As the group continued their discussion, once again, the tall, curly-haired senshi of tornadoes made her appearance towards the back of the herd of White Moon senshi and knights. Late to the party but intentional - she too had heard the calling but had taken her time returning that call.
The plan she'd had with Troy had failed, but that hadn't discouraged her plotting and planning. She'd filled the crystal, just as he'd asked, using her own energy to sap herself until it was full. It hadn't been the best solution, but she figured she'd rather donate her own than anyone else's and subject them to whatever it was this alien was doin' with 'em.
As the man collected the crystals, she tossed hers into the pile, quiet for a change, as everyone else spoke. The allure of an adventure called to her, but she was still suspicious. Storm a castle? Them? There was power in numbers, but this could be a reverse Alamo situation they were dealin' with... a dozen or so senshi running into a castle that could be teeming with hundreds of youma and the Good Lord knows what else.
If something seemed too good to be true, it probably was.
But what choice did they really have?
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 9:31 pm
Virgo
Virgo raised her eyebrows. "Then I'll remain with you," she said. "With Celsus and I, you'll be fine." And if something happened to those who went through, she'd be there.
Hvergelmir coughed heavily into her cloak, watching Babylon go. She didn't like the idea of sending anyone into this . . . mission was too generous a word for it. This very likely bloodbath. But she understood Babylon's need to watch out for Avalon -- and if Hvergelmir trusted anyone to bring people home safely, it was the Mercury knight. May the Cauldron watch over you, she thought miserably.
Coughing fit over, Hvergelmir reached out to draw Teide into the circle of her arms. "We're not going anywhere, little sister," she promised softly, her voice worn down to a scratch. She tried to raise her voice to shout out, this is insane, please reconsider over the crowd -- but all that came out was a soft, feeble croak, and she was forced to give it up. "I don't like this mission either. You and I can help our friends another way -- especially you. We'll stay here, and if we see anything, or, " she paused to cough against her raw throat once more, "learn anything, we'll use our rings to warn our friends in there. How does that sound?"
Silverah
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 10:06 pm
Super Sailor Thrymr, Senshi of the Southern Lights
Mont Blonc's hug, while slightly surprising, was received well, and Thrymr hugged him back, burrowing against him momentarily. When he stepped back, he gave the squire's arm a reassuring squeeze, his smile small, but still present as he looked up at his friend.
"Terrifying, and a bit...frustrating," Thrymr admitted. "There seems to be...not a whole lot that we are capable of. I'm not sure what to think of Caedus, to be honest, but...he seems as though he has good intent."
He let out a small laugh. "Next time, perhaps, you can bring him some."
The expression on Thrymr's face sobered a little, and he shifted from one foot to the other, looking concerned. "Are you going to go, Monty..? Into the...Rift, or wherever it is that we're supposed to go?"
frayedflower
I lied have one more tag
Celsus Knight of Chronos
He was not sure what he wanted anymore, his thoughts cloudy, a haze having settled over him. Celsus had hardly been aware of anything or anyone at the start of the gathering, his body and mind moving on autopilot; but getting involved in a pointless discussion seemed to have jogged him out of the previous confusion, if only for a few minutes.
Celsus's arm jerked automatically under Denebola's touch - an instinctive, unconscious reaction - but he remained still and silent and did not quite pull away. His eyes were fixed on Caedus, and for several seconds he seemed hardly able to comprehend that there was someone else speaking to him.
But he lifted his head, finally, it seemed, his gaze unfocused, eyes dulled. He did not look at Denebola, but gave a slow, weary shake of his head that spoke volumes of exhaustion and pain, his head spinning, and dimly he was aware that there was someone else there as well.
I'm not okay. I'm not sure I ever was.
At Virgo's voice, he jolted, as though not expecting to hear it. Celsus's head lifted ever so slightly, his mouth opening and closing, swallowing back whatever words had been in his throat. He looked from Virgo to Denebola, and then back again, then to the woman standing a short distance away, dark haired and familiar.
"I..." he started, and the whispers were rising in his head, shifting, adding to the nausea. Celsus forced himself, with a great deal of effort, to look at Denebola again.
"Are you - going to go in?" he asked. "Or - you - "
He tried to remember Corvus's name, his thoughts feeling sluggish, hazy; a stricken expression on Celsus's face as he glanced at Virgo, unable to stop himself from showing more emotion than he had thought he was capable of anymore.
Frustrating. Mont Blonc laughed softly, looking from one end of the crowd to the other with trepidation. "That's a fitting choice of words." Frustrating for all the arguing. Frustrating that, while he'd give it his all, Mont Blonc knew there wasn't much he could do.
Next time. The squire's smile broadened. "Yes. Next time." There would need to be a next time.
As for what he was going to do, "I am, " he answered honestly, glancing down, half-expecting this friend to be upset with him. "I have to do what I can, even if it's now much at all."
Then, it was his turn to fidget, anxious as he asked his friend, "And you? - will you be coming?" He didn't really know what answer he hoped to hear. Above all though, he badly wanted - needed his friend safe and alive. Nothing like Cinnabar should ever happen to such a kind boy again.
kuropeco
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 10:21 pm
[ Entering: Aaru, page of Saturn and Mu Arae, Senshi of brutality ]
He had arrived barely before anything began, coming towards the power signature that called to him the first time. He listened to what was being said, agreeing and disagreeing with some, but feeling a bit nervous at the same time about this entire thing. For some odd reason, it didnt sit right with him to just go storming right into the heart of chaos, but....He groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Damn....All this arguing and insulting...This made Aaru think that maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe they would get their asses handed to them. Between people being pricks to others straight up blood lusting for one reason or the other, Aaru was indeed shaking his head. Sure, he didn't trust Cadeus, but that didn't mean he wasn't willing to help out his fellow orderites in anyway he could. The thought of killing didn't sit right with him since not ALL negaversers are as bad as everyone makes them out to be. Did that mean he agreed with what they do? No. But that sill didn't mean they should just KILL THEM ALL AKJFAL;KJDFAKJFA! Which is what he interpreted from Castor's speech [ Hell, why not kill all the purified negas too if you want to go that far?]. The page sighed and fingered the cigarette he had in his pocket, eyeballing Erebus as he spoke up a couple of times, grinning ever so slightly.
Interesting....
He would ask questions later but for now he would continue to do what he was slowly becoming good at: Staying in the background.
---------------------
Arae had arrived late, but she didn't really know anyone in this crowd anyway. She simply wanted to give the small crystal she had back to Cadeus. What was going on? Where they about to go do something major? Arae wasn't much for sick fighting moves, but her rage-inducing powers would make a kinda great offensive?
She wasn't sure if making the opposite team see red was a good thing.
The short senshi walked up to Cadeus, opening up her hands to give him her crystal. "Not sure if I gave it enough juice but I tried?" She offered him a small smile and walked back into the crowd. She could've sworn she spotted a head of rainbow hair, but maybe she was seeing things.
She was aware of Corvus's presence on the outskirts of her vision, grateful that her teammate had come to support her. The knight flinched beneath her gentle touch but didn't pull away and she had to count the little victory. They were making progress and that was what was important.
"I don't - " she looked back at Corvus, swallowing because she didn't know how to answer. She wanted or had planned to go through the doors if only to help protect the people she cared about, especially the chibi senshi. "I - "
She didn't know what to say, but she reached for his hand.
"Do you want me to stay with you?" She asked after a beat. "Because I will, we can keep an eye on Caedus, together." She wouldn't leave him alone if he wanted to keep her around.
"I'll intervene in battle only if I have to."
kuropeco
/smoooches
skye starrfyre
proximity
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 3:07 am
Aegir, Super Senshi of Silence
Honestly, he hadn't been certain his words and actions would help with the Ganymede knight's frustration, but he couldn't help being pleased when he realized it had - and even more so when Gev called for other former Negas to step forward and speak. Good, very good. This is an excellent idea.
There was still a lot of confusion, especially after Caedus spoke again, but that was to be expected and the curly haired senshi simply listened, allowing the conversations to flow over him while people watching. He was able to watch Mont Blonc come to stand near Thyrmr, adjacent to his location, and smiled while moving close enough that he could take and press the taller man's hand reassuringly.
It had gotten to the point where people were discussing whether they would go or not, Monty saying he would go...Virgo saying she would stay behind with Celsus. Aegir didn't know if he would go or not - if he should...but he couldn't very well leave gentle Monty to go on his own! This was part of his team, he had an obligation to them to be strong and make the way. But it could be a deathtrap...
"Methone wouldn't forgive me if I let you get mauled by Metallia." He spoke low, for Monty and Thyrmr only.
Subamara raised her head when Caedus first started to address the group. Now? But they couldn’t go now! They weren’t ready! Was… Was there even a plan?
From the chatter she heard, it would seem they didn’t even have twelve percent of a plan, and still a lot of people against going at all. She couldn’t blame them. It was always the same argument, the great divide between the Order faction members - ruthlessness or mercy? Kill or protect? She knew which side she stood on, she didn’t want to be the one to take a life. And here they were, pretty much shouting that non-combatants should just go home anyway. But she was a senshi too, even if not a very good one.
She could take off her glove, she thought tiredly, staring into the energy collector on her lap. She could hold the little crystal in her palm until she passed out right here on the grass. She wouldn’t have to make this decision. She wouldn’t have to go into the Rift to fight and die, or fight and kill, and neither option sounded better to her. But if they could stop Metallia itself, they could shut the whole war down. And she heard Caedus reminding the others about the need for support, about not discounting those who couldn’t directly fight. She could hold a door.
She stood up, only slightly shaky, skirting the larger groups as she made her way to Caedus, and proffered the swirling borrowed crystal to add to the ones he was already manipulating. All this energy, all this life, for one hour to sneak in and wreck the Negaverse’s living room.
“What about getting you home?” she asked Caedus softly.
The Space Cauldron
**
Tomlin, Guardian Cat
Tomlin wasn’t sure he appreciated being summonsed. Once, he could let slide, but twice? He nearly hadn’t come. But the ginger tabby knew that if he’d felt it, so had a large number of the senshi, and he had a duty to do to guard them, even if he wasn’t completely sold on the hidden entity from a crystal-powered synthetic world… Okay, so curiosity was playing a major part in his appearance at the top of the hill.
He was glad he’d shown, because it looked like things were getting serious for an attack. He listened to the arguments and plans being tossed around with some trepidation. This sounded like a bad idea all round.
“Do you reckon aura-dampening would work inside this castle-labyrinth?” the cat asked. There were enough Mauvians in attendance that it might be worth a shot, even if it wouldn’t hold up in Metallia’s proximity. Their energy-shielding always seemed to fail – but perhaps they could get it to stay up just long enough to give an advantage?
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 5:28 am
Gevaudan, knight of Ganymede
He was glad when two other ex-officers came and breathed out. "I've only recently purified. I don't expect any major changes. I've also had a long career with them so I know the castle pretty well. I've also been taken down to Metallia's chamber so I had an idea where to go."
He did frien at te idea of waves. "Do you mean to split up into 3 groups because if the portal has a short lifespan and the entire Negaverse force could come down, splitting up too much might wind up in people getting lost and dispersed more easily. We also need the most people because of Metallia's massive power if we want to even dent it. We'll have even less with us for those stay in at the portal to protect it and Caedus."
He considered something. "If I die, lead the group down. There is a massive chamber lined with statues called the Field of Traitors. The statues can come to live if willed so be careful of a surprise attack. After that is Metallia's chamber at the other end. It's a massive door. Don't ask me how we can open it though because it did so itself. Metallia was inside there when I met it." It was good to tell as many of them so if one fell, they weren't lost.
If she seemed at all bothered by the Knight of Chronos not remembering who she was she did not let it show. The night they had met had been an incredibly rough one and she could hardly hold that against him.
Outside of being a silent observer, Corvus entered their conversation when addressed.
"Sailor Corvus." She introduced herself as though for the first time, figuring that anything else said between them could be addressed at a later date. Denebola was worrying enough for the both of them and now was hardly the time to get caught up in her own emotions on top of it.
"One of us should stay," she said, knowing deep down that she didn't want Denebola heading into the heart of Negaspace any more than she wanted to go herself; not wanting it anymore than she wanted anyone in there, no matter how much of an advantage it might be for them.
nuxaz
/slips tag before work/quote]
kuropeco
shibrogane
Virgo proximity
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 7:37 am
Avalon
Avalon shrugged. "I don't remember anything before my purification at all, except... you know... lots of pain?" And some people. "But I have good instincts."
It was those instincts that led her to shake her head at Gevaudan's objection. "No, not like... a long time apart. A first group with the cats to check and make sure that we're not sending people into, like, Youma Party Central. Then the second group as guides, to orient themselves... and then group three, the bulk of our forces. That way, we don't send everyone in at once and get slaughtered." There was a sense of duh to her explanation, like this is so obvious! But, to her credit, she didn't say anything. "It shouldn't take more than ten minutes. We'd still have forty, fifty maybe, minutes to get in there, do a murder, and get out."
If it had sentient thoughts, it was probably alive.
MoonKitsune
Noir Songbird
we're talking about u
Virgo
Virgo nodded after Aegir. They all had to make their own decisions on this, and if he went in then that was his. She had Naiime to think of, now, and she didn't trust someone who wouldn't seek his own vengeance as far as she could throw that person. They were entering an unknown, and caution had to be taken. To pretend otherwise or have naive trust in the goodness of a stranger was to court something worse than death. "You'll be fine, Celsus," she said, though she didn't step closer or reach out. "You won't be alone."
kuropeco
shibrogane
Stellar Lightbringer
Offline
kuropeco
Dramatic Marshmallow
Offline
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 7:38 am
Sailor Remus, Senshi of Regolith
Having dispelled the possibility that the mysterious figure known as Caedus was probably Voldemort, but keeping in mind that he might still be Kylo Ren, Remus made his way through the crowds of people once more, glancing at their faces and wondering at their mindsets. Some had seemed eager, almost excited, to push forward into the Land of Chaotic (as he'd started calling it in his head), while others were more reserved, quieter, wary.
Remus was neither of these things, really. He stayed stubbornly in the middle, still debating whether or not he was going to risk his throat to go and save a bunch of people he hardly knew - or whether he wanted to simply stay behind and be branded too scared to go in.
Which he wasn't, but he had a distinct feeling that this crowd, in spite of who they were against, was more ruthless and unforgiving than they let on.
Remus ambled over to a senshi with tumbling curls and peered curiously at her, his hands linked behind his head.
"So," he said, without preamble, "Are you one of those people that are gonna go and storm the castle and all that s**t?"
Ghouliboo
>_> heart
Super Sailor Thrymr, Senshi of the Southern Lights
It did not surprise him that Mont Blonc was going in He'd always been such a steadfast, loyal person with the one biggest hearts that Thrymr knew. But he also knew that to go in would be dangerous; and Mont Blonc's dedication and desire to be a good member of the White Moon was admirable, yet sometimes painful.
"Monty," Thrymr said, biting his lip. "If you go...I..."
But then there was Aegir, and Thrymr cast him a relieved look, even if his face was still concerned, his expression one of worry. He looked around and then said to them both, "I want to be of use, but I'm not...not so sure how well this plan will go."
syrie
frayedflower
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 7:41 am
She actually had no intention of being here.
Really, she didn't.
After the last time, Genbu really didn't see a whole lot of point to these things, just bickering and bullshit and then some more bullshit and she basically stood there with her thumbs up her a** when she could've been spending time at home getting ready for the next tournament. Which, by the way, she totally would've done better in if she hadn't wasted her time coming to one of these things.
So she went out here and there to check things out - so the whole idea of being a senshi was stupid, and a complete waste of her time, but so sue her for being a little curious about it, maybe just a bit. She'd just wanted to try stretching her legs or something, and she'd sensed something, and -
- long story short before she realized it she'd gotten caught up in a ******** of order people and now here she was again, standing around uselessly and wasting her precious time. Oh who should lead, oh who should go, oh who should stay? Again. Like a goddamn MMO.
(She really, really disliked MMOs by the way. Pointless efforts, really.)
So basically she didn't do much of anything besides stand there and look as annoyed as she felt, idly glancing around for her best chance to book it out of there. There were enough of these people anyway, surely they had it covered. Go slay the dark queen or whatever and level up.
Mont Blonc looked at Aegir, squeezing his hand maybe too tight in his own - he was trying not to look as nervous about the whole thing as he felt, but why wouldn't he be? There'd been the incident with Umber, the incident with Xenotime, and the incident with Cinnabar, all still so fresh on his mind -- of course he was scared.
But for all his doubts, there was only one thing that made him worthwhile as a knight -- or the one thing he'd admit to, anyway -- that he'd never give up. He'd never keep trying, no matter how many times he fell. He cracked a small, weak smile at Aegir's comment. "I'll try not to be. I'll probably be more use as support than anything, " and he knew that. Although it'd never stopped him from throwing himself in harm's way before, had he? The fight or flight response was a little too strong within him.
"It has to go well." He wished he sounded as sure as he wanted to. "We may never have this chance again." If this succeeds, then Ploutonion, maybe he can finally -
Reply
