2670/Every Mahoujin Knows Their True Enemey Is a Pile of Homework

Every Mahoujin Knows Their True Enemey Is a Pile of Homework
Date of Scene:	03 July 2025
Location:	School Library
Synopsis:	Usagi Tsukino has camped out in the library to catch up on a massive pile of homework - and it looks like she's not the only one with work to do. Over the course of the afternoon, Zephy, Amy, Masato, and Chiyo all stop in.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Zephyr Windstar, Amanda Faust, Chiyo Sakai, Nephrite

---

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It's an ordinary week day, and Usagi Tsukino is spending an afternoon in the library, begrudgingly working on homework with the notes Ami had lovingly, painstakingly, written out for her during her time as New Moon.

It's a lot of homework, but her teachers have mostly agreed (thanks Headmistress!) to boost her grades if she finishes all the homework and passes her exams, so she's been studying. And studying.

And studying.

No one's god can save her.

She's still in her school uniform, sitting in a table by a window on the third floor of the library, surrounded by piles of crumpled paper, notebooks, and Luna, who's keeping watch to make sure she doesn't decide to just read manga instead.

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    While Zephyr isn't enrolled at the academy, nor has she been keeping up with current events, she has been hanging around the campus, offering her own small oasis for those working hard to catch up on work for various reasons.

    That leads the tall foreigner to the library, and to the blonde working feverishly under the auspices of the small black cat.

    "Need a pick-me-up?" she asks in accented japanese, setting a sweating bottle of peach soda on the desk... careful not to smudge any notes with the condensation.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy did fall behind after a couple weeks of not being able to focus on class after Crystal Tokyo, but working harder in class and a few days of focusing on schoolwork after class since then have saved her! Like, she's not going to get a lot of As this semester or anything, but maybe she won't have to do summer school!

    Still, she does need to keep on top of things, and... "Usagi-chan? Luna? Ummm... Soda girl?" She greets the others as she looks up from her phone and walks up to the growing impromptu gathering in her school uniform as well. "How's it going? Um,"

    She looks to Usagi. "Want a study-buddy for the Japanese stuff? Ah, and I'm no Mizuno-san but if I can help at all with the STEM stuff, I'm happy to..." although she doesn't sound so certain that she's much good at teaching it. "Oh right, and English..."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai ducks into the library with the look of someone trying to escape being chased. The look only lasts a moment before she composes herself with a deep breath so she can continue further in seeking out the easily spotted dangos of her cousin's hairstyle.

Along with the typical school bag slung over her shoulder there was also the new addition of the Kendo bag carrying the bamboo practice sword inside. Dressed otherwise in her school uniform she makes her way through the rows of books to the table Usagi, Amy, and Zephyr were at flashing the grouping a tired grin.

"I brought snacks," she offers quietly as she pauses to greet Luna with a gentle head-pat if allowed. "For after, though," she adds with a sigh and a wary glance around. "If you see a redhead or a skinny blue haired guy in here, let me know. I'm skipping practice. I need a break."

Nephrite has posed:
A rather tall young man is also emerging from behind some library stacks with a few books under his arm, and he's flouting any rules about drinks or snacks as well. He's sipping at a can of lemonade.

He, too, is dressed in school uniform, in shirt and tie and trousers. Wavy brown hair loose about shoulders. His sleeves are pushed up to elbows.

When he spots the others in their group, he wanders over happy enough to be gently distracted. He looks over the amount of work Usagi has and clicks his tongue. "Well, that's unfortunate." He nods to Luna and glances at the others. "Is this a support group or something?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Luna notices the girl with the soda first, lifting her head, pricking her ears, and she can't be sure if she's magical, so she lowers her head again soon. Technically, cats aren't supposed to be in the library, but Luna has her own ways of getting into buildings, and Usagi cannot escape her.

Usagi notices when the can is set down beside her, and she flails a little, nearly falling out of her seat.

"Wah! Oh - thank you!" She has never turned down a treat before and she will not do it now. Hematite had had to literally save her from multiple dark energy treats and she has not improved. She will never change. "You're....Zephyr-chan, right? I've seen you around campus! No one's sure what class you're in though."

Honestly, there are national spy services less skilled at gathering social information than Usagi Tsukino.

When Amy joins them, she waves cheerfully, "Sure! I mean, you won't save me, but maybe I'll fail less."

Next comes Chiyo, with Masato her heels, and she looks curiously over at the kendo bag on the former's shoulder. "Are you hiding from Takuto-kun and Sugata-kun? Did you join kendo club? Why would you do that? Kazuo-kun likes kendo club."

She looks to Masato, gesturing.

"Tell her! Kazuo-kun liking something is practically like, a guarantee that it's some kind of torture. Also, no we're just - actually, maybe."

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    Zephyr offers a wave to Amy. "Zephyr. Zephyr Windstar." she offers by way of introduction, coiling all the others that approach in the general introduction. "And... I'm not in any class. I work at Jan Ken Pop, we're working something out with the faculty, to open an outlet in the cafeteria." she offers in explanation.

    She reaches into a thermal satchel she has over her shoulder, and tugs out more bottles to hand out. They're all blessedly cold, and Zephyr seems to know what flavour each person might like, though she's certainly not precient. One is offered to Masato, one to Amy and one to Chiyo.

Nephrite has posed:
"It's true," Masato nodded to Chiyo. "He stoically goes about everything in the most detail oriented way possible... so that he can do the exact minimum required."

He lifts his can to muse over the rim, "And the exact minimum in Kendo is getting solidly smacked with bamboo. I'd pass on that, too."

Zephyr Windstar sounds like a name from a commune in America, but he doesn't say so. That would be rude, and she's being kind enough to offer him another drink-- to his taste, no less, which is interesting-- so he just nods. "Thanks... It's nice to meet you. Masato Sanjouin."

Amanda Faust has posed:
You won't save me, but maybe I'll fail less.

    "Awwwwh." Amy walks around the table and leans over to give Usagi a quick hug. Then stands up again. "It's not fair. You went through all that to save the world from whatever those maniacs would do with the silver crystals, and your reward is summer school?"

    Chiyo comes in and says to watch out for redheads and Amy lifts a lock of her hair and looks down at her hand as if just noticing, with mock seriousness, "Oh no. What if the redheads are coming from 'inside the library-- wait are you skipping, like, mecha pilot practice???" Usagi suggests it's kendo club and Amy goes "Ohhhhhh that makes more sense."

    She shrugs to Masato. "I think it's just like, a five-car pileup of people seeing Usagi and going 'Oh, it's Usagichan, I'll go say hi' and now we're here."

    She takes the soda "thanks, Windstar-san," takes a seat next to the hardworking senshi, sets her bag on the table, and starts to reach over to pet Luna and then stops her hand a few inches away from her and whispers, "Is it okay if I pet you?"

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai sinks down into a seat at the table while sweeping her books and kendo bag to the side so that they lean just against the table rather than risk bumping into anyone. All she can do is bob her head in a quick nod to reply about hiding from Takuto and Sugata.

The joint effort to bemoan the issues of Kendo club is met with a tird, but highly amused, smile. "Of course I didn't join Kendo Club," she assures them with a little laugh that fades as her eyes shift to focus on the soda suddenly offered to her. Lychee. It's accepted with a quick, "Oh, thank you! I'm Chiyo Sakai," she offers politely.

The line of conversation is picked up again as she breifly asides, "I was kidnapped by Kendo Club."

For a breif moment she stares at Amy, then lets out a quiet sigh. "I really, really hope you know this person and she's okay to talk about such things around." A point toward Zephyr before she continues, "And no not 'mecha practice'. Actual Kendo." Shoulders slump slightly, tired. "Sugata-kun insists I need to learn how to sword fight to help with it."

"Also I never thought Kazuo-san was that serious...? I mean. He was usually smiling and laughing when we talked."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi is quick to accept the hug, but then her eyes are popping open because - well! Guess Zephyr is a mahoujin too!! "That's what I said, but, it's not like my teachers know that, so... here's hoping I can at least get out of a few classes. So... yeah, Zephyr-chan, you're into the magic business then?"

Might as well get that out of the open! She pops her soda open and drains a fifth of the peach soda, letting the fizziness burn on the way down with a refreshed sigh.

"Oh, if you got kidnapped there's no helping you. Wako-chan tells me Sugata-kun is like, a kendo maniac, there's no way you're getting out of it. It's like me and summer school... oh! And yeah, I'm Usagi Tsukino. I kind of figured you knew that since you offered me a soda, but just in case!"

Nephrite has posed:
Masato eyed Chiyo with a lift of his brow. "If I spent my spare time whacking people with a stick, I'd laugh too." He reiterated it as if this was further proving the torture point. "Seriously, though. Kendo is a great sport."

He set his books down with a 'thwap' and moved to settle in, sitting down. "It's good for your focus, too."

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    Zephyr nods to Usagi. "Let me introduce myself properly. Enforcer Zephyr Windstar, Time-Space Adminstration Bureau." she says, lifting her right arm, and letting light glint off of the bracelet, and the inset medal-like coin of her Device's standby form there. "I saw your work against that giant Witch last year... Walpurgisnacht." she replies to Usagi, giving the blonde a smile. "I didn't recognize you at first, but with everything else, I kinda put 2 and 2 together and got 4." She finds a seat, and gives a bit of a groan as she arches her back, earning a few dull pops as her spine realigns itself.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy freezes as while she was joking around she's called out on not knowing who knew Zephyr. "Uhh... well, she helped us with Aloisia-san, so..." As the two blondes roll with it she relaxes and drops her hand to the desk.

I added two and two and got four.

    "Fortunately," Amy smiles a bit nervously, trying to lighten the mood, "Basic arithmetic does work the same on this planet."

    She takes a breath and then looks back over to Chiyo. "I guess swordfighting is probably good to learn in our business, though? I've had to fight in melee sometimes... Well, a lot of times..."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai lowers her head toward the table for a few moments just indulging in getting to rest a few moments. Even if it meant needing to study instead. "I know. I'm doomed." Even so she grins faintly. For all that she was complaining she knew her friends were just trying to look out for her--even if it hurt.

With a deep breath she sits up again turning a glance to Masato when he sits as well. "I usually fight with a long hammer," she offers with a little sly grin of her own. "Though that was mostly before I died in Paris and lost my powers." She had known that Masato was one of Mamoru's guys and with Zephyr now confirmed Mahou as well she's far more inclined to speak openly. "Although as Amy-chan has stated I now have a mecha that I'm bonded to and can fight with."

AA bit of a nod is given as well to Amy. "I have one of the star swords when I transform. I can adjust the type of weapon it is, but it's originally a sword so..." She gestures faintly toward the bag with the Kendo bamboo in it.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I think if I joined kendo I'd just hit myself in the face a lot," Usagi admits honestly, then sits up a little straighter as Zephyr introduces herself. "Oh, you're TSAB! You must be one of Chrono-kun's people then, cool. And - yeah, I was there! And now I can remember you too!"

Ah the Veil, that wonderful, often frustrating magical defense... well, at least she knows who was giving her a soda this time.

"Well, it's good to meet you face to face like this! Even if it's over homework instead of something more fun." As she's saying this, Luna perks up and says smoothly, "And, since everyone here is in the business of protecting the world, there's nothing to stop me from encouraging you to do your homework."

"Ughhhhhh.... yeah I guess! If you want to practice with weapons more, self defense class probably has more sword people you can fight with magically."

Zephyr Windstar has posed:
    "Tenraikaze takes the form of a long-hafted axe. I trained with a staff before progressing to the Device proper. There is a surprising amount of overlap with various weapons and some skills can be transfered over between them." remarks Zephyr toward Chiyo, giving her a smile. "Maybe see if there's a staff-like form you can practice, that may help with your hammer form."

    "Ah yes. Senior Chrono... objectively he is my superior, but with the lines of communication with TSAB Command cut, due to this planets weirdness, we're on a slightly more equal footing. I defer to him in matters if we disagree though... he has the edge of experience after all." she chuckles.

    "Anyway, I should toddle off... I need to get back to the shop before it closes, and I need to get more food for the puppies." she stands, gently places a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "You got this." she affirms, then gives a brief bow to everyone else. "Take care... I'll probably see you around sometime." she says in farewell, then turns to leave.

Nephrite has posed:
Masato hummed a little and recalled to smirk a little, "Right... 'Princess Mochi'." He chuckled to himself, leaning back into his chair. "Still. A star sword that might become a star hammer, sometimes? I like the sound of that. We'll have to spar at some point. I've got some expertise with a sword and some polearms, too."

Sapphire eyes look over Zephyr again, taking note. Another Devicer, to note. "Thank you for the drinks."

His attention drifts to Luna and Usagi, though. "I'm doing a report about that late-Edo byobu on display at the National History museum, right now. Thunder God and Wind God, and the Flowering Plants of Summer and Autumn."

Mostly, because it reminded him of Makoto, which made it all the more easy to write about. "What are you working on right now, Usagi-chan?"

Amanda Faust has posed:
    "You swing that rod of yours pretty well!" Amy notes to Usagi, then to CHiyo: "Huh, I should be able to make a long-handled hammer, if I put a rocket in it..." Amy holds out her hand expectantly, and... nothing. She blinks. "Ah. RIght. Not transformed." She slumps her head over the table a bit. "Am I this out of it all of a sudden...?"

    "Take care..." she waves briefly to Zephyr, and slowly sits up again, reaching over to pet Luna. "Yeah, so, so what are you working on right now?"

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai flushes just a little bit at being called 'Princess Mochi'. For just a moment she hides the mild embarassment at the nickname being offered up in front of everyone by flicking some of her plum curls back over her shoulder. It's in vain; they slowly flump back where they were before as if having a mind of their own. Spiral curls were such a pain. "Sure, we can spar sometime if you want. Though you definitely have the reach advantage."

"Ah, yes there's a few forms that I'm being taught, just Sugata-kun is very... Thorough. And demanding. I have improved a lot, though!" She was really no where near the level of him or Takuto though. "It was nice meeting you. Thank you for the drink."

When Amy tries to make a weapon she just blinks at her a long moment. "Maybe you should have some caffiene? Or some sleep. Or... Do you just run around transformed a lot? That's not healthy if that's the case." To Luna she flashes an apologetic smile. "We'll get back on track. Even the Pomodoro study method requires breaks."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Japanese," Usagi groans, putting her head on the books for a moment. "I have a lot of kanji practice, and an essay on a book we were supposed to read this month that I definitely haven't read yet..."

She is unashamed to admit that her kanji is terrible, but she's going to need to improve, by like, a lot, and that means practice... practice... more practice.

Hence, the papers around, the crumpled ones full of kanji mistakes, the uncrumpled ones doing better.

"That essay sounds... like a lot too, but prettier! Did you take pictures of the display? Can I see?"

"Maybe after you've finished your next page," Luna declares primly.

Zephy stands to depart, and Usagi looks up, waving, "Oh! Thanks for stopping by, if you've got to go already! I'll try to keep you in the loop on things if I see you, but Chrono-kun's probably making you read reports anyway."

She has heard about those reports. She's been the cause of them, a few times!

"Well, I'll give you the heads up if I see either of them, Princess Mochi," wink, giggle! "But it sounds like it's a good idea? So you should probably keep at it."

Luna concurs from where she's allowing Amy to pet her.

"I do swing my rods around pretty well, but I'm not sure how it'd hold up in an actual fight like, as a weapon... mostly I blast with 'em."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    "Oof." Amy agrees about the difficulty of learning kanji.

    "And you've smashed things with it in an actual fight, too... but maybe it's not as effective as moon magic."

    She tries to create a hammer and Chiyo asks if she's OK. "Well... maybe. The caffeine or the sleep." She shakes her head, "I don't run around transformed, it's just... some magic works without transforming? And a hammer could be a weapon or a costume prop." She glances around to check there's no one else in this part of the library, "If it's a prop, it should..."

    She holds out her hand and there's a sparkle and a cosplay outfit appears on her and there's a large hammer prop in her off-hand (still petting Luna with the right). "But see? This is flimsy plastic and foam." She holds it out to Chiyo. It's not really heavy, but it is kind of unbalanced just from being a long stick with a (lighter than it looks because costume prop materials) weight on one end. "If I was transformed, as long as I put a rocket or launch tube in it it could be heavy enough to hit things with."

Nephrite has posed:
Masato brings his phone out and takes a moment, before handing it over to Usagi-- she might notice a curious little Mercury symbol up in the top corner of the screen. Proof that Masato's hooked into Ami's private network for encrypted communications.

Usagi would be able to flip through the gallery at her leisure, looking at a few photos of the byobu screen-- delicately painted flowers swaying in the stormy wind and rain, and the depictions of the gods on the other side in some sort of contest. Vibrantly done, with a masterful set of hands. "Here."

Is it a slight distraction? Quite possibly! But it is fine art! (And if Usagi scroll further into his pictures, there's wedding photos of various kinds-- and a good amount of Makoto at the event).

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai reaches out to very lightly bap Usagi's arm in a mock-punch. She's careful about it, well aware of her own strength which was already rather good before she ever became a mahou. It's a fond gesture but one that none the less is getting her back teasingly for picking up the Princess name. "I may be your cousin but I don't think I count as royalty," she teases with a laugh.

She's distracted after by the sudden appearance of the prop hammer which she reaches out to take without really thinking about it. It's given an appraising, uncertain glance as she grins. "Yeah I don't think this would really work. I don't need a rocket on my hammer, either. That probably works with your powers of course. You do go very 'high artillery' kind of. And if you need help on kanji, Usagi, I could probably help with that. I'm not bad at math, either, at least where it has practical applications. You know, like finances or measuring ingredients and cook times... Things like that." When you grew up learning this, it wasn't 'school' it was just something you picked up.

"I'm ... Okay at English but the grammar is always a bit confusing to me." Pausing she considers before adding, "If you need help with history I know some very good historical manga so it's more enjoyable to read about?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi does take note of the little Mercury icon on Nephrite's phone, and decides immediately that she'll have to talk to Ami about that, because it is curious and cute and she should have her girlfriend's symbol on her phone!

Any even vague annoyance though is vanquished immediately by the sight of the photos of the gallery, which does indeed show delicately painted screens of flowers in storm and the gods at contest. It's the sort of masterful work that made her mother buy up memberships to the museums when she was a kid, the better to take her children to get cultured and educated while she herself enjoyed the views...

But scrolling past that, shows pictures of the wedding, everyone in their clothes, dancing, eating, Makochan with cake, Makochan with a flower from the garden, Makochan doing a little twirl in her pretty dress -

An awful lot of Makochan, which is exactly what her dear friend deserves.

She hands him back his phone with a pleased little grin, and looks over Amy's cosplay outfit with a critical eye. "Setsu-chan loves cosplay - you should hit her up about seeing what you two can create together. I mean, not as a competition, but there might be props and bits that you can make that are more effort than she wants to use..."

Luna coughs, and Usagi pouts, sinking back into her chair.

"...after we do our homework, I mean... and aw, Chiyo-chan! I would love some manga recs, but, um, I don't think Ami-chan will put that down on the list of acceptable study materials... okay, I'm going to spread out some of these books, I've got something about everything, with all the homework I've got to catch up on, maybe we can all grab what's useful for us, and if we can help, we help?"

With that suggestion, books are passed around, notes begin to be taken, and the true trial and tribulation of school - homework begins anew.

At least no one's suffering through it alone!