It's one of those (rare) afternoons where nothing is happening. Or, rather, that she doesn't know of anything happening. (She is so bad at paying attention to her VirtuePhone...)
So she's texted Minako, asking her to meet in the park, which was probably not the best idea because now she's cold, but it's quiet and peaceful and odds of them being overheard are limited.
Still, even as she works on her third cup of cocoa, she shifts about, organizing the snacks and warm drinks she's brought.
She has Things she wants to ask Minako. And she's pretty sure she won't like the answers.
Luna is curled in a tight ball within the warmth of the sack she'd carried stuff in.
"Stop fretting, Usagi-chan."
The girl doesn't stop, of course. "But what if she really doesn't like me anymore?"
Luna just sighs, muttering about silly teenagers.
Minako Aino/Sailor Venus shows up! Looking awesome and heroic and a little worse for wear, but fast-fast-fast.
She also has a bag either filled with cat or snacks. Either way, its contents squirm and shift about whenever she bumps it around.
"I came as soon as you called! What's going on?" she asks. The place might be quiet and empty, but she peers around for threats and dangers, ever alert!
Oh no! She was hoping for at least five more minutes to gather her thoughts! Or maybe even a 'Sorry, gotta do things' text!
But no, Minako's here, and her preparation time is out the window.
Be cool. Be calm. Ease into the conversation.
"Hi, Minako! How are you do you still like me as a friend?!"
Oh yeah, smooth.
But this question has been something that's been plaguing her since the reveal. And it's obvious, maybe, that the thought of hearing the answer terrifies her.
"I...meant to ease into that..."
Minako Aino peers around and steps behind the bench so she can sit on the opposite side of you. Sometime between here and there while out of your field of vision, she lets her transformation fade away so she's just Minako. Judging by the location and picnics and cats, she slowly discovers it probably wasn't an emergency call.
"Uh, yeah, sure," she says, upending her bag and spilling out her cat with the other cat so they can have cat talks.
"Don't worry, I'll help you out with whatever you need. Even if it isn't senshi business," she says, nice and reassuring, assuming you're leading into some sort of big favor request.
"What sorta' stuff do you want?" she asks, sounding genuinely curious.
Wait. What?
Oh, right. It did sound like some sort of odd beginner of a random request!
For a moment, she considers taking the unintentional life line and go a different route.
While she considers, she pour Minako a cup of cocoa, and one for herself, taking a bigger gulp than she should. "Owww, still hot."
Then she's studying the mug. She can't back out of this now. The question's been eating her up almost as much as the whole Mamoru situation has been.
"No, I mean..." She sighs. "I know you don't trust me any more. I haven't given you much of a reason to after...But I'm trying to get better! I'm not crying as much, promise!"
She'd looked up at Minako when she said that last part, but now she's focused on her cocoa again. She really should have brought marshmallows.
"You're always angry, and fighting with Ami-chan and the other day with Rei. So, I was thinking that...maybe you hated me a little bit now."
Minako Aino wrinkles up her nose. "I wouldn't call it anger with Ami-san. Just disappointment. And Rei-san said a really hateful thing at me, so I'm not gonna visit her any more," she states, haughty and casual like she's just joking around.
"But, ha, I don't hate anybody. Who told you that? Not Makoto-san, she's real friendly. Probably not Rei... Ami? That's so weird."
"Anyway! No! I love everybody. I got so much love in my heart, I can't fill it with any cholesterol," she says, embracing her cat (who silently accepts it from years of practice) and the other cat (who may be less encouraging of random face-snuggling).
Usagi sighs and shrugs. "No one told me you did. I just kind of figured it out on my own."
Her shoulders slump. "I wish you weren't. Ami-chan just did what I asked her to, and I see what it's doing to her, even though I've asked her to stop. And if I stopped visiting Rei every time she said something mean, I would never go over to her place."
Luna, of course, growls a bit, but allows the hug. (Unless there's squeezing, then she's gonna bolt!)
"I'm sorry I keep yelling at you. It's just...I keep thinking you're trying to push us all away so you don't have to be around any of us, and I just get scared. And I think maybe it's my fault."
Minako Aino just chuckles and does exaggerated back pattings, with a cat in each arm. She makes growl sounds into Luna's ear as she does so, trying to use each cat's tail to tickle the face of the other. It's a little rude to cats, but especially rude to sentient cats.
"It was *really* mean. But it doesn't matter. I'm still gonna hang out and do my job," she says, eyes rolling.
"So shhhhh. Shhhhhh. SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Of course I like you as a friend," she promises, earnest and sincere.
"So don't worry about it. I'm not pushing you away. Nobody is pushing you away. Everybody likes -you-."
Luna gives Minako a glare that says 'I know you're agitated so I will allow this indignity. For now. '
Usagi just leans against Minako, sniffling a bit. "Rei's really mean to everyone. Especially when people scare the poop out of her." A gentle poke to Minako's ribs.
Another sniffle. "And I'm glad. Because I like you, too. I really, really do. You'll always be my favorite Minako-chan, even if I knew hundreds of Minakos."
And apparently, she does have a request. "When you get irritated at what Ami-chan does, can you be irritated at me for it? I'm already annoyed at myself for it."
Minako Aino shakes her head for the request (and subsequently shakes cats). "I'm gonna be annoyed at anybody who doesn't listen to me or respect me," she says, clucking her tongue a few times. "And I mean 'really mean'. Extremely mean!" she stresses.
"Go home and cry myself to sleep mean," she says, getting all excited and worked up. "And you're one of my favorite Usagis. Probably, like, top three at least! Good enough I might accidentally confuse you for the runner-up if there were a competition!"
Luna is not amused. She gives Minako a warning hiss!
"If I didn't use some sort of apparent Princessy mind control powers on her, I think she'd listen to you. (Well, maybe not about vengeance and maybes and ifs.) And I'm pretty sure she respects you. She's never hinted otherwise."
She sighs. "Yeah, Rei's made me cry, too. But I'll always love her, because I know she loves me. Next time we can have a crying sleep over about Rei's meanness, eat lots of ice cream, and feel better in the morning!"
Then she's giggling. "Well, there are a lot of bunnies running around. At least in the springtime. So I'm happy with top three!"
Minako Aino groans a few times. "It's not just dumb silly stuff. I mean it was... really bad," she says, a little exasperated, unable to express how upset she was.
"Anyway, is she keeping a 24/7 eye on Jadeite or did she just give up on that when I wasn't looking," she asks after, a little more biting.
She hugs Luna and Artemis, tighter, into each other, to try and get them happier. "Be less hissy and more kissy, kitties!"
Usagi pulls back and blinks at her friend for a moment. Then she hugs her, tight. "I'm sorry, Minako. I didn't mean to say it wasn't. I was really being serious about the ice cream and stuff. It makes me feel better, but I know I'm more flighty than most, so. It can be something that makes you feel better."
And then she's giving Minako a Look, but her ribs are free from poking.
"No, I've been watching him. And I told her I would, so don't be mad at her for that, okay?" Usagi bites her lip. "He's had opportunity, you know. If he weren't healed. He saved me from Kunzite's cape. Apparently he's been...looking in on Mamo-chan's apartment from time to time. But Jadeite's somewhere safe, now. And I really do trust the person he is, now. Not just with my life."
A nod. She's not sure if she should say where. Minako would be Not Happy.
Luna, not having been around teenage girls quite as long as Artemis, wriggles and squirms until she's free. She doesn't run away, though, just licks her paw in a very dainty fashion. "I will not be kissy, Minako-chan. I don't even let Usagi, unless it's an emergency."
Usagi nods and shrugs. "It's true. After the Princess reveal was the first time."
"Like I said. Emotional Emergency."
Minako Aino bristles up like a kitten. "Urrrrrg. I'm not saying if he is good or bad. I'm saying the RISK is not zero, so we have to take precautions. I've been keeping an eye on him since the Chiba apartment incident, but the problem is not 'Minako and Artemis are not good enough for the job', but 'everybody else is shirking their duties'," she stresses.
She bangs on her knees a few times and tries to explain in vague, carefully chosen words. "Usagi-san. This is how the Dark Kingdom works: they lie, they trick, they kill all the people you love when you trust one of them. Then you're all alone!"
She's very serious but tries to tiptoe around these sentiments carefully. "He could be a long-term plant or he's pretending to be harmless until he has the chance to strike. But EVEN IF HE IS NOT, he is a liability - the Dark Kingdom gets him back? He's an assassin. He knows where your family sleeps. Where YOU sleep," she explains, calmly and nicely, as if suggesting where to go for ramen.
"I want to execute him. But fine, you don't~. Cool! We can work around that. We can do things your way. Make it work. But everybody just wants to... 'boo hoo Mina-chan, you are TOOOO serious'. 'Boo hoo Mina-chan, you are a big dramatical theatrical actor super-star V-chan.' 'You are a big worrier V-chan'. 'Why don't you just leave protecting the princess and inventing magical resurrection pills to me you big-lazy-dumb-V-chan', she says, all bitter.
"I don't care if we want to be trusting of the people who were trying to kill you a few DAYS ago, but just maybe everybody can start trusting the girl who was trying to save you YEARS ago."
'Everyone else' includes her, but she's known that.
She listens as Minako rants, wanting so many times to say something, but thinking maybe the other blonde needs to do this.
She's a bit surprised Minako knows where exactly Jadeite is, but she shouldn't be.
She tries to think how to say things, what to say, how to...reassure.
"If they take him again, Minako, they're my family. I won't let him hurt them, even if...it means breaking some promises."
She flicks a piece of lint from her leggings. "Even if he hates me for it, I still won't. And it's okay if he does, so long as he's safe."
And again, she's hugging Minako. "You're not dumb. Or lazy. Or any of that. I've always looked up to you. I know why you do what you do, and even if I don't agree with all of it, I love you so much for it." She pulls back, only enough to cup the other girl's face in her hands. "And I know I wasn't any good there for awhile. And I know that didn't help any of this at all, and I'm so sorry." She sighs a little. "And I won't do what she did to you. I won't leave you alone again."
Minako Aino pats Usagi-cheeks in reply and tries to stay still so as to not dissuade Usagi away from hugging her for longer. "I don't know what you mean by 'not good'. You're fine. Everybody could use some more practice and training, but that's not fun. Just do your best!" she chirps.
"Anyway, things'll get better. Hopefully without anything tragic happening," she adds, idealistic as always.
"And... what are you talking about? I don't think you're leaving," she says, perplexed. "I don't think -anybody- is leaving. I just want everybody to take things more serious, that's all," she says, forcing Usagi's cheeks and lips into fish-faces.
Usagi arches an eyebrow. "I was a zombie for two weeks, Minako-chan. I'm pretty sure that's the epitome of 'not good.'" Oh snap, dictionary word! Where's Ami-chan to be pleasantly surprised?!
She sighs in the fish lips, a little amused. She makes the appropriate kissy fish moves. "Sumumumy." When she can speak again, she does. "Serenity. I won't end things like she did. I know why she did, but that's not who I am."
"Everybody gets sick and not good sometimes, a pit in you or not," Minako Aino says, full of reassurances.
"Anyways. Serenity is fine. All that weird past stuff, I don't even think about it. If it didn't happen this week, it doesn't bother me," she explains, moving as if to fish-kiss. But not!
"Anyways! What else did you need to talk about? And what does 'so mommy' mean!?"
Usagi thinks about that for a moment before shrugging. "Fair point."
In a way, she had been sick, hadn't she?
Usagi also rolls her eyes, not buying that for a moment! But still, it was good to get off her chest. Usagi would have accepted the fishy kiss!
Then she shrugs. "I don't know. What do you wanna talk about? And pretty sure it just means 'Minako, I can't speak when you're pinching my lips like that."
Minako Aino complains! "I'm not pinching your lips! I'm pinching your cheeks. Your lips are just moving that way because you don't have strong lip muscles like me," she huffs.
"Anyways, I'm serious. People get hurt all the time. If it can be helped and prevented, we should do it. But some of us are hurt or broken or dying, and it's just not fair to hold somebody up to an impossible standard," she says to fishface-Usagi.
"I just think we should all try a lil' harder. That's the thing I need to impress on you, 'cuz I can't impress it on anybody else without them hating me more."
And with that out of the way, she immediately springs to the next topic. "I don't know what I wanna talk about now! Not Darkphone 7 Sailor V riots! That's for sure!"
"I haven't used my lip muscles in a month!" Does she mean smooches with Mamoru? Pfff of course not! (Yes.)
"I don't hold you to impossible standards. I've seen you. I know what you can do. So even if I ask the impossible, it's only because if there's any way it can be done, I know you will. Same with the others." Same with Ami-chan... "But if you're not able to, I know you'll have done your best. That's all I want from any of you." Wait. She's not the leader.
Oh wait, right, she's the Princess. And the only person she has impossibly high standards for is herself, even if it doesn't seem that way. Like, at all.
And then she's bouncing. "I am! Trying really hard, promise! I'll be so much better. I'm feeling so much better. Because I have you, and the others, and now I have hope again, and that makes me so much better and stronger, you'll see! And I can help this time, I think that's what I was born as Sailor Moon. So I can help you all. So you don't have to do it alone. And none of them hate you, I know it, even if they're upset or hurt or angry, they don't hate you."
She could go on and on and on, and she hasn't felt this light since the night before the attack on the orphanage. So she laughs. She laughs and she laughs and she laughs, like she hasn't done in far too long. It's not crazed or insane, it's genuine. She's happy, and it's because Minako loves her.
"Just a second!" She knows Ami-chan has been so, so worried, so of course she takes a selfie.
TXT Ami: Ami-chan! I know you've been worried, but look! Look what I'm doing!
She looks back at Minako, still grinning.
"Definitely not those! Want to go to the arcade? Or window shop? Or window shop indoors because it's freezing? Wanna talk about playing match maker with our cats?"
Luna's head jerks up, and if she could she would be blushing. "I beg your pardon!" There may or may not be discrete, shy glances at Artemis.
Minako Aino gives Usagi a few shakes. "No no, I'm the matchmaker. I'll be the one who sets up stuff. If you wanna blind Luna for dates, just bring her out with me and I'll find her an appropriate animal." She's not willing to let anybody muscle in on her territory.
"And I'm pretty happy too. I got a Sailor Moon on the team. She's pretty great, from what I hear! It's just hard to get our teammates to be serious! We'll have to work on it together!" she says. She makes sure she's kissing people in selfies because it's cuter that way.
In response to gaming and shopping, she drags herself up to her feet. "I'll arcade and shop. It's a lil' cold out here. It's like it's almost winter by now!" she notes, starting to collect snacks and Artemis into her bag.
Usagi laughs at the shakes. "Okay, okay, you're the guardian of love, all the matchmaking's on you."
Luna snorts.
"I hear Sailor Venus is pretty awesome, too. But remind me to let her know it's okay if we're not serious all the time. Everyone deserves a serious break!"
She packs up her own back, Luna hopping up to rest on her shoulder, suspiciously close to the hood of her jacket. "What? Winter? Now you're just talking crazy." She giggles again and hooks her arm through Minako's before dragging her away.
Watch out, world! Usagi Tsukino just realized it's okay to not be sad all the time!