1997/Diplomatic Debrief

Diplomatic Debrief
Date of Scene:	12 October 2024
Location:	Dorms #2
Synopsis:	Following her chat with Setsuna and Hotaru in Scene 1996, Chiyo, Usagi, and Wako settle in for a debrief on how diplomatic relations proceeded. Opinions and thoughts on the hidden Firefly are shared.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Chiyo Sakai, Wako Agemaki

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Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi Tsukino knocks on the door of Chiyo, Wako, and Rashmi's door. Standing in the hall in blue jeans and an obnoxiously vibrant tie-dye shirt, Luna draped over her shoulders, she's the picture of Totally Usual Usagi. No one watching her waiting in the hall would guess she'd hurtied over, even though she very much had. She'd gotten a text from Chiyo earlier, saying that she'd talked to Hotaru, and that needed immediate response, right?

"It had to have gone well, right?" She whispers to Luna as they wait. "Chiyo-chan would have mentioned if things went wrong, right?"

"I think Chiyo would have done much more than mention it, if it had gone on," Luna responds dryly.

Yeah, alright, fair enough.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo was waiting for them. The room smelled a bit of curry and sweet things still, but this corner dorm room typically did at that. Even when the window had been opened to allow a few boys to visit Wako, or simply to air things out (or let Bonito or the others roam in and out), it still always smelled a bit like warm delicious foods.

Chiyo opens the door only a short bit after that knock to flash a smile at the pair there. "Usagi-chan, hello!" She gestures them inside, and once the door is shut so that no one out in the hall would hear her she adds, "Good to see you Luna," in greeting. Hey she was TRYING not to just out talking to a cat. She already had practice with that with Bonito.

"Would you like something to drink? We have some sodas in the fridge, or tea."

Wako Agemaki has posed:
Wako had been sitting on her bunk teasing Vice President, but at the knock she sits up straight. "Hi Usagi-chan! Hi Luna!" Zero self-consciousness about greeting the cat. Then again, she's not out in the hall, either.

Deprived of the ribbon she'd been dangling for him, VP hops up onto Wako's shoulders as she gets to her feet. "We have snacks, too, probably," she offers. "At least I don't think we've eaten them all yet..."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Hey Chiyo-chan, Wako-chan! Aw, are you teasing poor Vice President?" Usagi greets them both with a warm smile and enthusiasm. Luna waits until the door is shut before greeting them both as well -

"Good day, Chiyo-chan, Wako-chan, Vice President."

Of course they'd both greet Wako-chan's pet. A desk chair is shamelessly claimed and Usagi plops down. "I would love a soda, and a snack, if I can have one."

She's making big sad eyes, real pleading face emoji.

"How's it going for you both? Is grade 11 as hard as it sounds?"

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"I'd be surprised if there weren't snacks," Chiyo agrees with a laugh, even if she knew Wako's appetite often rivaled Usagi's. At the request of a drink and snack, Chiyo merely nods knowingly. The fridge is raided for a few cans of soda that she tucks into the crook of her elbow. Along with them a container of hummus (likely from Rashmi's parents) is withdrawn, and a bag of chips for dipping into it.

The sodas are doled out to Usagi, and Wako knowing she'd want one too. "It's definitely tough but kind of a relief as well? It's like I can finally see an end to things in sight. I still haven't decided if I'm going to University or not."

Wako Agemaki has posed:
"It's not so bad," Wako replies, while Vice President makes his best pathetic face for Usagi. Look at him, he's so put-upon! The can of soda Chiyo offers is accepted with a bright smile, and Wako moves to drag her own desk chair over so they can settle in before she pops the drink open. "I've been more preoccupied with other stuff... but I heard from Chiyo-chan you guys have mahou business to talk about? Or do we want to avoid that for a little while?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Vice President is cooed over, the sight of his overwrought sad eyes definitely working to pull sympathy from Usagi even though she knows full well he was probably having a great time. "Poor little VP-chan! Don't worry, if you keep working hard, you'll beat her to that ribbon!"

The soda is accepted gratefully, the tab snapped, and she takes a sip before snacking on the hummus, nodding as her friends share the truth about the next year up. Still -

"No, you're right about that Wako-chan. And I heard you're familiar with the subject too, so I thought coming up to meet you guys would be a good idea."

Crunch, munch, and Luna rolls her eyes a little, slinking down to Usagi's lap so she can stretch out more. "And, she's nervous. But Chiyo-chan: please tell us your impressions of Firefly, after the conversation you had. Wako-chan, we would appreciate your insight too, as we understand you've had encounters with her as well."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Poor Luna. All alone and abandoned as the talk turns to mahou and snacking. Poor VP too. All puppy-kitty foxy eyed. Chiyo takes out a little bag of freeze dried fish that she offers over to Luna, and then tosses one VP's way. He'd likely snap out out of the air but Luna was more dignified.

"Yes, I met with them. We talked awhile." It's finally turn for her to sit down. She does taking up yet another desk chair only to pause as she cracks open her own can of soda thoughtfully.

"Honestly? She seems more like a little kid than someone her age. If she's been through all she has though, I'm guessing she didn't really get the chance to socialize much? Mostly she seemed really nervous and afraid of upsetting 'Sailor Moon'," she adds with an amused grin.

"But the impression I got is that she's a bit naive about Obsidian and what people there do. She thinks the red-haired bi--Ahem, woman," she takes a sip of her soda, "That shot me with the Heart Stealer rifle has been manipulating her father and is behind all the dealings of Tomoe Life Industries."

Wako Agemaki has posed:
The sad eyes and drooping ears Vice President was treating Usagi to are gone the instant Chiyo brings out the dried fish. Wako makes a startled noise, barely managing to avoid spilling her soda, when the fox launches himself off her shoulder to catch the treat tossed his way in mid-air; he goes rolling across the floor with it, fully occupied now, letting the girls get on with their discussion.

"I haven't really interacted with her all that much," Wako temporizes. "But what I've seen of her, I agree with Chiyo-chan. She seemed sweet, but... like a little kid who hasn't had many people be nice to her, you know?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Luna is more dignified than Vice President - she takes the snack neatly, then settles to enjoying it, watching Vice President with knowing amusement.

Usagi listens, and rolls her eyes a little at the Sailor Moon teasing. "Maybe she thinks I'll hold a grudge for the stabbing," she says dryly.

But then she listens to the rest, and nods, frowning easing up. "That matches up with Mamochan's take. I guess with everyone but Sailor Moon, she really is a nice, normal girl." A fact which makes things harder, but that's alright. It's her job to do the impossible.

"Riventon probably talked her up about how Obsidian is doing the best they can for people who want to do good but just aren't 'lucky' enough to have their own power, or something. That's the kind of nonsense Hinoiri-chan used to spout, and Riventon's really protective of her."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo points over to Usagi at the mention of the 'nonsens Hinoiri used to spout' with a ready nod of agreement. "That. Yes. I even brought up Riventon, and how Mamo-kun had once told me that he'd said he only worked for Obsidian because they would fund his research. She said he was trying to do good by helping people there." A long, weary sigh. "And same with her father."

Pausing she stares at the floor with a dubious frown, fingers tapping at the sides of her soda. "I know I don't have the best relationship with my parents so maybe I'm being biased, but if it was me, and I had a child I was trying to save through any means necessary, but she ran away from the organization having me do awful things... I think maybe I'd just try to find her on my own, you know? Not by sending out a signal that could wake up the evil thing inside of her."

"Because that doesn't scream 'caring parent' to me."

Wako Agemaki has posed:
Wako nods, her expression solemn. "That sounds about right," she agrees. "It's been a while now, but I'm pretty sure that was how she put it when I talked to her - the whole thing about Obsidian doing bad things to try to help prevent worse ones, or something like that. And... this is the part that stuck with me: that she didn't want to be helpless any more. She didn't really go into it more than that, but it was a feeling I understood."

She takes a moment to sip her soda, before pulling a face at Chiyo's words. "Yeah, no, you're not kidding. If her dad has any idea at all of what could happen..."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi rolls her eyes a little at this description of what Riventon is up to. She likes Mamoru's brother mostly for the fact that he's Mamoru's brother, and a little because he's sometimes kind of funny, but she cannot see how he thinks he's a hero in this story. Obsidian gleefully funded people like Beryl and Tomoe, and he thought he could use them for good? It was just crazy talk.

"So... she's thinking about it all like a little kid. Maybe a kind of jaded one, since she has been through a lot, but still a kid. She doesn't want to think her dad and her basically brother are evil jerks, so she'll blame the other woman, and say they're trying to help the world..."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"There's no way he could not know about it," Chiyo says decisively with a hint of anger to her tone. "She apparently was dying, and he joined Obsidian to extend her lifespan from what I've gathered? Or at least that's her version of it. But if he did that, and he's trying to find her by activating the... Whatever it is that takes over her... Then he obviously knows. And doesn't care what it might do to her."

A huff of breath is exhaled and she cracks open her own soda to take a long gulp off of it ignoring the burn of fizzy sugar that comes with such an immediate drink. "I get not wanting to feel helpless though. I get that. Which is why I think it's good to not keep her in the dark about what Obsidian is trying to do right now." Sighing she can only shrug.

"Otherwise, I'm not sure about all the past stuff, but right now she seems very nervous and eager to try and be friends?"

Wako Agemaki has posed:
"From what I saw of her, I don't think she's a bad person," Wako comments. "But I think you're probably right, Usagi-chan, about her not wanting to think bad of her dad or her senpai. If Riventon is any example, her dad's probably more like Takuto-kun's asshole dad than anything. Maybe he did join Obsidian for her sake... or maybe it's the thing that's sealed in her that he wants back, more than his daughter."

She sips her soda, then makes a face like it tastes sour. "Of course, I'm in more or less the same boat as Chiyo-chan, so maybe I'm assuming too much. You're like the only magical person I know who actually has decent parents around, Usagi-chan."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I can't be the only person," Usagi says, and then has to stop and really think about it.

Not Rei, not Ami, Makoto's parents were dead, Minako didn't talk about her parents so she couldn't be sure, Setsuna's father was the god of time and also she was ages and ages old, Michiru and Haruka had never said anything about it but they probably wouldn't live with Setsuna if everything was all good there -

Chiyo-chan's mom is the worst, Naru-chan's mom was up there, Adrien's dad didn't sound too great, Mamochan's parents were also dead -

"Kazuo-kun! And Rashmi-chan!!!" She snaps her fingers in excitement - it has taken her a full two minutes to think about it.

"They have good parents, besides me. And Chrono-kun's, maybe, I don't actually know but he seems happy he found his mom again..."

This is beyond the point, though it had been a brief and welcome diversion.

"That means I need to - not get over it, I mean, it was - scary - but.... I should probably try and build a bridge with her, I guess. It would make Suna-san and Haruka-kun happy, and she's... definitely one of my responsibilities."

Preventing the Soldier of Ruin from destroying the world is almsot definitely part of her job as Serenity.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"Usagi-chan, I don't think you need to 'get over' anything." Chiyo reaches out to place a hand on her cousin's shoulder giving a firm squeeze. Not hard but solid. There. Present. "What you went through was very traumatic." She glanced toward Wako looking for her thoughts on the matter before continuing.

"Just realize that this girl probably has Stockholm Syndrome on some level. She did what she did due to the influence of some really shitty people, and the thing inside of her. Now we're finally getting the chance to let her step out of that shadow. It's up to her to really prove she's honestly taking the helping hand Setsuna and the others are offering her."

"I think giving her the chance to get to know the real you, instead of the twisted version she has in her head, will also give you the chance to know her. That said, we can work at your pace with it. Like... Supervised visits."

Wako Agemaki has posed:
"You had to think about that way too long," Wako tells Usagi, but she's smiling.

"Anyway... Chiyo-chan is right. You feel how you feel, and I don't think it's a thing you have to make yourself get over. Giving her a chance, a little at a time, is fine. And," Wako adds in a tone of authority, "if she ends up going nutso at you again, then at least you tried, right? You don't actually have to love everybody, you know."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I did have to think about that way too long," Usagi sighs, "I can't believe good parents are so hard to find! I mean, it feels like, wrong!"

She's not the heir to an actual multiple-planet spanning empire now, otherwise she would be demanding that her mother make bad parenting illegal, an idea that woulddefinitely not cause more trouble than it solved.

"Yeah,... Yeah, I know, she's all messed up and probably doesn't mean to be a total nightmare. Supervised visits are right."

Wako's got that tone of authority, that I know I'm right tone, that Usagi sits up and listens to, and she nods, slow.

"I know, I know - I just, you know, it would probably be easier if I did. At least the Outers would like it..."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo smiles at the pair as things seem settled at least on the visitation front. This was as if they were discussing how to parent Hotaru herself and not just bridge a gap between friend groups. Granted it was far more complicated than that, but that was an easy way to sum it up.

"Yeah well. Ojiisan is great though!" She assures, "And grandma was too. I had people who were good to me even if my actual parents..." Her hand lifts to give a curt, dismissive flap. Nope.

"The Outers are biased, and they didn't go through what you went through. Also, not to insult Setsuna-san but she has a vastly different outlook on everything being as old as she is, right? There's no way that's not going to make her feel distant in some form."

Wako Agemaki has posed:
"Sure," Wako replies wryly to Usagi, "at least until it meant you were sticking up for someone *they* didn't like." She shakes her head. "It's fine. We'll hope for the best, of course, but however it ends up going, we've got your back."
Glancing back to Chiyo, she bobs her head in agreement. "Oh yeah, my grandmother is fantastic. I haven't gotten to meet Takuto-kun's Jiichan yet, but considering how Takuto-kun turned out, he must be pretty great too." She pauses, then laughs a little, as though an amusing thought has just occurred to her. "Honestly, Chiyo-chan, we should just get you a Cybody. You've already got the shitty absent parents down, that's got to have you at least halfway qualified to be a ginga bishoujo."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Yeah, okay, that's probably true," she sighs, "They did give in about Hinoiri-chan, but I was half-expecting an 'i told you so' the whole time when she went off the deep-end. I might not have coped with that."

Might is doing a lot of work, here. She would not have coped with it. At all.

"My grandparents are pretty cool," she says, consideringly, "Maybe a little pushy on the career stuff, but nice. Maybe that's the real magic: good grandparents."

No, Usagi, the real magic is firing lasers.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"People they don't like?" Momentarily Chiyo has to wonder if she missed something about that. It wouldn't really be unheard of. She wasn't as involved with the whole Sailor crew outside of Usagi, and Mamoru, and maybe Makoto as others might be.

The thought is forgotten entirely at Wako's remark. A quick laugh comes as she blurts, "I'm not sure I could pull off your outfit, Wako-chan!" That doesn't stop her from grinning at the thought. "A cybody would be way better than that Kyubey guy."

"Your grandmother does sound really nice from how you've spoken of her. Maybe our parents generation just got hit with some evil energy or something. That is around when Obsidian started gaining power, isn't it?" There's a thought.

Wako Agemaki has posed:
Wako points at Chiyo with her soda can, mock accusing. "Absolutely no making deals with the rat," she says. "Friends don't let friends. We can do better for you than that. She takes a swig from her soda and looks thoughtful for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't think I can blame anything on Obsidian. The island is just kind of like that. Sugata-kun's family has been messed up for generations."

That thoughtful expression lingers, however. Before long, she has her cell phone out, and is thumbing out a message without looking, her attention still on the girls.

"Anyway, my point is," she tells Usagi, picking up the other conversational thread once more. "The Outers are gonna Outer, but I think you should trust your heart more. Your instincts are usually pretty good on the important things, right?"