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"I'm afraid that running is out of the question." There was really no mistaking where the confident (if hushed) voice came from. The ball of fluff had turned her pale green eyes up to look at the frightened teenager, staring her directly in the face. She could feel the energy all over the girl, like static. So close to her, practically wrapped in her arms, Invidia was convinced she was right.

"I need you to get just out of sight so that uniformed menace can't put two and two together, but you absolutely can not leave if you want to help your friend there." Her tail twitched beneath her as she spoke, waving like a flag where it dangled in the air.

Everything about the cat was commanding, which was impressive for.. a cat. Yet that star shined on her forehead unnaturally, like no cat would ever have, and she was talking. She just hoped the girl didn't spook easily.

"Of course I want--"

The words were tumbling out of Harper's mouth before she consciously knew to whom or what she was responding. Which was a talking cat, by the way, that also possessed a glimmering astrological symbol on its forehead. Speech escaped her once the realization caught up and tossed itself on top of the growing pile of, to put it lightly, concerns. The look she gave in return was unabashed, if confused and incredulous. And yet.

Cat though she was, this was a point of authority. Harper was the only one out here who didn't know what the hell was going on and this creature had offered her a way to be effectual nonetheless. Penelope looked outmatched. She and her friend had a squabble, sure, but that didn't dismiss everything between them. It hadn't. It never did. And maybe this was even bigger than them.

"... Okay." The whisper was strained, struggling out against remnants of doubt. A quick glance down the ally reminded her of an alcove between the ice cream shop and the connecting building a few yards away. Secluded. Harper redirected her retreat in that direction, trading some stealth for speed in her new purpose. "Just help us get out alive."

When the battle and the cold brick were to her back she released her grip on the magical creature. Harper looked to it for the next command, managing to muster up something of a stronger countenance.

"Good, we have absolutely no time to waste." Invidia didn't hide her pleasure at the way the girl followed her command so quickly and by the time they were in the seclusion of the side-alley, her mind was already working in overtime.

Somewhere between the girl's arms and the ground, the fluffy cat managed to call upon the magic she was gifted. She landed on all fours and then promptly sat, sitting a shiny wand-like pen down on the ground at the girl's feet.

"I need you to pick this up and shout Nyx Power, Make-Up! Got it?" She nudged the pen with her nose so that it rolled a little closer, and then turned her pale eyes up at her with urgency.

"Come on, every second counts child!"

By this point, Harper silently berated herself for still being surprised when the magical creature produced an item out of thin air and presented it dutifully in front of her. She had already committed to going through with this; there was simply no reason not to forge ahead, especially with the urgency in the cat's voice that pushed aside the remaining doubt to remind her just what was on the line. The pen was rolled closer. It was a seemingly meager thing, unassuming and unimposing. Whatever it was supposed to do to help, she couldn't say.

Quickly, Harper knelt down and took up the pen-like wand: green, trimmed in gold, and affixed with a symbol. With a touch, it was no longer so meager. It was as if the pen touched her back -- lightly ghosting over her fingers in a motion of acceptance. Welcoming. Words that were once puzzling came out as naturally as breathing,

"Nyx Power, Make-Up!"

The pen flashed golden light for a second and it, along with her clothes disappeared, into a twilight of magic around her body. Then, the ground opened up with a tendrilly darkness; in the places it settled, it formed a sailor skirted uniform, bows included, of green and brown. Not what Harper would call the most battle-ready ensemble, but... there was something empowering about it.

"This is..?" she trailed off, caught between the chaos of the moment and getting a good look at what had happened.

[NOTE: We're jumping around a bit to get this wrapped up. Felyn has given permission to continue to use Invidia while she is on hiatus. <3]

Power.

Invidia's terse response had told her what she needed to know right now: the uniform was power. It was the power to save her friend and the people of Destiny City from those like they faced in the alley now -- to defend them from the evils that struck out from the shadows. The idea that with a simple phrase and a magic pen, she was now a part of a cosmic war was filed away in the same place as talking cat with a star on its head. She would wonder about the scope some other time. For now, Harper had to welcome this as a gift. Glancing around the corner, Sailor Nyx saw Pasiphae pinned beneath the Negaverse agent. It didn't look like any sort of fighting style she had seen before -- why did that creep have her hand shoved in her friend's chest? There wasn't any blood, so what was she doing?! Nyx's own hands folded into fists and she could feel the new, energized raw power beneath her skin.

"Thank you," she said, nodding to Invidia before sprinting out of their hiding spot. Whatever this chest-grabbing thing meant, Nyx could sense in her core that the situation had taken a drastic turn. Brown eyes glared as she came upon her target.

"Hands off!" Sailor Nyx shouted as she threw all of her weight into a full-body blow. "That doesn't belong to you!"

Pain. Her latest few minutes had been filled with it. It seemed as though quite a few more would be devoted to it as well.

Pasiphae released a harsh gasp as Mica's hand sank into her chest. She had no idea what was happening to her. All she knew was that the sensation chilled her down to the marrow of her bones, the pain cutting like a scalpel of ice against her flesh. She convulsed slightly and could only see the face of her attacker--and her molested heart could only be thankful that Harper had gotten away.

The flash of green, brown, and white that appeared next was unexpected. The cold left when the hand did, but in its wake came a new, warm pain as the crystal-tipped weapon sank deep into her flesh and called forth blood. The Shame Senshi curled into ball, clamping one hand against the hole in her shoulder, the other against her chest. She should be looking up, thanking the one who had saved her... but all she could do was cover her hurts.

Pasiphae could see the beam of light only in the periphery as her gaze resolutely stayed down. It hurt too much to do otherwise. Her crouching legs trembled the longer she stayed curled, but she couldn't rise. She had never been hurt this badly on patrol. She had always known she had been lucky, but she hadn't realized how lucky until this moment.

The warm hand on her own caused her to move, a pure startle reflex as half-pulled away until... 'Pene...'

So few called her that, and of them only one was present. Maroon eyes all but bore holes into the hand that rested on hers. Her white glove was quickly staining red, and the blood spread between them, sticky and warm. The tears didn't start to fall until she realized that her friend's hands weren't even fully protected by gloves.

"Harper..." The word was hoarse with pain and shame even as she relaxed under her friend's touch. "Never... wanted this..."

Pasiphae yelped whenever her friend pressed down on the wound, but she quickly bit her lip to stifle further sound. She managed to get it down to a few frantic deep breaths as she struggled to follow her friends advice. Relax. She needed to relax. Harper was saying that the Negaverse agent was gone, but she also didn't want to draw any extra attention. Not to mention... she didn't want to be any more of a burden than she already had been.

Her eyelids suddenly felt like they were made of iron. Her head swam. The trembling in her limbs continued, but she felt her body less and less., The Shame Senshi struggled to remain concious. Harper was asking her something. Uniforms... ambulance... get out of the uniforms? Oh... yes, of course!

********* simple explantion from her own awakening bubbled forth, and she managed to cough out the words, "You just... imagine yourself... as you..." It took all of her own concentrated efforts to recall herself. Penelope Seneca, Transformers shirt, jeans... but the finery disappated and left her merely that, with no trace of Senshi to be seen.

With that final exertion, the girl slumped over in her friends arms.