842/Totally just a one time thing

Totally just a one time thing
Date of Scene:	03 December 2023
Location:	Tsukino-Osaka Dorm
Synopsis:	Sunbreaker goes to Naru and Usagi's dorm to deliver a message for them to deliver to Sailor Moon, to meet with her on a nearby roof. Sunbreaker then proceeds to insult Sailor Moon's hair, her wisdom in even coming and tells her, for all her silly hopefulness... in one way, at least, she was right. And that they would never, ever, EVER, under any circumstances, be friends. She only let very special people be her friends. Like Usagi. Now that girl knew how to wear double rope hairs in a way that WORKED.
Cast of Characters:	Hinoiri Kirara, Usagi Tsukino

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Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Sunbreaker had... been thinking on things. Being petty. Being grouchy.

Sayaka... needed a miracle. Hematite wanted a miracle. Apparently Hematite 'liked' the fact she'd made a bunch of gems and spread them around. But he didn't NEED a miracle. Everyone kept talking about that stupid gem. As if some stupid, idiotic, obnoxious piece of jewelry could magically give you everything you wanted. Needed.

No, it was just... another fairytale. Miracles weren't real. People didn't just get things because they wanted them. It took them working so, so hard. And sometimes it didn't matter how hard you worked. You had to get your miracle yourself...

... But on the off chance that miracles were real... Sayaka was waiting on her miracle. And if Sailor Moon had that gem, well... Maybe it'd get to her somehow.

Sunbreaker knocked on the door to the Usagi dorm three times, though she was against the wall by it, not able to be seen until the door opened and even then only if she stuck her head out. And the moment it was open, she'd be blocking it with a foot or hand.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It's been a perfectly normal day for Usagi, full of manga, an attempt at a nap, stressing about the fact that Himeko was still in the shrine, reluctantly doing homework, dreading that the Phantom Silver Crystal still hadn't been found, another attempt at a nap, wondering if Mamoru would blame her for Himeko still not coming out of her shrine -

Alright, maybe not a normal day. When a knock sounds at the door, short and sweet, just three quick knocks, she's quick to seize on the opportunity to do something, anything, else, and throws open the door, already greeting, "Hey, welcome to the Tsukino-Osaka dorm, which one of us are you looking -"

That's when she registers who's there, and her eyes go wide with shock. Not fear, not exactly, but the way her smile falls and her body language goes tense is pretty obvious. "Ah..."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Sunbreaker reached her left hand down the moment the door was opened a bit. Holding it so she couldn't lock it. "Naru, actually," Sunbreaker said. "And no, not to attack or anything like that. School is neutral territory, I'm not going to fight anyone here."

She gave a sigh. "Just... I don't want to be here. If Naru's here, or if you can get a hold of her? Tell her I have a message for Sailor Moon. No fighting, no arguments, no battles. If Sailor Moon wants it, she comes alone to the roof of the clubs building. If anyone else shows up, I bail. She's got thirty minutes. No skin off my back either way." Would the other girl show up?

Certainly not. She'd be ridiculous to show up. It'd be dumb. Reckless. So definitely, absolutely not.

... So probably. Sunbreaker then pushed off the wall, snapping her fingers and disappearing from the hall in a flash of fire. Appearing on the roof a moment later and sitting down. Nope. Absolutely no way Sailor Moon would show. What kind of reckless idiot would do something like that? Ha ha... ha...

.... Ha.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"School is neutral territory?" Usagi's face flashes with open confusion, which is for the best given that Sunbreaker really should not ever know she has any magic, not when she really doesn't want to test that. But - Sunbreaker is looking for Sailor Moon? She's - she wants - what? To not fight, not argue, just - talk?

It's unbelievable. Definitely some weird trap, because no one else seems to think the school is neutral ground, not with the way Jadeite had threatened to hunt them on grounds, not with the way enemies have attacked the school before, and yet -

Usagi swallows, watching Sunbreaker carefully. "Right... okay, yeah, I'll um - I'll tell Naru-chan that, and you -"

What, stay away from her? Yeah, she wanted to say that, but Naru wanted to hear from her, and Sunbreaker would probably hear denial and decide to bother Naru-chan even more.

" - you make sure you're nicer to Naru when you talk to her than you were when you kidnapped her."

When the door shuts and Sunbreaker disappears, Usagi leans against her door and breathes in and out, hard, fast, frequently. She hasn't - she hasn't actually seen Sunbreaker since that night, when she'd burned, when she'd burned and saved her, and the sight of her had scared the hell out of her.

She'd be an idiot to show up.

Twenty minutes into her time, Sailor Moon steps onto the roof, head high, shoulders back, Moon Stick fidgety in her hand. "Sunbreaker?"

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Sunbreaker may have... flinched a little at the rebuttal. She wanted to argue, to defend herself, but... not right now. Besides. It didn't matter what Usagi thought. Usagi would never know who she was. None of them would. She was Sunbreaker to them. That was all she'd ever be to any of them.

Sunbreaker was pacing back and forth on the roof, muttering to herself. Wondering. Would Sailor Moon call for backup? Should she just go? It had been 20 minutes, no sign. Were they preparing for a counter attack? She'd hidden her flames well enough, but surely someone would come and try to kill her if they saw she was here.

Maybe she should just go, leave the folder, just go and--

Sailor Moon showed. And Sunbreaker just sighed. "Of course," Sunbreaker said before lifting a hand to her forehead and shaking it. "Of course you show. Of course you actually come. Is there an ambush or... something?" she asked, before shaking her head. "No. Of course not. You're not the type, are you? You... you..." And then... then her eyes fell on the moon stick. And she couldn't help it.

She started LAUGHING. "Oh my GOSH! Is that a magic can opener? Oh this is precious! Please, please tell me that's supposed to be a weapon, because, honestly? That's just precious. How did I ever see you as my rival. By Sora, I swear, hee hee, I really needed that tonight, thanks," Sunbreaker said, wiping some fake tears of laughter from her eyes.

"... Right. This is... only going to ever happen once. You and me, doing this whole... neutral thing. But... I have something you want. You're looking for that stupid miracle crystal thing, riht? I have something for you. On one condition. Nobody ever knows you got it from me. If you need to, say you stole the information from someone at Obsidian. I don't care. Also, obviously, you don't share this information with anyone there. Those are my terms. And just... if there's anything you want to ask, I guess ask now. Next time we meet up I'm probably going to be trying to break you again. Or your friends. Or, I don't know. Maybe I'll kick over a display pyramid of cans. Who knows what'll set you sparkle skirts off?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
In the end, she came, and if Sailor Moon were a soul easily moved to violence she might have shown Sunbreaker what Moon Healing Escalation felt like first hand. But she's not. If she were that sort of person, she probably wouldn't have shown up at all, even if she'd spent every one of those twenty minutes pacing and questioning and wondering and -

"It's called the Moon Stick," she says with a huff, deciding to focus on that first, "And I mean, you decided we're rivals because of the whole Sun and Moon thing, and if anything, this is very moon-themed!"

Is this what matters? No! But is she a little offended on behalf of the Moon Stick? And does she need something a little petty to pep herself up? Yes!

Especially because Sunbreaker is... confusing her.

"You... want to help me. With - the Silver Crystal?" Her honest confusion is sincere. And - I mean - I - you know what? Alright. Sure. I promise, I won't tell anyone from Obsidian that you gave me... whatever is in that file. But on one condition from me. Why would you help me?"

There was a catch, right? Here was Sunbreaker, basically promising that they were still going to be enemies, that she was still going to keep doing everything she was doing, so why this one, singular, change of path?

"...Kicking over a pyramid of cans would be pretty rude."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Sunbreaker snorted. "Oh my gosh. Moon stuck? That name is just lame. Why not call it the... crescent wand? Or Lunar scepter? Or Orbital can opener?" she asked in a mocking tone.

"No, don't get this entirely wrong. I'm not trying to help you. The whole gem thing you're all searching for? It's a waste of time. Miracles aren't real. You all seem to think some magic stone will pop into existence and snap, all your problems will go away? Real world isn't like that, pasta-hair girl. Seriously. Usagi wears that style soooo much better than you do. Where was I?" she asked.

"Right. Miracles. They're stupid. They don't exist. People always want a miracle, but they don't happen. It's... luck. You get lucky sometimes, other times you don't. You need to work your flank off and, if you're lucky, you get what you want. Refuse to accept the alternative. But... that's what I think." She walked towards her and just... shoved the folder against Sailor Moon's chest. "... And you know what? Sometimes... people need to believe there's a miracle out there for them. And who knows? Maybe I'm wrong." She'd pull her hand back, letting the folder drop to the ground if Sailor Moon doesn't take it. "If I'm wrong, and miracles are real in this world? I'd rather you have it than half the sparkle skirts out there and most the people on my side. Don't... get any ideas. I'm not on your side. But I'm not... really on Obsidian's, either." She walked away from her. Inside the folder were... a list. A LOT of lists. Of locations? Shops?

"I'm on Sunbreaker's side. One day I'll get what I want. Then I'll leave here. But... I also have rules. Lines I won't cross. And it's not in my interest that anyone in that organization gets some ridiculous miracle before I'm done here. So in that folder? Is a list of where I placed every single fake miracle gem I made. I'm sure you've run into some of my hoofwork by now, right? I always was really good at gemwork. There should still be plenty of them out there to distract for months, but at least now you'll know which ones are fake and which are possible leads."

"... And admittedly, you're right. As if grocery workers don't already have enough trouble without some schmuck coming and ruining all their work."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Because wizards haved wands and scepters are for people with a royal superiority complex?"

A Moon Stick is cool, stop being a bully! ...honestly, the ridiculousness of this conversation is already dispelling the remainder of her caution. Sure, she couldn't trust Sunbreaker, couldn't underestimate her, and definitely didn't like her, but -

Sailor Moon can't be surprised that the girl who'd never had anyone come for her doesn't believe in miracles. She can't help the way her heart twinges, even with her anger and frustration, even with all she'd done -

"The Silver Crystal is real. And miracles... maybe a miracle can't fix everything, but this..."

The use of her own name throws her. The fact that Sunbreaker knows her name, and the fact that she - complimented her? Sort of? Is almost enough to throw her off, but Sailor Moon shakes her head, and opens her mouth, only to shut it as the folder was shoved against her chest, free hand coming up automatically to keep it from dropping. She - she almost can't believe what's happening, here. "...thank you."

She leafs through the papers, skimming the names of places and immediately taking note of True Facets, which proves that this is real, but also means she knows who planted that fake gem, but also -

"I know you said it wasn't for me. And I accept that, because you're definitely on your own side. But... thank you. This will help me, and I... have definitely run into your hoofwork and would love to not run into anymore." A dry little smile. "This could get you in real trouble. So I promise - I won't tell anyone that it was you, who gave me this, or tell anyone else, either. I'll just... say the Moon Stick can tell when they're fake, or something, if we find anymore at these places, or find someone who did."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Sunbreaker gave a shrug. "So? What's wrong with being a wizard? Wizards are awesome. I used to want to be a wizard, you know. I wanted to be a royal wizard, who--" Then she stopped, the smile on her face disappearing. "... That was a long time ago, though. Not... relevant anymore."

Sunbreaker sighed and her arms slowly moved up around her. "I... can't say I'm surprised you of all people believe in miracles. You're... totally the miracle type. Spend all your time trying to protect the very girl who beat your flank into the ground. Seriously, that was so stupid, you know what? But... you weren't entirely wrong."

She held out her hand, forming a small bit of fire in her palm. "Consider this one a freebie, moonbeam. You're right. I don't kill people. I will *never* kill anybody. The power I wield? It's dangerous. It twists you. It *hurts* you. If I let it run free, if I let it actually go wild? The destruction I'd cause would be extreme. I wouldn't be me. So... there has to be rules. If I ever kill somebody? If I ever actually try to kill somebody? Not just taunting it, not just teasing it, not just using the idea to teach a little girl a lesson about why you don't attack people when they're letting you go?"

She closed her hand, snuffing out the flame. "If I ever go there, it means I'm no longer me. But, just between you and me? That's never going to happen. We're never going to be friends, buck. I can't even stand you. You're so obnoxiously cheerful and your little 'raw raw moon justice stupid power' thing is obnoxious. Seriously? Moon twilight flash? Who calls their power that? So ridiculous."

"... But you protected me when you didn't have to. You could have... left me to die. Lots of people would. Most people would..." She was quiet for a moment. "I would..." she whispered, so softly it was unlikely that Sailor Moon could even hear it. "... So thanks. For that. I hope you and your sparkle skirts find you miracle or whatever. Oh. And if you do? Just between you and me? Rub it in that jerk Hematite's face. Obnoxious arrogant prick, I mean, who does a whole video like that? Seriously? Ugh. Right. Anyway. Its been nice. Next time I see you, I'll be kicking your flank or whatever, so unless there's anything else, I'm gonna go." She started walking towards the edge of the roof, unless Sailor Moon stopped her.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"They come pre-named!" It's her last shot at a defense, and her own smile quickly fades as the subject regains it's seriousness. Her jaw hardens, her lips tighten. "It wasn't stupid. It was dangerous and it was a little reckless, maybe, and you're alive. I didn't want you to die anymore than I wanted the Outer Senshi to kill you. It's not stupid if it works."

She lifts her head, still clutching the folder to her chest. In truth, time has done a lot to push back the fear and agony of it, the memory of her hair burning and her flesh beginning to cook and her henshin slowly breaking down piece by piece under the constant, sustained force. Facing Sunbreaker again, in her own dorm and in her PJs had brought all of that back, the fear of actual, honest to impending death, the knowledge that she might not be strong enough to get away on her own, the final flood of power that had dissipated, unneeded, because in the end someone had come - multiple someones, even.

And still it was validating to hear from her own mouth that Sunbreaker had no intention of killing anyone. That despite her own behavior, she did know her power was dangerous and the harm she could was severe, that she had rules. Her justifications and logic seemed twisted, to Sailor Moon, but they existed.

"If you do that... if you're no longer you... I won't let you keep going on as you please. It will be my fault as much as yours, for not stopping when I had the chance. But I - yeah, we're never going to be friends. I'll always try to stop you from hurting people. But if you decide you want to try another way... I'll give you that chance, Sunbreaker. If you ever decide to stop all of this, just know that you can, alright? You're the one deciding your path. You're not locked in, just because of all this stuff you've done."

Does it need to be said, that there was never a chance that Sailor Moon was going to watch Sunbreaker die?

In the end, she doesn't say it. She doesn't bring up Hemachan either. She just - lets her walk away, clutching that folder, already figuring out how to share the information with her friends without revealing a source.