Celsus's eyes rested on Denebola for a long moment, his thoughts shifting and twisting. He didn't know the answer to that question, even as she took his hand; and while he didn't really grasp back, he didn't pull away either, letting the small bit of contact seep into him.
Corvus. He tried to let that name stay in his mind, tried to focus, and his gaze slid from her, to Denebola, then back to Virgo again, Celsus swallowing almost painfully hard as his dulled green eyes shifted away, looking instead at the ground.
He felt like an infant, needing reassurance and soothing words.
He felt like a child, needing guidance.
Shame was burning in his face, making his throat constrict, and he'd been trying not to let the emotions overtake him once more; to tamp down on the panic and the nausea and the bitter taste of inadequacy in his mouth. Celsus gave a single shake of his head and then regretted this immediately, as it only increased the dizziness.
He forced his expression back to something neutral, flat. Hollowed.
"You should." It was hard to speak but he did, both to Corvus and Denebola. "Go in, help them. I'll be all right."
He would not be all right. He would never, truly, be all right, not anytime in the foreseeable future, and he knew this all too well. Celsus did not say don't worry about me, because it would be an insult to them both, Celsus swallowing back the words.
nuxaz
skye starrfyre
shibrogane
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:38 am
Sailor Duhr, Senshi of Tornadoes
It took her a moment to realize that the question was being addressed to her and she blinked a couple times while registering his inquiry. Stormin' the castle? Her?
Turning towards the voice, she broke into a smile as she looked over the newcomer. A senshi in pants and a coat to boot - now here was a fella that had a sensible fuku. Clearly he knew what was what and probably had some sage advice to hand out for those that asked. Couldn't go wrong talkin' to a fella with a proper ensemble, right?
"Honestly, Ah don't know what to do."
Deceit was never something Duhr was very good at; she liked to keep things plain and simple. "Ah also don't know why this Caleb fella needs so many of the crystals, ya'know?"
Inching closer, she tilted her head towards him, as if to turn their conversation into whispers. Only, unfortunately, her volume never changed. "Seems a might...suspicious, if ya ask me. If Ah did, Ah'd let some of the others go first, in case it was an ambush or somethin'."
A gloved finger gestured towards the alien that the others had practically begun circling around, but her attention was still focused on Remus. "What about you?"
Babylon flushed lightly, his freckles taking on a pinkish hue - okay, yeah, he'd deserved that. Expecting Avalon not to respond to the flashing beacon of check this out was like expecting the sun not to come up tomorrow... although, depending how this went...
"She's right," he said, throwing his hat in behind Avalon's plan. "Good instincts. Even if you left the Negaverse yesterday," he said, casting a look in Gevaudan's direction, "You wouldn't know exactly what was waiting for us on the other side of the portal, would you?" He'd never personally been into the rift, but everything he'd heard of it suggested that things... moved around. He doubted that Youma just found a place they liked and froze like gargoyles.
"They'd infiltrate. We should infiltrate. It's not wasting time to be prudent."
General Avalon had been a great leader, even if she'd done terrible things and remembered exactly zero of it. Maybe this meeting was tapping into something she'd repressed.
ShibroganeX
MoonKitsuneX
Noir SongbirdX
IDK but Romeo quoted you on the same topic so I figure I'd better?
Teide Knight of the Cosmos
Teide quieted, taking Hvergelmir's reassurance to heart. "Okay," she replied, nodding. "That sounds important."
She looked down at her ring. Would it - would it even work when people were in the Rift? A shiver ran up her spine, but she didn't say anything to Hver about it.
"You should sit down," she said instead, in her perpetually-nervous tone. "You don't sound good."
She looked up, finally noticing the page who'd tried to cut in (Irkalla). "Doesn't she not sound good?" Teide asked, looking for backup.
ShazariX
Tefla
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 9:51 am
Gevaudan, knight of Ganymede
He cast a look back at Babylon. "I never said I did know. A full scale attack on the castle has never happened before. I only said my opinion on the matter." He had to wonder why everyone was jumping down his throat whenever he brought up anything he thought and hope was useful. Before he thought it was just senshi, but it seemed his fellow ex-officers were of the same tone.
"I just wanted to be clear I followed you. Do we have an idea who wants to be in each wave or just announce what he think might be a good idea and hope everyone doesn't shot it down?"
He looked over at Caedus and his nervous pacing. "I don't think we have much time."
He really just wanted some game plan so they could finally set things into motion.
Ambrosia listened to Caedus, and the others that voiced their skepticism. This was about to be a real thing, and she felt her heartbeat quicken. She looked around, past her friend, at the people gathered. Would they be enough? Would they really be able to pull it off?
She became reserved, fiddling with the fabric of her skirt. This started out as a fun idea; a way to stop the fighting so that she could use her powers to have fun. It had settled on her the last time there was a meeting, but after a nights sleep, the seriousness wore off. She hadn't thought really about the inbetween, only the endgame.
Was she willing to risk Lenka? And all these people? The crystal in hr hand felt very heavy, as if it had sucked up all of her anxiety. Well, not all of it. Some of it was stuck squarely in her stomach. She looked a the crystal and it's swirling white insides, and her resolve hardened a bit. They had to. There was no way she was going to keep fighting this way. She stepped foreward and carefully placed her crystal with the others, admiring the soft glow that they all gave off. It was like a nightlight in the dark.
She refocused her eyes from the pile to the crowd, and picked out a familiar head of hair. She'd seen it up close last time: Aegir! Her antenna bounced as she jumped up and down, waving her hands to get his attention without shouting. She knew he was fond of quiet children.
Syrie
quote for waving!
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 11:34 am
Esquiline, of Venus
The crowd was beginning to sound unsure, something that Esquiline thought was going to be very bad for Caedus. She covered her eyes with her hands for a second, breathing deeply. Sure, she hadn't taken the crystal. Sure, she wasn't sure they should trust Caedus, but maybe, jsut amybe this could work....
Her hands dropped when she heard that he wasn't going with them. There was no way this wasn't a trap!
"Are you kidding?!" she said, emotion welling up in her. "How is this not a trap?!"
Quote:
Random outburst is random. She's open for interaction if anyone would like
She was torn because she wanted to go in and support Corvus, they were a team neither of them should be going into the fray without the other especially given how Corvus' magic worked, but she wanted to stand and support Celsus. They were equally important to her, even if the knight had tried to push her away multiple times. Denebola was not the type of gal to give up on someone whom she'd deemed important.
Her gaze flicked between the two, drifted over to Virgo who announced that she'd be staying with Celsus. It should've made her feel better, but she didn't know the zodiac and her knight friend had looked at her in a way that she felt was a quiet plea for help.
He let her hold his hand, even if he didn't grab at hers either and she was thankful for the point of contact. It'd been a quiet thing that transpired between them, soft gentle touches on her end and him accepting them by not pushing them away. Denebola would move away if she felt like she was crowding him, but as it were...
Go in, help them. I'll be alright. He said.
Liar, she thought.
"I can join the fray at any time." She knew this to be true. As long as the doors were open she could step in at any given moment. "I am here because people I care about are involved. That includes you, and Corvus, who are so far the only people I will openly risk my life for, outside of the children."
She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "Corvus can call me, send an sos if she needs me." She looked at her partner, a silent pleading, I'm sorry expression on her face.
kuropeco
skye starrfyre
shibrogane
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 2:40 pm
Sailor Remus, Senshi of Regolith
He let out a snort of amusement at the name Caleb, but did nothing to correct her, because really, Caleb was better than Caedus, or whatever his name was. Remus rocked back on his heels and said, with a touch of amusement, "I don't either. It's too convenient, you know."
His grin widened a little, Remus glancing sideways at the senshi. With her ringletted hair and thick accent, she looked as though she could have waltzed out of somewhere in the south, and it put him in mind of fried chicken and good food.
Which in turn made him hungry.
Now was not a good time to get hungry.
"I don't trust anyone," said Remus loftily, his hands still hooked behind his head as he looked around. "All of this - if anyone thinks that we're just going to walk right into Mount Doom and everything's gonna be all grand and s**t and we're gonna be victorious right off the bat, I think they need a good smack or something."
He waved a hand. "One does not just walk into Mordor, right?"
Hyperborea, Transcended Knight of Cosmos Hyperborea arrived as quickly as she could but it seemed once again she was late to the party. A large crowd had already formed around the strange man. She slipped past people to make her way up to the front.
She had her crystal in her and fidgeting with it nervously, this was the first time she had been part of something this big. Could they really end the war tonight? Hyperborea wanted to believe so, she had to believe so.
She had filled the crystal with her own energy, which was an easier task with her new found transcendence. She waited until Caedus was no longer talking before stepping up to him and offering her crystal. "Here you go, Monsieur Caedus. Thank you for giving us this chance." she spoke quietly not wanting to draw attention to herself or get embroiled in the various disagreements going on around her.
The Space Cauldron
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 5:55 pm
Corvus, Senshi of Vengeance
"If we're being honest, I'd rather Denebola stay here anyways." If she was being completely honest she would follow up by saying that she would rather be staying put along with them. She would then continue on to say that she still didn't trust anything about this situation and that she was pretty sure it was a bad idea all around.
She wasn't being completely honest, though. She was being just honest enough to make Denebola not feel so badly about saying behind, and possibly make Celsus look less sick at the thought of someone staying behind for him.
"If she's here with you she's safe." Because I'm trusting you to keep her safe while she looks out for you, because that's what she does. That's what we do. "It's easier to fight when you know the people you're going to worry about are safe anyways." That was the most important thing, right?
She had been at home later than usual tonight but she had a lot of homework and an exam to study for. When she'd finally gotten out of her apartment and powered up she had the same call as everyone else - to where they'd met Caedus. Not sure what to expect, but figuring it might have to do with the crystals so many had taken and the end goal, she made her way toward the location. She was arriving late, not that she knew it, but when she did get there and see everyone she figured it.
Deciding to not grab attention, not that she wanted to anyway, the dark haired squire stood off to the back and looked over those assembled. it seemed like a smaller gathering than the last time - was that a bad thing? Perhaps a bad sign and things would go wrong tonight, whatever was going to happen tonight. She didn't trust it all, not fully, but did she ever trust anything much less fully? Nope. She wasn't the sort to do so, it wasn't a smart move really.
One gloved hand held onto her scepter, keeping it down at her side, as she wondered if she should find someone, anyone, who was perhaps not part of a big group and ask them what she'd apparently missed. She knew the end goal was to strike at the heart of the Negaverse and while she agreed they needed to be dealt with she wasn't a fan of her own side either. Both sides got into fights which caused property damage, cost tax payers, and cost civilians money to pay for personal things as well. it was simply not good for the people who lived in the city and it needed to stop. Perhaps striking at their heart, bringing the fight out of the city and else where would help? She didn't think it would put a stop to things completely, she wasn't stupid, there would be people who survived if they managed to end Metalia. There was no way they'd get everyone, they couldn't, and that could and likely would spill right back onto the city streets. Though she could be wrong and taking out the head of it all would cause some reaction in the Negaverse's members? Something unforeseeable. She wished the code was acting normal, not that she'd talked to it when it was normal, but maybe it would have some advice or knowledge it could offer? Some insight or at least be available for ideas to be bounced off of. A shame really. Going into this half, or more than half, blind. She didn't like it and if that was going to happen tonight she'd go...but she was unsettled by this whole thing - she didn't like it.
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:09 pm
As it seemed the fighting, or arguing, had died down he was finally able to relax - slowly. As he did so he remembered a question Erebus had asked during everything and now he would address it. Turning his attention on the squire of Saturn his dark eyes blinked once.
"Should be gone yes. Told parents school project and bad partner - have all the work, can't leave with them. Can't start and not finish this." He was going to be late in going home, seeing family, had risked missing it altogether and whatever that might cause between himself and family - all for this. All for this war and he was new to it all. "Would be dishonorable to start this and not finish it." He said knowing the other would understand, or at least he hoped he would. He would understand, without a doubt, why his family bought and accepted the lie he'd told them about school. School was a very important thing for his family and in his culture.
"If this ends tonight, as he said...only an hour to fight in there. I will go tomorrow and meet them." Though it would be hard to get through traffic...it would take hours and hours. He would do it, he had obligations to both and if he could try and fulfill both he would. "Must do our best now though, must focus." He said smiling and raising a fist, though not above his head. "Fighting." A common thing said to show encouragement and such.
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The Space Cauldron
Captain
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Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:13 pm
Caedus was rigid and shook his head beneath the cloak as he listened to Avalon's suggestion, and Babylon's support. "Waves...I do not know. I do not agree with that plan. I understand that many of you do not trust me, but I do not feel that dividing your forces is a wise plan, given the circumstances. While it is true that you do not know what is down there, to send in a small group is time consuming and does not guarantee success. You may find yourself divided once you are in the Negaverse—not the Rift—" he clarified for Denebola. "There is an open space, protected by crystals and old ruins. When I observed it before, it was not an area patrolled, nor were there any youma. The youma seemed to remain in the Rift. I suspect they could be invited or beckoned, but it was not an area I saw any of them wander. I think you would be safe going down there, but once you start investigating, you risk them finding you. Even just one Negaverse agent is capable of alerting them all. They have the advantage, and we do not know where they have eyes. I would recommend taking whomever you can, whoever wishes to fight or aid. In a large number, you may overwhelm them. In small numbers, you may be overwhelmed. It would be best to go in together, direct where you want to go, and proceed from there."
He glanced behind him, eying the empty space behind him. He held his hand out, and the crystals the gently spiraled above it moved, slowly to hover a few feet away from him. The crystals were glowing, connected by their ring of energy and spread out a bit. Instead of floating in a cluster, they spread out, spinning in a six foot tall circle before the group. Nothing seemed to happen at first, they were just floating there.
Caedus watched. "I do not know if communication will be possible, but I have not experimented with such. My communication did not work while I was down there, though it may have been damaged."
He glanced to Subamara. "There is not enough energy for that. Not right now. But I have made a promise to you. I will get home. One way or another. After this, perhaps you will trust me more. I have faith." His eyes moved to Mont Blanc. "So there is still time for such plans."
To Sabine, and Celsus and Virgo, he hesitated. "It is kind of you to offer protection, but I am not certain I need it. If you wish to stay, I will not stop you, but your friends may need you more. If you are attacking, I do not think they will have time to worry about me."
Gevaudan seemed to have a better idea of the layout of the castle, so he nodded to him. "It would be wise to listen to any who have an idea of the layout. If Metallia is in her castle, you may be able to find her by following their direction. I do not remember her halls. I do ask that you take only as much time as you absolutely need. I can hold the passageway open for a time, but I would not encourage you to press your luck. You will need to be swift. But I can aid you in one more way."
His eyes fell upon Tomlin.
"Do not waste your energy to dampen any auras. I have crystals for that. They will dampen all energy in a wide radius. When the portal is open, I will throw the crystal in. It will shield you. The magic will not last for more than an hour or two. I cannot be certain, I forget how long that is to you on Earth. But, even if the Negaverse gets ahold of it, the power will fade before they can make use of it."
He held one hand out to the crystals, as if his gesture was maintaining them; with his free hand, he fished through his robes. He was still carefully concealed, but pulled a small, glowing green crystal.
It had a strange pressure about it, but it did not seem nefarious. Instead, it simply seemed to tingle at their senses, numbing their energy signatures.
Aurelius Ambrosius
frayedflower
kuropeco
LokisRose
LP
MoonKitsune
Nuxaz
Shibrogane
Silverah
Stump_Fairy
Torvil
Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:54 pm
Irkalla, Page of Cosmos
There was a brief moment of confusion as Irkalla realized that she had just been asked a question. Her gaze snapped to the one that had spoken to her. Perhaps it was being addressed so suddenly that had the page speechless for a moment. Irkalla had been trying to pay attention to the meeting but her gaze had kept traveling around the crowd instead. Perhaps she had been hoping to see a familiar face among the masses. She flushed with slight embarrassment before letting her gaze fall on the pair again.
"Uh, you are right. She does not sound good."
Irkalla freed her right hand and held it out to the one that had asked the question. (Teide) "I am not exactly sure what is going on. Can you fill me in?"
Here she paused. She needed to introduce herself, "Oh, I apologize. I'm Irkalla."
Turning her attention to the other woman (Hvergelmir) Irkalla gave her a shy smile. "Hello."
She had stopped in her deliberations with the group when Caedus had spoken again, turning she simply nodded her head. "I will defer to your judgement, Sir Caedus!" She called out to the cloaked figure she called friend. If Caedus felt comfortable in being left alone, then she would trust his judgement. Turning back to the group at hand, she took a deep breath.
"Nevermind on the staying behind to protect Sir Caedus. It is probably better for us then to work with one of the former agents of the Negaverse and get as much information about the area as we can. If we can find a soft target, that might be our best bet. I... I would like to see if we can do this without losing anyone."
Her teeth worried her bottom lip, a sure sign that the young girl was beginning to lose her nerve.
