interstellar5555 | A Flower a Day Keeps the Bees at Play

Who: Usagi Tsukino (Serena Lapin) and customers
What: It’s Usagi’s real first day of work after all her training… wish her luck
When: All Day
Where: The flower store Usagi works at
Warnings: Just the cheerful klutz that is Usagi?
Notes: I’m more than happy to match styles!

A: Early Morning

Luna (and Mamoru) had learned long ago, that the way to get Usagi anywhere on time was to set her alarm clock an hour ahead. While Usagi knew the trick, she never bothered commenting on it because, well, it worked! She got up early, she got to things on time, and everyone was happy that she wasn’t late. Still, even if Usagi knew the trick, considering the situation she was currently in? She completely forgot to do it. After all, she liked sleeping in as much as the next person (probably more than the next person, actually)!

Which was why, running through the streets was the blonde bunny, in a bright white and blue dress, crying in dismay: "I’M LAAAAAATE! I’M LATE I’M LAAAATE!" with a bag on her shoulder and a lunch-box in hand. The rabbit was late and had no time to say hello or goodbye to those she was living with, she was late she was late she was late!

So frantic to get to work on time, she didn’t pay attention as she turned the corner...

And promptly smacked into someone, falling backwards and straight to the ground.

"OOOOOOOW!" she cringed and whimpered only a little. She rubbed her back, she paused to catch her breath, and then quickly popped right back up as if she hadn’t just fallen. She was so used to falling, honestly that it wasn’t something she couldn't handle. She didn’t have time to be upset, though, because not only was she late, and more importantly, she possibly just hurt someone!

"I’m so so so so so sorry! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" she had to go but she didn’t want to abandon the person she just ran into. She bowed deeply. "Really, I’m so sorry!"

B: Throughout the Day

Usagi let out a sigh of relief as she had made it on time. The flower shop owner, Ophelia, merely chuckled to herself and commented about how nice it was to have such an energetic girl around the shop.

The older woman was actually incredibly kind to hire her on. Usagi explained that she had just moved in with all of her cousins after an accident involving their parents. Serena Lapin was doing everything she could to support her family, five girls and one boy! Ophelia was an older woman, bent over and needing a cane to walk, and her son and his best friend worked for her as it got harder for her to work by herself, but at seeing "Serena’s" eagerness and willingness to work, her friendly and open nature, well Ophelia commented that it would be nice to have another girl around, hiring the very day Usagi applied.

And, on top of Usagi’s paycheck, she got to take home flowers that were too old to sale or were damaged in such a way that they couldn’t be given to their customers. She had already taken a few damaged roses, plucked off the ruined petals and leaves and stuck them in her hair. But Usagi was also thinking that flower bouquets would be a great way to keep the house smelling lovely and feeling warm.

Usagi, or rather Serena Lapin was ready to work! With her pastel pink apron and the name badge with a little thistle at the end of it, she could face anything. She looked up when she heard the door chime and greeted the guest with a bright smile.

"Welcome to Thistle Do Nicely: A Flower for Every Occasion! My name is Serena, how can I help you today?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Haruka just strolls along the sidewalk to where an actual limousine (or the equivalent on this planet - long vehicle, swanky black paint job, the works) is parked and opens the passenger door for Usagi. Now that she's shifting the bag out of the way, Usagi may also notice Haruka isn't wearing any of the clothes they'd received from the rescue team. Instead she's in a sleek, crisp chauffeurs' uniform.

"You shouldn't get used to this," she warns Usagi. "I just had some time..."

Don't ask questions like "do you have a license already" or "how did you get a job that fast" or "can you really drive one of these." She is Haruka Tenoh, and this is a vehicle. Things worked out.

"Ah no, of course not," Usagi didn't tend to get driven around anyways. Mamoru didn't have a car, though he could drive and she didn't see much need for another test when public transportation suited her just fine... most of the time.

She slid into the passenger seat and looked around making a soft "ooo" noise. She had never been in a limousine before! She put on her seat-belt and once inside the safety of the limousine, she looked at Haruka.

"Ah, this is so like you, Haruka-san. Even something cool like this," she smiled as she looked at the older girl.

Haruka chuckles and slides into her own seat - she's already risking it by having run an errand on company time and stopped off at her house, let alone taking another detour. But is it really selling the chauffeur company short when they hadn't anticipated she'd be out and back yet? Nah. And even if it is, does she care?

Also nah. After the way she drove in the interview, they can't fire her.

"'Thistle Do Nicely', right?" she asks, checking for oncoming traffic as she starts the limo. This particular model features a window between the drivers' section and the passengers'; if people want to get in touch with the driver with the window up, they have a button to page her. Haruka leaves the window down so Usagi can talk normally.

"Hee, yes, that's right! Isn't it cute? I still love the name! And I get to bring home flowers that can't be sold so think of how nice we can make the house feel while we go about everything." Even if Usagi and the others were trying to be covert and would have to move eventually, there was nothing saying they couldn't at least make what they were doing more livable.

"Ah, will all five of us working we should be alright, yeah?" honestly, she didn't know.

Equally honestly, Haruka doesn't know either. They went for cheap housing, made cheaper by the fact that Usagi kept finding people to bring along with them. Haruka can't say she's thrilled about that from a "soldiers sworn to secrecy" standpoint, but it's economically feasible (and likely unpreventable) so she'll let it slide. She can't be an effective soldier herself if she doesn't pick her battles, and really, as long as she has a city to drive around in she doesn't care what the house is like. But actually doing the math? Why would Haruka Tenoh actually do the math?

Far be it from her to admit as much, however, so as the limousine joins the flow of traffic she just smiles. "You just focus on settling in," she reassures Usagi. Worrying about small stuff like "the rent" would just cramp Haruka's style. She will live as she sees fit.

And not do the math.

"Ah that won't be too hard at all! Mrs. Ophelia is about the nicest person! Although her son doesn't seem to like me too much? He goes incredibly silent whenever I'm around. I think he might just be shy, though." Or so she hoped.

"Do you work with anyone besides the person you're driving, Haruka-san? You aren't going to get lonely with the person sitting so far in the back, are you?"

Although Haruka has her own hypothesis about what might be going on with this "Mrs. Ophelia"'s son, she keeps it to herself. "I'm glad it sounds like you've found a good position," she says. Her eyes flick to the timer in the limousine. She'll have to use her extra time to explore the streets of this city on some other trip, it seems. "How's the work?"

She'll leave the questions about herself unanswered, since she prefers solitary work. The fewer people "Alex Himmel" can leave an impression on, the better.

"The work is really nice! Nothing hard and I get to smell like flowers everyday! Right now Mrs. Ophelia only has me working up front and the boys are mostly taking care of the green house and growing everything. But if she sees how good a job I'm doing, I can probably help with the whole store and even big events or something."

"But what about you! You haven't told me anything about your work."

"What's there to say?" People drive like madmen here? The differences between the controls for these vehicles and the ones on Earth? She doesn't technically have her license yet, but she drove the pants off of every other driver in the company so they're paying her under the table until she's official? Haruka doesn't think this particular audience wants her motor vehicle shop talk.

So she muses on these and several other topics for a while in silence, then finally hits on something. "It's...useful."

Wealthy people are more likely to hire limousines. That ups her chances of encountering musicians - or, better, management employees - considerably.

"Ah I bet you amazed them, they probably don't know they hired a professional race car driver and... everything driver, really." She still remembered how they met and everything after that.

"Hey you should let them know about your skills with helicopters if they have those too!"

That does make Haruka laugh. "We'll see," she remarks, refusing to commit. As entertaining as joyriding around this city would be, she's using her skills as a means to an end currently.

The limousine makes a turn, entering a busier area. Haruka notices people on the sidewalks starting to stare and shrugs to herself. The limo's inconspicuous, but it's what she's got.

It doesn't take too terribly long to get to Usagi's new job. A 20 minute to 30 minute walk, 15 if she runs. When the limousine stops, Usagi lets herself out and hurries over to the driver's cabin.

"I'll see you at home okay? Have a good day at work!" she offered a small little wave. "Try not to make too may girls fall in love, Alex!" she offered a wave and then hurried inside of the flower shop, quite on time and without being winded from running.

Funny kid. Haruka watches until she's sure Usagi got into the flower shop okay, then starts up the limo again. Right. Time to get this back before anybody wonders where she's been - no point in giving them a reason to check the route she took.

A Flower a Day Keeps the Bees at Play

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