interstellar5555 | Drip Drip Drop Little April Showers

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Drip Drip Drop Little April Showers

Who: Usagi Tsukino and OPEN
Where: All over Vista
What: It's a rainy week and Usagi is missing home
When: All week
Warnings: None I can think of

A: Drip Drip Drop Little April Showers

It was raining. It was a surprise shower and the clouds looked like they would be there all week. But surprise or not, it was April, so Usagi always carried her umbrella on her during the month. She let out a sigh as she was walking home, her umbrella over her head. It was a brand new umbrella and it was covered in little rabbits and cats. It was so adorable how could she not purchase it? Besides, it allowed her to have more than one person under it too.

Which seemed to be a good thing, at the moment. As she walking back to her newer home, she saw someone under an awning, clearly stuck and without their own umbrella. She checked her watch. Well, she still had time before anyone else would be home. She headed over to them and offered a smile.

"If you need, I don't mind walking you to the bus stop or to get a cab or something?" She'd even walk them home if they really needed.

B: What Can Compare With Your Beautiful Sound?

Maybe this was a bad idea.

Usagi frowned as she flipped through the song-requests book. It was karaoke night at Brad's Diner and she had come to support the new idea but she had absolutely no confidence in singing. She also had absolutely no idea what half these songs were.

"Uuuugh there's so maaaany," she sighed as she kept glancing. "And half of these are duets," she mumbled. "At this rate I'm not going to be singing until it's over."

C: Drip Drip Drop When the Sky is Cloudy

Why? Why did this ALWAYS happen to her? She groaned and her shoulders visibly slumped forward as she held the umbrella over her head. She knew this was the address, she had the flowers to deliver in her arms, but the security guard was staunchly blocking her path.

"Oh come ooooon," she groaned, showing him the invoice. "It says right here, that I have a delivery for the band from the building manager! I just need to get in, drop it off, and then I'll be on my way!" she whined, growing more frustrated as this was now the third time she showed him the paper work and he had "called to the building manager" to see if they were actually going to let her in.

"I could have been gone by now! I'm not even staying to watch the band I just need to deliver these bouquets!" she stomped her foot, trying to leave before the band even arrived. "Don't you have anything better to do than stop me from delivering bought and paid for flowers!"

D: Your Pretty Music Can Brighten the Day

"EEEEEE!" the sun had made an appearance, finally! She loved rain, certainly, but she was like a sunflower, drawn to the light. Usagi was practically glowing as she spread out her arms and just spun around, letting all the warmth touch her skin as she walked through the park.

"Aaaah," she took a deep breath. The sun was warm but the grass and pavement was wet, the air still heavy but a rainbow bright in the sky. Her eyes were closed in content.

Which was perhaps her mistake as she took another slight spin... and her hand promptly smacked someone.

Her eyes snapped open.

"AAAAAH ARE YOU OKAY!?!" Goodbye good mood, hello panic.

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Because why WOULDN'T it have rabbits on it, Haruka? Even when she becomes Queen of Earth, her obsession with rabbits is strong, just look at what she named her daughter.

"Ah well, it's April, always a rainy month back home. Besides! It's an excuse to bring my adorable umbrella everywhere!" she grinned. "Isn't it cute?" she held it up over Haruka's head.

"Everything okay?"

Haruka shrugs: the rain is pretty refreshing, actually, with how it helps to drown out the general sense of Wrongness usually steeping this city. She can only imagine what it must feel like to be Michiru, whose intuition is stronger. Or what it will be like for Rei when her reawakening's complete.

Hopefully they won't be sticking around much after that to find out.

In short, Usagi being out and about interests her much more than the way she'd been trying to clear her head, so she smiles down at the girl covering that head for her. "And what might you be up to?" she asks - not a full deflection, for once. She has to decide whether she wants to continue accompanying this umbrella wherever it's going.

Usagi's connection is with people, she's only been able to feed off the feelings of others, not of the earth, and certainly not off the air itself. But she does excel in sensing things about others. Like how happy Haruka was when Michiru was here, and she could certainly understand.

"All done with work," she offered. "I was maybe going to do some grocery shopping and then head home." While Usagi was banned from the kitchen, she was the one who took care of the shopping in the house, and she actually did very well at it from her years of practice with Mamoru. "Do... you want to come?"

Haruka notices that pause. It gives her, in turn, pause to think. But then she's detaching herself from the wall so Usagi can resume walking. They really do need a car, huh.

"Try to keep up," she responds: you've got a companion, Usagi, for better or for worse. (Certainly not a bodyguard. That would be paranoid, no matter how often you get in the tabloids, and she wouldn't want to have to argue with you about that.) So yes. Companion. That is absolutely what is happening.

Haruka is moving with such easy, calm, casual confidence, there's no way this could possibly be anything else! And for all her bluster, she's even walking at Usagi's pace. It is possible.

Edited 2016-04-11 13:22 (UTC)

"EEEEE!" Usagi was always happy to have her senshi beside her, she loved all of them deeply and dearly. So of course, the ever affectionate moon bunny wrapped her arm around Haruka's elbow and hugged herself close, instantly warmer for it as well. If Haruka asked, not that she likely would since this was rather standard for them, she would just argue it would be easier to have the umbrella cover them both this way.

"So, what should I get for dinner tonight? I wrote down what we need, toothpaste, paper towels, uuuuh- one sec," she reached into her skirt pocket, pulling out the list in addition to pieces of thread. "Okay, toothpaste, paper towels, dishwasher soap, shampoo and conditioner," you didn't have her and Minako's length hair and not go through that stuff almost bi-weekly.

She listed off a few more things and then squeezed Haruka's arm tight.

"This is great, extra hands!"

"That's why...?" No, that's not why Usagi's happy to have Haruka along, but it's still an amusing (if awkward) flow in the younger girl's train of thought. Haruka keeps walking, swallowing a nervous laugh at how touchy-feely her Princess is being. She saw this coming, she reminds herself. Or should have.

"You've really gotten into this," she says, not without a touch of wistfulness. Usagi putting down roots may potentially make it harder for her to leave. Another reason she'd been against their full integration.

But if it helps with her cover, she's grateful. Silently.

Edited 2016-04-12 12:37 (UTC)

"Ah well... no," she smiled something far more mature, something she doesn't usually wear. It doesn't have as much energy in it, as much sunshine, it's more calm, more content. Something shifts as she thinks about this.

"I distract myself, mostly," she offered. "Because it stops me from rushing to Rei's side this very moment, from running in and facing Blanche and Santiago head on," she looked up towards the sky. "Because I know that isn't what is needed, what any of you want either," she smiled as she looked over to Haruka.

Besides, she wouldn't get to really do this much longer. It would only be a few more years until she turned 23, and then?

"And I can't risk everyone's safety like that."

She knows herself. That's something Haruka has always seen in Usagi, always respected about Usagi: she knows exactly who she is and why she does the things she does. And she does them anyway. Haruka wouldn't have sworn her loyalty to a Princess capable of anything less than that.

So Haruka looks out into the rain. "You..."

She's not sure if she wants to say anything or not. The words aren't coming. Will they?

That's where Haruka trusting herself comes in. She doesn't mind making Usagi wait.

She tilted her head, still having the calmer smile on as she gazed at Haruka, someone she loved intensely, willing to do anything for them, as she did with all her senshi. And while some would question the validity of loving so many people so deeply, those who knew better knew that it was not a lie or impossible for Usagi.

"Hm?" she offered gently, letting Haruka finish what she was trying to say.

Edited 2016-04-15 03:53 (UTC)

Haruka smiles, shaking her head slightly: it's nothing. Anything she says will only be stating the obvious. And rather sappy. And might lead Usagi to the wrong conclusions, like she's okay with the other girl continuing to act recklessly.

"It'll be a nice day once the rain clears up," she offers instead. This is the closest she can come, in her way, to admitting that she gets what Usagi is up to. That under the exasperating behavior, Usagi has always pulled through in the end. That she wants Usagi to lay low precisely because she needs the Princess around for the grand finale. She needs Usagi to rescue the others. Even if she also needs Usagi, yes, as far away from "Blanche and Santiago" as she can get.

Also, Princess, you're about to walk into a puddle. Just so you know.

"You would know best," she said to the king of the sky. Well, Ami would know best too, but she tried not to think about how much that hurt to be away from Makoto, Ami, Setsuna, Hotaru, and especially Mamoru. She threw herself into making as many friends as she could so she couldn't notice the ones who had been by her side for years, no, for millennia were missing.

She walked around the puddle for the most part, although one foot got caught in it and she gave an annoyed "ugh" since she now had a wet sock.

"Greeeat..."

Haruka, meanwhile, stepped over the puddle without even really messing up her stride that much. She waits, though, for Usagi (and the umbrella). "We'll want to dry that out fast," she observes - one doesn't live with Michiru without learning a few things about the care and keeping of fashion. "Let's hurry."

She hopped on one foot, truly embodying her "rabbit" name as she wiggled her foot out of her shoe and took off her sock, putting it back in. She didn't want to ruin her shoe just because of a wet sock. She put the item into her bag, hurrying to catch up to Haruka again.

"Hopefully I don't walk into any more puddles, I should be okay though." Maybe she should buy rain boots?

...one...sock....

....Well, Michiru's not here, so it should be okay. Haruka shrugs to herself and holds out a hand. "I can hold the umbrella," she offers. The taller person holding it makes more sense anyway.

This is so weirdly quaint. The rescue is looming and here they are. The sheer strangeness of it all has Haruka in an oddly good mood.

She's not the elegant woman Michiru is, besides, when she was Princess Serenity, she tended to be barefoot or not wear socks anyways.

"Hmm? OH! Yes, that's a great idea!" she smiled as she handed Haruka the umbrella, surprised and yet not that Haruka would take the cutesy item.

She looked over to her and grinned why as she bent down a bit.

"Haruka-san is in a very good mood today, I didn't know you liked rain so much."

Haruka shrugs. "It clears the air." And she needs that in a big city like this. She also manages to look amazing even when holding a bunny umbrella, but that shouldn't be surprising. Potentially.

"Ready?" she asks - because if Usagi is, they'll pick up the pace. Nothing untoward for a city street, mind you. But Haruka has a long stride. She knows how to use it.

When Usagi wants to, she can keep up with Haruka just fine, having proven that more than once. She smiled and nodded, having let go of Haruka's arm and not reaching for it again.

"I am! Let's go! Maybe they'll have a sale! I clipped coupons for rice and for fruit."

"Clever shopper," says Haruka idly - it'll come in handy, she knows, given their money situation, but it still feels so odd to have to worry about things like that. They've been managing, though. That's what matters. Haruka can endure anything as long as they keep moving forward.

The rain patters down on the adorable bunnies. Haruka keeps, well, moving forward. How far away is this store?

"Ah, I have to help the house in some way, especially with how big its gotten..." she swallowed and stopped for a moment as she realized...

"Haruka," she whispered. She didn't mean to stop, honestly, but...

"Where will they go? Where will we go?" her brow knitted together as she looked up at the king of the skies, hands drawn to her chest and, having stopped, she was no longer under the umbrella.

...Ah. Whoops. Haruka steps back a pace to keep her Princess covered, looking away as she considers the question. Once they've revealed themselves as enemies of the state (so to speak), that house won't be safe for them anymore. They should account for that with what they buy on this trip.

Usagi is also waiting for an answer, though. "We're taking the others' word for this," she reminds her companion - and don't think that doesn't leave a pit of frustration in her stomach, as she can't say she likes Gold or Silver. "It was never permanent."

They'll hide out. In the supposedly safe warehouse. Or on the supposedly safe spaceship. And venture into the city again only once they're ready to deal the final blow.

Haruka hopes she's making that final trip with Michiru alone.

"I know you don't trust Gold and Silver," she said and swallowed. "And I have trouble with it too, because new information keeps cropping up that they don't always tell us, so who knows... what else there may be."

She rubbed her arms, suddenly cold.

"I know, I know it isn't, but... but I've never felt so unsure, Haruka. Even against Galaxia I felt... more assured," she was outside of her depth.

"But this- I want to save everyone, but what if I can't save anyone?"

"We're saving Rei." Haruka says it softly, but with steel. It's true that she thinks it'd be unrealistic to expect this to all go off without a hitch, but she can't even begin to let herself consider that they'll fail there. Or that the CEOs won't fall. The moment she doubts herself, she loses. "This city won't steal anyone else from Earth."

She's using her making-a-promise voice for this. Usagi is the one who's big on trust, so maybe...this is her asking Usagi to trust in that much? "I won't let it."

She smiled at Haruka's confidence in herself, in them. It was confidence she needed when she couldn't rely on her own, when she kept giving hope to others she used the hope of the senshi. How could she fail when she had these amazing women to fight beside? How could she falter when their faith gave her wings?

That's how she could summon the chalice, that's how she could gain the greatest power, when she could call on their hearts.

"I know," she said with a smile, that same smile from before. She smiled as she felt hope rise within her, and she did as Haruka had expected. She had placed her trust in her senshi long ago, and Haruka did not misplace it. She moved to hug onto Haruka again, only not the tight energetic, happy arm clinging, but something much more thankful.

"Thank you, Haruka. I know we can do this, all of us."

Hugging in public, yeah, yeah. Haruka weathers it (and the weather), approaching the grocery store. But she also doesn't pull away, which is her idea of a positive response to that kind of expression of faith. (Sorry.)

"What else is on the list?" she asks, as if plucking stray Sailor Soldiers from the clutches of evil music corporations was just one more entry on the day's shopping agenda. Rescue Rei. Get more rice. All in a day's work, really.

Usagi handed Haruka the list and they looked, for the most part, she seemed back to her regular happy self, or she had just gotten monumentally better at acting, hard to say (only not really).

It was things like this, simple day-to-day, that helped her get by. She could focus one step at a time, one event after the next and get through that while she worked towards the most important goal of stopping Blanche and Santiago and getting everyone home.

She pressed her lips together and in a soft whisper she asked, "Do you think Rei can completely heal from their brain washing? This isn't like Mamo-chan and Chibiusa."

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actsmagnificent - 2016-04-20 13:48 (UTC) - Expand

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Drip Drip Drop Little April Showers

HAHAHA

day in the life

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I love that you have an icon of exactly Usagi's actions

i thought i might need it someday and what do you know!

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