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 Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 1:18 am
Ever since MuCephi had brought her to her world, Flora had wondered what her own world was like. The Senshi of Blood had taught her how exactly to get there. While Flora had managed to close her eyes and listen to what her teammate had described as her world's heartbeat, she had always drawn back, fearing what she would see when she got there. Could she take it if she saw wherever she was from be decrepit, crumbling and barren? Even if she was born right here on Earth, it had felt right to zone into that familiar sound her planet was emitting. It was like her spirit, her essence belonged there. It didn't make sense when she tried to write it down, but it managed to click together right there in her head.
Tonight, the Super Senshi was seated on a rooftop, flipping open her senshi cellphone and staring at the center button which would only work if she had been to Flora. Staring up at the sky, she began to aimlessly slide her phone open and then closing it, and repeating the process. Should I go? Should I not go? Should I go? Should I not go? It was at this time that she almost wished that a youma would show up and take her mind of her dilemma.
Almost. Of course, mind-summoning a youma usually never worked.
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 2:36 am
"Aw. What a cute face, even if it's brooding." A dark blue ponytail would fall into Flora's vision first before the shadow of a distinct male would fall upon her. The senshi of wind stood behind her, towering over the sitting girl with a deceptively light grin. "It's a pleasure to see you again." Of course Sailor Zephyr hadn't forgotten Flora although it had been quite some time since they had last met, hadn't they?
One could say that Zephyr was on patrol except for the fact that he never patrolled -- preferring to leave both civilians and youma alike to their own devices. But for now, he would settle for that assumption to let Flora believe that was the reason why he was here.
"What's weighing on your mind?" It hadn't been hard to tell that Flora had been preoccupied from her repetitive actions and wandering gaze. And it certainly wouldn't hurt to ask, Sailor Zephyr had some time to waste before going back to his apartment for the night. "Or is it that cell phone responsible for a crime I'm not aware of?" Since it seemed that Flora was taking her frustrations out on the senshi technology.
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 3:20 am
"Is that a compliment, Zephyr?" She replied, tilting her head up to stare at him, a relieved grin on her lips. It had just occurred to her that a Negaverse agent could have sneaked up on her while she was deep in thought, and at least the intruding voice had belonged to an ally rather than an enemy. "It's good to see you too." It was always good to meet people whom she knew didn't pose as a threat, after she had discovered that there were those of questionable purpose on their side too.
"Have you heard?" She asked him, standing up so she would have to crane her neck any longer. He still towered over her, of course, but it was much easier like this. "About where we really come from? About our homeworlds out there?" Flora gestured out at the night sky, at the stars that twinkled down on them. "I was brought to the Senshi of Blood's world. It was pretty much abandoned and old and everything." She bit her lip as the scene came into her mind once again. That feeling of helplessness, that they could have done nothing to stop whatever happened. Or could they? Had they died in the past trying to prevent whatever had forced them to Earth?
"Do you uh... think I should see how my own world's doing?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 4:54 pm
"..Homeworld." Zephyr repeated after Flora knowing of the topic, looking away at the mention of it. Thanks to Cora that was. He thought of his own homeworld, Zephyr, a shadow crossed his eyes for a brief moment before disappearing as quickly as it had arrived. "I've heard." Zephyr replied carefully, vaguely. It seemed that it was all he was planning to reveal on the subject.
But when it came to Flora's homeworld, Zephyr didn't hesitate. "Should I make that decision for you?" He turned back to look at Flora, his gaze indifferent but closely examining her. "But I find that when people ask for other people's opinions, they've usually already made up their minds." He remarked casually although Flora's nervousness belied anything but. "Still, if it was up to me, I would rather regret something I've done than to regret not doing it at all." Even if Flora put it off for later, her world would still remain.
Although the way that Senri applied it probably wasn't what Flora had in mind. But it was a good rule to live by, all things considered.
"Tell me, what's the verdict?" Zephyr was still smiling, fine with whichever way it played out.
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Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:08 pm
He was wrong, right? She had been in an indecisive moment, not knowing if she should focus on patrolling the city, or letting the heartbeat of her planet lead her to where she had belonged. She hadn't known which to make, and it was only in her own desperation that she had reached out to him to help her decide. Him. A passerby. An acquaintance, of sorts. She hadn't talked to Pegasus or Chronos, and if it had been some other senshi, she might have blurted out the very same question, right?
But it was her own decision to make. In the end, it was her planet out there, which she could hear, which tugged at her heartstrings.
Ruins. Castor had said. His homeworld had been in ruins too, and she figured that all of their worlds had met the same fate. Even Zephyr's, probably.
She swallowed back a lump in her throat. Her heart had made her decision this time. And that was the right thing to do, wasn't it? This wasn't a battle, where they had to analyze weaknesses and come up with tactics. This was just a visit. "This sounds silly to ask of you, but... would you mind accompanying me there?" Flora didn't think she could stand it, going back there alone and surrounded by silence. Now she knew why MuCephi wanted her by her side that night.
If Zephyr declined, she could always ask Pegasus or MuCephi. Or Euterpe. Or the Princess, if that was safe.
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Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:03 am
At Flora's hesitant request, how could he refuse? Zephyr held Flora's hand lightly in his own gloved one, "I don't mind."
"As long as you don't expect anything from me." He drawled out in his lazy way sounding rather indifferent to the issue of senshi and their homeworlds. But the pain that crossed his face was real enough. "Tch." He responded. There was no senshi who could be oblivious to the death of their homeplanet, no matter how callous or cynical they were. Even if Zephyr didn't admit it now, even if he was 'Senri' of this lifetime, his soul would always remember Zephyr.
And their souls would suffer the pain, the loss, the hopelessness, and the regret all buried within the remains of their planet.
"So long as you're prepared for what you will see there."
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Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:25 am
"Thank you." She told him, squeezing his hand in gratitude. "I just need company, that's all." What else could she ask from him when they got there? It wasn't as if her homeworld was a bustling marketplace all full of life and she would want for him to purchase something.
Flora bit her lip. The scene in her mind was purely that of her imagination. It felt horrible to not remember anything of her past, to have it all locked away. Perhaps arriving on her homeworld would remedy that, and tease some memories out of the back of her mind? That was... if it hadn't changed too much, that even that little part of her could not recognize that.
"I can't say I'm really ready." She murmured, shutting her eyes and focusing on the hum of her world. "But I have to see it, instead of imagining what it will be like." The Senshi of Spring honestly did not know what to expect, even as the rush in her ears and the sensation of being yanked away from their current location signified that they were travelling towards planet Flora.
It suddenly stopped, and the eerie silence greeted her ears. Flora slowly opened her eyes and sucked in a gasp as she took in her homeworld.
It was, predictably, in ruins. Some of the wooden houses looked like they were barely standing, and some had collapsed. There was grass growing everywhere, weeds sticking out, wildflowers blooming and trees in the far distance beyond the houses. They were standing on what seemed to be a path; grass poking out between the rocks. The path led to a large greyish building, the columns taken over by vines.
There was a flash of an image in her mind; the same building but white and regal, the large columns decorated with floral carvings. It had a name, right above those huge doors and Flora spoke it, just as the image faded and left her with what it had fallen to. "Temple of Flora." She glanced at Zephyr and then started forward. "I wonder if... we can open those doors."
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 3:47 am
Zephyr's hand trailed down a column, his blue eyes gazing into the distance. This place felt familiar to him.. but there was nothing he could place about this particular setting. To settle the restless feeling, Zephyr took a deep breath and decided to study his surroundings. He observed the planet, seeing that nobody had disturbed these grounds for years. But how many? Decades? Centuries? Exactly, when had they died? It led to the most important question; why? It seemed that every time they found answers, there were only more questions.
The senshi were certainly cryptic, weren't they? A bitter smile settled upon his lips. "Haaaah." His frustration manifested itself in a large sigh. This was going to be more trouble than he needed, wasn't it? But now and here wasn't the time for such idle thoughts.
In response to Flora's question, his lips curved into a wry smile. He could offer nothing but quips in lieu of anything quite serious. "I'd imagine that was the purpose of doors." He smiled, offering a nonchalant answer to such an obvious question.
"Might as well see what you were worshiped for." He stepped forward, his gloved hands helping to push at the doors.
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Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2011 4:27 am
Flora laughed at his comment, the first smile she had cracked since landing on her planet. Indeed, doors were for opening, after all! And beyond them were more answers, she was sure! She couldn't shake the nagging feeling that this place was important. It had almost a homely feeling...
Almost. Flora bit her lip. This feeling was like going back to her own house on Earth and finding it completely dilapidated. She sighed, stepping forward to join Zephyr in shoving the doors open. It took a considerable amount of effort, the doors let out a loud wailing creak as they scraped open. It was thanks to their increased strength; she doubted that Eve and Senri could ever have managed this.
They were greeted by a place reminiscent of ancient Greek Temples, vines creeping here and there. There was a statue right in the middle of the room they were in, old and greyish. It was of a woman, dressed in a sheer gown. There was a strange symbol on the round brooch on her chest, multiple flowers woven in her long hair, and more among her feet at the base of her statue. The Statue of Flora. She thought suddenly and pressed a hand to her head at the thought. Her brain seemed to throb at the memory of those mere words alone, but Flora continued forward and touched the statue's hand gingerly.
The next thing she knew, a ghostly figure danced into the room from a passageway and Flora drew back, clapping a hand over her mouth in shock. The figure looked eerily familiar, with dancing cornflower blue eyes and a head of honey blonde hair. W-was that supposed to be... herself? The vision sported a long braid and a pastel pink gown and seemed to be taller. Older. In her twenties, it seemed. She looked exactly the same from when she last appeared in one of her dreams.
And then she spoke and Flora stiffened.
"Alright." The woman laughed, sweeping up the long train of her gown as she twirled around. "Maybe, just maybe, I missed you a teeny tiny bit, Zephy. Just a little bit. It's only been a year since we've met, after all." She halted, and then directed a grin towards someone lingering in the corridor she had previously came. "And I could ask you the same! Did you miss me while I was with the Princess?" Her smile seemed to dim then, just a little bit.
Flora's attention snapped to the corridor, eyes trained on the dark figure who was slowly emerging. Who could it be? She wondered. Her mind was still throbbing with the memory flashes and she couldn't think straight.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 3:28 am
A distinctly male arm leaned negligently against the door frame, blue strands of his hair falling over his sleeve. "Don't call me Zephyr, merely because I come from that planet." His voice was masculinely deep, evidently an adult already. It seemed to be a long-standing argument from the resigned way he sighed. But all the same, good-natured. Yet you couldn't see his face as it was obscured by his bangs and a hood.
In response to the impertinent question, the male inclined his head to look at the woman with an eyebrow raised. "Miss you?" A chuckle, "Perhaps a little." From his attire -- had he even changed before arriving here? It seemed that he hadn't, rushing from his travels to meet with her. He quickly caught up with the young handmaiden, taking hold of her hand. He brought his hands to her lips. "How cruel." His hands then drew up to pull the hood from his face to reveal a familiar face.
In fact, it was the same face that accompanied Flora on the trip.
But it was older, perhaps nearing twenty-five? But his blue eyes were the same as always. "How can you not miss your fiance?" With a confident glance and a smile, the male hugged the handmaiden from behind. It was the same confident look that Eve must have seen several times before, not in memories but Zephyr's face.
Meanwhile, Zephyr took a step forward. "Flora?" He didn't understand what was happening but he was prepared to catch her if it wa snecessary.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:57 am
"I call you Zephy." The woman retorted, placing her hands on her hips. "There's a difference." She was obviously not someone who would back down from a fight, reminiscent of the adamant stance her present self took.
"Oh really?" She said lightly, leaning back on his shoulder, tilting her head up to stare at him. "And you were the one who said 'perhaps a little'! Your fiancee is the one who is always out there fighting Chaos Monsters!" She pouted then, her eyebrows knitting in annoyance, as if she didn't like the fate she was resigned to. "And besides, every time we run away, we get caught. I mean, Zephyr, Neso, Carpo and Boreas are out, obviously, and the last time... it was Merope, wasn't it? We got dragged back before we could even tour, and I got a huge scolding from the Vernalis. And Zue started lecturing me when I got back and he seemed to go on forever and ever."
She made a face, a finger lightly touching the man on the nose. "I don't know what to do. Eloping is getting tiring, especially when it keeps getting interrupted."
"Whaaaaaaat?" Flora wailed, eyes darting in between the man her past self was communicating with and the Menshi besides her. For some reason, it seemed that she had forgotten to stop breathing when past Zephyr had shown his face, and now, she sucked in a quick deep breath. She could barely believe the words she was hearing right now, barely believe the scene unfolding before her. Fiance. Elopement. They were obviously close.
She was trembling, and when she turned to look at present Zephyr, her blue eyes were wide in shock. "D-don't you see it?" It was him. So obviously him. But why?
This had better be some prank that her past self was pulling on her. Flora thought wildly. It was like a dream, a hallucination, right? Like that crazy dream when her past self kept admonishing her to choose where her loyalties lay? But she was wide awake now; she had pinched herself to make sure, and a tingling sensation in the back of her mind was telling her that what she was seeing was not a dream.
Fiance. He had been her fiance. All this was making her head spin and Flora was very tempted to let a curse word slip out of her lips.
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Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:22 pm
Zephyr nearly dropped from Flora's wail, wishing that she would give him a warning. Her shocked question didn't affect Zephyr nearly as much as it did Flora; presumably when he had no idea what was going on."I'm afraid to answer but no, I haven't seen it." Zephyr drawled, wondering what the senshi of flowers had seen to make her so pale.
"Be careful of telling me. I might faint." He remarked dryly- and seized the situation with a level of rationality. He stepped forward, clasping Flora's face in both hands and forcing her to stare at him. "Calm down. Take some deep breaths. And tell me coherently. " Clearly, he was not a mind-reader and he wouldn't understand if Flora didn't tell him.
Assuredly, it must have had something to do with him. Senri (and Zephyr) had done a great deal of things not to be proud of in life but he didn't recall anything to do with Flora.
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 12:54 am
He didn't see it. Flora stared at him in utter disbelief, and then looked back to where the figures had been standing.
Nothing. They were gone, had somehow disappeared when she had started to panic. It didn't matter; that little scene she had witnessed was already ingrained in her mind and she couldn't scrape it out."This is utter bull." She said almost fiercely, tears welling in her eyes. Why exactly she was so emotional about this, she didn't know. It didn't exactly help things when she was forced to look right at the same face her past self had been pretty intimate with.
Still, his advice was sound, and Flora gulped back breaths of air, trying not to look at Zephyr too much. Her mind was a whirl, her heart was pounding loudly in her ears, as she tried to make sense of it all by explaining out loud. "I saw me." She managed. "I mean, past me. The one that lived here before. And I also saw uh... you. Past you." She pointed a finger right at him, still trying to avoid his gaze.
...And then she realized she was pointing right at his nose and retracted her finger hastily.
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 1:29 am
"Me?" Zephyr's eyes widened a bit in surprise while the male still calculated behind his surprise. That figures.. Their past-life memories? From the way Flora had stared horrifiedly at Zephyr, he imagined that he was the cause. But she still wasn't getting to the point. "That tells me we were acquainted." That was all it was telling him. But it was a odd coincidence for them to be acquainted in their lives centuries later. Even more so since Zephyr had accompanied Flora to her planet. He didn't imagine that he liked her that much, did he?
He then realized that Flora had her eyes averted. "Hey, why are you avoiding my gaze?" Zephyr's mouth twitched, and although he was smiling, the smile didn't reach his eyes. Rather, he looked pretty annoyed. "What a cheeky little girl." He pulled on Flora's cheek to express his annoyance, reminding her exactly who she was dealing with.
A thought occurred to him- "Was I.." A meaningful pause, and a serious look overcame Zephyr's face leading Flora to think that he was giving more consideration to her problem that she would imagined.
"..ugly?" He released Flora, that was the only thing that could horrify him. He rapidly calculated, holding his hand to his forehead in the utmost terror. "No, of course not. If I'm this handsome now, I must have been handsome back then. Since it is my face." He then held out his hands, shrugging his shoulders as if it was certainly impossible for him to be otherwise.
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Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2011 1:53 am
"O...obviously." Flora retorted. Being acquainted was the least of her worries. Calling them acquaintances didn't even begin to cover it.
"H-hey!" She protested, deciding to focus her gaze on the Statue instead. "It's just.. weird, okay?" Weird to stare at him right in the eyes when she was still trying to let the shock of what she had seen settle in, and Flora doubted that she would ever recover.
For a moment, Flora thought that he might have understood why she had been so hysterical, or had suddenly remembered their past. However, what he said was completely unexpected, and she stepped backwards, not knowing how she should react.
"...What kind of stupid question is that?" She couldn't help it! Under these circumstances, was that all he could think about? Had her past self been in her right mind when she accepted this man's proposal? After all, her duty was to Princess Chronos and the Zodiacs! She hadn't had time for such... frivolous things, like marriage and eloping and making everyone else worry! "You looked pretty much the same, okay? If that makes you feel better. We were both in our... twenties though?"
"And apparently engaged." She mumbled. To each other.
...Flora wondered that if she dehenshined, she could just die right here and now. And save her from having to deal with the repercussions of her past self's stupidity.
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