It wasn't unusual for him to be out while powered up, it was fairly common in fact. It wasn't because he was eternal, though he felt he had responsibilities which came with it, it was more that he liked being out when powered up and spending time with other members of his court - like tonight. Acubens was someone he spent a lot of time with, she'd been there for him so much, he figured he'd always be close to her. She had been to catch him when he'd thought he'd fall and have no where else to go, because he didn't want to ask Jett to put him up in a motel again.
"It's nice out....falls coming . It's early this year...but summer didn't last long." He whispered as he turned his heads towards the wild haired female.
"I hope this holiday season is safe." But he doubted it. "We should talk to any new members...give them a heads up and keep with them once October hits....just in case...even civilian events." He'd found out how easily simple civilian things, like fairs, could go wrong - very wrong.
"I want to keep our family safe." Because for him it was a family. They were small and he felt like they gave him comfort and a safe feeling. They were everything he'd lacked as a child when it came to family.
---
The short summer was not lost on Acubens who, as a civilian, was doing more cleaning out of her drooping summer crops and at earlier dates. Normally she could at least keep Her courgettes going well into September, but they had been cleared out the previous week. It was, though she would never let on, making her a little nervous about stocking for the autumn and winter selling seasons.
“Pumpkins should be about ready soon,” she answered, falling into step easily beside her old friend. Not to brag, but her crop of gourds was already setting like a champ.
“Yeah, that’s not a super bad idea. Station someone at every major event. Even if they can’t power up for whatever reason, they’d at least be able to mitigate some damage from experience alone.” Logistics would be difficult, but not impossible. Especially with her own new project -- making the Citadel a halfway decent place to gather.
“Do you… do you want to organize that, Kiuchi? You keep saying that you want a way to help without being on the actual front lines unless you’re needed… this might be how you can do that.”
“I can try...I don’t know so many people. We need to know what we have for eternals...and those who can fight.” Since he couldn’t fight, not as well as others, but he still had wings and the magic which came with them. “I just know the holidays are no good for this city...and we’re too small. The odds of several of us being at an event when it goes wrong are lower than others.” And he’d like to try and up the odds - to keep them all safe. This was his family and even if he didn’t know everyone he wanted them all safe just the same, or as safe as could be.
“Mmm, it seems like the front lines are where I keep winding up though...or right behind you using what magic I have.” He said with a smile and teasing tone. It was true though. As much as he didn’t like fighting he seemed to get in the middle of things somehow - he had people to defend and keep safe.
“I wonder...do we even know every member of our court? Could we get a full headcount including ranks and spheres? Is there a way to get in touch with everyone?” They may not be able to get in touch with everyone, especially new members or those who didn’t power up often, or at the right times.
---
Acubens liked to think that she had a pretty good grasp on the members who powered up often and were active, but she had no proof that this was true. Really, she might only know a small handful of people that she kept close… and distantly the Senshi that Remarque, Leto, and Lesath kept close.
“It’s more than likely that we don’t actually know everyone in the court. Even neverminding the Senshi who powered up once and then never did again or the ones taking a break for whatever reason. Our court is small but it’s not that small…”
Kiuchi’s second question was a little more complicated. Acubens mussed her already wildly tangled curls and sighed.
“I mean, we can ask around for names and spheres, then record those with defining features. That’d be a good start…”
Basic, but good.
“Let’s see… we know personally,” she began counting off on her fingers, “Leto, Remarque, Lesath… Logos, Mirtha, Crocus, Avior, Melpomene… ummm… Chione, of course, Romulus, Sadalsuud… wait what am I at now? 11? No, 12 with Kibirev. Plus you and me makes 15, right? We know 15 senshi? Does that sound right? That can’t be right. We know more…”
They didn’t know any more.
“Well I’ll be damned… I thought we were more on top of it than that…”
---
“I think we should do that. Starting with who we know and then who they know. Keeping track would be a good idea for this plan. Some might never power up, or rarely do so, but they might if something happens - instinct or wanting to be safe...to protect themselves.” Even he’d power up if he had to in order to keep himself safe, and he wasn’t much for fighting. He was however still an eternal senshi and it was safer for him to power up if he needed to.
Listening to her list off people he shook his head. “The one who spoke Thai...remember him. I saw him...with that plant - he was with Remarque...I just...I don’t know if he’s active or his name. There was also another one I met once...in passing. Merkeb I think...it was a strange name. I don’t...I can’t remember her magic..if it was mentioned even. That would make 15…” Tilting his head, and toying with his uniform, his gloves as usual, he nibbled his lip for a moment before speaking.
“What about Kissling...and Kit...and the other one?” The one he didn’t want to mention. “We don’t know where they are - if they’re still in the city even. B-but we know them and they might be in the city...or turn up eventually.” Either as a dark mirror still or a civilian….or worse yet - on the other side or dead.” Neither of the last two things did he want to think about. It hurt to think about in fact, it hurt a lot….more than it should. He felt something - something painful tugging...tugging at his starseed.
“Acubens….?” Questioning as a hand moved to his chest, clutching the fabric of his uniform. “Wha?” No longer thinking of adding his boyfriend to the list, as Fulu, he was focused on what he felt but was clueless on. He just knew it hurt and his starseed felt it.
---
Acubens didn’t need to ask Kiuchi what was the matter. She knew exactly what the matter was. Her own starseed pounded against her ribcage, like her heart beating out of sync. It stole her breath and caused her to stop dead in her tracks. This time she reached out for Kiuchi, clutching his hand while she slowed her breath and regained her composure.
“I don’t know,” Acubens gasped finally, pushing her mane out of her eyes as she stood back up. Wait, when had she doubled over? It didn’t matter.
“But given the track record of this court, I think we should make it our business to find out, don’t you?”
Taking a head count could wait. All Acubens could think was Oh god, she’s back. Altea’s back and she’s here to make good on her promises.
It wasn’t just Acubens who’d bent over double - he had as well. Not nearly as bent as his shorter counterpart but still, he was bent double as well. When he did straighten he kept a hold of her hand, like it was some sort of life line, and tugged her to his side.
“I think so - we need to know. Something happened...I don’t like it.” Things like this surely couldn’t be good, for anyone, but...was it just their court? It didn’t leave him feeling very warm and fuzzy that was for certain. “I hope everyone is ok…” He whispered, his voice small and soft like an unsure child.
He wasn’t worried so much about Altea but he was worried about mirrorspace perhaps acting up and deciding to attack them in some new manner, rather than pulling them into mirrorspace and trying to kill them - because that hadn’t worked.
“We need move….to figure this out.” Nodding his head though his feet didn’t move, didn’t start him moving to find an answer to things, but he wanted to move. He just was scared...scared of right this might mean. He was worried too - so worried.
---
Kiuchi wasn’t the only one who had frozen. For the first time in years, Acubens had to convince herself to move. She had to remind her body how to work and do its damned job. It took her a minute, but after a deep, shaking breath, she squeezed Kiuchi’s hand and tugged, her own protesting muscles creaking as she moved forward. Always forward. Forever forward.
“There has to be someone around who knows what that feeling was, and the first place I think we should look is Mirrorspace. If something ******** is happening there, it needs to be investigated…”
The first mirror was some distance away, a full length tossed out with the rest of the trash. It was blessedly uncracked, and big enough for them to fit through one after the other, but Acubens hesitated when she approached it.
Summoning her phone from subspace, she shot off a quick text to Lavender. Mirrorspace is being strange. I won’t get sucked into another realm. Be home a little later though.
“Okay, let’s go see whats going on.”
---
“I agree...but shouldn’t we have others with us for that? For safety.” Considering how dangerous mirrorspace could be - had been. The idea of just the two of them going, if it was mirrorspace acting up, was worrisome. “Someone at least our level...I don’t want to risk someone else…” Someone newer...or weaker. This was their job as eternals.
“Mmm, all good with Lavender?” He asked softly. He could, and perhaps even should, send a message to Avior or Crocus, maybe even Gabriel, but he didn’t. He didn’t want to worry anyone - not about him. He was, and always would be, the sort to worry about others and not want to be worried about. He knew if he told them they would come..and he didn’t want that.
“I hope mirrorspace isn’t the issue.”
-----
The pack of cigarettes and the lighter in his little pocket of subspace were mostly untouched. He'd stopped smoking, he'd told himself. And Raven. And everyone.
For the most part, he had. He'd picked up the habit again when he and Raven broke up a few years ago, but he'd broken it off when she found out she was pregnant.
He still kept a pack for nights like this, though.
He knew that sting, the ache, of a part of the Court fragmenting. A little piece breaking off.
There was no way to know who, not without doing a headcount. And, these days, he didn't even know how many were being brought in. It's not like they were all in contact with each other on a regular basis; any Eternal Senshi could bring someone into the Court if they wanted to.
Knowing that it might have been a complete stranger didn't make him feel any better.
Remarque felt the tug. It wasn't the first time, but knowing the source didn't give him any reassurance.
The cigarette did, however. He'd lit it up only a few seconds after the realization hit him.
Everyone dealt with stress differently.
He just needed a pick me up while he figured this one out.
He'd have to touch base with everyone. It wasn't an easy task. So, a cigarette, as he powered up to his Prince Form and began his journey passing through mirrors planted through Destiny City as he tried to find any trace of another Royal--anyone strong enough to purify a Dark Mirror Senshi.
Anything, just to get a clue about who they'd lost.
The cigarette was short lived; he'd traveled through a dozen mirrors across Destiny City and then decided that maybe he'd get lucky and find some goodbye note taped to the wall of Mirrorspace. He'd walked back to the common room and been there for all of ten seconds when he felt two energy signatures appear there with him.
Remarque half turned to see them and, recognizing both of them instantly, immediately pinched the cigarette dangling between his lips and put it out on the metal of his bracer as he turned to face them. He exhaled the last bit of smoke from his lungs towards the ground swiftly, as if it would have been enough to hide his dirty habit.
"Acubens, Kiuchi," he greeted. "Good to see you."
They were okay. It was a start.
--
The warm, safe feeling of mirrorspace wrapped around Acubens, yet she could not shake the feeling of something being terribly, terribly wrong. Nothing good felt like your heart being torn out. Nothing good stopped you dead in your tracks and ran you cold. Nothing good felt like this.
Even the sight of one of her dearest friends could shake that feeling. If anything it only made the feeling of dread worse.
“You quit smoking,” she said matter-of-factly when Remarque addressed them, still smelling of nicotine even if he hadn’t just poorly tried to hide his exhalation. Not that it mattered. And not that she held it against him given whatever had just happened. Hell, if she smoked, she’d have lit up too.
“If you’re here just after what we felt, then it’s nothing good I gather,” she went on, wild eyes searching the halls for something amiss in mirrorspace, but praying that this time, if no other time, it would behave itself.
---
Mirrorspace was comforting, even if at times it tried to seriously harm or kill them, it was still home...if they really had any sort of home this was it. But it didn’t take away the feeling inhis chest and it didn’t remove the memory of it, of how bad it had felt when it had hit him and swept away the air from his lungs. It didn’t help even though it should - because it was home. Home should always sweep away bad feelings...but not now.
Seeing Remarque the eternal hurried over with shuffling feet. “That feeling...it hurt.” He whispered while long arms reached out and embraced the other. The eternal really didn’t care that this was their prince, and his boss, he was safe and he had to know - right?
“Why did it hurt….what was it?” Gripping the others uniform, though not tightly, his own dark eyes glanced about them. No one else was here...had anyone else felt it? How could they not have though?
“It’s ok if he smokes right now…” He whispered after a few moments, in sort of distracted manner - a whisper of a voice. “It’s ok...right now anyway.” Nodding his head slowly as he spoke. “Something happened.”
-
"I did quit smoking," Remarque stressed, giving Rhona a look that said he expected her to treat it as fact, no matter if the smoke was still fading, or the cigarette butt was still held between his fingers.
He hadn't been expecting Kiuchi's embrace, but Remarque himself was not a very physical man. Kiuchi, though, he knew was different. Remarque's instinct told him to wriggling out of the embrace before anything could be considered awkward, but he knew Kiuchi well enough to know that it meant more for him to have something to ground himself to than any need Remarque had to preserve his masculinity. So, instead of pushing Kiuchi away, he wrapped an arm around him and patted his back reassuringly.
"You're fine," he said to both of them. "Nothing's going to hurt you. What's done is done, it's not a threat to us. Not yet, at least."
Not ever, hopefully.
Even as he kept one arm hooked around Kiuchi, he kept his gaze on Rhona.
"Nothing's going to jump out. You're as safe here as any other day. You've never felt someone leave the Court?"
--
Acubens staggered back at Remarques last statement as though it had physically struck her. She almost wished that mirrorspace was acting up, given what the alternative was now. At least then she could fix it and put it back the way it was supposed to be. This… this was… tragic didn’t seem to cover it. Heartbreaking was too trite as well.
Leave the court
Shame washed over Rhona as her face heated in a blush. There was no way for her to have prevented this, but that didn’t stop the feeling that she should have at least tried. If nothing else, it only proved that she was a long way away from her goal of uniting the court. And she felt so selfish for thinking that too.
“Left the court,” she repeated weakly.
“We need to find out who that was. And who is still here,” she said simply, stating what all three of them were already thinking.
---
Glad for the comfort Remarque offered, even if it was just by the other holding onto him and rubbing his back, he lifted his head and stared at their prince. Turning his head then to look back at Acubens. “Someone….left?” The question was spoken in a soft, almost disbelieving tone, as he shook his head slowly. “N-no...I’ve never. Why would someone leave? Th-that means they went to another side...but why?” Why join the Negaverse or the white moon? Both seemed to be more set to fighting...to hurting others - each other.
Raising a fisted hand the eternal, stepping back from the comfort of Remarque’s hold, his fist pressed to his bottom lip as he spoke softly. “Mmm, we need to find everyone...but how? We don’t know everyone - I’m sure of that….and how to know every member? I--it feels like we failed...are failing?” He questioned himself, his word choice, more than anything. “Are failing.” He confirmed after a moment, with a little nod of his head.
“We need a list of members….and keep it up to date...it feels like we then will know….we can keep in touch...as much as some may not like it. We should be close. We’re all we have.” He’d had a senshi once try and kill him as well as a Negaverse officer. They needed to be closer together - he was sure of it.
“I know Gabriel is safe….” At least he thought so. The other wouldn’t change sides without telling him...right? “I’ll text him.” He added in a soft, small, voice almost not wanting to be heard but he didn’t keep himself that low in voice. They’d hear him. “Avior and Crocus I know are good. They wouldn’t leave me - I’d be without a home.” And they wouldn’t do that to him. But Gabriel….Gabriel wouldn’t end them - right? Not without telling him. He was certain of it...but he needed to text anyway.
“Who can do it - who can take one of us away from the court? And can it be forced?”
---
Remarque exhaled, the taste of the cigarette finally leaving him. There was a lot to go over, so he gave them time to speak, to think, to ask. His eyes were on Acubens, as if he were trying to gauge whether or not she was going to need any additional assistance.
"There's a lot of reasons why someone might leave. None that I would ever consider for myself, but I'd imagine sometimes people don't leave because they want to, they leave because they have to. Maybe they need a fresh start, maybe they're trying to escape something. I don't know. Just because they've changed doesn't make them enemies. If we're lucky, it means we stay tight-nit and they give us a different perspective, a different approach."
If they weren't lucky, someone was pissed at them and was going to try and tear them apart, but even when he wracked his brain he couldn't think of anyone who hated them so much.
Unless it was someone they'd never met.
"The problem is, there's no way to keep track of everyone. And sometimes people get brought into the Court and lose interest, lose ties," he shrugged and took a few seconds to figure out where he wanted to go with that idea. "We can use the compacts to send out invitations, but we can't force anyone to respond. And there are those of us that keep secret, that try to be private. But I can't blame them, not when the Negaverse knows so much about us. There are some situations where the less information is known, the better." It was too late for him, they knew too much and he blamed Ares, but thankfully no one was stupid enough to try and lash out.
"...Doesn't take much to 'purify'. Their word, of course. Their propaganda. But it takes someone with as much power as I've got--a Senshi Prince, or Princess. A Royal Knight. I've never heard of anyone else doing it, though. Might be possible but," he shrugged again. "Better someone purified than they were killed, I'll say that much at least."
Even if it still visible distressed him, to at least some degree.
--
Remarque was speaking the truth, and Acubens knew this, of course. That didn't, however, stop her from wondering what else she could have done. What else she could do moving forward to prevent this in the future. She needed to get the Home Front up and off the ground. She needed to take on more younger senshi, now that the bulk of her first brood was grown. She needed to awaken more.
She needed…
She needed…
“We need to keep doing a headcount. Figure out who left. Possibly get back into contact with them to find out why they left in the first place. Even if we can’t get them back… maybe we can prevent more from leaving.”
Of course they couldn’t save them all. They couldn’t keep them all. But they could at least try, right?
“Kiuchi and I will start with the ones we know and branch out from there. Have them take a head count on their own… ”
She tossed around a few options before she finally nodded, seeming to come to a decision herself. They could do this. They could fix this. Well… maybe not fix this, but at least try and prevent it from happening again.
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