2682/Oh, Boy, Problems.

Oh, Boy, Problems.
Date of Scene:	10 July 2025
Location:	Cafeteria Plaza
Synopsis:	It was Ami in the cafeteria with a romance novel that started it all! The rest was pretty much Minako.
Cast of Characters:	Ami Mizuno, Minako Aino

---

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Having gathered her tray and made her way to a table, Ami settled into place there with food arrayed before her and an open book beside. To the extetrnal world it looked as though the blue-haired senshi were up to that very same thing she always seemed to be doing--study. Not all was as it appeared on the surface however, as the splayed tome did not contain anything of technical interest. There were no equations or chemical diagrams. Not even some little character peeking out of the side to explain some fact about a foreign sentence or another. Because, of course, this was not a text book.

Alone with a typical, nutritionally perfected, meal, Ami was sneaking in at least this much of a break for the day. It wasn't the kind of quick snack that she was generally associated with. This was neither sandwich nor sandesh. No, it was the proper daily cafeteria meal. But the book--this book was a story of fated lovers of one kind or another, and she was engrossed enough that rice-bearing chopsticks hovered near her waiting mouth.

Minako Aino has posed:
As if summoned by the illicit material that Ami was currently perusing, the Goddess of Love herself appears behind Ami! That is to say Minako had seen her friend reading and ventured closer with her own tray held in hand. It was loaded with lots of carbs, a salad, and of course something sweet. The usual fare for her before a day with volleyball club at the end of it.

Cautiously she glances at the contents of the book before announcing herself (just in case it was a study time). Finding what was there instead she grins slowly, impishly, and near-whispers in a conspiratorial way:

"Whatcha reading, Ami-chan?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
While it wasn't Makoto's voice that broke her out of her reverie, it did run its way up her spine like an electric shock. It was enough to have the gathered clump of rice leap from sticks in a manner entirely unbecoming of someone with Ami's particular brand of demure reservation.

She was also now wearing it. The rice, that is.

"Minako-chan!" Ami breathed her friend's name like an accusation before realisation set in.

Blue eyes now accompanied by the red of a fairly fierce blush flicked from side to side and hurriedly the book was closed. The cover sported a couple wandering down some nameless lane beneath autumnal leaves. It was still fairly obvious.

"I--well--uh..." Flustered, Ami tried to think of something--anything--fast. "Book."

She stared blankly ahead. Very rosy.

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino nods solemnly at the response from Ami still wearing that Cheshire grin at catching her with such a book. "Yes, it is a book," she agrees as she moves to sit beside her embarassed friend seemingly not minding *in the least* that she was blushing to death.

"I could recommend some other books like this to you, you know!" Books. Okay manga. Close enough.

The spill of rice is taken in stride as she reaches for some napkins to offer to Ami, going so far as to try and help her clean up with a pat of a few here and there. "Sorry though, I didn't mean to startle you that much! It's nice to see you taking a break from studying, you know. I know you enjoy it but doing too much of one thing can make you burn out. Like eating too much candy makes you start to dislike the candy. Unless it's chocolate."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
The napkins were gratefully accepted as much as the assistance in clearing her of tiny white debris, the grains plucked and then clothing wiped at to remove any remnant moisture. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could really undo the horror at having been discovered.

"No, no." Ami tried to smile and laugh hurriedly. "I've got plenty at home."

I've got plenty at home. Oh no, she did not just say that out loud. "I mean--!"

For a brief moment she was like a deer in headlights, a little bit stunned and a little bit trying to find the quickest way to flee. In the end, though, she seemed to resign herself to this with a hearty sigh and closed eyes.

"Yeah." Ami agreed. "Even I need some down time from study."

This, of course, extended all the way out into all of the tutoring she managed to squeeze in. If it wasn't her own study, it was someone else's. Sometimes she just needed book.

Minako Aino has posed:
"Oh? Really? Anything good?" It was rare that Minako would ask about a book. ROMANCE books though? That was an entirely different thing! Interest flares in her eyes even as that teasing tone fades to just a hyper one. "I could use something to help me forget the ick of Demande."

Even as she says it her face contorts with a look of sheer disguist, as if the name that passed through her lips were the most vile insult imaginable. Even the little shudder that comes over her causes her to gaze at her food with a sudden lack of interest.

"He snuck up on me the other night while I was body doubling on patrol. Others were nearby, thankfully, but uck."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Oh, Ami had plenty that she thought was good but there was some unspoken terror involved in introducing the Goddess of Love to her collection. Not the least of which the very specifically Minako-ness with which that particular investigation would take. After all, the last thing Ami needed was a personal matchmaker trying to find someone that perfectly matched her literary fantasies.

Even the thought had her somehow find an even redder shade to be.

No! Wait! Demande! Yes!

"Demande is all sorts of ick, yes." Ami nodded several times, glad to have a new topic to discuss.

Then the specifics of the topic caught up with her and she frowned.

"When Chibiusa-chan came to--uh--lightly threaten me as Wicked Lady, she mentioned that he had an obsession with her mother." Ami grimaced. "You were okay then, at least?"

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino purses her lips together as she hears about the threatening. It had been mentioned before though not in detail around her at least. Her weight shifts in her seat so that she can half-turn to face Ami all the better to listen and talk. Her expression remains serious, though.

"Obsession is right. When we were on Nemesis to rescue Mamoru, we found him in Demande's room. He had this..." Her hands raise to make a vague gesture trying to describe in the proper words. "3D hologram of Princess Serenity. It's like the future equivalent of an otaku bodypillow only since it's a real person it's even creepier." Not just a real person though-- Their friend and Princess.

"That's why I started body doubling as soon as we got back. I mean sure it was also to help hide the fact she was missing. But. I would have done it even if she wasn't."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"That makes sense." Ami nodded. "Though, I'm definitely glad that there were people around when he did pop his head up. I got a hit on the blue one's phone the other day--the one Izou-kun gave him."

Another short grimace. "I didn't think too much of it, since Mamoru-kun had already given us a heads up about the meeting. It would be nice to put a metaphorical bell on the other one, too."

How exactly she was going to manage that, Ami had no idea. Demande wasn't likely to just hang around someplace where she could sneak a bug onto his person. It was something she'd continue thinking on, though.

Perhaps a little later when her pulse had settled all the way back down again.

"She didn't really say too much at the time, honestly. Just that he wanted Princess Serenity and that she was absolutely determined to not let that happen." And Ami felt that was fair, not wanting some creepy space-prince to abscond with her mother.

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino latches quickly onto something that Ami says. There was a lot to process there, but she reaches out to grasp Ami by the upper arm with a sudden intent, serious look. "You did?! Can you track it?"

"Izou said he was going to be taking Sapphir on a date to try and give him a taste of 'real life' and try to convince him there's alternatives to whatever crazy plans they have." Which was. Suspect in many ways, and worry fills her gaze as she informs Ami of this.

Realizing she might be squeezing her friend's arm she releases her grip to settle back again with a deep breath. "I don't know. I really don't know if this is a good idea. He seems sort of reasonable, or at least he listens? But he's also..." She gestures a moment, hand swirling around her ear with a clear 'crazy' loop-de-loop tracing of her finger.

"He reinamates the dead and then like. I don't know. It's weird. Even when I was fighting Demande there were a few moments of talk that..." Her expression contorts.

"He was confused about a few things. He was also attacking without hesitation though so I'm not going to even think that he's 'redeemable' plus the ick with Usagi. I'm just worried Izou's going to get in over his head."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Izou was going to take Saphir on a date to give him a taste of real life. Ami hadn't known the specifics, but Izou had already said as much to her. That he'd be inviting Saphir down not as an enemy. Like Minako, she was distinctly concerned about Izou's relationship with the, evidently, zombie-master. There was a deep breath as she recalled her conversation with Masato at the museum.

"As long as he's on Earth, and within range of cell towers, I can track him." Ami confirmed quietly. "At the very least, we'll be able to keep an eye on where they go. As long as they don't break off and he doesn't try to set out to cause trouble, I think we can extend Izou-kun trust in this case."

She shrugged.

"Not that I've personally met either of them. And, if I'm entirely honest, I'd really, really rather keep Usagi-chan as far away from them as possible." Her nose wrinkled a little. "It's not jealousy if it's for her literal protection, is it?"

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino looks just a little surprised at the 'trust Izou' remark, and she blinks rapidly. "Ami-chan, you should know me better than that!" She blurts with a hint of teasing in her tone. "It's Saphir I don't trust! Although, I mean, they're both boys so they're both pretty suspect, overall. Regardless!"

Here her voice drops a bit, softening. "Wanting to protect your loved ones is never jealously. If you were wanting to keep them away from someone else that wants to make out with them, then that's jealousy, but safety is an entirely different matter!"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"I'm not worried about that, no." Ami flustered.

Minako often had the unique capacity to make Ami blush. It existed as much in the choice of subject as it did in the forwardness with which she said it, and since the blue haired senshi was already still a fiery kind of red, it was just a deepening of the shade.

"But, you're right. He is the bigger concern." She nodded gently. "I've been trying to not say his name, just in-case he's got some future tech that's on the lookout for it. It's probably a little paranoid, but you never know. Not with creeps like that."

Minako Aino has posed:
"Then you don't have to worry that anyone will call you jealous for it!" Minako determines with a brighter smile trying to be reassuring for her friend, even if the manner she was doing it resulted in that blush lingering far longer than it may have otherwise. Mina always was rather straight-forward to the point of being 'a bit much' to handle.

She sits back a bit, giving Ami some more personal space once again, as she forgets the fact that she'd been grossed out of wanting to eat by this point. The food on her tray regains her attention enough to snag one of the french fries to pop into her mouth.

"I hadn't thought of that. That's a good point. Although, if they did have that kind of tech, they would have found out our identities quicker than before."

Mina's eyes narrow in suspicion as her mind follows that trail of thought for a moment longer. "... Then again they went back to the future and returned, so they could have fine tuned something. Very good point."

Another fry is taken. "How are *you* doing anyway? What with the wedding and all."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
A mouthful of rice was swallowed away as Ami had been chewing quietly while Minako spoke. When had she taken the bite? Only Ami and god knew.

"I've been doing well, actually." She confirmed with a smile. "The wedding felt like a really lovely reset of things. Really, I'm just happy and relieved to have Usagi-chan back properly."

It was a sentiment she'd repeated multiple times. Understandably enough Ami was, indeed, functioning much more sensibly with the safe return of their Princess and her girlfriend. While Chibiusa also factored into that, it wasn't nearly as personally pronounced. She would have been worried and worked hard to bring their pink little sister back regardless. Usagi herself, however, was distinctly important and always loomed large in Ami's concerns.

"How about you, Mina-chan?" Ami tilted her head curiously. "You shouldered a lot at the time, too."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino pauses mid-fry munch. There were a lot more at this point than just a single one as she'd grabbed several at once to tuck into her mouth. It's gulped down with the slow manner that comes from a dry mouth. An easily solved issue as she grabs her iced tea bottle to chug quickly.

"Ah, I'm fine. Stressed out but it's mostly handled so I can relax a bit more now. I did manage to have some fun when I needed. It helped some." Even if she hadn't wanted to add more worries to others. Being 'Minato' for a bit helped, as did the occasional flirtings she had with some new boys.

"... It was more than I want to do again of course."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"It was a lot to ask you to look after a couple of very important things, but also running as a body double at the same time really put you into a dangerous position." Ami agreed with a nod. "It's what we signed on for, of course, but it's still important to recognise. It helps us to keep some perspective on the sorts of things we do."

Fighting evil had its rewards, of course, but did come with some fairly unique occupational hazards. On the other hand, Minako had given her a perfect in. A way to perhaps get a little bit of revenge.

"Have you been on another date with Rome-kun yet?"

Minako Aino has posed:
"It was a lot," Mina agrees without trying to seem flippant about it. "It was... Really a lot. I'm going to have to think about things for awhile once we can actually, honestly relax. But," she continues with a brighter smile. "We got through it."

It was unusual for Ami to talk about boys. On occasion sure, but typically the reaction was exactly what the mention of romance had brought upon her in the first place. This was a rare moment indeed!

Mina's smile deepens with a glint in her eye. "No, we haven't, does that mean he wants to go on a date with me!? Oooh! Oh that'll be fun!" Hands clap together clasping in front of her chest. "Oh what should I wear? Ah, but he hasn't asked me yet or should I as him? Eee! I've been so busy with the doubling and then with making sure Ace got purified and-"

Blinking out of her haze she realizes, "Oh right. Ace-kun."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
It wasn't that Ami was immune to the promise of romantic tales, as Minako had noted quite embarrassingly at her initial approach. There were some mixed feelings about the potential for romance between her friend and her student, not the least of which were the strange similarities between them and the hazards they presented for one another in academic procrastination. Fortunately, Ami quite enjoyed pestering people about their homework.

Not that she'd ever say so outright, of course. The enjoyment of it was a secret.

"Ace-kun?" Ami asked tentatively, letting her eyes narrow a little.

Another boy, for certain, and one that needed purifying at that. Well--scratch all else, was this some awfully inconvenient competition for Roman? Not on Ami's watch!

"Who's Ace-san?"

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino draws a hand back to comb fingers lightly through one side of her hair tucking it away behind her shoulder. "Ace is... Was, Danburite. He was the one that I was up against when I was Sailor V. Before that though?"

It's an expression riddled with guilt that creeps over her. An expression that was so rarely seen on Minako of all people. "He, ah. He was from Venus. One of my soldiers there, back then. He reincarnated like us and the Dark Company got him." Mina's gaze flits back to Ami's with a small sad smile.

"When we were in Paris he ressurected. That's where I'd fought him last to begin with. I asked that he allow Usagi-chan to purify him just in case there was anything left and apparently there was a bit."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
That slapped her across the face like a wet fish, shaking her head and pulling back.

"He's from Venus?" It wasn't quite incredulous so much as it was Ami working to incorporate this new information for herself. "So. Alright. So, he's like us and the Shitennou. That makese sense."

As did his winding up working with Beryl and Obsidian. Because, of course he did. There was a brief moment in which Ami wondered whether she had any Mercurians floating about who'd wind up being her enemy, and later sad problem, at some point. It didn't linger past another shake of her head, though.

"But, Usagi-chan got it, at least. That gives him a good chance at a new life where he can learn to help people again." Ami nodded now. "You did the right thing for him."

Still. She couldn't stand the sad little smile. Ami shifted a little until she could set a comforting hand to Minako's shoulder. "Are you okay, though?"

Minako Aino has posed:
That question was surprisingly more of a loaded one than the one from earlier. Mina looks a bit torn still though she forces a smile. Beneath it all she was all right. It was just a lot to unpack.

"Yeah. Back then, when the turmoil on Earth was becoming an issue, I loaned Endymion and the Shittenou some troops to help try and restore peace. He was among them. I- I didn't even know he existed back then."

"But he remembered. He calls me his Princess."

"And back when I was Sailor V I had a crush on him, and he gave me a ring, and we kissed, and then I had to kill him when we fought and--" As she lets it all out her hands move, gesticulating with energy as she tries to formulate the words and emotions into something that she could just pummel instead of dwell on.

"And HE claims he loves me but I *killed him* and now he's back and he says he'll help us though so there's that. We can always use more help."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
The hand slid further around and settled into a short, firm squeeze. It was something tangible that Ami could offer in the way of support. She hadn't realised just how much there actually was underneath it and Minako had almost glossed across everything, but--

Yeah. Ami wasn't stupid. She could see the weight on her friend and the difficulty that this presented.

"It is lovely that he'd be willing to help us now." Honestly, Ami figured that was the least he could do.

Perhaps she'd just had a very good model of what doing the work looked like in Masato and, of course, Ami was personally pro-Minako more than she was pro-some-guy-she'd-never-met-but-who-had-memories-of-a-past-life-about-her-friend. So, that might have biased her opinions a little.

"You don't actually owe him anything more than that, though, Mina-chan." Ami assured her. "In fact, you probably didn't even owe him that much. It's not your job to fix the boys around you."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino leans in against Ami at the squeeze taking a moment to dip her head down. Just a moment of resting her head against her friend's shoulder while listening to her words. They were ones she should know rather well herself. Sometimes it was easier to hear them from someone else though.

"I guess part of me feels a bit responsible because of his origin. Once upon a time I did care about him, too, though that was a long time ago. Plus," she sits up again trying to resume her usual easy going smile.

"I figured out he wasn't my destined love after ..." She usually just blurted such things out. For once she pauses considering if she ought to share the news of the kiss or not. Lately she'd been getting a lot of scolding when she did. "Er. Anyway. That was awhile ago. I'm really over him now, mostly! I'm just not sure he's over *me* and I'm not used to that being an issue."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"It's a him issue, not a you issue." Ami stated clearly and quite sternly. "If he's being better because he thinks you'll love him for it, then he's being better for the wrong reasons and risks falling back into bad things. He has to want to do these things for himself."

Like Masato, role-model that he could be for a lot of people in their personal quests for betterment. Not that Ami would overtly name-names, generally. No, she just thought them from time-to-time.

With that capped, however, she plucked up a meatball to hover it by her face for a moment. This came with cheeky little grin.

"Your only problem should be deciding on an outfit for your next date with Rome-kun."

And then she popped the food into her mouth.

Minako Aino has posed:
"That's... true." A him problem. It really was though wasn't it? Mina gazes off a moment clearly lost in thought even as Ami vanishes the meatball with her usual culinary ninja skills.

"You're right. And Rome is *so nice*!!!"

Once something was decided it was rather easy to move on from. It wasn't as if she hadn't moved on from oh-so-many crushes of her own in the past. As she once told Izou, why would she want someone that doesn't want her? It didn't quite fit in this case, but the ability to move on was a skill she had learned well with that mentality.

"I mean he was a bit rude at first when he thought I was *stealing* his Tamagotchi but that was just a silly misunderstanding, like in all those rom-com movies! Ah and when I ended up not liking the drink I ordered he just slid his over and let me have it without a word!"

A genuine grin comes over her again making her look far more her usual self. Overthinking wasn't really her thing. Usually. "Thank you, Ami-chan! Although... There is *one* little issue with Rome-kun."

"I met him as 'Minato' first and now he thinks I have a brother."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Mina-chan..." Ami sighed and closed her eyes now.

It was so absolutely Minako to be the thorn in her own side. Ami just patted at her shoulder.

"Maybe he likes boys, too, and you can flirt with him twice as much." The blue haired senshi fought hard to find the silver lining and, in this case, she pulled a face. "Oh. Imagine winding up in a love-triangle with yourself, though."

Minako Aino has posed:
"Oh well I may have already flirted with him as Minato..." Yeah, Mina really was such an idiot at times. "I don't know if he likes boys too though. I could find out!"

Leaning in quickly she tries to give Ami a hug. "Thank you, Ami-chan! I'll do that!" Oh no. "But first I should try to meet Rome-kun again and decide on a date in the first place. I'm so excited!"

Poor Rome.

"Ah I should get going! I've got volleyball club after classes! Oh, and Masato usually has tennis around the same time. You ought to see him in his shorts," she adds a little slyly. "Makoto-chan is a lucky girl!"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Yes, she is." Ami agreed, though she strongly suspected that they had very different ideas about what that luck constituted in this moment.

After all, Ami wasn't about to go gawking at Masato's knees or anything.

She set her chopsticks down on her empty tray with a smile, glancing to the book that remained on the table. Ami flushed again before snapping it up to secret it away back into her backpack, where only her plush bluejay would know.

"Right! Yes!" Ami cleared her throat, rising finally. "Classes. Computer club. Then lessons at the cat cafe. I'll see you soon and try to not confuse poor Rome-kun too much. He really does seem like a nice boy, even if he talks like a gangster from the movies."