2437/Chillin, But Not Like Villains

Chillin, But Not Like Villains
Date of Scene:	28 March 2025
Location:	Game Crown Arcade
Synopsis:	A good old fashioned social - Usagi and Rei are hanging out at the arcade, and find themselves quickly joined by Haruka, Setsuna, Hotaru, Mamoru, and Masato. The Slow Will Continue, As Morale Improves.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Haruka Tenoh, Rei Hino, Mamoru Chiba, Hotaru Tomoe, Nephrite, Setsuna Meiou

---

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It's a beautiful Friday afternoon, and nothing has gone wrong, which honestly feels like a miracle. Game Center Crown has recovered from the damage it took, being first the site of a Black Moon Clan attack and then the temporary hide-out of the False Sailor Mars created by the Princess of Sarek's enemies - today, there's even a half-off sale on Fruit Parlor Crown's snacks, if you've bought tokens! For Usagi Tsukino, who loves snacking as much as she loves gaming, this is a no-brainer. Snacks! Games! And spending time with -

"Rei-chan, you'll play a game with me after we're done snacking, won't you?"

She's got fries and a chocolate-and-raspberries parfait and she is easing into that sugar high like someone going up, up, up on a rollercoaster.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Hotaru had been with her adopted, proper family - the other Outer Senshi - for a few days now. Long enough that Haruka and Setsuna were a little more okay with her leaving the house again. She'd been hugged and snuggled and loved on - and now, thanks to Usagi's invite, it was time to further spoil the small child with ice cream.

    And before that, to give her a re-introduction to Haruka's driving. Which meant also subjecting Setsuna to Haruka's driving. Even though the car was electric, that didn't seem to do anything to prevent Haruka from challenging speed limits and occasionally physics, though by the time she got to the Crown, she had mostly gotten it out of her system and the parking itself was more polite.

    After getting out she still immediately moved to Hotaru's door and made sure she got out okay, she was a bit helicopter-papa sometimes still.

    So she was there with Hotaru and Setsuna as they all walked into the Crown Arcade, with the Fruits Parlor Crown above it.

    "Yo, Usagi-chan." Haruka says when she spots the odangoes. And maybe gently pushes Hotaru towards the woman who, in Henshin, pulled her and her alter ego back from the brink.

Rei Hino has posed:
Rei Hino sighs as she was dragged to the arcade by Usagi. "I don't wanna be here - after what happened with my... twin sister." But she's there nonetheless. She has chosen more savory snacks - some takoyaki and sushi. "It's _so_ unfair that you can eat all that and not gain a pound. And yes, I've been practicing that new Sailor Moon game after closing time at the shrine. I can probably do better than you at it." She smiles enigmatically as she looks around - it's kinda slow right now - just after reopening from a "natural disaster", people are hesitant to show up. She jingles her purse, a decente amount of game tokens in it.

She then stiffens and glances towards the door. "Someone's coming..." she whispers, voice tinged with dread.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
And coming in right on cue are a couple of brand new high school seniors, and the one with short black hair is in the process of putting his earplugs in -- Crown is always a little louder than he's comfortable with, and he'd like to stay longer than half an hour tops.

"I am glad you're feeling better," Mamoru tells Masato Sanjouin, colloquially known generally as Neph, because Endymion's habits die hard. "But I'm supposed to be the drama king--"

Then he sees who's in there and waves, calling, "Yo!" and dragging Neph by the sleeve over to where Usagi and Rei are, and where the Outers are heading. "Can we sit with you?"

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe was doing better... was doing so, so much better. She was stronger, happier, more... calm. It likely felt strange at times, seeing the girl so often sitting there, relaxed, reading a book or any number of other things.

... And just being. Of course, just because she was 'being'... didn't mean she wasn't still there. But she didn't feel as... doomed anymore. She felt... like when the time came? She'd go for a reason. And she didn't feel the need to desperately try and stop others from worrying about her.

She still enjoyed her dark colors, her horror movies... and Haruka's driving. With every wild turn she'd let out an excited 'Weeeee!' and giggle happily as they'd spin in another direction, eyes glimmering with glee.

But when they arrived? She was still a little shaky, if from adrenaline if nothing else. And she happily took Haruka's hand, letting the other girl guide her out of the car and towards the shop...

Only for her eyes to light up a little more when she saw USagi and Mamoru! And some of her ex-coworkers! Giving them a little wave...

It might have been a bit odd to have her NOT run over and hug them, or giddily jump around, but... it was a calm, reserved, but happy wave when she saw them. One without concealed, hidden pain behind it.

Nephrite has posed:
Taller than most and marked by fashionable clothing and long wavy locks, Masato removed the sunglasses from his face. Sapphire eyes held Mamoru sidelong and his mouth ticked.

"You should've known better, letting him loose in my apartment like that. Get him a bell collar or something, next time--"

He trailed off as he was pulled along, with some measure of reluctance, towards the others. Oh, good. It was going to be one of those days. The 'act casual' days. The 'everything is great now, haha, thanks, no this is not at all awkward, what do you mean' days.

Rather than force a smile, he simply did his best to keep step with Mamoru, and offered a curt gesture of his hand.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
As Setsuna walks in with Hotaru and Haruka, she's obviously a bit discombobulated...probably because she just got out of a vehicle being piloted by Haruka Tenoh.

Which, in her experience, has tended to be an exercise in prayer to higher powers.

Still, Hotaru seems to enjoy the terrifying experience for reasons that are beyond her understanding, so she buckles herself in securely and spends a LOT of time gripping the Jesus handles for dear life.

Fortunately, the ordeal is over.

FOR NOW.

And so Setsuna walks in a half step behind Haruka and Hotaru...and after a moment she reaches into a pocket and comes up with two small but obviously full coin purses full of tokens which she absently hands to the other two Outer Senshi.

Apparently, Setsuna has a supply of said tokens?

Having supplied her housemates, she wanders over towards Usagi and the others, "Good afternoon, everyone."

Along the way, she obviously takes a good long look around the place...as if looking for a particular arcade machine and it's location post-repairs.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Pfft, are you kidding? With all the running around we do, it's only for my health that I have to eat all this deliciousnesss."

Yes, the chocolate ice cream and brownie and raspberry pieces and raspberry syrup are all for her health, and so are the french fries she's dipping into it. Definitely. Who could doubt her?

But then Rei is challenging her, and while she's not as competitive as some people, she certainly has pride!

"Oh yeah? Then we'll see! A race to the high score it is!"

Usagi, you can't just declare things like that! Oh well, there's no Luna here to rein her in. Instead, there's friends piling in - Haruka and Mamoru and Hotaru and Setsuna and Nephrite.

...one of those things is not like the others, but nothing to worry about! It's not like he'd pull a Zoisite, there's no one he's crushing on around!

"Hey, everyone! Me and Rei-chan are fueling up before it's time to crush! These! Games!" She cheers with those last three words, though not at too high a volume, and scoots in her place to make sure Mamoru to sit next to her, grinning.

"Isn't it great to be on break?"

For lo and behold, they are not! Yet! In! School!

Rei Hino has posed:
Rei Hino raises an eyebrow at Usagi's enthusiasm, though staring at the door as everyone decided to show up - friends, allies, and... Masato. She's still uncertain what to think about the former enemy turned ally. Maybe that's what she was sensing. "You know, if our night job keeps being so slow, you'll have to ACTUALLY do some running to keep yourself fit," she muses softly before rising up, gesturing to Hotaru. "Hello, Hotaru-chan," she states, matching the small one's stoicism with some of her own. "I am glad that you seem to be in good health. We all worry about you at times." She returns to her seat by Usagi, patting the seat next to her in the booth, an invitation to the youngest one present.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru slides into the booth next to Usagi and kisses her head, right in front of her odango. Then he kicks out a chair and pulls it around with his foot so Neph can sit next to him. "Zoi moved in with Neph," the prince explains, and then he looks at his guardian with his eyebrows up. "You know exactly what kind of leash he's on. Beyond that, you think I can actually control what he does? He's a feral child. I'm siccing Rashmi-chan on him and making my opinions known with disappointed or disapproving looks."

Then he waves to Setsuna and Haruka and Hotaru specifically, while stealing a couple of Usagi's fries, and he grimaces at something Rei says. "Don't jinx it, slow is amazing. I love a good slow," he tells her fervently.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka looks up at Setsuna with a curious expression when the token bag lands in her hand but she doesn't say anything specific about it.
    "Oh, Chiba-kun is here too. And... Sanjouin-kun?" Haruka asks, reaching for the name clearly, but digging it out of somewhere. "And Hino-san." It had been a long time since she'd seen Rei directly; she hadn't encountered her clone, too busy with other projects in Tokyo.

    "That is the only circumstance in which slow is good." Haruka comments in regards to things not falling apart into one apocalypse or another, not directly, since Mistress 9 turned into her adorable adopted... little sister? Daughter? She wasn't sure, she just knew family.

    "Still though, sprinters need a break every so often." she confirms.

Nephrite has posed:
It was always fairly impressive how... exuberant and full of energy Usagi seemed to perpetually be, but this place in particular held an amplifying effect on it, Masato thought.

It is only a moment before he meets the eyes of Rei Hino, the slightest prickling felt at the back of his neck, though her attention moves on quickly. Incredulity, no doubt.

"Well, I won't argue with you." He shrugs at Mamoru, "Feral child tangled in his own leash sounds fairly apt to me. Still..." He slides his sunglasses into a pocket inside his jacket, moving to be seated with a slight incline of his head towards Usagi first, and then reviews the others. "Yes, I've left my den of disease, no thanks to Zoisite. Fully recovered now. Hello."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"This whole slow thing is going just the way it should, and that's why we can't acknowledge it! Not even a little! Or else who knows what will happen! It's like bragging about how many great matches you've been having, right before the game match-makes you to hell again!" Her arms are raised into an X, for NO, NO, NO, before she drops them in order to lean against Mamoru, all schmoop and no gloom.

"It's good to see you again, Masato-kun," she greets him with a little smile and nod. "Especially since you didn't end up giving Mamochan whatever Izou-kun gave you."

She had been a little worried about that, admittedly, if only because with their high cuddle percentage, there would be no chance for her to escape the sick if Mamoru got the ick.

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe blinked as she took the tokens, before giving a small grin to Setsuna. "Thank you Setsuna-mama," she said in a gentle, relaxed tone. "Can I get an orange cream smoothie?" she asked the tallest of the outers, before making her way towards Usagi and the others. What? She was their princess. She liked being near her and...

"Usagi-senpai, Mamoru-senpai," she said and... she offered her hand towards Mamoru? He'd... hopefully take the hand, or touch it, and get a small message if he looked. 'I'd like to speak with you privately later, if you could? Please?'

There was something she needed to confirm with him before she... well... involved others. Something... she doubted but...

She then glanced towards the plethora of foods layed out before her princess, like the royal banquet before royalty. And had, for a moment, an anime sweatdrop. "I-I see. I... I imagine you will utterly crush them, senpai." She was still getting used to the 'mahou hunger'. Her role before had, oddly, left her free of it. Now? She was beginning to eat full meals and experience real hunger she never had before.

It was neat.

She smiled up at Rei and nodded. "Thank you, Rei-senpai. I... I hope I won't make you worry much. I'll try to not be a cause for much concern."

"... Oh dear... are... one of your friends sick?" she asked, concern on her face.

Rei Hino has posed:
Rei Hino smirks at Haruka. "Tenoh-san. I'm surprised that you can even speak the word 'slow'. She hums softly, shooting a sideeye towards Masato. She still doesn't fully trust his quartet, but tolerates it. As a fellow psychic, he's probably picking up on her disquiet. But Rei is good at hiding her true feelings. She has to be the stoic shrine maiden to those who come seeking her advice and occasional flame-readings - being a typical emotional teenage girl ruins the image. "Mayhaps. But civilian life is so boring. Watching Usagi cry after I beat her at her favorite game will only get me so far." She glances at Hotaru, smiling faintly, before returning her gaze to Usagi - then decides to slip out of the booth instead before being trapped in, heading to the arcade. "Well, better get started." She sits down in front of one of the new Sailor Moon games - amazing how quickly they got made after the senshi started their business - and put in her first token. She glances back at Usasgi and winks before turning to the screen, her 'game face' on.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Setsuna smiles and nods to Hotaru, "Of course you can, Hotaru."

She glances off to the side again, then makes a wordless sound of happy surprise, "...just come find me when you're ready...in the meantime, I need to go re-establish dominance over that game cabinet over there..."

As Setsuna turns to start walking away, she pauses as something occurs to her, "Oh, Rei-san...I've got something that you have as good a claim to as anyone, come see me later and I'll go get it for you."

And with that said, she walks a short distance away...and apparently the game cabinet in question is the most recent DDR derivitave.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka smiles back at Rei. "If I couldn't say the word slow, how would I possibly be able to speak about the people that race against me?" she asks with a smirk. Foot race or car race or motorcycle race. One of those was more public, at least.

    "It's good to see so many of us gathered together, though." She says - even as the gathering starts to migrate towards some of the gaming machines and she grins. Her dominance over the racing machines would have been well in hand already. But she does lurk over towards where Rei is playing her game to watch idly. It also gives Usagi and Mamoru some space.

    "Is everything alright?" She asks Rei when there's a moment between stages. She's aware enough to not start her conversation right in the middle of a stage - not if she's trying to meet Usagi's score. "I didn't sense anything on the wind, but you seem a bit tense." she offers.

Nephrite has posed:
"It is good to see me, isn't it?" Masato responds very casually to Usagi, a flippant smile given. "I think that every time I look into a mirror. But yes... Thankfully everyone else was spared of the plague."

Masato clicks his tongue, glancing away as the other girls move off to amusements. He looks good, to be sure, but he knows he sticks out here like a sore thumb, and not simply for the disconnect to the Senshi present. There's a Karaoke machine somewhere in this stars-forsaken building. He knows it. He can sense its presence. It's calling to him. He ignores it for now.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"We all have things we're feral children tangled up in their toddler leashes about, Neph," Mamoru says with a little smile, and he steals some more of Usagi's fries. "Just don't say okay if Hawkmoth makes you an offer for temporary powers to let you get what you want if you get really pissed at him."

This last is so cheery. He slides his arm up around Usagi's back, hand warm where it settles, and he grins at Setsuna. "Definitely kick its ass, Setsuna-san."

The prince blinks as Hotaru offers him her hands, and one hand is busy but the other one he meets Hotaru's touch with-- and then he nods to her and lets go. "They're both better now. But Zoisite-- you had some unfortunate run-ins with him as Firefly-- got sick and then got Masato-kun here sick because they're roommates."

He does give Rei an apologetic look as she leaves the table to go start playing -- he picked up on her disquiet all right, and given the side-eye, he's pretty sure he knows why Rei is unsettled. But there's no dark energy in his boys anymore, no more Metalia...

Then he almost chokes on some of Usagi's milkshake because of Neph's answer to Usagi. He starts laughing, and his free hand comes up to drag down his face.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
!!!

"I don't cry that much, and it's not fair that none of the Sailor Games are shooters, I'm great at those," Usagi bemoans, watching Rei head off towards the game cabinet. To Mamoru - and Hotaru, when she's close enough, she says, "This is fine. This is totally fine, see, now that she's going first, I just have to see what score she gets, and beat it."

It's fine! She's a whole streamer, when and if she loses, she does it with poise, grace, and not a single tear. On camera.

But Haruka's stepped away towards Rei, and Usagi hasn't seen the two of them get to spend too much time together, so rather than interrupt, she laughs a little at Masato, shaking her head. "I think I forgot how confident you are, but I guess you're about as shameless as I am."

Should she run off after Setsuna, cheer her on? Or should she hover here in the center, getting to know Masato and Hotaru more, now that both of them are more settled? The fact that she still has fries and parfait ultimately decides it, if only because Motoki really will give her the evil eye if she takes her snacks over...

"Yeah, do not take the butterfly just because he promises you'll be able to get your frustrations out. You could accidentally be way more successful than you thought."

Rei Hino has posed:
Rei Hino gives Setsuna a thumbs-up at the comment of some 'gift' as she begins the game - obliterating level 1 in two minutes flat. She finishes level 2 with one of her best efforts, a flawless victory. She pauses the machine to glance at Haruka as she approaches. "I dunno - other than being terrified that someone will succumb to the siren song of karakoe and I'll have to rip Mamo-kun's earplugs out to save my own sanity..." She sighs softly. "Seriously, It's either that I still don't trust Mamo's friends yet or..." She trails off. "It's probably nothing. I'm probably just paranoid but in my experience, things neve stay quiet long." She murmurs, "I'll do a fire reading tonight." She turns back to level 3, noting that Usagi has little plans on leaving her... feast. More points for her. "Glad things are working out with Hotaru-chan, by the way," she states as she zeroes in on the game

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe looked relieved when Mamoru agreed. Yayyyy. She just... needed to know one thing. For now, though, that thing could wait. She didn't want to ruin his mood. Instead, she glanced to Masato and smiled. "Hee hee. It's cute when you say things like that, it reminds me of Riventon-senpai. It's cute," she said, with a happy look before glancing back to Mamoru. "Right... Zoisite... oh... I wonder... if I should apologize for that... I think I almost killed him then. Or would have... but... Oh... oh dear. Poor thing. I don't think he'll die from it, though. I'm sure he'll be fine."

She looks to Rei for a moment before... Heading off to order her shake (on Setsuna's tab), before returning soon with her shake. She walks up besides Rei. "Ummm... Rei-senpai? Could you teach me this one?" she asked, giving a nervous smile. She'd never had much of a chance to know this one, and she'd like the chance to... That and playing the sailor V games with another person made her wanna go 'Eeeee!'

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka shakes her head. "The wind always picks up aftert a lull. Enjoy the calm while we have it." she suggests to Rei. "And..."

    "I don't think you need to trust them unconditionally." she says, her voice lower. "I don't. I remember when I had to cross swords with our wavy-haired friend while he was working for Creepy Lady." she notes. "But we also have to give them some room to prove they're going to be the guys they can be, not the guys they were... Hotaru just did a stint as a tall creepy evil lady and Usagi pulled her back. It wasn't quite the same but... you know... one chance." she says. It's notable, that she says one.

    But Hotaru is coming up now and Haruka steps back just slightly. "And see, Hotaru's fine now!" she adds, ruffling the glaive senshi's hair.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
For those who look over at Setsuna, she's stepping up onto the DDR platform...and those who don't know her well probably think she's a bit mad as she's still wearing her customary high heels as she goes to play a high-speed dance game.

Tokens in, she taps her way through the menus, looking for a good song.

After a few moments, the greenhaired woman smiles and makes a selection.

The song that comes up is probably not going to be recognized for the cover it is, as the original is older than nearly everyone in the building...but this one's sped up to be more of a current dance number...and a tough song to run on a DDR cabinet.

But Setsuna seems to be doing it.

Somehow.

One might accuse her of cheating...if it weren't obvious from watching the flashes that she actually is hitting the beats when it says she is.

...if nobody can PROVE you're cheating...is it cheating at all?

Rei Hino has posed:
Rei Hino smiles as she finishes up level 3 on her machine. "Trust but verify, Haruna-san," she muses. "Very well. I'll try to be more cordial." She then smiles as she gestures to the machine next to her. "Since _someone_ who shall remain nameless is trying to force-close the snack bar here... this is one of the older Sailor V games - sixth edition so they fine-tuned it." She shows Hotaru how to navitate to the easy mode. "It's a beat-em-up - you just defeat all the enemies and get tothe end of the lvel." Sudden clicking and beeping caught her ears as she turns her gaze to see Setsuna _wrecking_ Dance Dance Revolution on a rather advanced song. "'Maniac', huh... didn't take her for liking that song." She then turns back to showing Hotaru how to play. She is focusing on the younger girl next to her, not paying much attention to Usagi and the boys right now.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Honestly, it's really nice to see everyone just... hanging out. You could almost forget we have a secret base in a magical pocket dimension hidden under the Sailor V cabinet." Usagi smiles warmly, as if she hasn't dropped a surprise on at least one person here - she can't be sure if Mamoru's remembered to tell his boys about the secret base Luna had implanted for them beneath this very arcade, but if he hasn't? This is a great way to start.

But with that said, she stands, tips her chocolate parfait back to drain the rest -

And saunters off to see how Rei is doing.

Just in time to hear - "Hey! I am not trying to force-close the snack bar, I'm just making sure I got my moneys worth. And you know, you're doing pretty good here, but that goon's gonna get you in the back if you don't dodge."

There's not a goon about to shoot her. But if she dodges, one will totally leap down on her from above.

Slowly, she turns her head to face Setsuna, who is absolutely demolitioning a game... "Man, one of these days, I've got to put her up against Hinoiri-chan."

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe nodded and listened closely to Rei's advice, giving a light giggle when Haruka ruffles her hair. She... could not even try to focus on Setsuna's DDR game. Her legs were new and they would not survive. Instead, she nodded and listened to all of Rei's advice.

"So, punch everything, try not to get in anyone's way..." she mumbled softly. "You know, the first Sailor Senshi I fought was Sailor V. She made a whole new attack just for me. It was pretty cool, I felt like such a big deal... I think she thought I actually wanted to win, though, so it was pretty wild. She trounced me."

"How far have you gotten in this game before, Rei-senpai?"

Nephrite has posed:
Masato's jaw set, and he smiled tersely.

It took him a great deal of restraint not to scowl, the mere mention of the To-Be-Best-Man bastard, right now-- couldn't he just take an unfortunate tumble down a set of stairs, come Summer? Surely they could arrange that?

His head turned in the direction of Tenoh and Hino, murmuring out of earshot. He could feel that prickle on the back of his neck again. His eyes narrowed.

He turned a look to Mamoru and Usagi--slocking back the remains of a chocolate parfait-- and felt the urge to seek out the Karaoke machine oddly tripled. Spite, perhaps. "Under the Sailor V cabinet. Right. Of course. Why not?"

He stands now, tugging at his jacket as he moves off towards the Karaoke Cabinet instead.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka turns to look at Usagi. "Hinoiri-chan? Have you ever seen that girl compete at anything? If you put them in a DDR booth you better make sure it's far away from Tokyo. Like back on the moon or another planet. Somewhere the two of them can't cause more destruction than a jilted crone of a seer in Paris." she says, laughing.

    Haruka steps aside as her Princess comes up - the area is getting crowded and she wants to give everyone space and of all of them she's the least interested in the screen itself.

    She does notice Nephrite heading for kareoke, but she isn't as afraid of it. He's a guy who looks like he can sing. Or if he can't, wouldn't want to be seen sounding terrible. Style respect style.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
After blowing through a few songs and finishing with one of her favorites, 'Mamboleo', Setsuna puts in her name on the high score list, then steps down to let someone else have a go before she wanders off...

Only to turn up a short time later near the bigger group absently sipping a milkshake of some variety and looking to see how the competition between Usagi and Rei is coming along...and how well Hotaru is picking up the re-tuned classib beat-em-up.

Nephrite has posed:
It was nothing if not a flex. There was virtually nothing else that Masato could have held his own at here, video games and competitive-- destructive-- dancing quite alien to him. He had no skill or familiarity there. But as a budding utaite in his own right, and with a long history of personal flair and performance, Karaoke was something he could do.

Mamoru brought him here to make good impressions, and 'have a good time with his own age group', and Masato would be damned if he failed in that expectation.

He was already cycling through songs, holding a microphone as he searched for something catchy. Something to dance to.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The reference to Beryl - in that way - makes Usagi stifle a shriek of laughter, shaking her head. "Look! They wouldn't be that bad! Hinoiri-chan's gotten a lot better now that she's got regular magic and also spent weeks and maybe months in a time loop."

That sure is a sentence she just said. Their lives are insane. She doesn't notice Nephrite making his way towards the machine, focused in for the moment on her girls.

"Yeah, Rei-chan, how far have you gotten in this one?" Her princess is such a troll.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru says cheerfully to Usagi, "If you want to game, I can watch your food for you while I listen to the dulcet tones of a boy having a grand old time in the karaoke booth."

He eats another couple of her fries and picks up her milkshake again, continuing to just. Help himself.

Rei Hino has posed:
Rei Hino fidgets as she does see Masato at the karaoke machine. She pulls an ofuda out of her pocket... then sighs and puts it back. "Behave, Rei," she mutters to herself. "I've beaten the game - just trying to best my top score. Focus and concentration are your allies, Usagi-chan." She glances at Hotaru who seems to be managing easy mode decently. "Pssst, Usagi... do you have a spare set of earplugs? Or two?" She gestures towards the karaoke machine. "How far have YOU gotten in the game that features someone you know very well?" she counters, gesturing to the second Sailor Moon cabinet next to the one she's methodically obliterating.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi shifts a little when she sees Rei fidgeting, turning her head to see - oh, hey, is Masato going to sing? That should be pretty - "Mhm, I try to keep a spare, since Mamochan doesn't like loud noises," she answers slowly, and then, after a moment, digs into her bag to pull a pair out. "Here. But I don't think Masato-kun will be bad at this. Mamochan's boys have too much ego to make a fool of themselves in front of us."

It's matter-of-fact and cheerful, without a bit of scorn, but Rei has still been given the airbuds.

"I've totally beaten this game! Sure, not as fast as Ami-chan did when she first tried, but I'm great at it now!"

And then she settles herself at the cartridge, loading her first token -

"MAMOCHAN, I WAS GOING TO EAT THAT!"

And promptly loses half her health bar as she realizes Mamoru is eating her food. Uh oh, guess she's going to have to work doubly hard to not bite it in front of Rei, Hotaru, Haruka, and Setsuna!

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka smiled at her friends. It was nice. Just being around them. Usagi, Rei, Setsuna, Mamoru ... Hotaru, finally... her eyes wandered over to Nephrite - to Masato Sanjouin, the man who she is sure Rei's concerns will be... overexaggerated for. The group that was assembled, while it wasn't everyone... it was all a group of old, familiar souls.

    She ruffles Hotaru one last time and walks over closer to the karaoke booth to stand near it. She grins. "I won't make fun of you. Unless you suck." she says with that smirk on her face. "So no pressure, right?"

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe was, admittedly, doing decently well. She'd never played before, but Rei was a good teacher. And Hotaru... reallllllly wanted to impress her. A lot. A very much lot. She was her senpai, both as an older student AND as a magical girl AND as a senshi. So... making her not think that she was a loser was very important to her.

... But good wasn't perfect. And it wasn't too long before she was losing lives, as more and more enemies spawned in. As she fell before their might. And soon? The sound of her death hit...

She'd only made it two stages in or so. And now? She had failed. Her eyes lowered a little and she gave a very soft 'oh'. "I'm... sorry..." she whispered gently. "I ummmm... I'm sorry... I didn't do that well... But ummmmm... How about I watch how you do it? I usually learn that way best anyway..." she said with a gentle smile.

It was also soothing to watch them play... But remember, Usagi. Now your Kohai was watching and learning from you.

Nephrite has posed:
Sapphire eyes turned to Haruka, pressing through the buttons as he was. But Masato offered a small smirk in return. "That's fine by me. But I'll at least expect you to at least do better on the next song to back it up."

A small and good-natured challenge, of a kind. Perhaps even roping Tenoh into a duet, later. No doubt, that would please a small crowd. There was still a competitive streak in him for pride, too, that he thought might be satisfied by such games.

This machine was fairly unforgiving. It tracked the accuracy of notes as the singer went and scored them on a screen behind. Masato seemed almost smug, however, as the music began-- Mongol800, Chiisana Koi no Uta.

Rei Hino has posed:
Rei Hino smiles faintly. "Hotaru, you did well for your first attempt," she muses softly. "It's only a game. It's not like the galaxy is at stake because you didn't beat level 2 of a Sailor V game. But if you want..." She slides over to the second Sailor V cabinet to show Hotaru some strategies. She doesn't fear her high score being replaced anytime soon as Usagi biffed it in level 1 of her gameplay. She hums, subconsciously echoing the karaoke music though she'd never admit it, as she is teaching Hotaru.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Despite biffing it - and despite the watchful eyes - as Nephrite's smooth voice rings out over the din, Usagi does well at the rest of the level, carrying on at just about Rei's speed, and then continuing into the next level. She's at a disadvantage, having lower health, but she does pretty well for herself.

"Rei-chan's right about that, Hotaru-chan. It is just a game - and you're just starting out! You've got to learn the controls, how to move, how fast you react, how the enemies react - you did great for your first time."

A moment, as the song continues, as they each play their games.

"Masato-kun is pretty great at this. Maybe we should hire him to sing at our wedding with Wako-chan? I wonder if that would make him less mad about the whole... best man thing, with Riventon. ...maybe not."