008 ✽ It's betta down where it's wetter

[giglio_madonna]

Who: Flowers Over Bones and those in attendance
What: One last solo band performance before the big tour, at the world's largest aquarium. Of course, being a giant aquarium, there's plenty of other things to do too.
When: Backdated to early April
Where: The Vista City Aquarium
Warnings: None planned, but note- this is set before Flowers Over Bones (Luce, Doctor, Rei, Ivan, Pao-Lin) escape out of Virgo's grip. If you want to talk with any of them one last time, now is the chance to do so. Also doubles as a mingle log!


As befitting such an enormous and thriving city, Vista houses the largest aquarium on the entire Americana west coast. Vista City Aquarium takes up the entirety of a multi-floor building, sprawling over a sizeable bit of land in the crowded city and providing nothing but top of the line care for its many aquatic and amphibious inhabitants. Needless to say, the gift shop is an entire floor all its own.

Such a place is obviously a popular place in the city for those interested in aquatic life, but today is special. The Annual Charity Run is taking place to usher in spring, just like every other year, and, to help this goal, they've enlisted the help of Virgo's own Flowers Over Bones. On one of the only levels not for the housing of aquatic life, a stage area has been set up for the band. All proceeds to see them, of course, go straight to the Aquarium.

That isn't to say people are obligated to go to the concert. It's an optional event of the day. There's still an entire building full of water and creatures to explore, an endeavor which can take up an entire day if one is so willing. Notable attractions include:

- A glass tunnel that goes through an entire tank of Caribbean sea life
- A room filled with screens livestreaming the events of oceanic researchers watching over the dolphins and whales the aquarium doesn't house
- A shallow tank where you can pet more docile small sharks and rays
- An area where you can play chess electronically with one out of a pair of octopi, Celia or Pat. Human winners are rewarded a voucher for food down in the food court. Celia and Pat get pieces of crab. Celia and Pat also have a high win rate.
- The food court and gift shop floor, where you can buy refreshments for the day or whatever gift shop knicknacks your heart desires. Not only are there the typical things such as clothing emblazoned with the aquarium's logo, keychains, and lovely coral or shark teeth jewelry.... But there are also plushies larger than most people. There's seemingly one for just about every kind of animal. Yes, even the blobfish.

Comments

[actsmagnificent]

Ah, whoops. Had she been slightly less convinced than Haruka'd thought? Oh well.

Haruka sticks her hands in her pockets to watch. But no pressure, y'know. She watches stuff at classy events all the time.

[lightthedarkness]

Oh noooooo.... she was going to be publicly embarrassed in front of Haruka.

While this wasn't actually anything new, it didn't mean she had to like it.

She began to play, the octopus going first and she just prayed she could already remember everything.

[actsmagnificent]

Haruka is, at least, a respectful audience. She can't say she's played much chess herself, but one doesn't grow up into an elegant lady without knowing at least the basics.

So she's very interested in watching this game play out. With her eyes peering over Usagi's shoulders from afar. As one does.

[lightthedarkness]

She didn't do... poorly, in so much as she didn't lose out the gate.

But make no mistake, she lost and she lost in about ten moves. She had only managed to get one of the octopus' pieces before check on the eighth move and checkmate on the tenth despite her best to get the king to safety.

Her shoulders slumped as the crowd gave her polite applause, the octopus getting the treat and she was without a free meal.

"Darn it."

[actsmagnificent]

"I wouldn't say that." Haruka does feel responsible for Usagi's public humiliation, come to think of it. And when Haruka is responsible, Haruka corrects her behavior. "Lasting that long against someone who does this for a living.....that's probably worth a milkshake."

Just don't get used to it. It's a last gasp since soon, they won't need this city's currency anymore.

That's all. "Unless losing cost you your appetite?"

[lightthedarkness]

"NEVER!" she exclaimed and then hugged onto Haruka tight.

"EEEE milkshakes!" and free milkshakes at that! She loved free food, she loved food, she'd pay for it, she didn't care.

"You're so wonderful to me! I love you!"

[actsmagnificent]

"Don't get a stomachache," Haruka warns her, winking - as if that'll stop Usagi from ordering the biggest thing on the menu. But. Inconvenience to Princess: Handled. All is well in the world of Haruka Tenoh.

...Except for the part of her that is always looking around for musicians, representatives of music labels, or anything related. But she's used to having that engine running smoothly in the background. She can steer in the meantime.

[lightthedarkness]

"Me? Impossible, it's my super power!" she winked. It might as well be, hollow leg, iron stomach, bottomless pit, and everything else you wanted to call her appetite as she drags Haruka to the small cafe in the aquarium.

"You know who'd beat those octopi no problem? I bet Ami could win no matter what!"

[actsmagnificent]

"You didn't do too badly yourself." Haruka isn't going to argue the point about Usagi and superpowers. She could list a few others. Some might even be complimentary. She doesn't. "She must be a good teacher."

[lightthedarkness]

"She is! Ah, well, I suppose there's really no reason she'd need to teach you but uh... never ever, ever ask her to be your tutor in matters for school. Ami is very much the 'study first, die later' sort. She's ruthless... but I've never done better on my tests than with her. Only Rei can even counter her when Ami gets 'in a mood' about studying."

[actsmagnificent]

Haruka can imagine that. She makes a musing noise in her throat as she falls into line at the refreshments area. "What flavor?" she asks: business first.

[lightthedarkness]

"Chocolate! Ooh, or triple chocolate or chocolate chip. Basically, if it has chocolate in it that's what I want," she grinned wide, stomach already growling in anticipation.

"You're so good to me."

[actsmagnificent]

Haruka doesn't know that she'd say that, but she'll roll with Usagi being in a good mood. Usagi in a good mood actually beats Usagi worried about things, she's discovered. Even with the naivete in play. Usagi in a good mood she can predict.

Usually.

There's a crowd of people who can't decide what they want at the refreshments stand, but when Haruka says "excuse me" and smiles, they all part into separate clumps to keep thinking. Haruka, for her part, keeps walking, since as far as she knows, this is normal.

"Is she in a band....?" someone whispers. Haruka snorts, amused. Squealing results.

[lightthedarkness]

Usagi was bouncing alongside Haruka like the rabbit she was named after, and no one was wondering if SHE was in a band, though some did recognize her from Fairy Trial and various other tabloids, though they could only vaguely remember what the tabloids had been about.

She was standing beside Haruka since the other hadn't told her to stay put and even if she had, free milkshakes made her too excited to stay in one side.

"Are you going to get one too?"

[actsmagnificent]

Haruka shrugs and begins placing her order. "A large double chocolate milkshake, please," she requests; the girl at the cash register looks like she might want to be on the order instead, but is dutifully (if belatedly) punching buttons. Haruka gives her time to finish ringing that up, checking the menu, and then adds, "and a small green tea."

It was the classiest thing on the menu, and even then she almost missed it. So does the cashier, since Haruka's offering her the payment in cash and it's all she can do to just stare at this person holding out their hand to her.

[lightthedarkness]

Usagi bounced up beside Haruka and peeked at the menu, before smiling at the pretty waitress. Poor thing, caught under the spell of Haruka. She was lucky Michiru wasn't here, her spell was just as bad.

"Are you having a good day today?" she asked the cashier who only just realized there were more people here. "It's great to have a break from the rain on a day like today, right?"

Usagi Tsukino, master of the inability to read the mood.

[actsmagnificent]

The money finally changes hands, and so Haruka withdraws hers while she waits for the receipt. "The concert was nice," she admits, but her definition of "nice" might differ from Usagi's. Usagi might enjoy getting in out of the rain and seeing Rei, for all the brainwashing, look powerful on stage.

Haruka likes knowing the faces of everybody Rei refuses to leave without.

[lightthedarkness]

"It's so strange to see Rei on stage," she admitted as she waited for their milkshake. Even now, she couldn't get over seeing Rei sing. She wondered what Rei would be like when this was all said and done. This wasn't like the other times where it had been weeks at most. Rei had been doing this for months.

"We better be careful they never hear Nerissa play, though."

[actsmagnificent]

Haruka will never use that name for Michiru. Ever. She'd rather avoid calling her partner by name than call her anything but "Michiru". Maybe that makes her a bad rescuer, or immature. She isn't going to think that deeply about it.

As for not hearing her play, well....that car has left the starting line, potentially. But Usagi doesn't need to know that.

"She can take care of herself," she reassures the younger girl, but there's enough of a smirk in her voice for it to not sound like Usagi's imposing. Mostly the idea of Usagi fretting that Haruka and Michiru aren't going to be equal to a problem is...well, that's her Princess, she supposes. Haruka personally isn't the one worried for once.

[lightthedarkness]

She gets it, honestly she does. Mamoru, if she can't call him anything other than "Mamoru" or "Mamo-chan" she always refers to as "her fiance." But she doesn't want to endanger the senshi, no matter how powerful and competent they are.

"I know," she offered gently. "I just want you all safe if I can help it," and she knew they wanted the same for her. Simply because they were tasked with protecting the solar system didn't mean she wanted them to get hurt for it. They'd all been through that enough times, hadn't they?

"I'm glad she's here."

[actsmagnificent]

The green tea shows up. Haruka doesn't notice. She's too busy smiling to herself, looking off at the nearest aquarium tank. The air is softer around her. People are watching her instead of the fish. She doesn't care.

"Me too."

[lightthedarkness]

Usagi takes the drinks with a 'thank you,' although the barista girl is glaring at her and Usagi gave a nervous laugh as she turned back to Haruka, holding the green tea out to her.

She cleared her throat softly.

[actsmagnificent]

Hm? Oh, the drinks. Haruka laughs to herself and accepts her cup from Usagi, hefting it in half a toast before taking a sip. Hmm. Sweeter than expected.

But what can she expect, in present company? "Thanks."