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Alexander felt like he was simultaneously made of stone and being filled like a balloon. His joints hurt, his head was screaming, and every movement felt like he was an overly full sausage casing. It was miserable and making him half delirious. Even looking around town, he wasn't sure how or when he had gotten to this part of the city. Whatever part of that city that was. He blearily remembered leaving his apartment, but he had to assume elevator over stairs even if the amount of sweat running off of him made the latter possible. He had been making turns up and down streets, but whatever destination he wasn't sure. He was just going as standing still made it all feel worse.

What appeared some sort of walking fever or general sickness to the civilian man was caused by something far deeper. Telesto had apparently done its time waiting and was demanding to be awakened now, as best they knew how. Applying pressure. Ripples of power rolled out from the man, waves of pressure pushing against the mortal coil and out into the world. Demanding freedom, regardless of the outcome. The long dormant starseed would awake this day, one way or the other.

Alexander, unaware of his dawning, marched on, pulled towards nothing he knew of. A building beacon of energy and power. The sweat drenched sweats clinging to his large form. Long, black hair half covering his face, showing only the one eye that looked as if about to burst. Suffering for reaching a limit he hadn't known existed.

Alex's eyes, and head, swung widely in search of the voice. Side to side. Behind him. Back to front. Down. His eyes narrowed in as he took in what he thought was the source of the voice. A hand came up to pull aside the curtain of hair covering the second eye, just to be sure. That had to be where the voice came from. Definitely. Which voice was it?

"... Did... Did you just talk to me?" Alex asked, still walking forward with his stumbling stride. Big, uncoordinated steps; watch that tail, Tama. His eyes focused on Tama though, watching them when he should've watched the rest of the sidewalk in front of him, but it was fine. Someone would pick up that trashcan he had just bulled his way through. "Eugh, my head..." He groaned, hand releasing his hair to cover his eye again.

Their uncovered eye stayed fixed on Tama, but suddenly narrowed fiercely. Looking at him not in the delirious shock of a moment ago, but with a firm gaze of demanding arrogance. "Release me, now!" They shouted suddenly, booming voice cutting through the fevered state, replacing the confusion in the eyes with a frenzied agitation almost. Like a predator barred behind a cage for too long.

Just as soon as it had appeared though, it was gone. Alex's clouded gaze falling over Tama again. "Sorry.... what was that again?"

His unsteady steps had fallen in line with Tama, without realizing it. They were talking, about something, surely they knew where to go. Alex was pretty sure that's how it worked. He thought. Someone thought it was a good idea to follow them, anyhow. Someone demanded it, but demand was hard to read behind a splitting headache and blurry vision.

Alex's eyes crossed and uncrossed as he listened to Tama, compressed brain still trying to process exactly what has happening. The cat was talking to him, and for some reason he was positive that was a good thing. Definitely a good thing and something that needed to happen fast. For.... Some reason.

"Change?" He croaked out, looking down at the cat.

A lumbering mass and graceful cat weaving did not make for a good mix, as Alex's feet suddenly tripped up and briefly stumbled forward. A suddenly steady hand snapped out, gripping against a stone wall with an impressive grip that lasted just long enough for Alex to steady himself.

A pair of firmer and accusing eyes fixed on Tama, a sharp nod following the agreement to release them. That was good enough.

The softened, glazed over eyes returned, watching in confusion as Tama darted away.

"Wait! Was it something I said! I'm sorry, I don't have any change!" He shouted after Tama, doing his best to follow after. "I'll buy you uh... What's the good brand? Blue Buffalo? Hill's?!"

It wasn't the best chase for the other people on the street, but it was at least amusing. The very apologetic man chasing behind a cat, offering recompense of food that he seemed distressed as to why it wasn't working.

Acubens was, in a word, a sucker. For a lot of things, actually. Namely her wife, but beyond that, there was a lot. And so, when a cat told her to be somewhere at a certain time because someone was coming home, Acubens, of course, agreed to the arrangement. And so, she appeared, as though on cue, to the mention of her ilk and the quick introductions. Not that Acubens minded. They would get to know one another properly later. Tama was absolutely correct, there was work to be done first.

And so, she put on her most pleasant smile and nodded.

"I do think you're correct, Tama," she answered softly, extending her hand to the young man in front of her. "I'm sure any issues are just because you've been so strained recently, yeah?" And then she leaned in conspiratorially, stage-whispering, "my brother was a late bloomer too. He had a hell of a time in the days leading up to him finally awakening." And if she had a little bit of fun at his expense before she knew exactly what was happening to him, then... oops.

"Tama's right, we can get you fixed up right away. Tap into that power and take some of the pressure off, and then you'll be back to yourself in to time flat. What do you say?"

“Well, then let’s listen to the man and get on with it. he clearly wants it.”

Tama said, rather coyly. This one was interesting, if a bit loud.

“He wants to be released. I’d certainly like to oblige. But I need a certain Black Mirror.”

The cat let his words hang in the air, playing.

“I don’t suppose you could take us to one?”

———

The Mauvian smiled after they had left Mirrorspace. The Black Mirror had done its work. And it was magnificent!

“So, have we released you, Sailor Telesto?”

The cat grinned as he handed the brand new senshi his pen.



☆

Like many late bloomer senshi, the awakening had been a lot. Bubbling on the mirror surfaces, the sound of shattering when there was none, and the erratic and jerky motions of a senshi acclimating to their new form.

Their eyes focused on Tama initially, the firm eyes that had slipped between the cracks of the stumbling mortal were there fully now. Eye that watched, calculated, and judged not only Tama but the world around them. Some confusion cut through the glances, but it was quickly smothered by a sense of belonging; mirrorcoat was a hell of a drug.

"Thank you," they said after a moment, head nodding slightly to Tama.

Their hand left the frame and gripped at Acubens, feet that were not unsure but rather uncoordinated leading them from the space. As they looked upon Acubens that same visage of confusion to briefly anger to happiness cross their gaze. In the end, Telesto again bowed their head, this time to Acubens.

"Thank you as well, and yes. Some food and answers would do me wonders... I have much that I wonder about."

They let Tama and Acubens lead, pocketing their senshi pen for the moment. Seemingly content, if a bit confused, to follow along for the moment.