View source for A Surprise Lunch (Ikuko Tsukino)

{{Cutscene Header
|Date of Scene=2024/07/14
|Location=Tsukino Residence
|Synopsis=On the day an alliance of Mahou set out to save the world, Ikuko Tsukino reflects on the last-minute, surprise luncheon she shared with her daughter's friends.
|Cast of Characters=43
|Tinyplot=Dark Kingdom Finale
}}
In the hour after the children leave, taking their conversation and energy with them, Ikuko Tsukino passes the time straightening the things which escaped the helpful hands of her guests. There aren't as many as she would have expected, having hosted half a dozen children, but then, they'd all been so thoughtful. 

Even her Usagi, who was, yes, a good girl, but such a lazy one! 

A faint smile creases Ikuko's lips at the thought of her daughter - of course this impromptu rush of activity had been all her idea, calling in the early hours of the afternoon and ''begging'' if Ikuko would please, pretty please, host her and her friends for lunch, they need all the strength they can get for everything coming up (and isn't that just like her little girl, to see her final exams as a terrible trial?), and her Mamochan is here - 

Well, that had decided it, of course. Not that she and Kenji wouldn't have been happy to play host for the rest of Usagi's friends, but poor Mamoru-kun had been having the hardest time of it, and naturally they'd grown attached to the boy.

When the children had come, she was only slightly surprised - there was Naru, of course, practically a second daughter by now, and Ami and Makoto, who were rapidly becoming much the same, though how such a busy and studious girl as Ami found time to date her whirlwind of a daughter, she'd never quite know. Those three were known, as was Mamoru, but there'd also been a young man Usagi introduced as Tamaki Suikawa (Usagi insisted on calling him Tamakun), another young man introduced as Masato Sanjouin (inexplicably referred to as Neph near universally). 

Poor, Mamoru-kun had seemed shocked to see Kazuo's mother already at the Tsukino Residence when they arrived - ha! As if Ikuko hadn't been sure to exchange numbers with Saito-san when last they'd spoken. If their children were going to be such good friends, it was only wise to keep in touch. Looking after Naru-chan so often had long ago taught Ikuko and Kenji the wisdom of that. Kazuo was apparently off with a young man named Izou Saito (Saito-chan, Usagi had said with a smile), but his mother had been more than happy to help them. 

Kenji wasn't any good in the kitchen, but when it came to serving, he had been an excellent help - though the children had been plenty willing to help too! She'd had to practically chase Makoto-chan and Suikawa-kun back to the other children. They had been a large crowd, and not overly boisterous, no, they'd been bordering on somber - not that Ikuto was judging! Poor Mamoru-kun had been dreadfully pale and quiet, and of course they hadn't asked him what had happened, aside from making sure he wasn't hurt and ensuring he had plenty of food on his plate. 

It was only natural that his friends were all so concerned. Honestly, if it weren't for how much Usagi insisted on staying at that school, Ikuko would have been tempted to have her ''and'' Naru-chan ''and'' Makoto-chan pulled out, grades or no grades. She was sure she'd be able to persuade the appropriate guardians, after all - but the children seemed to love the school, and had all insisted that they were okay... 

Ikuko paused halfway through wiping down her dining room table.

They really had all made sure to say they were fine, and to thank her, Kenji, and Saito-san for the hospitality. There'd been an awful lot of sincere appreciation spread around, and it wasn't that Ikuko thought Usagi and her friends were typically rude, but...

"Kenji," she says quietly, frowning to herself. 

Her husband, having busied himself with drying the dishes, hums a little to show he's listening. 

"Do you think we should... worry? Usagi-chan and the others did seem awfully..."

"Preoccupied, and overflowing with appreciation?" That's her husband, for you. Always picking up where she was going, following in her lead when he wasn't charting a course for ''her'' to follow. 

"That's it exactly. They weren't like that at New Years, and that's just the time for reflection." 

"Well, you're right there, but it ''is'' nearly time for their exams. You know how kids are, when it's exam season, and besides that, they're all finally in high school. Everything seems like the end of the world, when you're in high school," her husband points out reasonably. 

It is reasonably. It's likely even true, but, Ikuko can't help but think back, and realize that no one had ever quite ''said'' the thing they needed strength for was their final exams. 

But... that had to be what they'd meant, right? What else could those lovely children have to worry about?

"Well... I hope they come by again soon. It's always nice to have the house full of laughter. Shingo-kun spends so much time out with his friends, and with Usagi-chan off to school, it really is too quiet around here."

Kenji puts down the dishes, walking over to her, putting his arms around her waist. 

"Of ''course'' they'll come by again soon," he says, leaning in, kissing her cheek. He's not that much taller than her, but it's always reassuring, to lean back against him, to be close. "They're growing children, after all. They'll come home soon, dear, don't worry."