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 Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 2:43 pm
Quote: Out of Season (13) : One would think that winter would be dismal and gray, and after each snowfall there's a hefty dose of white covering up the world. Except, all winter bright patches of wildflowers begin sprouting straight through the frost--as if spring has decided to push its way into winter a few months early. Blues, pinks, yellows, and purples bloom in vivid clusters, warming the landscape with bursts of color that look impossibly alive against the cold. The flowers behave exactly like their normal spring counterparts--soft petals, gentle fragrance, and even suitable for tea or simple crafts. They’re simply appearing far too early. Whether it’s a harmless anomaly or a sign of something stirring beneath the seasons, the sudden blossoms bring an unexpected beauty to the winter chill.
It felt like such a fortuitous opportunity. A little patch growing wild. And so Tianyi sat down, letting himself enjoy the surprise presence of a reminder of home, the kerria flowers he loved and that had so filled their gardens. The flowers he bore all over his uniform, and crowned delicately in his hair. It felt like some kind of sign--to see them blossoming out of the dirt so elegantly, so resiliently, surely had to mean something for Tianyi himself.
Perhaps that he, too, would find a way through the circumstances that currently weighed heavy on him. If these flowers could bloom in the midsts of winter's cold, perhaps he too could find a way to blossom again.
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 2:52 pm
Xibalba had chosen to patrol a little outside of his usual territory. Thus far, all he'd seen was snow, snow and more snow. He was, to put it politely, mightily sick of snow. Which was part of the reason he felt so cheered to feel another powered energy signature fairly close by. He could pass some time talking, maybe learn something and get a break from endless white. Hurrying towards the aura he'd felt, he found himself pulling up sharply at the sight of a slight senshi sitting amidst a patch of flowers. Squinting and rubbing his eyes, he looked again and saw the same thing. He wasn't feverish and as far as he could tell he hadn't suffered a psychotic break. Which meant that he was looking at a senshi sitting in some flowers. Moving a little closer, he realized that this senshi was... different. Most of the ones he knew didn't have actual horns, nor cute little sheep ears. What exactly was going on here? "Um. This your doin'?" he rumbled, gesturing at the golden blooms.
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 3:14 pm
Tianyi blinked, looking up from the flowers that had so captured his attention, and tilted his head to the side. The man before him was large, even for a human, and solidly built, and definitely a Knight of some variety, though Tianyi was still very bad at recognizing who was who. The differences in Sol system Knights had not exactly been something his tutors cared to teach him, given the distance of his star and the lack of connection with the outside world.
Either way, foolish of him to have been so distracted that he didn't notice someone else nearby. He shifted into a more proper sitting position, tail swishing nervously behind him, and shook his head.
"Not my doing, no, but they're very nice flowers," he said. "Would you like to come and sit with me?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 3:25 pm
Oh. The senshi had a tail too. Okay. Why not? And with such a polite invitation (and chance for a better look), how could he refuse? Crossing through the snow, Xibalba got to the flower patch and plonked himself down towards the edge. He didn't want the tiny senshi to be uncomfortable and crowded in on, after all.
"Kind of ye," he said, offering a smile and then a hand. "Xibalba Squire o'Mars at your service."
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 3:35 pm
Ah, a Squire of Mars! Tianyi would have to remember those colors and emblems, so as not to look foolish in the future. People on Earth were probably plenty well informed, and probably expected their alien visitors to be as well (and, Tianyi supposed, it was probably more likely that someone who was more exposed to the world of the past might know. But he hated explaining his circumstance,s it always seemed to make people upset.)
"It's lovely to meet you, Xibalba of Mars," Tianyi said, taking the big man's hand and shaking it in that easy human greeting he had come to know. "I'm Sailor Tianyi. Were you looking for anything in particular, or just trying to keep an eye on things, tonight?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 3:58 pm
"Jes' a simple patrol," he answered. "Ah wanted to try a diff'rent area and here Ah am!" This last was said quite cheerfully. He settled in a little more comfortably and took in the fact that this one spot was warm enough and there was little to no snow on the ground. It was weird. But this was the kind of weird he could get behind. Turning his attention back to Tianyi, Xibalba grinned.
"Ah hope it's not rude, but what are ye?" he asked a little hesitantly. He knew in a sort of round about way that there were senshi who were not strictly human, though he hadn't met one until now. "Tianyi is your planet, too, aye? Is it far from here?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 4:37 pm
"Well, I'm glad your wanderings brought you here. I'm always happy to meet new people," Tianyi said, cheerfully. Also, it did feel a little better to have someone else with him, in case things went terribly wrong again. This world had so many wonders, and also so, so many dangers.
"Ah. You haven't met one of us offworld Senshi before, then?" He asked. "I am Tianyian, and yes, Tianyi is my world. It orbits a far distant star, and even a thousand years ago--by your reckoning--we were cut off from the wider universe. An unfortunate and tragic case of Chaos infection." His ears dropped, a little. "I understand it's the case for all of us who've come to this world from beyond it. We've lived far beyond our normally allotted years, and come to Earth in hopes of saving our worlds, I suppose."
Not all of them, maybe. Tianyi still wasn't sure how he felt about the prospect of dragging his new friends into danger just to save a world that was long dead. But enough of them.
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 4:56 pm
Oh, now this was new information! Listening carefully, he nodded where it seemed approriate. Though he felt a stab of pity at the mention of Chaos and being cut off from the rest of everything. The drooping ears somehow added to the pathos and the squire found himself reaching out to ruffle those ears with well-meaning and rough affection.
"So that's the way of it. Ah've seen what Ah suppose, in hindsight, must've been an offworld senshi before, but from a distance, ye ken? Lass looked like an angry bananner. Well, m'friend, Ah can't say as I understand what you've been through. But for what its worth, Ah'm so sorry. And if I can do somethin' to help, you just let me know."
It was an impulsive offer, but one that felt right. And he knew Chariklo would feel the same way. Which gave him a moment to inject a bit of gentle humor, "Hell, Ah'll even volunteer m'wife. She's a fierce fighter."
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 5:16 pm
The sudden touch briefly made Tianyi flinch, in the way that unexpected touch sometimes still did. He had tried very hard to learn that the people of Earth were simply very physical, and this man seemed especially so, and so he took a breath and made himself smile again. It was not meant to scare. Meant to comfort, more likely. And Tianyi would simply have to take it as such.
"We're all very different," he acknowledged, and he was fairly certain he could guess who the "angry bannaner" was--Grieve certainly did make an impression. "And I...That's a very kind offer," he said, warmly, "and I would gladly accept your help and your wife's, if the time comes that I need it." It would, of course, eventually. He couldn't ignore his world forever.
"I'm glad for whatever providence brought us to meet here. It seems a very lucky thing."
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 5:38 pm
Rough as he might seem to others, and thus, simple, Xibalba was a fairly decent observer and he hadn't missed the slight flinch when he'd ruffled Tianyi's ears. So, touch adverse. That could just be a personality thing or an indicator that this wee lad had seen some s**t in his extremely prolonged life. He was willing to bet cash on the latter. One simply didn't survive some of what the lad had described unscathed. He was going to have to remember this and act accordingly moving forward. But, rather than possibly distress the little senshi again, he smiled and gave a friendly wink.
"M'young friend," he began, "trust me when Ah say that this town tends to draw in lucky chances. And a whole lot of strangeness. But you landin' here? T'weren't no coincidence. Ah think there's somethin' at work out there that wants things t'be done about Chaos near and afar. Ah'd say we're just as lucky t'have ye here, aye?"
On that cheerful note, he moved to stand up, not wanting to intrude too much more on the little senshi. Though, he did hold out his hand for another shake and to extend an invitation. "When ye feel up to it, m'lad," he began warmly, "you look for Sailor Chariklo and reach out to she an' m'self. Ye've an open invite to dinner as many times as ye'd like to claim. Even a spare couch if need should arise." Xibalba paused, not wanting to overwhelm Tianyi, but feeling it might be inevitable.
"This is a true an' sincere offer an' Ah'll be disappointed if ye don't take it up at least once. 'Twas m'pleasure to meet ye, lad. Enjoy the flowers, aye?"
He'd be sure to tell his wife about this. She was better with potentially frightened young things than he was. He was certain that she could help Tianyi if he could get them into a room together.
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