When she had first heard of this space travel business, from someone who had it from someone else in the sprawling network that has turned the Senshi into some sort of actual community (though not her community, her community already had a leader with a magnificent head of platinum locks that tousled gracefully in the gentle breeze, thankyouverymuch) she had been pleased to hear it. It was about time they had powers that involved space travel, and she was going to have a talk with Mr. Monty later about keeping secrets and how he should stop doing that. Except where he should. Regardless, there would be a talk. The inclusion of certain pet care products previously labeled as "no ******** way" may need to be used to punctuate said talk. Likely with an emphatic number of "!"s and "?!!1"s.

Sailor Hestia looked upon her cellphone with renewed admiration. She could now beam herself up. And then visit Hestia, which was apparently an asteroid of sorts. Admittedly, this was a disappointment. Asteroids were things which nearly destroyed the world. A lot. They were things that heroes in spaceships shoot down for fun and highscores. Also: they were unevenly shaped and raggedy from being shot at all the time. Which meant that under no circumstances could Sailor Algol's eyes ever be scored by it's dreadful and wantonly non-perfect visage. Perhaps she would be able to find highly advanced space technology (cue the flush of excitement and wantwantwant) on her visit that could make things more Algol-appropriate. Or a phaser.

A phaser would be amazing.

A shopping list of alien technology was already forming in her head as she closed her eyes and tried to listen to the Universe, as per the text instructions. The Universe just kinda...was there. Not at all communicative, unless the caroling outside counted? Hestia really hoped the caroling wasn't it. The Universe should be expansive and melodious, not...drunk and festive. The senshi jumped to another roof and then another to distance herself, the seasonal shouts of the post-office party-party fading fast behind her. Sadly, the Universe didn't take that opportunity to speak up for itself. But maybe the issue wasn't the Universe. Maybe it was her.

Tension crawled up her back as the tide of doubt rushed toward her. She was deaf to the Universe. She had no homeworld. She was a faux-senshi. She needed to level up. She needed to work harder. She needed to find out more, why hadn't she researched this? She was...suddenly aware that the swish-swish of a broom below was not quite...and the scuunchflissssshhhhh of someone shoveling snow, had acquired a kind of...and then a wind that was not really wind at all breezed past her with a whisper of something more, something greater and threading after it, tugging her along was a low hum that upon closer inspection was less a hum and more of a soft, steady chanting that meant something of great importance that was beyond research or worthiness or hard work. It meant there was a place waiting for her, and wouldn't she get to it already?

The tide of doubt receded, leaving Hestia free to dial Home.



Despite the build up, the hopes, the imaginings, "Home" fell sorely short on all counts. The best that could be said of it, was that there seemed to be more structures still standing than were reduced to rubble. It smelled rather nice, of something a bit like cinnamon, but also kind of like ginger, with a dash of nutmeg and vanilla. Her asteroid smelled like a holiday, and that was entirely acceptable, though not as desirable as say...fresh laundry on a warm breezy day. Also, the style of it may not be wholly abhorrent to Algol. Not that she would ever visit this world as, inferior asteroid form aside, it was quite simply the most filthy place Hestia had ever seen. Soot and dust everywhere! Her shoes and stockings steadily grew darker and grimier as she walked toward the highest visible building, her path flanked by blackened columns and shallow urns on plinths of all sizes. There was no sign of advanced space technology. There wasn't even sign of modern technology. Whatever appeal this world had once held was long gone (or caked in filth) and she should get going as well. Instead she marched forward toward the steps of the...yes it was definitely a temple of somesort.

Not so deep down inside Hestia, there is a part of her that is constantly frantic and wanting. Always lunging wildly toward the hope of praise and cowering back mindlessly at any perceived failure. It's the sea that casts forth the tides of doubt, and it's also a small little yappy dog that follows her around, biting at her ankles as she goes about the day's business. Walking through the ruined city, there was a tension that was not quit unpleasant, but more a sense of waiting. Rather than declare it a sign of her inability, her lack of of any real worth, the thing within held it's breath. And as she began climbing the temple steps, it exhaled softly and looked around.

Never one for introspection beyond success/failure/TRY HARDER, Hestia registered the internal shift as the instinctive reaction to her new determination to clean this place up. Despite damning the place only a little earlier, the senshi was finding the idea more and more attractive. Perhaps this was the reason she was the Senshi of House-Keeping and not the Senshi of Laser-Mounted Piranhas! Perhaps this was what the Universe had wanted all along, but had felt a little ashamed about asking, and that's why it had come-over all coy earlier! Reaching the temple entry she turned and surveyed her world with a beautifully simple sense of purpose, and it's possible that (hands on hips and a small, confident smile on her face) this would turn out alright after all. More than alright, excellent. If by "excellent" you were to mean "an Epic Undertaking that would solidify both one's place and purpose as proposed by the Universe as well as make your mistress (who could rightly be compared to Creatures of Legend and Myth, such as unicorns and mermaids) think you are really very good at such things."

In other words, it was go time.


The world of Hestia, along with it's lack of technology, also appeared to lack cleaning products. Not that she actually went searching for an ancient broom closet, Hestia would bring her own when she came back (and she would be coming back, so don't think this is going to be over anytime soon you crud-infested asteroid, you) and for now she was content to clean through carefully applied brute force and willpower. So far she had managed to do a respectable job of making the one of the large, shallow urns at the front of the temple semi-okay. Not Algol-okay, more like, random passerby-okay. Except for the center, which was starting to bother her. There was a circle at the bottom that was packed with sooty buildup, more than her small fingers could dig out. Maybe it was meant to be that way except it most definitely was not.

By this point, the Sailor Senshi of crisp linens, upright posture, and the lemon fresh finish was covered in soot and grime. She had started out using her gloves, and when those became too dirty, her apron. And then the large bow at her back. Nearly everything that could be removed and used as a cleaning rag, was. And then put back on because while not precisely cold, the asteroid of Hestia wasn't precisely room temperature either. To sum, she looked like an errant chimney sweep. Hypothetically, Euterpe, upon seeing her, would make a comment about Mary Poppins and Bert, and who was going to play who. Such a comment would, hypothetically, lead her to wondering if he had forgotten her name again. Fortunately, his reputation remained unsullied, despite the non-antics of Hypothetical Euterpe. Despite this, Hestia still looked like a chimney sweep. Fortunately, she was also a super hero with magical cleaning powers, and the scum of the Earth (and beyond) was her natural prey.

"It's time to shine!" Though she was now on her "homeworld" the attack had not powered up at all, but it did manage to clear the hole (or pipe? where was the bottom?) significantly. Leaning down, she inspected it, sniffing sharply when she noticed something that smelled...


"...sweet, doesn't it?"

The voice behind her was large and deep, grumbling amiably through the courtyard and the chatter of other students like rocks tumbling about a quarry. It was also annoying, and she let him know this by way of a fierce scowl that he couldn't see, but likely sensed if the chuckle behind her was any indication. She began to turn to give him the full visual power of her extreme unhappiness, but a heavy hand dropped to her head and held it in place. "Don't bother looking around, what you need is here, before you and within."

The hand reminded her of her recent loss, and she tried to jostle is loose, frown ever deepening. She had only come here because it was just something that everyone did, but no one had ever warned her about things like...

"Is it so bad a thing, being a little baldy?" Yes it was. "It'll grow back soon enough, so enjoy the refreshing lightness while it is still yours!" Another laugh. "But first you must do this thing." The big hand kept her from looking at the students beyond, but she knew what he was keeping her from seeing. The others were already passed this. It's hadn't even been a challenge to them, so they idled about their fires, waiting on the last student, her, so hurry up so they can move onto the next part. And here she was, fingers aching and sore, visibly agitated, sick of that stupid smell, and feeling completely worthless.

Grimly she reached her hand back down into the shallow bowl and positioned her fingers over the very center. Willing that this time finally, finally just bring an end to all this, she..."Stop." The voice behind her was quiet, but the single word held her still. "You forget what you do an why." Her head tries to droop down in either shame or just plain weariness, but the hand on it doesn't allow such a thing. "This is not a matter of pass or fail. It simply is. The thing which you seek is already yours."

"But..."

"It is already yours." The voice did not allow for the trifling argument of simple facts, "It's existence is already a fact, you are simply delaying the inevitable."

Was she?

"This will not change your existence, little bald girl." Did he have to keep reminding her? "Merely your perspective on said existence." He didn't add that it may very well amount to the same thing. He didn't have to.

He was quiet for a long while after than, even while she simply stood there and stared and wondered why she was trying so hard to force something that was already there. That just simply needed to be...



The snap of her fingers sounded quietly through the night, an invitation to the fires that burned within her, that burned within every living thing, to form before her. "May you burn ever brightly," Hestia whispered, before blinking slowly at the fire before her. She took step back as the flames grew, understanding that this meant something but not precisely sure what she should do about it. Looking back out over the city, her mind's eye revealed a city world of gleaming black marble, temples, and countless fires that burned steadily throughout the nights and not-quite days. The present reality was...

Diminished.

Destroyed.

Smothered in blanket of darkness and soot and wrong.

But it wasn't. Not quite. Her fire, and it was hers in ways that went beyond mere claims of possession, burned steadily behind her and she knew that she would be back, and she would be back to work, and that when she left, there would be several more fires lighting the sky of Hestia. Her homeworld wasn't dead, not truly. it's existence was a fact, and someone or something had simply...delayed the inevitable. The inevitable, of course, being her.