I'm Going to Stand By You

[lightthedarkness]

Who: Usagi Tsukino and OPEN
Where: All over Vista
What: Usagi is coping as best she can
When: All week
Warnings: None I can think of



A: Even if We're Breaking Down

It had been a looooong day. Too long, honestly. She rubbed her neck as she started the trek to her last delivery, hair filled with flowers. Thankfully Mrs. Ophelia didn't play the radio, Usagi was drained enough from the music without needing to hear it everyday from work as well.

She looked at the address and swallowed. Pride Tower. She could do this, she could do this. She was Sailor Moon, and it was JUST flowers, no one knew who she really was.

"I can do this..."

She dropped her head and her shoulders drooped.

"One foot in front of the other. Come on, all you have to do is MOVE!" she insisted although, she blushed widely as the person near her suddenly turned. "I DIDN'T MEAN YOU!" she suddenly exclaimed, blushing deeply at how that must of sounded. Oh crud. "I-" she sighed. Crud crud crud.

B: We Can Find a Way to Break Through

She didn't even remember how she got up here on the little stage they had at the festival. She didn't even remember how she got to the festival except maybe she was drawn to it because of the music. The thing that woke her? Well, that she was now suddenly on a small stage for fans to karaoke the songs in-between all of the acts.

"WAH! W-W-WAIT! I C-CAN'T!" the other fans, zombie though they were, gave slow claps of encouragement. She swallowed and then suddenly saw a musician and... for whatever reason, the magic in the air, perhaps, she suddenly found herself singing, eyes locking on said musician.

"♪ Hands, put your empty hands in mine
And scars, show me all the scars you hide
And hey, if your wings are broken
Please take mine so yours can open, too
'Cause I'm gonna stand by you..."

C: Even if We Can't Find Heaven

She was at the beach, trying to get away from the festival for some fresh air. She felt like she couldn't breathe in the city. It wasn't her precious Earth, but she still felt awful, like a fist was around her heart and stomach. Her shoes were in her hand and she tried to take deep breaths.

She could do this, she could save them. She would save all of them with all the help she had beside her. She could do it.

Deep breaths. She pushed stray fly aways back behind her ear, but the wind was strong. Usagi was rubbing her arm and figured she should head back. Someone was heading towards her, she figured they probably were going to spend the day at the beach, or maybe a romantic sunset stroll.

"Good afternoon," she offered with a smile.

D: I'll Walk Through Hell with You

She was snooping around the festival, several bouquet of flowers in her arms. The festival meant that she had constant deliveries from fans and companies alike to send to musicians. Even though Rei had said she should quit, it allowed her such good access to the musicians. And yes, she knew that was partially the problem, but she'd do what she could where she could. However, as she was trying to find the dressing rooms, the little piece of paper that had vague directions for it and her delivery forms for access, she heard the sounds of yells and screams.

She hurried over to it in case it was another attack, or, hope against hope, it was just excited fans cheering for the next musician.

It was a mix of both, at the moment. The zombie fans were rocking the gates holding them back from the path for the musicians and the guards couldn't keep it up, not when pure madness pushed them to try and get at the musicians. Hands reached out for the musician, grabbing, clawing, trying to reach, trying to grasp tight.

She gasped and hurried over to them.

"HEY! HEY GET OFF THEM!"

Comments

A

[iitrebel]

Slowly, he plucks an earbud out of his ear.

"Oh," Artolo says dully, "it's you."

The chick from the tv show. He remembers. About a couple of weeks ago, he'd awkward and mortified at her appearance after the stunt he pulled. Running away like a jackass thirteen year old who embarrassed himself in front of the girl he liked, or whatever. Right now, however, he can't be bothered.

Besides, he has a theory.

Taking a drag of the joint he has in his hand, he tilts his head at her. "So, flower delivery, huh?"

[lightthedarkness]

"That's right, to ah, a couple of different bands and singers, actually." She looked around. "Usually, I just leave them with the guards at the front desk."

She waved her hand in front of her face to try and waft the smell away. "Er... how are you?"

[iitrebel]

"Having a mental breakdown," he answers bluntly, watching her carefully from behind his shades before he slowly puts out the joint. Who else had been at the television show? That one weird guy who had triggered off that memory...

"You know most of the time, depending on the lack of narcissism or excess of dickery, those get thrown out, right?"

[lightthedarkness]

"Why, what's wrong?" her brows knitted together in concern, yes, he had been a massive jerk, but she hadn't been lying about holding out her hand. Hadn't been lying then, wasn't lying now.

At the mention she merely gave a small smile and an idle shrug.

"Cut flowers do eventually die," she offered, knowing quite well that wasn't what he meant. "But offer a bit of brightness at least for a little while."

[iitrebel]

Just an uncooperative noise and a shrug. He has no desire to spill out his life story in public like this. Still, he's not going to miss this chance either. He wants to actually start working instead of scaring himself.

"Want to go on a date?" he asks bluntly. "After you deliver the flowers or whatever." That answers approximately nothing she's said, he knows.

[lightthedarkness]

"As a friend? Sure!" she was going to make that clear at the beginning, she was engaged and she adored Mamoru. "I'd love to hang out with a new friend," she smiled. "I just need to give this to the security guys at the front desk, that's how this usually works."

[iitrebel]

Damn, no floundering. He doesn't let it bother him much, just rolls his shoulders. "Alright. I'll be bumming around here when you're done."

[lightthedarkness]

Usagi doesn't take long to deliver the flowers now that she had a reason to hurry. She let Mrs. Ophelia know the delivery was complete and then smiled as she saw Psiioniic and waved to him.

"Alright, let's go hang out! I'm all done for today. What did you have in mind? Something to eat, something to do, or both?"

[iitrebel]

"One time I went on a high speed chase in a limo, but I don't think that's the commonly accepted date night activity." Rolling his neck, he thinks about it. He's sort of bullshitting things as he goes along. What would mean the most privacy, for however little time he has?

"You eat yet?"

[lightthedarkness]

"Er... no, although my cousin would be right there with you with racing limos. Ah but, I can always eat!" in fact, when she didn't eat was a bigger sign of something wrong.

[iitrebel]

"Do Italian?" he says idly as he continues on, heading down the street. Fancy places mean a bit of privacy, right? He's pretty sure it's something like that. Even with all his cash, he doesn't spend much time in the really ritz places.

[lightthedarkness]

"I love Italian!" she was about to mention that Xanxus knew a great Italian restaurant, but didn't know how Artolo felt about the much taller musician. "There's an amazing Italian restaurant near this park I know, we could go there, if you want? Unless you have someplace already in mind?"

[iitrebel]

"I was thinking somewhere closer. If I wander off too far with the big music shit going on, my manager and assistant will have heart attacks." Artolo waves a hand dismissively. The last thing he needs right now is management getting on his ass. He's still trying to figure out how to get out of this mess, and that means not getting on anyone's radar for now.

[lightthedarkness]

"Okay, somewhere close then, that's no problem," she offered gently as she gestured for him to lead the way. "Don't want you getting into any trouble."

[iitrebel]

With that agreed on, Artolo leads her to a place not too far down the street. With the closeness to Pride Headquarters, a staggering amount of restaurants and businesses are in this part of the city. It’s amazing how many people want even that slightest brush with fame. As someone a decent height up the ladder, all it takes is for Artolo to walk into a place for the staff to perk up. Him and Usagi are seated in practically record time in a small table on a balcony. It’s public, but away from most other people. Still, she might end up in the tabloids... Whups. Oh well, not his problem. Arotlo just kicks back and lets his head loll back.

“Pick whatever you want, I can take care of it.”

[lightthedarkness]

"Oh thank you!" she was actually surprised at that, but she was still going to be cautious of her choice. He hadn't exactly made the best first impression. She didn't want to be rude by ordering something expensive for one thing, and two, she didn't want him to suddenly change his mind and leave her with the bill.

"Oooh- shrimp angel hair pasta sounds amazing!" it wasn't too expensive, but it wasn't something like spaghetti and meatballs which she knew could also be seen as an insult.

"So ah-" she was a bit surprised he wanted to hang out. "Er... how are things... with you?" she wasn't close so she didn't know how he had been doing since the TV show.

[iitrebel]

“Sure, if you want.” It’s not like he could care less what she does or doesn’t want to get. In the long run, money is meaningless to him. At least, it feels a damn more meaningless lately than when he first started performing. As for him, he just points to something random on the menu and lets the server take care of it. Once they’re alone again, he straightens up a bit and his head lolls onto his shoulder as he stares at her.

Alright, time to BS.

“Well, found out I’m an alien, for one thing.” Said in a deadpan that's hard to read.

[lightthedarkness]

"Oh! Are your parents from a different country, then?" she smiled, easily keeping up the facade. She wasn't about to ask from where and from what. She didn't trust Artolo, honestly, she wasn't about to reveal herself yet.

"Though most people don't say they're aliens just you know... not from this country."

[iitrebel]

Well, tou-goddamn-che.

“For someone in Vista, you sure don’t do a lot of research, huh?” he drawls, mind working quickly. Is that a clue to shit, or just him pulling things out of his ass? This is why conspiracies are a pain. There’s so much ridiculous bullshit and one of them is real. Like a needle in a haystack.

“I don’t have parents.”

[lightthedarkness]

"Not about artists I don't really care about, no," she offered easily enough, perhaps a bit more- unkind than she intended. She went to learn about Aramat, not the rest of the band, really, not even Sariel.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. That's never easy for anyone."

[iitrebel]

“Not really,” he deadpans. “I mean, it’s not like I ever knew who contributed to me, considering I was born out of an incestuous slurry.”

….Okay, that might have been said less out of a desire to try and hammer away at a mystery he’s sure is there, and just because he wanted to say that phrase again. How old is he, again? Probably too old to be this amused over ridiculous shit, but whatever.

[lightthedarkness]

"Uh, then if you know it was incest, wouldn't you know exactly who uh... 'contributed' to you?"

[iitrebel]

Another long drawled out “Noooope.” What an unhelpful shit. “You know, you handled that a lot more blandly than I was hoping for.” Although at least he’s an honest unhelpful shit as he leans forward to rest his cheek on an open palm.

[lightthedarkness]

"That's mostly because I think you're lying, all things considered." She sips her soda. "I mean, if you're going to lie at least try and be believable."

[iitrebel]

“A more believable lie, huh?” There’s a bit of delight in his tone that obviously doesn’t fit the situation. After all, it’s turning out his whole life is one big ‘believable’ lie. So, with a wide grin, he goes- “Then I’m human. How’s that for a believable lie?”