936/Not As Cherished Friend

Not As Cherished Friend
Date of Scene:	29 December 2023
Location:	Mitakihara Ward
Synopsis:	Ami and Mamoru run into Runealy trying to fill a crystal with energy from a phone charger. Numbers end up exchanged!
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Runealy Waldia, Ami Mizuno

---

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Many are cold, but few are frozen -- it's chilly and damp out in Tokyo right now, but it's less damp, by far, than it is in Mamoru's side of his dorm room. Which was magically flooded very, very precisely by one of Beryl's minions, but that's neither here nor there. What is topical right now is that Mamoru's got a box of takeaway in a bag slung over one arm, and he's texting, and he's walking, and he says to Ami while doing all of these things at once:

"It's great having the memories to go with the logic, but it's a little confusing, you know? To have conflicting, overlapping stuff from the same years of my life, and it's all got the same amount of immediacy, and--" his texting is suffering tremendously; he's paused in the middle of it but is still walking "--the past couple of years are so confusing anyway, and I don't remember anything from before I was six anyway, so technically I remember more of being Endymion than I do of being Mamoru--"

He cough-laughs. "Sorry. What I meant to say is, it's really interesting. Trying to get--" And that's when he trips and drops his phone.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
While Mamoru's phone is being dropped, Rune's is being misunderstood. Despite the weather, the princess sits next to a vending machine on the sidewalks of the Mitakihara area. She has managed to plug the wall outlet half of a phone charger to an open slot next to the vending machine's plug, but the rest of what she is doing is definitely non-standard.

Specifically, she has the cord tied around a red phone... and is shoving the USB end of it against a completely clear, transparent crystal about half the size of the phone itself.

Nothing is happening, despite her repeatedly poking the USB part against the crystal at a variety of angles. Rune seems unaware of anyone else nearby, focused on her work.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno was bundled up against the cold reasonably well without being too unfashionably 'Christmas Story' bundled. Cute boots, leggings that were probably fleece lined, a decent skirt of dark blue and a peacoat style coat with a colorful little scarf-belt. Even a jaunty little beret! Because she was told it was what went with the coat, and how could she not maximize the cute potential? She might be nerdy but she knew how to dress.

"I imagine it is quite confusing," Ami sympathizes with Mamoru while they walk along nodding solemnly in partial understanding. "I've not received all my memories yet, entirely, but it's odd. Like trying to remember something just out of reach?" Or maybe that was just her own experience with it.

Lifting a hand she reaches out to grasp Mamoru's elbow attempting to help him from completely splatting on his face.

"Are you okay, Chiba-san?" Even as she queries she gestures to the side suggesting, "Maybe we should take a seat while you check your phone-- Oh." Her head tilts a bit staring openly at the very, very confusing situation of Runealy and her phone with a look of pure puzzlement. "Maybe she needs help with her phone, too."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Aah, thanks--" Mamoru says a little sheepishly, ducking his head briefly, then getting out of the path as directed, and hitting send. He pockets his phone and looks where Ami is pointing. "Oh, huh. Yeah, she does, she's not from around here. Princess?"

He steps closer, then crouches down. "You're going to get cold, sitting on the sidewalk like that. Are you trying to charge the phone or the crystal?" A beat. "Oh, right, sorry. I used to be Hematite. We met when I worked for the bad guys. I don't anymore."

Runealy Waldia has posed:
It is very likely that Rune's phone needs help with her, rather than the other way around. While she has added a simple coat to her attire in a nod to the weather, very little else she is doing makes any sense. She unties the cord around the phone, then re-ties it at a different angle before continuing to poke the charger at her crystal. Nothing happens.

She reaches over to wiggle the wall-plug part of the charger, and still nothing happens. A frustrated growl-sigh follows, as Rune more insistently shoves the USB end against the crystal with the same lack of effect as before. "Perhaps this is why they are known as 'smartphone' telephones," she remarks in an irritated tone. This can be easily overheard while Ami and Mamoru approach, and she doesn't notice them during that time.

She does, however, look up when Mamoru speaks. "Hnn? You ha--" He offers a proper introduction. Her eyes go wide as she leaps to her feet, tense. "You're...?! Summoning Princess' Tiara!"

Jeweled headwear appears in hand, then... vanishes as Rune shakes her head. "No... if you intended to strike me down, you had no shortage of opportunities. You speak rightly; I had thought to deceive this cell phone telephone and the wall, to provide power to this." She kneels down to retrieve her phone and crystal, indicating the latter with a slight hand-shake.

"However, it has seen through my ruse and is granting no energy of any kind. Nor have the last ten walls I tried."

She nods over to Ami and asks her: "I may abandon this idea momentarily, unless you know of a way to fulfill the task at hand?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Recognition flickers breifly in Ami's gaze as she fixes her attention on Runealy. Moreso when Mamoru steps over to introduce himself properly, and also calls her Princess. It was a vague memory of a battle soon after she had just awakened.

Usually she would try to recall more details but the current situation has her tense as Runealy first begins to power up. "No! He's a friend!" She blurts out with a step forward taken to interpose herself between Mamoru and Runealy with one arm flung out over across his chest as if the much shorter blue-haired girl could protect the tall dark haired Mamoru. Thankfully, no one decides to *test* that out, and she relaxes with a bit of a sigh.

"I'm sorry, I'm his escort today so I'm trying to keep us all out of trouble." There's a pause as she hesitates. "But more importantly," for her sense of curiosity at least! "Are you trying to power the crystal, or the phone?" A hand lifts to gesture toward the pair of items that were bound up in the charging cable with some confusion.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
With the jump-up of Runealy's and Ami interposing herself, Mamoru only saves himself from falling on his back end on the concrete by virtue of a steadying hand on the salty cement. He picks himself up with as much dignity as he can muster and brushes his hands off on his jeans.

"If the phone, there should be a slot on it that that cable fits into. If the crystal, you're not going to be able to charge it with that cable. Do you want me to try and charge it for you? No dark energy, I promise. I don't use it anymore. And it might not work."

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"Forgive me, I know him only under much less favorable circumstances and not as cherished friend nor ally," Rune admits to Ami with a tiny nod. "Yet he had every opportunity to strike, and here you and Sailor Moon alike vouch for him. I will give him no battle today, and perhaps never again." Rune uses a lot of words to say something that could have been a lot simpler.

Rune begins untying the cord from the phone again, "I had thought to use your wall energy for this," she indicates the crystal again with another wave after stowing the cord, "Yet it seems I have been outwitted by this aptly named 'smartphone' telephone. Nearly a dozen times I have tried this deception, and not once has it provided the power I sought. I can only imagine this is a lost cause."

Mamoru offers to help, and Rune responds by tilting her phone to tap the charging port with a finger. "This very opening, in fact. I was instructed in its use after learning that 'low battery' is a warning and not the name of an incessant caller. I do not believe you will succeed, yet... you are welcome to attempt it." She puts the phone away, and holds up the crystal for Mamoru to inspect.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno glances back over her shoulder toward Mamoru when he catches himself from falling completely on his butt with an apoogetic expression. She hadn't meant to jump so close he nearly tipped over. A step to the side is taken so she can turn toward him offering a hand down to help him back to his feet if he needs with a quiet, "Sorry, sorry," offered.

As Runealy offers her own apology about starting to become defensive in regards to his identity reveal, Ami allows herself a soft smile. "Thank you. I know it must be difficult to change an initial impression, especially in such a case, but I appreciate that you're willing to consider it logically. We worked so hard to help free him and his compatriots."

'We' indicating magical girls, perhaps herself as well, but she hasn't yet said who she was. This was still a new enough thing to her that 'Ami Mizuno' wasn't really used to blurting out her alternate identity.

When the phone charging port is indicated she can only nod solemnly as if this were a tricky thing. Sometimes they were depending if you had the right cable. "Ah, yes it only accepts power into itself it doesn't allow you to divert it to another source."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
After accepting Ami's hand up and grinning at her with a shake of his head -- he's all right, it's fine, it's just the ground -- Mamoru takes the crystal in hand and concentrates. A delicate gold-white nimbus begins to form around his hands. He gently pushes healing energy at the crystal, turning it over and over in his hands, trying to find anything that might be open to reception-- but the energy doesn't go in. It doesn't go anywhere, it just goes... away.

He stops not long after, looking disappointed. "I'm sorry," he says, and he truly sounds it. "I thought it might work the same way putting dark energy in something does, but whether my own energy is too different in nature or the crystal is particular, I don't know."

He offers it back, then glances toward Ami and nods. Looking back to Runealy, he says calmly, "Sailor Moon had the most important miracle. She kept me from dying, and with everyone's help and that miracle, she brought us all home. My sister... will take a different miracle, I'm afraid, and I don't believe there will be one for my parents. But that's all right. I wish I could help you with yours."

A beat. "Your miracle, I mean, not your parents." Another beat. "I mean unless you need help with your parents."

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune winces, gaze lowering as Ami confirms her guess. "Then this is of scant use to me. Far less use than knowing that one of our enemies now numbers among our allies." She nods up at Mamoru while making that comment. "Others have vouched for your character at length, I would deny neither their feelings..." A nod to Ami, "...nor your efforts in bringing that character to light. I know not whether that is 'logical', yet it is how I shall conduct myself in this matter."

Mamoru tries to heal the crystal. Rune watches with raised eyes, her attention completely fixed on his efforts... ...and much like her attempt with the charging cable, ultimately nothing happens to the crystal. 'I'm sorry', he says. "...As am I," Rune comments in a low, disappointed tone. "You have my gratitude for the attempt, regardless." She reaches out to take the crystal back in hand.

Then he praises Sailor Moon, and is very careful in how he phrases both it and his discussion of miracles. He has, by any reasonable measure, said and done nothing wrong. Yet Rune takes a step back, looking aside as if stricken by his words. Her response is very subdued, a quiet voice: "I am delighted that she had at least enough miracles for you that day. However, perhaps I should be on my way."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno watches with interest to see whether or not the crystal becomes charged with Mamoru's power. It was the first time she'd gotten to really see it outside of battle. Outside of him healing Jadeite from the gaping wound that had been inflicted on him by... She wasn't certain who. Somewhere along the line it had been dealt and it was a morbid sight indeed. Another miracle that he had survived it.

The power does nothing though it seems, and the talk of miracles in general causes Runealy to turn morose.

Ami risks a quick glance between the two, uncertain of the topic perhaps but not of the reaction. "If you'd like some company... Even if it's just to get your mind off of things...?" She offers leaving it hanging a bit with another smile offered. "It is a bit chilly. I'm sure it would be all right if we stopped for a warm drink somewhere for awhile. If you need."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"I'm sorry, I spoke out of turn," says Mamoru quickly, suddenly worried that he has said or done something that would chase Runealy off. "Or-- here, let me give you our telephone numbers, since you have one--"

He's patting himself down, then comes up with a wrinkled little notebook and a stubby pencil. He quickly scribbles down two numbers, and one of them says 'Mamoru' - protector - and one of them has a little doodle of a moon next to it. And then the paper's offered.

"Call for help if you need it," he urges. "She can do things now that she couldn't before. And like Mizuno-san says," he adds with a nod to Ami, "friends help a lot."

He pauses, if Rune hasn't backed too far away. "Or if I'm the source of your discomfort, I can go. I'll go straight home," he adds to Ami, "and I'll call over comms if I run into trouble."

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"Forgive me, but I have compelling matters to ten--" Rune cuts herself off mid-way through refusing Ami's offer. Either she has realized something on her own, or Mamoru has said something that sunk in and turned this situation around. Rune leans in to look at Mamoru's paper, retrieving her phone and beginning to tap the controls. Clumsily, with several seconds between each hesitant push, but nonetheless using the phone. She can be heard softly whisper-repeating some of the numbers he provided, then trying to reach out - slowly - for Mamoru's pencil to write on the paper as well. If he doesn't interrupt, she will write her number and name down on it.

"No, you are not weighing upon my mind." A nod to Mamoru. "You have saved me no small amount of time and effort on what would have been fruitless. As have you," a nod to Ami.

"Therefore... if you are still offering, despite my discourtesy, I would accept."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno glances over at Mamoru when he writes his number down only to realize she hadn't really told Runealy who she was. While he does so, and she works at jotting down her own number, that slip is fixed.

"I'm Ami Mizuno, by the way. A pleasure to meet you." Mamoru is flashed a reassuring grin as well, a light pat bestowed to his shoulder as if to say 'it's okay', and she nods at Runealy again. "Of course. We won't keep you long if you need to go, but at least join us in a drink first. My treat?" She offers while already tallying up in her mind if she has enough allowance.

Of course she does.