2644/Tamagotcha

Tamagotcha
Date of Scene:	25 June 2025
Location:	Cafe BAKE Neko
Synopsis:	?Roman accidentally leaves his tamagotchi at the Cat cafe, and Minako is the one to find it. While she has met Rome in her 'Minato' disguise, she forgets 'Minako' hasn't, leading Roman to conclude she has a twin brother. To complicate things further, Roman asks her to get a drink with him and she starts to develop a new crush-- and as her friends show up, they notice too.
Cast of Characters:	Roman Talleday, Minako Aino, Mamoru Chiba, Usagi Tsukino, Amanda Faust, Ami Mizuno, Lana Voselle Miata

---

Roman Talleday has posed:
In a somewhat frantic rush, and not out of school uniform-- though he wore it like an absolute punk, with his rolled up sleeves and loose tie-- a blond boy was running through the street. He had misplaced his tamagotchi, or rather the lanyard it was on had come loose from his bag and he was now in a race to retrace his steps. He'd made it back to his dorm before he'd noticed it was gone.

He was fast on long legs as he skidded to a brief pivot, turning to launch himself towards the Cafe BAKE Neko. Bursting through the door, Roman really wasn't thinking about anything else. He needed to find it, and he was rather more familiar with the English habit of people to knick something like that rather than the Japanese habit to turn it in.

Minako Aino has posed:
in the time that Roman had been absent from the cafe, another blonde had made her way in. Minako was in her usual school uniform though she'd deposited her bag at a table with intent to head for the counter to make an order. It's left there, unattended, as she starts to pass the table where a forgotten lanyard with Tomagotchi lay where it fell on the floor.

"Huh, people still play with these?" Then again, she'd left hers in Artemis' care because she'd grown bored of being reminded about it numerous times. Caretaker she was not.

Even so she was a typical Japanese highschool student with typical Japanese manners. One hand reaches back to sweep her long blonde hair to one side so it doesn't end up dusting the floor as she crouches to reach for it. The poor forgotten Tomagotchi is scooped up and held up.

"Did anyone lose a--" she begins as the door slams open causing her head to jerk toward Roman with wide, startled blue eyes.

Roman Talleday has posed:
She wasn't the only one to startle when he nearly knocked the bell clear of the door frame. He's there, in a tableau of paused energy, as if he was prepared to announce a duel and fight somebody to the death-- alright, well, to the first blood nose. For all that running, he's barely panting, steel blue eyes whipping towards where he last sat.

Then, there's her. Holding up his Tamagotchi. If she looks, she'll notice it's a much older model, but very well looked after. Not without its scuffs, well used, but cared for.

"Oi!" Roman barks this noise, native from across the sea, and darts now across the distance to Minako-- jumping over a very fat cat in the process as if it wasn't even there-- until he's right in front of her. His gaze torn between his object and her face. "That's mine." He says, expectant.

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino tenses just a bit at the look of near-fight on Roman when he first barges in. The quick leap over a chubby orange cat as he practically lunges toward her. Instinctively she's on her feet with her hand snapping back to press to her chest reflexively in a defensive manner. It's not that she's being posessive of the Tomagotchi and lanyard, but he was just *rushing* her like that!

The Tomagotchi bounces against her stomach just below her ... Well he better not look there!

It takes just a heartbeat for his proclaimation to sink through the sudden surge of adrenaline that she felt as she regards him with a simple, "Oh!" of realization as to why he was rushing. Silly foreigners.

"Right, here you go. I saw it on the floor and figured someone dropped it. You don't have to rush so much you know. Japan is much safer than other countries. We don't really *steal* here." Unless you're Obsidian (looking at you Riventon!)

"But I guess you're still new here. You can calm down, Roman," she remarks as it's offered over with a cheerful smile.

Roman Talleday has posed:
Much safer than other countries, she says, as if he hasn't fought half a dozen weird monsters in his short time here. More than he did in Chelmsford. Nevermind the Robustas and Creminions that Sucre-Bleu started throwing around. But he can't say that, can he?

The yellow and blue tama-- with a rabbit-like pet blipping about on the scene ignorantly-- beeps almost as if to punctuate her offer. For a moment, there is something like relief, but it never quite reaches his face properly as he takes his toy back and frowns at it to press a button or two. Only a second passes before he looks back to her face-- he's taller than her by a good head at least, and he's disarmed a little bit by he bright smile and red bow. She's quite pretty, though familiar. He can't put his finger on it, quite.

"Yeah. I'm new." He mumbles, and leans closer to study her with open suspicion. "Have we met, or what? Couldn't be at school, I would've noticed you talkin' to me."

Minako Aino has posed:
"Ah~!" Mina's smile doesn't falter so much as freeze in place when he calls her out on knowing him. Her mind races recalling where she was at the time (The arcade), and what was going on (Oh right she surprised Ami and Masato with being a boy!)

"Not me, no, sorry!" Her hand shifts back to rub at her neck with a quick tittering laugh. "I took a guess! How many cute blonde boys from England can there be at Radiant Heart right now?"

Quickly continuing on her hand drops away as she gestures toward the general direction of where the arcade would be if they were going there, though it just aims toward a wall in this instance. "You met Minato at Game Crown Arcade, right?" There's no need for an answer there as she blurts onward, "I'm Minako!" Minato. Minako. Were they twins?

Roman Talleday has posed:
He stares at her for another beat, tapping his finger on the tamagotchi as he considers her first reasoning. This girl went to his school, and had evidently noticed that he was both cute and from England, which he could only take as a net positive. But then, Minato as mentioned, and her name is given, and sense is made of it.

"Oh, right, yeah... The Sailor V fan." A slight nod, and visibly, he relaxes back into neutrality. Suspicion dropped in an instant, and he arrives at the only logical conclusion he can. A slightly smug grin has him shift his weight to his other leg now. "Your brother thought I was pretty hot, then, if he's talked about me like that."

Minako Aino has posed:
Brother. That wasn't what the original intention was but it was certainly something that was insinuated. Too late to go back now on it. Minako's expression softens a bit as she relaxes realizing he bought whatever line she had just fed him to keep her secret a secret. If not so much the fact that she had been disguised as a boy, as that she *could* disguise as a boy due to magic.

"He has a good eye for people," she decides to say while mentally patting herself on the back. Her hands clasp in front of herself lightly, and her weight rocks back onto her heels so she can get a better look at him now in the proper lighting of the cafe. He really was cute after all! As she'd told Ami: Looking doesn't hurt.

"He doesn't get out to play much. Enough about him though!" She decides with a quick flippant wave of her hand. "It's nice to meet you myself!"

Roman Talleday has posed:
"Oh? Bit of a sibling rivalry. Alright..." Maybe that was what the red bow was about, too-- was she as crazy about Sailor V as her brother, that she went out of her way to emulate her a bit? Ah well. He hadn't had twins both think he was cute before, and that put to rest any other concerns he might've had.

"You can just call me Rome, if you like." Roman's grin is erring on a cheeky thing, and it seems he's quite welcoming of her looking him over. She had the advantage on Minato, too, since the arcade was indeed a little dimmer and here, Minako has all the gentle illumination of the cafe working for her. "Minako-san."

Well, he's here now. And his tamagotchi is safe. "D'you wanna get a drink with me or something?" He juts a thumb back at the counter.

Minako Aino has posed:
"Seriously?"

The word comes blurted in surprise before Mina can even think about what she should say in response to the offer. Everyone knew her as the relentless flirt, and she even admitted it. Especially lately when so much was going on that she just needed some stress relief of flirting with cute boys (or girls sometimes!)

Seriously asking someone out though? Seriously considering someone? It hadn't been since February when she'd asked Kazuo out and been shot down.

"I mean, yes! Yes, I'd like that." Her confident smile turns far softer at her agreement. "I mean if you aren't tired of the cafe yet, I'd like that."

Roman Talleday has posed:
Roman knows that he can come on a bit direct, he's learning that in Japan, they don't really do that. They're indirect, and they hint at things, and sometimes don't even do that, and it takes a bit of getting used to. Reading into subtleties isn't something Rome's ever really had to do with people to this extent.

Minako, though, seems a little more straight forward. And he appreciates that.

"No, I haven't really been in too many coffee shops what's got cats and pretty girls in 'em," Roman admits freely, watching her smile become more gentle, and he finally sets his lanyard around his neck to tuck away the toy. "Still a bit of a novelty, yeah?"

He smiles back at her as he turns to make his way towards the counter. "What's your order like, then?"

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino's experience with flirting lately had been rather spotty. Either outright turned down, or finding out that the people she'd been flirting with were reincarnated Shittenou. Or she just had to run before it started to get good! When Roman flirts, obviously just like she tends to, a little happy shiver runs through her that ends with her giggling happily. Ah. She'd missed this!

"I guess I can't argue with that logic," she responds as she moves to walk next to him toward the counter.

She's about to say her usual drink combo of coffee with ungodly amounts of sugar (especially for Japan) when she hesitates. Getting the same old same old coffee is what had tipped off Masato to her real identity. Maybe it would do the same to Roman if he saw what she was drinking was the same as from the arcade when she was Minato.

"Oh, ah, I'll have a..." Blue eyes frantically dart over the menu trying to pick out something she won't choke on while also not being a telltale giveaway. "Cappucinno with... Extra vanilla and... chocolate?"

Roman Talleday has posed:
There's a grin plastered on his face, and it only falters very slightly at 'cappuccino'. The additions of sweetness bolster it again though. "You a coffee drinker? I would've thought you were a hot chocolate type."

A hand brushes blond bangs off his brow, and nods at the menu. "Hojicha tea, but can you make that as a milk latte, yeah? And with a vanilla shot in it, and whipped cream... And can you put like... that cinnamon sugar stuff what's for doughnuts on it? D'you do that? Issat extra? I'll pay extra."

"And those pastry things, what's got the chocolate in them?" It is a Chocolate Croissant, today, but he's not about to say the French word if he can help it. "And four of the glazed doughnuts what have cookies on them." He's already digging out his phone, readying it over the sensor to pay.

Minako Aino has posed:
"Sometimes," Minako explains with a smile. "It's mostly for the caffiene, I'm not a fan of the flavor of coffee. But if it's mixed with things it's more like a milkshake that way so it's okay!" A pause comes before she adds a bit subdued, maybe even guilty, "My friends have been teasing me about getting the same thing all the time though so I thought I'd start trying some other things."

When he starts ordering the pastries she leans forward a bit to regard the offerings that were here with a nod of agreement at the choices. "Oh those are great, you'll love them! Sometimes my friend Makoto-chan will make some pastries that she sells here. Her food is always super delicious! It tends to sell out really quick though, and she can't make a ton because she just uses the apartment kitchen upstairs." There were apartments above the cafe after all.

When he pulls out his phone to pay she lights up again! It wasn't that she couldn't pay but... Ah it was nice to be treated! "Thank you, Roman!"

Roman Talleday has posed:
He'd asked if she wanted a drink, and she'd found his tamagotchi, after all. He wasn't raised by wild wolves-- though Red could be a little rough, Roman had manners. Maybe not Japanese manners, but enough to pay for somebody he'd asked out (casually or not). Still, she seemed happy.

"Your friend sounds like she got a real knack for baking. I ain't much good at all that, but I deep-fry a good chocolate bar and I can make a mean drink, like. Coffee, tea, milkshakes..." He turned his head, the swing of a small teacup and saucer from his ear seemed to make Roman's preference obvious. "But you know, one of my favourite things was goin' to the one-stops and getting the slushies, mixin' red and blue together and puttin' pop rocks in it. Been doing that one since I was a kid... but the Konbini here are way better. Don't mind them Square-K's at all. Saw one sellin' toy robots the other day?"

He snorted amusedly, as if the were completely whacky to him.

Minako Aino has posed:
"Oh a lot of them sell toys. Crossover toys especially when they have a promotion," Minako agrees with a quick nod. The suggestion of mixing slushes and poprocks though? That causes her grin to broaden! "Sounds like you've got a huge sweet tooth! Just like me!" Ah, similarities!

"That sounds like fun. I haven't been to England in awhile, but I was in Paris earlier in the year," she explains while waiting for the drinks to be made and silently regretting her choice. Maybe it wouldn't be bad though! Worst comes to worst she could get a carton of milk instead.

"Oh, I went to Rome once too but that was an accident. Wrong flight."

Roman Talleday has posed:
I was in Paris earlier in the year--

"My condolences," Roman noted with some cheek, leaning on the counter with his hands pocketed, "I think I'd much rather end up in Italy. I, too, am somethin' of an accidental Rome."

He lifted a brow though. "You must've racked up some mad points for that. Did they let you stay in one of them fancy layover hotels, at least? Where were you to, in my neck of the woods? I've come up in Essex."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino glances over when the drinks arrive! She reaches for hers automatically holding it in both hands just so she doesn't risk spilling it at all. When Rome leans against the counter remarking on her travels she just grins. "A bit. We did get put up in a nice hotel for a bit, but we were *supposed* to have gone to Hawaii so itw as just... " Mina sighs quietly. "Never have gotten to go travel there yet." It was one of those vacation spots that most Japanese hoped to go to someday.

"Paris wasn't bad but it wasn't as good as I thought either. I was in London for a bit with some friends." She does pause though, and clears her throat. She can't explain too much given she was there as Sailor V.

"So what brought you to Japan? School?"

Roman Talleday has posed:
"More or less. Red packed me up and sent me this way, hopin' the Academy'd turn me out." Roman grimaced a bit, taking up the tray with the pastries and sweets in one hand and his drink in the other.

Quite in contradiction to politeness, he stopped to slurp tea and cream before he moved, licking excess from his lip. His balance was impressively fluid, carrying them back towards the tables. Even in stepping over the cat again, Roman seemed to hardly need to pay attention to what he was doing, and didn't spill anything.

"When he used to threaten sendin' me off to a boardin' school if I didn't get my act right, I was expectin' somethin' a little closer to home than Tokyo, but."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino blinks a single time at hearing the name that was remarked upon. It meant absolutely nothing to her, but it was a color? A nickname, maybe. "Red? Is that a step-parent of yours?" If she called her actual parents by a nickname she'd be in suuuch deep trouble.

She follows along taking care to avoid the cats herself because there was quite a few of them around. The chonky white and ginger one that Roman steps over rolls his head up to peer at the boy. As they pass a deep bass voice murmers, "Remember to treat the cats." Maybe it was one of the workers. Yep. Definitely that and not the cat itself who then grooms his paw with dainty licks.

Minako for her point shoots Bonito a glance. There were a few talking cats that were here, he was one of them, but she didn't want to just. OUT him. Instead she clears her throat and asks, "So how's the drink?" Before recalling she ought to try her own. It's brought up for a sip and her face scrunches some.

"Too much coffee. Not *too* bad though I guess."

Roman Talleday has posed:
Roman did whip his head back, squinting around for the voice-- too deep to be his own fairy, maybe it was a customer or something, but he didn't immediately find an obvious person for it to have belonged to. In response to his curiosity, though, Roman's earring moved in a little sway, and perhaps there was a bell hidden in it somehow. One could've sworn it jingled. This, too, easily dismissed with Roman's other movements.

Instead, he focusses back on Minako, setting things down at the table with her bag. "Nah, see? It's an Arabica blend, so you got a more robust flavour." He notes, nodding to her drink. "If you ain't one for coffee, you gotta watch out for that bitterness. The chocolate can only cut so much, but it deepens the coffee into something richer and more complex. You're just goin' the long way 'round to a dark mocha that the vanilla can't lift."

He sets his own drink forward, "Here. Try mine. It's sweet but there's a nuttiness under it, and milk keeps it light. The cream and cinnamon on top is just an indulgence, but it compliments."

As Rome sits, he slumps into his seat without care for posture, letting his elbow rest on the back of the next one over. "But yeah. Red's my old man."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino doesn't seem to mind the deep voice. Maybe she hadn't heard it, or maybe it wasn't anything important at all. She sinks down into her seat trying not to look back over at the cat in question. Instead she focuses on her drink as Roman explains.

"Arabica? There's different types of coffee?" She was apparently not that in-the-know about it. Usually she just would have whatever was there. It didn't really matter to her much because she did typically have a milkshake style drink with it. "Oh, then... That would explain why it's kind of yucky."

The longhaired blonde with a red hair bow that was so familiar in here leans forward toward Roman when he offers his drink toward her. A shared drink? There's practically hearts in her eyes at the suggestion that she try it.

"Sure! Thank you~" A straw is raised up to dip into the drink taking a sip of it while her feet pitty-patter against the floor in an excited manner she was trying to not show (but could easily be seen by any who walk in)

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
And oh, someone walks in all right-- a MARRIED COUPLE.

Mamoru's gotten changed out of his school uniform into his personally curated uniform of skinny jeans and statement or band shirt and light jacket, and it is unclear how many people Usagi and Mamoru are with, because people do start piling in.

He's rubbing his eyes as he schleps in, still tired after his month of misadventures and then two boss battles on their wedding day.

Then the teenaged boy spots Minako and says cheerfully, "Minako-ch-- oh," alarmed, "am I interrupting a date?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
A MARRIED COUPLE sure is piling in, with Usagi having changed out of her school uniform and into another of her classic 90s outfits - a two-toned green striped shirt, bright pink short-shorts, and a pale blue jean jacket with a bunny head logo on the right side. Her odangos are decorated with little green ribbons, and her backpack has been abandoned in favor of a little pink purse.

"And we're absolutely sure I can't just keep skipping school since I'm doomed to summer classes anyway?" She's asking as they come in, quickly followed by so, so many people -

And then Mamoru notices Minako first, and more importantly, her company first, and Usagi's eyes go wide with alarm.

"Um! Uh - you know, we can always go - over there -"

She points to a table far away from Minako and Roman's, clearly giving them an out.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Well now that it's not heatwaving like yesterday (or... tomorrow? Who knows what day it is), Amy feels more like leaving the dorm for places besides the beach, like the cat cafe! When the bus comes to a stop nearby, she pauses the movie on her phone, pockets it, folds up her headphones, and disembarks.

    Soon after, she walks through the doors to the cat cafe, today wearing... well, a pretty standard-for-her red T-shirt and blue pleated skirt, honestly, but she's accessorized it with a pink shortsleeve cardigan, one of many garments she noted in the store the other day before she got interrupted by a food fight. (She also has her trusty black messenger bag.)

    And she smiles when she sees who's right in front of her. "Usagichan, Mamoru!" She blinks, slightly alarmed, "Oh, am I interrupting a date? ...No, I guess you probably wouldn't come to the cafe right under your house..."

    You wouldn't want it to get attacked again. she thinks, but does not say, as the MARRIED COUPLE hurry aside and she sees, "Oh! A double date! Well um... don't mind me, I'll just... play with the cats..." She awkwadly makes her way over to the counter to order a drink and a piece of cake.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
It was certainly more than just the MARRIED COUPLE that filed in. Ami was there, too, not terribly far behind Usagi and already narrowing her eyes for what was, to her, an absolutely insane thing to say. Eventually, though, she just sighed.

"Usagi-chan--" Blue hair bounced a little as she shook her head and let her attention shift on past to..

To...

Roman and Minako. It didn't help matters that Mamoru immediately jumped to the potential of dates being interrupted here. Of course, instead of study and homework. Eyes closed and she let her head lull a little to one side, and then pointedly turned toward the counter.

There was nothing that coffee couldn't fix--"Would you like a drink, Amy-chan?"

Roman Talleday has posed:
Steely blue eyes turned towards the other voices, drawn away from Minako's enjoyment of the drink. These people seemed familiar with her, and he didn't particularly mind-- still leaned in his chair with an elbow propped over the back of the next one, he shifted a little to sit up righter. Was it an interrupted date? A double date? Any of that? Well, he glanced at Minako--

"I don't mind, if you're her friends an' that," he acknowledged, though he did look a bit sheepish to see Ami, "Oh, bollocks--" He said that in English, "Ah, it's a study date, like? I'm just... studyin' doughnuts first, yeah?"

No. That wasn't gonna cut it. He grimaced.

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino happily sips at the drink they were *sharing together* like a couple on an actual date and not someone that just found a Tamagotchi for a guy that came rushing back to get it. At least until Mamoru's voice calls out a greeting causing her blue eyes to swivel away toward the married couple. The straw pops out of her mouth.

"Mamo-kun! Usagi-chan!" She greets cheerily even though they'd just thought they caught her in a date. Before she can answer, Roman does, so she gives a quick nod along with a wide grin flashed to the pair. Oh and then to Ami and Amy and... "Ami-chan! And Amy!" It ticks in her head. "Wait, study date?"

Her head snaps over toward Roman realizing she might have gotten caught inadvertantly in a trap. Study? OH NO. That was Ami's department.

"Ah, we just met actually! This is Roman! I found his Tamagotchi," she explains continuing on, "And he's teaching me about coffee drinks!"

Lana Voselle Miata has posed:
    Lana walks through the front door completely without consideration for anything else that's going on. People are shuffling in, people are going on dates, nothing weird is happening here as far as she's concerned.

    Without even looking, she questions the nearest person, "Hey so is a cat cafe where people dress up in cat costumes and... oh..." Lana looks down.

    Lana has discovered the cats.

    "Wait... so like... there's a cafe full of cats?" She blinks, getting slowly more apprehensive. "Surely... surely you don't..." Lana looks around, eyes usually full of cold bitterness getting slowly more panicked. Eventually she sees cats being petted, and lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh, okay, phew. That's... that's a lot less horrible than what I thought. Like honestly... Actually never mind what I thought."

    Without giving most people a second look, she reaches down to scoop up the nearest cat and starts petting it as she walks over to the counter to look at the menu.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Oh yeah, we don't go on dates here," Mamoru says to Amy, half-turning and finishing ruefully, "we'd just end up getting it attacked again."

He turns back to look at Minako and Roman as Usagi points out another table, but he's bolstered by Ami and Roman both. "Then good," he tells them, taking Usagi's hand, "we're here to study too. And also get coffee! Have you tried this place's cold brew? It's almost as good as Black Blood of the Earth. Anyway..."

He squeezes that hand! and then lets go and lifts a table to put it next to Roman and Minako's table. "Since you're studying too, we should all study together. We all go to your school too, Roman-san. I'm Chiba Mamoru, grade 12. Pleased to meet you," the pink-hair-tipped boy says with a casual bow. His t-shirt today is lavender and has a pink raincloud on it and the words 'cheer up elmo kid' on it.

Mamoru glances at Lana and blinks, and says, "Sometimes there are people in cat costumes too. And talking cats. If you see a giant calico maine coon, don't believe her, she's already had salmon today."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Sapphires drifted their way to Roman as boyish excuses filtered across and Ami lifted a brow. "I can see that, Rome-kun. If you'd like, you could surprise me with an essay on the history of doughnuts and their introduction to Japan?"

It was a question. And a threat. But, exactly the kind of question-threat that only Ami could manage. Especially given the sincerity of the delivery.

"Minako-chan." Ami smiled at her friend.

Her attention returned to the counter and Ami settled in to the orders. Cappiccino for herself, cold brew for Mamoru, and hot chocolate for Usagi.

Then a smile for Amy. "Whatever she'd like, too."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Couldn't you have lied?" this is clearly more of a lament than a scolding, however, as Usagi sighs a little ruefully and squeezes Mamoru's hand in return. "I guess we're all here to study, then. I'm Tsukino Usagi, grade 11!"

With Mamoru already repositioning tables and getting everything in order, Usagi really doesn't have much choice but to resign herself to the horrors of legitimate studying. Darn.

"Amy-chan, you don't have to run away, it's studying! Ami-chan would never let us get away with no studying..." There's clear affection in her voice, and she grabs some chairs to help push them in, making sure there's room for everyone.

Lana Voselle Miata has posed:
    Lana squints at the menu, and then turns towards Mamoru. Don't believe her? She blinks, and then looks at his... date? "Hey... didn't I see you the other day? I swear we've met before, like... recently... some kind of soci--"

    Voselle speaks in Lana's mind, reminding her of the moon wedding.

    Her eyes go wide again, and then squints at Mamoru and Usagi. Crossing her arms and tilting her head to the side, she frowns at the two of them as she considers how to approach this.

    She was seconds away from giving away the fact that she was magic, and this dude is talking bluntly about talking cats, and this girl is clearly connected to magic since she was at a moon wedding. (Actually, her body double Minako was, but Lana doesn't know that. Well, Usagi was also there, but Lana doesn't know that either. Look sometimes two lies can make a truth.)

    Eventually Lana throws her hands into the air and says, "Oh I don't know why I bother pretending to be ignorant anymore."

    She turns around and waits behind Ami, and when it's her turn to order she asks for, "Yes, chocolate cake please."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    They'd just get attacked here. Amy nods to Mamoru matter-of-factly.A drink? Amy looks over to Ami approaching the counter. "Uh, yeah! That's really kind of you to offer! I was just gonna get a bubble tea or something..."

    She then double-takes at the very audible british accent in a voice she hasn't heard before, not very common around here! "Ah, yeah, makes sense!" She taps the side of her head. "Gotta energize your brain first, after all."

    She is completely fooled.

    ...Until Minako seems confused and explains what happened. "Oh, cool!" And then processes something and looks back to Roman. "Wow, a Tamagotchi? How long have you had--" She pauses and furrows her brow. "--who passed it... on to... you? Is that a thing people do? Or do they still make them?" The digital pet craze is a dim memory even for her.

    Somewhere back in America is a whole garden of Chao saved on a Dreamcast VMU (visual memory unit). She had... a metal one? It ended up Sonic-shaped. That's all she's getting, her brain is full of other things now.

    There's someone at the door. "You could dress up in a cat costume if you wanted, nya." Oh it's a cafe full of cats? "Yes." The customer new to the concept takes to it quickly! "Nice, isn't it? They're so soft!"

    Mamoru introduces himself and Amy gives a little wave and a smile. "Amanda Faust, Amy for short, grade 11. Niceta meetcha."

    Ami really is paying for her, it seems! "Thank you so much!" She smiles and looks back to the cashier, "Um, one bubble tea aaaaaand... I guess since we're studying make it a bit of tuna salad." An unusual item for cafes but something that can be shared with cats, after all.

    She walks over to where they're all sitting together, and sits next to Ami. "So, what are we studying, after doughnuts?"

Roman Talleday has posed:
Roman is lamenting, too. He's been skiving off of school to hit the arcade a lot, almost paradoxically in response to Ami's tutoring. Surely, if he's studying under her, that's more than enough, right?

He makes at face at Minako. His grades are awful. It's not his fault he'd rather study a pretty girl than his homework. He just couldn't think of how else to cover not doing it.

"Right... I'm Talleday Roman, grade ten, I suppose." He's still getting a little used to that sort of introduction. "But Rome is fine. Nice t'meet you."

He seems to have totally surrendered his drink to Minako, because he now reaches across to take Minako's cappuccino instead. "Oh, yeah... no, I've had the tama since I was about five, actually. I just took good care of it, yeah? It's, uh... important to me. It was a gift."

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino flumps her head down into her hand propped up on the table by her elbow. A long sigh comes as the tables are drawn together with the intent to apparently *study*, alas. "I guess doughnuts wouldn't be bad to learn about, but writing? Ew." Still she sighs adding in warmly for Ami's benefit, "But I guess a *little* studying isn't bad. Maybe."

Her grades could certainly use improvement.

When Roman takes her drink leaving her with his, a giddy little grin comes over her that she'd once cast upon someone else in front of Mamoru and Usagi. This was likely not to end with a hair bow on fire at least. But Usagi would definitly recognize this dazzled look that creeps over her.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"I was happy to just spend some time with my friends, actually." Ami had leaned a little closer to Amy in confidence as she encumbered herself with drinks. "But, if everyone's happy to."

She smiled as Ami made her way back over to offer beverages to the appropriate recipients. How could she not, when so many seemed eager to get started on things all of a sudden?

"Just let me get my hands free and I'll fetch the lesson notes from my backpack. We'll see where we need to start."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Rome-san," agrees the prince easily, politely. "Mamoru is fine too. Oh, thanks Ami-chan!" he says, accepting the cold brew delightedly. He sets his bookbag on the chair he's pulled up next to Minako -- so she and Usagi can't sit together and distract each other, and either of Ami or Mamoru could keep track of what Usagi's doing while they also help Roman and Minako, dohoho.

"Hey, Person with the chocolate cake, I think we've met--" He is squinting at Lana.

"... we have definitely met. You were chatting with my boyfriend the day I met him..."

What what what. What.

"Ignorant of what?" he asks, putting his tablet on the table and then his bag under it. He sits down and gestures at their now-giant table. "Study with us! We'll start with Usako's worst subject~"

He squints at Mina, looks from her to Roman, considers. "Hey though. Are you evil or a stalker or otherwise worthy of being yeeted into the bay?"

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy ahs and nods as Ami explains that, confiding back quietly, "That is nice, too."

    Roman introduces himself, and Amy holds out a hand to shake.

    When he was five, huh? Amy tries to imagine getting a tamagotchi at 5 and taking care of it this long. Does she have anything in her life from then? Even the oldest files on her computer date back to 2002, if she recalls correctly, after the zipdisk she was keeping her stuff on before contracted the click of death.

    Oh right, her teddy bear! And teddy lioness. (It's a cougar but she didn't know what that was.) Even now, back in her dorm room. So she has... something, from her childhood. She's not sure how much that matters to her, honestly.

    But they don't require regular attention like a tamagotchi. She nods to Roman, "It must be." For him to keep taking care of it so long.

    She shrugs to Minako. "I was never a great writer, but... you keep having to do it, over life. There'll be more classes, and then maybe work... The key that I wish they'd taught me sooner is not to worry about the format at the start. Just write stream-of-consciousness, then edit it into the like, edit the material into the shape it needs to be in. And don't worry about saying 'in this essay I will' or 'in conclusion', if nothing else comes naturally you'll just look sillier trying to dance around using it."

    And then Mamoru asks Roman... what? Amy looks between them in confusion. "Uhh, what? Why would that be... uh... what?"

Lana Voselle Miata has posed:
    As Lana waits for her cake to come, the guy apparently named 'Mamoru' is talking to her. So they've met before. "The day you met your boyfriend? Hm. I mean I tend to stay pretty isolated, but even for me that doesn't really narrow it down."

    Wait, boyfriend? She was assuming that 'Usako' was apparently his girlfriend with the way they were... Did she misunderstand? Or is this a poly thing?

    "Well whatever." Her cake arrives, and she sets down the petted cat to take the cake. She walks towards their table, but doesn't sit down, instead opting to eat while standing. "Since we're all introducing ourselves, Lana Voselle Miata, Grade 12."

    She glaces at Roman, wondering for a moment if she's actually going to see someone get dropped into the Bay today.

    Look, she's from the Dark Ages in France. She has seen worse.

Roman Talleday has posed:
Roman claps his hand to Amy's in a manner that slides it along palm and then pulls away with spread fingers to imitate a small explosion, complete with a small noise. It's an automatic sort of gesture that he clearly doesn't even think about.

He sends a boyish grin towards Minako, catching the one she seems to be giving him and as yet unaware of the specific indication like her friends likely are. She has a nice smile that lights up her whole face, and he's distracted byt hat for a moment before Mamoru interjects. His head turns, the small dangle earring on his left ear swaying as he does-- a tiny teacup on a saucer-- and it takes his brain a second to catch up to the question. Then he just laughs, half surprised, half amused.

"I mean I think that'd be up to the courts t'decide, wouldn't it?" It's a joke. "But I've had my bath, thanks, I think I can skip a dip in the bay."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Of course, Ami was definitely planning on boxing Usagi in between Mamoru and herself. Regardless of however it might look to the outside, however, she really did just want to be close to the blonde.

"I thought the same thing at first, too." Ami smiled at Mamoru. "But, even though he is a rather terrible student, Rome-kun is a perfectly good person."

Sapphirine gaze drifted between Roman and Minako, then. It really did take her a moment to piece it together. Ami just wasn't the sort to think in these particular terms. But, oh gosh, this was more than just a study date.

Well. Fair for Mamoru to have his concerns, probably, Minako had a track record to keep in mind.

Her backpack shifted from her shoulders as the blue-haired senshi settled into her seat. "Would you like to sit next to me, Amy-chan?"

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino blinks rapidly at the questions that Mamoru asks. It tears her attention away to glance toward him with her lower lip jutting out in a pout. How could he assume Roman was--Then again. She did have a tendancy to have issues with guys. Like a guy stalking her over two lifetimes... Kind of.

"See? Ami-chan voices for him!" Vouches. VOUCHES. Such a hard word though!

The drink that was gifted to her inadvertantly is tugged a bit closer to take another happy little sip only to flash a grin around. "Ahhh? Isn't English Usagi-chan's toughest one? Or is it math?"

As she questions her attention shifts and looks back over toward Lana blinking at the girl a moment thoughtfully. She DID look familiar-ish but... It was hard remembering who you met when, when the last several weeks were spent disguised as someone else. It's the yell of pretending to be ignorant that causes her to stare though. "Maybe we do have too many talking cats here," she murmers.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy takes a half-second to pick up on the gesture, and then also spreads her fingers and pulls her hand away as if from a miniature slow-mo explosion and also makes the noise with her mouth, smiling.

    And then Ami asks if she wants to sit next to her. "Yeah, sure." she says, positively, and takes the offered seat, getting the vague sense that she's not picking up on a social thing but not sure what. "You know, we've never gotten to talk outside of school before. I kind of know barely anything about you besides that you're the smartest girl in school, well, smartest student rather, and... you know." Magic stuff. When Lana and Roman aren't looking she traces out the symbol of Mercury on the table with her fingertip.

    "Do you have hobbies? What do you wanna be when you grow up?" more quietly she mutters, 'that sounded odd.' Then, "Do you have like, favorite movies? Books? How did you and Usagi meet? I know basically nothing and I've seen you like every day at school. But I'd like to make another friend."

Lana Voselle Miata has posed:
    Lana hears the word 'court' and, even though she knows full well what that word means in a modern context, a part of her thinks back to the glorified cool kids clubs of European nobles and gets subtly annoyed.

    There are jokes and references being made here that she doesn't get, and she's far too prideful to ask. Apparently the mob has decided that Roman will not be swimming with the fishies, allegedly because he's a 'good person'.

    Lana decides that right now is not the time to mention that she works for Obsidian.

    'Maybe we do have too many talking cats here'

    Lana shrugs and says, "You're fine as long as none of them turn into a boy when you hug them." After a moment she looks up at the ceiling and mutters, "Or... was it the other way around?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru tosses his head to get his bangs off his forehead, then takes his glasses off to polish them on his t-shirt. He raises his eyebrows at Amy and gestures with his glasses before putting them back on. "Shortcut shovel talk," he explains to her, then nods to Roman, and Ami. "Good," he says seriously, then grins, ducking away from the Minako that he decided to sit next to, all by himself on his own. "Thank you for taking it in good grace, Rome-san, and for vouching for for him, Ami-chan."

He sips his cold brew like he's Kermit enjoying a Lipton's.

Then he looks at his tablet and flips it up to the last lesson he was working on with New Moon, then slides it to Ami. "That's where we left off on the evil spaceship in orbit last week."

He grins at Minako. "Never too many talking cats." Mamoru looks up at Lana and one corner of his mouth crooks up. "Miata-san," he greets her slightly more properly. And then perfectly seriously, "The other way around. But the catboys aren't here, and anyway neither has red hair."

Roman Talleday has posed:
Seemed there were a lot of French people about, in bloody Tokyo-- he was getting very familiar with the particular bent of that sort of accent layered onto Japanese. Would it be unfair if he just assumed they were all up to no good? Yes, probably. But also, he had a nemesis that was French, and she sounded a bit like Lana, and that could be her-- he didn't know. Couldn't know. So he would continue, in true English tradition, to be suspicious of every French person he met.

"You lot are funny, aren't you?" He sipped the cappuccino, observing this fact-- here, funny rather more meant odd, if in an affectionate way. "What was the evil speceship like then? Go on. Were they catboys up there, too?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"I like to think that we're already friends, Amy-chan." Ami smiled at Amy, then turned her eyes toward the ceiling with a thoughtful hum.

"I want to be a doctor. Like my mom." The blue-haired senshi nodded slowly. "And sometimes I like to play the Sailor V cabinet at the arcade."

It was off-handed and suggested she only did it for fun, here and there. But, perhaps Minako might know, Ami very definitely made sure that her high-score on the machine remained unattainable. Despite everything else, Ami did have her competitive moments.

"I don't really watch a lot of movies and most of the books I read are... well..."

And she bent forward a little to open her backpack. Several decently-sized text-books followed her back out. She grimaced a little apologetically, even though there was a very subtle lie being sold here. Ami would never openly admit to the romance novel she had tucked into a secondary pocket inside of the backpack. Absolutely not.

Ami sipped at her cappuccino and leaned forward a little to skim over the tablet.

Minako Aino has posed:
Minako Aino lightly elbows Mamoru's side when he sits beside her, but she doesn't outright assault him. He was a newlywed after all. She didn't want to leave him bruised or else Usagi would probably murder her. It's just a little teasing gesture in response to his own teasing.

Before she can say anything more, her phone rings causing her to quickly reach down and fish it out of her purse. "Ah, it's my mom. I need to take this," she explains with a quick apology to the group as she scoots her chair back so she can squirm out. "Don't mind me, you can all catch up on studying while I take this!"

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy smiles at Ami's assertion, "Aww, that's kind of you! I'd still like to know my friend better, though."

    She nods. "One of my childhood friends wanted to be a doctor too. But we fell out of touch after we graduated." Her eyes briefly glance at Roman and back to her drink. "...middle school. What kind of doctor's your mom?"

    "Just the one game? I still wonder how she got a videogame..." Amy gives Minako a curious look.

    No movies. "Ah..." She actually mostly reads textbooks. "Absorbing knowledge like a sponge. It's neat learning how everything works." She says, positively. "I also read a lot of stories because I wanted to understand how people worked. Socially, I mean." She makes a hand-wobble gesture. "It didn't help as much as I hoped."

    Amy blinks at Lana's comment, smile brightening. "Oh, you've read Fruits Basket! Usagi reccomended it to me, I'm still working my way through it. I read a lot of manga."

    When Mamoru says 'evil spaceship' she looks puzzled, not sure which magical thing that's code for. She looks at the notebook in vain for a clue.

    Eventually she remembers there is literally an evil spaceship. "Oh! The evil spaceship."

Roman Talleday has posed:
"Ooh, somebody's in trouble," Roman gently teases Minako as she gets up to go take the call, and grins. Then, he glances at Amy, who seems to know about the spaceship too. "What, issat a club or something?"

He genuinely has no idea. He doesn't know what a fruits basket is beyond apples and bananas and such.

The comment about the childhood friend that fell out of touch does have him idly reach for the tamagotchi hanging on its lanyard around his neck. He checks in on it for a moment, attentive, and then tucks it back into his shirt.

Lana Voselle Miata has posed:
    "Chiba-san," says Lana, because that amount of distance seems appropriate. Though he seems to have caught her reference. "A shame. I would've liked a talking rat." Well... she is a Device Mage. She might be able to make something like Arf, in theory. "Or maybe a talking hedgehog. No relation to the blue one."

    She stands out of Minako's way as the blonde has to go take a call, and then stands right back where she was to glance over Ami's reading material. "Well, I probably should be reading more of that. Instead of weird manga."

    Lana blinks at Amy. Two people now understand her joke. Interesting. "I have to admit, it's one of the better manga I've read. At this point I'm just glad to find a series that didn't get cancelled or something. I think, aside from a few lucky hits, my taste in manga doesn't really line up with what's... actually successful. I did enjoy the anime reboot, though."

    She eats a bit of her cake while she waits for others to speak. It's a nice cake.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru, with cold brew in hand, ducks away from Minako again as she leaves the table, and he gives her a really 'really?' look, then laughs and shakes his head. He sips it then almost chokes at Roman and Lana, very nearly dribbling on his insouciant shirt ~~ and has a moment with a napkin. "Yeah part of this is about a manga. But there was no evil spaceship in the manga. And there was no moon wedding in the manga." Now he's ducking Usagi.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Someone likes weird manga? Amy's head swivels to look at Lana. "Oh? I like weird manga too! Kind of. How weird are we talking, on a scale of Akane-chan Overdrive to Rozen--" wait, switch to more general references! "uhhhhhhh I meeeeean, like, do you mean sort of a weird... like a little out there like Heavenly Delusion or kinda wacky like Excel Saga, or just, like, really weird like, FLCL or Paprika? I read Purple Qualia once and someone said it was like if 40% of Greg Egan wrote a manga and yeah that's about right."

Ami Mizuno has posed:
"She's an oncologist at Juuban Second General." Ami responds to Amy slowly. "She also does some lecturing and travels a lot for conventions."

After a short perusal, Ami settles back in her seat again.

"You did well, given the circumstances." The circumstances being, of course, the evil spaceship in question.

And the moon wedding, too.

For the rest of the conversation, though, Ami was terrifically out of the loop for manga and, so, she instead turned her attention to Roman. She squinted a little and let her volume drop a little--as though there weren't other people in their immediate vicinity. "Were you actually on a date with Minako-chan?"

Lana Voselle Miata has posed:
    Lana shakes her head at Amy. "No, that's not what I mean. I'm not using the word 'weird' to mean 'strange zany sense of humor'. I'm using that word because I'm trying to avoid saying 'mediocre'. I'm not even sure if 'like' is even the right word. Appreciate?" She looks up at the ceiling to consider how to put it into words. "There's just something about seeing someone try their absolute best, only for it to not be good enough. To see them fail, often through their own weakness, but sometimes through no fault of their own. To the epitaph of their dreams written in the words of a 'to be continued' that never comes..."

    It brings a smile to her face. She realizes she's grinning too widely in public. Clearing her throat, she says, "... but I mean, Rozen Maiden is good, too."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy blinks at Lana as she says she means she reads trash manga. That she doesn't even really like so much as 'appreciate'. "Ohhhh. Mood, heh, I kind of read a lot of pretty terrible--"

    And then Lana launches into a villain speech and Amy realizes that, like... whatever angle this girl is coming at it from, she doesn't know how to meet it.

    (And she can't help but try to think of how many of the mediocre series she's seen never finish. Will Kiyu Fuyuki ever stick with an idea long enough to finish it? And Akane-chan Overdrive also counts in this sense, probably, it was just weird and couldn't decide to be and she doesn't think it got an ending, come to think of it.)

    "Ah. Yeah." Amy says, sort of blankly. Yes. Let them think that's what she was referring to as an absolutely batshit insane manga.

    Wasn't it just about dolls that came alive and fought in a tournament or something? Amy hasn't actually read no wait that's another manga wasn't it, Rozen Maiden was... a harem anime... with a doll-girl? Or something? Dang, maybe it was batshit crazy for all she knows.

    "So you... I admit, I never, uh... looked at stories that way. When they're unfinished I mostly get mildly annoyed they didn't get an ending, you know? I'm not sure... I've never thought about, like, reccomending a story to someone because it's unfinished. But I guess we both have weird tastes."

Roman Talleday has posed:
Roman's gaze settles on Mamoru, and he's onto something about this bloke. This man's taking the piss a bit, he's a larakin. That's fair, given he caught Rome having coffee with one of his friends and is now sussing him out-- Rome may not know his manga, but he does know about Sailor V being a real person. He also knows that Ami is Sailor Mercury, and she apprently obliterates the leaderboard on the arcade game...

... And something, something. He's shoving a doughnut into his mouth, because he needs the sugar. Mamoru, though, he seems like he's talking in code to get around saying other things direct. He's a quirky bloke, but he's canny, and he's poking at Rome in a way that Rome figures is well meaning. "I don't read no manga," he shrugs, "And I ain't been to no weddings. Have been banned from one, but."

He sips the drink, and glances at Ami. "I did hit on her a bit and buy her a drink. Yeah. Weren't planned, but..."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
The easy way Roman is laughing at all of this makes Mamoru start to relax. The quieter admission now that Minako's not around--?

"Good," he says, a little more gently. "She deserves a good time."

He finishes up his coffee and sets it down, then looks wry. "Unless you're Seriss Nyx, you weren't banned from ours. Ami-chan, you can tell him about me later if you know how good he is..."

... he Looks at Lana. He squints at Lana.

"Did you just villain speech in *my cat cafe*?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Roman and Minako. They were definitely perfect for one another. The kind of perfect that managed to catch that romance novel enthusiast beneath for a brief, almost wistful smile. At the same time, however, it filled her with a very particular kind of dread.

Getting either of them to study now was going to be an uphill battle.

"You should take her to Korma Chameleon." Ami sighed and leaned rather subtly against Usagi. "She likes the curry there. Specifically, Tikka Masala."

Lana Voselle Miata has posed:
    Lana's blue eyes dart between Mamoru and Amy for a moment, taking a step back. She sets the cake plate down on a nearby table as she passes.

    'Did you just villain speech in *my cat cafe*?'

    Uhh how do you talk your way out of this, Lana? "I mean, am I really the villain here? I'm just--" Oh shoot you're doing it again. Try something else. "I'm not evil, just ambitious." No, no you're still doing it. "... can you tell it's been a really long time since I actually talked to people outside of work?"

    ... Okay that wasn't strictly evil but it was still hella embarrassing and basically a confession.

    Shit.

    Lana just turns and runs. Anyone who follows her out of the cat cafe might hear, or even see, a blue portal open briefly as she runs into it and closes behind her without a trace.

Amanda Faust has posed:
Did you just villain speech' in my cat cafe?

    "Oh," Amy smiles, "I can do a good villain speech too!" She stands up from her chair, "This world is corrupt! Those ignorant fools just don't understand that-- uh..." She blinks as Lana talks herself into a hole.

    Not evil, just ambitious. "There ya go!"

Can you tell...

    Amy blinks in realization as Lana implies that her work is villainy. "Wait, was she... actually one of Obsidian's--" And then another realization. "...So wait, does that mean that at work they like, villain speech at eachother?"