“And this is the Christmas Spirit?” Delilah chuckled to herself as she sipped her Caramel Latte, though she had to wonder if they ran out of Caramel making it. Oh well!
Sitting by the window in a large booth, Delilah kept eyeing the front door as well as the order line. She had made use of group text and found out they all had Holiday shopping to finish. Why not do it together? Maybe that way they wouldn’t want to kill everyone else in the mall by the time they left. But first, before they suited up and braved the crazy world that was the mall, lunch!
For now she had only ordered a drink until the girls got there. She hated eating without everyone. But Panera was also picked because, though it was across the street, she could get a parking spot!
Victory!
---
Ginger couldn’t personally have been happier with the arrangement, or the choice of restaurant. There weren’t a ton of places she could name that regularly made her go to comfort food, and she had to admit that she’d punched in an order on her phone app, rather than wait in line and wait for an annoying buzzer tablet to go off. No offense to the place but she hated those things. They inevitably went off unexpectedly and made her jump. She waved at Delilah as she slipped in the doors, grinning, and walked over to grab the pick up delivery. It was… well it was a little bit cheating but -no buzzer-, and she headed, bag and cup in hand, toward the table where Delilah was.
This time, unlike the Botanical Gardens, there was also a backpack over one shoulder, from which protruded the handle of what might have once been a standard Louisville Slugger bat… only one that had been heavily mutated by application of pink glitter on every surface, with a few hints of stickers, all lacquered into place to prevent shedding or tearing. Even the grip tape was pink.
“I told you I wasn’t leaving home without her again.” She joked, sliding into a seat. “Mmm. Grilled cheese and tomato soup. Can’t beat it. Well, unless you make ‘em at home but hey, close enough. You want a bite or are you good with your coffee?” She offered. “...Sorry hope it’s ok I ordered some food. I’m hungry and I loooooooove grilled cheese.”
---
It wasn’t so much that Mercy was glowing as much as she was constantly smiling and it didn’t seem anything was going to shake it. Not the crowds, not the cold, not the longish line she waited in to get her salad and tea. None of this seemed to phase Mercy out of her mood.
In fact, the girl was humming to herself, a bubbly tune that was causing people to stare. But she didn’t care. Once she’d gotten her order she made her way over to the table Delilah had snagged, and as she sat down, she gave her two friends a delightful grin.
“Sooooo, how are you two today?” She asked in a playful, sing-song tone as she just, kept smiling. “I for one am doing stellar.”
She sipped at her tea slowly, still unable to stop her smiles.
---
Panera was not one of the places that she normally ate at, but when it was asked to join them, she had agreed near instantly. She had only ordered a coffee, but as she waited at the counter for it to be done, she turned and waved to the others. Leave it to her to be late.
Once her coffee was given to her. She made her way over to the table. She was not dressed in the fabulous clothes she was known for, this time. More so, she was going casual, (a black hooded sweater with a teal tank under it along with black legging and matching teal shoes)
She figured they would be spending most of their time indoors, so a heavy coat would not be needed.
“I'm sorry i am late. My closet didn't agree with me, and i needed to feed Mel before i left.” she gave Delilah and Mercy a knowing look, that cat could cause hell if he was hungry.
She took a seat beside them all, noting the smile on Mercy’s face. It was tnt kind of smile that read infectious, and Sita found herself smiling back. “it is good to see you in such a good mood, Mercy.”
---
“No apologies Sita. I think we all know that if Mel gets too hungry there is hell to pay when you get home. “ Delilah smiled, eyeing the meal Ginger was eating as well as the bat clearly sticking out of the bag. “I still don’t know how that cat doesn’t eat you out of house and home.”
One elbow coming up to the table and with a flick of the wrist, Delilah pointed at the food Ginger was chowing down on. “They had that ready for you when you got here...how?” Her last word was a bit high pitched as she questioned the pick up before turning her head and seeing the sign. “Since when do they have an app!” Rhetorical question...everyone has an app now Delilah.
She may not have addressed it but red eyes were stealing looks at the sudden appearance of a ‘Disney Princess’ in their group. Half expecting birds to come flying out and around Mercy, Delilah did a quick scan of the table to see if either of the other two had any idea what had gotten into their friend.
---
Ginger didn’t have any idea, buuuuut she could hazard a guess or two, and grinned over the crust of her grilled cheese, dunking it in soup as if dropping a lure for information. “Ooh someone’s in a good mood.”
And she kinda loved it.
“Hon it’s a thing of beauty.” She added for Delilah’s benefit, flashing it on her phone. “Still hard as hell to get one of those little souffle’s in the morning but hey it doesn’t hurt, and sometimes it’s faster than drive through. “You can even order stuff like a dozen bagels. I could pick up a nice snack for fairly little trouble. It’s nice. Also I have a lot of trouble picturing YOUR wardrobe disagreeing with you.” She added. From Sitara it was surreal.
---
The grin only widened as Sita joined them, and Mercy grinned back at her three friends, the smile growing somewhat conspiratorial. “Well we have our wonderful friend here to thank for my wonderful mood,” Mercy said, motioning with her hands in Delilah’s direction.
“Just so you know, Delilah, things went very well.” She added with slightly more sly grin.
“But enough about me, how are all of you?” She asked, looking around to all three of her friends in turn. “Do we want to try and plan our route or wander?”
---
Sita smiled at Ginger, shaking her head slightly at the comment on her wardrobe. “it had been known to happen now and then.” she blushed and lowered her head slightly as she noted the exchange between Delilah and Mercy.
There were a few reasons the latter could be in such a good mood, and perhaps Sita would take the time to ask her later. After all, Sita herself had a new man to gush about. Not that she had managed to make that information public yet.
“Do you plan everything, Mercy? I am more the type to see what strikes me. That and there are so many lovely decorations here at the mall! We need to see those as well!”
She giggled to herself. Perhaps she would bring Charles here to look at the many Christmas displays that were around.
---
Red eyes narrowed in confusion before she sat up straight and felt her eyes grow in size. “You sly...Ha!” laughing slightly, the raven haired woman leaned her elbow on the table and put her chin on her hand. “Cookie, you remember when I ran into at the poinsettia party?” A quick glance towards Sita “Which, while we missed you love, I’m glad you didn’t get caught up in the case of the zombie plant but anyway…”
She eyed down at Mercy. “Well I was making a break after setting up our darling Mercy with the boy that has caught her attention. And based on this reaction...well…”
An evil smile went over her face and she shrugged leaving it at that.
“I have to agree with Sita. Let’s not worry about planning and just see what we can find. If there is anything we know we have to hit, that’s what we need to make sure we don’t miss. The other thing is maybe finding Cookie a new bag for her bat. I worry about that thing knocking over a display.”
---
“Yeah that’s tough. I tried a gym bag but that’s awkward and good luck finding anything because it all goes…” She made a downward gesture with her hand to indicate the plummet of anything stored inside. “Whoosh, straight to the bottom. Unfortunately no one’s made an effective telescoping bat either…. Buuut I’m kinda used to steering around with it…” She added, with an lopsided, apologetic grin. “Well I mean… the bottom depending how you carry it. And sawed off bat just doesn’t have the same ring… or swing… to it.”
---
It was probably unusual for a cat to wander into a Panera, especially one wrapped in ribbon, but the Siberian ran into the dining area and darted under the four girl’s table. Mercy looked at the other three and raised a brow.
“Who’d you run from, pretty boy,” she asked the cat making kissy noises as she did.
The cat jumped up onto her lap, then up onto the table sitting down to stare at Ginger with a golden star on its forehead.
Then suddenly the lights went out, and the room suddenly grew very, very cold.
People began to panic, rushing toward the exits as the staff tried to calm everyone down. But mercy didn’t move. The cat was still staring at Ginger, tail flicking. Its ears were pressed down against its head though, and that’s when Mercy saw the strange, almost round shape of the youma as it slid into view.
It was large. About the size of a store display, with gnarled wooden arms that ended in claws. The eyes were dull lumps of coal against a nevermelting body of snow that it dragged across the floor.
As it appeared, the rest of the people fled in terror. But not Mercy.
“Ginger get down! Sorry kitty!” Mercy shouted as she dumped the table over to provide a cover for the group. Sending the cat scattering up and over the table with an angry yowl.
Mercy ducked behind the table hand fishing into her jacket to pull out her pen.
“Delilah, Sita… we gotta do it.” She cast a glance over at Ginger, who the cat was now trying to sit on with needy mewls.
“Go on three?” She asked the other two, before huffing out “Three!”
Then she darted out from around the table, throwing a discarded glass at the youma even as she powered up, Sabine taking her place.
---
Sita had been settling into the calm of the moment when suddenly the cat made his appearance known. She knew that mark. It was the same mark the Mel wore on his head. A guardian cat.
She blinked and turned the moment the lights went out. This was the warning it was giving. Damnable youma. Even here, in the mall. She moved behind the table and gave Mercy a nod only moments before her own henshin pen fell into her hand. “On three…” a small grin moved over her lips and she closed her eyes, breathing deep and centering her mind for the oncoming battle.
As the young girl called out three, Sita moved from behind the table. Calling her transformation, she let out a soft sigh as that warm light of magic fell over her, melting Sitara away and leaving Sailor Kastra standing there, her long hair catching a breeze in the darkness.
---
Delilah did not have much time to react to the appearance of a fluffball with that same star marking Arthur wore. Oh she knew it well. She also knew it meant there was an unawakened senshi in the room.
But before she could say anything, the restaurant went dark. Even the flames in the fireplace went out leaving the feeling that it would get cold...quickly.
But that also could have been the giant snowman of doom that was trying to work its way into the dining area. She knew the soups were good but come on.
Delilah had already been moving when Mercy flipped the table. Pen in hand, the table flipped and gave the cover she needed for the transformation. Sailor Phact was in her place and still moving. If he was a snow man, she hoped chances were that the heat still inside the building may be enough.
“Hey ugly. Over here!” Phact screamed out, grabbing a bowl off someone’s discarded lunch and sending it flying. Lettuce flew everywhere as it smacked the creature but she was sure unless he was a puff ball, that would get his attention.
“Sabine, Kasta...get to the sides of him. Let’s get it inside where it’s warm. Maybe we can melt it before any real damage…”
---
“Kitty this is not the time…” Ginger, who had no idea what that star meant, simply firmly tried to put the stubborn, unusually attentive cat aside, in favor of pulling out ‘her Girl’... by which she meant… her bat. The otherwise regulation baseball bat was tip to grip pink, and maybe a little dented under the mod-podge holding the glitter down, but she was battle ready, and could still dam well, as Ginger was proud to announce, hit like a girl. And she wasn’t damn well staying down.
She’d dealt with mutant tentacle plants, she could handle Frosty gone Rogue.
Especially since the cold b*****d had just upset her favorite lunch.
“You stay down! I’ve got this!” She insisted, already on the move almost before the count of three had gone down. She was, granted, pretty sure she’d just caught a glimpse of her friends… well…
….questions for later. Frosty needed his TEETH knocked in for interrupting their day! Did he actually have teeth? His coal knocked in? EH. Whatever. If he had a corn cob pipe she’d make sure it was sticking out the wrong side of his head if she had her say. Maybe someone could find some ice melt or something at one of the anchor stores if she kept it busy. Trying to make a barrier out of tiny salt packets would be hilarious but kind of impractical.
“Snow balls, fast balls… I’ll knock you out of the park, jerk!” She snarled, bat swinging the moment she got close enough.
---
“No wait, I…” The cat blustered as she pushed him off his lap and then pulled out a baseball bat and started to charge at the youma. The cat let out a long, pained sigh, paw going to the star on his forehead in a very human motion. “... Need to give you something…” He finished even though the girl was already gone, swinging her bat at the large but obviously feral snowman youma. Benedict tsked under his breath, and jumped up onto a currently non destroyed table.
“YOU! THE ONE WITH THE BAT! TAKE THIS!” He shouted, dispensing her pen and having to release it in an arc that he HOPED would reach the warrior-women.
“The rest of you! Give her some time to transform!” They weren’t his senshi, granted, but he’d was choreographing this dance and by george, they were going to listen!
Sabine had of course, figured Ginger would run out - but had been hoping the table would provide ample cover for the other three to power up and get in position. However, with Ginger storming out, she couldn’t even get into position as Phact had called to even attempt to distract the youma. But she could screen.
Moving quickly to Ginger’s side mid swing, mindful of the large, gnarled arms of the youma, she placed a hand on the other red-head’s arm and said. “Just trust me, and do as I tell you…”
Keeping her hand on Ginger she called her attack. “Tactical Shift!” she said, quickly lifting her hand and touching Ginger again as she spoke softly. “Run to that table behind you.”
Hopefully she would listen and that would buy her time to power up after she caught her pen, but as it was - it was all Sabine could do to dart past the youma again, tossing a discarded chair at it as she called to Kastra.
“Kastra, perhaps something to set the mood?”
---
Kastra’s eyes darted as she watched the exchange between the others. She ducking just in time to dodge the arm of the flailing youma. “I think that can be arranged!” She darted back, flipping her long legs one over the other and landing a few feet back from the fray.
She closed her eyes, her hands moving palm to palm in front of her chest as she whispered the words “Calming Willow..!” Her magic flared, sending a wave a calm through the room and smashing into the youma like a cool breeze. If nothing else it would disorient the creature and calm its flailing.
“While it is dazed! Someone lay it out!” She did her best to focus on her attack, knowing that the calm would overtake her as well and that could make her lazy.
---
Phact had never been so thankful for people running for cover than she was at that moment. Kastra’s attack was wonderful when used but it came at a cost when wanting people to get their butts in gear!
That was the reason that when she heard the attack, Phact began moving back out of the range. She wanted her mind clear as she processed everything around them.
Kasta and the creature were in within the magic. Sabine was move and Ginger…
“God Damnit Cat…” Phact hissed, now making her dive towards their bat wielding friend. “These things have to be magnets for youma. “Could you have watched if you were being followed before coming in here….” Phact snapped towards the ball of fluff before putting herself between Ginger and the youma.
“Cookie, we will answer the questions later but do as the cat says. Though if you do, an entire world is going to open up to you that you didn’t know was there….” Red eyes caught Ginger’s face, soft, a warning and prayer. “And things are going to get stranger.”
Her attention was snapped back but the chair breaking as the youma seemed to hit it with the weight from calming. All she could do now was hope she could avoid being hit by the magic herself.
Launching upward and onto one of the tables, Phact’s leg came around, aiming for the snowman’s head.
---
“Strange??” She glanced between the pen, and her friends, bat still clenched, white knuckled, in her hand. “We just fought death poinsettia’s and Frosty’s on a rampage!” Strange was an understatement. But these were her friends and she had to trust them, even if she wanted to go back in swinging, but instead, she followed Mercy’s instructions, heading to go behind the table, bat in one hand, pen in the other, not sure how this would begin to work.
“Alright Morris! What the heck do you mean Transform?” She called back, ducking behind the
table and glaring at the strange pen, a bit like Delilah’s, which she’d seen apple picking, but not.
Was all this why it had been so important that day? All… all THIS? The transformations? The ‘opening’ of another world?
“I haven’t got all day, by the way!” She added, putting the bat beside her and giving the pen an firm shake within her grip. It didn’t seem to work like a click point pen… she just… gah. What was she supposed to do? Scream like Xena and stab the snowman with it??
---
“Reach inside yourself! The memory is there! Call the name of your homeworld and the words, ‘Power, Make up!’ This will unlock the potential within you, and you will become a Sailor Senshi!” Benedict said, dancing back from the edge of the table as the youma took a swing at him. He had no desire to get hit by the youma, and so he did his best to be nimble and stay out of the way.
Benedict hoped the girl wouldn’t balk at that, he knew it sounded kind of silly to some, but that was how it goes.
The youma was gripped by the calming power of Kastra’s magic, and it began to slow down, growing very sluggish as it slowly lowered its arms, which meant that the kick that Phact shot at its head, hit home well. The snow was freezing cold, and very wet and mushy, and the head fell back coal going every which way.
Sabine kept moving, ducking back and around another table, grabbing another chair to throw at the snowman, watching as it broke and shattered across the side of it, the snow growing more slushy as the head turned back around to face Phact with a broken smile of coal.
“This thing is very, very… tough for a snowman!” Sabine commented dryly. “At least it looks like it’s starting to melt?”
---
Kastra looked around, noting the others as they tried to stay out of reach of her power. She moved then, watching the slushy snowman name its hobbling way about.
“one good kick should do it, right?” She let the words sound to the void around her as she readied her stance, leaning down to roundhouse kick the snowman in the head, hoping to send the slushy mess flying.
---
Ginger did not apparently have much patience for ‘reach inside, the memory is there’, mouthing the phrase sarcastically at the pen with a not terribly subtle sneer of sarcasm. Yeah right, this was some Harry Potter bullshit this was how the hell was she supposed to just reach inside and remember some other planets name? This cat had obviously not watched her struggle in science class. How the hell was she supposed to know?
God. What did jump to mind?
Uh. Jupi…. Nope nothing. Bajor… nope that wasn’t even a real planet. Neither was Tatooine.
-arrrrrrrrrrgh.
OK. Ok she could do this.
She peered over the table again, frustrated and tempted to just lay back in with the bat, but she was pretty sure they’d gone to some trouble to give her a minute with this stupid pen trying to remember the name of some god forsaken planet l…
… well s**t.
Maybe she could still shake the cat on principle. The girls did seem to think it had led the monster here.
“KISS MY BUTT, CAT!” She yelled out, prelude to. “IMPERATRIX POWER, MAKE UP!”
After that… it was a little more confusing, and a little more revealing, her hip tattoos on reveal from an short corset, and a sturdy little jacket with rolled sleeves. The entire outfit was…
She could appreciate the details later. Right now she was pretty sure this and the new kick a** boots were authorization to… well… kick. a**. Or snow. Whatever happened first.
“NOW can I brain Frosty??”
Seriously she didn’t normally need a permission slip for this stuff. But she could use it to write a list of questions on afterward. She knew they were coming, but right now she had other concerns.
---
Cold...cold...damn snow was cold….
Phact felt the slush still on her legs as she watched Kastra and Sabine. Sabine was right though, it was starting to melt.
“Get it away from the windows...towards the fire place. That should still be the warmest part of the…”
But her words were cut off when she heard a voice scream out. Stopping in her tracks, Phact jerked her head over her shoulders just in time to see the final results. “I’ll be damned…” the super senshi smirked as she gazed at her friend. The attire was not at all practicle for the cold but it suited her in ways that made the senshi of doves smirk.
“Yes!” Phact screamed out, ducking a swing with of slush coming at her. Still some landed in her hair. She could feel it melting and slipping down her back. “Brain the heck out of demon frosty!”
Whipping back around, Phact shot looks at Sabine and Kasta. “Sabine, check the counters for anything hot! Soup, tea,....it can’t have gone cold yet.” If he did, there might be bigger issues. “Kasta! Let’s draw it in more!” Phact then glanced back at the new senshi and nodded. Before moving towards the snowman and pushing on its side. She could feel her hands cover in the cold slush but she didn’t want to getting towards the door or the windows.
“Where is Kai when you need a flaming bull…”
---
Benedict sniffed in disdain for the rough words thrown his way. “Hmph, yes, I think you will find yourself properly equipped now…” He said, tail flicking behind him as he sat down on the table fully and watched the senshi make quick work of the youma.
Kastra’s kick sent the head rolling away from the body in a spray of cold, wet, slush, The core beneath exposed, the youma proper, face a frozen rictus grin of fangs of ice, turned to face the Senshi of meditation and then spun quickly toward Phact as well. Cold, frozen eyes unblinking, stared with chilling anger at the senshi.
Sabine moved quickly, jumping over the counter and sliding behind it to see if she could find some warm carafes and pots. She did find a few, and was coming around the corner when she recoiled at the reveal of the youma’s core. “What is that thing!” She knew it was a youma, but what kind, she could not tell.
The youma lashed out a bit weaker now with it’s wooden arms, the snow melt slowing it down as it was forced to fight through the now thicker material.
---
Kastra was the first to see and first to react to this new found face under the slush. She wincing and taking a step back as her leg was covered in slush from her attack. She shivering and falling back.
She then heard Phact tell her to distract and lure the beast “Well that should not be too hard!” She had already gotten its attention, and perhaps not in the best way. She took in a deep breath, taking off one of her sandals and hurling it hard at the youma, driving it back toward her and the fireplace.
“Phact, don’t let it change course!” She scrambled to her feet, backing up a bit more as she noted Mercy hunting for something warm. “There should be a spray hose somewhere! For washing dishes! Turn on the hot water to full!”
She flashed a glance to the form of her friend, newly turned and ready to fight. ‘Oh Ginger...I hope you are ready for the change this will bring in you...I know I wasn’t’
---
“I think I saw this thing in a horror movie once!” Ginger called back. She wasn’t sure she could imagine what changes there would be, except for the unfortunate risk of snow on the bare stretch around her midriff. “... It wasn’t a very good movie!” She added, reaching for the bat she’d abandoned beside her, and hoping that her new boots had good treads. She had her eyes on those thick wooden looking arms. If it was wood… she’d bet her bat won. If it wasn’t… well she’d still put good odds on the bat, especially if she could get it at the joint. Joints were a necessary fragility, and she felt…
She felt energized, and powerful. She liked her chances. She was the lightweight in this ring but she thought she could handle this.
“First the poinsettia’s,… now Frosty? What the heck is up with this horror movie crap??”
Not to mention the cat. And the PEN. And… and -Imperatrix-. Where the heck had she even ever heard that before?
---
Phact’s face twisted in disgust as she saw what was coming out from under the snow. It took Kastra’s voice to snap her out of the daze. Nodding back at the woman, she followed the show towards cold and ugly.
“Hey! Frosty the Ugly Snowman...over here!” Punchlines, not her thing.
But the call she knew was too late as she saw a swing take place. Damn, Ginger...or what was her name now?... had an arm.
“Remind me to never piss you off.” Phact smirked, checking to make sure the creature didn’t change courses and go after Kastra.
“Any luck back there Sabine?” She called out, kicking a chair away from her and towards the lower part of the melting slush. “Even a match?”
---
Benedict chose this moment to drop down from his perch on the table to hide under said table as he had no real desire to be anywhere near the Youma as they prepared to dust it into the fireplace. Frankly, he’d be happy for them to defeat it so he could tell the new senshi all about her new role in the world.
So for now he hid, even as the youma hissed and thrashed at them, gnashing icy fangs in their directions as Ginger’s hit sent a wooden arm flying out of the snow slush and onto the floor with a clatter. It was replaced by a much shorter, but by no means less clawed arm of ice, that snatched at the new senshi as the youma hissed at its protective disguise being worn away.
Sabine had run back behind the counter, and had found the hot water hose in the back. Having kinked it she turned the hose toward the youma and the group. “Incoming!” she shouted, before unkinking the hose and spraying down the ice youma with steaming hot water, washing away the last of the slush.
And leaving a much smaller, gnashing ice goblin in its place.
---
Hearing the cry from Mercy, Sita ducked for cover. It was only moments later that she heard the rush of water running from the kitchen area and toward the youma. “go mercy!!!”
She cheered the woman on and moved to a safe spot to continue the fight, seeing as the beast had now shown its true form.
“these things never quit!” She growled and watched Ginger take swing after swing at the now smaller attacker. How would they handle this one? It had not so obvious of a weakness.
“Phact! A plan of attack on this one? It is ice, but not fully so!” She was doing what she could to lay out the area and think of a new move.
---
“It’s made of ice…” Phact called out, her eyes watching the creature now and quickly shooting a look at Sabine. With a flash of her hands, she gave the girl the signal they had agreed upon so long ago to fall in. Shifting her own position, she wanted them each on the four corners so it had nowhere to run.
“But a harder ice than what hot water can take. That means…” Once more her eyes scanned and then she smiled. “We hit it even harder!” Standing straight up now, she wished Panera had more hard hitting things than a table or a chair. Oh well...make due with that one has.
Grabbing the closest free standing chair to her, Phact made a spin that made her look like something in between a disk thrower and a dance. Two spins and she let the chair fly towards the little youma low enough that she figured even if it jumped it would still hit.
With a gnarling sound, it did leap. But when it did, it lept into the corner of the chair smashing the edge straight into its chest. Both Goblin and chair hit the ground in a pile, sounds of animalistic annoyance and pain coming from the under the wood. Claws ripped through the wood, sending pieces spinning off to the sides but when it sat up, Phact saw what she needed.
“Aim for the chest.” She spoke, quickly shooting the ladies a look. “Look, you can see a crack starting to form there where the chair hit. That’s our target!”
---
“I’m calling dibs… is dibs a thing?” Ginger decided, firmly puffing a strand of stray red and gold hair out of her face and adjusting her grip on her bat, eyes narrowed as she sized up the ice goblin.
She’d consider the boots, big, delightfully stompy things, but she thought she wanted a little more range between herself and those teeth and claws. And she had this… feeling… most anything else she could do was a little more up close and personal than she wanted to be.
“Stupid rotten little party crasher!”
Changes indeed. She was pretty sure she could handle this, it wasn’t that much different than the poinsettia, and she felt so much stronger right now… she was almost more afraid of damaging her bat than getting hurt herself, but knew that was a cocky thought. She swung the bat at the cracked space in it’s chest like she was swinging to knock a ball out of the park.
----
Benedict cheered from his fortress of under the table, watching as the group unleashed their full force on the youma. He sat, cleaning his paw that had gotten dipped into some delightful broccoli and cheese soup.
Sabine on the other hand, moved as Phact’s signal requested, boxing the youma in and ditching the hose as she grabbed another chair to swing it opposite Gingers. Wincing at the shock as the impact met in the center.
“Okay, Kastra, you’re up!” She called to the fourth girl as she dropped the chair and darted back from the youma’s pained thrashes.
The youmas was badly cracked and lashing out in pain with its claws, the ice breaking off crumbling into dust before it hit the ground.
---
Kastra watched as each took their turn at the beast. She readying herself and focusing her mind on that weakened point in the creature's chest. It was her target, she could make the shot
She moved to break one of the legs if the nearest table, she getting a decent point on the item before dusting it off and aiming at the fallen youma.
She heard the calls of the others, and once mercy was clear, she lunged forward forward, thrusting the leg with all her might into the chest of the goblin, hoping to hit hard and dust this b*****d while they could.
---
With a scream that made at least Phact cover her ears, the broken chair leg struck home! The goblin of a youma lashed out once more with its clawed hand, trying in one last act of desperation to take at least some form of pain with it.
But it was too late. One twitch around the spikes of wood and the crack on its chest finally gave way. All over its body, lines formed until it shattered, falling now as ice but as dust.
Red and white shoes clicked forward and Phact crossed the distance towards Kasta. Resting a hand on the woman’s shoulders, she gazed down at the pile of dust before kicking it with her shoe. “It didn’t get you, did it?” Red eyes scanning the woman checking for injury before picking her head up and gazing across from her at Sabine.
A nod of her head seemed in perfect time for the lights above them to click back on. Lifting her head up, Phact gazed around, eyeing the fire as it blazed to life. “Great timing…” She chuckled and then turned to her side.
“I think we need to get the rest of this to go and get out of here. I have a sneaking feeling someone has questions….” Phact grinned, now looking at the brand new fledgling.
---
“Yeah MAYBE.” Ginger snorted, slinging the bat across her shoulders and draping her wrists over it. “One of them is -where the hell was a cat keeping a pen- because ...do I need to go wash my hands here?”
She wasn’t sure if the lack of hairball type noises before it had been tossed her way was a good sign or a bad one, but it had been dry and it didn’t…. Well … Smell. “Second… is this like a regional thing? Because Poutine looks gross as hell but I don’t think it tries to kill you unless you’re lactose intolerant or something. Lastly…”
She paused, took a long slow breath fingers lifting skyward for a second, and then they dropped, hands shaping into accusing points as she gestured at the other girls.
“Lastly. WHAT THE ********. Nothing else, just “What. The. ******** can explain!” Benedict declared, sauntering out from under his table fort, tail swishing as he gracefully avoided the puddles of food and broken dishware. Before sitting down a “safe” distance from the assembled girls. “You are all Sailor Senshi, warriors of Order and protectors of the city! That thing that had been stalking me for the last block that you decimated was a youma, a monstrous servant of the Negaverse, agents of Chaos and one if the threats you face as protectors of this world.”
The cat nodded his head a few times. “I sensed a potential senshi and found you, knowing you’d be able to protect me. Imagine my surprise when I found a whole bevy of senshi!”
Sabine frowned, crossing her arms. “You failed to enlighten her on the fact you just plunged her into a war.” Her voice was curt. “One that might result in her or people she cares about getting hurt!”
“An unfortunate side effect to wielding magic to be sure,” Benedict huffed back.
---
Kastra was all but shaking as she was led to standing by her friend, she had managed to dust the youma, but in doing so she had felt the sting of its claws. Not only was she bleeding as she leaned against Phact, but the ice of those claws had made through outer rim of the wound darken with frostbite.
Kasta winced and leaned hard on her friend, breathing slow and looking out at Ginger. “as the cat said. Your life is no longer your own, and your family, your friends, everything you live is now at stake. We fight to protect them, and ourselves from the Negaverse.”
---
When Phact saw the wounds, she winced. “Damnit all.” In a way, it made her wish she still kept in touch with Hannah but…
She pushed the thoughts to the side as she made one quick glance around, checking for signs of cameras on the wall and ceiling. She didn’t trust them to be off. That was the reason she didn’t power down as she held her friend closely. “Sabine, grab some napkins. Kastra got hit.” The blood was phase one. Phase two…
“We need to get out of here. Both to warm up Kastra before any lasting damage sets in and…” Her eyes shot over to the cat and Ginger. “To fill in our new friend before someone gives her too much wrong information.” Glaring, twisted eyes landed on the furball.
“I didn’t catch your new name...and I apologize but in these forms, we need to not use our human ones.” Phact finally offered, looking Cookie in the eyes. “So, for safety, would you mind grabbing up our things. I think we need to retreat to warmer, more protective areas and have a long talk. Don’t worry...we will answer everything because ‘What the ********’ is a very, very good question.” Phact was calm as she looked back at Kastra’s arms. She wasn’t going to start trying to warm them back up until she was sure they would be out of the cold. The movement from Panera to car was enough to make her worry. Once they got her inside, sorry everyone but it was going to be a sauna.
“But to start, Congratulations. You are a Senshi now. Welcome to the White Moon.” Phact tried to smile but it was clear she was not happy and debating a cat skin rug.
---
Ginger opened and shut her mouth for a moment, fingers drumming on the sparkly bat, and her gaze turned slowly toward the cat, her body language shifting casually into a loose, easy pose from which she could move easily, and then….
Smiled.
She let the bat swing down, and rested it on a table, taking a few steps toward Bennedict with that same smile on her face.
“Oh I’m sure he had his reasons…” She offered, though there was the faintest brittle edge to her perky tone. “Isn’t that right kitty? I don’t think I caught your name either….” She offered, kneeling down and offering her hands out as though offering a clean path through the chaos and destruction. “It’s Imperatrix.” She offered to the others, though her attention was still fixed on Benedict. “C’mere fuzz butt.”
---
Benedict looked up at Imperatrix as she approached, tail flicking as he tilted his head to watch her. “Well, yes, I was being stalked by a youma and can’t really defend myself.” He sniffed, eying the offered hand with some incredulity. “My name is Benedict, not fuzz butt!”
Turning up his nose, he attempted to maneuver his way away from the senshi and out the door. “The nerve! I shan’t work in these conditions, hmph!”
Sabine quickly ran to get napkins and brought them to Phact, hissing at Kastra’s wounds. “Yeah, we need to go, cops will be here soon.”
He could already hear the sirens through the open door, they needed to scatter and fast.
---
Kastra was doing all she could to keep from focusing on the poison in her arm, she wincing hard as the napkins were placed on the wounds. “s**t…!” She rarely cussed, but she closed her eyes and looked to the others as they gathered themselves up and made to move.
“i will be alright. We just need to move fast. Phact, leaf the others out, i will be following. I will meet you all at the car.” she knew she was slower than the rest, and she would own it.
“once we are away we can figure things out. I’m sorry Imperatrix, i am sorry that my wounds are delaying your answers.”
---
“Sabine, help Kastra out the door. Let's use the snow as cover. Imperatrix, forget the feline. I'm sure we will see him again and when we do, I'll personally help you smack him around. But for now…” Phact stole one more glance at Kastra’s arms, winced and moved back to the booth they had been sitting in.
“Grab your bat and help me with the bags. Wait to power down…” Phact stopped, picked her head up and looked over at the new senshi. “Power up and power down. Basically to go up you say that phrase. To go down, just focus on going back to normal. No fancy words. But I'll show you once we are in the car. I don't want to risk cameras around here. “
Glancing to Sabine and Kastra, she gave them both a warm look. “I'll pull my car up front to make it easier. Keep warm. “ She whispered, before eyeing Imperatrix. “Come on. We have a lot to discuss. But hey...now you know why I freaked out when I lost my pen.”
With a half smile, she turned to move out the door, waiting for Imperatrix before she brought her car to the door. They would have to work on get aways later.
---
Imperatrix looked like she was debating if she could chuck one of the remaining soup tureens at the wisely retreating cat and somehow have it reduce force enough in air to allow its contents to soak his thick fur with something hard to clean. Something… vegetarian. She wasn’t sure about talking ones, but since regular cats were obligate carnivores, it seemed like a suitable revenge since she’d failed to lure him close enough to sample what ‘Imperatrix Needles’ did.
“Little JERK!” She snarled, dropping the friendly facade, fingers twitching toward being fists, before she gathered herself up and went to help with the bags. “Smarter than he looks.” She added, with a wry smile to the other girls. “We’re gonna have to go to the drug store unless you’re planning on hitting the hospital.” She added with a worried frown to Kastra. Bandaids and sports wrap were one thing, but apparently she was now going to have to start carrying medical tape and gauze pads and butterfly bandages. Maybe super glue. Who didn’t love having superglue on hand anyway?
“Aren’t we gonna have a problem just from ‘powering up’ in here to begin with?” She asked, slinging a bag hastily over her shoulder and holding out her arms to take more. S… Kastra’s in particular.
----
Sabine moved to help Kastra out of the Panera, turning her head to nod at Imperatrix with a small smile. “Well, there’s like… Magic that will prevent people from seeing who we are but that doesn’t help if we power down again, for all they’ll know we are four senshi that just showed up out of nowhere in the chaos. It’s risky, yeah, but worse case Phact and I can try to sneak back in when you’re in the car and try to wreck the footage.”
It wasn’t her go to choice mainly because with the cops coming it would require them all to flee and Phact was really the only driver.
She did her best to help with Kastra’s wounds as well with the napkins, but there was only so much. “Sorry, I should have tried smacking it harder so you didn’t get hit.” She added with a small flush of color. “I’ll try to do better next time.”
Then she assisted in getting Kastra out to the car, because time was of the essence.
---
As she heard Imperatrix’s words, Kastra sighed. She knew that she had more than lonely been caught on camera, powering up. Though the lack of sound and her subtle movements would disguise her for now.
“it is hardly your fault, Sabine. You did fine. I should have opted for a less...dangerous...manner of dealing with it.”
She moved along with Sabine, walking to the car with a much speed as she could muster.
Reaching the car, she moved into the seat, she keeping her arm held close to her body. She would not be a burden on her friends, cleaning and wrapping will be enough. She will survive.
---
Pulling the car around to the front, Delilah sat in the driver’s seat, though she had her scarf over her face to be sure. She didn’t say much until she was sure everyone was in and settled. Glancing in the back at the others, Delilah reached down to crank up the heat. “Sorry ladies. I think we may melt before we get to my place.”
Pulling down the scarf, she pulled them onto the road and back towards her place. It was going to be a long evening and she hoped Ginger was up for what she was going to face. At least she could make sure their friend knew she wasn’t alone.
Torvil
Mercy/Benny
Serpentsong
Sita
Ryuthulhu
Ginger