921/Secondhand Gingerbread Love

Secondhand Gingerbread Love
Date of Scene:	25 December 2023
Location:	Dorms #1
Synopsis:	Hotaru, Mamoru, and Ami... and a bakeneko... and Makoto's gingerbread. The best conversations are the ones where everyone has secrets?!
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Hotaru Tomoe, Ami Mizuno

---

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Back from the Gates of Time! With all of his Shitennou--

--at the moment, none of them, nor Usagi, because classes are only just over and Mamoru wants to check in on Takashi, and showing up with bodyguards to see your adoptive brother is rude. SO rude.

So Mamoru's headed down the hall after ditching his blazer and his school bag in his room (and after feeding the bakeneko), and when he gets to Takashi's door he lifts his hand to knock.

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe opened the door and... She looked sleepy. Her hair a mess. Wiping the sleep from her face. In one of Takashi's shirts, which hung on her shoulder a bit and was obviously too big. She just looked confused. "Darien-senpai? What are-- OH!" And then her eyes went wide. "O-oh, I'm..." Then trailed off. "Oh... wait. You wouldn't taddle on me... Takashi-senpai gave me one of his keys in case I didn't want to go home so I slept here last night."

Well, at least she explained. Then... "You know, your boss is a JERK! She came into Takashi-senpai's lab and broke things! His computer and the FDM!" No, she didn't know what the FDM was, but it had buttons and lights. And Beryl BROKE it.

"... Wait... why are you here? Didn't Takashi-senpai tell you he was going out of town for a week? To do research thingies? Wanna come inside?" she offered, opening the door just a hint.

Well, that was a lot of info to take in thirty seconds.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru's face says 'what??' before his mouth says "What?" a little blankly after the ramble of Hotaru-information. He's still processing 'Hotaru was sleeping in Takashi's room??' when the rest of it hits, and his eyes widen. "Oh, no. I probably shouldn't, I switched sides. But don't worry, I won't tattle on you, or on him. If you want to get dressed you can come to my room and pet the bakeneko, though! I'm so sorry about my ex-boss."

A beat, and he lifts his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose under his glasses, eyes closing. "He's going to kill me, ugh." Another beat. "Hey did you get one of the lollipops? I gave him a bag for everyone. Of the non-purifying kind just in case."

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe stared at him and... "You quit?" she asked. "That's cool... Ohhhh... I wonder if that's why she was so mad. Well, I don't blame you... she's an old hag and she's mean. Sure. I'll be there in a few minutes. I just need to change and freshen up." Pause. "Give me ten minutes. Wait, Bakeneko? Like a demon cat?"

"... Give me five minutes. And yeah, Takashi-senpai always makes sure I get candy. And he warned me about the trick ones. It was funny. I'll see you and the bakeneko soon!" she said before closing the door and he could soon hear frantic sounds from within. Well, at least he'd have time to get ready.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
It was during the quiet time while classes were out that Ami was in her own room doing what she did best: Reading. For once it wasn't school oriented either! With the largest part of the 'mission' over she knew it was time to rest and recover while she could, especially since she had been injured by Jadeite. Certainly it had healed by now but the trauma from it was still fresh in her mind.

More worringly was the trauma she'd seen Jadeite undergo. It had been disturbing even to her analytical mind.

After a meeting with Makoto she's opted to distract herself with a sci-fi novel while nibbling on the gingerbread her friend had gifted her.

She couldn't shake the concern for the current fate of the Shittenou though. One, especially, that she kept having strange deja vu about. The same page had been re-read twice now, which was a sure sign she wasn't going to be able to focus. With a sigh, she tucks it away, and decides to do something about it. Packing some of the gingerbread away, she puts on a sweater to fend off the chilll before heading out.

Which is how she ends up at the far end of the hallway approaching his dorm room only to spot him already IN the hallway. This made things exceptionally easier. The blue-haired girl, known to many as one of the geniuses of Radiant Heart Academy, speaks up with a simple, "Oh, this makes things easy. I was just coming to find you."

Says the girl he doesn't know.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru's in the process of turning around to head toward his room when he's caught up short by a blue-haired girl he knows only by picture and reputation (and grades). "Mizuno-san..?" he asks hesitantly. "What can I help you with?"

He glances back at Takashi's door then gestures to it. "I'm just taking Tomoe-san to meet my sister's cat. Down the hall. If you don't mind, you can come along too?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Tomoe-san?" Ami had recently met someone with that name, but it was such a common last name too. More importantly, and perhaps very similar to how he had managed to lure Hotaru to come to his room, was the other fact. "You have a cat?"

Usually she wasn't so ineloquent. Right?

It does draw a smile from her though at the very thought. "Oh, if it's all right, I wouldn't mind. I like cats. I know a few." Luna mostly but that was probably not quite the same.

"It would also be better than talking in the hall and possibly disturbing anyone trying to study, too," she adds more pragmatically.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"My sister has a cat, but my sister's cat frequently hangs out in my room. She knows there're two guys there who will spoil her rotten and let her eat as much as she wants," Mamoru says with a little tilted smile. "But, as you say. Just two doors down," he gestures, then follows his own directions.

When he opens the door to the room, there is a not-quite-actually spherical cat sort of asleep on one of the two beds -- their room's not laid out like usual. There are the two desks and two chairs, certainly, but the couch is moved... elsewhere... and the bunkbed has been split into two, one on each side of the room. "Bakeneko," Mamoru says respectfully-ish, but also somewhat warningly, "this is Mizuno-san, be nice to her, all right? Don't bother her for food, you just ate."

He glances at Ami to see her reaction to his calling the cat a ghost/demon cat.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Sister. Ami pauses in the doorway feeling marginally ashamed that she'd actually *forgotten* about his sister. Perhaps it was partially due to being an only child that it had slipped her mind?

When the bakeneko is introduced her response is to simply bow in the feline's direction with a polite, completely un-ironic, "A pleasure to meet you, Bakeneko. I'm sorry I don't have any snacks that are cat appropriate on me." That doesn't mean she didn't have snacks though.

Shifting her attention back toward Mamoru she focuses her gaze with a small frown of thought. "How is your sister? Were you able to rescue her after the shrine? I'm so sorry, I should have thought to ask sooner, it's just been so busy with helping your men out."

Well that cat is out of the bag! She DID know him far more than he seemed to know her. Which seems to occur to her only after she speaks.

"... You never met me outside of a fight." A sigh is heaved as she utters, "I'm really distracted today, apparently."

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe was soon heard! On the opposite side of the door, she'd be heard after a few moments, knocking on it.

And the moment the door opened... "I was promised a demon cat," she said firmly. So he'd better deliver, buddy. Or she'd... she'd be sad. Is that what you wanted? Sadtaru?

Of course, the moment she was ushered inside, she'd stare at the kitty and almost sparkly eyed for a moment... "Kitty. Demon kitty..." she said, in a hushed, awed tone. No, she wouldn't charge the kitty or anything. That might spook it. She just really wanted to see demon kitty.

Kitty.

Then her eyes moved to Ami. She let out a soft gasp and quickly stood a little straighter and straightened out her skirt. "O-oh! Mizuno-senpai! I didn't know you were a friend of Shield-senpais!"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"... ahh--" says Mamoru, drawing himself up a little as he wonders what the hell he's just gotten himself into. "She's-- she was all right, but something else happened to her, um, which shrine are you-- no, no, I haven't. It's good to meet someone in the know about magic!" he says emphatically, glancing toward the door.

And then he definitely lets Hotaru in, and she definitely beelines for the bakeneko, who is now looking at two girls like 'why is no one petting me yet? PET ME MORTALS'.

In fact, she unfolds herself and streeeeetches, showing she is not quite as rotund as all that, and then makes a demanding little 'prrt' noise and watches them as she sits down.

"Bakeneko, this is Tomoe-san," he introduces, "don't ask her for food either."

A pause as he surveys the bakeneko for a moment. "If she doesn't eat she gets big enough to eat people as appetizers, but if she eats too much, she gets too big to fit through the window. It's a delicate balance."

Then he takes a breath and he says, closing his eyes and taking off his glasses to polish them with the hem of his sweatervest, "The both of you are in on magic. But I don't know your identities and I don't know anyone else's identities and I would prefer not to right now." He opens one eye. "But you both know mine."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno turns toward the knock on the door. He had warned her that another would be joining them so she's not surprised by the appearance of another. What does surprise her is who exactly it is. A pleasant surprise at that as she smiles warmly toward the younger girl. "Tomoe-chan, it's so good to see you again. How have you been doing?"

The 'prrt' from the bakeneko earns a sidelong look of amusement, and she drops her voice just a bit to helpfully 'whisper' to Hotaru, "I think she might like some scratches behind her ears," in an encouraging way.

With what might be a suitable distraction laid her glance fixes on Mamoru once more. If he were anyone else she may just wait to tell him her identity. Knowing his test scores were often as high on the percentile as her own has her consider momentarily before speaking again. "You're familiar with 'My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas', right? I had the first pizza."

Then, as if this talk of food weren't enough, she reaches into her coat pocket to pull out a little tupperware container to offer, "My friend baked me some gingerbread the other day if either of you would like some."

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe gasped at the kitty. So big. So wondrous. So scritchable. She loved kitties. And this kitty wanted petties? Slowly, gingerly, she reached out and began to scritch the kitty, letting out a content sigh... and then if the kitty didn't object, she'd reach out and hug the kitty. And pull it into lap for a second, gently scritching and giving it *EVERY* attention. All of the attention. Duel handed petting. It wouldn't like, hold it helpless there and would let the kitty go if it wanted. But for now? Double attention.

"I've been pretty good. My senpai is out of town so I've been a bit lonely, but I guess it makes sense. He was taking his girlfriend to paris," Hotaru grumbled. Obviously a little annoyed by this judging by the fact her cheeks puffed up and she was making a pouty face.

However, that annoyance faded when she was distracted a moment later, turning to Ami. "You ate a whole pizza? By yourself? Ohhh! Does your family own a pizzeria? That's so cool! So whenever they make big pizzas, do they give you the first or something? Family businesses are the best!"

"... I... I like gingerbread. Just not too much, though. I don't eat a lot in the morning."

HA! She didn't eat much, period.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
It takes Mamoru a moment to work that out. It's such a non sequitur that it can't possibly be a non sequitur. After a second his puzzled look clears and he gives Ami a 'really?' face, then laughs a little as Hotaru picks it up at surface level and runs away with it.

"I'd love some gingerbread," he says, "and I ate a whole pizza once. I really regretted it. You have to space these things out, you know?"

The bakeneko absolutely glories in the attention, and starts purring like a monster truck.

Mamoru, on the other hand, offers Ami one of the desk chairs, and takes the other himself. "He left you alone?" he asks Hotaru. "Rude. I don't think I've ever met his girlfriend, though. I hope she's nice. He deserves to have something go right for him, especially with my boss going after his stuff."

There are plenty of people who work at Obsidian who aren't supervillains.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno smiles with only a hint of smug satisfaction. Or was that embarassment? It might be a mix of both as her plan surely worked, and Hotaru doesn't seem to get the connotation of it all. It did help that she hadn't heard all of the questions that Ami had prattled at him before entering, perhaps.

"You can have as much or as little as you want. It's a treat. You should enjoy it however you're comfortable doing so," she assures Hotaru soothingly, just in case she'd been pressured in the past to 'eat more.' That was such an unhealthy thing to do to a child her age.

When the desk chair is offered she nods in thanks. Carefully sitting she rests the container on her knees so she can pop the lid off with a little tug. The lid is swapped to rest beneath the tupperware like the saucer to a cup, and it's offered out for them both to take a peice. It's actual gingerbread and not gingerbread cookies which were usually a bit dry. This was soft, and cake-like.

"Your ex-boss," she reminds Mamoru as gently as she'd offered the gingerbread to Hotaru. "I believe you're freelance now, yes?" As far as Hotaru's earlier questions she does get to them with an amused smile. "No, my mother is a doctor. They were small pizzas. Like okonomiyaki."

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe nodded. "Exactly. A fully pizza would be so much. But it does sound tasty... Kind of like one of those doing crazy wild thing even though it's a bad idea? But the consequences sound brutal."

Pet pet pet scritch hug pet oh this kitty was getting ALL the love.

"Mami Tomoe. She's really, really nice! And smart! And elegant. She says she's going to be like my big sister!"

Then, of course, the smile fell. Well, they both left her alone... "And yeah... it was kind of rude. I'm his assistant. Hmph. but I bet he just wanted to take her to paris because it's Christmas. I know it's a big couples thing, but it sucks always being the third wheel... And yeah, Miss Beryl is such an old hag and rude and just... I can't believe she just came in and broke his things."

She then nodded to Ami. "Ohhhhh. Nine okonomiyaki sound a lot easier to make. And not surprised you went freelance. I wouldn't want to work for her, either. And wow.... your moms a doctor? She must be really smart. My mother was a medical scientist, she worked with a lot of doctors. I wonder if they ever worked together."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru takes a piece of the gingerbread with a nod of thanks, and holds his hand under it as he takes a bite and listens. He nods at the correction, and as soon as he swallows he says ruefully, "Two and a half years leaves a mark. It'll be a bit before I consistently refer to her correctly."

Then he squints a little. "Going with a couple on a romantic thing is infinitely worse than not going with them," he advises. "And calling Beryl 'miss' probably isn't great for your health. It would be like me calling your father Tomoe-kun. I'm surprised she left her lair, honestly, and I really regret that she did what she did. I can't accept blame for it, though-- if you leave an abusive relationship and your ex takes it out on someone close to you, it's not your fault. No one should ever have to stay someplace that hurts them."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Shields-san has a point," Ami has to agree with a solemn nod. The container of gingerbread is set down on the desk so that it's available to both. "While it can be fun watching them make eyes at one another, even a little exciting to see if they're about to kiss, it's really not good to do for an entire vacation."

"Besides, you may want to spend a future Christmas with someone you care about, too..." Ami begins only to pause with a rapid blink. Her head is shaken quickly, firmly, chasing away the ghost of a thought that had almost come to the surface of her mind. Almost.

"I'm sorry, I... I think I should go check on another friend who may be upset this time of year, now that I've thought of it." Makoto was crushing on someone awhile ago wasn't she? She'd even baked gingerbread and brought it to her. Maybe she could use some company as a distraction.

Quickly getting to her feet she bows toward both, "Please excuse me, Shields-san, Tomoe-chan. It was good to see you both again. You as well, bakeneko. Please," she adds gesturing toward the little tupperware. "Enjoy the snack." Then she's gone.

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe shook her head. "Oh, no. I mean... I don't think you should have stayed. She was nasty, I wouldn't want to work for her either. I'm just thankful daddy isn't anything like her... Kaolinite, though..." Hotaru grumbled. "And... yeah. It likely wouldn't have been fun for either of us if I came... just..."

And then she cringed when Ami said *that*. The thing that she had considered a few times herself... then dismissed. Hotaru went really quiet then, though. And it likely wasn't hard for Mamoru to figure out what she was thinking. Once they were alone, however...

"... I probably won't have another christmas after this one," she said softly. "Even if I did... It wouldn't be fair for me to ask someone else to waste theirs with me..."

It wasn't hard to find out WHY she was upset that Takashi had elected to spend it with his girlfriend rather than her. But...

The kitty scritches calmed down and she reached out with one hand, to take a small piece of the gingerbread. She then looked up at him before...

"... You're... not going to tell anyone who I am, are you? I mean... that... I'm... their enemy? That... Takashi-senpai and I aren't... Please don't tell on us... I... I don't want them to know..."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
There's a brief silence after Hotaru says she probably won't have another Christmas after this one, and Mamoru regards her as he finishes off his gingerbread. "If there's anything I can do to help that isn't giving Takashi-kun anyone's pure hearts, please tell me," he says seriously. "I'm a healer, but I can't heal illness, if that's it."

Just like that. And then she gets really worried.

"I already didn't tell Sailor Moon when she asked me directly," Mamoru says, licking gingerbread off his fingers, totally unconcerned. "There are some things you literally just don't do, and outing other people is one of those things, no matter what side they're on or who they work for." His gingerbread-free hand -- the one he didn't lick -- reaches out to ruffle Hotaru's hair. "Don't worry."

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe shook her head. "No. I... don't think there is. I don't see why pure hearts would even help. The energy we gather just.... I don't understand most of what they even use it for. Still... these new transplants hurt less, so I think there's that?"

She shook her head. "But I don't think it's going to be enough. I thought I was getting better for a bit. But then it started to get worse again. Then I get better, then I get worse. But it's... more bad days than good..." She took a small bite of the gingerbread, her other hand idly scritching the cat.

"Thank you for not telling her. I... I like Sailor Moon. She seems really nice. And I'm happy you're on their side. Once I'm gone, though... you can tell them. It won't matter then. I just... don't... want them to worry, you know? But uhhhh... can I ask... two things? If that's okay?" She glanced towards the door.

"... You're not going to... give up on Takashi-senpai, right? I... I know sometimes he does stupid things, and can be reckless. But... but I know he's doing what he thinks is best. And I know he's trying to make things better. I know some people in Obsidian aren't good, but there are people like Takashi-senpai and daddy. People who are trying to make things better and just... need people to understand and believe in them."

"And uhhhh... the other thing... well... ummmm..." She took another small bite of the gingerbread, nervously fiddling with it. Even the scritching stopping. "Sailor... Moon. Did she... really... Did she... kill... Cyprine? I... I know I was there but... I had a seizure and... and Kaolinite said she did but Kaolinite is always lying and... and I don't want to believe Sailor Moon would ever do that. She seems so... so nice..."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"I won't give up on Takashi-kun," Mamoru says firmly. "He's my brother. We grew up together, when neither of us had families and the place we lived in wasn't great. We might have to fight sometimes, and we both know that, but I'll never give up on him."

He leaves the tupperware open for now, in case Hotaru ends up wanting another little piece.

"And absolutely not. She told me what happened, and how Kaolinite came in after it was done and immediately blamed Sailor Moon. The easiest way to understand what happened is that it was a self-own in the worst of ways, and that's what Takashi would probably tell you if you asked him. As in, Cyprine accidentally did it to herself," he says matter-of-factly. Technically correct is the best kind of correct. "But it was absolutely not any of the Sailor Senshi who did it."

A beat. "Or Stellar. I asked around a lot and got three different takes, and they all agree that it wasn't anyone on the sparkly side."

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe gave a small nod, smiling when he said he wouldn't give up. "Good. I just... I want to leave things better than when I came here. And who knows? Takashi-senpai says he might be able to do something. And there've been other miracles. And there are a lot of people who have things... with them. Reasons they need him too. So.... even if I don't.... even if he can't, maybe it'll help him help one of the others. So... I don't think it'll be a waste in the end."

She put another small piece of gingerbread in her mouth before the hand did, in fact, reach out for another piece. "Sorry. I... I've been trying not to mention this lately. I know it's... not a nice thing. It's depressing. But... wait. You... you can heal people? You couldn't always do that, could you? You... can heal people... like me?" she asked, staring up at him. "Whenever you touch them or... or how?"

Well, she at least seemed excited about that. She'd never met another healer! Well, as far as she knew.

"And... oh... poor Cyprine. I mean, she wasn't always the nicest but... she wasn't... I don't really want any of them to die. Except maybe Kaolinite."

Kaolinite, meanwhile, sneezed in her office.

"Stellar's the uhhhh... card... woman, right? From Inai? I'm going to need another card. I kind of... slipped it into the boy's jacket because there wasn't anybody else around. Please, uhhhh, don't tell anyone. Do you think if I told Inai-senpai I lost it I could get another one without her knowing what I did?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"I couldn't do it when I was full of dark energy, it was suppresssed," says Mamoru, and then he tilts his head a little, considering. "I don't know how you do it, but for me it's through touch, yeah. And concentration. And I can make pain lessen that way, too. But listen-- just because I don't necessarily know what to say doesn't mean you shouldn't talk about it if you need to. And we should all aspire to leave the world a better place when we leave it than it was when we entered it."

Then Mamoru nods cheerfully. "Stellar's Inai, she said she doesn't care who knows. She came and helped me when I called her, even though I was Hematite. Just... keep in mind that she can't keep a secret to save her life, so if you don't want everyone knowing something, don't tell her." A beat. "She'd definitely give you another if you lost it, but... what boy? Why can't you tell her you gave it to someone?"

Hotaru Tomoe has posed:
Hotaru Tomoe sighed and shook her head. "I was Firefly at the time. I don't want her to know that Firefly is... kind of sorta on their side? Even if not officially. But... I mean.... I'm doing better like this, I think. I know. I'm helping some people like this. And the boy that Cyprine shot. None of the sparkle skirts were there so I just kind of... slid it into his pocket."

"And wow... I didn't think she could do magic as old as she is. That's really cool! I ummm... I don't think I can make people's pain lesson. I do a lot of healing, though. Takashi-senpai needs me to do it to him... a lot... he's realllllly reckless. It's a good thing we made him that robot."

Very gently, she scooted the kitty off her. "I should probably get going, though. I need to finish some homework. I... I'm happy you got out, though. I know you're going to do really good things, Shields-senpai." She pushed the last piece of gingerbread she'd grabbed into her mouth and started to get up to go. However, after a moment she paused and...

"Hug?" she offered. Well. He could heal. She could heal. So it wasn't like there could be an accident. And...

And she was a bit lonely and he left Obsidian so who knew when she'd see him again?

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Hug," answers Mamoru decisively, and he doesn't get up because Hotaru is s h o r t, he just hugs back while sitting in his desk chair.

It's a nice hug, warm and tight without being too tight, and this close, he's all roses and chocolate and coffee smell. "And," he says as he lets go, smiling at Hotaru, "you can call me Mamoru. Chiba Mamoru is my real name. I get to go back to using it, now that the government knows where I am. If you ever need my help -- or if you need help healing Takashi or getting him out of a well or something, definitely call me. Or knock on my door. You know where I live."

Then he stands up and collects the bakeneko, liquid cat!! and mashes his face into her fur for a second before smiling at Hotaru again. "And get a new card from Inai! She really does look out for us."

Once Hotaru does head out, and he's alone with the bakeneko, he puts her down to eat all the gingerbread before Koji comes back.