489/Days of Our Outers Episode 489: Setsuna Has a Boyfriend

Days of Our Outers Episode 489: Setsuna Has a Boyfriend
Date of Scene:	21 September 2023
Location:	Pikarigaoaka Ward
Synopsis:	Following the events of 'Laugh it up, Space Boy', Michiru and Haruka come back home that evening to find Chrono and smol Setsuna passed out on the couch together. The teasing will be remembered for ages.
Cast of Characters:	Setsuna Meiou, Chrono Harlaown, Haruka Tenoh, Michiru Kaiou

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Setsuna Meiou has posed:
The day had been long, hectic, stressful, and emotionally draining for Setsuna. Thus, when she had decamped to the couch to just spend some time with her friend that needed some quiet, relaxing time to read on the couch, she'd taken one end and left him the other...and eventually with the help of the wonderful words of GNU Sir Terry Pratchett relaxing her, the long, hectic, stressful, draining day had caught up with the chibified young woman...and she had dozed off on the large, soft couch.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown had, well... had kind of needed this. He wasn't usually the kind of person to get lost in a book. He'd read, of course. Had read a lot. But he was always alert, always aware of what could happen, what would happen. But even he was on the verge of a breakdown. So he finally even ended his henshin and for the first time in... since likely arriving on this planet that hadn't been necesated by critical wounds... *relaxed*.

So it likely wasn't that surprising that eventually he fell asleep as well... Sitting up straight in the couch, he'd ended up with the book at his side, a finger holding it from closing entirely, but not bending the pages. Leaning slightly to the side, his chin lowered slightly as her very soundly slept.

Of course, he was still him, so he was... slightly at attention, even now. And he had the most buttoned up overshirt, tucked in and just... the boy still only barely had any chill in his sleep.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka and Michiru had been at a concert. Well. Michiru had been playing a concert, and Haruka had been watching Michiru play. Haruka - likely unfortunantly for one of the current couchsurfers - had not gone to the concert in a tuxedo like one might expect, but instead a slim, form-fitting blue and gold dress with matching cuffs and collar, with golden earrings. Basically, as maximally feminine as Haruka ever chooses to dress and on the opposite end of what would keep Chrono comfortable. The blonde is still carrying herself like she's in charge of the place, carrying herself every bit as Haruka as ever.

    The two of them come in quietly, expecting Setsuna might be asleep or otherwise this late. Which is correct, but not in the way that they expect. Quietly walking into the front room Haruka covers her mouth and points at Setsuna before leaning in and whispering. "What?!" is most of the words she puts together. "Why is Setsuna-san tiny?" she whispers to Michiru. This realization has actually thrown her off so much she isn't yet looking at the other side of the couch.

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Michiru Kaiou stands there next to Haruka, hand in hand, with her violin case held by the other. She blinks looking at the scene before her. She's so accustomed to taking in surreal visions that she gets the entire scene as a gestalt of _so many questions_.

Where Haruka's dress is rather intricate and detailed, Michiru's is a study in simple elegance. Layers of sheer, teal tulle ripple and swirl around her ankles as it comes to rest in stillness. She leans in closer, "I think the better question is why is Setsuna-chan asleep with a _boy_ I've never met?"

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
As the other two women have probably noticed by now, Setsuna is generally a fairly heavy sleeper. Sure, she snaps awake at precisely the same time every weekday somehow...but that time is hours hence...and if there isn't anything loud enough going on, she's unlikely to wake.

Which means the two of them are going to get plenty of time to point, giggle, and take pictures if they can keep their laughter quiet enough.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown is, not, normally, a heavy sleeper... But he'd set his device to scan for dangerous signs (which, frankly, the sheer amount of times he did that as a backup when he slept was probably a sign of how stressed he was) and he was exhausted. Mentally, physically, spiritually. So he wasn't moving. He barely even made a sound while he laid there.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    "I don't know." Haruka whispered to Michiru's inquiry. "Did she bring him home or did he bring her home?" she asks, rather seriously. She's a little bit less used to magic than Michiru is, having not exactly swam in it to the same depth, but being around Setsuna and Michiru for this amount of time has given her some resistance to Weird Things.

    "Also why does the boy on our couch look like he's sleeping tensely? Maybe whatever did that to him is the same thing that shrunk our tall potential women's basketball player to adorable size?" she asks. And then she pauses.

    "Wait, isn't that MY shirt?!" she manages to keep that to a whisper but it's a louder one.

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Michiru Kaiou crouches down to set her violin case and purse on the floor and then stands back up after fishing her phone out of her purse. She walks over and quietly takes _several_ photographs. They're _adorable_, and she's certain Setsuna won't be like this forever. There is obviously magic afoot. Magic and _teen love_ that she will never let Setsuna live down.

Once she has captured enough evidence, she walks back over to where she left her things and says, her voice quiet, but not quite whispered. "We're never going to get answers if we just let them sleep," she says. Then she gets a look of mischief in her eyes.

She crouches down again, lays her violin case on its side, and unhooks the latches. She pulls out Marine Cathedrale, her multimillion dollar Stradivarius, and the bow, and stands up. She brings the instrument to her chin, and before Haruka can even say anything, she starts to play. A private encore just for her favorite people--and Chrono.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Heavy sleeper or not, having a world-class violinist put a masterful piece of work through it's paces near you, especially by doing something as energetic as the chorus to 'Devil Went Down to Georgia' is not something that Setsuna can sleep through.

It is, however, something that the tiny woman can be utterly CONFUSED by.

Because while she recognizes the piece, when she snaps her eyes open and she tries to shoot to her feet...only to lose her footing and overcorrect to flop facefirst back down on the couch once before she drags herself up and stares in utter confusion at Michiru as her her sleep-bleary brain tries to process the utter dichotomy of what she's seeing and hearing.

On the fortunate side, the couch is big enough that her doing this doesn't even really come close to hitting Chrono.

Also fortunate from the point of view of her housemates, this leaves her staring with her hair sticking out wildly...and probably making her look even more confused and adorable in the process, "AWhawhahuh?!"

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown is alert instantly (for certain degrees of alert). His eyes open and he jumps to his feet, shooting off the couch with aplomb... "S2U, turn off the alarm," he says groggily. Okay, maybe not so much awake. He pulled out the card and henshined a moment later, directly in front of them, soon the small soldier... actually looking like a villainous soldier. And then started doing crunches. "Run Morning PT-3 with a--" And then he stopped, mid crunch... And then slowly stood up straight and turned around.

"This is not my room," he said slowly.

Annnnnd then he got a good, long look at the two angels of breathtaking beauty who stood before him, his eyes going as wide as his face went red. "Is... is this hell?" he asked in a soft, squeaky voice, his eyes lowering as he tried to look anywhere BUT them. Then held out his right hand, and the holographic ID came out. "T-T-Time space administrative bureau enforcer Chrono Harlaown," he said.

Oh gosh this was his auto pilot. THIS was what he was like. What was his poor roommate enduring?

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Okay, Haruka knows something is up when Michiru starts unpacking her violin. Well. She's right. No answers from them while they're sleeping. But she still isn't fully prepared for Michiru to just start playing one of her faster songs with such an intensity. Still. Michiru is elegant when she plays, and beautiful when she does so with such intensity, and it takes Haruka some legitimate effort to not just focus on her muse.

    But she does pull her eyes away, which is good, because she doesn't miss the flailing, half-awake, startled and confused tiny-setsu. She's trying to resist laughing but then Chrono gets up and starts exercising and she just loses it. Hand still over her mouth she starts to laugh, and it's more an outright thing than just a soft giggle.

    "Oh Michi, these poor kids." she says, after she stops. "Alright you... you have to tell us why you're in here, what's a time-space-administrative-bureau-whatever, and why my landlady is now someone I'm not sure can legally be left alone without being considered child endangerment." she adds. "I mean, you both can answer but WOW."

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Michiru Kaiou is elegant when she plays, but as her bow dances across the strings, the notes that come out are anything but. Of course, she didn't have a need for a fiddle of gold. Hers was just as valuable. She would've won that battle anyway. She's just that good.

She lowers her instrument from her chin and holds it by the neck down at her side, while her bow is held down at her other side like a sword pointed down at the floor. A glance is given over to Haruka, and she _giggles_. Those poor kids indeed.

Then she looks back at the pair on--or near--the couch and giggles some more. "Setsuna-_chan_," she says, making sure to really emphasize that suffix this time. Now that she knows Setsuna's listening, "What happened? What kind of magic is going on here?" Because of course there's _some_ kind of magic. It's the only explanation.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
At the sounds of someone bursting into exercise nearby, a still-confused Setsuna turns and looks over at Chrono for a few moments...then she closes her eyes and just starts banging her head on the back of the couch.

Granted, given how soft and cushiony said couch is, it's vastly unlikely she's going to do herself any harm...but it DOES give a wonderful window into her mental state.

After a few times doing this, she just stops, her face pressed into the cushion as she seems to take a few moments to get herself together...at which point she stands up straighter and says, "I got hit by some kind of magic prank because some asshole enchanted a candy bar to swap the sizes of the two people sharing it and stuck it in a communal candy bowl. Now I'm stuck this way for what I'm told is likely about a week or so."

She then gives Michiru's violin a pointed look before glancing back to her, "...and while I don't know if you're 'the best that's ever been', you're a damn sight better than Paganini was..."

A look up and down, "...far better looking, too. Why the man insisted on wearing muttonchops that made him look like his face was covered in fur, I'll never know."

Apparently 'only-mostly-awake' Setsuna's brain makes odd connections.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown just pointed at Setsuna. "U-uhhhh... t-that. And ummmm... I... I helped her get home. Because... magic. Flight," he said, yup, still not looking directly at them. Ohhhhh WHY was EVERYONE on this planet SO PRETTY?! And these two were... wow. A cut above the pale, even. Which was impressive since EVERYONE was so pretty.

"The... TSAB is... ummm... we patrol other planets through the dimensional barrier and try to keep them safe, but our ship crashed and uhhhh... Meiou-san has been helping me, err, cope with earth and... when I got hurt. Before. So ummm... sorry to bother you. Err, don't... let us keep you up, it's late, you should likely get to bed."

YES! GO TO BED YOUNG LADY! DEFINITELY DON'T FOCUS ON THIS!

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    There is, actually, a tiny but visible tic in Haruka's face when Setsuna says Michiru might -not- be the best, but... well, the girl has Opnions about her girl. But she doesn't otherwise comment. "So a candy bar did this?" she asks, for confirmation.

    "So... did you both eat one? You and... whoever this is?" she asks, inclining her head to indicate Chrono. Then she turns her head fully to talk to him. "I guess there's no reason I can't talk to you too. Except that you look like you're about to shatter into glass. Don't worry, I figure you must be okay if you managed to land the role of Setsu-chan's boyfriend." she says, bluntly. "Did you get swapped with someone from a peice of candy too?" she asks, and then smirks. She knows better, but adds "Oh, maybe they were out on a date and decided to share candy with kids, both of them, and now here we are?" she asks with a smirk. And then looks down at Chrono.

    "You probably look pretty decent at your correct size." she admits, not knowing this is his correct size.

     Haruka turns to look at Setsuna. "Really, I introduced you to my girlfriend but I'm only meeting your boyfriend when he crashes on the couch? Isn't that kind of rude? What if I'd thought it was just us girls and come in here looking indecent? The shame!" Then she looks at Chrono. "I'm sorry but there is no way I could sleep with all of this going on. At this point I might as well start us all coffee." she notes. "Sounds like you've got a lot in common with the other two on the whole magic...thing? I don't really... do that." she admits. "But I'm learning about it anyways." She pauses. "I mean unless you count the magic of being terrifically fabulous, but I can already see your face turning multiple shades of red so you already picked up on that."

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Michiru Kaiou crouches down to put her instrument away. It's awkward just holding it now, after all. And she smirks as Haruka interrogates the two youngsters, like she's Setsuna's father. Papa Haruka. She pauses as she's tucking Marine Cathedrale back in its case and lets out a sigh and smiles. That's a happy thought.

Leaving her things on the floor right there, she steps right up to Haruka and lifts a hand up to brush down her shoulder and arm to her hand, lacing their fingers together. She leans in and looks up and says, "Oh, give her a break, Haru-chan. Clearly, she's had a _stressful_ day," she says. Then she looks back over to Setsuna, and says, "What I want to know is what cute little kohai is walking around looking every bit the adult."

She looks to Setsuna and blushes just a little. That is _indeed_ a compliment. "Well, he was the best virtuoso of _his_ time. I'd like to think we've improved our technique in the intervening years," she says. As if being compared to one of the greatest violin players _ever_ by someone who was alive to hear him isn't a big deal.

She then turns to Chrono, and narrows her eyes just a little, then she giggles. "Aren't you a little young to be an inter-dimensional peace-keeper?"

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Setsuna sinks down in place, one arm across the back of the couch, the other holding up her cheek.

All she'd need is a board advertising 'Advice, 5 Cents' and she'd look a lot like Lucy from Peanuts. The pose is just about perfect.

She nods a little in Chrono's direction, "Meet Agent Chrono Harlaown. You'll have to forgive him. Apparently where he's from, the things they'd regard as a rare impossibility that defy every understanding of the way the Universe functions is what we here on Earth regard as 'Teusday'...and he's having a bit of trouble adjusting. I think he's had his brain broken...what..."

She looks over at Chrono, "Hey, Chrono...how many times have you had your worldview shattered in the last two days? Three? Four?"

She turns back, "...so, yeah...I've been trying to keep the poor boy together so he doesn't have a stroke or something, but it's kind of hard because I think someone in his past gave him something of a complex about gorgeous women and unless I miss my guess, the two of you are giving him flashbacks."

Another glance is given Chrono's way, then she looks back, "...yeah, give him a few minutes and he should be more or less back to what passes for normal."

Apparently, Setsuna has just given up on all efforts to retain dignity at this moment and has just decided to roll with it.

She then shrugs, "And he's not my boyfriend." She looks over her shoulder, "Sorry, Chrono." Back to Haruka, "...I mean, for one, he's way too young for me."

She dodges the comment about who got her size for the moment by looking over at Michiru, then at Haruka, "...yeah, much to his chagrin, this IS his normal height. Please don't give him TOO much grief about it...if for no other reason that I'm pretty sure it's a well-worn path for him at this point."

The something said percolates through her brain, "Coffee? PLEASE?!"

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown managed to get even redder, though he shook his head. At least Setsuna explained part of it."You see... err. Midchildian's... our... linker cores develop first and, uhhh, then our bodies do. It's, err, why we can eat a lot during our, uhhhh, growth periods," he mumbled, yup. That was all liiiiiiies but he wasn't going to admit it. Just gonna look at the floor and... Oh. Wow. Those legs were nice and--

He quickly looked away, his cheeks were likely so heated right now THEY could feel the heat from there. Alas, all of the references to famous musicians has gone over his head as, well, space alien. "And... uhhhh... I'm fourteen..." he mumbled.

Of course, then he glanced to Setsuna. Nice Setsuna who was... actually really cute and adorable too and yup, just gonna look up at the roof now, that was easier.

"And uhhh, it's quite alright. I... I don't think I'm in any fit state to be anyone's boyfriend right now. Not to mention I am, technically, engaged. I mean, it's an arranged marriage, but I'm not really in any current state to... solidify my opinions on that. Granted I wish I'd known before coming here that apparently everyone on this planet looks like they'd be the romantic interest in a space harem book," he muttered. Then blinked a few times and managed to, somehow, get even redder.

"... Yes coffee please. Or death. Not that you'd succeed, but attempted murder is something I'm much better equipped to deal with after waking up. A-as for... err, the TSAB... I assure you while I am quite a bit younger than most enforcers of the TSAB, the requirements are strict and I was merely an exceptional case rather than a uhhh... sign of lax measurements. But... it's not peace keeping. I suppose it... could be seen that way? But it's more... my duty is stopping interdimensional apocalypses." Ahhhhhh. So THAT'S why he was here.

"As for.... well... In the last day alone I have had my world view shattered at least... hmmm... there was that which was two... three... then four... five? I wanna say five. I may be forgetting a few. In the last week I've lost count. Were this world in any way accessible by the TSAB at this point I imagine you would have the honor of being our first SSSS class world in terms of apocalyptic danger. Perhaps space and time's most dangerous and powerful lost logia, the likes of which would be considered a fairy tale. So... congratulations." Meh, she was immortal and they were their friends. If they couldn't handle it, who could?

The impressive thing, though, was how dry his tone was when he said it.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    "Oh? My apologies, Harlaown-kun." she says, doing something uncharacteristic and clasping her hands in front of her and bowing for just a moment. "Didn't realize, I just assumed you were under the same effect as Setsuna-chan." she says. "I don't know you well enough to tease you for something you have no control over, like your height." She pauses. This does not mean she won't tease him about other things. "I used to get grief about my own height for the opposite direction. It's just not as noticable when I'm around Setsuna-san - when she's not Setsuna-chan." she says with a smile.

    "And when it comes to getting to understand weird stuff as things that just happen? I don't have any magic." Yet. "My two housemates do. I think we may have something in common... and sometimes it's easy for people who are doing the magic thing full-time to forget that their Tuesday is not everyone else's Tuesday." she says, giving a mirthful look at her two housemates.

    And she pauses. "On a level of truth, isn't everyone too young for you? You may have to accept dating people with slightly less lived experience, if you want to date at all." Haruka notes. "Really, Chrono-kun here is about as close to your experience as anybody else you're likely to find... on your timescale I'm not sure three or four years makes a huge difference, really." she adds with a shrug.

    "Acha. There sure are a lot of pretty girls running around this area. Enough to give you a complex on their own. Or... get you into trouble." she notes, as though someone who miiiight have experience on that front. "But don't get the idea this is all of Earth. As far as I know this place is... pretty specialk in that regard." she notes. "And well, welcome to Earth, Tokyo specifically. My limited understanding is that we have a lot of apocalypses so, I guess you're in the right place?" she muses. "I'm not gonna call anybodyu out for age, you're only a little bit younger than my partner here and she's also tasked with stopping apocalypses in her spare time, apparently. I guess the cosmic forces of destiny get a kick out of it. Good to know we're even special throughout the universe. I suppose several ancient people would be happy to hear that we are the center of a universe - even if that universe is 'dangerous apocalypses'."

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Michiru Kaiou is the only person who doesn't want coffee. She doesn't drink it after noon, as it makes her nightmares worse if she manages to get sleep at all. But she's also the only person with the wherewithal right now to _go make it_. Thankfully, the machine does all the hard work, and she knows Setsuna's and Haruka's settings by heart. She makes Chrono some coffee too, guessing at some settings for his cup. Whether or not it's how he likes it, it'll be delicious. Can't go wrong with the machine.

Presuming everyone followed her into the kitchen, she brings the cups over to the island where there are stools enough for them all to sit. That is, if Setsuna can get up on one.

"It makes sense you're here then," she says, just as drily. "I've been seeing visions of the apocalypse for months."

There's a look given toward her love, and a little smile. "Destiny is a real bitch, and I get impatient with her," she says. She does not swear very often. Like. Ever, really. And it sounds so funny in her soft, airy voice. She looks toward Chrono again and smiles. "It's just like I was telling Sailor Moon. The end of the world might be coming, but we've got _allies_ this time."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Harlaown-kun. I'm Michiru Kaiou, and my handsome prince over here is Haruka Tenoh," she says. All this conversation and Chrono was the only one who had been introduced.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Setsuna just looks over at the blonde, "...Haruka, if you added up everyone in the school together, staff and students alike, you probably still wouldn't get to my 'half plus seven' age." She shakes her head a little, "Frankly, I gave up on dating a long time ago."

With that, she climbs down off the couch and ambles around it to head into the kitchen after Michiru. As she does, a sharp set of ears can hear her mumbling a bit to herself, "...seriously...what would my dating profile even LOOK like? 'Single female looking for partner interested in spending time with someone older than recorded history. Must enjoy a dry wit and a partner who barely remembers what romance IS...?'"

After getting into the kitchen, Setsuna doesn't need help getting up onto the stool...though she probably looks adorable as she climbs up onto the seat and sits down.

And someone paying attention might catch her idly kicking her feet as she waits for the coffee."

At Michiru's comment about Destiny, she sighs and nods, "...yeah, she is. She likes to screw with us, too...but I think you're right...despite the fun she's having at our expense, I think she's more or less on our side...as we have a LOT of allies on our side this go-around."

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown blinked and then, for the first time, managed to meet Haruka's eyes. The sincerity and politeness actually managed to, for a moment, calm him. "Oh, it's quite alright. It happens quite often, it's why I started showing my ID when I identify myself." It turns out a lot of people laughed at you until they saw that 'enforcer' ID and realized they were in deep trouble.

Of course, that was a really pretty dress. So his eyes soon went up again.

Annnnd when it came to his experience, he coughed a little. "I uhhh... believe... Miss Meiou-san has more important things to worry about than, uhhhh, my... me. And while I likely do have more experience averting apocalypses than most people on this world, I am far from immortal and I heartily doubt I would be anything approaching her uhhh... Ahem. Yes. Very many. It is... not what I expected, to say the least. This, err, sector was... very little information gets out. And uhhhh... yes. T-this planet is quite dangerous. F-for other reasons too!" he said quickly. But the 'too' gave it away.

Coffee. Yes. Such coffee. Goooood coffee. Very good. And he, unlike Setsuna... just flew up to a seat, cause nope. He didn't need help either but it was hard to maintain an 'Enforcer presence' when you needed a step stool.

"You can see the future, then? Or... bits of it? That, at least, isn't... entirely unheard of. Rare and not the most... trust worthy of magic. But theoretically possible. So frankly I'm surprised you don't have a person here who can see it to the second. Maybe even someone who can rewind time itself, even," he said it with such a dry, serious tone that the sarcasm really was well hidden.

"I've, admittedly, always been exceptional. Not just in my age, but my capabilities. None of you are a part of the TSAB, so you have... little idea of what an enforcer is. Amongst field units, we are some of the most powerful. Amongst the universe, active enforcers aren't measured in percentages, they are measured in percentages of a percentage," he said, before sipping the coffee. Ohhhhh. It was good. And it might sound like he was bragging, but...

"It requires years of training, both in academy and in the field. Most worlds will have only a handful of people even capable of achieving this rank born every decade. The fact I have been able to achieve it is nothing sort of legendary in many ways. Though I almost wonder if even that wasn't accidental, that this realm somehow prepared me as an extra bastion to aid all of you."

"But, since coming to this world I have been repeatedly, rather brutally, humbled. I can't even count on one hand the number of times I have been pushed so far outside of my depths and capabilities that I've questioned if I am even here, if instead as the Arthra went down we were unable to escape and instead I am having a psychological break and concocting this. As this world, the things I have seen? It is borderline nonsensical. The magic just outright ignores the very laws of reality. I know to many on this world magic doesn't exist and so when suddenly it does, it just seems 'Oh, magic', and can move on. But I have lived my entire life with magic. There are rules. Reasons. It all makes sense."

"Yet this world, this realm, laughs in the face of such things. The fact of the matter? Those apocalypses? The more time I spend here, the less time I'm concerned it's to stop them from spreading. The more time I'm beginning to wonder if it's to stop them from escaping. That whatever lost logia has created this realm has decided to ignore the rules and just toss everything good and bad in here and destroy it all. Fortunately, so far, I've seen so much strangeness on the side of 'stopping' the bad that I'm almost delight to see what fresh horrors the 'bad' will show me."

Pause. Siiiiip.

"Did you know that, apparently, the pretty cures have a god? I'm absolutely horrified and fascinated by this. I wonder how that works."

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    WHEW. Haruka takes a deep breath as she works her way into her own coffee. "Thank you very much, Michi." she makes sure to say to Michiru. She will never show rudeness to the pretty lady who is currently making her coffee. It's a survival skill.

    "Yes, I'm Haruka Tenoh. And... Harlaown-kun, I can see why everybody teases you. They desperately want you to lighten up." she says, between sips of coffee. "Did you know you have managed to sleep at attention? You're not even relaxed when your unconscious." she says. "You know, stress can stunt your growth. That's not a short joke, either. That's a serious comment. I've known you for about ten minutes and I'm already concerned about your heart. I don't think you need stimulants. More like the other way round. Have you calmed down even a little, since you came here from... wherever?" she asks. "I've seen a few crazy things myself but eventually you do just have to roll with the punches of crazy. You're trying to stand up and fight back and you are not winning right now, Harlaown-kun."

    "It just means our magic is as magical to you as it is to me." she suggests. "You might have to stop trying to apply rules to it, just like I can't explain how my partner here can suddenly swap her clothes to a very cute Sailor outfit with a pen. It makes no sense to me, either. Probably as much as it does to you." she notes.

    "Lots of things have gods though - streams, trees, rocks. Or at least, they do in our mythology. Just sounds like one is a little more visible than the other." she shrugs. "Of course, all of this I think comes more naturally to me than it does an average person - Michi and Setsuna-chan have theories on that, but... not important. Doesn't matter. My point is, if you don't chill out occasionally, you won't be able to help anybody, much less yourself, cause your heart is gonna give out." she notes.

    "Well, I guess you'll just have to stay with us forever." she says to Setsuna. "I was trying to give you a path out but I guess if you're that enamored of us..." she says with a smirk. "Not that it's my loss." she admits, leaning back and interlacing her fingers behind her head. "Guess it's not your primary concern by a longshot anyways, with the whole apocalypse thing." She's very chill about it. Too chill. The opposite of Chrono. But maybe that's because she didn't know how deep in things were. Ignorance was bliss for her right now.

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Michiru Kaiou went back to the machine and fed the right ingredients to it to make a cup of an herbal infusion that would neither put her to sleep or keep her awake, but rather give her something delicious to sip as she sat at the island with the others. She brought it back to the island just as Haruka was saying 'stay with us forever.' She sets her cup down on the island, and slides up onto the stool next to Haruka.

"That's all very impressive, Harlaown-kun," she says, with a soft smile. "It certainly sounds like you have had ample training and experience in the field." She glances first at Setsuna and then at Haruka and then back to Chrono as she laughs lightly. "It's a very different sort of being special than mine. You are clearly a magical prodigy, whereas I'm a reincarnated space princess. I've only been doing this since _May_."

She takes a sip of her herbal infusion and inhales deeply, letting out a long sigh. "So, Setsuna-chan, are you just going to call in sick until this magic wears off?"

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Setsuna nods along with Haruka's attempts to get Chrono to relax...and after taking a sip of coffee, she scowls at it, then reaches over and adds enough cream and sugar to her coffee to stand the spoon up in...then she sides down off her stool, walks over to the fridge, rummages around and finally comes back with the bottle of chocolate sauce and adds a few squeezes to her coffee before taking a sip and nodding.

Apparently, she likes it differently when she looks twelve.

She looks over at Michiru and nods, "Yeah. I have ZERO desire to get anywhere NEAR campus right now. I just KNOW if I set foot out of here during the school day, truant officers are going to materialize out of the aether and drag me into school, strap me into a uniform and toss me to the mercy of all the kids in grade seven."

She gives a bit of a shudder, "...no thank you."

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown glanced to Haruka and... well... shrugged. Oh, hey, as they were talking business he actually managed to look her in the eyes! "I... will admit... that's... not surprising. I've been a soldier longer than I've been... anything else," he said.

"Admittedly, I uhhh... came here... to relax. Or... to Meiou-san. I'll admit, since arriving here she is the first person I've felt truly comfortable with actually explaining the sheer horror and reality of how I've experienced this world. I am well aware of how important morale is and how important it is to keep one's self under control amongst the less experienced. But, admittedly? Perhaps I just trust her more because we met after I was nearly bisected and she was very good at making me not dead. Always respect your medic. She just seems.... feels oddly comforting, I suppose," he said before taking another sip. He smiled when he watched her just drown her coffee in in cream and sugar. An actual smile, not his comforting soldier smile. And the chocolate sauce actually made him chuckle a bit. "Normally, I'd likely try to be... slightly less... honest about everything. Taper it a bit. But I am so out of fucks to give," he just... said it. With the same tone of an eighty year old veteran who just came back from the field and was preparing to go rescue some other dumbass.

"I... realize I'm tense. Too... tense even. I need... some time. But every day more and more new reality shifting information seems to hit me and I finally... just... escaped. And now I am here. Drinking coffee with what I can only assume are the living embodiments of three goddesses of beauty. But oh, the outfit changes, at least, make sense to me. That's magic I have."

"... Reincarnated space princesses slash goddesses slash space sirens," he mumbled before taking another sip. Did he even have any coffee left? Maybe. Who knew? "Been doing this since may? That's another thing. I was considered a prodigy. I've had training since I could stand. I'm having people who are putting me to shame in... a fraction of that time. That alone is a sign of just how incredible and mind boggling this place is." A part of him wanted to ask to scan her linker core. Another part of him was scared at the very notion.

"Maybe I should just find out if there's a place on this planet with no human life and just rest there for a few days. No fresh reality warping news can find me then, I say as if I don't know that they would then manage to find me within hours." Well, he at least seemed somewhat amused by this.

Then he paused and glanced to Haruka. "So... uhhh... she called you... prince. Are... you... a boy... or...?" Listen. It had been a time, okay? For all he knew at this point Haruka was actually a boy but just appeared as whatever was the most beautiful form for anyone who was around and he sighed. Why did those silly ideas sound like they made sense in his mind?

He did, however, nod to Setsuna's response. "I can't help but agree. Those truant officers are persistent. I had to start traveling by rooftop for a while. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll receive an invite to Radiant Heart Academy in a day or two," he joked. And yet, said it, as always, with that serious, dry tone of his.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka tilts her head. "Do we even still have those?" she asks, in regards to the Truancy officers. "I don't think I've ever seen any... but then again, I'm usually not missing class. But you'd think if I can get away with driving the cars... you can get away with being in town even if you look a little young?" she suggests to Setsuna. But Chrono confirms they exist - whether as a joke or not, Haruka's not sure.

    "You still sound like you've been ground down to nothing. Morale's important, sure, but so is living. Seeing the world. Watching the sun come up as you sit with your girl in a car going over the speed limit... or maybe that's just a me thing." she admitted, but she smiled. "Everybody is gonna find somebody who's better at something than the others. And just because you're the best today doesn't mean you're the best every day. The world's best racer can have off days. And maybe you're just starting to move up into a different league - the champion of one level, middle of the pack in the next. It doesn't mean you can't improve your position if it's important to you." she says.

    Then when Chrono asks the other question, she puts an arm around Michiru and pulls her in, and grips her a little more tightly than usual. "As to if I'm a boy... well..." she actually seemed to have a more difficult time answering -that- question. Something that for many people would be a quick yes or no, seemed to make her pause. "Not... today?" she offered. "Right now I feel more like a princess. But often Michi is used to seeing me as her prince." she admitted, shrugging. "Maybe we'll come back around to that one after we get the magic stuff settled. Frankly I'd rather deal with the magic and apocalypses anyways. I'm me, and that is what makes me happy. You can always use 'she' and 'her' to refer to me though. I doubt you'll be in a situation where you need to call me Prince or Princess, so. Haruka-san or Tenoh-san, as you prefer - and using she and her, that should be enough to get you through." she says, smiling gently, but... wary, like she might be cautious of how Chrono will react to her answer. Like this answer hasn't been good enough for some people in the past. It's not out of fear of Chrono... just out of wondering if she's gonna have to reply back to yelling with a response of her own, or start in on a lengthy discussion that her coffee cup is too empty to begin.

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Michiru Kaiou leaves her cuppa on the island's surface and just leans in to Haruka when she pulls her close. Her eyes lid just a little and she makes a happy sound. She looks over at Chrono and says, "The first time I saw Haru-chan, she showed up to the school dance--my _first_ school dance--in this magnificent tuxedo." She lets out a happy sigh, just thinking about it. "I made a painting, if you'd ever like to see it sometime."

Then she looks back up toward Haruka, and smiles. "You do look every bit the princess tonight, love," she says, agreeing with Haruka's words. She giggles. "You were very distracting tonight, while I was playing." She certainly didn't _seem_ distracted at the concert. She always gets so focused when she plays.

She glances then at Setsuna and smiles, giggling. "You're the older _and_ younger sister I always wished I'd had."

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Setsuna blinks at Michiru at her statement...and it's odd to see with her slightly darker complexion, but just before she suddenly takes a big gulp of coffee, it looks like she might have been blushing.

When she comes back up for air, as it were, she shakes her head, "Yeah, Chrono here I ran into a few weeks ago after a dustup...someone had very nearly made him half the man he is...and I mean that quite literally...another centimeter or two, and things would have been very different." She shakes her head, then goes on, "...anyway, I spent two hours, forty-eight minutes and thirty seven seconds stitching him back up." She waves a hand, "Between that and some magical healing he got with some people he'd met here before he met me, he's in pretty good shape, now." Once more, time down to the second.

She sets her mug down and rests her chin on her hand, eyes half lidded as she mumbles, "...they're crazy and they're mean and they tease me and don't take me seriously but they're my family and I love them..."

Apparently Setsuna's either relaxed or tired enough that the filters are off.

"Chrono's kinda like a little brother...but he's in a bad spot and trying to hang on for dear life and I know what that feels like and I kinda just wanna help him as best I can..."

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown just gave a sage nod. Then looked at his coffee cup... Now empty. Eh. It was late, sure, but he was... tired. So tired. "Yeah. I've... been feeling the strain. Why I finally just finished my report and decided I'd ask Meiou-san for some help. Then proceeded to have reality shifted again once I arrived. Very impressive the way this world keeps doing that. You'd think it would get tired of it at some point." He placed the cup down.

"It's not... being less exceptional that concerns me. I always figured I would, one day, take a less active and more logistical role. I'm more concerned of the mental state and safety of all those in this world. The TSAB supported me and others like me. The people of this world don't have that. I've been... trying to offer aid where I can, but... it oddly never feels like enough." Bit of an over achiever, this one. Not that any of them ever do that.

Annnnd then Haruka's... explanation. Chrono stared at her. And stared. And maybe it was judgmental. Maybe it was considering. maybe... it was all she feared. Until, finally...

"I'll be honest. I do not understand, but... That? At least, is not something that fundamentally requires me to readjust my world view. So ummmm... whatever makes you feel most comfortable, Tenoh-san," he finally said. "Knowing my luck, you'll be one of the prettiest girls I've ever seen and one of the most handsome men I've ever seen and may you be a marvelous... prince... princess...? Regardless," He may not understand it, but he had neither the energy to care so long as he didn't offend her nor the ego to believe he had any more right to tell her what to be than she had to choose it for himself.

That and he was not dumb enough to be rude to one of the immortal planet pilot's roommates.

"I'll save the portrait for another time, though, I've got enough things I'm never going to forget as it is..." Aaaand there was that blush again.

Oh, and then Michiru with the older/younger sister comment and he couldn't help it. He actually laughed. "You'd best take care of her. You know, I always wanted a little sister, they're very honored roles," okay, there was even a HINT, just a HINT of non-dryness to that tone.

And then... oh... That comment. About family. "Yeah... yeah. Even if... sometimes you wish they'd be a little more serious... Family is still special. Even if it's a found one." Oh? Maybe he was more observant than he may have seemed. Or maybe he just assumed the two flirting with each other weren't entirely related.

Then.... then he was designated a little brother and he couldn't help but give a little sigh. Yes. Forever the little brother. Never the big brother. "Though... it is quite late. I likely should retreat for the evening. It has been wonderful talking with you, Meiou-san, and... thank you. I think it has helped a bit," he said before bowing his head and... yes, he flies off the chair a little because seriously CLIMBING down from a chair does NOT help your image at all.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka slides off the stool to walk over and hug Mini-Setsuna from behind. "Love you too, Setsuna-chan. And if it helps, I do take you seriously. There's just not a lot I can do about things right now." she admits. "Crazy, I'll absolutely admit. Mean... hopefully only a little and it should really be in fun. You saved me from myself, Setsuna-chan, and allowed me to be on my feet long enough to meet Michiru and even still gave me a place to live after that." she adds. "Even if I never become who you two think I am, or remember what you two remember, you probably saved me in this life too and I'll never forget that, or take it for granted, even if I pick on you a... little." she says, hugging the smaller version of the normally taller girl tightly. It's not often she gets to loom over her and cover her during a hug after all, she was gonna get her moments from it.

    She didn't even let go of Setsuna for a little bit, even turning to ttalk to Chrono. "Well, it's not my house, it's hers." she admits, though it's as much her hosue in some ways, she knows who's name is on the deed. "But if it were up to me you could stay as long as you needed to get your head back together, or as much as you can in our world." she notes. "But it's not your job to support everybody else without getting support yourself, either. And good luck teaching a lot of the girls I've seen to operate in a military unit!" she added with a laugh as she slowly let Setsuna free and went to go wrap her arms around Michiru instead. Maybe tired Haruka was huggy or maybe it was a huggy kind of day.

    She heard that sigh, too. "With as focused and dedicated as you seem to be - even after only meeting you for a little bit - any little sister you did have would be lucky to have you, Chrono-kun." Haruka says, smiling. "But... you're also right about the time. Gods. That chair was far less comfortable than the music I was listening to." she admits, stretching her arms and legs. "Bed sounds... really good." she says as she starts to slip away and head that direction. "Tomorrow, we can all talk more."

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Michiru Kaiou slides off her seat and walks around to hug Setsuna as well, just after Haruka moves away. "I hope you know the teasing is only because you're _adorable_," she says. Then she makes a happy sound and squeezes Setsuna again. Tired Michiru is more huggy for sure. "But more importantly, you're _you_. And we're here for you."

She looks over toward Haruka as she heads off toward bed, and then back toward Chrono as he flies down off his seat. She giggles. "It really is late, and I've been up since very early. I should find my way to bed, too."

One more squeeze and then she steps away to go get her violin and purse, and is off toward her own wing of the house.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Setsuna slips off her chair, then leans over and gives Chrono a hug, "Feel free to come by anytime...but I think we all need some sleep. You can crash here if you need, but your roommate is probably worried about you."

After a few moments, she lets go, then yawns and says, "And don't forget your books."

And with that, she heads on back towards the bedrooms, too.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown let out a soft yawn and... "Actually... I kind of told my roommate I was gonna be gone for a few days. People keep... finding me... and telling me things when I make myself available. So I just kind of... sent a... 'not around right now' mesage and officially went off duty."

Blink blink.

"I don't think I've done that in years..." he mumbled. And then... you know what? Guest bedrooms were nice.