Minako Aino found herself a booth at the far back of the ice cream parlor and it was nice and quiet. Also. She totally had Artemis like scratch up the booth directly next to it so no one would sit down there and also she's stuffed like some yen in one of the scratch holes to also pay for the damage and hopefully they find that and don't sew it in! Whoops!
TMinako has this ridicolous bannana split in front of her as she texts.
TXT: Usagi-chan. I'm at the ice cream parlor downtown. I wanna come meet you. Also. I have Naru muffins for you! They are apple!
She then waits because Ice Cream AND Muffins should be like an instant Usagi-summon spell. In fact. She bets those are actually the components for one.
Artemis using a spoon with his paw to eat some of the bannana split. Minako doesn't seem to mind sharing it. Artemis is completely innocent looking about the clawed up booth next to this one by the back wall. Surely it was some other cat that did that.
Of course it's a summoning spell. Because ice cream ''and;; muffins Naru's made.
She grew up with those muffins.
But of course, first, she has to get dressed out of her school uniform. And so what if it's cuter than usual? So what if she smells pretty? Maybe if she made a good third first impression, Minako might stay around longer this time?
She doesn't respond until she's on her way, though. Because of nerves. And reasons.
TXT: Be there in a few, went home to get changed.
Short and sweet!
And of course, it's a very nervous Moon Rabbit who walks into the arcade.
Luna is coming along for the ride. She takes one look at the scratched up booth and hops onto the table. She looks at her fellow feline companion and sighs. "Really, Artemis?"
Usagi gives an awkward little wave, and a more awkward little smile. "Hi, Minako-chan."
Artemis says. "She wanted to talk private and she promised me swedish fish later." he insists.
She waves back. There's a brown bag with muffins in it. "Kazuo gave me muffins to give to you. I visited. I wasn't gonna say hi to anyone else because of the day." she admits. "But Mamoru said Kunzite was in a good mood? So I said hi anyways." she says.
She sort of fidgets. "I'm back. I mean for good this time. I had to do a lot of thinking." she says. "A lot of thinking." she says.
"I'm sorry..." she finally says as she sulks a bit and then she just kind of lets her head mope onto the table. "Like for everything. For being a giant fartbutt about things." she says.
"It's just..."
"Mamoru called it a mask? I wore a mask for a long time because I didn't want to hurt you guys and I didn't wanna think too hard about the things that hurt me either. So I did a lot of things and I said a lot of things trying to help but then I just made everything worse." she says.
"The mission is over. No more Sailor V! I mean. Like. Once in a while? Because she's famous? And she makes some people happy? But no more... vigilante lone wolf comic stuff." she says.
Artemis eats more of the sundae. "How have you been Luna." he asks. "Want some of this?" he asks offering a spoon with the other paw. Now you're wondering 'how is a cat holding a spoon', well it's clear that there's scotch tape holding it there and Minako definitly did that because how else will a cat eat a sundae with a spoon!? Lick it? Ew! She needs to eat it too!
"Oh. Right. Um. Do you want. Any ice cream? I mean. Of course you do! But what do you want? I'll go up and get it!" she says super nervously.
Luna sighs. "They'll stick in your teeth if you're not too careful. Maybe even your fur." Of all the horrors!
Usagi feels kind of like a deer in the headlights. Part of her wants to reassure Minako that everything's okay, really! But another part of her is afraid that if she blinks too long Minako will leave again!
"Well, um, sure, I mean yes, ice cream, yes. Please. Um, whatever. Looks good. On the menu."
Because, you know, if she avoids the apology she'll have time to formulate an answer.
Luna sniffs the spoon. "Yes, please. Thank you."
And suddenly, a spooned Luna is joining the banana split eating. Cat magic or something.
Luna looks at Artemis with large, red eyes. "How have you been? You've been taking care of yourself, right? Not that I missed you, or anything."
She really did.
Minako Aino gets up and runs to the counter. She returns a few minutes later with a sundae that looks like hers, except the bananas have also been chocolate dipped!
Minako is not usually this wordy but she feels she needs to. Explain herself.
"Ami got onto me about things. I mean, She has a right to!" she says, as if to catch any assumptions she's whining about it.
"You know why I didn't want to help defeat Kunzite that night with the ice. Before everything went down."
"Right?" she asks quietly. "It's something Ami-chan was upset at me about."
Artemis says. "I've been good. Making sure Minako does things right this time. Because she asked me to latch onto her face if she even thinks about stepping like a foot out of the Tokyo city limits."
Her eyes light up at the sight of the Sundae. Yummy!
Still, there are nerves!
She's sitting across the table when Minako comes back, hands very much wringing under the table.
Her nod is a bit eager. "Oh, no, I know! I mean, now I do! And I kinda did then! But, it wasn't the not doing it that hurt? It was just the...how." She shrugs, feeling so super awkward because that sounded so lame.
"But I'm glad you're back! I hope you do stay! I keep missing you when you're gone..."
Even after the refused kunzite attack, Usagi had missed Minako something fierce.
Luna gets a devious look in her eye as she grins a toothy grin. "I could help with that, if you want."
Minako Aino beams wide with a smile. "I am back! I'm not leaving! Nope!" she says. "But I mean I can say that, but now I gotta prove it." she says. "So we're going to go shopping and eat ice cream till we puke everyday for a month!"
Artemis sighs and rolls his eyes. "Minako, you can't do that everyday!"
"Fine at least twice a week!" she insists.
"Also you know. I'm going to say things if I feel bad and if I give advice I'm going to say why too and only if you ask for it or seem really stuck!" she says.
"-and if you ask questions I'm going to answer them and if I don't know I'm just going to say that because I do not know if I say that!" she insists.
"Because you're the princess and you're Sailor Moon and you're the leader and I'm just kind of second banana. See." she points to the other chocolate bannana. "I'm that banana." she says.
Did she seriously buy banana splits just to set up that up?
Artemis face faults and places a paw to his face. "Yes, yes please help me." he insists after that whole setup.
There's a moment where Usagi beams right back, all bright and sunshine.
It's, you know, her signature happy smile.
And she tries hard to have a Serious Face. "Twice a week sounds good. I still need to get in my Mamo-chan snuggles."
She nods along! Because yes! This is what she wants!
But sort of no! Because! "I think it's more like...I'm president off the Moonited States and you're the General and and and but I also don't want you to just be Generally I also want you to be Minako because I think Minako might be kind of...amazing? If we got to know each other?"
Because yes. All of her girls are amazing. She doesn't compute anything less with them.
And then...she gets the joke! And she breaks into giggles! Because bananas!
Luna's ears droop just a little. "I help you, you help me?"
Artemis whispers to Luna. "Help me get this spoon unstuck and we'll run away before they noticed what happen." he says as he waves the paw with the spoon.
Minako beams. "Yeah. That's also the idea. No more hiding. I mean. Don't tell anyone who I am? But I'll tell people who I am if it's important." she says.
"Also I wanna freak out the snakestaff guy again. What was his name? Ascyplatypus? Purple hair. One of Mamoru's guys I think." she asks. "Just one last time." she says shushing.
"But yes. More Minako. Less V. Slighty More Venus." she insists.
"That's my promise! Super double love promise!"
Artemis is already under the table waiting for Luna to join so they can scamper out before anyone notices.
Luna nods and helps with the spoon. "Yes. Let's run away together!" Double meaning not intended. Maybe.
Usagi eagerly zips her lips! She wouldn't even tell Mamoru, if he didn't already know, if it would keep her around! Then she giggles! "I don't know how to say his name. I just call him Snake Staff. Or Dai-kun."
She holds out her pinky! "Super Double Moon Promise!"
Luna joins Artemis. Her voice is low as she peeks around for signs of anyone paying attention. "I think Kunzite might have some tuna...If nothing else, we can get chin scritches without squealing cobra limbs."
Minako Aino nods up and down like she means bussiness! She isn't paying attention to the cats.
"Super Double Moon Promise!" she says, holding out her pinky and intertwining it with Usagi's. She gives it a squeeze and a shake up and down.
"Now let's finishes these ice creams and we'll go window shop! Or real shop and buy things because I realize all my clothes are one year out of date!" she says.
Artemis nods gravely. It's time to run away.
A pause. "Wait. Where did Artemis go!? Ugh! Nevermind. Let's just finish." she sings.