interstellar5555 | Once You're a Square You're a Square All the Way

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Once You're a Square You're a Square All the Way

Who: Usagi Tsukino (Serena Lapin) and anyone who wants to rescue her
What: No one warned Usagi just how serious Garnet's fans actually are about the whole... square thing // There s a Hair Monster that lives in Brad's Diner and it survives on milkshakes // Get a half off bouquet on your next visit!
When: All Day
Where: The flower store Usagi works at/Brad's Diner
Warnings: Rabid fans, mild violence
Notes: I’m more than happy to match styles!

A: Early Morning (The Attack)

Usagi Tsukino was not late.

Not so much a miracle as it was that Usagi finally remembered to set her alarm clock an hour and a half ahead of time to get there exactly on time. On her way to work, she didn't even notice the unusually high amount of people surrounding her. She didn't think much of it at all considering that it was early enough in the morning people were likely on their way to work and school.

She didn't even seem to notice how so many of them had square hair-styles and a lot of them were chewing bubble gum. But Usagi wasn't the sort to judge someone based on hair and eating habits. Honestly, she was the last to do such a thing on such subjects. However, when they all started whistling the same tune, Usagi admittedly got a little... well, honestly she felt a bit... weirded out? But no dark energy, no sense of magic, or anything that felt like she should be worried for her safety. The whistling in unison made her nervous but she was sure it was just the new pop single from one of the many bands she intended on rescuing.

Oh how very, terribly wrong she was.

Usagi blinked at the wall of people suddenly in front of her with square hair cuts. Oookay... When she asked them to politely move, they just sneered at her, still whistling and blowing bubble-gum bubbles.

Usagi made to turn and leave... only to have a wall of square hair cuts there too. Alright, last resort.

Except.

She gave a nervous laugh.

"Uh... i-is there something I can do?" she couldn't transform, not with all these people watching and not when this could be the work of brainwashing. In fact, Usagi's first fear was that this was the act of the labels and they found her out. She put her hand on her brooch.

Of course, that all quickly changed when she saw scissors, hair pins, and gel in the hands of the people surrounding her.

"How dare you talk to Keytar Mom after we WARNED YOU."

"W-What?"

"And then you had the audacity to talk to her at the charity event and take her food from her!"

"T-That isn't a-actually-" she put up her hands in front of her, trying to calm everyone down.

"If you're going to be near goddess Garnet YOU BETTER BE SQUARE!"

When they opened up their scissors?

Usagi quite calmly, eloquently, and rationally...

Let out a massive, loud, and incredibly shrill scream of panic, and kicked one of them in the face.

That had opened up the wall of people and Usagi used it as her chance, since she honestly couldn't risk transforming until she was out of sight. If she could just get around the corner! She let out another scream when she felt her head yanked back as they grabbed one of her tails. She turned around only to be slammed up against a wall.

"Don't do this!" forget it! She'd transform in public! She wasn't going to allow herself to have them attack her like this. Now if only she could reach her brooch! "GET THOSE AWAY FROM MEEEEE!"

B: Afternoon (After the Attack)

Were you looking for Usagi at "Thistle Do Nicely?" If you were, you will be promptly informed by Mrs. Ophelia that any and all information regarding her employees is not available and then would leave it at that. Which is to say, once 'Serena' explained what happened (looking a bit worse for wear but with all her hair quite intact) the older woman took it upon herself to protect her employee.

If you're very thorough, however, you'll find Usagi hiding in a booth at "Brad's Diner" far far away from the diner door and curled up with her third triple-chocolate, chocolate-chip milkshake.

Her hair was not in its usual buns, mostly because in the fray it had all come undone and she was basically hiding in her hair.

Or maybe you're not looking for Usagi, maybe you just came in to Brad's because the food, while greasy, was filling and the waitress Diana was gorgeous and a flirt.

In either case, there was still a giant river of golden hair attached to the head of someone hiding within it and making an impressive dent in her now fourth milkshake (this time strawberry).

Stepping on or near her hair seems to draw the hair monster to instantly shriek and shudder and try and pull all that hair closer.

C: Late Afternoon (Also After the Attack)

After six milkshakes and given plenty of time to fix her hair back into the two buns, Usagi finally made her way back to the flower store. She had to, she had a "family" to provide for and more importantly, she didn't want to let Mrs. Ophelia down. While Usagi didn't know if Terra celebrated Valentine's Day, the flower store was clearly gearing up for something.

While Mrs. Ophelia said that Usagi was more than welcome to go home with pay, Usagi didn't feel right doing that to the older woman.

So you will find Usagi right in front of the flower shop where Mrs. Ophelia can keep an eye on her and anything that should happen, passing out a single blue paper-origami 'Forget Me Not' with a ribbon around it with a simple tag "Don't Forget!" tied to it.

"All this week, Thistle Do Nicely is having a sale! Take this coupon inside and with the purchase of a bouquet today, get your next bouquet on your next visit half off!" she's trying to put a true smile behind it, but those who know Usagi or "Serena Lapin" better will know that it isn't sincere, it doesn't reach her eyes and please be so kind as not to mention that Usagi's clothes are somewhat... well... torn and snipped.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Does ganging up on somebody make you feel stronger?"

The person now standing behind the gaggle of fanpersons demands attention by their very aura. From the height Haruka lords over them (nearly but not quite rivaling Keytar Mom's herself) to the nonchalant way one hand's still tucked in a pocket, this intervening figure drips confidence and a refusal to be intimidated.

Also disdain. There's quite a lot of that, too.

Haruka snorts. This is such a pain. After hearing from Rei about what the managers were capable of she'd been following Usagi in case an actual emergency happened. They're making her waste her perfectly good cover. "Too bad. A group of idiots just makes more noise."

Usagi was not typically the one you would turn to when you needed a smart answer. However, she wasn't dumb. So when she felt Haruka's aura?

Well, she was not only aware how much trouble the fans were in, but how much trouble she was in.

In her own fairness, Usagi didn't actually know that Garnet's fans were this crazy.

The fans all turned to look at Haruka and Usagi was much wiser to slowly sink down and try and hide. Ahhhhh.....

"How dare you call us idiots! We're goddess Garnet's most loyal fans! So loyal that we would turn someone square so that she doesn't have to deal with round hair around her!"

Usagi may not be smart, but these fans were just outright morons.

When she heard the sound of a scissors opening she let out another yell and this time elbowed someone in the chin. Haruka, please don't be mad at her? At least she didn't transform?

Haruka's nose wrinkles. "The only thing 'square' here is you lot," she pronounces. "Disappear."

Her glare is decidedly not focused on Usagi, if that helps. And she's ready to move if these bullies decide to push their luck.

Well, yes, Haruka, that is in fact what they are trying to achieve. In their insanity, square is a good thing.

When the fans look between one another, they can't help but sneer at Haruka, Usagi knew this to generally be "a bad idea." Never. Glare. At. Haruka.

"We're gonna make this bitch's hair square to honor our Keytar Goddess!"

"HEY!" no need for name calling on top of ganging up on her!

"You're going to regret saying that." Haruka looks directly at the one whose scissors are closest to Usagi and cracks her knuckles. "Bunhead. Behind me."

Don't get her wrong. These people aren't worth making the first move. But if one of them so much as lays a finger on Usagi to impede her moving to get where Haruka's indicated, that finger won't stay in place for very long.

Uh-oh. Oh no oh no oh no... Haruka could seriously hurt these fans. And while they deserved punishment for their actions, it shouldn't be turning them into a bloody pulp. She couldn't abide by that.

"Ah... you all need to run right now! You need to listen to her warnings!" she insisted. She was trying to make her way to Haruka so that she could stop her as well.

Only, as she tried to get through them, one of them slammed her back into the wall. She gave a soft "oof!" and winced but was otherwise unhurt as she slapped the hand away from her.

...what kind of person does her Princess think she is? These jerks aren't worth Haruka's full strength. But, in the interests of ending this quickly, she does shoot a hand out and grab the person Usagi'd slapped away.

"Go," she tells Usagi, yanking the fan towards her. This is so irritating. The last thing she needs is for the local officials to notice them getting in fights.

Edited 2016-02-09 14:12 (UTC)

Oh hey look, an opening! Usagi rushed through it and got behind Haruka, holding onto her for both protection and to restrain if needed.

"She had the audacity to talk to the Garnet Goddess, TWICE! We have to make sure someone so sphere is properly square to be around her."

"You shouldn't call yourselves fans, because all you're doing is smearing her name in the dirt!"

"Leave it." She has Usagi back; that's all Haruka wants. Turning to shield her Princess with her body, Haruka deliberately turns her back on the fans, shoving the one she's holding onto away from them. If they can't get out of this without a scuffle, it'll be the others' fault. "Let's go."

She does cling onto Haruka, glad that none of this happened at the shop. She couldn't risk finding a new job or far worse, getting Mrs. Ophelia and the other employees involved. She swallowed as she glanced back.

"Haruka," she whispered. "They may attack others, we have to at least... they can't just attack people like that and think it's alright."

She swallowed and watched as the group of fans seemed to be conversing among themselves, clearly trying to come to a decision.

This entire situation is the exact opposite of staying focused and undercover. "Then we're here to fix everything?" Haruka whispers back, but it's a rhetorical question - she'd rather take advantage of the fact that their would-be opponents are currently in conference.

So she'll just continue trying to get away, hoping to herd Usagi along with her.

"If we can, we should," she insisted. "We have a duty to all people everywhere, not just our own. We're all connected to everyone!" she insisted, knowing that as they were all born from the Galaxy Cauldron, from the place where all things were born, that these fans were connected to her, at least distantly.

"And I can't be for justice if I ignore this sort of attack on others." It was too much to ask of her.

Haruka is still walking. If she has to reach out to try and take hold of Usagi herself, she will. "The world you deserve is a better one," she admits, which is the closest she'll ever come to admitting she admires Usagi's principles. And who knows? Maybe defeating the CEOs here will help wake these sad sacks up, too.

But for now, right now, in this moment? There is too much at stake. She's not stopping. Usagi's physical safety is more important to her than Usagi's satisfaction at how things turn out.

She's still being ushered and she's still being made to ignore. She shakes her head.

"The one we'll make is a better one," and it will be. She's learned, she's matured. She's not the same girl she was at 14. She honestly couldn't be. She'd make Crystal Tokyo with Mamoru and all the senshi and learn from the mistakes of her past and from what she knows of the future. She won't make the same mistakes with Chibiusa, she won't make the same with Pluto. She'll do everything she can to bring peace to her precious, beautiful star. And she won't do it alone. She'll make sure all the senshi are there, all of them involved.

She swallowed.

"Ah... no, Haruka, this is the opposite direction from work."

There's not much Haruka can say to argue with that kind of determination. So they would be at an impasse - if Usagi hadn't just pointed out one other very important thing.

"Ah..." Haruka looks around. She looks back at the path now blocked by square-haired bullies. She looks at the landmarks around them.

This is not her day.

"...An oversight," she insists to anyone and no one listening, trying to usher Usagi in the right direction this time. Okay. Time to try and pass by these idiots again, and hope neither they (nor the Princess she's escorting) cause any more trouble.

Alright... actually, the idea of going near the girls makes her... incredibly nervous and she holds her hands over her hair. It's dragging on the ground, making her an easier target.

"Hey-"

Usagi's hands tightened as she heard them talking and some of them coming closer.

Haruka refuses to be intimidated. Seeing Usagi's distress, she shifts her body so that if any of them even want to try and reach for her Princess, they'd have to get through her first. Usagi's priorities aren't Haruka's. The world she wishes for is a better world than Haruka has the luxury of imagining.

But nobody's touching that purity on her watch. Not as long as she's still breathing.

They just have to make it down the street....

She had to be brave, she would be brave. She had faced far worse and far more than a gang with scissors.

Only, she wasn't sure whether to be scared of the fans, or for the fans.

However, the compass needle went for "for" as at least two girls with square hair made their way over, one of them being the girl Usagi had punched in the solar plexus to get out.

"HEY!" the girl next to her cried out, the other still holding her stomach as Usagi had packed a pretty punch. "You seriously hurt her!"

She did? Her brow knitted together, well yes, she had been trying to get away but...

"Keep going," Haruka whispers, digging a coin out of her pocket and flipping it towards the injured girl. It's not nearly enough to cover getting painkillers, of course, but it's a token start - and, hopefully, a method of misdirection. If their eyes are on her, they aren't on Usagi.

"Sorry about that," she says, without seeming sorry. The air glitters a bit again, and from this angle, her own bangs almost look square. If intimidating. "Think more about the risks next time."

Edited 2016-02-15 14:57 (UTC)

She didn't want there to be a next time.

"Don't think you'll get away with this!" the other insisted. "We won't let her near Garnet with hair like that. No one talks to keytar mom and isn't in her image!"

"They're insane," she whispered.

For once, Haruka and Usagi agree on something. As they continue to pass the group, Haruka maneuvers around her Princess so that by the end they're basically back-to-back, Haruka's body consistently blocking the others' route to her.

"Head straight to work," she mutters - she'll bring up the rear, and take her sweet time. She can't agree with her Princess on some things, and she can't ask her Princess to change, but she can always be a shield.

"You'll be stay safe, right?" she knew Haruka could handle herself. She was an outer senshi and just incredible in general, but Usagi still worried for and about her. All her senshi could take care of themselves, but because they were so good at it, they were also really good at hiding any hurt or discomfort.

"Please come to my work with me..." Still, she wasn't exactly... lingering, knowing those girls were eyeing her hair and Haruka.

Haruka pauses, weighing the pros and cons. Finally she exhales, almost but not quite smiling. "All right."

There'd be no point in refusing except pride. And it'd be a fragile pride that couldn't take other people's challenging it from time to time.

Do they stand any chance of starting to walk normally again, in the hopes of having this all die down...? She shoots the group a glance and tries.

It's gotten later in the morning, meaning more people, which is in Usagi and Haruka's favor.

They make it past them without another incident or exclamation from the fans. When they were a good block away from them and closer to Usagi's work, she clenched her broach and leaned against a wall. She was physically no real worse for wear, her clothes were a bit torn and snipped here and there, but she was without any other physical harm.

She held Haruka's hand and closed her eyes.

"Thank you," she said softly. "I know... I know it's just... hair... but it's..." it was her connection to her mother Selene. She didn't want to change it, she was everyone's bun head, muffin head, odango, and everything else they called her. She looked up to Haruka.

"I'm sorry... I've probably made you late for work."

Haruka shakes her head - no harm done - and reaches to make sure Usagi's shirt is hanging evenly on her shoulders. "Do you need me to pick you up?" she asks: it will be a hassle, but having to deal with fallout from these girls trying and succeeding would be a bigger one. Which means she really might have to take care of this problem sooner or later.

Shoot.

Once You're a Square You're a Square All the Way

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