[more or less closed]

[wasshi]

Who: Yuna and Togo
When: An unspecified easygoing afternoon
Where: CERES Gardens
What: Tooling around the gardens on what is definitely not a date
Warnings: Gals being pals

A passionate body-building trek, where Yuna walks while pushing Togo and Togo lifts weights! That was osensibly the excuse for the outing (or at least the idea rambled about in the conversation that inspired it), but if we're being honest, Togo didn't even bring weights to lift. It didn't really seem necessary.

The actual important thing, as far as Togo was concerned, was spending time peacefully with Yuna. So, she had charted out the safest, most flower-dense parts of CERES Gardens in advance, so that the two of them could get away from all the chaos and stress of their situation for a while. Just Togo, Yuna pushing her along, and a beautiful winding path amidst tranquil ponds and flower beds to plunder for artistic materials.

Ah, serenity. It almost feels like she should be composing a haiku.

"So... I'm a princess, am I?" Why yes, she was following the other conversations in Yuna's call to action. Why wouldn't she?

Comments

[reblooming]

Yuna laughs delightedly, her pace easy and smile easier as she wheels Togo along. This whole situation has been unbearably stressful - between losing her world, and the possibility that it might not ever come back, if it really was destroyed before the Flamines ever touched it, and then Karin disappearing...if she hadn't already been used to a certain amount of emotional duress because of the Hero Club, it probably would've broken her.

But even if it had, as long as she had Togo, she'd definitely, absolutely have found a way to put herself back together again, just like she's done now. Without her best friend by her side, she wouldn't be able to deal with this, but because Togo is here...because Togo is here, everything is okay, even when it's not.

"Yeah. You're definitely a princess!" Only a princess would have the amazing ability that Togo does to remain calm during so many rough situations. Beautiful, strong, and mature...yeah. Togo is the closest thing to a princess Yuna might ever know. "I guess you were listening to that stuff, huh? Did I do a good job recruiting people?"

[wasshi]

"Considering that you doubled the size of the Hero Club in a single day, I don't see any way I could possibly complain." It came as no surprise to Togo that Yuna's warmth had drawn that many people to her. It's a miracle they didn't try to put her in charge of recruitment ages ago.

"In the end, what's a princess worth without her faithful knight by her side?"

[reblooming]

Yuna laughs sheepishly, and if she didn't have to use both hands to steer she'd be scratching the back of her head. She's always happy to be praised, especially if it comes about after giving it her everything, and she really had put all her heart into reviving the Hero Club.

"I dunno, I think princesses are really important, so you must be worth a lot by yourself. Lots of people can become knights, but you have to be born a princess, right? So you're definitely something special!" She leans over Togo's shoulder a little, smiling brightly. "But I'll make sure to become the best knight ever, so that you don't need to worry about anything!"

She believes that both Togo and herself have an inherent worth, and that their value only increases when they're together. She really must do something to thank her...

"Say, what kind of flower is your favorite?"

[wasshi]

Her response is immediate. "When we first met, and I still hadn't gotten used to school, you made me a bookmark with a pressed white lily. Do you remember it?"

[reblooming]

Of course she remembers it. If she's right, and she knows she is, it was the first pressed flower she'd ever given Togo. "Yeah! I was pretty proud of that one, so I'm glad you liked it."

Does that mean lilies are Togo's favorite flower, then...? Yuna nods to herself.

"Lilies are really just like you, Togo. They're really elegant and overflowing with girl power!"

[wasshi]

Togo's smile fades slightly at the mention of 'girl power'. If Fu was around, she'd be rambling strangely about that all the time. But here, in this world...

"...Unfortunately, I seem to have left that bookmark back in our homeworld. As long as you're here looking for flowers, maybe I could ask for a new one..."

[reblooming]

Yuna nods enthusiastically. "Of course! I'll make you whatever you want, Togo, so just let me know. We could even pick out the lilies you want right now if you feel like it!" She has to pick up some flowers for some personal projects anyway, so it certainly couldn't hurt to spend a few more minutes looking for lilies for Togo too.

"Have you found any interesting books to read here? I bet aliens write totally different stories than we do." Now that she's thinking about it, it's kind of cool to think about a bookmark she made being used in an alien book...

[wasshi]

"I did find-- ah..."

Togo stops in mid-sentence as a drop of rain lands on her head. Then another, and another, until a steady sprinkle has built up around her.

"Is it... raining...?" There's not a cloud in the sky.