Haruka had gotten a message from a number she didn't immediately recognize, inviting her over to Mamoru's place. Since she was at loose ends, she saw no harm in it- and she did want to make sure that he turned otu to be okay after healing Hannah. That in mind, Haruka had left her dorm and transformed in a secluded area, leaving via superjump. It was becoming almost too easy to transform and head pell-mell for a place at this point, and she was going to need to be careful about finding her way around Tokyo from ground level. Still, it didn't take her all that long to get to the rooftop garden again. Her landing was light, effortless, and graceful- she was definitely getting better at moving around in her Pretty Cure form.
Supposedly, she was waiting for someone, and the princess of flowers decided that now was as good time as any to get a look around, investigating with evident curiosity. Puff and Aroma crawled out of their hiding places, with Puff deciding to curl up in a sunny spot and her brother deciding to look around and scoff. Aroma wasn't fond of this place, and was huffy that they were back there. He was even muttering about not wanting to meet 'that jerk' here again. "I don't think you're going to have to worry about that, Aroma," Cure Flora offered, smiling crookedly. "I mean, we're not going in unless we're invited, Aroma..."
Mamoru had texted her earlier in the middle of a nice, lazy nap. She vaguely remembers responding, and when she rereads it, it says 'Okay but don't tell the Magikarp I'm on to him.'
Apparently she'd been having interesting dreams...
But, she'd gotten there a bit earlier and had decided to make up a tray of food and drinks. Other people would make this look neat and delicate. Usagi literally just dumps whatever looks good.
And then Mamoru texted saying that he was running really late, gave her a brief rundown, and since apparently secret identities are still a thing, it's Sailor Moon that brings the tray of stuff to the roof.
...just in time for her to hear a bird complain about 'that jerk.'
Luna sighs from her shoulder as Sailor Moon heavily plops the tray down and marches right over to that bird to give him what for! Cheeks puffed out, she gives the bird a look that...is apparently scary? "Hey! Hey! Only I get to call Mamo-chan a jerk!"
"Sailor Moon, calm down." Luna's bored on her shoulder and hops down, trotting over to sniff at feathers.
Scowl! Pufferfish cheeks! Hands on hips!
Flora looks up, waving her hands back and forth. "He wasn't talking about Chiba-san!" she amends. Aroma nods, landing on the top of the cure's head. "It was someone else he met and I didn't. I'm Cure Flora, by the way, and these two are Aroma and Puff, the Royal Faeries of the Hope Kingdom. Gokigen'you." She curtseys a bit as Aroma gives Luna the stink eye- apparently the small hookbilled fairy is just Mr. Attitude. He makes a noise of disgust as Flora kneels down and extends her hand to Luna, a peace offering.
"I think his name was Zoisite-pafu," Puff intones, walking up to Sailor Moon and hopping up to try helping with distributing the food. She is supposed to be a maid, after all! Flora smiles at the other magical girl awkwardly.
"Um, do you mind if I drop my transformation? The only reason I even transformed was because I don't remember how to get here from street level." It's said with a sheepish, if soft laugh.
Somewhat appeased, Usagi stops the pufferfish face, but her expression is still a little suspicious at Aroma!
Luna gives a delicate snort and turns, tail flicking out to swipe at Aroma's beak. "Please. You wouldn't even make a decent snack."
The cat saunters over to Flora's hand and rubs her nose against it, and seeing Aroma's look, she smirks at him before going full face rub.
Sailor Moon is completely distracted from earlier grumpies! "Ohhh! Zoi-kun! Yeah, he can be cranky, but he's a good hugger!"
She blinks a bit and tilts her head. "Oh! Sure! Go ahead!"
And in the next second, It's Usagi talking to Flora. "And Mamo-chan's been delayed. Not sure how long. He may not make it at all!"
Usagi, of course, gives a mournful little sigh at that, and for a moment, her odango droop her sadness! She's missing out on Quality Mamoru Cuddle Time!
Flora drops her transformation with evident relief- and a scattering of pink, white, and yellow flower petals that soon vanish, themselves. Her long, blond-to-pink hair is replaced by shoulder-length auburn hair as she scratches behind Luna's ears, just like she would with a regular cat. "I think sending Aroma to get tea for Chiba-san might have been a mistake then, because Aroma is pretty cranky himself." Aroma glares at Haruka for that, but says nothing. He still has the pointed comments from Mercury on his mind, the idea that him nagging Haruka in an attempt to make her a better princess and a better precure might actually have the opposite effect. For the observant, Aroma's glare almost looks like something forced, rather than something from genuine irritation. Puff, meanwhile, is investigating Usagi's hairstyle from a seated position on the table.
"Thank you. Um. If he doesn't show up at all..." And there's all of the awkward in Haruka's voice there. She's used to meeting people as herself, but with the whole magical girl thing added to the mix? She's suddenly kind of awkward, and she laughs sheepishly. "Um... are you okay? You could always try putting Puff's hair up, it's what I've been doing when it's too hot outside to do anything and I'm restless or sad." Puff's pink tail wags at the idea of this, very like the dog she's shaped as.
"Do you want any help with the food-pafu? I'm supposed to be a maid, so I'll help with that!" Where Aroma is all sour and spicy, his little sister seems to be all sweet and gentle, as cotton-candy-fluff in personality as she is appearance.
Usagi woes and laments, very much with the overdramatics. "I'm okaaaaaaaay. I'm just running woefully low on Mamo-chan Hugs." Siiiiiiiiiiigh!
Luna rolls her eyes as she tilts her head up for chin scritches. "Feel free to ignore her when she gets like this."
"So mean."
But she does play with Puff's hair, because it looks fun and the pup seems to be looking forward to it. And of course, she goes for the odango style.
It does make her feel better!
More her usual chipper self, she looks up at Haruka. "Mamo-chan says you're a nervous new princess! And that I'm much better at peopling than he is!"
Luna rolls her eyes again. "He also probably suggested you two meet because of your status, Usagi."
Usagi gives a sheepish grin. "Oh! Yeah, I guess that would help!"
Haruka Haruno blinks at the lamentation, tilting her head to one side. She turns furiously pink for a moment-- after all, the only reason someone would be that vocal about not getting affection from someone is-- well. "...Are she and Chiba-san...?" Haruka asks Luna, obediently scritching under Luna's chin with the edge of an index finger. Puff wags her tail more and nuzzles under Usagi's chin.
"I think if it's up like this I won't trip over it-pafu!" she offers cheerfully. "And it looks like yours-pafu!" The fairy giggles happily.
Haruka stiffens as the topic returns to her, and she just sort of nervously watches the exchange between Luna and Usagi. "It's different than that," Aroma interjects. "She's a princess pretty cure, which is different from being a real princess-roma. Doesn't mean she can't eventually, but it's not as simple as her getting the Dress Up Key and Perfume and transforming a few times-roma." Though Haruka's expression dims somewhat when Aroma speaks up at first, it gains an edge of intensity and determination.
"Plus, that would be like cheating to get my dream to come true, and I don't want to do that. I've wanted to be a princess since I read a picture book as a little kid-- have you ever heard of The Princess of Flowers by Yume Mochizuki?" Haruka pulls a book out of the messenger bag she has on, showing it to Usagi.
Luna sighs. "Oh yes. But this lifetimes seems to be going better for them than the last."
Usagi giggles and squirms a bit because ticklish! "You're welcome! More people should have this hair!"
As Aroma talks, especially when whether or not Haruka is a real princess comes up, she ends up having a Look on her face. It's almost, not quite, on par with a Sailor Moon Death Glare, but it's more internalized than focused on the bird.
She blinks a little when the book is brought out. "I think so? When I was little!"
She reads it, flipping through and feeling better for some reason. "Yeah! I loved this story as a kid!"
Her attention is back on Aroma. "Look. I don't know much about how Cure stuff works. But I know princesses are more than title, and even the ones born into it shouldn't always be one. I mean, who voted for the moon princess, anyway?! I sure didn't! I wasn't there that day!"
Hrmph.
Luna sighs. "Usagi."
Usagi slumps her shoulders and scuffs her toes over the ground. "I just don't think real should be used like that. You got the title, right? Just...do what I do. Try your best to live up to it."
Haruka Haruno raises her eyebrows at Luna. Life... time...? Like, reincarnation? She doesn't ask, though, because that tone sounds like 'long story'. Instead she scoops up the cat, careful to support her, and smiles at Usagi. "I think my hair could only do that when I'm transformed," she says, giggling. "I first met Puff because she tripped over her hair trying to run, actually." Puff wags her tail, nodding agreement. She may or may not be aware of the fact that she's tickling Usagi and ignoring it.
Aroma shrinks a little, even going so far as to preen very slowly and pathetically at his chest feathers. "If she wasn't a princess at all she couldn't be a Princess Precure. The Key wouldn't have chosen her, and even if it had chosen her when she was little, it wouldn't have opened for her later-roma," he mutters. "I'm just... worried that it won't be enough to save the Hope Kingdom-roma. There's only our prince, Puff, myself, and one other fairy from our kingdom who made it out without being locked in cages of despair." For those on the wise to bird body language, Aroma looks literally sick with worry, feathers puffed out and shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Puff nods sadly in agreement to her brother's statement.
"...So you're the Princess of the Moon?" Haruka asks, smiling. Something about the fact that Usagi is complaining about it makes Haruka giggle and brighten. "But you're right, I guess the best we can do is live up to being princesses!"
Usagi makes noises of sympathy! "I don't trip over my hair much, but I do trip a lot! It's not fun, isn't it, puppy?"
She's blinking at Aroma a bit before she sighs. "If it isn't enough, whatever granted her wish probably wouldn't have in the first place, right? Isn't that how these things work?" She wags a finger at Aroma. "And if we keep having Negative Nellies, then it probably won't. It's about 80% us, 40% people's belief, you know!"
And then she's blushing and biting her lip. "Well, I'm not. But I am. Sorta. But, um..."
There's a glimmer as her black skirt and pink shirt melt and flow into long moonspun chiffon, the blonde leaks away to silver as her hair grows even longer, about a foot, and by the time she's done about the only bit of color on her are the pale yellow crescent on her forehead and pale blue eyes. Shadows are chases away from her as she literally glows like moonlight.
With a giggle, she spins, and there's a touch more grace and perhaps the taste of something ancient in the air.
Luna sighs. "May I present the Princess Serenity, daughter of her late majesty Queen Serenity, heir apparent to the Moon Kingdom."
The girl huffs, cheeks once again imitating a puffer fish. "Luna!"
The cat balks! "If you're gonna show off!"
Puff makes a face. "I'm not a dog-pafu, but it isn't fun at all!" Aroma seems to hunch down further into himself at Usagi's scolding, but Haruka intervenes on his behalf.
"It's bad enough seeing someone you don't know that well have their dream mocked and then forcibly ripped out of them and turned into a monster based on it, let alone seeing every last bit of hope leave their eyes as they just kind of... hang there in a cage of despair. I can't imagine what it was like for Aroma and Puff to see that." The purple fairy looks up at Haruka, seemingly shocked... Is it because she empathized with his plight? Still, it doesn't take much for the trio to stop whatever else they were doing-- or even thinking-- to stare at the moon princess in front of them. The auburn-haired girl ducks a half-curtsey at the fancy titles, smiling crookedly. "Gokigen'you, Princess Serenity." And then she giggles, ruining the mock-severity and formality of the greeting she used.
Serenity stomps her foot, still puffer cheeked! "Not you, too!"
Scowl.
Then she sighs and relents, a little, on Aroma's behalf. "I know. It couldn't have been easy. But...if you give up hope, what else is there?"
And then, because Serenity is still Usagi, she remembers there's food and snacks! She nearly pounces the food! But of course, she makes sure there's some for the others...
This is the point at which another figure appears from the minor maze of roses and wisteria that makes up the rooftop garden. It should probably be illegal somewhere for someone that tall to move that quietly; he's taller even than Mamoru, though dressed far more like a commoner. Jeans and a white button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up against the summer heat. Bone-white hair falls almost to his shoulders. He stands straight as a blade just beside one of the foliage walls and regards Serenity's progress and the trio's presence, absolutely expressionless.
When Serenity pauses for breath, at some point, he inquires politely -- sort of politely, given the complete lack of any other greeting or explanation of his presence -- "Did the four of you need anything else?"
"I was teasing! Teasing!" Haruka says, flapping a hand to try and still Princess Pufferfish's temper before she does herself a damage. "...And getting people to give up hope is what it sounds like DysDark is trying to do, I think. Which means Aroma should probably hold on to more hope that I'm good at this until Mermaid and Twinkle show up, too. And hope that other people will help."
At Kunzite's appearance, Haruka yelps in surprise, joined by Aroma shooting roughly ten feet in the air in a second- a feat for a bird his size. Puff decides she's going to hide behind her fellow odango-head, peering slowly around Serenity with trepadiation evident in her face. She's even making tiny noises of fear, to contrast her angry-sounding brother. Haruka's just glad she isn't transformed right now, or they'd be waiting for gravity to bring her back down. She puts a hand over her chest, letting out a soft huff of breath. "I-I'm fine, thank you. Who are you?" Haruka very carefully takes a seat, beckoning to Aroma with a hand. He lands, taking a moment for reassuring pets from Haruka before diving into her bag.
When Serenity jumps and gasps, it's not from fear, but from happiness! Yay!
She takes a moment to take poor Puff to Haruka, handing her over giving reassuring pats.
And then she launches toward Kunzite, hugging him with a happy hum, before woeing at him. "My MamoHug levels are dangerously low! I'm not gonna make it! Go on without me!"
As she speaks, she slides down, fingers dragging down his shirt until she's a lump on the ground, one hand still up in the air in one final twitch for life, before suddenly there's a boneless lump of princess misery at Kunzite's feet.
Because, well, if anyone knows how she feels, it'd be him, right?
If Luna could, she would be facepalming so hard right now.
....Actually, she does anyway. But it's more of a pawface.
And then she turns toward Haruka et al, standing and tail flicking in the air. "This is Kunzite. Not to be confused with Zoisite." Her tail fwips back and forth as she flashes Kunzite a devilish look. "He's only a jerk when you don't realize he's teasing."
The assault-hug is borne up under without so much as twitch; it's the lump of misery at his feet that gets interrupted. In that Kunzite clasps that hand in the air in one hand, Serenity around her waist in the other for all the world as if she were dancing, and tells her gravely, "I have explicit orders against leaving you behind. You'd better tap your reserve, or I might have to carry you around over my shoulder till the situation can be remedied."
A moment's pause, and he inclines his head toward the cat. Over Serenity's head. Because he has several inches of clearance between his chin and the top of her head; these things work out. He turns his attention toward Haruka and company a moment later. "My apologies for alarming you. I'm one of the residents; I was under the impression you'd been warned."
The Princess of Flowers just sits there, watching the melodramatics with a faint look of alarmed confusion on her face. Serenity is exaggerating... right? And Kunzite is just playing along? The idea of Kunzite having to haul Serenity around like that, and the fact that Serenity is a princess and still acting like a normal teenaged human being gets her laughing. It starts out as a soft giggle, but soon evolves into the kind of noise that is half amusement and half stress leaving the body. It defnitely has that pitchy, sharp-edged note to it, for the observant. After a moment, she wipes at her eyes, which had teared up in her laughing fit.
"You were just-- really, really quiet, that's all. I'm Haruka Haruno, also known as Cure Flora. The bird fairy is Aroma, and this is Puff." Haruka cuddles Puff close to herself, smiling at the man.
And of course, seeing as how she's Serenity right now, she makes the move look like it's been choreographed. It ends in a flair of hair and skirt, and maybe even a little kick of the feet before she's righted again. "Weee!"
She sighs and droops just a little at not being left behind to woe in teenage angst and misery.
Does she have any in reserve?
No but there's the second best thing!
Stepping back, she closes her eyes and hums as she hugs herself! And then beams all goofily! (She has been mentally hugged back!)
"Okay, I'm better now!" She looks up at Kunzite. "I won't say no to piggy back rides, though."
Luna smugs in response to Kunzite. She can troll! ...Not as well as some, granted, but she's learning!
Luna turns back to Haruka. "He's always really really quiet. If he were a cat, there wouldn't be a mouse problem in all of Tokyo."
"I'm fairly sure those are Nephrite's department," Kunzite informs Serenity, deadpan as ever, regarding the piggy back rides. "You could always ask Makoto about it."
He makes sure Serenity is actually on her feet before letting go of her. "Hello, Cure Flora. Aroma. Puff." Not so much as a blink about addressing the latter two. Temari accusing him of wooing her under false pretenses may have outweirded all other small creatures for some time to come. To said small creatures, he inquires, "Do you have any particular needs? If there's anything that hasn't already been brought up, we can probably arrange it." If Usagi left anything in the kitchen.
Haruka covers a smile at Serenity's antics. "At least you can text and call when he's not busy, right?" Unlike certain other princes who are off fighting to find the other Dress Up Keys and help the Precure in his home kingdom... Still, better not to think about that. Instead, she pulls her Key out from under the neckline of her dress, holding it up on its cord. "Um, if any of you see a key kind of like this, can you let me know?" Granted, right now, it doesn't look like a key, but a simple flick of Haruka's finger makes the actual key part pop out. "Especially if they're with someone? They'd be the other two members of my team, Cure Mermaid and Cure Twinkle."
At being called Cure Flora while she's not transformed, Haruka scowls. "Right now it's Ha-ru-ka," she enunciates carefully at him. "It feels really awkward to be called that when I don't have three more feet of hair, a crown on my head, and a giant poofy skirt on." Puff giggles at this unvarnished description of Cure Flora's outfit, while Aroma just covers his face with a wing.
"Don't any princesses in this world have dignity-roma?" He mutters, sounding fully embarrassed enough for both Haruka and Serenity's antics.
Her eyes light up and sparkle! "True!"
Her phone's out and a text is sent before anyone can blink an eye.
TXT: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
She leans over a bit and squints at the key, holds up her phone, zooms in the camera, and 'snap.' "Okay!"
She turns and looks up at Kunzite with large eyes. "Ohhhh, I bet I could see forever up there!" Nephrite and Kunzite may be around the same height, but Nephrite's considerable broadness makes Usagi always think he's the tallest of everyone ever.
And then there's a moment of flustered unease at Aroma's comment. She fidgets a little and her cheeks are red, and poof Usagi's back.
Kunzite tilts his head slightly, studying the Key with steady gray eyes. No camera for him. Mostly because Zoisite or Jadeite will probably wheedle the picture out of Usagi if they decide to take any interest at all. Usagi's 'Okay!' apparently goes for him, too; he doesn't echo it.
He does let his eyebrows twitch upward, just slightly, at the correction. "If you'd be more comfortable, then, Kazuo Takeba is my legal name." She already knows Mamoru's. Trying to hide his would be pointless.
He pauses to study Aroma more carefully for a moment. "I have more experience with princes than with princesses," he concedes. "But from what I've seen there, taking the opportunity to be ridiculous when it has few or no consequences is what makes it possible for them to bear up under the need to be consistently dignified when it matters."
-- definitely not looking at Usagi, nope.
Haruka makes a face at Aroma. "Maybe dignity isn't all it's cracked up to be. I didn't exactly hear it rattled off when you mentioned what makes a Grand Princess," she mutters. Aroma actually does look ashamed- it's pretty clearly a thing where he opened his beak before thinking. "Strong, kind, and beautiful, right? Serenity is definitely kind and beautiful, and I wouldn't know about strong until I saw her fight, but I wouldn't doubt it." It's muttered, but also not exactly hard to overhear. Haruka brightens at Kunzite's comment, and nods in agreement. Puff even nods along, tail wagging.
"And don't you remember hearing about Prince Kanata and Princess Towa drawing on the palace walls because they ran out of paper-pafu?" At the mention of Prince Kanata, Haruka's cheeks color. She tilts her head at the mention of a Princess of the Hope Kingdom, though. Aroma nods a little, though he visibly darkens at the mention of Princess Towa's name. It's a sort of wilt, like someone brought up an old wound. That gets a small look from Haruka, and a mental note to ask later. Aroma makes his way into Haruka's bag, a clear sign he does not want to talk about it.
"Thank you, all of you. I'm really new at this, so-- I get kind of wound up. And I think I know why Aroma's being such a jerk. I'm sorry about it, though." There's a faint, '-roma' appended apology from the bag, too.
Usagi scrunches up her nose as she looks up at Kunzite. Kazuo? Kunzuo? Something. "I keep forgetting about that. Sorry."
It's probably good Kunzite isn't looking at Usagi. Because, well, the bright beaming she's doing at him may very well blind him!
And then she's all flustered in the good way, cheeks now pink as she covers her face and wiggles around! "I don't know about all that!"
Of course, if asked directly, she would deny strength, because that's Makoto! "But it's tough being new! I was a pain in the butt to Luna."
There's a scoff as the cat lands on Kunzite's shoulder and licks her paw. "Was?"
"I'd prefer to," Kunzite replies to Usagi, and by now the deadpan may be starting to be expected even by Haruka. "So there's no need to apologize." He puts a hand up to anchor Luna upon her arrival, and then shifts it to dutiful pettings. And ear-scritchings. He has learned these things. "At least with her," he offers to the cat, "it usually isn't on purpose."
Unlike Mamoru. Who is a pain on purpose. Regularly.
"I think," he says to Haruka at the last, "that you're in good company in that regard. I can only think of one princess in the city who has much experience at it in this life, and she hasn't had much experience in this world. So at worst, you're among those who can learn about it together, and support one another."
Because, courtesy the other Serenity's truest miracle, they have no politics to worry about.
Well, almost none.
"...I... so, did you have your powers before your legal name happened?" Haruka hazards at Kunzite, tilting her head. She turns slightly pink at Usagi's wiggling, putting her elbows on her thighs and her lower face in her hands, muttering. "Well... it's true. You're all really nice here, and you were literally glowing..." Haruka fusses at her hair for a moment, finger pausing over the four-petaled flower barette in her hair for a moment. Her face splits in a grin as she thinks of something nice she can do-- at least for her female friends here in Tokyo.
The princess of flowers sits up. "Hey, would you like a barette like this one? I could probably make it with a crescent moon instead, I'd just need to call my mom and ask her how she made mine." She beams. "And... um, do you maybe want to trade numbers? If you ever need a hand with something..."
Usagi sticks her tongue out at Kunzite. "Well, it would be really awkward, trying to mail stuff to 'Kunzite.' No last name. And besides, how else am I supposed to know when to send the birthday card!"
Yes, Kunzite. You'll be getting birthday cards. And other such holiday cards. Deal with it, dood.
Usagi then nods in agreement with his princessly observations. "I don't know what I'm doing half the time, and I've known for months!"
She gives a slight, nervous giggle at Haruka asking about powers and names. Heh. Let Kunzite answer that one...
Instead, she waves her hand a bit. "I don't even know why I do that." Then, a thought. She looks up at Kunzite with large, worried eyes. "I'm not radioactive, am I?"
Oh dear!
She leans closer, then scoots forward to see the barret. "Ohhhh so pretty! I'd love one! And yes!" She pulls out a scrap piece of paper - a wrinkled receipt from the Crown Arcade - and scribbles her number down with her pen before handing it over. "Or if you get bored!"
"That question has a complicated answer," Kunzite -- Kazuo -- says to Haruka. "The simplest version is 'I've been out of touch with my relatives for a few years.' I'll tell you a longer version if you want it, but it tends to make eyes glaze over."
Technically true!
It should also perhaps be noted that that pointed list of names, dates, and preferred cake flavors that Makoto magneted to the apartment fridge never has acquired an entry for Kunzite. Usagi might wind up having to be sneaky to sort out that particular date.
Usagi's question about radioactivity finally causes him to have a visible reaction. If only eyeing her sidelong. "You are not radioactive, no." Apparently he'd know? Somehow. Maybe he has a secret Geiger counter superpower.
Haruka Haruno blinks blankly at the question for a moment, before shaking her head furiously. "It's-- well-- like the moon, more, is what it looks like. And I don't think the moon is radioactive." Haruka takes the phone number and enters it in her phone, sending Usagi a text with her own name in it. She beams when Usagi compliments her barette. "Mom made it for me, when I told her I wanted to be a princess! It was really huge on my head when she made it..." But she's definitely grown into it. At Kunzite's affirmation that it's complicated, Haruka nods.
"I mean... the main reason I don't like being called Cure Flora is because I'm not the only one. There was a Cure Flora before me, who had the Dress Up Key last." And there's the implication, too, that when DysDark is defeated, she will no longer be Cure Flora. The thought unsettles her, but she shakes it off for now. "Ah-- speaking of phones, do you play Pokemon Go? I just started a little while ago!"
The look Usagi gives Kunzite is one that questions his sanity. Eyes glaze over? Hah.
But she is visibly very much relieved when she's assured she isn't radioactive! Chest puffs out, large sigh of relief, a sag. Yes, very relieved!
And Haruka's input makes her even more so! "True! If it were, I think we'd know! We don't get told not to get moonburns after all!"
Usagi squees! "My mama makes me pies!"
This, of course, isn't making light of Ikuko Tsukino. Because pies. In Usagi's mouth. Never something to be taken lightly!
She is, however, confused at the idea of not being the only one. There could be other Cure Floras? Cure Gulls? But how?
No, she doesn't wanna know!
All she knows is the only way to have another Sailor Moon would be for her to be reincarnated, but she'd rather like to avoid that!
"Oh, ah! Mamo-chan plays it a lot. I...don't quite get it yet. I've just been going up and down the bay trying to get magikarp."
Kunzite stands firm under sanity-questioning looks. He's tried to explain it to Sayaka. He knows.
He does not, however, stand firm under conversation about hair accessories and Pokemon Go. A glance is given to Luna, and unless cat-eyes narrow (and she's being bribed with petting, mind), he withdraws a quiet step or two. Maybe a little behind the foliage.
Haruka beams at Usagi. "Both of my parents own a restaurant in my hometown, which is a lot smaller than Tokyo. If you're ever out that way, I'll have to get them to cook for you! And then you can meet my little sister, Momoka, though she's kind of mad I went to school in the big city without her right now, I think..." Still, Haruka beams. She looks at Kunzite's retreat skeptically. "I'm not very good at it either, but it's cute, and it makes something to talk about with people!"
The thought of there being another Cure Flora before her is all that Haruka knows, and it makes sense to her-- after all, the mantle of King or Queen can pass from hand to hand, with the same crown passed down between people. Why not the title of Princess of Flowers, passed down with the dress up key and perfume?
Abruptly there's someone else on the roof! There's a rushing of black and red silk, the ta-tap of dress shoes on the rooftop, and Tuxedo Kamen's cape billows out and settles lightly around him. He lands somewhat behind Kunzite, and the henshin drops as soon as the cape's no longer settling--
--and given the heat of the day, it's probably a surprise Mamoru's not wearing a yukata. But, next best thing: a loose white unbuttoned cotton button-down over an undershirt, cargo shorts, and Birkenstocks. "Sorry I'm late!" he says, exchanging sunglasses for the spectacles in his shirt pocket. His hair's distressingly wonderfully windblown. "I was filling out paperwork. I'm not sure I want to just go to university at Infinity next year. Plus side, there were a crapton of Gastlies in the dean's office."
Luna is okay with hiding. The bribe is merely a bonus.
What's the point of catching fish you can't eat, anyway?
Usagi's eyes widen! "A restaurant?!" She eagerly scoots a bit closer. "I'd love to--"
Suddenly Usagi jerks and looks behind her a moment before Mamoru lands. As he's making his apologies, Usagi's already racing toward him and squeeing. "Mamo-chan~!" And then, perhaps with Much Enthusiasm because she can again, she tackles hard and snuggles against him.
She looks up at him, underside of her chin flat against his chest. "You wanna go to more than Infinity university?"
She wrinkles her nose and fights back a grin. "Even I know that's mathematically wrong, Mamo-chan!"
Kunzite's sidestep of the incoming Usagi happens almost as fast as she begins to move. Apparently this is something he's had substantial practice in. (Also, being between Usagi and Mamoru at any time is just not a good idea.) "Welcome back," he says, in much the same tone he's said everything else in. "Your lady might have left you a couple of crumbs, if you're hungry." He glances toward Haruka. "I trust you'll warn your parents, if you ever enact that plan." Cooking for someone is one thing. Going bankrupt is another...
There's a tiny, helpless little giggle from Haruka at the sight of Mamoru dropping out of his transformation. Puff, thankfully, explains it. "So Haruka's not the only one who transforms to get around-pafu!" Haruka fights to regain something less giggly and eventually settles, waving. "I think figuring out what you're doing for university is really important, so..." she shrugs.
At Kunzite's comment, Haruka shrugs helplessly. She's pretty sure her dad's natural portion size is excessive enough to compete with Usagi's appetite, and they've stayed in business for her whole life. "Thank you for inviting me over, Chiba-san. Serenity's helped a lot with... a lot of things." She definitely seems less tightly-wound than when she was here last time.
Mamoru makes what, for Usagi, is probably a satisfying oof at the moment of impact, and he catches her up and squeezes-- then cranes his neck to look down at her and her chin and neck flat against his chest. He blows a puff of air at her bangs. "I mean I don't necessarily want to take the easy route and just keep going to the same school for university," he explains patiently. "Especially considering that place's track record for evil. It'd be a nightmare if that got out and I tried to transfer credits. Who wants to take General Psych more than once? Not this guy."
Then he bends way down to kiss her forehead and straightens up again, glancing at Kunzite, then frowning and puffing up one cheek. A glance to Haruka. "Did you even get to eat anything? Jeez. Nah, I'm not hungry, I ate there." The omg rood of his own assessment of the situation's at least partly defanged by his running his hand through Usagi's hair and over her head, but it's still there.
Then he's just smiling easily, one arm still around the odango'd champion of love and justice. "Hey, I thought she might! You're super welcome. Also, if you're going to call her Serenity, you can call me Endymion-- I at least *answer* to it," he jokes. Then pauses. And blinks down at Usagi. "Wait a minute. You actually-- introduced yourself as--??" He looks hopeful. It's awkward.
She nods as best she could with her chin like that. "True. And I don't think a recommendation letter from a besotted girlfriend would change their minds."
Usagi gives Kunzite exaggeratedly large and wounded eyes. Then to Mamoru! Then she turns back to Haruka! "Tell them I left you food! I did! It's still there! And not just crumbs!"
However, hurt feel bads are shattered at the hopeful look in his eyes. She pulls back, a little, ducking her head and looking up at him with heavily apologetic and incredibly large eyes.
"I introduced her. Used her full title and everything. Though she was Serenity at the time. Progress, I think, until that bird opened that damn beak of his."
Okay. So Usagi may have forgiven, but Luna's allowed to hold grudges on her princess's behalf!
Usagi turns to Haruka with a sheepish smile. "Hello, my name is Usagi Tsukino, I'm very pleased to meet you!"
She turns back to give Mamoru the same look.
She knows he wants her comfortable in her own (older) skin, but...well, wouldn't he be happier if she had introduced herself and meant it?
There is food actually still there! Just ... rather less of it. Kunzite employs only so much hyperbole.
The other situation that he has to deal with is halfway apart from the situation that everyone else is dealing with; he's half sidestepped the primary conversation, off on the fringes of it. "Luna," he says mildly. There isn't even an audible note of reproof. He glances toward the bag Haruka is carrying, and says to it rather than to her, "I apologize for our guest's behavior. She gets a little wound up."
Yes, he is still providing her with pettings. And absently prepared for sudden 'accidental' clawmarks anyway, just in case.
Haruka turns a little red. "Usagi, then?" Haruka says. At Luna's comment, Haruka makes a bit-into-pith face. Mostly because she can't blame Luna for the comment, or Aroma for being... well, himself. "And I ate before I got here, too, Usagi, so you can definitely have the rest, if you want." Haruka's appetite only occasionally swings into incredibly heavy territory, after all. Usually after fighting. "Though I think you could have warned me about how quiet Kunzite-san is. If I'd've been transformed, I think I might have gone into orbit... Aroma almost did." She's laughing, though, taking the sting out of it.
Here's where Mamoru answers huge-eyes with a kind-eyed look that isn't even remotely disappointed, and he bends to kiss Usagi again, this time on the lips, quick and sweet. But he does let go and doesn't try to keep her there. "Hang in there," he says very quietly, with the hint of a smile: the one that's only ever just for her.
This all happens very fast, even if it feels like a moment out of time, because it's much more rude to be very kissyface in front of company-- and then he turns to laugh, and waves his hands a little helplessly. "There's no warning adequate for Kazuo's stealthiness. I think he gets a kick out of making people jump. I should have, though, so-- sorry. The other people who live here are Zoisite, who Aroma met-- and for whom I apologize, and if it's any consolation, Aroma-san, he was bent out of shape too-- and Nephrite, who's built like a linebacker but is as fluffy as a Tibetan mastiff in his heart and his hair-- and Jadeite, who's not terrifying at all and is the only one of my guys with short hair. He watches rom coms with Usako. Lots of other people are often here; like I said, it's practically Mahou Shoujo Grand Central. The Senshi are here more often than not-- that's Usa's girls. Aside from Usa, Makoto is here most often, and she's the one who does most of the cooking because she's a culinary genius."
All that said, he lets out a puff of air and gestures vaguely in the direction of the stairwell. "Tag me or anyone for a tour when you have time, there's almost always someone here and nobody will mind. You can tell them I said they wouldn't mind." That one has his eyes sparkling.
If 'accidental' chomps count, then that's what happens. But it's one bite, and doesn't really break skin. She does, however, give an indifferent look toward the bag. "Sorry." If you squint, it almost sounds like she means it. "I'm protective. And allowed to hold a grudge on a certain someone's behalf." She flashes her eyes at Kunzite. Not only because he's been victim of said grudge before, but she's pretty sure he'd do similar for Mamoru.
And Usagi is happy, happy, happy. And where she was a ball of energy not long ago, now she's, ahem, a sea of serenity as she lifts on her tip toes.
And heck, she thinks it was very kissyface and yay because it was in front of company!
So she's a happy bunny.
She nods along with his assessment of the guys, giggling at mastiff comparisons.
"Mako-chan makes yummy food! She's gonna be a world famous chef one day!" Preen! "And Ami-chan is so smart and everything! I'm glad those two made up. And Rei is pretty and feisty and pretty!" There's a blush, of course.
And she tries not to think how there's one less name on her list than on Mamoru's.
'Accidental' biting is coped with; Kunzite was expecting worse. Apparently the bribery habit is working. Not one word about the similarities between Luna's job with Usagi and his own with Mamoru. Especially not pointing out Mamoru's actual demonstration of why Kunzite mentioned that Usagi was not a pain on purpose. Why go into detail on the blatantly obvious, after all?
... it's a principle that serves him pretty well when Usagi only lists three names.
"I'd better warn them in advance," Kunzite says dryly about Mamoru's offer of an tour. (He doesn't dispute the explanation of the other residents, either.) He does start in the direction Mamoru gestured in, slowly enough to give Luna the option of escaping if she's not inclined to try for a snack. Possibly he's intenting to spook Nephrite or Jadeite via silent appearance, just on principle.