650/Merciful Musings

Merciful Musings
Date of Scene:	19 October 2023
Location:	Pikarigaoaka Ward
Synopsis:	Usagi and Rashmi run into each other after a patrol - as it turns out, there are things they need to say to each other. Featuring: the heavy subject of mercy, a trip to a greenhouse, and wishes for the future.
Cast of Characters:	Rashmi Terios, Usagi Tsukino

---

Rashmi Terios has posed:
When you're a mahou...

Nightly patrols are a good idea for a lot of different reasons. Rashmi, for example, was lucky enough to be flying around hoping to find any trail of Chrono's shipmates, and happened upon a random -- if minor -- youma, threatening a random citizen. Unfortunately for it, Device Magic set for rapid-fire is a *wonderful* youma-be-gone solution, and upon noticing a nearby yakitori stand, the redhead decided on a post-victory snack.

Which is how she came to be where she is now; perched on the rooftop greenhouse of the Korma Chameleon, idly snacking away and reading a book.

On a rooftop...

Golden wings still active and idly fluttering...

Really just announcing her presence to anyone who looks up, and has the ability to comprehend magic at all.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Pikarigaoaka is out of the usual for Sailor Moon's patrols, but, it was where Korma was, and plenty of other stands, and once patrol was over, dinner! Late dinner!

She'd had a good night - the only thing she'd spotted had been a little youma shaped kind of like a lizard, and it hadn't even noticed her before she'd managed to beam it in the butt and destroy it. Victory! For heroic kind!

She was actually just considering wrapping up early, when as she stretched (in her mind's ear, the words biiiiiiiig stretch can be heard), she noticed - something unusual. But not monster unusual. Just - golden wings, attached to a girl, unusual. Probably should be investigated, huh?

"Hey!" Probably not an enemy, right? An enemy wouldn't be a cute girl on a rooftop! Sailor Moon hops, hops, and hops, up to rooftops, until she's just close enough to make out - "Oh! I know you! It's been a little while, how are you doing?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Hm?" Rashmi looks up, skewer still in her mouth. Once her eyes land on Sailor Moon, she seems to brighten considerably, tugging the skewer free, and using the time it takes to stuff her book... into her book... to finish her snack, swallowing and *then* bowing in greeting. "Hi, Sailor Moon! It's *really* good to see you, I've actually been hoping I'd run into you! How're you doing?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I'm good! But I didn't know you were looking for me," she drops a quick bow of greeting too, then pops down besides the other girl. "I'd have come around sooner! Do you usually patrol around here?"

Because there's no reason to come around here if she doesn't, but, maybe that's too sensitive a question? Hm. Oh well! "What were you looking for me for?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...I live here actually," Rashmi chuckles, patting the greenhouse's thick glass wall. "This is my family's restaurant." It's always a gamble, telling someone in the magical community details about your civilian life, but like... If you can't trust Sailor Moon, who *can* you trust?

"But um," she continues, cheerfulness dimming somewhat, just by the subject to be discussed. "So I have to give you a little history first. I, uh... Sunbreaker-san put me in the hospital a few weeks ago. It was pretty horrible, and hospitals are boring, but that's not the important part. What is, is... Well, Sailor Pluto's a friend of mine. And a few days before I got out, she visited me, after hours. She was pretty upset, she'd said she'd had a chance to kill Sunbreaker, but you saved her."

Rashmi swallows, and bows deeply. "I wanted to thank you for that, Moon-chan."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Sailor Moon's eyes widen in surprise, and she looks down, as though the glass walls of the green house can provide more answers. This... this is where (not) Book Girl lives?

"Your family has an amazing restaurant," she says earnestly, "I come here all the time!"

But then, the cheerfulness of their conversation dims, and as (not) Book Girl speaks, Usagi's own face darkens with sadness. She tenses, just a bit, waiting for the worst, because she has not forgotten Setsuna's anger -

Only to blink in surprise, as (not) Book Girl bows so deeply. She reaches out, grasping her shoulder. "You don't have to bow to me. Not for that. I'm - sorry that she did that, Sunbreaker. She hurt me too, but... I wasn't hurt that bad. I just - I couldn't let her be killed. I wasn't thinking about what everyone else she'd hurt would want - I just, hoped they would agree."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
The greenhouse is dark, for no plants can grow constantly without rest... But many of the plants growing within, are *very much* not native to Japan. It seems the restaurant's reputation for genuine Indian flavors comes honestly!

"I did agree, though," Rashmi says, beaming as she rises. "I told Pluto that, too. She did some pretty awful stuff, Sunbreaker did, but like... I *picked* that fight. It's *dangerous* doing what we do, and even being burned like that, it's not gonna stop me, y'know? I... hm."

Pursing her lips, the redhead very obviously considers her next words. "...I don't think it's my place to tell you why, Moon-chan, but... If Pluto-chan was *half* as upset with me as she was with you..." Drawing in a deep breath, she lets it out in a sigh. "...There's a *lot* of fear and hurt behind that upset. I'm not, like, asking for forgiveness without even knowing, but... It's a really old wound that got poked. ...Which is funny, because I think that's what set Sunbreaker off in the first place, she had some kind of a cast on when we were fighting."

It's only now, that Rashmi notices Usagi trying to get a look in the greenhouse. "Heh... That's Mami's garden, she's an actual spice artist from Kolkata."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
She did agree. She did.

It's a weight off her shoulders, to know for sure. Usagi has been mostly solid and unrelenting in her conviction, her surety, that she did the right thing, but it's good to have that confirmed. It's good to know someone else who had been in that same position felt the way she did.

"I picked the fight I had with her too. I wasn't - I didn't deserve what she did, and you didn't either, but - it's not like I didn't know picking a fight with a fire starting villain was... dangerous, you know?" She'd known what she was doing. It had been dangerous, stupid, and cocky of her, to pick that fight, riding a high of dark energy and anger, kicked down by the fight kicking into higher gear than she expected.

"If... if Pluto-san mentioned some of the things I think she did," Sailor Moon says, hesitantly, "Then I kind of, thought so. A lot - happened. Before. Sunbreaker didn't do those things, but, Pluto, and Uranus too, they kind of - they have a way of wanting to do things, because of that. But... I couldn't let them kill Sunbreaker. Not for me, and not - at all, if I can stop it."

At the mention of the cast, she rubs the back of her head, awkward. "I know what you mean. She had that in one of our fights, and it was - um. She definitely wasn't happy when she blocked my tiara with it. If you fought her after me..."

Oh, there's a pang of guilt.

The greenhouse is a welcome distraction. "That's amazing. Is that why all your food tastes so - good? It's all original spices."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...Then I should have been watching better where I was shooting," is all Rashmi says to finish Moon's last statement about Sunbreaker. "I was trying to distract her, and well... provoking an all-consuming rage *definitely* qualifies," she says with a nervous chuckle. In all honesty, even the *remembered* terror of that day is something the redhead's going to be long in shaking, but, clearly she's putting in the work to do so regardless.

"I don't ever, *ever* want to hear about someone getting killed in my name, honestly. That'd still be blood I don't want on my hands, not when there's a chance at peace. Just... *no,* no way." Rashmi shakes her head ephatically, her hair sweeping back and forth behind her. "Based on what I've seen, There's a *lot* about the people doing Obsidian's work I'm not sure about, and if there's a chance to get them to turn around, I'll go for that *every time.*"

But then Usagi, probably wisely, turns the topic of conversation to the restaurant, and that produces a genuine chuckle. "Part of it, yeah. Also Papi was kind of a vagrant chef, once he got out of culinary school. Did some traveling, ended up in India for a few years, fell in love... You know how it goes."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"That's what I said! Who wants to live with that? Knowing that someone's dead because of you, for you, like you asked for that to happened? And - I don't know if it will help, but, she was - I don't think she's like, fixed, or anything, but... I didn't just, decide that oh, she doesn't deserve to be fought. I -" her voice breaks for a moment.

"I helpedher because she was already down. She wasn't going to hurt anyone else, and she couldn't fight back, even if she wanted to. It doesn't make it - fair. But... I think she's got a lot of problems, just not, rampant murderer problems."

Sunbreaker had been broken down to tears and petty blows, barely able to do anything, not even able to shake an Usagi burned to ribbons - "I don't mind fighting her. But I didn't want her dead for me either."

She really, really hadn't. And that might be the last things that need to be said, about all of that. The greenhouse, and (not) Book Girl's family, they're more interesting. "A vagabond chef... and a spice artist! That's so cool. My mama's a housewife, and my papa is an editor at a magazine, but they've never done anything super exciting."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Rashmi nods at this, the body language of someone agreeing completely with everything being said. "...Not to say she can't be scary, but... Yeah. If she was a rampant murderer, *I would be dead,* but I'm not. I still don't know *why* she stopped, but she *did* when she didn't have to. Couldn't tell you why, but she made the same choice you did, and that's not nothing to me."

Grinning, Rashmi gestures to the actual rooftop, and flits herself down to rest on the reinforced roofing. "C'mon... It's okay if the door's open for a little bit, if you want to go inside and have a smell? And don't be *too* sure your parents aren't interesting... THey were teenagers too, they probably had some fun times before settling down!"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Yeah. She stopped. And in everything else she's done, she's never killed anyone. She always - stops. Even with Naru-chan."

And she folds it away, the rest of that, a bit, because -

"Before we do anything else, can I ask something a little bit embarrassing? I know you told Hematite that you aren't Book Girl, but - what do you want to be called?"

Before she sees this amazing greenhouse and scent the herbs and spices, she should - probably know?

Rashmi Terios has posed:
At the question, Rashmi flushes. "Y'know... I've never really come up with a good name, if I'm being honest. Where Devices come from, the people who use them aren't superheroes. They're more like civil servants, and Nicomachea never really *got* the whole 'codename' thing. Frankly I'm terrible at it, so... Like I told Hematite-san, Rashmi's fine, if nothing else!"

She doesn't really seem *that* embarrassed by it, save for her inability to come up with a good nickname that isn't the one her parents give her.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"If Rashmi's your regular name, it's maybe not the best," Sailor Moon says gently, "But if you want something book related, we could brainstorm something! But if you don't, I'll call you Rashmi-chan."

She doesn't want to like, encourage that. Wako-chan isn't really worried about it, probably because her family is on an island, but, the rest of them...

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"It's definitely not ideal," Rashmi admits, "and I'd definitely be open to brainstorming! But for right now..."

With a wide smile, she opens the door to the greenhouse, and the humid warmth washes out, followed heartbeats later by the *smells.*

All sorts of powerfully-perfumed smells wash out of the glass shed, and Rashmi slips inside, hurriedly gesturing for Moon to follow, and summoning a single golden Barret to light the greenhouse.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
But for right now, there's a whole world of smells and scents, all just waiting for her. She hesitates for a moment, then rushes in after Rashmi, craning her head to look around curiously.

It's warm in the greenhouse, is the first thing she notices - even though it's night, and October, it's warm in here. Pleasantly so.

And the scents! It's like stepping into a spice market and a perfume store all at once, and Usagi bounces a little, looking around at everything excitedly. "Oh wow, there's so much here!"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Precisely that; the entire far wall, in fact, is given over to Imperial roses, hibiscus, jasmine and lavender, while the rest of the greenhouse is replete with turmeric, coriander, cumin, and a dozen other herbs Usagi might not even have names for. Certainly they're not labeled, as it's likely Rashmi's mother knows all the plants by sight.

Rashmi's smile only grows wider, and she bobs her head, turning in place to look at it all. "Mami calls this her office, she actually does the drying in a closet next to our kitchen. When I was little, I used to name them all. Mami asked me why, and apparently *obviously* if she loves her plants so much, they should have names!"

And she actually starts pointing to individual plants. "Ranjito, Ubemaki, Dorodoro, Fubuhaha... I think I was still learning my letters then. But... yeah, I *love* to visit in the winter, since it's heated all day every day."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It's beautiful.

"The roses... are they for the rosewater? Or just because they're pretty?" It's obvious she would think either answer equally correct, her eyes bright and shining as she looks at all the plants.

There's a moment, standing under the glass, in the moonlight, looking at these plants that couldn't survive anywhere else here but in this place, that she feels - doubled, almost. Like she's seen this, or something like it, before. Like she's felt this, this wild delight and excitement at seeing something new, before.

The moment passes. Usagi smiles as Rashmi shares the name of each plant, as she sees the adoration in that smile. "You really love this place, huh? I don't blame you. It's - amazing. Your Mami is amazing, working with all these lovelies every day!"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Yup, for rosewater!" Rashmi confirms, bobbing her head. "It's how we can manage to have all the rose-flavored stuff, otherwise... well you need a pretty specific kind of rose that's bred to be edible, and a *completely other kind* for rose hips worth using in food. It just helps that they're *also* pretty."

Perhaps it's lucky that Rashmi is ignorant of the way this moment jostles something deep in Usagi's mind; as much of a problem-solver as she is, she'd probably gnaw at the issue until both of them were tired of thinking about it. Instead, she just gets to show off her family treasure.

"Oh yeah, I *do,* about as much as I love watching Papi work. There's just something *beautiful* about watching someone do something they've practiced forever; it's effortless, like a dance, only the dance is with knives and carrots."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi makes a reflexive face - "Ugh, carrots - " but otherwise, is looking eagerly, with her eyes and not her hands, fearful as she is to damage one of these plants, slowly walking around to look at everything she's allowed to see.

"I didn't know they used special roses for the rosewater," she explains, "I've never really thought about it but - your parents do, and that's awesome."

She's seen her papa's work - between photography and photo editing and article editing, he's done a lot, and she's seen a lot, seen bits here and there and all around their home, and she's seen her mama cooking, in their kitchen turning ingredients into meals, snacks, treats. There's something beautiful in this greenhouse, not just in the nature, but the construction of it. Everything here, a place built to nurture.

"Do you think you'll do this, when you're older?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Probably not," Rashmi admits. "Since high school, I've kinda wanted to get into politics. I mean... I have it on pretty good authority that by the time we're grownups?" She gestures to Nicomachea, the Barret lighting the greenhouse, and Sailor Moon's own fuku. "We're gonna forget, like... *all* of this. So... I still want to make a difference for a *lot* of people even after. Maybe I'll change my mind between now and then, but... I kinda like the idea of taking the *real* lessons I've been getting from all this, and putting them to work helping more than even just my neighborhood, y'know?"

There's not time for much introspection, when one is balancing school, part-timing downstairs, and fighting the Forces of Darkness... But Rashmi seems to have put her limited musing time to good use.

"What about you? Where d'you wanna be when it's someone else's turn?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Politics. Something that complicated? That - big? Usagi thinks about it, and what she's seen of Rashmi - the fights they've been in, the support, the help, and - "You'd be good at that. Politics. You seem really - detail oriented? And you're really nice, but because you think about these, not just because it's all in your gut."

When the question comes back on her - as it always does, she should have figured - she just laughs a little, shrugging. "I've always wanted to be a beautiful housewise, I guess? All of this stuff... a few years of something kinda awful, and the rest of our lives to do something else..."

And she's never, ever, really wanted to do the work.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Housewife?" Rashmi tilts her head, thinking the answer over, then nods slowly. "I can see that, yeah. Whether or not you become a mom, I think you'd be really, really good at it. I mean if I'd go by anything, you *care* about people more than anyone I know, from what I've seen. Even me, and I care a *lot.*"

Rashmi laughs as a thought strikes her. "Yeah... I think that's why I like you, Sailor Moon. You care like a hurricane blows, and it's hard to keep from getting swept up in it. I trust your instincts, and you'd *definitely* be an amazing mom."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It's the third time someone's not laughed, at least a little, when she said that. The first person, of course, was Naru. The second, Mamochan, when he told her already had the beautiful part down. Rashmi, now - "I think I'd want to be. A mom, I mean. My mama's great, and I like little kids -" Shingo not included, because he was in elementary school now and kind of a jerk, the way all little kids who thought they weren't that little are -"

Rashmi laughs, then, and Usagi worries - but it's for nothing. Because Rashmi isn't laughing at her in a bad way. "Like a hurricane? Aha, maybe so. I never really think about it? There's just - doing it. This is what we do."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Exactly," Rashmi says, nodding. "Because we couldn't *do* anything else and still be us. And I mean... there'll be time for all the other stuff later, but right now? This is *important,* and... I really don't want to waste it, y'know? I could probably have walked away when I first found out about everything, but... I don't... think I would have liked myself very much. Having all this power, and *not* helping people? Just... standing by when the terrible things happen?"

Rashmi lifts a shoulder, shaking her head. "I don't know a whole lot of people who *would* walk away, not really. There was one girl, but... well, she found her own reason to fight, so that's not even a worry anymore."

"C'mon," she says, gesturing to the door. "Almost nobody comes up here this late, but just in case, we should let the plants sleep."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Yeah," Usagi says, because she doesn't think she could have turned away either. She doesn't like it - the fighting, the monsters, the fear factor, and sometimes she doesn't like how she's changed, with the going out for patrol, the looking for monsters, for fights, but - she has power. A lot more than some people. That means she has responsibility.

So much responsibility.
"And we have each other, to get through it all. I don't know how it'd be, if it was just - one or two of us, or even just, like, a handful, and trying to protect everyone."

Inai-sensei's rare stories sounded like a lot. Even if she said there weren't as many enemies to fight, there were still so few of them, with a city that was still this big.

She's curious, about the girl who almost walked away, but not enough to ask, not with Rashmi gesturing for her to follow. "Right! No need to keep them up - or get your parents curious about who was up here, all this time."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"That's the part that really keeps me going," Rashmi agrees, slipping through the greenhouse door. "I haven't talked to Inai-sensei much, but I could not *imagine* what it'd be like without everyone to count on, y'know? ...Well that and if I'm gonna be honest? Some of the magic I've seen is silly and amazing enough to kinda balance out all the terrible stuff. Like, it *still* blows me away that not only is there a magical *candy chef,* but a *zombie pirate.*"

Shaking her head, Rashmi cannot keep the silly grin off her face. "I mean... just think about a world where there is a *magical zombie pirate fighting evil.* That's a world we live in, and that's *amazing.*"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"A candy chef - d'you mean Daifuku?" Or is there someone else out there, another chef she could have introduced to Chiyo-chan? Usagi smiles a little too, because - "It's kind of scary, a lot, but I like the friends I've made. And some of it's just really cool, you know? This whole thing. Mostly, not so much, but sometimes..."

Sometimes it really was amazing. "A magical zombie who fights evil, and a girl who can give herself golden wings. Thank you for showing me your greenhouse, Rashmi-chan."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Daifuku-chan, yeah," Rashmi chuckles. "And yeah, it's *really* scary, but... It's *magic.* And no matter how scary it gets, I don't think I'm ever gonna stop just *loving* the fact that magic exists, that *I* have magic, and that an alien computer book helps me use it."

Shaking her head, she bows again to Sailor Moon. Not the deep, respectful bow of honest gratitude, but a simple thanks. "I was glad to; let me know next time you're coming by, and I'll see if we've got new sweets on the menu!"