1094/So There's These Crystals...

So There's These Crystals...
Date of Scene:	08 February 2024
Location:	Dorms #1
Synopsis:	Usagi corners Ami and Minako to catch them up on the rainbow crystals, but it turns out her friends have plenty to catch Usagi up on too.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Ami Mizuno, Minako Aino

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Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Between Usagi, Makoto, and Hannah, Ami's probably heard at least a little about the fight in Game Center Crown, and the jerk that had been at the heart of it. Still, considering what Mamoru had had to say about the whole thing, Usagi had considered it like, prudent to make sure the rest of her friends knew what was going on. Mako-chan and Rei-chan had been busy, but Minako-chan and Ami-chan had been available! But where could they meet that was totally unlikely to be interrutped...

Usually she'd say her room, but, also, she'd kind of had Sunbreaker in her dorm, and Luna was still a little mad at her for the whole hiding that she knew a bad guy was behind her nightmares thing, so instead of hanging out in her dorm, she's suggested they meet up at Ami's dorm, and brought some corner store onigiri and bags of chips with her.

"Hey, Ami-chan! Open up, it's me! You got Mina-chan with you?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno wasn't expecting Usagi to visit. The familiar voice and the call to be let in draws her attention away from the book she was currently reading, and she rises from the table where she sat to head for the door. "Okay, I'm coming! You don't have to break down the door."

Though she doesn't immediately open it as she draws a deep breath and looks behind her to ensure the room was suitable for visits. Close enough. Slowly she opens it, her blue-haired head peeking around the corner to blink questioningly at Usagi. "What's up? Did something happen?" Of course that's her first thought. Opening the door further she gestures for Usagi to come inside to join her and Minako.

The room was interesting to say the least. Hannah had been the first to lay claim to the dorm before Ami joined as her roommate, and as such it had been suitably outfitted for someone of her stature. That is to say, broke royalty who enjoy sparring. There's a punching bag off to the back of the room while the front held a little seating area around a table, and then each bed and desk was off to the sides to seperate the room. Ami had added a few things, like proper lighting, a big old dog bed for Lyra, and a few cute throw pillows for comfort.

The table was where Ami had been reading and having a drink with some books piled up next to her as she hung out with Minako.

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako didn't have a roomate, perhaps that was why she was often hanging out with others...or she simply liked time with her friends. In this case though? She was probably needing some help with her homework. Either they were finished, or Minako was happy for a break as she approached behind Ami, sipping from a can of soda she'd retrieved and moving up excitedly. "Usagi-chan!" she greets the other blonde, reaching out a hand to practically drag Usagi in. Super excited, or needing a rescue? Maybe both>

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
She's not going to break the door down, come on, that would be silly! But. She maybe was knocking a little too hard?

Still, when the door opens, she raises her onigiri and chips and waves them.

"Um, new problems happened? So I figured I should tell you about them! Mako-chan and Rei-chan weren't around."

Pout.

"Can I come in?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno becomes over-ruled by the blondes. Not that she would keep Usagi out of course, but with Minako reaching over to physically pull Usagi in all she can do is squeak as she ducks out of the way so they can both move back in.

"Right, come in then. Would you like a drink?" The bag of konbini food is regarded before she turns to move off to her side of the room. "Let me get some plates and napkins." At least she had some reusable ones.

"Should we also reach out to the others, then? Or... Tell us what happened first," she reasons.

Minako Aino has posed:
Friends and snacks alike? What more could one want? After her last outing with Rei she hadn't had a chance to fill the others in...but Usagi's news was slightly more urgent.

Instead Minako moved to draw the other blonde in and release her rather than risk a food-crushing hug. "Seems like we're all having some rough encounters..."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
She's bodily dragged in, which really isn't a problem for her. With Ami grabbing plates and napkins and Minako releasing her rather than crushing her in a hug, Usagi plops down the konbini snacks and regards her friends with a serious expression.

"There's only five of these, so we're going to have to share two."

Grave news indeed! But then, she grimaces, and shakes her head. "Mako-chan knows, cause she was there, but I haven't reached out to Suna-san and the other Outers yet. I definitely probably should... but wait, wait, lemme back up!"

She waves her arms a little, realizing she's off-track.

"Okay, so, yesterday at Game Center Crown, this jerk ViewTuber showed up, and he was trying to do a crane game video, but, like, he found this weird crystal in a crane game instead, and turned into a youma? From the Dark Kingdom, even, because of course we haven't had enough of those guys," a deep eyeroll. Come on, ancient enemies! Can't you disappear?

She pauses.

"Hey, wait, Minachan, what'd you run into?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Another crystal?" Ami sounds both interested and puzzled as she steps back toward the table to set out the plates. One for each. A napkin is set neatly by each as well though knowing how Usagi would eat at times it was perhaps hoping for too much. Sure, she could scarf down food as well when she was busy but... It wasn't quite the same level of scarfing. She was just efficient. Right? Right.

Sinking down to sit again she carefully bookmarks where she'd left off and sweeps the books to the side to sit neatly in a stack beside her. Where they were safe from food shrapnel.

"Okay so you had the youma... What happened with you, Mina-chan?"

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako herself moves, finding a spot to listen in as Usagi explains, so far so...depressingly normal, although evil crystals turning people into Youma was not quite as common. "Things turning people mad and evil...haven't we had enough of those?"

When Usagi and Ami turn to her, Mina gives a little pout. "You remember the modelling auditions? Yeah...youma trapping cute people in photographs. Boo."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I haven't seen too many people turning mad and evil," Usagi admits, "But the crystal thing felt a little personal, at first, as someone with a crystal."

She can admit it! Her crystal does not make her evil!

Minako-chan reveals her own disappointments, and Usagi gasps. "Not the modeling auditions! Oh come on, that's not fair!"

Shaking her head, in disappointment, she reaches for one of the onigiri and unwraps it she explains, "The thing about the crystal was, Mamochan told me there are like, a bunch more of them. Six, I think? Apparently the Dark Kingdom is trying to find them, 'cause when you bring them all together them make a key to some like, ancient Earth Kingdom. Which is probably his ancient Earth Kingdom!"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Oh that's awful! I'm so sorry, Mina-chan. You had such high hopes for that too." Ami reaches out to pat Mina's shoulder hoping it might help her friend a bit, somehow. "On the bright side, at least you're okay? I imagine being trapped in a picture would get really boring."

One of the onigiri is reached for herself to place on her plate before it ends up vanishing but her attention turns to listen to Usagi as well with a nod. "Hmm. You're right, that's probably exactly what it is. Does he know of a way to find the others? If there's a way to do so perhaps we could try to get ahead of the Dark Kingdom for once."

A soft sigh is let out as she unwraps her onigiri. "You two really do seem to find so much trouble. All I've done lately is try to work on a way to help someone with a bit of a curse."

Minako Aino has posed:
Fair point, aside from that one time Usagi went spooky and turned people into toys...that was quite the day. Still, Mina doesn't bring up the painful memory. Hearing Usagi's understanding, Minako lifts her hands in frustration. "I know! And I was dressed up all cute and everything!"

Onigiri claimed for herself, she listens as Usagi explains the crystals.

"So that's the Dark Kingdom's plan? Claim another kingdom through these crystals?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Forget about those guys! We should do our own modeling audition, and put your pictures all over, because I bet you were suuuuper cute," Usagi is outraged on her friends behalf, but then there are questions, and she has the closest thing to answers.

"I think they're after power, or something, the usual bad guy stuff, you know? Mamochan didn't mention if he knew how to find them, but he asked everyone else - Hannah-chan and Page Mage-chan and like, a bunch of people were there - to help us collect them, so I get the feeling he doesn't."

Disappointing to be sure.

"But! He did get the crystal, after we beat the extra evil out of Joe, so I figure, maybe you guys can like, investigate it? It had a like, energy pulse, all, bwahbwuhhhhh, when it turned up, so maybe it's something your Mercury Computer can track?"

That's all the ideas that she has, honestly. In her opinion, the crystals will probably just start showing up, and probably one of them be around to get it.

And then.

"A curse?! Who's cursed?! Ami-chan, that's totally a big thing!"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno lifts her onigiri to take a bite. A normal sized one. A slow nod is given here or there while Usagi and Mina speak about the modeling gig gone wrong. Moreso when the topic turns back to the crystal sthat were cropping up again.

"Of course. I was going to ask that next," she assures with a rather easy smile. "I'll reach out to Mamoru-kun and see what I can find..."

She's about to take another bite when Usagi leaps on her remark earning a hand lifting to wave off the concern. "Oh! No no, not a curse-curse, I'm just not sure what else to call it really?" Lightly she clears her throat. "I showed Mamoru-kun The Shed, and we met another boy there who has a strange reaction. Tadase-kun. His mascot takes him over temporarily and starts ranting if you say a key word. I was just curious if there was an easier way to snap him out of it when it happens because it's not *that* uncommon of a word, really, and it must be very annoying."

Minako Aino has posed:
A grin, a little fond nudge/lean on Usagi's side as she takes a bite of her Onigiri with a noise of agreement and then she nods her head as her gaze flicks to Ami almost expectantly. Compliments that might make one blush could wait, they had stuff to do!

Swallowing her food, Minako leans forwards, hands on her lap. "I mean, if anyone could figure it out, it'd be you Ami-chan! Usagi, Rei-chan, both of them are better at removing curses than I am, but for finding the stones? I'm sure you'll work it out."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Ami's reassurance is greatly appreciated, though Usagi is... confused, after a moment. "Tadase-kun's mascot possesses him? That little fairy guy who hangs out with him? That doesn't seem very cute," her tone implies that the tiny fairy is cute, in the same way that a small animal was.

"I'm not too worried about these crystal things... except if they make more people turn into youmas, I guess, but if mascots are going around taking people over, that seems like a lot. I don't know if Moon Healing Escalation could do anything about that..."

She has the sudden mental image of Rei throwing an ofuda at Tadase's forehead, and giggles. Onigiri, it is time to be chomped! It... is devoured in two bites.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Ah I shouldn't have mentioned it. It's just that the word that sets him off is 'Prince'," Ami explains looking between the two girls with a small shake of her head. "He says it's temporary, but apparently since his mascot is a little King he takes offense to the word Prince. And with us and Prince Endymion..." All she can do is give a little shrug. "It came up unexpectedly during introductions. It's just him it happens to. A flaw more than a curse." Though an odd one.

"Clearly the crystals are far more important." A pause comes, and she looks slightly guilty. "Ah... I also met recently with Riventon at Mamoru-kuns request. He's asking for help in rebuilding Firefly's device so we can contain her change. I know you don't like her Usagi-chan, she's done some very bad things, but I want to try to help."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Oooh, he doesn't like to hear prince? That's no good, not when Mamochan's not a king yet." The yet is doing a lot of work here, but she sounds fairly confident.

"Still, if you're on the case, you're sure to find a solution!"

And then Ami tells her about the other case she's on, and Usagi heaves a sigh, opening a bag of chips. "It's not that I don't like Firefly - she deserves help, too, especially since she's supposed to be like, really sick, it's just - she's dangerous. So if Riventon is asking for help to make her a little less crazy dangerous? I'm glad he swallowed his pride and asked you."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"Yes, we thought we should maybe just refer to him as Endymion-sama instead? Or something similar when around Tadase-kun just to be cautious." Though that would take time... but at least it was an option.

As Usagi explains her own thoughts on it she smiles warmly and broadly. "Thank you for understanding, Usagi-chan. Of course we'll help her get better. Hannah-chan, Naru-chan and some others are also helping with it so we've got a lot to work with."

"I should get caught up on some homework so that I have more time to do that, actually." Looking between the pair she asks, "Would you both like to join me?"