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

[lightthedarkness]

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.

Comments

C

[trustme]

Doctor had double checked with Rei to confirm which flower shop the mysterious girl worked at. He resisted the temptation to go first thing in the morning, trying not to give away the urgency to go out to the flower shop to try collecting more information on the young lady. After lunch he finally heads to Thistle Do Nicely and finds her in front.

"Hello again," he greets her, accepting one of the origami flowers. He's wearing a bit of a disguise, casual clothes rather than his bow tie or dress jackets so the paparazzi and fans don't bother them. He lowers his sunglasses for a moment to show her his face better. "Oh this is very nice. Did you fold this? My band knows a thing or two about origami and flowers."

[lightthedarkness]

"Oh ah, hello again, sir," she wisely doesn't say his name but Usagi tries her best to offer a sincere smile.

"Ah no, I'm horrible at this kind of stuff, no ah, Mrs. Ophelia's son William and his friend Christopher made them all. They make these for all our special events. But it's really pretty, right? It's almost a shame to open it up for the coupon."

A

[snapcrackleburn]

"Leave her alone!" Roy's voice booms from where he's standing on the sidewalk. He's not dressed as nicely as the last time Usagi saw him- in fact he's wearing a jacket with the hood up, sunglasses, and carrying a cane since it was only half a week ago that he had been held captive by Pride and his injuries were still healing. Still, he doesn't hesitate and he sounds as confident as ever as he demands that Garnet's Square Hair club take a hike.

"Don't stand there gaping at me! Leave at once and don't return!"

[lightthedarkness]

Perhaps it says something to the intelligence of the Square Hair club that they didn't think anyone would stop them, because they turned to look at Roy and were surprised that someone would yell at them to stop. Some seemed to somewhat recognize him and Usagi herself couldn't see through the sea of squared-haired heads to see Roy.

"You want square hair too? No one, absolutely no one goes near keytar mom without square hair!"

Usagi's eyes narrowed and she could feel her own anger rise at these fans. She wouldn't get another civilian involved! Forget caution at this point, she would transform and get these people to understand just the mistake they made in attacking someone on the street! She clutched her brooch tighter and stood up straighter, her nerves steeling to deal with these people and she was about to call out.

"Don't hurt him!" she ordered.

A

[actsmagnificent]

"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."

[lightthedarkness]

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?

A

[determinate]

At the sound of screams, Frisk immediately takes off in pursuit. Seeing part of what's happening only spurs them on. They don't know half their fellow rescuers half as well as they'd like, but they know they've seen Usagi's face before. She's part of their team.

Frisk is small, and it's easy for them to slip through even pretty angry crowds. They weave in and out of the square-headed mob, until they can interpose themself between them and Usagi. The child plants themself there, one hand out to their side as if to protect their fellow rescuer, and furrows their brow up at the mob. They've got scissors. They don't seem like they're going to use them for stabbing either. What's all this about?

[lightthedarkness]

There were two things that could have made this situation worse. Someone actually near her hair, and a child getting involved.

When Frisk suddenly jumped in? Well, Usagi wasn't going to let a child get hurt. Everything in her demanded she protect this child. So when a fan came at Frisk with the scissors so that Frisk could also be more square? Usagi grabbed that person by the wrist and promptly kneed that person in the gut.

She picked up Frisk, not giving the child an option to protest. It was one thing to attack her, it was another to attack a child. Her eyes narrowed and she kicked another person in the face.

As it would turn out, Garnet's fans were incredibly weak when it came to being faced with someone who could actually fight.

"BACK OFF NOW!" she ordered as she kept Frisk close to her chest. "I'm not afraid to use force on all of you!"

B

[invisiballman]

"Us-"

Kuroko had noticed her through the window of the diner and given the state she's in he's understandably concerned. Of course it's only after he approaches that he realizes they're in public. And he never asked for her alias. He is able to stop himself just short of using her name. Instead, he quietly asks...

"What happened?"

[lightthedarkness]

Usagi peeked out from the curtain of her hair and saw Kuroko. She swallowed and gathered her hair closer. How long was he standing there? Had he been there the hole time again?

"Oh ah..." she parted her hair so he could properly see her face and she his. "Just... an incident with some fans of one of the bands."

B

[hearted]

Anyone visiting Brad's today might notice a definite change in the atmosphere. 'Di', usually sweet and attentive to all who come in, is trying her best to keep that up, but she's just a little tense. She'll clench her fist at even the slightest hint of squareness, but one thing about her hasn't changed: she's still fussing fondly over the blonde in the corner.

Serena definitely won't be getting herself cut off today. She murmurs soothing noises and tries to plot out how best to fix her princess's hair each time she passes by. "Mmm, Serena, it'll be okay, promise."

But the other customers might notice a little less spring in her step and the dark looks at the door. No square is getting through her iron wall today!

"Howdy, welcome to Brad's, can I help you take a load off?" Same thing she always says, just with a smile instead of a smile and wink. She walks everyone, takes their orders, and then it's right back to checking whether milkshake levels have hit critical.

[lightthedarkness]

When Minako came back around to check on her milkshakes, a hand reached out from the mass of hair and grabbed her by the elbow. A blue eye peeked out and then was followed by Usagi's face.

"Mi- Di," she said, knowing they were in public. "It... are you on a break soon?

A

[woomy]

When she sees and hears "Serena" surrounded, Agent 3 reaches into her backpack that has her Hero Shot and covers her inktank. All thoughts of going to the library are forgotten. This is now a 2 v... some big number.

"Leave her alone!" She yells and starts firing bright green ink at Usagi's attackers. A Burst Bomb (looking like a water balloon really) is lobbed in their direction as well.

Agent 3... doesn't realize that her ink won't do anything but anger the squares and possibly temporarily blind them. She'll learn soon enough.

[lightthedarkness]

Usagi blinks.

She is now covered in ink.

What the hell did she do to deserve this kind of day? Was this a curse? This had to be a curse. Who did she piss off this time to get cursed?

Of course, the fans weren't exactly thrilled to suddenly be in ink, either. Some gave a cry of outrage and turned to look at Agent 3.

Usagi let out an exasperated breath. Agent 3's intentions were sweet, but the last thing she wanted was a kid to get involved in this. She pushed herself off the wall.

"That brat has the same hairstyle! They must be working together! MAKE HER SQUARE!"

Ooooooof course.

"HEY!" Usagi screamed, making sure they turned back to look at her. "You leave her out of this!" She wouldn't transform if she wouldn't have to, but she wouldn't let them hurt Agent 3.

B

[dishevelment]

[Actually, he had honestly come to Brad's to enjoy the milkshakes.

Rumors of this diner and it's fantastic food had slipped into the depths of even Pride HQ, and the raving reviews had been enough to pull the quiet and perpetually sleepless Koumei out from the depths of his closed up bedroom.

Clad in his most shapeless thrift shop hoodie, with his own massive amount of auburn hair amazingly brushed out and pulled into a messy braid, Koumei was just on his way to find a seat near the back so he could people-watch in his insomniac haze when the Hair Monster(tm) 'Attacked.'

Her shriek was met with a startled yelp in kind. Nearly jumping out of his skin at the suddenness of the cry, he upset his milkshake (cookies and cream with an extra twist of chocolate syrup around the interior of the glass) down the front of his obnoxious hoodie, his worn down tennis shoes, and onto the floor.

But he did't notice.

He was too busy wondering where the hell the fire was, if he actually was hallucinating, and whether or not he should be afraid of a tsunami of tears crashing upon his head.]

[lightthedarkness]

[Usagi didn't want anyone near her hair. But it was a pain and a half to put it in buns when she lacked hair pins and ties. She would get to it eventually, but at the moment she just wanted to eat milkshakes and exist in her hair.

That wouldn't be the case today, it seemed as there was someone who she frightened. She peeked out of her hair to stare at who she frightened and then slowly stuck her face out and eventually, like some sort of bad fairy-tale, the hair beast turned into a girl and she scooted over to the edge of the booth seat, concern on her face.]

Are you alright?

A

[fitnessenthusiast]

The Trainer wasn't particularly aware of the idea of "fans" or "rabid" or "attacking". Any combinations of those words was just overwhelming. So her initial response to seeing whatever she's seeing on the sidewalk is confusion.

Followed quickly by her typical response to anything she didn't grasp. Assume it involves fitness.

"Hello there! What kind of exercise are you doing today?"

The hair didn't seem particularly useful for strength training, unless it was weighted.

[lightthedarkness]

You know what these fans of Garnet don't like? They don't like someone who doesn't have square hair. Nor do they like someone coming up to them and mentioning exercise of all things.

"She doesn't have square hair either! We can't let any of these people near goddess Garnet!"

So now half of them were rounding on Trainer, intending on "fixing" her too.

B

[eba02]

Mostly, J comes into Brad's because Priscilla's, the coffee shop he works at, has an employee food swap deal with them. At the moment, he's hauling half a dozen iced double mochas with instructions to trade them for those famous milkshakes. But when he hears that frazzled tune and sees Usagi - it has to be her, the tune matches - sitting in the corner booth...well.

The coffee gets dropped off and J has them hold off on all milkshakes except one. He slides into Usagi's booth across from her and places that milkshake (chocolate chip cookie dough) in front of her. "Relax - take it easy. I got a present for you." It's just a milkshake, but it's better than nothing, right?

[lightthedarkness]

On the one hand, she now has another milkshake. On the other, she didn't really want to force any smiles right now because she was having a "rough morning" and the hair monster would like to just be left alone for an hour or so. It was incredibly rare for her to want to be alone, but even the embodiment of sunshine had cloudy days.

This was one of them.

Still, he wasn't... asking her anything. He was just giving her a milkshake. She took a deep breath and slowly, a hand crept out from behind the wall of hair and took the milkshake closer followed by a soft "thank you."

A because it's only appropriate

[twoscompany]

"Oh no you don't!" At this, the leader of the squares - whose hair was the most perfectly square, and aside from height could have easily been mistaken for their idol - snapped his fingers. "Gel! Scissors! Curling irons! Style ninjas! FOR THE HONOR OF THE SQUARE ONE! FORWARD!"

Instantly, from rooftops, garbage cans, random doorways they came. They began to converge on Usagi as she ran, their steps in beat to an invisible song, which they began to sing.

It was a surreal experience to watch, to be sure, on top of being terrifying for Usagi.

♫ We used to be so circular, our tastes pulled us around
But then we heard the keytar play, and started to get down
Now we're playing it real straight, and yes, we cut our hair
You might think we're crazy, but we don't even care!
Because we can tell what's going on

*smack your knees or stomp the ground!*

It's hip to be square~
It's hip to be square~! ♫

[lightthedarkness]

"You gotta be kidding me!" Usagi panted as she rounded a kick to the torso of one of them who got way to close with their scissors and started to run again. She just needed to get where she could transform. Then she could, at the very least, deal with these insane fans in a much safer way.

She had to lest they start attacking other people too!

But why did they have to sing!

"Alley way alley way, where <>is an alley way when you need one!"

C

[faithfulflame]

It's a pretty ordinary day out for Rei, but there's just something nagging the back of her head. Maybe it's just wanting to get to know this girl better. Maybe it's just the desire to buy some flowers, and let on a little that she knows something's wrong...and that's ultimately what has her stopping in.

Of course, when she does so, she stops in the entrance, freezing up almost immediately when she sees Serena. Not only because it's Serena, and she makes her feel nervous...but because she notes the clothes.

"...What...happened?!" it's all she manages to stammer out before she staggers forward, reflexively grabbing onto a shelf as a wave of emotion hits her like a tidal wave. Anger, despair...and something she can't quite place. Righteous indignation maybe?

"Who attacked you?"

[lightthedarkness]

When Rei suddenly staggers, Usagi's own issues with her bad day are taken over by her concern for Rei. She hurried over to her.

"Re- ah! Miss Hino!" she came over to her and reached out, but stopped and swallowed, not wanting a repeat of the concert. Her hands pulled back. At Rei's question she blushed in shame and waved a dismissive hand.

"I-It's fine, Miss Hino, I'm fine. You don't need to worry. Are you okay?"

B

[linkthismemory]

Nora couldn't leave work until her lunch break, so that was when Namine appears, far further from her work than she should've been able to make it ito and back n the half an hour, but that is what her abilities are for. She'd gone into one alley, walked through her portal and then come out the other side next to the diner.

She'd been told by Mrs.Ophelia where Serena was only because of having seen her before, and knowing her as Serena's small, quiet, cousin Nora. She quite liked Mrs. Ophelia. She was nice, and she seemed to like Usagi very much.

She steppsinto the diner, large eyes darting until she finds the rather impressive pile of hair that is Usagi and goes to sit across from her.

"Are you alright? Mrs. Ophelia said something happened." A beat, and Namine says what honestly is rather rude, but Namine doesn't really do tact, mostly from not having learned it in the first place. "And you look terrible."

[lightthedarkness]

The mound of hair with a straw peeking through it shifted and there was a soft groan. Namine, don't be so mean, she's had a rough morning.

"I'm fine," the Hair Monster(tm) commented. It then sighed and two hands came out to part the hair. Usagi's eyes and then the rest of her face appeared.

"Don't be mean, Nora," she commented softly.

B

[gunslingerqueen]

Brad's Diner supposedly churned out some of the best burgers in all of Vista City, but no one was going to earn that title without Nariko's full on approval. She was the self appointed burger queen, dammit, so she had to show up and give Brad's fair a try! She's on her way to picking a seat towards the back when she nears a river of gold that can apparently move.

"Are you alright?" Probably not, if the faintest bit of nearness could freak this person out but it was a good opener nonetheless. Besides, Nariko was almost completely sure that she recognized that hair color, it tugged at the back of her mind and kept her standing awkwardly.

[lightthedarkness]

Usagi stilled for a moment because she remembered that voice... She parted her hair a bit to peek through it, a bright blue eye gazing at.

AH! It was her! The one who said she had no reason to leave! She wondered if she still felt that way. Was she alright? She finally revealed her whole face and then looked at Nariko for a moment before remembering she asked a question. She waved a dismissive hand.

"Ah I'm fine!"