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Crocus

The tension between them all was dying down, though Crocus was a bit concerned that the mystery woman might have gotten some strange ideas about all of them because of everything that had been said. Hopefully she could just understand that they were all under a lot of stress. They hadn't just been pulled out of Mirrorspace and back home, they had been dragged off to some strange different place. It was different from anything he had ever seen, almost like they were in some bizarre fantasy land.

As the woman began to speak again, Crocus let his attention drift back to her. So, she was a queen and they were in her castle. Solmania? Was that the name of their location, or were they on a totally different planet? He remembered that Remarque had told him some time ago that he was looking for ways to visit other worlds. He didn't think it would ever actually happen to him though.

He spoke kindly to Queen Altea, since she didn't seem that dangerous. Not yet anyway. "You said it's dangerous there, but it wasn't always that way. Have you always been able to look into...well, we call it Mirrorspace. I'm not sure I'm the best person to explain why we were there though..." He was still so new to the Court, he didn't know how mirrorspace worked, in fact not many of them knew how it worked. But, sure some others knew more than he did. Would she even know what Earth was if they mentioned it? Oh, this was all so complicated.

When she clapped her hands and summoned what Crocus could only assume were servants of some kind, he was rather fascinated. As human-y as they looked, they also weren't human in appear at all. They almost looked like pieces or mirror come to life. He watched with curious eyes as they followed the Queen's instructions. He had yet to see anything quite so...unreal in his adventures as a Senshi.

Avior speaking next to him snapped him out of his own thoughts and he smiled up at the gentle senshi. "I think it might be the only chance we have of seeing home again, might as well just roll with the punches." What else could they do in this situation anyway? If this really was a totally different world, what chances would they have of leaving on their own?

Acubens gave Kibirev and Lovejoy a reassuring squeeze on each shoulder and a warm smile. She had to recover. She had to be better than this. She turned that warm smile on Avior now and swallowed her pride and ran a cool hand over her live-wire nerves.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. You don't deserve it. But was now really the time for the conversation you wanted to have? Whatever concerns you have about what I do and why I do those things need to happen later. For now..." her eyes trailed back to the "queen" currently inviting them to dinner, "we just ride the wave I guess? I don't think we should be eating the food that she puts in front of us though..." Acubens finally released Lovejoy and Kibirev and whispered, "stay close," before she cast her eyes around for Kiuchi and Crocus. His voice helped her locate the younger boy. As easily as anger overtook her expression, pride now shone clear as day in her eyes and across her smile. He was speaking. Asking questions. Moving of his own agency.

Soon he won't need you any longer...

Acubens ignored the wicked laughter from the dead man in the back of her mind and pressed the two senshi in front of her forward. Addressing Avior again she said, "while I think caution would be our best course of action... it might be prudent to do as she asks. Just... keep my boys safe while I help these two. I'm trusting them with you."

She turned and offered a grin to the older senshi, who was clearly offering them reassurance in the form of a shoulder squeeze. She opened her mouth to make a comment, but the pull on her hand sent her forward instead.

Where Kibirev went, Lovejoy followed and where Lovejoy went, Kibirev was always only a step away. As close as the two friends were, there was no hesitation on LJ's part when the colorful senshi gripped her hand and tugged her towards the stranger - the Queen - that was speaking to them all in dulcet tones that were clearly meant to soothe worried minds.

Lovejoy wasn't worried.

Lovejoy was suspicious.

There were several creatures of lore that held such guises. Beautiful women who used their voices and appearances to lure men to their deaths. It was an equal-opportunity world now, so why wouldn't these monsters be doing the same thing to women nowadays too??

She could be a siren, the white haired girl thought to herself as dark eyes gazed upon her gentle form, Maybe a hulder. Or hey - hey - maybe she was some sort of pooka!!!

Biting her lip, she remained quiet around Queen Pooka Altea as her best friend gushed about the stranger's clothes.

Go figure that Kibby would notice her outfit first.

Super Sailor Elsa

Nothing made Elsa feel better quite like seeing Chione. Knowing that his sister was okay meant that this whole thing felt less terrifying and more bearable. He turned to her with a faint smile, looking fond.

"Good to see you still aren't dead either," he teased lightly, warmth in his voice. He, too, was quiet, rather than risking drawing too much attention from their...host. Their host who claimed to have saved them, to have the power to pull that many people throguh a mirror.

She seemed kind, so far, and welcoming, and Elsa wanted to let that soften him to her. He wanted to trust, even just a little, but he wasn't exactly the type of person to do so easily. She was a stranger, claiming the title of Queen, and claiming to be from a place that certainly wasn't Mirrorspace.

He felt a spike of curiosity at the strange, translucent servants. Moving creatures that were not biological - or at least didn't appear to be so. Were they some form of golem? He wanted to ask, but there would he hoped, be time for those kinds of questions later.

Because it seemed there would definitely be a later.

Sailor Asmodeus

Asmodeus frowned. This seemed...strange, and very lucky, that the one person who could apparently save them happened to be watching right as things got strange. Still, so far they seemed to be being welcomed as guests, and at least everyone looked nice and close to each other.

She spotted another Senshi, in bright red and teal, that seemed to be hanging away from groups and slid her way over as they started walking down the hallway, giving the girl a cheery smile.

"So this is pretty wild," she said lightly. "Strange castles, magic queens, moving glass servants? Kind of a weird day."

Remarque

Remarque remained silent, steadfastly observing the Dark Mirror Senshi. He seemed to be silently appraising their status, making sure they were all still doing okay. He watched the queen as she began to walk, and began to slowly match her steps so he stayed a slight distance from her while still keeping her, and the Court, in his line of vision.

He’d looked at the mirror behind them; it seemed lifeless, and he didn’t think it would have been wise to try and walk through it. Not now, at least.

He didn’t know what to make of this place, but it was clear enough that there wasn’t anything for them in this room.

And, after all of this, he still wanted answers.

He had no intention of revealing his name to this woman—at least, not so soon. More importantly than that, he didn’t want her to know how strong he was, just in case.

When he got a moment alone with the rest of the Court, he had full intention to request such secrecy of them, but he wasn’t willing to risk such information in the Queen’s presence. Instead, he looked to each of them, and nodded reassuringly to those he made eye contact with; he displayed no fear, both for practicality and pride, and he carried himself as if he had no doubts.

And, when Lesath was close enough, sometimes his fingers would brush against hers as they walked.

Altea offered a polite smile, especially for Kibirev and, by extension, to Lovejoy as well. The polite words clearly pleased her—especially considering the hostilities some of the others greeted her with. “You are kind,” she replied, “It is nice to meet you as well, Kibirev. If you like this, I will have to show you what else I have in my closet. It’s been far too long since I had occasion to dress up for guests. You do not need to apologize for anyone, I understand that this whole situation must be frightening for them. But your kindness is so very appreciated.”

She turned to Sadalsuud next, who had been similarly polite. “You do not need to thank me, though. I would hope that if ever I was in trouble and someone could help, I could rely on them. Stranger or not.”

She began to walk with a bit more fervor, now convinced that the group intended to follow her. She watched some of the more hostile ones out of the corner of her eye, instinctively, but she didn’t seem to treat them any different than the other members of the group. If she heard Leto, she did not reply; instead, she only offered another smile and continued to lead them.

They passed through another long hallway; this one was decorated the same as the foyer they had arrived in and seemed similarly covered in crystals. These crystals were distinctly different from the ones that had mysteriously appeared in Mirrorspace for the Court; the ones they had found in Mirrorspace seemed almost like they could have been polished gemstones, cut to size, but these crystals seemed like they had grown over the area. The colors were distinctly different, and there didn’t seem to be anything particularly magical about the crystals in the castle. They seemed larger than the crystals the Court had found, and grew in different formations of clusters and shapes.

The castle seemed like each room flowed into the other, and while this new hallway was very similar, there were a number of doors lining the hallways. They were intricately carved, each one different from the last, though all either had a crystal over the handle or seemed to have been locked up.

Only one door was presently open to them: a great, gaping archway that lead into a long dining room.

The table could have easily fit more than twice their number. Plates were set up and more strange, crystalline figures were moving to prepare a meal. They did not seem to have eyes that blinked nor did they look up when the group entered. They moved silently and did not attempt to greet anyone.

Altea smiled at the hurrying servants and thanked them; they bowed in unison before returning to their work.

“Have a seat, any one you like,” she said, gesturing to the tall chairs. She took a seat at the head of the table. “If you are so inclined, you should eat. You’ll want your strength if you’re trying to get home. We have a delicacy here, I encourage you to try it.”

Plates were already set out, full—but the meal looked strangely crystalline. It was beautiful—but tasteless, if anyone was brave enough to try it. Biting into it would reveal that it had the consistency of rock candy, though like cotton candy the crystals seemed to melt quickly on their tongue. Though not like food they were accustomed to, eating the crystals seemed to almost immediately restore energy as much as any good meal and rest would.

While the meal Altea offered the Senshi were already in small, bite size pieces, she had a larger crystal that resembled a flower on her plate. The queen took a knife and fork to hers and began to cut it into small pieces, though it seemed she had too much to say to focus on eating; she still had questions to address.

Kiuchi and Tantalus had her attention next; she answered their questions together. “I’m afraid I cannot answer some of those questions. Not immediately, at least. I have never heard of Earth. What galaxy, what Solar System is that? Or—how well versed are you in star maps? You’re in the Gresit Quandrant now, does that mean anything to you?” She waited for a moment, glancing around their faces to see if anyone seemed to understand what she was saying. “Oh, but I’m not offended if you haven’t heard of us. Our asteroid system prevents many travelers from visiting. It’s not quite a belt, more of a wall. It’s why it’s so dark here sometimes, the clusters block out the starlight.”

To Crocus, she answered, “I have been able to look into the mirror for what feels like forever. I hardly remember a time before I was relying on the Mirrors. But,” she glanced at them. “Isn’t it dangerous? Your ‘Mirrorspace’, I mean. It looked like it was falling apart. It’s been doing that a lot lately. The bright flashes, and the cracking, I am familiar with. But I haven’t seen people in there before. But you were in the mirror—you can move through it as well, can’t you? I used to be able to. Only, it seems that every mirror I try to pass through has shut me out. I don’t know what’s become of them. But I saw you, so I brought you here. I don’t blame you if you want to leave, though. I would rather be home than any unfamiliar place, myself. But you must forgive my curiosity. It’s been lonely, here.”

Laverna

Her eyes had been narrowing once more at the back and forth. Just as she considered speaking up to once more defend those against foolishness, Remarque spoke up. Had anyone else said it, Laverna might have told them to screw off. Had anyone else said it, she would have ignored them.

But it was her Prince. So Laverna bit it lip and looked away falling silent even as she wanted to walk up to who she gathered to be 'Princess' Leto and slug her in the back of her head.

It was Remarque's eyes that caught her and calmed her anger...for now.

They did not respond to his nod but turned back to this Queen Altea. She and her guards were...interesting. Laverna wanted to touch them...to break off a piece of the crystal for herself. Never had she seen anything like it. Not even the crystals they found in mirror space looked like this..

"What do you think?" The words were a whisper as she cast a glance towards Diadem. "Shall we follow and see what this Queen is presenting? After all, we would be rather rude guests to try breaking away from anything..." The look in those blue eyes said her final thought...'yet'. She wasn't the senshi of thieves for nothing!

"Or..." Her eyes trailed back to find Avior and Crocus. Meeting them, "We could have two handsome gentlemen escort us to dinner." Hey, she wasn't all evil. Just to those who enraged her. After all, show her something worthwhile and she might just reward you.