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The weather was starting to turn cool, and Sailor Europa was having the opposite problem from the page. Her uniform was suited to warmer weather, and rain didn't particularly bother her - her boots were waterproof, and so long as her leotard didn't turn transparent then it was basically running around in a bathing suit. But cooler weather made patrol less than fun. She'd seen other senshi put coats and sweatpants on along with their fuku, and was sorely tempted to try it once the first snow hit. (Of course, she'd look ridiculous with sweatpants pulled all the way up to her ruffles, but who was counting, really?)

She sensed another order-aligned energy signal nearby. Europa smiled and picked up the pace, crossing the final rooftop at a jovial cant. It never hurt to see who was up and about this time of night - maybe she'd even make a new friend.

Landing gracefully, she looked the green-clad figure up and down. Definitely a page, she decided, and the colors were promising. She'd need to look at the sigil to be sure, but Europa definitely had a feeling that she'd found another member of her merry band of Jovians. "Good evening," she called, smiling politely as she walked across the roof, placing her feet carefully against the shingles.

Drawing closer, she stuck out a hand to shake. Professionalism was Europa's best defense mechanism, but behind that facade she was evaluating the page. Definitely twenty-something, even if glamours made it hard to make an exact estimate. And handsome - glamour couldn't hide that.

Outwardly, Europa bit her lip for just a moment before adding, "I'm Eternal Sailor Europa of the Jovian Court," she introduced herself, studying the sigils on his chest. There it was, the familiar four shape. "And you are...? Of Jupiter, I presume?"

Europa lowered her hand, trying to brush it off by smoothing out a misplaced frill on her ruffles. Clearly she'd come off a bit too strongly, because now he was mocking her. Or at least she strongly suspected he was. Some senshi and knights were all about pomp and circumstance, or else just pretended to play along. But this one, with his low, fake bow, was just stomping all the air out of her. "Oh, come on," she groaned. "Get up."

That was better.

"Sessrumnir," she repeated, going slowly to catch all of the syllables. Well, there were bound to be mouthfuls sooner or later - the Jovian court was especially full of them, though, once you factored in that it also had people with names like Euanthe, Kallichore, and Vindemiatrix. "Sessrumnir Page of Jupiter, isn't it?" she asked, gesturing to the pair of buttons inscribed with the stylized Jovian four. "You wear the planet's sigil."

And here she was, pretty blatantly pointing at his chest. Europa wrung her hands as he bowed a second time. "No, no," she said, trying to remain upbeat. "You don't need to bow to me, please stand up." It sounded more sheepish than anything.

"Not to anything, I suppose," she added, smoothing her hands against her ruffles. "I was just patrolling and sensed you. I thought I might come see if it was anyone I know, but this is... it's almost even better, because you're of Jupiter, and the Jovian court-"

She shrugged, thinking the name was fairly self explanatory. "We're of Jupiter as well. Its moons and its knights."

Europa tried to hide that she was a bit stung, even if she truthfully was. She was more than bright enough to know when she was being strung along, and clearly this Sessrumnir wasn't impressed by her attitude, nor by her buttwings. Which was understandable because most nights she wasn't terribly impressed by them either, but she'd earned them god damn it and if they couldn't win her respect from people older than her then what the hell were they even good for?

"Well then," she answered, forcing herself to maintain her composure, "Consider this your official invitation. I'm sorry if I missed you before, things have been a bit hectic - Negaversers blowing up buildings, a civilian crisis on the Surrounding-" Europa stopped herself and looked him up and down again, finally placing the forest green tunic. The mention of the city council meeting had jogged something in her memory.

"Wait," she said. "Why am I telling you this? You were there. You know this." If she was remembering correctly, he'd called her Sweet Cheeks and she'd been pretty sure he wasn't referring to her face. It was still rather up in the air whether Europa was flattered or disgusted by the nickname.

Crossing her arms over her chest, the senshi continued, "Well, now that we've formally met - think of the Jovian Court as a resource. We have experience, we have strength in numbers, connections to other teams- Really, no one makes it very far in this by playing lone wolf."

The fewer connections you had, the easier it was for the darkness to ensnare you. Europa had her reasons for fighting - did Sessrumnir know what his were?

"Ganymede's my second-in-command," she nodded, suddenly wondering why Ganymede hadn't seen fit to tell her there was a second Jovian knight running around when he'd briefed her on the situation. "He's a good Senshi. Someone I'm proud to be on the same team with." Europa would never turn down an opportunity to talk up one of the Jovians. Their reputation could use all the help it could get, and she couldn't have someone underestimating Ganymede on the basis of his flamboyant fuku.

Europa made the split-second decision to round up. "Nineteen," she said, because she would be at the end of the month. If he was about to judge her for being a kid then she needed to get as close to the drinking age as truthfully possible.

"I vote," she asserted, feeling inadequate. "I pay for my own groceries."

Because this was a sure sign of maturity if there ever was one.

On a scale of one to Castor, Sessrumnir was batting a thousand. Europa gave him a singularly nonplused look. "If you're holding out for someone older," she informed him, "You're not going to find them. This is a children's crusade - at least on our side." Sometimes it hardly seemed fair, especially when you factored in chibi senshi or even regular senshi who were Callisto's age, that they were all compelled by destiny to fight an enemy made up at least in part by adults.

Maybe that was part of their public image problem: Adults had influence. Kids just had to shut up and keep their heads down. Or else they got scolded and talked down to. Like she was being talked down to right now. Europa felt positively deflated, but she couldn't show it. The Jovian Court had a mission, and if it couldn't even unite the knights and senshi of Jupiter under a single flag then the court had failed.

A car backfired at the end of the street, and Europa glanced in the direction of the noise. She'd been pulled into the conversation, but now the Senshi of the Deep was once more aware of her surroundings. "We should move," she said, after a moment of trying to sense the area. There wasn't anything on her mental radar, but that didn't mean they weren't attracting attention.

Europa gestured to another roof, some four houses distant. "That one," she said, giving him an 'are you coming?' glance before breaking into a trot. With a series of graceful jumps, she made her way to the indicated rendezvous point and glanced back for the Page.

If anything, she felt she'd proven herself an accomplished roof-runner. That always took newbies a few weeks to perfect.

Europa watched him land, trying to gauge his experience based on his movements. It was tricky to be sure, though. He certainly wasn't as graceful as she was, but then again... that was always the case with men, wasn't it? (She felt bad for thinking so, except experience dictated as much.)

"Yes," she replied, as she circled the rooftop checking for security cameras or youma hidden in the shadows. "Interim, at least," she added bashfully. Europa was still trying to guide the Jovians to self-sufficiency, instead of a team that relied on their captain to bring them together. Ultimately she hoped that they would develop strong enough bonds to work together unprompted.

"More like a union representative than a supreme general," she settled for describing herself as. "We're trying to run it as a democracy, really. To make sure no one is forced into missions they think are wrong."

That what where the Blood Moon had gone wrong, wasn't it? Europa couldn't help but frown slightly. Was being forced into situations no teenager should have to face what had broken Leto?

"Everyone has a voice. And everyone's got the whole team behind them," she assured him. "Being a Jovian means you never have to be alone."

"We haven't got an official motto," sighed Europa, feeling distinctly misunderstood. She'd break him of his condescension yet - nearly nineteen and if that wasn't old enough to not be treated like a child then there was no such thing as a responsible adult. "And I never said it would be easy!" A group of unruly teenagers, indeed - but she had her hopes up. Wherever there was a willingness to cooperate there would eventually be cohesion.

At the very least, she was getting the impression that Sessrumnir felt some kind of fondness for Ganymede - and as far as Europa was concerned, that was going to be invaluable. "I'll have him keep you posted," she nodded. Hopefully being invited would be synonymous with showing up, but she had her reservations as well... Sessrumnir seemed keen on picking her arguments for unification apart, and she wasn't sure if she wanted him at one of their meetings if all he'd do was sow discord.

It was a work in progress - he was right about that much - but Europa was still determined to not show weakness in the face of this older (but far less experienced!) page. "You shouldn't be so keen on knocking us down," she assured him, by way of what she meant to be a parting comment. "After all, there's safety in numbers. It was... interesting to meet you, Sessrumnir."