287/Girl Talk

Girl Talk
Date of Scene:	15 August 2023
Location:	Dorms
Synopsis:	It's time for secrets to be shared - at least, one or two mega secrets, anyway.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Naru Osaka

---

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Here it is. The day. The Day, even, capitalization required for emphasis. The Day That She Tells Naru.

Not that she's nervous or anything. She's just going to tell Naru about her big secret that could change their friendship forever and maybe even break it and she only has one chance to start the conversation and get it right.

"Naru-chan! I'm a magical girl!"

Nailed it.

Let's zoom out for a second - set the scene. Picture Usagi, standing at her desk, staring down at Luna, who is looking at her in absolute horror'. Picture Usagi, still in her pajamas, a spaghetti strap cotton top with cartoon kittens and pink cotton shorts. Picture how she is absolutely not looking at Naru.

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru had been standing at the mirror, brushing her hair. She's already dressed, she's already halfway through her first coffee. She pauses, looking in the mirror to be able to look at Usagi, and by extension Luna before she turns around.

"Yeah, I was pretty sure that you were." Naru confirms with a nod.

Clearly this is going to be terribly traumatic and friendship breaking for both of them.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi slumps back into her chair, all the stress evaporating away. Well, most of the stress, because there's still one question -

"Are you mad? Or upset?"

Luna is looking at Usagi like she's insane. This is nothing new. She is also twisting to look at Naru with a combination of disbelief, hope, and consternation.

This is what prompts Usagi to add, "Luna can talk."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Because you are you?" Naru blinks as she turns properly at the question. "Why would that make me mad? Or upset? You are you, and part of being you is that you do magic. That's like being mad or upset because you're blonde."

Naru does giggle softly at the mention of Luna talking. "Oh yeah, I know. Luna sometimes forgets to meow and says 'meow' at me. I just figured I wouldn't embarass her if she was trying to pretend otherwise."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Because I could get you in trouble!" Naru-chan! This is dangerous! "You - you keep getting into trouble, and I don't think it's all my fault, but - it can't help."

There's a stubborn look on Usagi's face as she says this, stubborn and conflicted, because some of it is her fault. Some of it is definitely her fault, because Jadeite was out there -

Luna meanwhile, mrps, slapping a paw over her eyes in embarrassment. Her voice is young - a girl around their age or maybe just slightly older. "I suppose it was a bit much to hope you hadn't noticed... Well, our secret was hardly going to be a secret for long then. Hello, Naru-san. It's a pleasure to properly meet you."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Ignorance does not make me not already part of this." Naru comes to sit on the edge of her bed, to be closer to where Usagi is. "It's not your fault, I don't think it's my fault. It's a /thing/ that we're all part of. Yes, I keep landing in situations. Fights, and monsters and everything else, and I don't have powers to functionally fight back." Her expression is rueful. "Although I keep trying."

"Do you know how much more reassuring it is to know that my bestie might be amongst those coming to get my butt out of trouble?" Naru points out.

Naru's expression is a little gentler for Luna and she flickers a quick smile. "Hello Luna. I wondered if you'd realized that I just started assuming you understood me. Conversations will be so much easier now that you are free to properly reply."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"That's... true," Usagi says, reluctant, "That's why I knew I had to tell you. Because! You're already involved and things are so scary Naru-chan! And - and I have enemies now, and they might want to hurt you! And I couldn't not tell you, especially if it meant you could get hurt!"

She is turned fully to Naru's direction, and which means Naru gets the full benefit(?) of seeing her watery eyes and sad expression. "I'm always going to come after you, Naru-chan. If anyone wants to hurt you... I want to make sure you can fight back too. I don't think you can be like me -"

She glances at Luna, who shakes her head. "There is not a way to give the power of a Senshi to one not born with that destiny. But with Naru now aware of our secrets, there are some things we can do to increase your safety. A communicator, for one thing. And - I have appreciated your contributions to the conversation, Naru. You're much calmer than Usagi about things."

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru holds her arms out to Usagi, an offer of a hug in the face of tears. "I know. It's scary, and we all get to figure out how to be brave and tell the enemies how to shove it." She takes a deep breath and holds it a moment before letting it out again. "We're all figuring out how it all fits together. Don't assume our enemies are all powerful just yet."

Naru was already shaking her head even as Luna confirms it. "As best as I can tell, most powers are something that people are born with. I'm still learning more though, I tend to ask people a lot of questions, when they are willing to answer." Her tone is curious at the mention of a communicator. "Something other than a cell phone?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The offer of a hug is quickly taken, Usagi hopping from her desk chair towards bed in a quick leap, wrapping her arms tight around her best friend. "It's been so scary! For like a whole month and a half! And I didn't think I could tell you! And now I can and I'm glad because there's so much of it all, and you've always been a lot better at puzzles than me, Naru-chan."

This is not self-deprecation, but a real acknowledgement of Naru's skills and strengths - analysis, careful contemplation, even considering that there could be a bigger picture - not the kind of things typically in Usagi's wheelhouse.

"There are elements of magic I'm not the most familiar with," Luna explains, trying to avoid lecturing. "So I wouldn't assume there's no way that you can have power. But in the meantime, I can certainly help you with the tools to gain information - and a communicator would be the start."

It takes a bit of care, what with her broken leg, but Luna leaps from the desk chair to the floor, turning about in a single, neat flip, and a gold bracelet appears in the center of the circle her body forms before dropping to the ground alongside her. Her leg absolutely doesn't appreciate it, and Usagi is quick to detangle herself from Naru and scoop Luna up, scolding, "Luna! I could have given Naru-chan my communicator -"

Luna ignores her. "This communicator will allow you to contact Usagi, or the other Senshi in possession of similar devices. Currently, Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Pluto are active alongside Sailor Moon," she nods at Usagi when she says Moon, "These devices will work even in other dimension spaces where your cellphone might fail."

Naru Osaka has posed:
There's room on the bed for both of them and the hug is a tight squeeze. The sort that aspire to remove the rest of the stress that it can. "Puzzles I can help with." Naru confirms with a nod. She knows her strengths, usually. She has plenty of weaknesses.. being unreasonably solitary is certainly amongst them!

"As the FOMO is decidedly real, I'm trying to focus on what I can do right now, rather than all of the things I can't." Naru explains to Luna, wincing a little and letting Usagi go collect her after the ill-advised leap.

"Ahhh.. like when we all took a metaphorical step to the left at the mall. That makes sense." Naru nods in understanding on the dimensional aspect at least. "Annnd.. we have an entire Sailor Solar System, of which you're Sailor Moon?" She posits, filling in some of the gaps in knowledge.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi returns to the bed, settling next to Naru with Luna in her lap, Naru's new communicator offered with one free hand. She nods along... "I have all these little puzzle pieces and no idea what to do with all of them. And Luna isn't telling me everything -" a decidedly annoyed glance - "But I think she's going to change her mind about that very soon, isn't she?"

Luna looks steadily back at Usagi before focusing on Naru. Ignoring FOMO (why did humans feel a need to use all these strange words?), she focuses on what she can recall. "Perhaps. And that's a very mature response, Naru."

It might be helpful to have a partner in hacking... she'll suggest that once the explanations are over.

"There are two groups of Senshi native to the Sol System - the Inner Court and the Outer Court. The Inner Court comprises the four guardians - Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Moon. And the Outer Court comprises of Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune."

Usagi nods - this at least, Luna had shared with her after they'd met Setsuna. "That's right! I'm Sailor Moon. Sailor Mercury goes to our school too, but Sailor Mars attends a different school... and Sailor Pluto is here too, but I should probably ask before I give her away."

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru reaches for the communicator, and bends her head to examinine it as she holds it. "I expect some of the puzzle isn't wholly ready to be shown yet. It feels like everything's in flux and the weird is just really newly weird."

"It wasn't my first reaction." Naru admits to Luna with a twist of a half smile. "You're getting the 'I've had time to sit with it and get over being super emotional about it' reaction. I decided moping sucked."

Naru nods slowly, filing away all of these bits of information. "It seems a very personal thing to share one's .. er.. secret identity with people. You are welcome to tell them that I'm willing to know both, if they are willing to share, but it's up to them to share or not."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Yeah, I think... well, no, I know, that things are different. Inai-sensei, the guidance counselor? She knows about magic, and she used to be like me, but I guess you grow out of it when you're older... well, she told me that it used to be there were only a handful of magical people at a time, like six or seven of them for all of Tokyo. And there's probably six or seven just in our grade!"

She doesn't know why it's different - or why she was caught up in it. She even winces a little, when Naru explains that this calm wasn't her initial reaction...

But she's glad she can be honest with her closest friend.

"Naru-chan..."

"If you would like to be more involved, I would be happy to share some of my skills with you, Naru-chan. Hacking in particular can be... trying, with my lack of thumbs." Her ears flick back in brief annoyance at the mere thought. "Information collection and investigation is particularly important, and Usagi isn't particularly suited."

"Oh! That would be awesome," Usagi enthuses, not at all minding the very obvious fact that no, she cannot be trusted to investigate sensitive information via computer. "And - I'll tell them you know about me, and we'll see what they want to do!"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Inai-sensei is a valuable source of information." Naru agrees as she leans into Usagi to be able to offer Luna some pettings while they talk.

Only a little awkward considering the topics.

"I'm glad to help you as I can, Luna." Naru confirms with a nod. "Computers aren't usually where I shine, but I do have thumbs and a knack for questions, and sorting through answers."

She nods slowly, thoughtfully. "I would like to be more involved. I AM involved, no matter my powers or lack thereof. If I wasn't involved at all, I wouldnt be able to remember things, and see magic. I know I can't be the same involved as others, but at the same time, I don't want to be left out either. So thank you."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Petting someone while they share information might be a bit odd... but not for Luna, who as a cat-shaped person, is very used to it. "I would be happy to teach you what I can. The systems I'm used to aren't entirely different from the ones here on Earth, which means that it shouldn't be too difficult to pick up. And once you have access to our systems, your keen eye for details should allow you to go far."

Luna is quickly becoming pleased with Usagi's decision, thinking through all the benefits to having another person on hand to sort out information, wrangle Usagi, and enjoy peaceful morning conversation with. "You're quite right. You are involved - you have been from the beginning. It was a monster attacking you that lead to Usagi awakening. You are entwined in this story and it would be a waste to leave you helpless and shut out."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Was that the one with my mother?" Naru has to ask, her voice thoughtful. "I dont' remember that one very well, it's sort of hazy.. half dream, half not. That's the first I started remembering things too, though. Awakenings all over the place!"

"I have faith that we can work together effectively, Luna." Naru pauses and then laughs. "It's a good thing you live here, cause the amount of things to do and learn in a day is getting kinda ridiculous. /I/ still try and keep up on my homework."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"That was the one. There was that awful monster who kidnapped your mom, and controlled all those people..." Usagi shakes her head, remembering it all too well. She's had more than one vivid nightmare about that night, and the sound Naru's head had made, colliding with the ground. "Except for Luna, that was the first weird thing I ever saw, and it's not like I knew Luna was weird, back then!"

Luna humphs, thwacking Usagi's thigh with her tail. "Yes, I'm happy to assist you both. It's a shame your schooling can't be put on hold while you handle this, but I trust that you will manage your studies well."

Usagi huffs, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea! You two are going to team up on me..."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"We are totally going to team up on you." Naru confirms with a bright grin. She reaches her hand out to high five with Luna at the prospect. Back up!

"We'll manage." Naru is confident on that point. "It'll take some creative scheduling, and some early mornings.. at least early mornings work better for me than late nights, but we'll figure it out." She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly again. "Things are changing so quickly. I'm hoping it stabilizes at some point, but I'm not super optimistic about that."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Luna slaps her paw against Naru's hand without hesitation. Oh yes. Teaming up with the one other person in this room fond of time management, organization, and the concept of responsibility? A complete no brainer.

Usagi groans, then scrubs at her face, deciding to put aside this blatant prophecy of doom. "Late nights for me. If I wake up any earlier I'll die."

Ah. And.

"Speaking of that... one of my enemies is going to be looking to - um. Kill my friends? So I - I um, understand if you don't want to share a dorm with me anymore -" the biggest saddest face possible.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"We just need to ensure that your latenights dont' start overlapping with my early mornings." Naru laughs softly.

That laughter, and the sparkle in her eyes doesn't change dramatically at the notion of people out to kill her. Which.. might speak volumes about how Naru's life looks currently. "Well, they can get in line behind the wide variety of monsters. We'll get to them in good time, and kick their butts." Naru snorts softly. "They can want all day every day, but they are destined for disappointment." She rolls her eyes at the last. "Dont' be silly."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Mhm. If I'm staying awake until you wake up, I've been up waaaay too long," Usagi agrees fervently - just imagining missing that much sleep makes her heart ache. Nope! Sleep is necessary.

And - she can't help but notice that Naru does not look nearly as scared as Usagi thinks she maybe should. But... that's always been the case, hasn't it? Usagi the scaredy-cat and Naru the brave one. "Naru-chan - I'm always going to be silly."

Why argue? If Naru-chan believes in her this much, who is Usagi to rain on her parade? She'll just have to make these words a reality: that no matter what the bad guys want, they'll stay destined for disappointment!

Naru Osaka has posed:
Sleep is entirely optional! .. Alright, Usagi's attitude is much healthier.

"You are silly, and I love you for it." Naru leans over to give Usagi another hug around Luna. Group hug!

If Naru didn't have faith, she'd never come out from under her covers. Faith that she can keep up with her magical peers, in spite of being a mundane. Faith that they will triumph over.. whatever is going on. Faith is keeping the wheels on this bus currently.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Sleep is the most wonderful thing possible, and Usagi will not stand for them not getting sleep!

Group hug! Luna is a little squished between them, but it's fine! It's totally fine!

"This went... a lot better than I thought!"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"You're a silly for being worried I wouldnt still love you even when you comes with extras." Naru's voice is warm, and the admonishment has no heat to it.

"Apparently a whole solar system of extras, but extras. We've figured everything out for the last /forever/.. even when we've changed.. cause spoilers.. we are not quite the same as we were when we were four." Naru giggles softly. "Neither of us are fighting with Kenji about the tricycle, just to start."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"They're some pretty big extras... and I was really scared. You got hurt, and someone wants to hurt you because of me. That's not the same as the tricycle, or the time I overfed the class pet, or getting detention," Usagi says, but she's smiling too, pleased.

Of course it's the two of them. Everything is fine. It's going to stay fine, even if fine changes.

"You can come to fite club! Even if you don't have powers, there's lots of things you could learn, and you could learn more about what everyone can do."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"But we're also not five anymore." Naru points out, giving another squeeze. "And while it's not exactly what /either/ of us were expecting when we transfered here. That time I got hurt. Another time, you might get hurt. We'll patch each other up, and then we'll figure it out."

Naru grins. "I can! I even got invited officially by Inai-sensei when she figured out I could see the magic going on. I don't get to fight, just watch, but that's alright." She laughs softly. "I'd rather not have people hold back on what they are learning because I'm there." She's already a regular at the mundane fite nite, soon to become a sometimes observer at magic fite nite.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Maybe you could fight? Maybe you should, even. You threw a shoe at that monster - maybe you could have something else to throw, next time."

It wouldn't be as effective as her tiara, but something - she'd rather Naru was safe, but Naru draws monsters to her, so clearly safe isn't on the table.

"Like, no one should shoot at you, but maybe you could like, learn to dodge? Inai-sensei says I need to learn control - I wouldn't want to throw anything at you, but Tragar-chan - um." On second thought... "Maybe not Tragar-chan."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"We'll see what happens." Naru seems sanguine about things. "For the moment, I'm alright with watching, but just because that's how things are now doesn't mean that's how things will be forever."

She might take up weapon lessons, for example. All sorts of things could happen!

"I think I'd rather learn to dodge /after/ you lot have learned more control." Naru quips back with a laugh.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Fair," Usagi giggles, shaking her head and thinking of the mess things could be - "But you'll get to see what I can really do! I'm really cool sometimes, Naru-chan." She preens, just a little. "You saw it some, at the mall - I was the one who threw the rose!"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"You know you're always cool, right?" Naru .. well she only kinda lies. Usagi is not always cool. She's always adorable, she's always earnest and she's always absolutely loveable.

Close enough.

"Okay the rose thing WAS really cool." Naru has to acknolwedge that reality. "I can't wait to see all the awesome things you can do! It's going to be soooo much fun!" She grins, seemingly rather delighted to live vicariously, on some levels, through Usagi.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
A deadpan stare. From Usagi and Luna. That lie was - well. Definitely a known lie.

"I'm always cute, but I don't think I really pull off cool a lot, Naru-chan," she says doubtfully.

A roast for herself.

"It is! And you can help me learn new things to try. And - okay, can I um - Luna, go hide in the bathroom, I have to tell Naru something. Something personal!"

#202una is shooed, and absolutely affronted about it, hopping down with a little limping step and scowling. "This is very rude, Usagi!"

"It's just for a little while! Girl talk!"

"I'm a girl -"

"Human girl talk!"

It takes a couple of minutes, but then, they are blissfully alone, and Usagi leans in and whispers, "You can't tell anyone what I'm about to say, okay?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
Naru giggles softly as Usagi protests her own lack of cool and then she leans in. "Just for a second, Luna." She promises the affronted feline. Some things are best shared only with your bestie of forever.

"Of course." Naru whispers back, their foreheads almost touching. "I didn't tell anyone about The Incident in grade four, did I?" So secret, that she wont' even say it to this day.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"You didn't! And that's why I can tell you that - um -" she is flushing. Pink. "I don't not like-like Darien? Maybe?" Her voice is very, very quiet. She knows well that Luna has great hearing, with those kitty ears of hers, and she'll be straining to know what Usagi is keeping from her.

"And he's not evil, but he's probably a little adjacent? And in trouble? And I don't not maybe like-like him and I think he likes me but maybe he likes Kazuo-senpai now and what if I like-like him but it's too late because he's moved on and -"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Usagi.. love." Naru smiles warmly. "He might /also/ be obsessed with Kazuo, but he's absolutely epic fond of you. He totally like-likes you. I just think it's not an 'or' in his head."

Naru's voice is that same urgent whispers back to Usagi, leaving Luna out of the girl talk. "And I'm pretty sure he's in a cult or something. He's absolutely in trouble, and he knows he's in trouble and he wants out, but he doesn't know how.. that's what I get from it." She erms softly. "We've kinda texted back and forth chatting."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"...huh," Usagi says slowly, thinking about it. Hm. Maybe they'd be in a war for Darien's heart? Her own heart clenches and her stomach swoops thinking about Darien liking her, envy as little flames of envy burn at the thought of him liking Kazuo...

"I've got to think about that..."

"It's something, that's for sure. He's... he's too nice to be in something bad on purpose, but if he's texting you, and talking to me, and arguing with Inai-sensei... we'll be able to figure it out."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"And /ask Darien/." Naru points out. "Which he might not be able to explain, cause it sounds like he's in a super rough headspace at the moment." She smiles. "You guys will figure it out. I have faith."

So much Faith.

"He's got a lot of support, more than I think he realizes. Or perhaps he's been carefully trying to gather support so that he doesn't backslide, or for when he figures out how to get out." Naru mmms softly. "I like him. Not like-like.. just like. I'm glad he and I chat."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"...totally," Usagi says, definitely not intending to ask Darien at all, not unless and until she was prepared for a negative answer. What if she asked him and he didn't like her? Nope, better to wait until her heart was ready.

"His friends are in trouble too, so I think... he probably doesn't want to leave them."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Probably not.. and that's legit." Naru nods in firm agreement. "If they're caught up in the cult too, maybe we can get them out too?"

Naru has few illusions about Usagi actually talking to Darien with questions she doens't like the answers to, but the advice is given, even if its unlikely to be followed.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Yeah, I don't want him to lose his friends," even if he thinks they might be totally evil and awful and she might have thrown shrapnel at one. Maybe. It could be totally unrelated. "His friends are... dangerous. So, just be careful, okay? Don't be afraid to hit them with your shoes."

Naru Osaka has posed:
There's a thoughtful pause as Naru nods about the fact that his friends can be dangerous. "So.. we already know that monsters can look pretty convincingly like people we love.. the monster looked like my mother. And other than acting sort of odd, I couldn't really tell it wasn't my mother." She pauses a moment and then continues. "Can we have a code to know it's really us? If something pretends to be either of us? Only we'll know the answer to something. If we decide right now, no one but us will know. Not our friends from the old school, not Luna, not anyone. And then we can be sure."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"That's a good idea! They do like looking like people - like ice cream men, and school staff, and your mom... maybe, the code can be...hmm... Coffee and cream! But I'm coffee, and you're cream. Because people would think of coffee and think of you, not me."

Because Naru does love her coffee.

Naru Osaka has posed:
There is probably a padiatrician out there who is absolutely aghast at quite how much coffee a fourteen year old is drinking, but Naru is clearly not talking to /them/.

"Perfect." Naru grins. "Coffee and cream. You're coffee, I'm cream. And now we always know if we're really us. Even if the monsters are being tricky and looking like us." She reaches for Usagi's hands, to give them a squeeze.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The worst that could come from Naru drinking all this coffee is her being permanently shorter than Usagi. But how likely is that?

"Now we'll know. And if we ever get the code wrong - use the communicator. I bet they won't expect you to have one, and they'd never think I'd call for help instead of fighting." Because she wouldn't be fighting, of course! Not a monster who looked like Naru! She squeezes back, relieved, relaxed, and tired even though the day hasn't even started yet. "Maybe I'll go back to sleep, after this."

Naru Osaka has posed:
2 centimetres! Naru is 2 whole centimetres shorter! The Tragedy!

Not enough of a tragedy to give up coffee for.

"It's summer break. If there was ever a good time to go back to bed, this is it." Naru grins as she leans back, letting Luna back in on their conversation. "I.. am researching stuff for a Debate Club topic, so I'll probably spend some quality time with books. Either here, or at the library."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"That's right! I have to use this summer to get all of my sleep in, so I can shore up my batteries!" She has been in need of such an amount of sleep... all her usual naps have been taking up with fighting and extra classes!