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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 7:41 pm
Babylon picked his way down from the AC housing and across the rooftop to Cyllene, deciding she looked basically as lost in all this as he was, and like sort of a badass. Vin was otherwise occupied (Hugging Europa! Babylon sort of figured Europa looked like she needed to be hugged, but he wanted a hug from Vin, too!) and the page was feeling pretty out of place. He flopped down next to the cyan-clad senshi and said, "Bets on who socks who in the jaw first?"
Europa was looking for an opening to take back control of this meeting. Ganymede and Kallichore had sniped at each other long enough, and frankly it was disheartening to have her two senior-most scouts duking it out while everyone watched like this was some kind of fight club. Not to mention she was pretty sure Callisto had started to cry.
Europa wanted to tell Ganymede and Kallichore to stop acting like children, but by the time she worked up the nerve they seemed to have mostly resolved the issue for themselves. All she could do was try to defend her confidence in a senshi of a distinctly more bloodthirsty variety than the rest of them. "A lot of good senshi went to the Blood Moon," she said defensively. "It was a different time, no one had any organization and the Negaverse was gaining ground. Ares formed a cult, and in uncertain times... people find a lot of confidence in cults. I mean, look at Scientology."
Maia had gone, and Kallichore and Leto and Gunn... good senshi, all of them, but entranced by the words of an usurper. "What's important is she got out of there, and she has some really valuable information - and we're not going to hold it against her, because we need what she knows."
She seized hold of Kallichore's hands and held them up for Ganymede to look at. "She's clean, okay? She's one of us. And even if you had known, you couldn't have gotten her out. So calm down. I'm not saying you have to like her, just that you two have to act like mature and responsible adults."
She didn't think it was too much to ask. Europa dropped Kallichore's hands and gave Ganymede's shoulder a pat. "Your heart's in the right place," she said softly. "We're all under a lot of stress tonight."
With that, the Senshi of the deep went to go sit by Callisto. "Okay," she announced, giving the youngest member of their group a gentle nudge. "Story time. Who was it who asked about Corrupted Senshi and Parallels - Babylon? You heard Zirconia, but I can tell you a bit about corrupted senshi." She'd met at least four of them - that had to make her some kind of expert. "All of you come over here and listen up, because I need you all up to speed on the basics or else we're not going to be able to tackle more complex topics."
After all, you had to learn to add before you could do differential calculus. Kallichore's primer sounded like a great idea, but it wasn't ready yet - she'd have to talk to her about it later.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 7:49 pm
Pasiphae stood quietly at her place between Europa and Kallichore, but just because she said nothing didn't mean that she wasn't paying attention. No, she was listening raptly to ever word that was exchanged, particularly if it came from people (or Guardian cats) that she didn't know. If there was one thing she had quickly realized as a Senshi it was that there was so much information out there... different factions, different people, relationships that had come along before her time and would continue perhaps after she was gone.
Wait... Ganymede? The one who had been yelling was Ganymede? The one that she had heard about from the other Jovians who had recruitedher, but who she had never met? She remembered what Kallichore had said, about how he didn't even want to be a Senshi... though, apparently, some of that had changed based on what she was seeing and hearing coming directly from him now. (And she liked him all the better for his distaste at the goings on in the Blood Moon Court). But she didn't like fighting... not among people who were supposed to be supporting one another.
Thankfully, her waiting paid off, and she visibly relaxed when Europa stepped in to break the two apart. She followed suit whenever the Eternal Senshi went to sit, giving Kallichore a small, supportive smile when she passed by. She was so thankful that the Senshi of Madness hadn't been taken... that she had been able to break away from the Blood Moon Court. Europa, Kallichore... she had faith in both of them and looked up to both of them. She was glad to see that faith had not been misplaced.
As she smoothed her gray skirt, she suggested, "Um... maybe after we talk about that... we can introduce ourselves? I see alot of strange faces, at least, and would like to know everyone."
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Quicksilver the Archangel
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 7:56 pm
He didn't immediately show it, but Kallichore's words -- or her initial few -- stung. Did he really seem as if he would just leave someone to a dangerous situation? Is that how he was presenting himself? He hadn't thought so. He'd tried to talk down a Negaverser intent on making jewelry out of his innards instead of fighting, would have done anything to reach some sort of a compromise, even if that had seemed impossible, and yet Kallichore still thought he wouldn't have tried to help her, someone who was supposed to be on his side of the war, away from the course she'd chosen when she realized it wasn't the one she wanted to be on?
His stomach flipped over on itself. He was very glad he had his arms crossed. Otherwise, he thought his hands might have been noticeably shaking.
Ganymede stared, stony faced, as Europa showed him Kallichore's hands. He wanted to snap at her, too. Instinct was urging him to do it, but he knew that it would be a bad move. He had more respect for her than he had for anyone else there -- except, perhaps, for Valhalla, but that was a different case entirely -- and he didn't want to jeopardize anything by starting in on her simply because she was trying to restore order.
He found he no longer had very much to say. It always seemed to be the wrong thing anyway.
He spared one last look at Kallichore before turning to Valhalla instead, taking the hand the page had on his shoulder into his. He squeezed tightly and showed him a fierce look, as if daring him to pull it away. Then, he looked around at the others and saw many he didn't recognize, and he felt slightly ashamed as he saw Callisto there with her hands on her face. His frown shifted from angry to sad in an instant, and he dragged Val along with him as he went over to her, sitting down on her other side.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, though he wasn't sure exactly who he meant the apology to be for.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:09 pm
Not wanting to intervene in the argument, Vindemiatrix backed off and listened, his crossed arms betraying his discomfort. It was not really the shouting itself so much as the knowledge sinking in that he really had gotten off easy thus far. He had not had any such issues, like loss or betrayal. Or at least no more than what the average citizen could expect. Vin felt sheepish, having met wonderful people so far for the most part in his senshi uniform, and fighting relatively minor battles.
... The dreams did not count.
He moved back closer to Babylon, taking in Zirconia's and Europa's explanations as he settled down on the roof, as well, stretching his legs out. The Senshi of Wine felt sort of weird all over again, being with Babylon now in the midst of strangers, even if he did decide that he trusted them. Babylon had been so adamant about coming with Vin to this meeting, though, which was a comfort. One white-gloved hand rested lightly on top of Babylon's: Vindemiatrix was there ... just not totally sure to do what.
Introductions sounded like a good idea, though. He moved his hand again as he stood up, and, once the blonde boy (boy?) in the white corset top had quieted, he offered, "I would like to get to know you all better, if we're gonna be allies. I'm Sailor Vindemiatrix, Senshi of Wine." Vin hesitated, then added, "Not a Jovian but, uh, I know Europa. And Babylon." Inwardly, he cursed himself for wavering confidence; outwardly, he did his level best not to let it show.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:23 pm
"Comments like that don't help," Valhalla snapped at Babylon, very disapproving of him joking about them fighting. That wasn't why they were here, and while he knew the other page must feel out of place, he didn't have to be so flippant over a serious situation. People were in danger of being tortured and murdered or whatever the hell else was going on. If he wasn't there to help, he should leave.
Other than the quick snap, he remained silent as the others spoke and explained what was going on. He wasn't happy about Ganymede and Kallichore arguing, but they seemed to settle down soon after it started and Valhalla stared in confusion at the senshi of lust when he took hold of his hand to hold. And then all but dragged him over to where the very young senshi was sitting. It made him sick, knowing that there were such young children fighting. They didn't need to be thrown into something like this... They should be old enough to be able to understand... not barely even out of elementary school.
Valhalla remained standing, even though Ganymede sat down, but he let him hold onto his hand for as long as he wanted. "I'm Valhalla," he introduced as suggested by Pasiphae. He was very grateful to her for keeping a cool head in all this. He didn't blame Europa or Kallichore for being emotional after what they had to go through, and he didn't mind if Zirconia didn't want to go near him. He would like to talk to her later, though, and make sure that she was okay. Zia in particular.
"And this is Ganymede," he gestured to the senshi holding his hand. He didn't mind. He'd danced with him before, and it wasn't like he was shy about holding hands with people, especially if they needed that little bit of comfort. He felt bad for not knowing who about half of the others were, and listened intently to find out who they were, nodding to Vindemiatrix when he introduced himself. "Welcome."
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:31 pm
Cyllene's dumbfounded gaze shifted to the boy that plopped himself down next to her on the ground and she gave him a lop-sided, welcoming grin. She leaned in close and whispered to her new-found friend, "my bets are on Kallichore- she looks like she could take him."
"Cyllene, by the way," she said as she turned her attention to the events unfolding in front of them. "My name, I mean. It's Sailor Cyllene."
Then the other boy approached them and sat next to Babylon. She silently went over the two of them in her head.
"So I gotta ask," she said to both Babylon and Vindemiatrix. "Are you both Senshi? To be honest I don't know a damn thing about any of this stuff, and well... You," she motioned to Babylon "don't look like one of us, and you," she now motioned to Vindemiatrix "pretty well do. Although I've never encountered any of us of the male sort so hell if I know."
She was half-listening to what the one who introduced herself as Europa was saying, about going over the idea behind Corrupt Senshi and helping them learn the basics.
And then one of the boys sitting by her spoke up, and confirmed her suspicions of him indeed being a Senshi. "Huh," she said out loud to nobody in particular.
She figured she'd introduce herself to the rest of the group when the rest finished doing so.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:38 pm
Kallichore bowed to the group. "I'm Super Sailor Kallichore, but you probably already knew that." After their heated exchange and both parties had calmed down, she felt more at home with the court. She'd take up her feelings with Ganymede later, in private. "And I agree on introductions. I'm afraid I don't know all of you here." She looked at Babylon and Vindemiatrix in particular. Wine? Really? Wasn't the nymph Kallichore related to wine in some way?
Destiny worked very oddly, and evidently, it had a sense of humor.
She turned to Cyllene then, one of the newest senshi there. "Valhalla, there, is a knight. They're slightly different than senshi, but... I think he should explain. You as well...?" She motioned to Babylon but completely blanked on his name. Whoever he was, he didn't look like Valhalla did, though his fluffy boots said otherwise. What planet was he from? "Being all on the same page will definitely give us an advantage."
Kallichore finally knelt to sat down and looked to Zirconia. The poor cat was devastated and as little as it probably meant, the former Blood Moon senshi patted the spot next to herself as an open invitation. Kallichore certainly couldn't blame any of them for emotional outbursts. It was a crisis that had brought them all together that night.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 8:43 pm
This first meeting was a rather eye opening one for the young Senshi of tragedy. There was the matter of this being the first time she was around so many Senshi at once, and something about that made her nervously excited. The knowledge that this was the very first meeting of the Jovian court, a collective she'd only just learned that she belonged to (and hastily joined) had given the whole affair a rather important tone... well, it would have been important anyway but the point this was special. Euanthe had fidgeted and smiled nervously and quelled butterflies in her stomach until Europa addressed the group. The tear-stained looks scrubbed the excitement and the smiles right out of Euanthe and left only the nervousness. But it had her rapt attention.
The talk was confusing and a little frustrating. Not that she was frustrated with anyone other than herself, mind. It reminded her acutely of how she knew, well... nothing. Euanthe managed a few confused blinks when Europa said to die with memories intact, not to follow false prophets... And talk of the Blood Moon Court was even worse.
Torture? She couldn't believe it and yet this wasn't her first time hearing it. In her encounter with Zinkenite, though he had said- but she'd assumed it was a ploy. Lies to make her doubt, to cloud her judgment and dishearten her. Someone who affiliated with monsters was the one to do the torturing, not Senshi. Not the people who fought to protect and save. But here was Kallichore - kind, polite Kallichore - who had helped her find her court in the first place... admitting it, and it was merely a small piece of her story. In her mind Euanthe couldn't reconcile her image of the Senshi of Madness with the deeds supposedly committed by Senshi. It simply couldn't be. It was the worst thing Euanthe could imagine.
It got worse.
If the subject matter hadn't been so terrible, Euanthe might have had enough self awareness to try and temper the look of utter horror that had grown on her features. A hand rested over her heart, as if to shield it from the words being spoken around her. Corruption... dark Senshi who killed instead of saved... who killed in the name of 'saving' others... It was all very confusing, to be sure, but Euanthe couldn't find her voice to ask for clarification. It seemed to have fled in the face of all this distressing news. Thankfully Ganymede had basically vocalized all the things that Euanthe - well, a more confident, angry Euanthe than the one actually present in the room - held in her heart. Though she couldn't say she felt the sort of rancor toward Kallichore that Ganymede did.
The explanations were very helpful at least. But they progressed into introductions from the squabbling so fast that Euanthe nearly missed the opportunity to make hers. "Oh," she said suddenly, quietly. Clearing her throat, she forced her voice louder than her lack of confidence as a Senshi would have usually allowed. "I'm Euanthe. I admit I... I'd never heard of any of this before now. I just thought... that Senshi helped fight monsters and saved people."
Stupid, naive assumptions.
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Quicksilver the Archangel
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:20 pm
Pasiphae sat with her knees pulled to her chest, maroon eyes intently following the introductions. Vindemiatrix... a long, complex name, and not a Jovian. But that didn't matter to her, truly; she firmly believed that all Senshi had to work together and support each other, so she was grateful for his presence. Valhalla she knew, and Ganymede she had inferred. She took particular note of the two holding hands--again, she had no problem with anything this might signify. Merely took note of it, as it indicated the two were close.
Cyllene came next, someone who seemed to have less experience than she did and certainly someone bolder, if her fuku matched her personality. Kallichore she knew, though she was grateful at that now her friend was not involved in a yelling fight. Then there was Euanthe... and the Shame Senshi reached out to reassure her. Maybe because she knew what it was like to be unsure. Maybe because she was just that strong in her convictions. Maybe some combination of both, "We do fight monsters and save people. It's just... sometimes we have to be extra wary to see the monsters."
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:28 pm
Babylon didn't have much to say for himself, except that he felt much more at ease one Vin rejoined him. The electricity that flowed from the place where their gloved hands touched legitimized him somehow. He was at this meeting because Vin was at this meeting, because Vin was not afraid to claim him.
He gave Vin's tight's a tug, trying to get him to sit back down as the introductions passed around the circle. The longer Vin stood, the longer Babylon felt totally naked and unclaimed, here like some errant dog that had followed the senshi home.
"Valhalla's a page," Babylon chimed in after Kallichore. "Get the rank right. I mean, I'm a page, too, but I wouldn't put him on the same level as someone like Lina Knight. She's way fiercer." Having now drawn attention to himself, Babylon looked around the circle and shrugged to the senshi. "I'm Babylon Page," he said sheepishly, "Of Mercury. I know, um."
He pointed to Vin, laughed nervously. "Him! Quite well. And Europa. Not as well. But I was with him and Europa was all 'Come Along Ponds!' and it kind of went from there." Except not quite, because there'd been more resisting from Europa and more insisting from Babylon. So not really Come Along Ponds at all.
"We're not really like senshi at all, the way I understand it," he added, eyes losing the panicked rabbit glint. "Sort of a third faction, with really lame weapons. But we align with you guys because, well, planets, and that whole Lawful Good alignment."
That was actually a really, really bad explanation, and every senior knight who'd ever mentored Babylon was hanging their head in shame right now. "Anyways," he said brightly, glancing at Europa. "Story time?"
"Sure thing," replied Europa dryly. She looked over at Euanthe and gave the ballerina-looking senshi of tragedy a friendly smile. Euanthe was one of the Jovians Europa hadn't yet properly met, or even really heard much about until tonight, but she was glad to see her here.
"That's what the senshi are supposed to do," she agreed. There was nothing wrong in assuming as much - the problem arose in thinking that they absolutely couldn't do anything else. "There are people out there who would see us do other things, though. Dark things."
She pressed a hand to her sternum. "We all have a thing in our chests called a starseed," she explained. "You can't see it. It won't turn up on an x-ray. But it's there. And if anything happens to your starseed... it can kill you. Or worse."
To a casual observer, it might sound like Europa had her priorities out of order. To the senshi of the deep, however, it made perfect sense. Corruption was a fate worse than death, because Corruption seemed to steal away everything that made you you. Sort of like a dementor's kiss. Europa glanced carefully at Callisto, to see how the girl was taking all this, and continued-
"If you lose your starseed - that is, if a negaverser steals it - then you'll fall unconscious. Eventually you'll die. That's preferable to what they can do to you, though." Europa shook her head, a momentary shudder as she flashed back to that night in the alley with Tisiphone and Serandite. "I don't know the exact methodology, but you wind up with a hole in your chest, and everything about you twisted into some horrible parody of the senshi you were supposed to be."
She bit back bile at the thought of Lyra - beautiful, cheerful Lyra - in her dark silks and chains, fighting alongside that horrible general.
"You cannot trust a corrupted senshi. You cannot trust a negaverser, or any other servant of chaos. And you never want to become one of them."
Of this much, Europa was certain.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:41 pm
Ganymede was uncomfortable around so many people he didn't know and therefore didn't trust one bit. He looked at them all in turn as they introduced themselves, but didn't offer his own name, glad when Val did it for him. He didn't trust himself to speak anymore. Not right now.
He listened as Europa explained the corruption of senshi, glancing at Callisto every once in a while to make sure that she was okay, and retaining his hold on Valhalla's hand. He didn't really care what anyone thought about it. He didn't think it made him weak to seek out comfort when he needed it. He thought it made him strong, and human.
The starseend conversation made him even more uncomfortable. His stomach turned again and he lifted a hand to his chest, rubbing lightly. He did not want to remember what it had been like lying there as a Negaverse agent had reached for it. The man hadn't even managed to make a sufficient grab for it, but just the thought... it had been frightening enough. That was something he would never want to repeat, under any circumstances or for any end.
"But there are ways to fix them," he mumbled, still not sure of himself enough to speak very loudly again. He flicked his gaze over to the Senshi of Madness. "Kallichore told me so a few days ago."
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:48 pm
She sat down between Europa and Ganymede, her knees tucked up to her chest and her arms around her knees. Ganymede was mad at her, she was sure of it, and Europa didn't like her very much, she knew that too. All of these things were very obvious to her, except they didn't seem to be too obvious to the people themselves. Europa had nudged her and she'd jumped, pulling her leg up and away from the contact. And Ganymede seemed to be saying sorry to her…
They were sitting in a circle, and as people went around introducing themselves she set her chin down on top of the small plateau of her knees. Without her hands up, it was obvious she'd been crying--becoming less obvious as she blinked away more tears, and rubbed her face against the black fabric of her capris. If he was mad, why would he be sorry?… No one had to be sorry, not if they were a boy. She just tucked up more, digging her fingernails into her palms to make her hands stop shaking. "I'm Callisto," she said, but then she clamped her mouth shut as if afraid she'd said too much already. The other new senshi--she guessed the pink-haired girl had to be new, because she was saying what Callisto had been thinking. Weren't senshi supposed to fight for Good and Justice and the American Way? Or something?
As Europa began her exposition on the nature of starseeds, she let out a shocked breath, barely a whimper even. Something so bad, like death, could happen, of course she knew it, but she didn't think there was a single thing worse than that. You could wake up from comas and recover from injuries, but she'd thought death was the worst of it. It seemed, though, that it was different. There was one thing worse, and that was… Twisting into something bad. Something evil. Shep already wouldn't be happy to know she was a senshi, but if she was evil…
If she was evil, then Shep…
Horrified tears were slipping down Callisto's face, but she pressed her forehead into her knees and hunched her shoulders forward. Shep would hate her if she became evil. Shep would never want to see her again. And someone else could force her to be evil, and she'd lose all the family she'd ever really had. Tomlin wouldn't love an evil senshi either, and she trusted Tomlin, and...
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 9:58 pm
Once introductions were complete, Vin gave in to Babylon's insistent urging and sat down beside him again. He listened as Europa explained corruption; he knew about the dying part, but he had not know precisely how the senshi could apparently be twisted to the side of darkness like that.
Great idea for a comic book. Terrible to think about it actually happening. One hand strayed to his chest, as well, while the other again reached for Babylon's. Even with two pairs of gloves in the way, he found some comfort in the other boy's being there. He already knew, at least, that Babylon, that the Knights, were their allies.
"At least we can all keep an eye out for each other." It sounded encouraging; Vindemiatrix threw it out there. Then he shifted where he sat to take out his senshi phone, and started scanning the others. "I can't promise I'm the best at busting people out of trouble all the time," he conceded, "But if you need help, call me and I'll do what I can."
That was not an offer the Senshi of Wine would make lightly. He generally hated surprise events, and had all but given up on standing offers to hang out after receiving calls from friends throughout high school at all the worst times. But corruption and death were heavy threats, and, with no reluctance, Vin decided that a missed dance lesson would be a small price to pay if he could help keep one of his allies safe.
One of the other Jovians. He was going to be one of them now.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:01 pm
Feeling movement beside her, Europa glanced down at Callisto. Her stomach dropped. Of all the ways the youngest Jovian could have taken it, this was the worst. Perhaps Europa had asked too much of her, too soon? The others might have maturity ranges all over the boards, but at the end of the day they could put on their big kid panties and deal with it. Callisto, though...
Europa snake an arm around the younger scout's shoulders and tried, tentatively, to rub her back. She wasn't sure if this was the right thing to do - Callisto seemed so easily frightened - but she wanted to comfort her somehow. And she needed Callisto to cope somehow, to prove to herself that it hadn't been a mistake to recruit someone who was so, so promising, but also so, so young.
Arm still wrapped around Callisto's shaking shoulders, she glanced over at Kallichore. "...Fix them?" she asked slowly. "Kallichore, what do you know?" Europa had already developed the opinion that most of the negaverse was beyond the pale, but she was interested to know what this was about, even if it might just be a fruitless rumor.
Babylon gave Vindemiatrix's hand a squeeze and surpressed his smile. Despite the subject at hand being horrifyingly depressing, good company could make anything seem a little bit brighter. "I'll help, too," he offered, "Although I don't have one of those nifty phones."
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2011 5:13 am
The super senshi of madness shook her head. "I know what Pasiphae told me, actually. She's met the general from the Negaverse who was cleansed somehow and became a knight like Babylon and Valhalla." Remembering what Babylon had said, she then coughed. "Page, excuse me. They're pages, she's a knight. How it all happened, I don't know. I wish I knew." came the further explanation. Kallichore turned to Pasiphae.
"Is there anything else you might know about this Lina? Obviously Babylon knows her..." She glanced with expectations back to the page of Mercury. Would he know how Lina was cleansed? If they could figure that out, maybe the twisted Dark Mirrors could be cleansed as well? That could be a lofty goal - trying to cleanse the Negaverse and the newly-awakened Dark Mirror senshi. The fact that Ares was remaking her court using other White Moon senshi... it was disturbing and incredibly dangerous. Not only did they have the Negaverse to contend with, now they had other corrupted senshi under Ares' thumb.
Kallichore drew up on of her legs and wrapped an arm around it. "If anyone needs my assistance, please don't hesitate to call. But we'll need to figure out how to contact the pages as well."
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