As Asphodel's passed-out form sagged against the piece of machinery Lourdes had propped him on, the wisp that had become so attached to him emerged and rolled around and around the brim of his hat like a physics-defying marble. It seemed agitated and apprehensive about what was going on.
Sweenys_Revenge
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 8:25 pm
Name: Cadet Silvera HP: 50/50 Action: Following Lyndin Damage: 0 Location: Following Lyndin
He'd seen others die, those who wouldn't make it home with them, and he wanted to cry and to mourn. He knew they should take the bodies and bring them home...and he hoped that's what Lyndin was going to do as he watched crystal form over bodies and keep them safe. Watching as Lyndin moved, and was attacked by many, Silvera still didn't know why they'd even involved all these people in their problem. Why did they have to involve the Negaverse and the senshi and the knights? Shouldn't this whole i ssue of theirs been kept to their own planet and their own people?
Why were they the cause of this fight...this trap? He had sensed the chaos seeping out of the console and he'd seen it twisted and corrupt people. He wanted to know why so badly. He hoped he'd get to ask when they got to the couldron, or got home. He was following Lyndin, even before the other had called them to him, but he kept silent and safe. He didn't strike out against others. He didn't want to get involved in the fighting and wind up dead, he was his parents only child, and he didn't want to risk Caedus' precious starseed. Another body in the fighting meant another chance for something to happen to it.
As he moved, trailing behind, he took the time to look for Scylla. He wanted to see her again...to see that she was alive and well. He hoped that he'd be able to return here and see her, to see her homeworld, and explore more. He wanted to study more things about this planet - it was fascinating. He hoped she wouldn't be angry at him but would be understanding...as she seemed to be.
Turning away then he saw as Lyndin seemed to be struggling and Caedus' starseed was taken. Torn between what to do he moved quickly towards Lyndin. "Commador." Calling out to their stunned leader. He seemed frozen in place though and this was not good...things were going badly and doing so rather quickly. "Commador, we need to leave, it isn't safe anymore." For anyone but they needed to get out of here. The senshi and the knights...how they were going to escape he didn't know. But this was all about to go really bad, worse than it already had.
"I want to make it home...I don't want any more of us to die." He wanted to live and return to Earth to examine it more and explore. There was so much to see and learn. But to do that he needed to live - they needed to live and get home.
Guardian Cat Réalta HP: 15 Action: Sad. Damage Location: F6 to D4
She'd been surprised when the Cadet had said she'd be returning to the Vanguard. Considering she'd been shooting at the generator, and her own words of being unsure of her place, Realta had figured the girl would not be going back to her people. But the feline said nothing, merely watching on as she began to walk back through the field.
The crystal that had formed around the other alien was jagged, but it'd hurt no one. Her ears and tail dropped, and Realta bent her head to gently nudge one of the crystals. "...you fought so bravely. Thank you for protecting Nami. May you know peace now, and always." The glimmer of her starseed, the tiny fragments, made the guardian want to claw out the eyes of the agent who did this.
It was an urge she pushed down, focusing on moving back through the wild field, towards the angry looking main console, towards the brave folk who'd managed to take back Caedus' starseed. Being near the thing made her wince--it was going to explode, that much seemed obvious. But she had to see that starseed.
Lyndin had said Caedus was a senshi. Realta now, processing this, was horrified. She'd come to her senses within the forest, had met Caedus first. They'd spoken, and beyond him being an alien, like herself, he'd seemed... like a civilian. No hint of additional magic had drifted through her senses. Even when she'd seen him again those weeks ago upon his return, she'd felt nothing.
So as they brought it closer to the unconscious King, she trotted up carefully, her chest feeling tight as she slowed, moving gradually to gently nudge her head to one of Caedus' hands. She knew he would not move, but it was all she could offer to express her own sorrow and a guilt that was welling up in her chest. The Mauvian stood somewhat between Caedus and the Knight (Sessrumnir) that guarded him, and she watched the two carrying the volatile starseed (Oberon and Encke) with trepidation.
"...no Mauvian can awaken that starseed as it now is, it's true," she said, though aware they'd likely be a bit too distracted to hear her. She could feel something from it now, though. Buried. Like a treasure locked away within a lead box, chained up, and tossed into the ground. There could have been a power there, a great one. His position as a King was not merely a title, if her senses were right. Her heart broke for this man. What had he been enduring, if his very self was this broken? "I know of nothing that can. It feels... sick. I've never felt anything from Caedus until now, but whatever power that starseed holds... it's not possible for a Mauvian to touch it and help bring it to the surface, from what I can tell." Part of her wasn't even sure another thousand years in the Cauldron would fully heal it.
"I'm not saying he shouldn't have his starseed back, if it'll return. This way of taking it was rather barbaric and cruel," she added, sending a dark look towards the Commodore. She felt some pity for him. He did seem torn by his own actions, and if he truly thought this was the only way to save his people and his world... she could understand his motivations. "I'm only confirming what the Commodore has said, as far as I can see things right now as one whose job is to awaken senshi."
The sounds from the console concerned her greatly, and she frowned, looking up at the Knight whose space the Savannah had intruded into. "Do you have anything to shield yourself? You're strong, but when that machine blows, I'm worried for your safety."
She'd been frozen when it actually mattered. It was a sickening sensation, to see for herself that in a time of crisis, she just... stood frozen. Metis could understand the Commodore's logic. If their world could be saved by their senshi awakening, and Caedus could not be awakened, there was a cruel logic in sending the starseed back to the Cauldron to be healed, so the senshi could be reborn and awakened. Hopefully. Assuming whatever damage had been done could be healed.
But that could take years for Sailor Velenia to return. Centuries. More. Never mind however long it'd take for the newborn to grow so they could be awoken. Their world could be gone by then.
And why did Caedus have to die for an uncertainty? Even if he was being selfish, something Metis couldn't even call him, who could blame him? Few wished to die--she didn't care if the Commodore claimed he'd accept otherwise. None of them wished to see their friend die, either.
But then Metis was back to considering that it wasn't their home that was being threatened. It wasn't Earth dying. What if it'd been in reverse? Would they sacrifice an Earthling to ensure Earth's survival? Save the many, kill the one? It was a nauseating concept. One she couldn't make. One she'd frozen on, and couldn't act either way to help or to go after the generators.
The white returned to her uniform now that the press of Chaos was gone, and she felt more clear-headed for it. Aware of the sounds the console was making, and not wanting to be in the way, she moved carefully, a bit further out of the range. But not far enough that she couldn't... well. Return, if she could help. As it was, she was nervous, noting Realta was far too close to the machine for her comfort. Great...
-------
Cadet Daesva -- Blaster Weapon HP: 15 Action: Returning... with a ******** of questions and zero patience Damage Location: D2
Seeing the starseed closer up, made her feel sick. Daesva swallowed thickly, grimacing at the arcs of energy that lanced off of it. It looked... ready to send itself back to the Cauldron. Or worse. What made them that way? More questions to add to the pile.
Hearing people shout, lecture, made her want to punch someone all over again. Her fingers tapped a rapid beat against her thigh. As if any of them knew the answers. The Commodore was far, far older than any of those present here--save, maybe, Caedus. They were children against him. But still, Daesva doubted him. Questioned him. And she would not cease until she had answers as to why this plan had gone so disastrously. Why he'd hidden such information from them. Why they'd been ordered to turn a blind eye against those who'd helped them, and why one of their own Cadets was now never returning. She'd walked past the crystal-covered body of Cydfae. She'd glimpsed the crystals covering her mentor, Velyria. They were young, yes, inexperienced, yes. But they deserved an explanation for why the man they'd all trusted had not given them enough information to properly understand the extent of the mission.
She heard Neryn speak, and she nodded in silent agreement to the other Cadet's words. Exhaling through her nose, she stepped closer to the other, placing a hand gently on their shoulder. "...there are some cats who help the White Moon. Caerynn... protected one. I think they will be able to help you if you stay here," she said softly, motioning to Realta and Namielle--even if the latter was uh. Currently.... out cold. She'd be fine...
Her hand squeezed gently, hoping to encourage them, before she stepped away and moved to join the Vanguard. Even as she cast the Commodore himself a furious look. Something rather new to the more stoic Cadet.
The Space Cauldron
Staying with Lyndin for now....
a-disgruntled-dragon
Epine de Rose
Daesva is volunteering Nami for alien innkeeper.
Kyuseisha no Hikari rolled 1 10-sided dice:
7Total: 7 (1-10)
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 10:19 pm
Aventine, Knight of Venus HP: 30/100 Action: Trying to escape Lavendulan/attacking Damage: 7+7+3 = 17 [out of knight magic] Location: B2
Dazed from the fading Chaos and what seemed to be another explosion, Aventine wasn’t on her A-game. Being tackled to the ground really wasn’t her idea of fun. Or, it might have been if it was Tortali, but she couldn’t see the woman now and she was starting to feel a bit frantic that they still didn’t know how to get out of here.
...And the machine in the middle just kept making noises.
She kicked at Lavendulan and thrashed, trying to roll her off. Her perfume bottle was in her hand, but when she spritzed it a few more times it was just a plume of smells too low to the ground to be as annoying as before.
“Get off of me before I hurt you! I’ll do it,” she threatened.
Character name, rank, and a link to their journalLt. Nagyágite HP: 38 Action: lying in snakey wait Damage N/A Location: D6
The little melodrama in the center was coming to its conclusion. tHe generators were blown, and there was no longer the glorious hum of power in the air. Nagyágite had to admit, he was disappointed. He had been enjoying the thrill of feeling like a powerful predator, like he was the deadly serpent that his youma parts drew from. But alas, no party could last forever, and this one, it seemed, was heading for its inevitable conclusion.
His eyes flicked to the edge of the battlefield, where the General-Sovereigns and the Queen waited. What would their next play be? With them guarding the edges...well. Nagyágite was fairly certain it would take a miracle for Order to slip out of this one. Those remaining...captured, perhaps. Killed, if they resisted too vigorously.
He wondered how many had escaped the net. Back home in Hyderabad, the Generals had bragged of having practically no enemies. Was that what Destiny City would be reduced to?
A bit of a boring prospect, but Nagyágite supposed that victory always had something of a boring aftermath.
(It was perhaps perverse, but he hoped that enough of Order escaped this nasty little trap tonight to continue standing up as a real resistance. After all, when it was all over...what value did a monster have with no one to fight? Unpleasant thoughts. Nagyágite banished them, for the moment. Better to focus on whatever Laurelite and the General-Sovereigns clearly had planned.)
Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:07 am
Transcendent Eternal Encke HP: 60/100 (+5 buff from Pendour) Action: Attempting to return the crystal to Caedus' body. Damage: -- Location: D4
Oberon got an apologetic look from Encke when he demanded he shut up -- admittedly, this was probably the wrong time to be pleading his case, but there was no part of him that would have let this go, would have let them just run away without saying something. Was there a point? Was it worth it? Should he have just let it go?
All the thoughts in the world didn't matter as the two of them hurried over to Caedus, still being held by Sessrumnir who encouraged them, who attempted to shoo away the other page that had been standing by him.
Scylla descended on them soon, too, swearing to stop the prince from trying to interfere. Encke offered a grateful smile as he situated himself, offering Scylla with a quiet murmur, "It's okay, you know. Take him closer. Might want the comfort when he wakes up."
That center pillar did not look good, though, pulsing in the way that it was. Scylla might have just wanted to pull him closer to get him out of there--
Réalta's voice caught his attention, and he glanced over to the guardian as she warned them of the dangers of the starseed they were dealing with. Assuredly felt like a senshi starseed. Assuredly could not be awakened. "Appreciate the confirmation," he murmured, to her, to make sure she knew she was being paid attention to, even in spite of the situation, "but you're also right in that it was very cruel."
If this was what Caedus ultimately wanted, and he ultimately made that decision for himself, Encke would be more alright with that than executing him over his starseed that was... what it was.
He glanced up at Scylla once more, glanced to Oberon, and then perhaps finally took Oberon's words to heart and turned to Caedus, helping push the starseed toward him and back inside of him.
Please, by the stars, let this work--
--Was that Basiluzzo in the distance? For all that was holy--
Akaganeite watched the Senshi she struck go down. She considered, briefly,. intervening when a Page moved in to haul her away, but there seemed no purpose to exerting herself in that particular way. Not when this battle was already over. Going that way would mean putting herself in danger, and she recognized that, so she stilled herself, waiting.
For what, she wasn't sure. Orders. Answers.
The end to whatever dance this had become.
Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:16 am
Super Sailor Morgan HP: 20 Action: Tired. Damage Location: B6
The generator exploded. And something got torn apart in the process.
Someone.
Morgan saw... enough. She'd been far enough back to avoid the spray of black... something, but she'd been far enough back to watch as someone was thrown back by the shrapnel and energy of the blast. That... pieces went in different directions. It was a sickening realization, and she turned away quickly. Tried to ignore the shouting.
When she saw Arthuradel coming towards her, she nearly panicked, quickly going over to her sister and wrapping her up in a hug, pointedly turning the child away from any of the vicious sights. "I know, kiddo. Me too. Me too." She started to look around for Hania, but also unable to keep herself from looking for a sign of that Corrupt (Lionel) with Gwen.
The idea of leaving though... Morgan turned her gaze along the edges of the battlefield, noting the perimeter was still being guarded. "...we can't leave quite yet."Yet.
It was there, in the back of her mind. Like something was calling her. Telling her the battle was likely over, reassuring her of... of what? Not of safety. But definitely calling. So she kept her arms around her sister, and, for the moment, waited.
Worse came to worse, she still had magic to shield Arthur.
To hear the agents were to follow orders so obediently hardly made a difference in that moment. If anything, it made the foreboding future all the worse. She'd have to deal with that? Just following along with someone's demands like a good dog? The concept made her nauseous.
Why don't you just leave it? The question wouldn't slip off of her tongue. Because she didn't want to think about it as she was falling into their ranks. Selfishly, she wanted someone to maybe be familiar once she lost everything else.
Then she told him her name. And when he repeated it back, the tremor in it made her head lift, unsure why he was having this reaction. The soft, barely audible name back made her choke on her own breath. Her eyes moved between his, as, so suddenly, she saw him. The guise of a stranger shattered, and Tobias was standing in front of her. Wearing the wrong clothes, wielding a weapon she wanted to break. A pitiful sound broke from her throat as her free hand twitched, needing to grab onto him but knowing she couldn't right now. Not with so many people here. She couldn't risk putting him into any more danger than their hushed words might have already, if anyone bothered to pay attention.
"Oh my god," she finally got out, barely louder than a breath. Waring thoughts made her stomach churn. Has he killed people?I don't need to leave him now. She wanted to cheer and scream all at once. Even as a stranger, he'd not been hostile. He'd warned her, and she'd just ran on, picking a fight. But he was a Captain. She doubted the Negaverse gave promotions for what she deemed good behaviour.
Before she could speak any more, the generator she'd been kicking childishly exploded. She screamed, but the sound was lost in the eruption, feeling the rush of energy and shrapnel fly by. Just as she was being moved, arms wrapped tight around her, a larger body shielding her. "Tobias!" Her voice might have been a bit louder than would be wise, but against the boom of the generator, and the following ringing in any nearby ears, it was nothing.
She could feel sharp cuts in her legs and arms, but they were minor compared to whatever he probably just dealt with. "Honey, honey," she whispered, ignoring her surroundings for a moment to tuck the wooden heart under an arm and cup his face in her hands. He was still standing, but he was leaning on her. She could feel his weight against her, and quickly wrapped one of her arms around him to help support him. That's when she felt some of the pieces sticking through his jacket. Dunwich sucked in a breath. "No, no no no. Honey, we need to get you out of here. You need help." And she wasn't someone with any real first aid knowledge. Except that they shouldn't remove the pieces stuck in him, in case they were plugging up something vital.
"C-can you teleport? That's a thing, right? I thought I heard that's a thing agents can do." She wasn't sure how it worked, and she was entirely ignoring the fact the leaders of the Negaverse were present, and likely wouldn't be too chill with an agent leaving the battle just to rush to the ER...
Especially since she distantly registered someone else was screaming. So. That couldn't be good. And what was that black stuff on her arm..?
Noir Songbird
------
Page Yetzirah of Cosmos HP: 50 Action: Checking on others Damage Location: B6 to B4
"Oh s**t!" When the generator blew, he had enough time to at least cover his head before shrapnel went flying. He fell to his knees, wincing as he felt his back get sliced up a bit, and his shoulders. But nothing was stabbing into him, he was pretty sure, and after taking a moment to breath and try to categorize his injuries.
He could stand, though, and did, wincing all the while as he began to make his way away from... well.
Whatever dropped all this black stuff on him. He didn't notice that there was a lot more on his back.
The lack of Chaos in the air was incredibly refreshing, though, and his uniform began to take on its white and pastel coloration again. People seemed to slow down on the fighting, but one guy with Earth symbols on him (Belmont) seemed... kinda lost?
"Hey!" He sped up a bit, ignoring his injuries for the moment. "Hey, you okay?" The other guy looked rough, too, and Yetzirah frowned, unsure if he was super hurt or not. But he had an aura that wasn't a senshi, and he was Order, so he figured the guy was a knight like him. So that was a plus!
Abzu, Page of Neptune HP: 31/50 Action: Smacking at Vladimirite, out of surprise, and fleeing ... Faustite Damage: 10 + 3 (rank) + 1 (non-magic faction) = 14 Location: B6 -> C6
Hope you don't--
Maybe Abzu hadn't intended to, maybe the voice in the back of his head should have been a higher priority, maybe the reassurance in the back of his head was just scaring him, maybe the fact that he just got stabbed by Dracula's twink offspring-- "What in the Transylvania?!" snapped Abzu, lashing back out at the strange lieutenant in turn, shoving him to get him to back away, at the very least.
"I do mind, for your information."
And also, something was telling him to stop fighting, but he really didn't like that something was telling him anything, and he was really getting the vibes that, to be honest, he definitely should have stayed the ******** home. Floating letters should have been something that he knew better than to follow the message of -- not that he had any experience with floating magical text until that very day --
Was this what being a magical Neptunian conductor was just about in general? Magical words, being trapped in some kind of bubble surrounded by people who seemed forebodingly evil--
The explosion of the generator behind them caused a wince and he glanced back toward it.
And had immediate regrets.
Okay. This might have been worse than the foreboding evil. He decided that he wanted absolutely no part in whatever had just been left strewn all over the ground and gave the Transylvanian Agent one last baleful glare before getting as far away from the black ... rain as possible.
Character name, rank, and a link to their journalCaptain Marialite HP: 61 Action: Waiting! Damage N/A Location: B5
Ah. It looked like the battle was ending--or, well, it certainly felt that way. Marialite hummed, bouncing on her toes. She wondered for the first time since she'd gotten here if Caledonite and Galaxite were somewhere on the field. She hadn't seen them--but then, Galaxite had been starting to come down with something; even with the better healthcare he'd been receiving since the Negaverse bought its own hospital, he still got sick more often than most. So perhaps Caledonite was at home caring for him.
A shame, that they had to miss this glorious slaughter. Ah well. She'd tell them all about it when she got home.
Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:42 am
Promethei, Page of Mercury HP: 50 Action: Feels uneasy, but senses there's no point in continuing to fight. Damage: -- Location: D6
It came to a greater surprise when the man he was staring at in confusion looked back at ******** did he feel like he should know him?
Green eyes like a mossy green forest -- the way the other was looking at him gave him the sense he was also recognized, and it made him feel just the faintest bit uneasy. Since he had powered up, neither he nor Imhotep had the misfortune of coming across anyone who looked like that. Or perhaps they had. It wasn't like agents were terribly hard to find?
The sensation in his mind told him to ease, but he felt the faintest bit of a wrench in his chest as he looked for his husband, spotted him near the faltering generator, and waved him closer.
Maybe he would have a better idea.
Amasis
Ransomite & Imhotep
Seiana_ZI
Codebreaking Conversationalist
Offline
Amasis
Everyday Blob
Offline
Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:43 am
Cadet Yddagen HP: 50/50 Action: gnashing his teeth but continuing to follow Lyndin Damage: 1d10 + 3 = n/a DMG Location: D2
Yddagen had been torn between the mission he'd been assigned and the earnest wishes of the Earthlings. Seeing two of them pry King Caedus' starseed from Commodore Lyndin's hands--
As if they were stealing it--
As Commander Cydfae died--
Encased in the bubble, Yddagen knew he couldn't feasibly move to intercept the two Order members from their self-appointed mission. All he could do was stand there, tension singing through his body with his heart in his throat. Maybe it was for the best, maybe it would be a better alternative to what Commodore Lyndin was trying to do. Maybe it would be better if King Caedus could be reasoned with to choose the Cauldron himself.
Maybe.
Either way, he found he had his decision. He'd be going with Commodore Lyndin back to their planet, back to see what he could do about it. Away from Earth and... this.
Tikal lowered the other Ganymede page to the ground near the Princess and Valhalla with care but little ceremony. Her vision swam briefly as she straightened and gave around the field another glance, striving to find someone else she could ferry away to--
Ah!
There!
A senshi on the ground, all white, green, and purple, a halo of flowers around her head. Tikal swallowed hard, not particularly liking the image that conjured up with the senshi on the ground like that. She took a deep breath. She steadied her footing.
She darted forward again, heart pounding as she prayed she was small enough compared to everything else, minor enough to be ignored as she reached the senshi, scooped her up, and whirled back for whence she'd come. Her vision swam again, but Tikal pushed it away. There would be time for that later, when people weren't getting murdered.
Already, she was scanning to see who else she could reach.
sunshine alouette
ganymede prox
Guine
valhalla prox
stari_maga
Cybele's turn!
Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2021 1:47 am
Character name, rank, and a link to their journal: Captain Siegenite HP: 75 Action: [waits expectantly] Damage N/A Location: F6
There was nothing more to say. The Senshi at his feet was down, and it seemed as if the battle was coming to a close. Now, it was just a waiting game.
He was glad not to see Orthoclase or Romanite here; it was too chaotic for him to look after them, and even though they had more powered memories, his higher rank made him feel thoroughly responsible for them.
Better, then, that they stayed out of this when he wouldn't be able to protect them. He was sure Axinite would agree with that assessment. The forces of Order were too determined, and there were too many variables.
He moved away from the fallen Senshi, but not far; just far enough that he could watch the center and not be the focus of her glare. No purpose in marinating, especially since he wasn't interested in killing her. That would be an absolute waste. Perhaps she had not been corrupted tonight, but that didn't mean she couldn't be in the future.
Character name, rank, and a link to their journal: Corrupt Super Sailor Xenia HP: 75 Action: uwu Damage: N/A Location: F2
The Senshi she'd attacked had spat some angry words, but Xenia refused to hear them. She knew that she was right--she and all the other Corrupts that worked hard to prove that they deserved a place in the Negaverse. Not like this little b***h that ran when it got hard. That turned traitor as soon as the opportunity arose.
One by one, though, the generators fell, and with every one, Xenia felt a little more helpless. By the time they were all down, and the waves of Chaos stopped flowing across the field, she was actually frowning, deeply and unhappily.
This was not the fun time she had hoped for. Not at all.
But at least there had been victories. And the Queen didn't look displeased.
Xenia fluffed her skirts. Maybe she had made up, in some small way, for being so damn stupid in the Rift.
