nervousness, the uncomfortableness, then reaches over, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, look. You don't have to say, if you don't want to. It's ok. I don't really need to know, if it bothers you. I'm sorry."
He grins, then leans back. "I.. hmmm. Do you wanna get something to eat? There's a ramen stand over there. I can afford a bowl or two."
Oh noes! A brief moment of floundering! He's supposed to keep running, not stop!
Sigh. Oh well.
She shrugs and shifts in place, cheeks warming up because boy and shoulder.
"It doesn't bother me. It's everyone else it bothers."
Why yes, she does go into a bit of a grumpy sulk.
At the mention of ramen, her body sways in the direction her nose believes the shop to be and sniffs the air. "I'm fine..."
ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!!!!
Okay, it only feels like her tummy was that loud.
Not moving from her impression of a Ramen Dowsing Rod, she sighs. "I found 275 yen. Is that enough for ramen?"
Kukai nods, then pats her shoulder again. "It's ok. We can talk about it later. Believe me, it won't be the worst story I've ever heard." He watches her sway and lean towards the shop, nose twitching. "Was that the dog?" He looks down at Momo's tummy, then at the dog. ".... Yeah, ok, c'mon." He heads towards the ramen stand, then chuckles, patting her shoulder again. "Probably not, but don't worry about it. I'll take care of it."
He heads over to the stand and sits down at one of the seats, ordering two of the basic bowls, one for him, one for her. "What flavor do you want, beef, chicken, shrimp, spiced?"
Momo SIGHS the sigh of a beleaguered teen! "It's not that bad, I ate yesterday!" Still, she follows him, because omgramenyesplox.
She slides up onto a stool and props her elbows on the counter. "Mmmmm. Is the beef good?" She looks over and down at Dog, who's now just napping near the sidewalk. She wonders if she can bring him her left overs!
Kukai winces. "Yesterday's been a long time ago. You're supposed to eat a couple times a day at least." He grins. "I suppose it's good. I've never eaten here before. I imagine it's fine. I'm gonna get it too."
After a minute, the cook places two large bowls of ramen in front of them with several small, thin strips of beef in each of them. He picks up a little bone and waves it at Momo. "Want this for your friend over there?"
Momo scoffs and waves her hand. "Pfff. That's what they want you to believe."
When the cook offers her the bone, she beams at him and takes it from him before he can change his mind. "Yes, please!"
She slides off the stool and goes over to Dog. He stands and his tail starts to wag, and then he gently takes the bone from her fingers before plopping back on the ground, tail dully thumping against the side walk.
Sliding back in the stool, she grins again at the cook. "He says thank you!"
Actually, he says 'bite, crunch.'
For a brief moment, she considers waiting for Kukai to start eating first.
But then the scent hits her nose juuuuuuust right...
She doesn't scarf, because Kyou-nee had told her not to years ago, but she doesn't eat slow, either. And she's all happy hums and wiggles and she eats. And not quietly.
The cook grins as she gives the dog the bone, and goes back to preparing more noodles. Someone will always want more ramen. "Tell him he's welcome!"
Kukai has already started, taking one or two bites of noodles, munching happily as he watches her eat. "You might be the happiest eater I've ever seen. It's a great show." He gives her the thumbs up, then eats more of his own ramen. "This is really good, too."
Momo scoffs and waves her hand. "Pfff. That's what they want you to believe."
When the cook offers her the bone, she beams at him and takes it from him before he can change his mind. "Yes, please!"
She slides off the stool and goes over to Dog. He stands and his tail starts to wag, and then he gently takes the bone from her fingers before plopping back on the ground, tail dully thumping against the side walk.
Sliding back in the stool, she grins again at the cook. "He says thank you!"
Actually, he says 'bite, crunch.'
For a brief moment, she considers waiting for Kukai to start eating first.
But then the scent hits her nose juuuuuuust right...
She doesn't scarf, because Kyou-nee had told her not to years ago, but she doesn't eat slow, either. And she's all happy hums and wiggles and she eats. And not quietly.
Kukai watches her stand up and move over, keeping an eye on the little white haired girl. She's pretty, but with a slight sense of relief Kukai doesn't feel the need to flirt so much with her that Daichi turns his eyes green. Thankfully, that's gone. ...maybe a little flirting, though. "He seems like a good dog. Have you had him long?"
Kukai sees her begin inhaling the noodles and grins, patting her on the shoulder again. "Relax, nobody's gonna take them away from you." He takes a few more bites of his own ramen and grins. "You are remarkably chipper."
She taps her chin in thought. "He's been with me for...two months? So yeah, it's been a long time!" Most of her time spent alive again! Wow!
At the shoulder pat she looks up at him, slurping long pieces of ramen up so fast they whip the tip of her nose. When she swallows, she looks down at the bowl. "You're right! I should probably save some of this for Dog. Or for later. Do you think conbenies will let me reheat it? Does reheated ramen taste good?"
Another mouthful, another slurp, another nose whip. "I am? That's good! I bet it makes my being crazy less scary!"
Kukai huhs, then smiles. "Yeah, that's a bit of time." He thinks for a moment. "I... dunno if the cook will let you take the bowl with you. It's a nice bowl." It is, carved, traditional wood - no lacquer, but it's not pasted together pasteboard. The cook shakes his head. "If you want to buy the bowl, that's another 2,000 yen. And I don't have take-away bowls. Sorry. Eat what you want now."
Kukai runs the other questions over in his head, but since she can't take the ramen away anyways, there's no reason to answer them.... except for the last one. "I... you don't seem crazy. I mean, except for, y'know." He nods at Daichi, whose head is down in Kukai's ramen bowl - above the liquid, but still out of sight. Thankfully the cook doesn't notice - yay magic. "The usual."
Momo looks utterly distraught! "But what if I don't finish it and I get hungry later?"
That would be tragic!
So, she's eating it all!
Nomf chom chew slurp!
She looks back up at Kukai under raised eyebrows. She looks down at Daichi and back up at Kukai. "Well, i am a little. I think if I were sane after that, I'd be even more crazy."
Actually, she doesn't seem in any danger of not finishing her ramen.
The only thing she may be in danger of is making eyes that would rival Dog's at Kukai's own bowl when she is done.
She suddenly looks up at the cook. "Ojisan? Do you need help with stuff? I can be paid in yummy ramen!"
Kukai blinks, then winces a little. "Y'know... if you throw up, you'll just lose more of it. You can afford to leave a little behind. Or give some of it to Dog. Come on, barfing isn't attractive." Not like his bowl isn't nearly empty, but then again he's two years older and several inches taller than she is, and has a stomach like an industrial furnace.
Kukai shrugs. "I guess I am a little too. It's not exactly something sane people do. But I mean, compared, we don't have that many issues. At least, I don't." He takes another bite of ramen, then looks over at her to see those giant eyes. He slurps up the noodles, then examines her. "Really? Really really?" He sighs and pushes the bowl over towards her - few more bites and one little tasty piece of broth-soaked beef.
The cook looks over as Momo speaks. "Oh? No, no. I'm only open during the evening. I serve the salarymen who're getting off work late at night and come through here from 7 PM to 2 AM. You're still a young girl. You wouldn't want to work here so late at night when you'd rather be asleep."
She makes a grumpy face at him. "I won't throw up! I know that point!"
She puffs up in a bit of pride. She knows how to eat when starving! Kyou-nee taught her!
She squees a bit at the extra bit of broth! She slurps that down, humming happing, and starts to slowly chew on the beef. "Hmmm. I don't have too many, I guess." Chew, chew! Savor! "I mean, father killed me, but I got better. And my sister thinks I'm not real, but I know I am!"
Why does she sound so 'whatever' about the whole being killed thing.
She looks up at the cook, eyes wide. "I'm always up late! I just sleep in the morning!"
It takes a moment for Kukai to not roll his eyes at her grumpy face. "Oookay, sure." Why she looks so proud, he doesn't quite understand. But sure, why not. She sounds so happy to get the extra few bites, though.
Kukai leans on the counter as the cook scoops up the bowl and turns away to wash and secure it. And then Momo drops the bomb on him. "Excuse me, what the hell was that - your father did what to you? And your sister..." Kukai's head hurts. Just a little. Just a bit.
The cook doesn't seem to be listening at the moment - he may have a better idea of how crazy the girl is than Kukai does. Kukai, case in point, looks at the cook's back and the now-empty bowls of ramen, and stands up, pulling her away from the stand a little. "What did you say?"
If the cook looks at her again, he'll see the large eyes of a kicked puppy.
But he probably doesn't, so its effects are useless.
Momo allows herself to be dragged along. Normally this wouldn't be the best idea for a young girl, but Dog is following close.
She sniffles and rubs her eyes. "He doesn't like me anymore..."
Then she sighs, as though she's told the story a billion times. "My father killed my mother and me, my sister is a Puella, the moon lady wished really loud, Kyubey came along, and yes it was really stupid pretty much everyone ever has told me and my sister thinks I'm a trick because apparently Kyubey doesn't like her."
Kukai isn't dragging her too far off, anyway, just out of earshot of the cook. "He doesn't... what, your dad? I mean... what." He falls silent as she talks, mouth slowly falling further and further open, until his jaw sags at the end of it. ".... uh. Give me a moment to collect myself?"
He closes his mouth and puts a hand on his chin, examining her. "...Your dad... killed you. And your mother. Your sister is a Puella. The... you mean Sailor Moon." The concepts required to process Usagi's incredible white magic bringing this girl back are far, far beyond Kukai's comprehension, but he can play with the wrapping paper, so to speak.
He continues. "And Kyubey.... got his wicked little claws into you, too. So you're a Puella as well, which explains why you can see Daichi. And your sister.. hmm, doesn't think you're actually real?" He snorts. "And hey, I don't like Kyubey myself, either, the rotten white rat that he is." He lets out a sigh, examining her. "So.... God. At some point I'm going to have to perhaps breach the idea with Moon about putting some rifling on that artillery-sized shotgun she calls her magic."
He shakes his head, then suddenly leans in, hugging her tightly for a long moment before leaning back. "Well. If it makes you feel better I died for a little while too and the same spell brought me back. It brought back a lot of people. Most of us treat it like not actually having died or anything. Just... think of it as a long nap. So you're in good company." He looks down at her and smiles, that morale-building, infectious Jack's Grin. "It's all gonna be ok."
"Yeah, that's what I said! The moon girl! But she didn't bring me back, she just made it possible for...Kyubey to...hear my wish?" She shrugs. Sounds as good a reason as any!
She sighs, long and drawn out. "But seeee, I don't hate Kyubey. He helped me out lots when I came back. And I'mma wait until I see his buttmunchery for myself before I go 'oh yes I hate this guy,' because that would just be mean." And then she blinks. "Sailor Moon has a big gun, too?" She pulls out her gunlance. It's...bigger than she is. "Does it shoot lazers, too?"
Still, she's glad for the hug! And may snuggle in a bit, because she's only been hugged one other time in the past, like, five years or something.
Kukai huhs. Yeah. Even the wrapping paper on this whole magical dead-raising kerfluffle makes his head hurt. "OK, ok, let's move past that because I don't get it at all. It's ok though. Um." Kukai hmphs, looking at her, then sighs. "I guess so. I... wish he wasn't quite so annoyingly aggressive about making Puella, though. It doesn't end well, but I suppose going from dead to alive is about as good as it gets and there's..." A cold wind runs over him before he can continue and say something stupid like 'not a lot much worse it could get'.
Kukai leans back from the gunlance. It's friggin' huge. "Uh. I meant it metaphorically - she's not got a lot of control over her powers. They tend to go everywhere - shotgun, scattershot, that sort of thing. But..." He huhs. "Kinda lazers."
And then the cute girl is snuggling into him and Kukai can practically feel Daichi's eyes on the back of his head, even as he hugs her more. "But.. yeah. It'll all be ok. Somehow. Haaahh... where are you staying?" He lets her go after a minute and pulls back. "I mean, if your parents are dead."
Momo sighs. "Yeah. He didn't really let me adjust before he was like 'go hunt witches!' and I was like 'but I just rose from the dead!' and he was like 'well yeah that sucks but you gotta do it!' and I was like 'ug fine.'"
She blinks at him. "Oh." Her gunlance gets put away. "I don't get it. It's okay though!" She totally copied him, yes she did.
Momo shrugs. "I've been staying at the church, but its a lot of hours away. And it's kind of condemned, but that part's okay. Mostly Dog and I find a comfy place to snuggle down!" She lowers her voice. "He's a blanket hog, though. And his fleas has rabies."
There's a small whuff of air from Kukai as Momo speaks. "Yeah. I mean, it's what he wants, but really. I guess... You should be careful, though. There's almost no Witches left right now. Everyone's looking for them. So don't use too much magic or anything."
Her copying him makes him laugh. "Yeah it is. Ah... oh wow. So you're.. " He coughs. "Homeless?" He thinks for a minute. This is a new thing for him. "I... I mean, there are shelters and things like that. And no his fleas do not have rabies, fleas can't get rabies, and there hasn't been a case of rabies in Japan since my grandpa was my age."
He pulls out his phone, looking at it for a moment, then back at her. "I guess it's silly to ask if you have a phone number. Dammit. This is how I keep in touch with everyone. And.. I dunno where you could sleep tonight. I've never had to ask that sort of question."
"I knooow. And I usually don't! Friday I did, but I wasn't gonna let Dog and Sketch Book Girl get gobbled up!" She shoves her hand in her pocket and brings out some seeds. "See? I--HEY!"
She glowers grumpily at the seeds in her hand. "She gave it back! UG! Kyou-nee is such a buttmunch!"
HMPH!
Momo is very confused! "I do have a home! It's just condemned! And oh! I have a phone. I got it so I could look for (SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY) more easily." She pulls it out. The model is several years old. "I can't talk a lot on it. But apparently texting is free when I keep it paid up! I did earlier last week so I should be good for a bit!"
She looks up and beams at him.
Kukai huhs, then looks at Momo, confused. "Sketch Book Girl? Seeds? I... Kyou-nee?" The name rings a lonely bell in the distance, but he can't quite put it together. "I don't even know." He looks at her phone, then sighs. "Ok, well, if you want we can trade information and if something happens I can get in touch with you. You don't have to talk a lot, but texting is useful." He grins weakly back at that happy, beaming face.
"Okay!" Unaware of his boggled mind, she flips through screens with a hum. It takes...awhile. After all, the phone is old.
Finally she holds up her phone so he can see her number. "This is me!"
Kukai takes down her number and sends her a text with his information. "Ok. There we go." He sighs, then looks at her. "I really, really wish I knew somewhere you could sleep tonight." He thinks. "I mean, you could probably get onto the grounds of Seiyou Public School and sleep somewhere there. It'd be safer than most places, at least. I don't know anything beyond that. I hate for you to have to ride out of town all the time."
Her eyes widen. "A school? I haven't been to one of those since I was nine!" She blinks. "Okay so I've been dead since then!"
Then she shrugs and texts him back. "And I don't mind! It's warm now, so I don't hafta make the ride back. And if it rains, there's bunches of places to hide!"
Kukai nods. "Well... I know the grounds are safe. But.. ok. So..." He shakes his head. "I think I'm gonna go home and get some sleep. I'll talk to you soon, I hope?" He looks down at the white haired girl and smiles. "You will be ok, won't you?"
She looks up at him. She does not have sad puppy eyes, because she's fine talking to just Dog!
But he seems worried! So she beams up at him again and nods! "Yup! And Dog is good against muggers! I'm pretty sure he has rabies!" A blink! "But they'd only get 275 yen, so I don't know why they'd want to mug me."
Back to beaming! "Thank you again! The ramen was so yummy! And Dog liked the bone!"
"Woof."