956/Days of Our Outers 956: Christmas Together

Days of Our Outers 956: Christmas Together
Date of Scene:	25 December 2023
Location:	Casa Del Outers
Synopsis:	After rescuing Setsuna from being trapped watching a door in an empty space, it's time for the three girls to share a Christmas together, as it should be.
Cast of Characters:	Setsuna Meiou, Haruka Tenoh, Michiru Kaiou

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Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Christmas Afternoon! After having her family come and rescue her from the demons in her head, Sailor Pluto gathered everyone together and teleported them all to the roof of a building about halfway between their house and Khorma, whereupon the whole group was able to make an easy trip to the invited breakfast with Rashmi's family.

A pleasant morning was spent...but the Outers eventually left Chrono with the Terios clan and made their way back to their home.

After arriving, everyone broke to perform ablutions and/or respond to various calls of nature with the implied understanding that they'd get back together after.

Thus it is that Setsuna wanders back into the kitchen not long after...and apparently she's figured that she's going to dress for the day, as she's in one of those one-piece sleeveless velvet christmas 'elf' costumes with the white fur trim around the collar and the bottom.

Of course, hers is in black velvet, and she's got matching velvet shoes and gloves as well as a matching black and white 'santa' hat. A brown bow centered with a large faux garnet finishes the look.

Once she wanders into the kitchen, she immediately checks the rice maker and loads it up to get some rice going.

Then it's over to the fridge and she's retrieving one of those large grazing platters of various finger snacks veggies centered around a bucket of dip which she sets out before gabbing a premade charcuterie board to plop down next to it along with an assortment of crackers. Then it's into the entertainment room to put the TV onto some holiday-themed music rotation which she then dials down to a nice background level...and then she's back to the kitchen to fudget with getting some plates and spoons out.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka has been looking forward to Christmas with her girls for a little bit now. It's part of why she joined up so readily to help Setsuna. (The other part was actually you know. Helping out her family member, her older sister, her teammate and one of the two girls in the world she'd do anything for.)

    Haruka is... extremely underdressed compared to the other two, when she comes out for the first time. She's not dressed for the occasion at all, unless the occasion is 'being at home' but she did at least swap her t-shirt for a collared one before heading over to the Terios household so she looked a little bit more like a boy who was trying rather than a boy who rolled out of bed. And she cleaned up pretty (and/or handsome).

    Haruka walks up next to Setsuna and snatches the spoons out of her hands. "No, I can set the table. You set up everything else. You should let us help you more. Both here and... you know, with all of the other stuff. You don't have to do everything alone." Haruka says as she goes about setting up plates, silverware, and glasses. Before Setsuna can do literally everything herself.

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Michiru Kaiou was full of smiles and polite, friendly conversation at breakfast with their friends, but both Haruka and Setsuna would recognize that she was masking. She's so good at it, so practiced from a lifetime of celebrity, that most people can't tell. But those two? Well, they're the only ones she lets it down around, really.

When they got home, she retreated into her suite, fell face-first onto her bed, and just started crying. She had her family now, but this was still her first Christmas without her parents, and the grief was overwhelming. But she wasn't alone, she knew it, and she knew that the only thing that would make her feel better is to go spend time with the girls.

And so she appears, maybe five or ten minutes after Haruka. It's obvious she's been crying, as she's made no attempt to hide it. Her eyes are puffy, and her hair messed up. She's hugging her violin case to her chest. "After we eat," she says. "We're turning that canned music off, and we're doing this right."

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
As Michiru arrives, Setsuna stands there blinking at her empty hands for a few seconds, and she experimentally opens and closes them a few times as if to confirm that yes, they are now bereft of utensils.

She then turns and gives Haruka a glare that's so obviously insincere that it's EXTREMELY obvious she's only doing it for the amusement of herself and perhaps those observing.

Once she's sure Haruka is looking, she sticks her tongue out at the blonde for a moment...then while continuing to stare at her, reaches out into empty space...twists her hands and produces a 1/2 gallon gladware container full of something brown...that she then reaches up and puts into the microwave and closes the door before punching some numbers into and slowly, deliberately hitting 'start'.

Staring intently at Haruka the whole time.

Then, while continuing to stare at Haruka, she steps away, reaches out, snags Michiru...then chivvies her into the entertainment room, still staring at Haruka the whole time.

Because Haruka has her hands full at the moment, so if she can lighten Michiru's mood by being a bit silly, then she's more than happy to do that.

Once line of sight is broken, she smiles over at Michiru, gives her a quick hug, then nods, "Of course, Michiru."

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    At Setsuna's antics, Haruka stares back, firmly and at times even playfully loudly putting down silverware and glasses. To those who do not live in the house they might think they were mad at each other when in truth they were just playing around. She doesn't reply back, she can be just as wordless as the other girl! Just as playful glaring.

    Okay maybe Setsuna is slightly better at that than Haruka, but the girl's trying.

    Setsuna shuffles Michiru out - a Michiru that looks upset - and that's when Haruka stops playing around with Playfully Aggressive PlaceSetting. She comes around the corner, a bit late since Setsuna broke line of sight first. "Well, I didn't figure we wanted to try to play live music and eat at the same time." Haruka offers. "You're talented enough to bounce an orange all over that Stradivarius, but I'm not sure you want to try eating it out of the air mid-song too."

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Michiru Kaiou lets Setsuna guide her off to the entertainment room. She is hugged. She is reassured. Then Haruka pops in and reassures some more. "Of course not, that's why I said after dinner," she responds, her voice just a bit flat. But then she smiles, just barely, her eyes meeting Haruka's. "Thank you."

She sets her violin case down, and then steps over to just throw herself at Haruka for a hug whether the blonde is ready or not. Her face buried in Haruka's shoulder, her arms around her waist. She squeezes tightly. "Thank you," she whispers again, as the tears start to well up.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Setsuna watches Michiru throw herself into Haruka's arms...then after a moment watching with a soft smile, she steps over, wraps the two in a big hug before kissing each on the top of the head and pushing them gently over towards the couch.

She hears the dual beeps from the ricemaker and the microwave and says, "I'll be back with lunch in a moment."

Becuse while she appreciates Haruka helping out...at the moment, Michiru needs her more at the moment.

Still, the prepwork the blonde did makes what she needs to do fairly simple. Three plates, spoon up a bed of rice...then pull out the gumbo and spoon a good helping of it over each plate of rice.

Then a few minutes later she comes back with a plate in each hand and a spoon stuck in that she hands to each of the other girls before reaching over to the coffee table and with another twist of the wrist, depositing a pair of ramune bottles, one each of Haruka and Michiru's favorite flavors before moving over to flop down in the nearby recliner and producing her own plate of gumbo from her personal dimensional pocket.

Said gumbo uses chicken, shrimp, and hard sausage as it's meats, the standard creole trio of celery, bell peppers and onions as it's veggies...and wheras most gumbo uses either file powder OR okra as a thickening agent, this particular recepie uses both...so it's easy to serve it in a 'curry' style.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    By this point, Haruka really should be just prepared for random Michiru throwing herself at her at anytime. But she's not, so it's only due to her general strength and stability that the two of them don't end up collapsed on the floor. A step back and a catch and then Haruka lifts the shorter girl up for a spin before putting her down, so that they can be kissed by Setsuna and for a moment Haruka can just close her eyes and think... this feels right, everything is right.

    "You really enjoy being able to pull stuff out of thin air." Haruka remarks. "Or maybe you just didn't have three hands, I guess." she notes, opening the Ramune and staying near Michiru.

    Haruka takes a drink and then pauses. "You know, actually, I'm just gonna say it, out loud. The three of us together always feels right, and good, and it makes me happy. Things in general feel a little bit more right with the Princess being around too, and no apocalypses I know about (knock on wood) in the background... but things weren't right until you were home with us, Setsuna." she adds. "You belong here, with us."

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Oh there's an apocalypse still alright, but that's just not what's at the forefront of Michiru's mind. She leans into Haruka on the couch until Setsuna comes out with the plates of gumbo. And then she sits up straight, so as to properly hold her plate and eat. Which she does with gusto. As if she were starving. As if she hadn't eaten a huge breakfast.

She only stops when half the plate is empty. She does have to breathe after all. She sets the plate down on the table and reaches forward to grab her bottle of ramune. She pops off the lid, and smashes the marble down, and then takes a drink. "Mmm," she says. "Thank you, Setsuna. This is wonderful."

She looks at Setsuna for a moment and then leans back into Haruka and lets out a long sigh. "I don't even know what I would have done if I hadn't found you two. I am so glad I'm not alone today."

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Setsuna smirks, "Look, once you get used to having your dimensional pocket, you'll want to use it more often, too."

She shrugs, "As magicks go, it's basically on the level of 'cute party trick', but it is EVER so handy, and the more practice you get, the more you can store. And with small enough stuff if you do it right, you can even use it openly and not freak anyone nonmagical about it by passing it off as some simple sleight-of-hand."

She reaches up, twists her wrist and produces her henshin pen, rolls it through her fingers, then twists again and makes it disappear, "Thus the slightly flashy hand gestures I use as a distraction."

Then she nods, "...and thanks to the Princess, that shouldn't be an issue after tomorrow."

She lets that settle as she takes a few moments to eat a bit herself, "...Rashmi apparently texted her and she's going to drop by tomorrow to discuss things."

She gives a bit of look as if sharing information in confidence, "...I think she's still finding her footing with being the Princess...so if you don't mind, it'll just be her for a bit so we don't crowd her. Maybe go look at the light displays downtown and come back after we've had time to have a discussion?"

Then Michiru comes up for air and Setsuna smiles softly before nodding along, "...oh, I can second that SO VERY much, Michiru."

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka laughs. "Well when I found Setsuna I was just some scruffy kid who'd just punched her dad and couldn't go home." she says. "And yet, I knew I could trust her. And I was right." she says. "You know, it's almost 2024... and I'm looking forward to being able to spend a whole calendar year with the two most amazing women on this planet." she says.

    Haruka sighs. "I'm really glad to hear that she's gonna talk with you directly. I've spoke with Usagi a few times. As Usagi, as Sailor Moon. And a little bit as Serenity, now. She's... grounded. She doesn't have any of that... high nobility energy. Even when she's in the white dress and glowing." she says. "I can't entirely explain it, but I'm pretty sure she'll make the right decision. Besides, she wouldn't have given Rashmi her key otherwise."

    Haruka laughs."Yeah, we'll get out of the house so you can discuss super secret time things with Princess Serenity." She knows that Setsuna's stated reasoning is correct but that doesn't stop her from teasing. "Text us when you're free of your ancient imposed rules?"

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
One of the best things about Haruka is she always says the things that need saying so that Michiru doesn't have to. This time it means she gets to plow through the other half of the food on her plate. She has an agenda. She said after they eat, and really it only needs to be after she eats. So she eats quickly. It helps that the gumbo is delicious.

As she sets her empty plate back down on the table, she smiles. "I'm sure we can find something to do," she says. "Maybe you can take me for a drive," she says, and then leans back into Haruka nuzzling her head against the taller girl's shoulder.

She lingers there for a moment, but then she lunges forward and rises up to her feet. She fetches her violin, and sits down on another seat, where she's not right next to either of them. She sets the case down beside her, opens it up, and pulls out Marine Cathedrale.

"Setsuna, if you could please turn off the TV," she says. Then a moment later. "Feel free to sing along, if you know the lyrics."

Then she brings the violin up to her chin, lifts her bow, and starts to play. First up? The Christmas Song, or at least, some arrangement of it for solo violin.

Setsuna Meiou has posed:
Setsuna rolls her eyes, "I seriously doubt that Usagi could really understand any of the temporal mechanics involved. Mercury might be able to...but I think she'll need a few more levels of schooling first."

Setsuna then smirks a bit and shakes her head, "Still, knowing the Princess and the kind of woman she is, I don't forsee a repeat of those...unfortunate circumstances. I'll be certain to text you afterwards."

Then as Michiru gets up and declares her intention to provide music, Setsuna obviously and deliberately snaps her fingers at the TV...while subtly in her other hand using the remote to turn it off.

She then finishes her plate of gumbo while Michiru gets herself set up and waits to see what the other woman will play that she can sing along to.

Haruka Tenoh has posed:
    Haruka chuckles. "Well, it's not entirely a fair fight on that front. You have a few millenia on her. She might be more intellgient than you, but it'd be impossible to match that." she notes, regarding any other girl. She hasn't met Mercury yet, but the way Setsuna speaks she can figure she might be one of the Brains Of This Operation.

    The blonde girl looks up at her girlfriend who is starting to play and looks on with almost sparkling eyes. She wasn't a classical music fan before she met Michiru. She's still not entirely, but she is a Michiru fan. And she's ready to sing with Setsuna, to the beat.

Michiru Kaiou has posed:
Usually the music that fills the house is classical. She plays it all. So it might seem a bit strange to hear popular Christmas music ringing out from the strings of her Stradivarius. And yet there she is playing The Christmas Song, All I Want For Christmas Is You, Last Christmas, Jingle Bell Rock, Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!, and so many more Christmas classics...arranged for solo violin. No sheet music, just note after note from memory.

Her father loved Christmas music.