Welcome to Gaia! ::

As the late morning inched onward to the noon hour, people were off in various places, doing various things. Aylin had Seren's gran to deal with, Chef was off to town to attend the meeting (only to get caught up in yet another energy pillar event), Seren was giving Aureate the grand tour of Barton Manor such as it was, Charm hadn't been seen in a while, and Lorelei and Prim were presumably still in the manor kitchen. That left Lunette in the small reading nook down on the ground floor, wading through books to try to find answers to questions, some of which she didn't even know she had.

*sigh* Where is that butler at? I've needed to ask him about things since I got here, and so far everyone has been kept busy by one bizarre event after another. Every time I think I'm going to get a moment to say what I have to, things pop up. I wish it would just be halfway calm and normal for five minutes. Lunette thought to herself as she began perusing yet another tome on ancient magic.

She was searching like mad through each book, but not really sure what it was she was searching for. Caelen. He would have more answers than any dusty old book. He lived and breathed the dark. He knew what it was like to have all that dark power coursing through his veins, ready to be bent to his will at the drop of a hat. Even with the realization that her power was not quite the same as Caelen's, Lunette still felt he was the best person to handle her particular brand of darkness.

Lunette's head jerked up suddenly from the book she had been staring at with not an ounce of understanding. An epiphany had hit. The pixie had rambled on earlier about how the senshi all had these objects of light, which presumably meant that their power was light-oriented, even if it didn't take the form of light magic. Lunette was significantly different in that respect. Sure, her dark amethyst pendant would glow when she transformed, but she could feel that it had no connection to her taking on her battle form. It was simply a byproduct reaction. Aside from not having any object to rule her transformation, her power was not light. But on the same card it wasn't evil-dark either. So what did that make her, exactly? Was that the reason why it was so difficult for her to feel any sense of closeness or even a minute connection to the others? Frustrated, Lunette crossed her arms on the table she was sitting and and laid her head down on her arms.

Why am I such a freak? Lune whispered to the room in despair.

That small, slightly hesitant voice Lunette knew so well to be Prim tugged carefully at the dark senshi's consciousness. For once, the fight was gone, the blazing fire of resentment and defiance had withered to mere coals choking on their own smoke. Lune raised her head from the table where she had slumped in self pity. There was no sarcasm or venom in her voice when she spoke to Prim, perhaps because they were both in the same boat at the moment. Too many questions and not enough straightforward answers. She stared at the table as she spoke, looking the very picture of dejection.

At this point, I'm not even sure what I'm reading anymore. I've read the same dang sentence five times and it makes no sense. Maybe I'm trying to hard. Sometimes books don't have the answers a person needs. I know what the butler said, and I don't doubt his resolve in keeping me in check, but I need his advice. He's the only one here who knows anything about the darker powers in the world.

Lunette looked straight at Prim with a rare expression of pain and inward frustration on her face.

I'm not like the rest of you. Maybe that is the reason why it's so difficult for me to feel like I belong. I don't even know if I'm supposed to be a part of this....I don't know, save the world yatta yatta? If what that pixie said is true, then the warriors of old are carriers of power based in the light. I know mine isn't. So what does that make me? The enemy? A neutral? It may be hard to believe, but the idea of being the enemy scares me to death. I have so many unknown factors in my life that I'm beginning to feel like one big enigma.

It was a tremendous admission for Lunette. She wasn't know for being unsure or even scared, but with no idea what part she had to play in the coming days, it only added to her self-doubts.

Massaging her temples Mikayla quickly realized this conversation was getting out of control Okay I can see you point on the event;s in the square to be honest until I felt the stirring's with the first attack I believed Gaia to be devoid of Senshi , so I was worried at first, but then you all showed up,and I thought things would work out in the end.

You can believe I am afraid of all that if you wish but you are only half right, I am not afraid of who I am nor have I taught my family in any way to fear themselves or each other, think it if you must but it is not true, what I do fear is how my family would see me as someone who ran from her supposed fate surely there are things that were expected of you that you have feared or fled from? And Seren can stay she want's to her friend's are here and she want's to help them, but please I am not ready to disclose about myself.

Prim had nodded gently to Lunette's reply. She was glad to see that Lunette had drive to continue. Prim was startled by the sudden dash to the window that had left the chair on its side. She could tell things were about to get even worse. "How could it get stronger? I wonder if it's the same foe we fought before, or someone new? You're right though, we can't just stand here. Those clones are sure to break through the manor gate if we wait too long. Caelen might be able to hold them off, but even he has limits. He needs our help, all of us." She nodded to Lunette.

Opening the door and exiting as well Mikayla walked towards the entrance hall Seren can stay and train but I expect you not to tell her about me, and good luck. with that she continued on her way.

Chef took his time getting from the manor to city hall. He was in no rush to get to another boring, unproductive meeting with the council. Really, he was only going to stay on the council's good side. Nothing they decided would really matter, because they had no idea what they faced or how to deal with it. And if Chef was ridiculed for suggesting that Caelen lead an investigation into the matter, there was no way he was about to let the council know about the magical teenage-or-so girls staying at the manor. However, in all reality, those girls were probably the town's only hope, and Chef was going to do all that he could to help them. "Some of them are going to need a lot of help, though..." the young man thought.

As Chef approached town hall, his attention immediately shifted to the two unusual young women who stood before it. While Chef wasn't a native of Barton, he has spent enough time around town hall to recognize those who frequented it and he didn't recognize either of the two. Chef couldn't help but get more apprehensive as he came closer to the young women. It looked to him like one of them was emanating something dark, though Chef initially thought his tired mind was playing tricks on him. Within moments, however, the same dark aura surrounding one of the women began to engulf town hall. Frightened citizens fled from the building in every direction as the structure neared collapse. Soon the only people left were Chef and the two young women. For a split-second Chef thought about confronting the two, but looking over at the crumbling building in front of him reconsider. Still, he wasn't about to let think they could get away with this.

The young man addressed the one with the dark aura around her who seemed to be the leader of the bunch. Or, he tried to. The collapsing town hall drowned out his words, and the young woman pointed that out to Chef, seemingly taunting him. Though somewhat frustrated, Chef remained steadfast and repeated himself.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you won't get away with this! We will stop you!"

Ayel
Ayel had not anticipated the building collapsing. Still, she was able to put up enough of a barrier that she was not physically harmed, despite being buried alive in the rubble. It was enough that she had to deal with DV's condescending tone and her insistence on not killing the pests that lived in Barton. She'd lost her sunglasses in the collapse. It showed how much DV and her master's plans really mattered to her in the long run that the sunglasses being lost bothered most. Yet, still, there was that energy she'd gotten. It didn't mix well with the other energy she'd stored and was causing a mild burning sensation inside her that made her feel rather irritable. Enough to completely forego the deal with DV and start destroying things...use energy. It was almost as if the new energy was compelling her to do it. Nonsense, of course...but she felt an urge that prompted her to lash out (not that she needed much prompting at the moment). Feeling DV moving about, and the energy of another nearby she decided staying entombed in the remains of the pathetic hall building was unproductive.

From the heap of debris suddenly a steamer of purple energy shot upwards. It wasn't very thick, but it cut through the stuff on top of her easily. Just as it vanished two more appeared moving diagonally across the ruins of the structure kicking up dust and sending chunks of stone flying. Each ribbon made a high pitched screech as they traveled opposite directions. After a few moments they tapered off and then a purple flash from deep within the pile caused a massive eruption of material to be sent skyward. The area around the city hall became completely shrouded in dust and falling material. Ayel slowly began rising out of the hole she'd made for herself. As the cloud began to thin, she lowered to the ground and began walking toward where DV was. Her eyes were glowing violet like the energy she'd used. Something was happening and she was beginning to think perhaps DV hadn't been so noble in her peace offering, after all.

Hearing the door open and then close from a distant room, Prim felt the need to go see who had left. She hoped that it was Aylin, so that she could warn her of the impending darkness that grew closer. "I'm going to find the others Lunette, I need to let them know. Perhaps Caelen will show up as well." She took off toward where she heard the door. She saw Aylin who was leaned against the wall, as well as an elder lady that had just exited. She wondered who the lady was, but left it, there was no time. "Aylin, the enemies are only getting stronger, and they are going to attack the manor soon if we don't do anything right now. I need to know how I can be stronger; strong enough to save this town and this world. I need your help." Prim's face showed tremendous worry as she pleaded with the pixie.

Lorelei turned to the man who had tapped her shoulder. His words begged her help. The solemn look on his face was enough to tell the gravity of the situation which they were facing. Lorelei offered her assistance to Leif, propping him against her shoulder and setting him upright in a chair beside her. She placed her hand over his, and looked into his weary eyes. "I promise you, I will do everything in my power to help." She squeezed his hands tightly, before releasing. "The battle has only begun, we will stay strong till the end."