1864/Obon Festival

Obon Festival
Date of Scene:	15 August 2024
Location:	Awami Shrine
Synopsis:	Coco is working at Awami Shrine for Obon, and is joined by many friends, each of whom have their own thoughts on this important holiday.
Cast of Characters:	Coco Kiumi, Hinata Muramasa, Glimmer Brightmoon, Amanda Faust, Usagi Tsukino

---

Coco Kiumi has posed:
These have been three days of celebrations and remembrance, the Obon festival marking an occasion when your thoughts go towards the ancestors you are grateful to, and letting you enjoy the traditional Bon-odori in their name. The streets are full of lanterns and the chatter of happy people, and the path leading to Awami Shrine makes no exception. The religious building looks slightly different during these days, lacking the trademark candles with the names of lovers that distinguish it during the rest of the year. Instead all the candles that currently lighten the offering chambers are simple ornate candles.

There is little sign of the attendance this section of the shrine typically receives, instead lots of people are gathering either in the space outside the shrine, where many stalls have taken room for themselves, or in the rite chamber, where shrine maidens dance the Bon Odori to the rhythmic sound of drums and the melody of flutes. The Shrine isn't just changing its configuration to allow people to honour their ancestors, but also because the Hamasaki family claims descent from the mermaid enshrined here, so they are honouring her too.

They aren't the only ones doing that, however. As usual for the shrine's activity, they call for voluntees to perform as shrine maidens for the shrine. They probably wouldn't expect that someone else claiming the Shrine's goddess as ancestor would be here too. Coco had been acting a Shrine Maiden for the prior days of the festival, and she is working here in that fashion today too.

The blonde girl isn't currently in the internal space of the building however. Rather, for now, she is walking around the stalls, her presence currently not required. She is still very much in uniform however, wearing a white kosode with long bell sleeves and a scarlet hakama that drapes all the way to the floor fastened by a ribbon on the front, concealing her sandals. She is holding a sunflower scepter in her hands, and her uniform is likewise adorned by a propitious floral motif. On top of her head there is a rather voluminous kanzashi.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata Muramasa, the scion of house Muramasa, and someone who equally remembers and curses her ancestors for the bloodline curse that currently besets her. She has come to at least attempt to be social, though the perpetually dour look on her face speaks otherwise.

    The black-haired girl has a dark blue yukata on for the festivities, instead of her more casual all-grey outfit when not in the Academy's uniform.

    Hinata is currently perusing the stalls, looking over the items for sale, be they food, or souveniers.

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Glimmer Brightmoon didn't really... understand the full festival.

She did, however, understand honoring your ancestors. And had even partaken of it as best she could. Leaving an offering at the Moonstone, her connection to her home and to all those who had stood before her in its light.

when Takashi had mentioned going to one of the shrines, but then had something come up? She'd offered to go and do it for him. A somewhat... likely strange gesture from her. But well, if anyone understood the desire to leave an offering for their mother, it was her.

Her business done and donations and offerings deposited, now? She was walking through the stalls and... not even trying to hide who she was. Not really. She was wearing a kimono and no henshin, so she actually glimmered and shimmered when she ran around. Now? Her mouth was filled with takoyaki and her desire for conflict was at an all time low. Food calmed the savage princess.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Having someone in henshin is typically an unusual sight when nothing magical is going on, and that goes double when you have been seen cooperating with Obsidian before. Surely there is no need to stay in henshin if you don't intend to intensely use magic, right? The yellow mermaid approaches Glimmer, a unsure look on her face, not wanting to cause sour feelings, but also having to check if she should expect things to start going roughly.

She gives Hinata a bow and a greeting when she sees the stern girl. "Welcome to Awami Shrine, I hope you enjoy your time here, and if you want to know the history of the shrine, go ahead and ask", she smiles brightly.

"Welcome to Awami Shrine", Coco bows towards Glimmer, the sunflower's face held down. "I hope you are enjoying your visit here", she smiles awkwardly. It's so much not her thing to act so covertly. 'Calm down, it's really nothing, she is just enjoying the festival like everyone', she tells herself in her thoughts. She is really no good at furtive things, though. "I am Coco Kiumi, one of the shrine maidens here. How are you doing so far?"

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Glimmer Brightmoon glanced towards Coco, a big bite of takoyaki in her mind.

She then swallowed it down and... "Hey! One of the shrine maidens, right? I think I heard about you. You're like, the girls who do all the dancing dance, right?" she asked, before lunging out and putting an arm around her shoulders, likely nearly knocking over the poor girl. One hand out, holding her phone... to take a picture. "Say Gouda, okay?" she asked, before snapping a picture.

"This has been great," she said, letting the poor girl go a moment later and grinning at her. "We used to have a lot of festivals and stuff back home, the food is superb. My boss was gonna swing by, but he got some work stuff come up so I offered to go and make the offering and stuff for him. So, I'm not from around here, I'm from... really out of the local area. What would you recommend I try while I'm here? That's like, legal? And NOT lighting anything on fire?" Pause. "I know some guys."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Previously, Amy rejected the comment about making ancestors sad with "My bloodline ends with me. If they can't be happy for me, they should be sad."

    But it's occured to her that -- if ghosts and spirits are real, in any capacity -- There are other spirits that need to be remembered. Most of which quite possibly have no descendents.

    So she's here today, in her T-shirt and slacks with her messenger bag, she's found some spot to leave a candle where people aren't gathered at the moment, setting it by the others left previously, pulling a lighter from her bag to light it, and putting her hands together and bowing her head. She speaks quietly.

    "I don't know if any of you can hear me. Most portrayals of the afterlife are either sad for everyone or... focused too much on celebration of those who agreed with the portrayer and the punishment of those they saw as sinners, which means uh, heh, not really a good outlook for any of you. Or for me, I suppose."

    "The first thing I learned about my true heritage, all those years ago, was that enough of us had died for there to be a memorial day for it. You don't... I don't think they celebrate it here. I guess you don't get a day in Japan, so I'm gonna steal a few minutes from this holiday, I guess. These ancestors have descendents to remember them, most of you probably don't."

    "I guess I can't really remember people I never knew, but... You matter. You deserved better. I can tell you that. You are remembered in aggregate, and... it means a lot to know we've always been here."

    "I can't change what happened to you. I can't help the dead, and I can't promise things will be better for our... siblings in the present and future. This o.... obaasan messed up her chance, but she'll fight to keep magic from hurting people, so that maybe this generation can make it better."

    "...I guess I don't know what else to say to ghosts. Know that you're acknowledged, at least, even if I don't know who you were. Um. Good luck."

    She looks up. "Hopefully one day the goddess of this shrine can do more to bring happiness to all. Maybe if we got rid of the veil."

    She turns away, tears running from her eyes. She had to wipe them with her arm multiple times while speaking.

    She starts to walk back through the shrine aimlessly, stopping when she spots the familiar face of Coco, stepping aside into an alcove or something to put herself together. Bags are useful for carrying lots of things! Like kleenexes. She blows her nose and tries to look like she didn't cry over talking to people who weren't there.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata bows in return to Coco. "Hello." she replies, looking the shrine mermaiden over curiously... until Coco gets Glimmer'd.

    Hinata's head tilts to one side subtly, drifting back off into the crowd. She doesn't want to overload Coco with questions, but she'll be back to talk later, maybe.

    Hinata makes her way into the inner area, peeking into the rite chamber, seeing if there's a dance performance ongoing currently or not.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco barely has time to confirm Glimmer's question before she is pulled in by the arm that reaches around her shoulders, likely a lot more decisive since Glimmer is currently in henshin. Or not in henshin, same difference. She smiles for the camera, trying to raise the sunflower so it fits into the picture, although she is not sure she did that in time.

"Try to give me some warning next time", she asserts to Glimmer as soon as she is let go of, taking a deep breath to focus. Riventon was going to come here? That was who Glimmer was with for the fight of the rainbow crystal. That makes her much more relieved. As much as Coco and Glimmer only met a single time, in intent Riventon seemed to be the more dangerous of the two.

Clearing her throat, she goes back to smiling to Glimmer. "I am like you, but I have the answer to your question. I moved here a while back. I hear the Tokyo Skytree is an amazing sight too if you don't mind moving over to Sumida, but Clover Tower can provide a similar experience if you want something closer. Though, you absolutely can't skip Karaoke Crown if you are with friends. And the Botanical Gardens too, there are all sorts of fancy plants there, I definitely recommend these", the blonde girl strongly recommends to Glimmer.

Coco stares at Amy with a concerned look when the redhead approaches them with the white of her eyes looking like they are trying to give her irises competion. What was wrong? Festival are for fun, then...? "Hey, Amy, what's going on?", buying from a nearby stand and giving the redhead grilled squid.

In the meantime, Hinata will have the pleasure to enjoy the performance of two shrine maidens dancing with a precise flow to the rhythm of the musical instruments.

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Glimmer Brightmoon gave a small nod. "Really? You're not from here? Ohhhh. Are you a prin-- from a far off country too? That's awesome! I've never seen the skytree. Does it fly? A flying tree would be awesome. Oh, who am I kidding? Of course it flies. Why would you call it a skytree if it iwasn't in the sky?" she asked with a snicker.

"I've been to the karaoke crown, actually. A friend of mine and I went there. We had a karaoke conteeeeest! It was awesooooome! We rocked out forever!"

Her eyes then wandered to Amy and she blinked. Then... "Takoyaki?" she offered, holding out one of the balls. It seemed Coco had the same idea. When girl is sad, drown her in noms. "Tough day, kiddo? So, like... this whole thing is a celebration of the lives of those who passed, right?" she asked, glancing to Coco. "'Thanks for living long enough to have me, thanks for trying to make the world a better place, those who did try' kind of thing?"

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata slips in and quietly enjoys the dance, comparing it to the Muramasa family traditions. She offers a bow, and a an offering with the traditional prayer, silently given with hands pressed together.

    Afterward she returns to the stalls, drifting past a few, before she pauses at one selling packets of sweets. She fishes out her purse, dropping the money onto the counter for two packets, which are in turn secreted into her yukata.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy jumps. Oh shit, spotted! "Um..." she blows her nose, folds up the tissue and stuffs it in her back pocket. And then she's being handed... grilled squid? Huh, neat, she'll try it.

    "I was just... trying to do what you're s'posed to do, an' like, respect and say something to the dead. It got... emotional, I guess. That's normal, isn't it?"

    And then... Glimmer! She does take the takoyaki, but

    This whole thing is a celebration of the lives of those who passed, right? Amy frowns slightly and is about to open her mouth when Glimmer continues.

    'Thanks for living long enough to have me'-- "That's leaving some people out." Amy interjects. "A lot of them didn't. Those with..." She looks back at the candles. "...Someone said yesterday, don't I want my ancestors to be happy? As if they would ever be proud of me. As if it should matter what a bunch of old dead people think, more than me, who is living my life."

    Amy shakes her head, red hair swaying back and forth, before turning back to the others. "I guess it shows I'm the American in the room. I'm lucky my grandparents died years ago, so I don't have to hear the shitty takes they'd have these days. I can only hope that if the veil allowed me to talk to my parents they'd be, uh..."

    She shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. Sorry. I just don't get it though. But it occured to me there were others who've fought for a better world, or who never got the chance, and..." she chokes up a little. "I felt like they should be remembered too. Where is the respect for those who didn't become honored ancestors? Or whose public face had to be a lie for that honor. So I... said words for them. An' it was sad."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Yes, I am from South America. Good place there. Lots of fun things", the princess of the yellow pearl says, trying to push past the discomfort. She can't help but relax a bit when Glimmer says the Skytree has to be able to fly. "No, no, it's called that because it's a really really tall tower", she giggles, accompanying a gesture of her hands to 'demonstrate' the height.

"That sounds awesome! Singing is my passion, there is nothing I enjoy more. Do you find it really relaxing too?", Coco smiles at Glimmer as much as she can with her worry for Amy. "Yes, that's right, Obon is meant to celebrate your ancestors, but it may also be able to dredge up uncomfortable memories", the mermaid replies to the pinkette, her tone quite concerned. "It's why I have taken up service here, for my family ancestor enshrined here", she lets it slip absentmindedly.

Bringing Amy in a hug, Coco tells her friend "I am sure those people would really appreciate you including them. And there is no reason someone should be unhappy with you. And those that are, I don't mind giving them a reminder of what happens when they behave like complete tools."

She undoes the hug, stepping back from the shorter girl. "But really, the best revenge you can have is show them how little they matter, and keep on having fun. And we are just in the right place for that, don't you agree?"

Meanwhile the seller from which Hinata brought the sweets adds a third packet to her order. "Last day of Obon, so I am adding one free of charge", she explains amicably to Hinata.

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Glimmer Brightmoon blinked a few times. "The skytree is jsut a tower? That's a silly name. It's not a tree then. And lots of trees are tall," Glimmer said with a soft sigh. "But... not really? I found the singing really exciting. When I want to relax, I usually prefer like, hot springs and the beach. Things like that."

"Ohhhh, your family was here? That must be kind of fun, then. Well. In a... grim way," she said sheepishly. She then turned her attention back towards Amy and sighed...

"... I think you may be looking into it a bit too deeply. A lot of these kinds of things aren't really for the ancestors. A lot of them are for the people they left behind. And those people aren't always their like, actual parents. And frankly? If your ancestors can't be proud of you, then either you're a jerk or your ancestors are jerks. If they are? Then no need for you to care what they think. Find new ancestors, ones who are proud of you. Nothing says you have to be related to be family," Glimmer said firmly.

"... And sometimes... we remember the lies of people, once they're gone. But it doesn't change or undo the things they did. It just kind of sucks. I knew of a great person like that, once. Mara. A lot of people believed she was a bad person. But we found out she was someone great. And you know what? Others knew the truth and, in the end? Everything she worked for came to pass. While she would have likely appreciated being honored, in the end? I think the only thing she would have wanted was for people to do what they did. Carried on the hope she left and fixed the wrongs that she tried to fix. So... hopefully those people who are forgotten? Got the same thing."

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata bows. "Thank you very much." she replies in a monotone, which might come off as a bit weird to the stall owner. Kids would normally be super excited to get free sweets.

    Straightening, she turns and wanders off again, slipping into the crowd and... appearing near to Coco, Glimmer and Amy again. She tilts her head curiously, but says nothing, not wanting to intrude on the conversation.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy smiles at the hug, and wraps her non-squid-holding arm around her in turn. "It's fine. I'm lucky I didn't have to deal with it. Thinking about what ancestors would say kinda sucks, but like. I don't want to steal the valor of those who had to deal with it, day after day."

    They'd be happy to be included? Amy smiles. "I hope so." Find new ancestors. "That was the idea, yes." She grins a bit more at Glimmer.

    Hopefully a better world comes to pass the forgotten would have wished for. "I hope so. If there are spirits, I suppose that might at last let them rest." Her eyes water. "Sad they didn't get to live in it though."

    She squeezes Coco, and holds the hug for a moment, and then turns to watch the dance, chewing a bite of squid.

    "...I was kidding about the festival being about performing a Sending for the Fay-- ohhh that was totally based on this wasn't it. That makes sense." She gently raps on the side of her head with her knuckles and sticks out the tip of her tongue. "I can be a stupid American sometimes."

    She watches, and wonders curiously what the dance means, what significance she'd see in it were it her culture. If only Taro were here to explain it. "...Do you have anything like this in merrrrrrrrr, Uh, South American culture, I mean?"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Sometimes people just want to be poetic", Coco shrugs, raising the sunflower. "Like here! The flower of the sun looks at it forever. And then you start attributing meanings to the sun, for more poetry." The matter of the Skytree not really the same thing without pictures, she thinks. Had Glimmer been shown one, she wouldn't have had that expectation.

"I can't actually say about hot springs but the beach is fantastic too", Coco agrees. "The waters at Yumegahama are really crystalline too. It's a pleasure to swim in them. But I don't really like to try elsewhere for that same reason. Yumegahama is best."

"I mean, yes, that is the thing essentially", Coco rubs the back of her head nervously as she looks at Glimmer. "Nobody expected she would get this place for herself, so it was quite considerate from hu-people", she bites her tongue.

Something like Obon? "I think the solstice festival fits best what you are looking for, when the sun is as its slowest, but we don't have a 1-1 equivalent", Coco has to tell Amy. The subject of ancestors is a bit complicated in the first place when they sometimes hang around posthumously.

"Hey, do you need help?", Coco smiles at Hinata when she notices her looking their way.

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata looks at Coco. "Not really." says the dour girl, "I do not wish to impose on your conversation, though you did say to ask if I had questions." she adds.

    Hinata doesn't expand on that unless given permission, however. The others were here first, after all.

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Glimmer Brightmoon gave a small nod. "Sometimes... we don't get to live in it, and that sucks," Glimmer said with a sigh. "But we can't spend our whole lives kicking ourselves for the bad things that happened we had no control over, or the things that we might get blamed for once we're gone. You just gotta do what you think is best and if people don't like it... sucks to be them."

"Never really been the best swimmer, admittedly. I float well enough, but Mermista was always the big swimmer back home. I'm more the... just rest by the waves and let the sun warm away my worries sort."

She did cock her head to the side, glancing between Coco and amy. "You two okay? Is there something more private you don't want me to hear? If you want, I can skedaddle," she said before popping a takoyaki into her mouth. "Ah'm moshly jus' takin' picturesh for dah boss man so he doesn't mind missin' the festivities."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    We can't control what we get blamed for. "Damn... I didn't even think of that."

    You just gotta do what you think is best and if people don't like it, sucks to be them. Somewhere, Keaka sneezes.

    "I am... extraordinarily lucky that due to magic others do not have say over me... although without Radiant Heart taking me in, I would have other problems," Amy looks at Glimmer. "as I suppose those from other planets with no identification records can welll imagine."

    Hot springs? "I went to a spa once. If hot springs are like that... that'd be alright." Amy comments. "'Boss man'?" She slips her hand into her pocket. "Who'd they put in charge now that Beryl's gone?"

    And after a moment, she quirks an eyebrow at Glimmer. "Okay, I have to ask, was 'Mermista' an actual mermaid? With that name..."

    She shrugs at Hinata, "I don't mind. I think we wrapped the heavy stuff up."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Of course, and I stand by that. Feel free to ask anything you want", she confirms again to Hinata. Even if she hadn't taken up service, her reply wouldn't have changed.

Mermista. That was the token mermaid among the alliance, so it makes sense she too was a great swimmer. Must be nice not having to hide your real nature, though. She wouldn't include it in her name if she could, though. Well, at least revealing herself no longer offers fatal complications.

It does make it more complicated to consider now, because Glimmer is being friendly, and Coco really doesn't want to make her feel excluded. Looking guiltily at Glimmer, she stammers. "N-no, you see, well, I..." The only thought that stops her from being free to be sincere is that Glimmer is going to report it to Riventon. "I mean, are pictures really all you are here to take for him?"

Ok, the pretense of not being magic is out now that Beryl's name is out in the open. In a way, that's a huge relief. "I am not from South America, I am from the South Pacific. I am a mermaid", she spills. "And Mermista is one too", she confirms for Amy.

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Glimmer Brightmoon glanced to Amy. Who'd they put in charge? She swallowed her takoyaki. "Ehhhh. Some other lady with a cute kid and an adorable dog beastkin. Kind of reminds me of home. She's a bit grouchy, though, and she really needs to like. Learn to relax. And nah, Obsidian has been taking care of that stuff."

"And... kind of? Mermista has mermaid magic, but I don't think she's actually a mermaid. She's princess of the mermaids, though. And likely has some mermaid in her. I think she's like... part mermaid, so she can turn into one. I never really asked, though. Didn't seem that important and I didn't wanna bring up her parents since they were, well... you know," Glimmer said with a shrug.

She then glanced back to Coco. "Yeah? I mean, sure, he's kind of a jerk and stuff sometimes, but he's not a total jerk head. He's not going to attack a big festival about remembering the dead and all that. At least, not one that doesn't have some big magic thing he wants to steal. If it was some corporate thing, maybe, but well. This seems more... like... about remembering them? He just got some last minute work thrown at him so I told him I'd come make the offering for him and bring him back some pictures and snacks, all that."

She stuffed the last Takoyaki ball in her mouth... then looked annoyed. She snapped her fingers a few times and made the smallest spark, before sighing. "Riiiight. Ugh. I hate that about this place. Speaking of, I should go grab him some more souveniers, find something for an angry cat and get in a good position to record the dancing. I'll see you girls around later, okay? I'll try and get a good view of you, too... huh. I think I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Queen Glimmer of Brightmoon. Nice to meet you lot, have fun!" she said, giving a wave before turning and running off to get more snacks and swag!

Hinata Muramasa has posed:
    Hinata opens her mouth... then her phone starts ringing. She blinks, plucking it out, and checking the incoming caller id. "... ah." she looks up apologetically. "I need to take this... perhaps I can ask another time."

    Hinata then clicks the accept button, turns and begins walking away. "... Hello, Mother..."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy was openly talking about magic and other planets, so she figured Coco was pretending to be a magic-aware mundane. "Oh good. I almost asked if you could see the sun down in South America a moment ago and was gonna feel like a total idiot. Americans aren't that bad at geography..."

    "Part something so you can turn into it..." Amy laughs at some thought in her head. "I guess that makes sense!" she smiles.

    Then, more dryly: "Yes, of course, good to know he won't ruin a festival as long as there are no artifacts to steal. Truly he is a man of principle and restraint."

    And then Glimmer runs off and Amy stares, open-mouthed. "She's a 'Queen'? What? Why are there so many queens and princesses arou-- oh right, I'm in a magical girl manga now, makes sense."

    Beat.

    "Hey," Amy looks to Coco, smiling, "What do you think the odds are I turn out to have secretly been a princess all along?"

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"See you, Glimmer, miss", Coco waves at the two as they depart, still unaware of Hinata's name. "I hope Riventon liked your photos", she adds for the former. "I hope you find your answer, miss", she addresses Hinata. A "At the very least we know he won't step in here with one of those guns to steal heart crystals, or rob people of their energy", Coco points out that silver lining to Amy. Given the influx of people during these times, it would be a big target, she imagines.

"I can't say the sun would reach all the way down to 2300 meters, but we still keep track of time, and we can swim to the surface of the sea too", she clarifies it for Amy. "The South America lie is dumb, though. If I could just drop it forever, I would feel sooooo much better."

"There is no excluding you could have been reincarnated from someone else", Coco considers. "I don't know how that had worked for the Sailors. Have you ever had flash of memories you couldn't explain though?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Awami Shrine isn't one of those Usagi typically visits, but, what is youth for but doing something spontaneous? She and her family have already finished sweeping graves and leaving offerings, she and Mamoru have made cucumber horses and eggplant cows and honored their private dead -

And well, maybe that's why she's here, to offer a prayer for the ancestors that have to do with her human family and the shrine they so often go visit.

Still, she's not expecting to walk in on the conversation she hears, and she giggles a little.

"Well, you could be a princess, who knows? I definitely didn't expect to be the princess I was looking for." She walks up to the two, offering happy little waves, and looking surprised at Coco's outfit. "Coco-chan's right about reincarnation though, I mean, everyone reincarnates. Speaking of - Coco-chan! I didn't know you were a miko?"

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy nods at Coco. "Wait... is that what you tell mundanes? That you're from 'South America'? Do other students here think that's a country?" Amy slumps her shoulders and stares in disbelief. "That's really worrying for the Social Studies department..."

    And then she brings up princesses, and she could be reincarnated?

    Amy blinks. "Huh. I hadn't considered that. I mean I guess when I found out the sailor senshi were reincarnated, I wondered what past lives I had, but... I'm not one of them, so how could that work, like if I were from another world or one of the mermaid kingdoms or oh my god I've actually seen that plot device in at least three stories, a princess is sent or stolen away as a baby and turned or turns into a boy..."

    She's starting to look/sound more worried that her life was a lie than excited at the possibility.

    And then there's Princess Serenity herself! Amy jumps slightly, having been so deep in thought she didn't hear her approach. "Usagi! uh... wait. The princess you were looking for? Like, when you found out you were a magical girl, Luna didn't tell you you were the princess? But, you mentioned past lives and everyone dying..." Amy frowns as she tries to put this together.

    "Come to think of it... when exactly was all this?" She looks between Coco and Usagi. "I guess we've never really talked about like... how we found out we were magical girls, and stuff." She looks at Coco. "Although I guess you already knew? Unless like, you were here on that locked-away-memories thing when you got the E-Pitch."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"Hey, Usagi!", Coco smiles at the sudden addition to their dwindling group. "How are you? It feels like forever since we had last seen each other outside of duty", she waves at the other blonde girl. "I didn't know you had been looking for yourself at the time", Coco grins, finding the prospect a bit amusing.

"Though, for real, I imagine that must have been a bit relieving", she looks at her happily. "You wondering where could she be, and then you find out the search didn't require you to find her in some dangerous stronghold", she points out.

"I am not actually affiliated to a shrine", she clarifies to Usagi, just in case that was what she had been expecting. "So, I guess that kept me under the radar in that sense. Still, I am glad that I could pick up a spot at Awami Shrine for Obon. I really wanted to do something for our ancestor enshrined here."

She grimaces slightly when Amy brings up how her memories had been returned to her. "When Aqua Regina's training stopped, it really was just after Hippo had rescued me from Gaito's palace. So, things only really started making sense then. I didn't really know what was going on when I tried to stop Sara from continuing to hurt."

She shakes her head at all the madness of those days. "Really, I wonder that if maybe I had remembered the truth about myself earlier, maybe I would have been able to actually heal her pain. Anyway, I got captured trying. And next thing I knew, 4 years had passed and Hippo was bringing me out in a rush. Though, he lost his powers again not long after, so it almost turned to failure."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I'm well! It's been busy, but when isn't this time of year busy? Still, it really has been forever! I'm glad to see you!"

She has smiles for both of her friends, though it's rueful when Coco and Amy both taken note of the fact that she'd been looking for herself.

"Well, Luna didn't know I was the princess, because I didn't know I was the princess," Usagi says sheepishly, "The Veil was protecting all of that, and I do look different, so it's not totally unbelievable... honestly, the Veil's super effective, because Luna and Pluto-san didn't even realize that there wasn't supposed to be a Sailor Moon."

She's a little admiring, there. Her mother did amazing work, with this feat!

"But it was a relief. A little frustrating, because our search around for the princess was kind of a waste whoops, but... it's not like we knew."

I remembered when - I transformed, at Soryuu Shrine, to save Hemachan. Honestly though, this whole journey hasn't been that long for me, when I think about it. Sometimes it feels like my whole life, cause of Serenity, but, also, I mean... I only transformed for the first time last July; Luna followed me around for a few days, then broke into my dorm to say Naru-chan was going to die, and boom, I'm a Senshi, off to save the day."

Which is a very flippant way to describe what had been a prettyyyyyy terrible day, honestly.

"Coco's story is less flippant, and she frowns in sympathy. "I'm sorry, Coco-chan. That all sounds like so much to deal with, especially when Sara is still with that creep, Gaitou."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    I didn't know you'd been looking for yourself at the time. "Man, do any of us know when we're looking for ourselves?" Amy continues, wryly: "I sure wasn't expecting to find myself either..."

    As explanations come forth, Amy has comments at varying levels of shocked:

    "...Whaddayou mean there wasn't supposed to be a Sailor Moon?" The shrine. "Yeah, I was there. I kinda got what was going on and told you I was a Hero from another world, or something."

    "Oh damn, you became a Magical Girl in July too? Wait, Osaka-san was gonna die?"

    And then she hears Coco's story and her eyes widen. "So, wait, you had just... lived as a human for years, and then you were kidnapped and held prisoner for four years with no idea why, before you got your memories back and were rescued? Yikes."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy takes a breath and lets it out. "So yeah. I was... Okay come to think of it, Kyubey must've been stalking me for at least a week because-- My phone! Mallory you idiot, why didn't you take a picture of fucking magic... although I guess it wouldn't've helped."

    "Ahem. Anyway, Kyubey must have been scouting me and Sayaka-san for at least a week, since, uh, I saw a student being attacked by a vending machine monster and tried to help and then forgot it, but,"

    She continues, "So I was out on a walk after work, right, and I happened to go by Fairy Drop Fashion," there is a slight cringe on her face at the memory of the awkwardness of being in proximity to such a place back then, "and then the glass shattered and giant feathers were everywhere draining the color from people and somehow missed me. And I'm like, how is this happening, magic is real, and of all things the story that was real is Preeny Has To Repeat 6th Grade, just, y'know, like, what, you know, that moment you see actual magic stuff happening for the first time, right? And there's Sailor V and Cure Wukong and that ninja guy and um, Cure Tide all fighting Scorn and a handbag monster like something out of a TV show, and I'm hiding and trying not to get feathered and Kyubey..."

    "I mean, as far as... like he looks like... like I can clearly see what's happening, I know what a magical girl is, and here's, y'know, the talking creature offering power but why the hell is it picking me, hasn't he got the wrong guy?! And then, like..."

    She gesticulates, "I'm like, well, I wasn't expecting to be a magical girl but if that's the way I get to be involved in magic I'll take it! And he's like, what do you wish for? And me, I'm happy just getting to be a magical girl and be involved in magic and fight evil, and that's gonna happen no matter what I wish for, and then next thing I know, everyone but Sailor V has been eaten by the handbag monster and she's going to lose and I've gotta make a wish fast and..."

    She gets less animated and looks away awkwardly, gripping her upper arm with her hand. "I... I had this mental image of... of getting the frilly costume but my body not changing and I...I'd just die if I had to fight evil all the time like that, and there was no time, s-so I..."

    She looks down at the ground, kind of ashamed of making such a petty wish, and finishes quietly, "...I wished to be cute. A-and I saved the day, and then everyone ran off and I went home and when I woke up the next day it wasn't just one of those cool dreams where I get turned into a girl and have adventures, it was real, and the invitation was in my mailbox, a-and eventually I dared to go outside and wandered into Mio at the park and got pulled into going to the dance and met Hannah and you pretty much know the rest."

    She continues to look at the ground a moment, and then glances up at the other's faces.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
"It's good to hear you aren't letting it overwhelm you. Festivals like this really are a wonder for relaxing." Says the one who had decided to spend it working. "With Beryl out of the picture, was it any better? Or have you been getting the exact same influx of attacks?" Though, she is not going to be surprised if Usagi tells her there has been no improvement on the frequency of the attacks considering what the soldier of the moon had opened with.

"Eh? Sailor Moon isn't supposed to exist? Why?" Coco almost drops the sunflower scepter, the grip loosening accidentally. "But Sailor Eris and Sailor Charon both exist. They are both moons, no?" That should be right, as far as she remembers.

"Thanks", the mermaid replies gratefully to Usagi. "I am much better now, and Sara will get here one day. I failed her once already, but I won't let it happen twice", she flips a strand of hair back.

"I don't remember most of my imprisonment under Gaito", Coco clarifies after taking a deep breath. "Which is a good thing, but well, he had put me under a sleeping spell, so it was a little confusing to skip 4 years like that. That, and the cramped space of the tank he had exposed me and Noel in."

She listens intently to the whole thing Amy had gone through, already assuming all the worst with anything that involves Kyubey. "That seems surprisingly straightforward", is her first surprised comment. "Didn't it hurt, when he formed the Soul Gem? Or did he do at least something good and blocked out the pain?" Her tone doesn't conceal at all the disbelief.

"At least, we all have our memories and know all the truths about ourselves, so whatever comes next, we all ready to show it who is boss, right?" she smiles widely.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Oh, it's way better, like, even with the other enemies that are around... that woman, what she was to us - her being gone," Usagi breathes, "I'm not glad that we had to kill. But I'm so glad she's gone, forever, that she won't come back, that even when she finds herself reincarnated again, she'll surely be a worm again and again."

She can hope, at least. The last thing she'd want is for Beryl to reincarnate as a hungry ghost, or a hell being.

Still, there's surprise from both of her friends, and though Sailor Charon draws a faint frown -

"It's because Princess Serenity wasn't Sailor Moon," is the easiest way to put it, "I had the Silver Crystal, but I wasn't a Senshi, like my guardians. I don't know why I wasn't a Senshi - my Mother is probably the only one who knew - but I wasn't, back then. Sailor Moon is new - that's all me, Usagi, not the Princess, so it really should have been a like, super hint, but instead... no one could really think about it."

A shrug. Veil stuff. The question - she grimaces, and puts it quickly -

"A youma was in Osa-P, and it had Naru-chan by the throat. If I hadn't of come, if I hadn't of changed - it probably would have killed her, and all the customers who had bought the tainted jewelry too, draining them dry." She doesn't like to think about it. She'd had a lot of nightmares about it, the sound of Naru's head, colliding with the floor of the shop.

Amy's story, on the other hand - she's never heard it, though she knows bits and pieces. Amy had a different body. Amy was older than she looked.

But there's a lot of this that she hadn't known, and she reaches out to give Amy a quick hug. "That's - I mean, you made a wish, and you got what you needed. You shouldn't be embarrassed about that! I'm kind of surprised you got what you wanted, but like - that's good for you!"

A cracked smile. "Yeah. We all have our memories, and we know who we are, and we'll be ready for the future."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy is hugged! She startles slightly, and lifts her head but can't quite meet Usagi's gaze, and just... leans against her, chin against her shoulder.

    "...I haven't really talked with others about their wishes all that much. I gather that you get what you ask for, and... I did figure that wishing for something small--" her eyes widen at the unintentional pun and she wheezes, "Hhhhhhh, HA." before continuing, "--would have less chance to go wrong than wishing for world peace or to cure death or end hunger or something."

    She continues, quietly. "But. Consider, if I hadn't gotten that invitation. Or if I'd been too proud or too afraid or too suspicious to come to high school. I can't go to work. I got rent to pay. My savings will run out in a matter of months. W-without school, I'd only see you girls at fights, a-and... I dunno if I'd... like... outside of that? How am I... L-like, I thought I was a fake girl. I-it'd be weird to hang out with teenage girls, if it wasn't a requirement of school. Not like I could hang out with adults either. No way... would we be as close friends as we are now. I-I'd be alone. Except for the internet. Where I couldn't tell anyone what really happened and have them believe it."

    "...I've thought about that. I've read stories like that. They don't..." she winces, "go well. Maybe I coulda been a streamer but if that didn't work..." She shivers. "I don't wanna think about what I woulda had to do." She hugs Usagi tightly. "Fighting monsters doesn't pay the bills, after all."

    Eventually, her first transformation and interaction with Kyubey are brought up. "Oh yeah no, it hurt like hell, felt like something grabbed my heart and yanked it out of my chest. I thought maybe something went wrong and I was dying, but then this light came out of me and surrounded me and then next thing I knew I was this." She lets go of Usagi and gestures to indicate herself. "In the usual outfit, I mean. Not that I, like, got to actually look at myself 'till I got home." She blushes a little.

    Surprisingly straightforward? "I mean, he told me form a contract by making a wish and become a magical girl. He didn't explain that I'd have limited magic or what I was going to have to fight or that I'll eventually turn into that thing without help collecting Grief Seeds."

    "...Did you say there's a Sailor Eris? Also, did... how did 'Kuiper Belt Cape' end up with that name?"