Welcome to Gaia! ::

Albali was like Ares in some ways -- one of which was their mutual dedication to schedules and habits. The path that Albali patrolled been a constant for some time. Ares did not remember it when she evolved into her Dark Mirror self, but she spent enough time silently watching the Senshi of Echoes to pick up on her habits. She watched, but she didn't interact. What was the point? This thing in her chest was a weakness. It had beat for Nehelenia, for Ouranos, and now -- for Albali. Albali was what she had left. It would be too simple to bring her into the Dark Mirror, and too dangerous. Ares was fool enough already to still have these human emotions toward the small female. She had no intention of being romantically involved with one of her troops, and if Albali was with her, Ares doubted she would be able to stay away, not now.

The truth was that the Dark Mirror Princess felt like she was slipping away. She no longer prowled the battlefield hungry for blood. Instead she sat in mirrorspace, actively funneling energy into the crystal, strategizing for the faction, and secretly searching for a bridge back to the Black Moon Kingdom. If only she could find a way to reenter that existence... perhaps she could save them all. Perhaps she would find Nehelenia and Hector and Alexandros and Aphrodite all reborn on the other moon and living happily. Even thinking such a hopeful thought made Ares feel weak.

And yet, still, she took a break from the safety of mirrorspace to travel to the path of Albali, streaming out of a mirror reflecting the sky on the top of a building. The air was hot and sticky with summer heat. It had been weeks since Ares had felt it on her skin. Such was the curse of mirrorspace -- time had no meaning there, not to her.

The staff that held the Brimstone Crystal was strapped to her back, long skirts swishing with each step. She perched on the edge of the building, closed her eyes, and felt for Albali's presence. It was weak, it was stupid, but she was here.

Being a princess gave Ares the added benefit of being much better at tracking auras -- but so did knowing Albali's schedule. As the Super Senshi darted around, Ares stuck to the rooftops, trailing after her at times, then turning away, then running back. Each time she came, Albali would run. At first, the Princess of Smoke thought she was running away... until she realizes that the Senshi of Echoes would always change direction too.

She is looking for me.

Each night that Ares did this, she looked for the same instinct -- would Albali attempt to find her, or move in the other direction? There was something about watching the ribbon-clad senshi run blindly toward her that comforted Ares. For one, it made her feel powerful. She felt drawn to Albali, but she was not running around in search of her. Two... it reminded Ares that there were people who had known her before and knew her now, and still cared. Despite what the White Moon said, Ares did not see herself as a monster. But in a small way, Albali's continued support of her made her believe this more deeply.

This was all it was to be: Ares leading Albali on a goose chase. Then the youma appeared. The parallel princess stopped running. She was several rooftops away, but she could hear Albali grunting at she fended off the youma. In a few pumps of her wings, Ares was on the rooftop above them. It was no tiny bundle of parts -- this was the kind of youma that ended the life of a senshi.

The youma was already on top of Albali. It had manacled claws that snapped and pinched, a gaping jaw set with spikey teeth, and trailed some sort of ooze that appeared to be disintegrating trash in the street. Ares watched as Albali flailed toward a pile of trash. The youma tore a bloody hole in her arm, but the Senshi of Echoes responded by bringing a broken piece of pipe down on its skull. The youma barely flinched.

Albali kicked her legs out, breaking free and took off at a run. "Don't turn your back on it," Ares snapped to herself. They were from different factions, but Ares still found herself wanted to coach Albali in battle.

The youma let out a screech and began to pursue Albali. Ares moved to the ledge of the building. Something glinted in the youma's mouth -- something... metal? Spikes. Projectiles. Albali.

Before she could think better of it, Princess Ares launched herself off of the building just as the youma released 3 razor sharp shards of metal like rockets from its jaws. She landed with a sharp click on the ground between the youma and Albali. The first shard was an inch away from her nose when she caught it. The other two were batted to the side by her staff, clattering on the hot pavement. The third shard was quickly dropped too.

The youma growled and began to take a step forward. Princess Ares only stared back. She had no power over the youma, but her signature was of Chaos and her bond was with the Youma Queen. The monster hissed twice before turning on its heels and bounding out of sight.

Princess Ares remained where she stood, back to Albali. Her chin dipped down toward her chest. If she looked at the girl, she feared she would give herself away. Better to leave. Great smokey wings spread wide, poised for flight.

Princess Ares held her wings in midflight at the sound of Albali's voice. She didn't wince visibly when the girl reached for her, but she felt the reaction in her chest. Taking a deep breath, Ares wiped all emotion from her face and turned to face the Senshi of Echoes with cold, dead eyes. "You have no reason to look for me, unless you wish to court death," she said sharply. It held no anger, just a simple confidence that spoke of the darkness that permeated her body.

Princess Ares held her face like something cut from marble -- unchanging, unfeeling -- even as Albali expressed herself clearly. So long as the Senshi of Echoes was part of the White Moon, there could be no alliance. But until all the senshi were recommitted to a Dark Mirror way of life, Ares could not risk the chance at bringing in someone so close to her heart to the ranks. Though her face and body gave nothing away, there was something telltale about the fact that the leader of the new parallel kingdom had not left yet. She remained fixed to the ground, observing Albali as if watching a play of someone else's life.

But when Albali broke through the wall that divided them, Ares felt her ribs constrict. She sucked in a breath, tensing from head to toe. Her eyes were frozen in their death stare, even as Albali began to move toward her lips. Only then was Ares able to react.

A stiff crack split the air. The golden staff glinted in the moonlight, its cage splashed red with blood. The impact sent the Senshi of Echoes sprawling sideways, eyes rolling upward as the blunt force trauma took hold. Princess Ares did not move, not at first. She stared at Albali's prone form lying crumpled on the street. She wasn't moving.

In a flash, Ares was beside her, kneeling in the street and pushing hair from her face. "Albali? Albali? Albali!" Fear gripped the princess. Had she killed her? It had been a reflex, just an act of self-defense. Two fingers pressed into the soft flesh of Albali's neck. Ares held her breath for what felt like hours until the dull thump of a pulse echoed back.

The breath rushed out of her. She was alive. She was hurt, but alive. In the street across the way, a car rumbled past. People, too many of them. Ares couldn't exactly take Albali to mirrorspace, but she couldn't leave her here either. The leader of the parallels strapped her torch across her back, scooped Albali up into her arms, and took off at a sprint, disappearing in the nearest mirror. She knew exactly where she was going.