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 Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 2:06 pm
The house was far too quiet, with everyone gone to Raven’s parents house for dinner. Jaina had felt herself going utterly stir crazy and finally slipped out the door, some money in her pocket. The first thing she did was go to the corner store that was just down the road and buy herself a full packet of Oreos, the kind with the double stuf.
Chocolate was a great therapy, and right now...she just...wanted that.
With her cookies and two bottles of chocolate milk in her bag, (she wasn’t stuipd, she wasn’t going to just not take advantage of a BOGO sale), Lenka made the decision to power up, grimacing slightly at the sheer watermelon colored fabric that seemed to just be…everywhere.
Whatever. Maybe she could start ripping it off when she powered up. Get a white bedsheet and...pretend she was who she used to be. That would totally work, right?
Yeah. About as well as smashing the sticker covered mirror over Remarque’s head. Whatever.
Lenka slipped through a nearby mirror and exited in the park that she would go to often as a chibi, half hoping to see someone she knew. Julienne or Goretti...or even Ambrosia...though...that was a very long shot.
There was someone in the park, and she froze, staring at the Negaverse agent in some alarm, and some confusion, ready to start throwing watermelons at him but--oh. No. They were both wearing black now. They were both.
...Both disgusting fools drenched in chaos.
“Uh...hi.” Smooth.
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 2:21 pm
It was odd being back in the city. Though no longer his true home he still had work that could be done here, or places that needed to be visited, and reacquainting himself with Destiny City wasn't a terrible idea. It certainly held a different atmosphere than the home he and Heather had retreated too off in Japan, but the city also held a huge range of memories and emotions that his current home simply did not.
He had chased memories earlier, and swore up and down to himself that he'd start some actual work. But one thing had led to another and he'd found himself wandering a park. Perhaps part of him just wanted to reconnect with a childhood that he'd convinced himself had been happy. Or maybe he hoped he'd run into Hugbell...would he even recognize her if he did? It'd been a terribly long amount of time...
But all of that was interrupted by the appearance of an energy signature that just wasn't quite right. Sure, it dripped with Chaos and that was a comforting feeling, but yet there was something else underneath it. Something that poked at a more primal fear. Screamed at him to run.
He didn't. Not immediately. Something was off and he was on alert, but for now he turned to greet whoever it was who'd joined him in this park.
"Hi there!"
A wave. A friendly smile. It didn't quite mesh with the Chaos energy he himself was emitting. And yet well...there it was.
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 2:59 pm
The smile was reassuring, though it was still such a surreal experience for someone in the Negaverse to...to smile at her. God she was so in over her head. “How’s it going...you uh...you busy tonight? Um...Go chaos? Ra Rah?” That was totally how this worked.
Maybe.
Lenka took a few steps closer, moving to sit on the bench that was shaped like an elephant. When had they made these benches shaped like animals…? THat...was new. But. She was out of the loop. She had been out of the loop.
If she had just stayed out of the loop...none of this would have happened. Whatever.
Pulling the bag filled with her treats from her subspace pocket she paused and drew out the extra bottle of milk. “Ah. You like chocolate milk? They were bogo...and...I mean. I’m not going to drink two tonight...and I’m sure if I...I mean. Someone else will drink it at home...so. Why not share it with you, yeah? Ra rah chaos and all…”
.
Socialization was hard work. Even harder when the person you were trying to socialize with was the same kind of person you would have hit with a plastic lightsaber a decade ago.
...oh gross. She was so old now.
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 3:51 pm
Nerves were eating at him, still right there on the edge of understanding. A nervous Scheelite was a rambling Scheelite.
...Actually no, that was just normal him. Still, there was an edge to it. Still trying to feel out the situation.
"Ha! Ra rah indeed! I'm...mostly trying to get reacquainted with things tonight.
Been gone uh...a while! So couldn't hurt to get a feel for things again before truly diving back into work, huh?"
Chocolate milk was on offer. This was exciting. He might be in his twenties but he still loved the stuff. It was a comfort to a troubled soul.
"I do like chocolate milk, who doesn't? I'd love to share, thanks!"
No matter that feeling he crossed over to her. A hand reached out to nab the chocolate milk...and leave a glowstick in her hand in return. It'd be rude not to give her something for the tasty drink, after all.
"So uh...you been with the Negaverse long?"
He didn't recognize her...but that wasn't too much of a surprise.
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 4:16 pm
Lenka paused at the glowstick, but seeing it made her feel suddenly warm like…
Like they could be friends.
Oh. Well. All right then.
Drawing out the container of Oreos, she peeled back the cover and drew one out, before holding the snack out to Scheelite. “Oh. Um, no. I’m not with the Negaverse. I’m part of the Dark Mirror Court thanks to a heinous b***h deciding this was the best way to deal with me. She’s such utter and complete trash. I was a great and powerful senshi once you know. I kicked a** when I was a chibi...Thought I would save the world, if you can believe that.”
There was a sudden lump in Lenka’s throat at that and she idly fingered the glowstick, looking down at it with a grim expression. “...Ah...and you? Been...in the Negaverse long? You’re actually...I mean. You’re the first person in the Negaverse I’ve talked to since I got shoved through the mirror so...that’s cool. At least...you don’t suck?”
That was a high compliment, if you thought about it.
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 5:34 pm
She was talking, but he wasn't hearing much past Dark Mirror Court. A record scratch went off in his mind, every friendly word that had been about to leave his mouth was gone. For a moment he froze up completely.
So that was why something felt so off.
Outside of the raid on their hideout and the battle afterwards, Scheelite had not had much contact with those who dwelled within the mirrors. Had he been around when the Negaverse struck up it's tentative partnership with them, he would have completely flipped his s**t.
But he hadn't been.
He had been gone. And things...simply didn't make much sense.
A few other words did hit him. Chibi, namely. And the way this Senshi talked about others in the court. She seemed...unhappy. But was it a trick?
Was this the Blood Moon Court reborn, falling right back to their manipulative ways to get the Negaverse to drop it's guard? ...Was this milk poisoned?
It didn't taste poisoned.
...Maybe that was a trick too.
It was easy to see that his mood had suddenly shifted. Despite being a General he was giving off the distinct aura of fear. He was absolutely terrified of everything she could be.
"M-mirrors, huh?"
He took a few steps back, wanting that extra space and flinching slightly as his memory conjured up the distinct sound of glass slicing through the air.
Through a person.
"Been in the Negaverse since I was 15. I'm 26 now so...yeah, it's been a while. ....So what is this mirror you were shoved through?
Oh he was right on the verge of teleporting. But something was still off here.
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 5:52 pm
Lenka paused, cookie halfway to her mouth as she watched the General. “...Yeah...uh. Mirrors. Um...wow! So you’ve been with the Negaverse longer than I’ve been a senshi...I um. Started when I was ten, and thought I was hot s**t...thought that Chibis would do things right and all the older senshi should just retire. God, I was so pretentious. Um...I’m twenty now. And got...thrown through a mirror like a year and a half ago or something. Give or take a few months. Honestly...I don’t keep track. I miss my mom and my boyfriend. I don’t have any friends and.”
And I’m a depressed piece of s**t.
She crammed the Oreo into her mouth and then grabbed three more of them, shoving them all in and glaring off into the middle distance, fiercely determined not to give in to the sudden burning behind her eyes.
Finally she glanced over and wrinkled her nose. “...Biwtch nammed Weddo.” Lenka snorted at how poorly the words came out and a spray of Oreo crumbs shot from her mouth. Oh. Watching the crumbs, she began to laugh, and finally just spat out the giant ball of mostly chewed cookie before she choked on it, the tears spilling over for a completely different reason.
“...Oh my god you must think I’m a cave troll. I...She was a b***h named Leto. Still is a b***h and I assume her name is still Leto but. I went on a patrol thinking you know? I should do something for once instead of being a girl who’s trying to juggle college and a wonderful boyfriend and life. Go senshi! Go whatever. Anyway. Picked a fight with her. Did before too, when I was a kid and. She decided that. She didn’t want to fight with me anymore and ruining my life was a much better solution so. Here I am. Wearing black. Like a pleb.”
She spread her arms wide and shrugged, sliding the Oreos closer towards him. “...Sure you don’t want to share?”
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 6:58 pm
Scheelite was horrified. Not only was there a mirror-walking Senshi before him. But she had just crunched up Oreos and then spat them out like the hairball Heather had been so pissed off to find in the house.
What a waste of Oreos.
Yet the sheer insanity of what was before him had the unintended effect of bubbling up his own laughter. The noise that escaped him was somewhere between jovial and sheer panic, but it was laughter of a sorts.
Did he know Leto? The name wasn't immediately familiar, but it had been years and his memories of those interactions were...traumatic, to say the least. Their leader was the most recognizable of the bunch, outside of the one he had murdered with his bare hands. He didn't even know that one's name. Not that it mattered at all.
What did matter was just how upset this one seemed to be about it all. Perhaps he could have written off the initial comments as some sort of trick, but she was still rambling about it. Rambling was something he knew well.
It was words spilling forth with an urgency to say everything at once.
And it was damn hard to weave that into an elaborate lie. At least...it was for him.
He felt sick. A sinking pit in his stomach, the sounds of the past ringing in his ears and he swore he could feel the sensation of warm blood dripping off of him...but his uniform was dry. The mind was a hell of a thing.
"Troll is something I've been called many a time as well...but I don't understand. You weren't one of them...didn't want to be one of them. Yet they forced you anyway?"
Had...the Blood Moon Court been the same way?
...No. There was no way they had been forced to do those things. One had to have a lot of conviction to craft that special variety of hell.
"Can't you...leave?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 7:17 pm
Lenka nodded at him and leaned back on the bench. “Yeah. I guess she thought it would be a better punishment than killing me? Or would get me off her back. I don’t know. I...Maybe she just likes being a b***h…”
His question made her go quiet and she tugged idly at the sheer fabric that still felt like it was everywhere. “I think maybe? I’ve thought about it a lot...but...I really...would be even more alone if I did...if I leave...I won’t go back to being the girl I was...she’s gone. Forever and nobody will know me...I mean, thankfully my best friend...another Dark Mirror who I had also known from when I was a kid...ah. It turns out he was my best friend the whole time...which was kind of irritating but…”
Her knuckles dug into her eyes, hoping that she could drive away the tears that were continuing to ooze. “I’m staying with him and his wife and kids...I would babysit them all the time before...God.”
Lenka looked up and finally her face crumpled. “Do you know how much it sucks when the oldest one asks when Millie is coming back? I just want to scream sometimes. But...I don’t want to lose the last tie too family that I have...my mom...my mom won’t ever know me again...and neither will my…” She shrugged. “My ex I guess. I do a lot of facebook stalking...I don’t think he’s seeing anyone yet so...that makes me…”
Another shrug and finally she stopped fighting the tears, taking another Oreo and peeling the creme off with her teeth. “I want him happy...but selfishly...knowing that he might be looking for me makes me happy...part of me wants to find him and try to woo him but…that’s such a b***h move to past me, you know?”
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Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 7:43 pm
He was going to be sick tonight, he just knew it. The conflict of emotions, the adrenaline from the situation, the fear, the confusion...all of it was going to crash onto him later and he was going to be ill.
"I do not...truly understand the mirror Senshi, but a group of them took so much from me."
And now his own tears were threatening to fall, but he furiously wiped them away and quietly told himself to keep it TOGETHER.
It was difficult. Extremely so.
"But you seem...different. And you clearly were not one of them when...it all happened."
The last word was choked by the threat of a sob. He paused his own speech to force that back down. It was a wonderful opportunity to just listen to her.
The more she talked the more she reminded him of himself. Not everything lined up, of course, but there had been a time Scheelite felt lost and confused. When his relationships and civilian life had been falling apart, and the only people he had to turn to were his fellow officers. And, despite his general state of...well, not being exactly the most 'normal' of the Negaverse's agents, they had protected him and helped him get back to his feet. Even the 'monster' known as Tanzanite had looked upon him like a mother would a lost child. One hand slipped down to absently trace fingers across the large feather hanging from his uniform. Forever a source of comfort.
Maybe...just maybe...she desperately needed a friend. How could he blame someone forcibly corrupted for that group's past sins?
Slowly he steeled his nerves, moved closer, and reached a hand out to shake hers.
"General Scheelite. Potential friend. Can't help you with just how much it sucks to lose connections, but...maybe I can help you form new ones?"
He paused, still clearly nervous but trying to work past it.
"Just...promise to keep the mirrors away from me."
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Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2021 3:43 pm
Oh...oh now he was crying. “...God...we’re a little pathetic, aren’t we. Big scary chaos. Rah rah…” Lenka took his hand, giving a smile that only wobbled a little. “Sailor Lenka, Senshi of Watermelons at your service. Very much eager to be friends, Scheelite...I’m sorry that you had a bad time with...mirror senshi...I…”
She sighed, squeezing his hand and then reaching down, putting a small stack of Oreos into it. “...The only one I ever liked was Remarque. He’s the friend I was talking about. I tried so hard to...get him out of it though. I hated chaos when I was younger...but.” Lenka shrugged again. “I would like to form new connections...you...thank you for the chance. Seriously...I…”
Reaching up, she wiped at her eyes again and after a moment, ripped a piece of her overlay off, blowing her nose in it. Take that, useless fabric that she utterly hated.
After a moment, she ripped off another piece and held it out, giving a slightly watery smile. “Uh...handkerchief?” Lenka’s eyes softened a little. “...I’ll keep the mirrors away from you. I promise.”
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Posted: Sat Apr 24, 2021 4:16 pm
Remarque was not a name he was familiar with either, but if that was the only one she liked then that meant she wasn't a fan of Ares.
That...went a long way in his book. Maybe the Mirror Senshi were fragmented, much like the White Moon Senshi seemed to be. Different courts, different ideals...
It was possible.
The Oreos in his hand made him smile. The offered piece of fabric made him laugh. He took both, wiping at his eyes again before eating one of the Oreos.
"Chaos is all I've known, and well...if you're willing to give it a chance I'm willing to help. The big fights? Those aren't my thing, not anymore. Mirrors aren't my thing either. But friendships? Totally my thing. So, Lenka, I'll be your friend in chaos."
He grinned, and it was absolutely genuine. Despite the darkness radiating from his starseed Scheelite firmly believed the Negaverse could be filled with joy. With friendships. With family.
"Hope you like glowsticks because I'll be giving them to you often!"
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 11:51 am
Friends. Hadn’t Jett been telling her to try and make some? This...was perfect, wasn’t it? There were way too many emotions right now, but still...she had a friend. And would have glow sticks...There was nothing wrong with glow sticks…
“Yeah...yeah all right.” Lenka gave a smile of her own and stood up, turning to look at the swing set. “...I love glow sticks, by the way...do you want to act like fools and play on the playground for a while? It seems as good a time as any to swing, don’t you think?”
Besides. Nobody could feel sad while playing on a swing set..it was a well known fact that swing sets could fix almost anything.
“I promise I’ll keep you safe from anyone bad in this court, okay? There’s no way I’d let anyone hurt my friend. Not in a million years.”
If she did that...well. They wouldn’t be friends anymore, now would they?
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Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2021 7:17 pm
Glowsticks were awesome. Glowsticks had always done right by him. And having a new friend to gift them to? Amazing!
"If...anyone in your court ends up being bad you should stay far FAR away from them. No one should have to experience what I've seen them do. No one."
It didn't matter that he had just met this Senshi, or that mere moments ago he'd been extremely uneasy around her. Now that they were friends Scheelite would worry over her safety. The Blood Moon Court had forever scarred him, both in ways that could be seen and others that were harder to discern. He would not let his friend be hurt by the group that had descended from that court.
But, perhaps it was time to take a bit of a break from the more heavy conversations. The suggestion of swings was a great one!
"Uh, I thought you'd never ask! Playground sounds awesome, yeah?"
He was absolutely going to go down that slide too. Surely his cape would help with that endeavor.
Swings first though! He moved over that way, grinning from ear to ear.
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