Problems Old and New

There were three of them leaving Kukai Souma's hospital room. But the one who knew both of the other two ... well. Makoto gave the older teenager, the one who identified himself as Kazuo Takeba, a Look. Whatever it meant, apparently he caught it, since he nodded back to her without breaking stride. Then she made polite excuses and was out of the group before they reached the doors. This situation is not her problem, at least for the next couple of minutes.

And then they are outside, and for a few moments at least, no-one else is coming either in or out.

"Asclepius." The name is spoken quietly. It's not one that was spoken inside at all. Kazuo does not look aside at Daisuke as he says it. "Thank you."

Daisuke Hansuke was happy to let 'Kazuo' and Makoto on thier way. They most likely had things to do, and he had to eventually get back to the office to finish some paperwork. None of it pressing, but working in your dad's office as the assistant who handles the front room sometimes- that was just part of the job.

He places a hand in his suit jacket's pocket and off he goes. Or. So he thought he was. Asclepius.

He's pretty sure he didn't use that name in the hospital room just now- nor did Makoto mention it. It also doesn't help that Kazuo reeks of that familiarity.

So Daisuke does what Kazuo at least partly expects. He stops and he turns around. He walks back towards Kazuo. He seems to be searching Kazuo's face again. Now, out of the situation in the hospital room, and outside, he's able to let his mind wander and think without other pressing thoughts-- which means that flash of recognition flashes across his eyes. It's a simple blink at first. Then a step back. It seems to be surprise.

LUCKILY, he doesn't try to follow this up with anything like trying to slug Kazuo in the face. Instead it looks like he's trying to compose himself suddenly. "I apologize." he says frankly. "For not recognizing you sooner, Kunzite". No 'Lord' title. Then again he doesn't call Mamoru 'Lord' either.

"I meant to drop by Mamoru's apartment a while ago, and say hello. But I've been really busy with some pressing concerns of things I'm involved with." he says politely. He raises a hand and waves it. "Don't thank me for what I did just now. I do what I can when I can. If I could do that for everyone in there, I would- but there's obvious reasons why I cannot." he gives a small, albiet curt smile.

Well, he isn't /attacking/ at least?

It would've been good odds that that Look of Makoto's translated into 'try not to start a fight outside a hospital,' yes -- except that Daisuke wouldn't be likely to permit a fight outside a hospital, let alone get into one. It may just have been 'behave yourself.'

There's a slight hint of expression in the too-young face, something briefly wry. "No fault in that. I'm out of uniform." Forever, possibly. In the case of one uniform -- forever, hopefully. "Doing what you can is worth thanks in itself." Gray eyes glint, for a moment. "So is the courtesy of saying 'pressing concerns' rather than 'anything else.' Not that anyone would fault you for the latter."

He stands silent for a moment, studying Daisuke, that curt smile, the rich colors he wears. And then says, straightforward, "I'm in your debt for what you did last winter. What I know of. Likely more that I don't. Mamoru has first claim on my time. But if you have need, call."

Daisuke Hansuke gives a soft smile still, no ill will here it seems. "I know what you're referring too. I'm sure the prince is going to keep you on the straight and narrow now-- of course he's always had your time first and foremost." he says. This is a fact. He knows it's a fact. He nods.

"They are pressing. I do a lot of charity work in the city. Perhaps you'd like to join me sometimes?" he asks. "No worries, if not." he says.

"Mamoru says no one is holding any grudges. I'm glad for that." he says honestly. "It was one of my worries. Considering. It's easier when folks can get along." he says.

"Not that people don't have a right to be upset. But I belive in second chances." he says.

Then a pause. "Everyone else. Is everyone else doing well?" he asks with a hopeful look. "I really need to visit soon now." he says.

He shakes his head. "Right. No worries. About me being upset." he says. "Or silliness like that. Besides, I'm the worst at lectures and yelling about as intimidating as a five year old with an attitude." he gives a crooked smile.

"Besides, I don't think Mamoru would be very impressed with me if I was upset for longer than like an hour at any of you." he does pause a moment.

Then he shivers. "Wait does that mean you all remember your time. Over there?" he says a little concernedly. "Ugh. I can only imagine how that must feel if it's true..." he muses.

They'll get back to that five-year-old with an attitude comment in a few months, perhaps. For now -- Kazuo nods to the suggestion of his joining Daisuke at charity work, brief and sharp. No telling how often or when, not with the way Mamoru's life tends to run, but the principle is agreed upon as surely as if Daisuke were taking away a signed contract.

Other questions need a little more verbose of an answer. Or at least a verbal one. "I understand you've seen Mamoru, so you have an idea how well he's recovering," he says. "Jadeite is several months ahead of the rest of us, for obvious reasons. Nephrite --" He glances back toward the doors, then shrugs slightly. "Makoto is here." As if that explained Nephrite's condition in its entirety. "And Zoisite is himself." As if that explained Zoisite's condition in its entirety ... or explained, at least, how very difficult it would be to be sure, when the young man has always been able to flicker from mood to mood within the span of a sentence.

... and there's one more actual question. Kazuo's expression has been steady as he spoke, showing little to nothing of his reactions, not since the moment of self-mockery earlier. It shadows now, if only for a moment. "Yes. The four of us do. A necessary thing, in the long run. One can only learn from what one remembers."

Of course he agreed to the suggestion of charity work. If he counts himself in Daisuke's debt, what does he think he owes the city he came close to destroying?

Daisuke Hansuke has to snort a bit but he covers it, because he almost giggles when Kunzite says Zoisite is himself, which really explains anything if his memories are to be belived. He just shakes his head a little bit. "Excuse me that was rude." he says a bit.

He takes a deep breath as he runs a hand up his face and flits his bangs a bit. But...

"Look..if.. you guys. Ever need to talk about that. I'm here, if you don't feel comfortable talking about it with anyone else." he says. "But I can understand never wanting to think about it ever again."

He places his hands into his pockets a moment.

He looks down, a little. "I guess I feel kind of bad that, there wasn't more I could do during all that." he says. "Not really useful in a fight. Was able to heal a lot of folks after the fact."

"No one really trusted me at first either." he says. "That kind of hurt." he admits. "I don't think no one knew what to make of me. Maybe I wasn't expected." he says. "Then again, considering most everyone else ending up with Beryl... I could understand keeping me at arms length too." he says. "Or be an easily capturable liability even if I was on the up and up." he smiles.

"By the way..."

"The uh. Planty Alien Stalker. What's the word on that?" he asks. "Not handled yet? I've been keeping my eyes open."

Rude? That? There's the briefest of flickers of amusement in the glance Kazuo casts Daisuke's way. Evidently his expectations of etiquette are a little more lax than Dai's -- but that's to be expected. (Even back then -- even back then, when it was literally part of his job to blend in with the court, and when rumor had it that he had no existence outside his job at all -- he was always a little behind the times.)

Then Daisuke makes the offer, and that is not taken lightly. The man who stood as the Dark General of the Middle East (for -- how long? they knew about a year, more or less; Sailor V fought alone for a year before that; but how long were they there before the Dark Kingdom turned its eyes to Tokyo?) regards Daisuke silently and heavily for several long seconds.

"Your offer is appreciated," he says. "And I'll tell the others. But we will all hope, I think, that none of us ever needs to take you up on that."

His expression is what it almost always is. Calm and neutral to the point of nearly being nonexistent. If there are nightmares behind his eyes, he doesn't let them show.

When Daisuke looks down and speaks, Kazuo shakes his head. "That you didn't see the results of your actions," he says, "doesn't mean they didn't happen. You kept half a dozen children out of that fight. Saved them from going through that. Saved your allies from having to fight them, and from taking potential losses in doing so. You kept more busy while they were fighting. That woman you took care of, last winter. What was her name, Miss White? When we fought in the north, she kept Beryl herself from killing Endymion and Moon. There are certain people without whose efforts we would, all of us, all this world, be dead or worse. Never think that you are not one of them."

Never think that, in Beryl's service, Kunzite was not making the healers his first targets. That was how Mamoru came to their attention, how it led to his being stolen and corrupted. That was how Daisuke might have...

No. That's not a useful line of conversation.

Planty Alien Stalker. "Him." Kazuo's eyes close, just for a moment. Open again as three people crowded around a wheelchair that one of them is pushing come through the doors, not so far behind them. "That's not a conversation to have outdoors. Do you happen to know anywhere nearby -- without greenery?"

Daisuke Hansuke looks around. "There's a cafe around here somewhere." he says. He motions Kazuo along. "Indoors. I could use something to drink." he says. Off to a small cafe. It has an outdoor area. But it also has an indoor area and that's where he leads Kazuo into. No plants inside. Well. There is one. But it is so blazingly fake-- it's like a tiny palm tree.

"Fake." he motions to it.

"Do you want anything?" he asks as he walks to the counter. He orders. He'll order-- or let Kunzite order, what he wants. IF he wants anything at all. He'll pay for it.

He'll find a place to sit.

When he's settled, that's when he sits down. "Miss White, yes." he says. "But Miss White also seems responsible for putting Kukai in the hospital. But she also did as you said. It seems to be hard to pin her down." he says. "In my head, which side she's on." he says.

"But Mamoru seems to know for sure, so."

He places a hand on the table as he shakes his head. "I don't doubt the help I give- but at the same time I wish there was more I can do. So maybe I do doubt, and just don't want to admit it." he says.

He takes a sip of what he ordered, which appears to be some sort of iced tea, with some sort of spice in it. Possibly, a kick in the pants.

"So tell me about the situation with the alien, then." he says. "No plants here, unless they can hear through walls. Or theres some mold growing underneath that countertop back there buttttt this place has a pretty good bill of health." he says.

"You know, I notice that kind of thing, working in a doctor's office." he says.

The question is solved by splitting the orders, and by silent insistence. Kazuo pays for his own coffee; the process is something like a very brief, quiet ritual. See, world: here is actual money being exchanged, rather than a casual influence being exerted on a mind to make someone believe that he or she has already been paid, or never needed to be. Here is an attempt at being fair, even in the small things. They have a long way to go; but they're trying.

When they're seated, he doesn't drink; he wraps both hands around the cup instead, as if the heat were of more use to him than the liquid. "Miss White," he says, "has a habit of tampering with things she shouldn't. She plays her own game. Perhaps one day we'll learn what stakes she thinks she's playing for."

Doubt or lack thereof -- that's another thing Kazuo listens to silently. it's absorbed, acknowledged with a blink. Perhaps he has some idea of his own, about what might make Daisuke feel as if he weren't doing enough. If he does, it's not one that he voices.

Perhaps, again, they might both be happier that way.

"Fiore," he says. "He met Mamoru when they were both children; Mamoru was kind to him, and it seems the boy didn't know kindness. He spent years trying to find a way to return it. That wish was taken advantage of. Fiore as he is now is much as we were a little while ago -- a vessel being used by a malevolent power. We know that his own mind still exists; Mamoru was able to wake him for a few seconds. But for the most part, what is talking is corrupted, deceived, controlled.

"The being controlling him is using him at least in part to disperse certain flowers. They drain energy from those near them, then eventually become monsters. Its purpose for them is to drain the life of the planet entirely, to the point at which the remaining husk of the world collapses in on itself. Mamoru reports that at least Fiore, and possibly the flowers at some stage, can also conscript the local plant life directly. Generally after that point he starts muttering about lawnmowers and napalm, and then changes the subject."

Daisuke Hansuke takes another sip. Mmmmm overly spiced tea. He is listening. Taking it all in as he taps his foot a little. "Fiore. Okay that's his name." he says. He listens as he places his hands back down on the table.

He ponders this. "Okay so he's just being controlled by some sort of intelligence like you four were. Being taken advantage of, lied to and all that whole sheebang." he sighs and leans his head down against the table using one arm to prop his head up. "That's just great." he says with that air of sarcasm. It isn't great at all! "So you gotta defeat the being controlling him to free him-- or try to get him away from that thing's power- or any other countless possible soultions I'm not thinking of." he says.

"Do we even know what it is?" he says. "I mean, the being controlling him." he mutters.

He sips his drink again, lifting his head back up.

He doesn't seem to have much more to say on the matter of Miss White, it seems, at the moment. "If there's anything I can do to help, let me know. But I'm unsure I can help much with this, aside from the usual. Plants aren't my strong point. Unless we're talking watering the plants in the office every morning." he says.

Now if only properly spiced coffee were more readily available. But it's Japan; it's only a matter of time till something close to right drifts into fashion, and then it'll be around somewhere forever.

What the thing controlling him is? "Probably a flower," Kunzite says, and adds in his usual deadpan, "From outer space."

Princesses of planets, demons from the sun, and yet somehow mind-controlling monster flowers from outer space are still not quite in the realm of 'able to be talked about seriously even when actually being taken seriously.'

He studies Daisuke for a moment. "Mn. We need to find some of these things, in part to minimize damage where we can, in part to see whether we can track back from them to their principal. You just said that you work in a doctor's office. Presumably, as these things spread, more people will be losing energy, growing exhausted. The last we saw was too exhausted to make it to seeing a physician; still, you may be able to detect victims before we do. If you do, if you can tell us -- that might give us a chance to find the flowers draining them, and try to get some of the information we need to fight these things."

    Natsumi was trying to enjoy a nice cool icecream - not because it provided any nourishment at all, but because it did cool her down considerably from this darned weather! Siiiiigh, space was so much cooler than earth, but hey, it was full of life, and what better place to harvest energy for the Majaiku?

    Speaking of aliens..Her naturally keen ears cant help but pick up snippets of a certain conversation going on right behind her, involving aliens and space botny!? The heck!?

    Well....They might be subtle people, but Natsumi certainly is not! She suddenly stands up, moving towards their table. "Hey! Did you say something? About alien space plants!?" Could it be....?

    Oh yeah, she's talking a little louder than she should, probably cuz she couldn't care less! They all think she's a weirdo anyway!!

Daisuke Hansuke nods. "Oh...!" he says. "Right then, yeah. Are the signs just an energy drain? Things like that? I can watch for that, that's easy." he says softly. "I try to watch for things like that anyways- but- can always ask questions. Ask if they bought any new plants recently, things like that." he says. "I'm not practicing, but I do handle the front desk for my dad there." he says.

"I'm training to be a veternarian, but I'm picking up valuable office skills working in dad's practice." he insists.

He goes to say more when a girl behind them shoots up and asks about space plants.

He looks abousltely deadpan. "Yes, we were talking about the latest movie in theaters, 'Attack of the Space Plants from Space'." he says as he sips his spiced tea, somehow, he does not, in fact, devolve into giggling fits at the name of the movie he completely made up. It's pretty horrid.

It's a better cover than saying 'Yes' to some complete stranger.

Kazuo nods back to Daisuke, thoughtful. "That seems reasonable. People blame anything on aller--"

Attention from someone else. Note to self: keep commentary even more quiet, next time.

Kazuo tips his head to regard Natsumi evenly, fingers of both hands still laced around his cup. "It's a remake of that old American film," he supplies deadpan in support of Daisuke. There has to be an old American film that title would fit. Possibly even by that title.

    Natsumi arches a brow, uncertain if they are joking or serious. Heck, where she comes from, energy draining plants are quite common, so why would they make a movie of a culture that's only recently moved to Tokyo? Had she and Ail become famous while she was sick? But that's bizarre, as they certainly dont shower people in energy draining flowers.

    She stares back at them, not looking terribly amused. "Um...Really? Seriously? Like, a documentary, you mean? But how did they know...Er, I mean..I was only curious, because.." Because why? She thought there might be another alien out there, stealing energy? That perhaps Ail and herself were not alone, afterall?

    "Well, because I happen to be a member of the space botany club, in school. We're...Uh..Studying space plants! And I'm looking for some good specimens!" she smiles, although her smile looks kinda...Creepy..

Daisuke Hansuke stares. Member of the ...space... botany... club.....

Space...botany...club...

He has to repeat this in his head a few times. "T--they uh. Let anyone with an idea make a club nowadays in Public Schools, don't they? I think maybe my dad was right to send me to Verone now." he says as he takes a bigger gulp of the Spiced Tea.

He gives Kunzite a look a look that says 'This can't be for real, right?' as he looks back at Natsumi. "You uh, okay there? You're really tripping over your words there." he asks. "Why don't you get a drink? Eh?" he asks as he crosses his arms a bit, looking back down to Kunzite as he blinks once again. Yeah Daisuke is stumped it seems.

"I don't think I heard about one of those at mine, either," Kazuo says. There is a definite difference between his standard nonexpression and an actual blank look. It's possible to tell, because this is one of the latter. Was there a space botany club at Infinity? It's infinity, there might be, for all he knows...

Wait. Documentary?

He's only been able to place Fiore in male disguises, though. And this girl might be stumbling over her words, but she's not stumbling over her center of gravity. No. No, not Fiore.

"How would you identify a space plant specimen?" he asks the girl a moment later. "Just out of curiosity, of course."

    "Hmm..?" she scratches her head as she tries to read his confused expression, which only makes her all the more confused. And that confusion rapidly turns to annoyance. "Hey! Are you making fun of me!? So what if I happen to be interested in unusual plant species!? Just because you think it's all a joke doesn't mean you get to make a fool out of me, you big stupid jerk!"

    Grrrr, Natsumi is soooooo tempted to drain his energy right now, but there are too many people around. Maybe she'll wait until he leaves the cafe. Then she'll teach him for making fun of her! Either way, she'll definitely add this jerkhead to 'the list', and let the Cardians go extra hard on him!

    And then Kunzite asks her a more intelligent question and she smirks. "Oh! Well, sometimes we study meteorites and find traces of tiny plants that can only be identified through a microscope. But plants that managed not to break up and survived their travel here might still possess some kinda space dust like what's found in meteorites, as well as unusual levels of elements that dont occur anywhere on earth, or only in trace amounts. That's the kinda stuff we're studying in the space botany club!"

    Hey, at least she knows her stuff!

    Although...Maybe Natsumi gave too much away with that documentary shindig! "So you see, space plants really DO exist, just like rocks from other planets can fall to earth. That's why it's silly to write Science Fiction movies about them!" There, that should do. Hopefully.

Daisuke Hansuke sip. "I'm not making fun." he frowns.

"But." he says. "This sounds rather silly. Doesn't it?" he asks. "Why did you think that's actually a thing anyways?" he asks as he leans forward. "'Plants from Space'?"He narrows his eyes as he shakes his head a bit and sits back. As far as he knows, Natsumi is just a really, really mundane strange girl.

So he's trying to get her intrested in another topic besides 'Space Plants that actually exist and are dangerous and wanna eat your energy.'. Daisuke wouldn't wanna risk energy draining horror on anyone really...

Even strange girls who eavesdrop!

"Hey, so what's your name? I'm Daisuke Hansuke." he says softly. "Verone. Animal Care Club." he says.

There's not a lot of notice for Kunzite that his prince is doing something gleefully stupid and yet -- in some ways -- eminently practical. Also wildly unpleasant. Kind of a kamikaze buzz in the back of his mind in a Mamoruesque direction and a somewhat frantic YOLO sort of feeling.

And then, punctuating Natsumi's statement about the silliness of science fiction movies, a black-haired high school senior falls to the pavement just outside the picture windows of the short building, literally right next to where the three young people are sitting and/or conversing. Probably off the roof. Probably. He lands, improbably, like a cat-- but it was a fall in just the right middle-ground between 'too far' and 'not far at all' to cause a jarring stumble, and the boy's palm slaps against the window to steady himself from falling to his knees.

For a half-second, he just stands there looking somewhat ill and unnerved, focusing on breathing, and then he seems to realize that his hand is on a window, and people look out of windows, and his bespectacled face glances up in sheepish alarm. Yeah it's Mamoru. It gets more sheepish when he sees Kunzite, downright embarrassed when he sees Daisuke, and flat-out full-featured apologetically wincing when he sees Natsumi.

Then he straightens up and brushes himself off, clearly pretending that didn't just happen, and nonchalantly walks over to and through the door. "Hi," he says matter-of-factly, still a little paler than normal, which these days is pretty pale anyway. Almost space elf pale. Almost space elf green, in fact, but that's a short-lived side effect of the dramamine wearing off.

-- that's actually a good explanation. "Like the speculation about that comet that probe landed on -- what was the name of it? Rosetta?" That bit of news caught Kunzite's attention, briefly, the summer before; after all, the potential of identifying alien life might be a genuine threat in several ways, or yield a potential ally to subjugate and recruit. But that didn't particularly pan out, as he recalls --

He stops, and his head lifts a little, in the instant before there is suddenly a boy on the far side of the window.

Eyes flicker sideways. Linger there long enough to determine that there are no compound fractures, and hopefully no other fractures either. And then they drop, and Kazuo actually drinks his coffee, mostly so that he's not obligated to say anything while Mamoru is making his way around to the door.

'Hi' is cue for him to set down the cup. Look back up again. Arch one pale eyebrow. "Parkour?"

    Natsumi just continues to glare at Daisuke, not one to easily let go of grudges. And she carefully considers her next words, wanting to know if they really did find alien plants that weren't related to the Makaiju, or if they really WERE talking about a sci fi movie.

    "Well...Because we haven't yet found any big space plant specimens - that is, anything that you can see with the naked eye, so I got a little excited when I heard you talking about that kinda stuff..Although the energy draining part is kinda...Scary.." She even shivers a bit, to make her statement more convincing.

    He asks her name and she just glares at him, folding her arms and looking the other way. "Hmph! I refuse! Besides, everyone knows that animals eat plants!!"

    And then, to make things interesting, and a little scary, given they were just talking about energy draining plants, a....Very handsome man falls from the sky, and Natsumi gasps, running to the window to peer at him, reddenning a bit. Wow...He's...Kinda....Hot!

    "Oh! Um...Um...Are you..Okay!? What happened? You just...Fell from the sky!?"

Daisuke Hansuke sees something fast moving out from the corner of his eye and it's distractive enough that he turns to look and-- it's Mamoru. He blinks. His first thought is: 'Just Mamoru just fall from the Sky?' and the second thought is 'Is he Kamen'ing without the Tux?' and the Third thought is 'Wait is he okay!?' so he blinks and gives Mamoru a wave. "Hey Mamoru." he says. "You look like you're about to loose everything you ate in the last hour, you okay?" he asks. He'd offer some sort of healy help but-- well uh.

Natsumi.

Who is blushing, and then going to go see if Mamoru is okay. Girls blushing at Mamoru is not a new occurance- this is fairly normal. So it's like the one normal thing Natsumi has done so far.

So that's good! Right?

"Parkour." he insists after Kunzite.

"Parkour," agrees Mamoru, hoping his dress shoes are invisible. But not in the way that would make sock feet the mode of the day. He's made it almost to the table before Natsumi comes closer, blushing and somewhat frantic with her 'are you okays'; he holds up his hands in front of him, eyes widening, and takes a half step back. "I'm fine! Parkour! I misjudged distances and missed the roof." Which is actually entirely true and woefully normal, though it has nothing to do with parkour, which he's absurdly good at in henshin. "I'm fine," he insists.

A beat.

"It's just a little discombobulating to expect solidity beneath your feet and get nothing," he adds lamely. "That looks like nice tea. I hope I didn't interrupt anything." Then he glances between Daisuke and Natsumi, a crafty expression forming on his pretty, pretty face. "Like a da~ate~..."

On the one hand: Natsumi being distracted is a good thing.

On the other hand: space botany documentary girl instantly focusing on Mamoru.

Kazuo resists the urge to close his eyes and hide his face in a hand. It's something he has a great deal of practice with not doing, one way or another.

"One of these days you're going to break something important doing that," he notes, but there's no more emotional load or urgency in the sentence than if he were discussing how much more difficult it is to lay hands on a reputable physical newspaper these days. His eyes do narrow just a trifle at Mamoru afterward. "I don't know about these two, but I'm not dating either of them. Much less both."

    "Huh? What? Parkour?! What the heck does that mean, anyways, and WHY does everyone keep saying it!?" the entire time, she's staring at Mamoru, a little too long and a little too hard. Hmmmmm, what a hottie, she'll make him hers for sure!

    "Hi! I'm Natsumi Ginga! What's your name!? Do you go to Seiyou Public School!? That's where I go, but I've never seen you there before! How old are you? Ooh, do you have a girlfriend!?"

    Her questions are very bold, blunt and unapologetic. Hey, she's an alien, she has a perfect excuse for being that way, maybe!?

    Glancing briefly outside the window, Natsumi scratches her head in confusion, trying to figure out where he fell from. "Err...So were you trying to fly, or did you just fall off the rooftop because you're really clumsy!?"

    Then Mamoru mentions a date and she makes a date. "Umm seriously!? Like I'd go on a date with these two bozos...Buuut...~" and she sidles up to Mamoru, clutching his arm, "~I'd be terribly flattered if you asked ME out on a date!!!~" she's batting her eyes at him now, gazing deeply into his beautiful blue eyes. C'mon, say yes! How could you resist beautiful sexy alien girl who's into space botany!?

Daisuke Hansuke raises a brow at Mamoru and gives him a lull back in his eyes, Mamoru why are you such a jerk he doesn't like this girllllll. Luckily, she doesn't like either of them! Horra--wait a minute, Bozos!?

"Bozos!?" he remarks as he places his hands on the top of the table. "Yeah no, we just met her here today." he says softly sighing and throwing a hand up and off a moment, waving it away.

He sort of frowns a bit and shakes his head. "It's good tea! It has a bit of spice in it. Would you like some?" he asks at Mamoru. "I mean without the spice. Not with the way you just looked." he purses his lips a moment as he looks at Kazuo with a frown, yeah being called Bozo ruined his mood. Whelp.

At least he gets to watch the fallout of 'Sorry, I have a girlfriend'. He looks back to Mamoru and Natsumi.

"I didn't think you were," Mamoru tells Kazuo drily, edging around Natsumi just enough to slip a hand past the side of the booth and put a hand on the white-haired boy's shoulder. The hand stays there, and tightens a little when Natsumi comes even closer, getting in his personal space.

Then she clutches his arm and he's abruptly let go in order to start trying to pry her off, expression shifted immediately into 'incredibly dismayed'. "Please let go. I go to Infinity, I'm a third-year high schooler; I have a girlfriend, yes. She's amazing. I wasn't trying to fly, don't be ridiculous. Parkour is the sport wherein one attempts to get from place 'a' to place 'b' using the fastest possible route, in theory, but has grown in practice to involve theatrical aerial gymnastics and wall-running. It's fun. And don't call my friends bozos, it's very rude." Distractedly, he glances at Daisuke. "Um! No, with spice, it's just a side effect, I tried that without taking another dose of dramamine--"

She's not letting go.

"Ku--Kazuo?" he pleads, alarmed.

Daisuke's look gets one in return, though there's no more frown there than usual -- no less of one particularly, either, but Kunzite's expression is primarily steady. Maybe resigned. Being called names by teenaged girls may be a thing he's used to by now, for some reason or other.

At Mamoru's appeal, on the other hand, the white-haired teenager, who apparently goes by Kazuo, sighs (without ever losing any other outer sign of that general calm) and removes his hands from his coffee cup. Mostly so that he can leave it on the table when he stands.

It was possible to tell that he wasn't small while he was sitting down. On his feet, he's a good five centimeters taller than Mamoru, which means the top of Natsumi's head comes substantially short of being level with his shoulder.

He sets one hand on Mamoru's arm, just above where Natsumi clings. Takes a half-step in that direction, coming just far enough into her personal space that a human native to this culture would feel pointedly crowded. His tone stays polite, even pleasant. "I can confirm," he says, "that he's not available." Also that his girlfriend is amazing, but that's not the immediate point.

    Natsumi's eyes widen when he talks about going to Infinity....Hmmm, she'll have to do a stake-out there from time to time, so she can catch him on his way to school. "Ooh, Infinity, huh? that's where all the super talented prodigies go! I'll bet you're super smart too, huh? But what's your name? I'm Natsumi Ginga! Isn't that a pretty name?"

    She bluntly repeats her name as if he hadn't heard her the first time, but her smile quickly turns to a frown when he says he already has a girlfriend, and that she's amazing.

    "Ohh....Ummm....Really? Seriously?" Then 'Kazuo' suddenly steps into her personal space, and she gasps at his scary height, gasping and quickly letting go of his arm, seeming quite..Upset, all of a sudden. Well, dammit! If he's already got a girlfriend, how will she steal him? Unless, she acts so sickly sweet that he cant resist her, and then foils things with his stupid girlfriend! Aha! Perfect!

    Looking back at the others, she suddenly smiles sweetly, apologetically, "Oh! I'm SO SORRY about that! I didnt realize I was squeezing you, I guess I dont know my own strength! And...Err..." she winces, this is so disgusting, stooping to their level, but she wants to impress Mr. Cute Guy who still didnt give her his name!

    "Aaannnd, I'm SOOO SORRY I called you 'bozos!' You see, I'm from a foreign country where 'Bozo' sounds similar to another word in my language, meaning 'bright and talented, so I was actually paying you a compliment..Orr, maybe it got lost in the translation!" She giggles nervously.

    :"Soooo, Mr. cute guy who still hasn't given me his name yet, were you trying to jump from one roof top to another to try to get to this cafe as quickly as possible, because taking public transit or driving a car was too much trouble?!" she smirks, still batting her eyes at him, smiling sweetly, almost teasingly. "Cuz that's really..Umm...Sweet! I'll bet you're a star athlete too!"

Daisuke Hansuke crosses his arms. "Fine." he says with a frown. Did he buy it? Well he's willing to, for now, as not to cause a scene to help one along as one seems to be growing around the girl and Mamoru and Kunzite moving to get the girl away from Mamoru.

He sighs and places a hand on his forehead and let's it run down a moment as he stands and walks over to the counter and buys a tea- exactly like his is done up. Tea. Spice. It gives it a kick. He comes back, after paying for it, and he politely offers the tea to Mamoru. "Here." he says softly. "This'll help calm you after. All that. And All This." he says apologetically.

He walks back to his seat and sits down again as he purses his lips again in thought.

"Very taken!" agrees Mamoru fervently, definitely staying within the shield of Kazuo's personal space as Natsumi backs off. "And I'm just some guy, honestly. Parkour's just a hobby. Lots of people do it. I was actually looking for Kazuo." He seems to be really good at not introducing himself.

And really close to his Kazuo guy for someone who has a girlfriend.

And then Daisuke's gotten him some tea, and without moving away from the white-haired wall he has his back to, he takes it with an absurd amount of gratitude. "Thanks. It smells amazing."

He holds it in both hands, then regards Natsumi for a moment. "I'm really very unavailable. It's not a good idea to keep flirting with me."

Letting go of Mamoru's arm results in Kazuo shifting a little back -- only a little, but enough to provide a reward for good behavior. While still giving Mamoru an implicit protective bubble. "Thank you for the compliment, then, Ginga-san," he says, tone just as even. "If you find the specimens you're looking for, I look forward to seeing you publish."

Apparently the Infinity student comes with a pet bodyguard. On the bright side, if he's third-year in high school, Kazuo's too old to actually accompany him all the way to classes.

On the down side, Infinity is, well, a University. Hm.

    Natsumi stares at the spicy tea, which kinda smells nice, but probably tastes nothing like pure, refined energy. "What..is that stuff, anyway? Tea?" she peers at it curiously, then looks back at Daisuke questioningly. "I mean..We dont drink that stuff back in my country.."

    Finally she looks back at Mr.Cute, her smile rapidly fading as he continues to refuse to give his name. "Ummm seriously? What's with the name games, keeping me guessing and stuff? It's not like I'm gonna STALK you or anything, just trying to be friends! Afterall, it's pretty lonely, coming from a far away country, not really knowing anyone. And you seemed..Nice.." Natsumi only glances briefly at Kazuo as he actually thanks her! Woah, maybe he really isnt a Bozo! at any rate. "Well..If you DO happen to find any interesting...Space..Flowers, please let me know!"

    Glancing back at Mamoru, in spite of his warnings, Natsumi would continue to persist with the flirting and trying to get Mamoru's name, but the moment she opens her mouth to speak, Natsumi is suddenly dizzy and exhausted, clutching the table as she nearly falls to the ground, panting for breath. "Ugghh.....What's happening?" She clutches her stomach as if she were suddenly very hungry..."I...I......" And suddenly bolts for the exit, staggering outside.

Daisuke Hansuke blinks. "It's Tea. With a little Spice-- Cinnamon, Ginger, things like that, to give it some bite. Try it sometimes. You might like it." he says with a best of a smile as he can to the odd girl. He then deflates when she turns to face Mamoru.

And then suddenly the girl is bolting after making a flustered mess of herself. "Woah--hey are---"

And she's gone. He frowns a bit and crosses his arms.

"Okay. She's gone." he says as he throws his hands up. He sighs and shakes his head.

He turns back to the other two. "Should we go try to chase her?" he asks.

"I'm not nice," Mamoru retorts, "I'm a jerk. You can ask anyone. Just go up to them and say 'Is Darien Shields a jerk?' They should know, if I'm a prodigy and a star athlete." He clutches his tea protectively, and then his eyes widen as she clutches her stomach and gets dizzy and confused and flees.

"Shimatta," he mutters, putting his tea down without even getting a sip. "Yes, we should." That's even more irritable. And he finally steps away from Kunzite, but it's to reach a hand out to clap Daisuke on the back of the shoulder and give him an enormous charge of energy. "Or at least you should," he adds cheerfully. "She's not interested in stalking you, and if I'm even a little bit nice to her she'll take it as flirting back or something. If you're not back in thirty seconds we'll come after you."

And then he glances sidelong at Kunzite. "Space flowers?"

"Apparently," Kunzite answers Mamoru, "Seiyou Public has a Space Botany club. With members with very good hearing who can't tell the difference between science fiction films and documentaries. And are incensed at the idea that animals eat plants. Just as well that no-one explained tea to her."

He glances out the window after Natsumi, and his frown grows a little more marked as -- despite the clutching at her stomach -- she's already not visible. Maybe she ducked around a corner.

Maybe he's already counting that thirty seconds.

Daisuke Hansuke nrg, he really doesn't want to chase the weird girl but even Daisuke saw that was real discomfort the girl had. So he takes a step out and looks up and down the street and blinks. She juuuust left and he can't see her!? Where did she go!? It's a straight away in either direction! She couldn't be THAT fast...

Could she?

He scratches his head, takes a few feet down the right ways. A few feet down the left ways and--- nope nothing. he returns in about thirty two seconds.

"Yeah, okay. That girl is fast. Sorry. Can't see her. Figured she wouldn't be moving too fast." he says with a shrug.

"Space Flowers, yeah. She overheard mine and Kazuo's discussion I guess. Seems to think they exist. Acted real weird." he says as he frowns and shrugs.

He looks at Mamoru. "Darien Shields." he says deadpan.

"I'll try to remember that name for last time."

It's quite a Look that Mamoru gives Kunzite as he takes out his pocketwatch, then glances down at it. "Seriously? Maybe Zoisite'll set her on fire if she tries anything weird," he says with a sigh, leaning against the side of the booth and picking up his tea-- finally sipping it.

He silently watches the face of his legendary timepiece, then pockets it and sets the tea down again, pushing off to start for the door. Before he gets there, Daisuke comes back in, and -- more relieved than he's about to admit -- Mamoru goes back and picks up his tea again. "But she goes to Seiyou. Better warn the girls," he observes. "I'll do that in a few; Usa and I think Rei? Are picking me up shortly. Saburo'll take me home from the shrine."

They're both on their way to the door, when Daisuke comes in. No matter that he was visible through it for most of that thirty-odd seconds. In case --

But nothing happened. Not this time.

Daisuke receives a nod for his comment about the girl's speed. Mamoru ... Mamoru gets one of those level looks. "I'll keep you company till you meet them." It's in the category of stating the obvious, really. But when Mamoru's in the mood to experiment with teleportation in the city, Kunzite's not above taking a moment to make a point.

Daisuke Hansuke purses his lips with a sigh and crosses his arms. "Right." he says. "Yeah- yeah-- Last thing we need is another creepy stalker following you around." he mutters.

"At least she just seemed weird. I'm hoping that's all." he says.

"Anyways. I'll let you two get on your way then." he says as he places his hands into his pockets again. "Maybe I'll go a direction and see if I can't find her anyways." he mutters.

"Starting to feel bad." he says. "About that." he says as he begins away. He gives a little salut wave.

He pauses. "Right. Kazuo, I'll visit soon like I said!" he smiles. "Just need to finish what's on my plate first~" he says as he begins- off down the sidewalk!

Mamoru's eyebrows go up at Kunzite. "You seem to be under the impression that's some kind of punishment," he says mildly, then gives Daisuke an apologetic smile. "Don't feel too bad. I mean, she chose to run off. Maybe it's just cramps. If she mugs you in an alley and tries to stick a flower in your lapel, yell for help!" he tells the purple-haired boy brightly, waving in return. "And definitely drop by, yeah! Looking like Monday nights are Mario Kart nights, in case you want to play!"

He sips his tea again, then eyes Kunzite sidelong again, after Daisuke's away down the sidewalk. "What was that sigh about? I didn't want to push her around."

"Be careful if you do find her," Kazuo says to Daisuke's mutter, while apparently ignoring Mamoru's some-kind-of-punishment line. ... he does not, shortly thereafter, ignore the question. He glances back to Mamoru instead. "That was the sound of my wondering which I should start making a habit of carrying outside the apartment. Herbicide, or a crowbar. Possibly both."