Acubens had fully intended to take a week off. And she would. Minus this one evening when she powered up and made her way to a distant corner of the city where it was unlikely anyone would discover them. Next to her, Tegmine took her hand, sensing his sister’s anxiety about what she was about to do next. Bruises had healed and cuts had long since stopped bleeding, but Acubens pride was still wounded.
She had made a bad call.
Putting herself between Scylla and her court had been enough, she didn’t need to ask Logos to use her magic. And she didn’t need to call Scylla a friend, dividing her court further. It would have been enough to say that they were outmatched. That Scylla had stronger friends in greater numbers that she could call.
She should have focused on getting everyone out. No one had to learn that this was not their war this way. She could have protected them all. She was the oldest senshi, the highest level there. And she failed them.
Behind her, Rana grabbed onto her fuku, so similar to the way her brother did. Logos flanked Acubens’ other side. Solidarity in three forms.
She took a deep breath, pulled out her compact, and began to speak.
“Dark Mirror meeting in the warehouse district. Anyone is welcome, but I want to address the battle yesterday.”
---
Miss Acubens was going to take the fall. Logos knew it, and she hated it. It wasn’t Acubens fall to take, it was hers. Logos had used her magic, even though Acubens had never told her to. She could have stood between the court and Scylla with Acubens. She could have spoken up. She could have done any number of things. But she chose to use her magic because it had seemed, at the time, the most advantageous move.
She had been wrong.
Logos had expected people to be cross with her, not Miss Acubens. And some were, but it seemed like most turned their ire on Acubens. Logos didn’t care what anyone but a handful of people thought. But she knew that Acubens wanted -- no, she needed to be accepted by as many in her court as possible. But she was going to protect Logos from whatever she could because… because why?
“Miss Acubens?”
Acubens turned her head as she snapped her compact shut.
“You don’t have to do this.”
Acubens pressed her lips together and said nothing. And yet, she said everything. There was nothing Logos could say that would stop her from doing what she had already set her mind to do.
---
Rana latched on to Acubens because, in truth, she didn’t know what else to do. Acubens had made the best call she could, right? She had done what she thought was best, right? But there was something inside of Rana that, for the first time ever, doubted the older senshi. She looked up at the back of her head, wild curls a mess from her anxiety.
Acubens always did what she thought was best for the court. But she had called the attacking White Moon senshi a friend. What kind of a friend did that? And then she made Logos attack the court. Was that really in everyone’s best interests? She glanced at Logos who caught her eye and turned away. Rana, already unsure of the quieter and more stern senshi, shrunk away from Logos and into Tegmine who squeezed her shoulder.
You don’t have to do this.
Rana spoke without thinking.
“Yes she does. The court deserves an explanation.”
Acubens’ shoulders tightened and Logos gave Rana a lingering, questioning look. Rana pressed further back into Tegmine and looked up to him for… something. He returned her gaze with a frown and sad eyes. He hadn’t been the same since the battle…
---
Tegmine hadn’t slept much… or at all after the battle. The image of the impaled squire kept haunting him. The sound of war kept ringing in his ears. He always felt too hot and like he had to run. And keep running. And never stop running.
Like his sister, he hadn’t wanted to power up either. She was taking a week off, but he’d probably take longer. If he powered back up at all. When he had first awakened it had been… exhilarating. He felt powerful. Finally like his sister. But now, after his first brush with death, he understood why she had kept her powers a secret for so long. Why she tried so hard to keep him from it. Why she changed so much before she corrupted.
Rana and Logos began bickering and Tegmine frowned deeply. Rana looked to him to help her, but all he could do was sigh and look away. His voice kept failing him. But Rana kept looking at him and she deserved an answer.
“This isn’t just about an explanation,” Tegmine finally sighed. “Acubens is about to take responsibility for the whole fight.”
Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 7:19 am
Dark Mirror Meeting.
Remarque had raised a brow at that first, and then narrowed his gaze at his compact when Acubens said she wanted to address the battle yesterday.
A battle he hadn’t participated in. A battle he wasn’t aware of.
And now, she was having a meeting about it.
He let out a heavy sigh, a grumble of a groan, and tipped his head back to look at the sky for a long moment before he pocketed his compact and dragged himself to the nearest mirror.
He didn’t travel as a Royal Senshi often; he liked the freedom that came with being an Eternal Senshi. His energy signature was less oppressive like this, he could do what he wanted when he was like this.
There wasn’t much of a difference in how he felt between one form and the next, so moved from one mirror to the next. There were plenty of mirrors out by the warehouses, so it wasn’t difficult to find the cluster of Dark Mirror energy signatures once he’d stepped out of one.
He’d had other plans for the evening, but he dragged himself to the designated meeting point. Of course he was worried for the Court. Of course he wanted to make sure everyone was alright, and not getting into trouble.
If Acubens had something to say, he'd be there to hear it. He just wasn't used to her not coming to him immediately. Arriving to see a cluster of Dark Mirror Senshi already around Acubens, like she needed protection, made him even more suspicious.
He didn't seem uncomfortable to be there and walked closer to observe the four of them. As he approached, he nodded in greeting to each of them, but his eyes settled on Acubens. "Is everyone all right?" he asked, because that was the priority above everything else that could have happened.
There had been indicators that a certain bandage senshi had picked up on. Little clues: here and there. Anyone with eyes might have seen. She, while still technically being new, had definitely noticed how closed down Acubens had been. Taking a week off - she didn't know for sure but that didn't seem normal. Although she was certain there were other times before she had joined the Court that the same things might have happened. Arianna by nature was curious but even she had resisted in inquiring what was wrong. In the back of her mind though an inkling of suspicion had been forming.
When the call came through her compact it was met at first with a groan of dismay. Arianna rolled over clutching the damn thing like the lifeline it was before rolling onto her back. Resting had been the goal of the evening but apparently that would have to wait. Whatever had caused Rhona to call this meeting was important enough to know that missing it was not in the cards.
Grabbing the compact and rising from her bed, still fully dressed from returning home earlier, the young woman rang a hand through her hair before grabbing her wallet and henshin pen before stepping out. It was not really the way she wanted to get there - but would the risk of using a mirror be faster this time? Her gaze swept over The Farmer's Daughter before she turned away from the building. She'd put some distance in between the place she was calling home and her choice of what mirror to use. There was a flutter of nervousness that was going through her as she neared her destination. Withdrawing her henshin pen and calling on her powers saw Arianna become Lacerta. Her gaze settled on the mirror that she chose before approaching it. She knew where she needed to go and that was half the challenge. The other half, at least for Lacerta, was getting the gumption to walk through the initial mirror. Watching the mirror's surface ripple though as she stood in front made the bandage senshi sigh in relief. She'd be able to do this. Her whispered phrase of, "just get it over and done with," was cut off as she disappeared from sight.
A popping sensation was the first to register in her mind as she stepped out of her chosen exit point. The warehouse chosen for the meeting location loomed large in the near distance and Lacerta moved with the speed that came with being powered up. She could feel auras in the distance including another rather familiar one besides Acubens. It gave her pause before she shrugged. She'd leave potential questions for later. For now she wanted to be there - in case Acubens needed her support. It was with that thought in her mind that Lacerta entered the building where the meeting was taking place.
Her gaze, when she finally came across the group, landed on Acubens before taking in the other senshi that were flanking her. Tegmine she knew by name. She'd not been formally introduced to the other two that stood close to the raptor senshi. Teal orbs widened a bit as recognition set in for one of the senshi but Lacerta held her tongue as Remarque strode into sight. If explanations were forthcoming Lacerta did not want to be the one that spilled details as to what happened.
Sweenys_Revenge
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:15 am
tefla
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Remarque had shown up. Because of course he had. There was an all call for the DMC, and if he was powered up, he’d be there. Why hadn’t Acubens planned on and for him showing up? Acubens stomach dropped almost out of her feet when she saw him. She blushed for the first time in what felt like forever and looked away quickly.
Was everything okay?
Everything was most certainly not okay. She had failed her court. She had failed him. Worse than failing, she had shamed them all. Made them look like a court of in-fighting children. Made them look reckless. She knew Remarques mission to garner favor on both sides, and though she tried so hard to do right by him and his ideals, she fell flat on her face last night when it really counted.
“Everything is fine,” she answered thickly, still not looking at him.
Behind her, Tegmine laughed sharply, a sound like a jackal’s bark. Beside her Logos huffed, an uncharacteristically childish action.
“Everything will be fine.”
Lacerta arrived and suddenly things were too heavy. Another person she’d failed to protect.
---
”Miss Acubens intends to take the fall for a battle between Order and Chaos,” Logos said simply, turning bodily to face Remarque. She ignored the sharp look Acubens shot her and went on. “We were out training Tegmine and Rana when we felt a cluster of Order and Chaos signatures. As well as a small pocket of Dark Mirrors. We went to assess the situation and got dragged into the fray.”
If ratting Acubens out would save her from self destruction, then Logos had a duty as her friend to do so. Remarque always had been remarkably effective at talking Acubens down from ledges. She’d seen him work that particular brand of magic before. Maybe he could talk her down from this one.
“We’ve tried telling her that it was not her responsibility nor is it hers now. But she won’t listen.”
Lacerta arrived then, and Logos refused to give in the awkward feeling in her gut. She had struck out at the other senshi, that was true. But she believed then and she believed now that it was the only way to stop the fighting. So she inclined her head at the woman and addressed her.
“Maybe you could also help Acubens from doing something supremely stupid.”
---
”But it’s not stupid,” Rana finally piped up. “Acubens may not be responsible for the whole fight, but she does have a responsibility. She does because she called Scylla a friend after she attacked us. And she commanded you to use your magic on our court.”
Logos was about to argue but Rana spoke quicker. She let go of Acubens’ fuku and went on.
“She didn’t directly say to use your magic but we all knew what she meant when she said to stop the fighting.”
Logos shut her mouth and looked away. Acubens’ shoulders fell and she drew her arms up to her chest.
“The fight wasn’t her fault, that’s true. We were just going to assess. But when we were attacked she took the side of the White Moon and protected her and not her court. That is where she failed. And she does need to address that.”
---
Rana was right. Tegmine hated it almost as much as Acubens did, but she was right. Acubens could make all the excuses that she wanted, that she knew Scylla would hurt them all if they kept fighting, that she was trying to maintain tenuous connections with the white moon, or whatever else she wanted to say.
But she had prioritized Scylla over her court.
And that was a problem.
He glanced at Remarque and scrubbed his eyes.
“I’m going to agree with Rana on this one,” he finally confessed. “But also with Logos. Little Bird, you can’t take the weight of the whole battle onto your shoulders. But not because it simply isn’t your responsibility. It’s not, but you also know the other reason.”
Tegmine was quiet for a second, reaching out to touch Acubens who flinched away.
“You’re martyring yourself to distract from your actual mistake. Taking on a larger burden as a smoke screen. If you’re going to do this, then you have to own up to what you actually did wrong.”
Sweenys_Revenge
Dangerous Lover
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SSBrosB
Springtime Noob
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Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:46 am
Stacy had been itching to meet back with her fellow Dark Mirror. Sure, she had done her share of energy draining, sometimes going out with Arseno so that they could both benefit from it. But even if she was with him she couldn't help but feel a bit lonely about not meeting what she considered her "family". Considering what her blood family was like, she much preferred the Dark Mirror.
So when she had received the message while powering up again, this time leaving Tom to nap, she was surprised to see the message. Battle? There had been one? It appeared that neither she nor Tom had known about it. She cursed to herself. She had missed a BATTLE?! How could she have not been there?! She had to find out what had gone on yesterday, and immediately Mirror-walked her way over, finding quite a few had already gathered.
Acubens appeared nervous, which Mithra hadn't seen in... well she couldn't remember if she had ever seen Acubens like that. Remarque appeared to be concerned, so perhaps he hadn't been to the battle either? It would make sense. She still wished she had been there though.
There were other DMC that she hadn't seen as well, but was glad that they were here. More Senshi meant more for their little faction. Perhaps they would be able to rival one of the others someday.
She crossed her arms and leaned against one of the closer walls. Listening into the conversation. It appeared that something had happened with this "Scylla" and had commanded someone else to use magic on them. Mithra was frustrated.
WHY DID SHE MISS ALL OF THIS?! It sounded so interesting! And it appeared that, from what the other Senshi had said, they were attacked by the White Moon and there was a preference for the attacker, Scylla? She wasn't sure if she agreed with whatever actions had been taken, at least in terms of what had happened to her fellow members, but the main problem, at least in her opinion, was the fact that they specifically didn't attack a White Moon and wanted to protect her.
That means that the Negaverse may see us as more of a threat. And that we're on the White Moon side... she thought. This... wasn't good. It made her nervous. But she at least had access to easily communicate with the Negaverse if need be. Even if he didn't go out much as a General these days, at least Tom could talk to the others if they were thinking of attacking the DMC.
She decided not to say anything for now and keep listening. She wasn't very good at all of this talk anyway. Throwing fists was more her style.
Quote:
Hewwo peeps
Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:49 am
Remarque made an unimpressed, “Hm,” sound as he listened. He glanced at Lacerta and Mithra and nodded in greeting, but he was too distracted digesting what he'd been told to offer more than that. He didn’t seem particularly upset with Acubens right now, but he was doing a good job keeping his temper low because he didn’t have any idea what they were talking about. Between Acubens and the three Dark Mirror Senshi around her chiming in, he felt like he was getting pieces of a story that didn't quite come together.
“So,” he said, and crossed his arms over his chest as he assessed all of them.
“I’m thinking it might work out better for everyone if I actually got the full story of what happened. I was in Mirrorspace last night, I haven’t heard anything about a fight.
Logos might have held hope that Remarque could talk Acubens down from anything, but she was sorely mistaken if she thought anyone could stop Acubens from doing something supremely stupid when she’d set her mind to it.
“Who was doing what, and why? --And after everyone started fighting, why did you stick around instead of getting everyone out of there?” He was looking at Acubens, not with anger, but because he didn’t always understand her--and maybe it made sense in her head, so he just needed to see where her mind was.
“You know we have enemies within the Negaverse and the ‘White Moon’. If the Negaverse thinks we’re helping their enemies, you know I have to deal with that, don’t you?” he asked, giving her a careful look. Because--yes, it was fine to work both sides, but that only worked when you weren’t sabotaging yourself in the process.
With a field full of everyone fighting? Where everyone could see?
Where Acubens apparently had someone attack the Dark Mirror Court in favor of helping a White Moon Senshi?
No, he had no idea where her mind was, and he was trying very hard not to bristle or get angry.
He wanted to understand, first and foremost.
And then, maybe get angry later, when he didn’t have an audience.
“Acubens,” he asked, as patiently as he could, “Just tell me what happened. All of it. I don’t want excuses, I don’t want martyrdom. I want to know exactly what happened.”
From her.
Because, he was already getting the distinct impression that he needed to start figuring out how the ******** he was going to clean up this mess.
“Dark Mirror meeting in the warehouse district. Anyone is welcome, but I want to address the battle yesterday.”
The voice echoing out from her compact had been familiar for all that it had been a while since Sadalsuud had crossed paths with its owner.
Then again it had been a while since Sadalsuud had done anything court-related.
She had hesitated - she had no idea about the battle that Miss Acubens spoke off - had no idea of anything really given how little that she powered up these days–
And it wasn't as if her presence (or lack of) would make much difference to the the court.
She wasn't strong like Miss Acubens or like some of the others in the court, nor was she particularly brave - and it wasn't like her magic was anything special - at least that she knew of given that she still didn't have any real handle on it–
But Miss Acubens mention of a battle sounded worrying, her thoughts drifting almost automatically to the few that she knew of amongst the court.
Had they been caught up in it? Were they hurt? Had...
She bit her lip slightly as she shook her head, doing her best to try and dispel the anxious thoughts, but they continued to linger.
It didn't help either that she wasn't actually that far from the mentioned warehouse district - could actually see it from the rooftop that she had picked to look out over the city - well at least the start of it at any rate–
Which was how she had come to find herself making her way to the place that Miss Acubens had mentioned.
Sadalsuud had not announced her presence when she finally arrived, had instead stuck to the back - or as far to the back as she could get away with - but she doubted that anyone would notice one small dark mirror - not with potentially more serious things afoot.
She'd stick around for long enough to find out if any of the few dark mirror senshi that she knew had been hurt she decided, although Sadalsuud wasn't sure what she'd do if they had been.
Quote:
Have a Sadal, even if she is half-hiding
Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 9:34 am
tefla
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Anyone but Remarque. She could have done this with anyone but Remarque there. Now with him there, watching her with a mixture of disappointment and irritation, she stood frozen. She felt too cold and too hot. She was trembling from the force of panic that she struggled to keep down. She had to speak, she knew she did. And Remarque was right, it had to come from her. So when Tegmine opened his mouth, Acubens grabbed his hand to silence him. She took a deep breath and stared only at the ground as she spoke.
“Logos and I were out training Rana and Tegmine. Basic things. Mirrorwalking when they get old enough and how to summon a wraith. We were going to try some easy energy gathering at the park, but when we got close enough a fight had already broken out. I was going to go elsewhere, but then we felt a small pocket of Dark Mirror signatures. They were all basics. I couldn’t risk leaving them there alone, so I redirected us to assess the fight.”
She wanted her voice to grow in strength, but it didn’t. Instead, it shook and wavered, like she was confessing a misdeed to her father.
“I should have sent Rana, Tegmine, and Logos home. Instead I send Tegmine into the fray to see if there were any other Dark Mirrors that we needed to get out. Logos and Rana I had stay behind to protect the other Dark Mirrors. I thought since Tegmine is older, he’d be okay…”
And by the grace of whoever was up there, he was, but only now was she realizing with crushing reality that she very realistically could have been sending her brother in to die. He must have realized it too judging by his sudden pallor.
“And then Scylla happened to pass by us. She used her attack and tentacles grabbed us. I called for people to scatter but it was too late. They got grabbed, and when they were released they attacked her. I got in the middle and told Logos to stop the fighting. I didn’t say that I wanted her to use her magic but… Rana is right. I did.
No. No this wasn’t happening. Remarque wasn’t listening to her. Tegmine and Rana may have been right, but she didn’t like it. And Acubens still didn’t have to prostrate herself like this at the mercy of her own court. There were ways… there had to be ways.
“Acubens, I could have attacked Scylla instead. I chose to instead target our own. It’s my --”
Acubens cut Logos off, holding up her hand to silence her.
“No. You shouldn’t have even had to make that all. You should have been long gone.”
She didn’t continue until Logos shut her mouth.
“I called Scylla a friend because… I want her to be a friend. She was there Remarque. When Ares corrupted the first of us. She’s a valuable source of information and can be a powerful ally. I wanted to try and make that alliance a reality. Ariadne then used her attack of Scylla, causing Scylla to… I don’t know… cuddle with Ariadne? Is cuddle the right word?”
Tegmine shrugged, but Rana and Logos nodded.
“While she was cuddling Ariadne, Scylla heard someone call ‘mommy” which I guess is her. So, still attached to Ariadne, she took off. I told Rana and Logos to get out, and followed Scylla to keep Ariadne safe. When Scylla stopped, she called two chibis her daughters and I knew that if no one else, we had to get those two kids out. So I called for Tegmine to help, and he and a squire got the kids to safety while I got Ariadne out. Lacerta covered both of our retreats. If anyone among us acted honorably and with bravery, it was her.”
She offered Lacerta a small smile before she lowered her head again and fell silent. That, as they say, was that. All of her failures from the previous night laid bare before one of the people she respected the most.
Safiya had holed herself up at work, where the plan had been to ignore any and all attempts at getting a hold of her, assuming anyone knew her number, and just. Work on work stuff instead. Customers to Espurresso, the cat cafe, would have noticed that one of their employees seemed grumpier than usual, shooting mean looks at patrons when she wasn’t working on social media promotions to get the cats adopted.
When the call came to her compact, Safiya was highly tempted to feign ignorance, and pretend she never heard it. Oops, wrong number! Must have been a telemarketer, or someone wanting to speak with her about her car’s extended warranty… not that she even had a car. At the same time, the thought of one of the Dark Mirrors managing to find the mirror she had set up near her work place, and paying a social visit, wasn’t something she wanted, either.
So it was with much annoyance did she power up into Tsukuyomi, and make her way to the meeting spot, though she absolutely would not make any move to make herself known. Best to hang around by the closest exit, so she could leave once she heard enough.
Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 10:12 am
Considering everything Lacerta almost wondered if she had made the right decision in attending the meeting. Of course, that being said, she knew she had made the right decision. Her gaze lingered on Acubens before looking at the one that had addressed her upon her arrival in the warehouse (Logos). How did she expect Lacerta to be able to do anything that would change Acubens mindset if she wanted to do something? That wasn't her call to make although it did squeeze a little at her heartstrings that Acubens was seemingly angsting over the decisions that had been made.
Listening was the key though here and as Remarque addressed Acubens to tell him the entire story she paused and listened along. She had been on the other end of the battle until joining her court after Scylla's attack. She had missed being ensnared like her fellow senshi but she had tried to right that as soon as she came on scene. The attack she had launched on Scylla had maybe saved the court more hardship given how much anger had been radiating from the eternal white moon senshi after another had attacked her but at the same time she still felt a little guilt over her own actions.
Then she had been attacked and witnessed the aftermath. Rushing into the fray after Logos' attack though had been more to make sure that others didn't get hurt. She had been willing to take a few hits if needed in order to make sure that everyone would get out in one piece.
Snapping back to attention as Acubens described her as being both brave and honorable she winced. She wasn't sure if she liked the labels ... not at the cost of Acubens beating herself up over the mishap. She wanted to go to the raptor senshi and give her the largest hug she could but wasn't sure if that was the right move. Instead she sighed before finding her voice, "I'm not exactly one-hundred percent sure of all that happened in a person's mind but I don't like seeing this aftermath. We shouldn't be at odds with each other. Acubens might have made an error in judgement but aren't we all guilty of the same thing, at one point or another? Chosen a friend over family in civilian life," and she paused before she softly added, "I know I've done something like that before."
Remarque wasn’t here for dramatics, or self sacrifice, or whatever else Acubens thought she was doing by calling everyone her to say--what, that she ******** up? Why would she want to advertise that to the Court?
“Why do you care about Scylla? Why do you care about Ares, Acubens? --Did you even meet her or has someone just put these ideas in your head that she’s some great Goddess we should all fawn over? What do you want to hear from Scylla? You want to hear about how Ares abandoned them, just like how she abandoned us? Because I can tell you stories about that. I’ve got years of them.”
The anger was there, low and simmering below the surface. He managed to keep himself dangerously calm despite the fact that there was clearly an untapped reserve of disappointment and frustration and anger when it came to the distant past.
“So you made a bad call and got sucked into a battle--it happens. People fight. All the time, Acubens. You can step out of a mirror anywhere in Destiny City and there’s a chance you’ll walk right into something. Here’s the thing--you don’t command anyone. You can’t force people to leave a fight. You guide them, you help them. You look out for them. If you got involved because you were looking out for other members of our Court, that’s fine. They’re not children, they’re not helpless. They chose to stay and fight just like you did. I’m assuming you all did what you thought was right--that’s fine. What isn’t fine is pretending like Scylla is a friend--because she knew Ares?”
He looked at Acubens like he wanted to see into her mind.
“It sounds like she attacked the Dark Mirror Court, on sight. Ares turned on her. What makes you think she wants to be our friend. You know Ares used to kill people, right? Back when she was working with the White Moon Court? That they tortured people. Is that what you want to hear, stories about how Ares was a monster? Who dragged us into her army because she thought we’d be good, obedient little soldiers, who would help her build a parallel universe here, for her? She’s gone Acubens. She’s been gone. And we’re better off for it. Stop idolizing a woman who abandoned us. If you want to talk to Scylla, do it when there’s not an audience. But I don’t know that there’s anything she can say that will make a difference to us. And, stop beating yourself up. Everyone made it out alive, didn’t they? If you got them out, you did your job.”
He shook his head and exhaled, trying very hard to will his agitation away.
It wasn’t the fight that bothered him. Mistakes happened.
He was vaguely aware of new energy signatures, but he didn't see Safiya in the distance. Lacerta wasn't wrong--people make mistakes. The fight wasn't the mistake.
The mistake was chasing after Ares like she'd ever done a single <********> thing for this Court after dragging them into it.
oops a typo was bugging me so deleted quote wall to fix
Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 10:40 am
Shaowei had arrived quietly, perplexed by the unusual call that she had received. It wasn't often that she got a summons, in fact it was probably the first time in her life. Nevertheless the Super had released a small sigh, risen from her desk and slipped out for an unexplained 'early' lunch. Whatever the topic of the discussion it had already begun by the time she arrived and she had come in just in time to catch the tail ends of portions of the conversation.
So the rumours she'd heard were true then?
She preferred to keep to herself, exploring the mirrorspace when it allowed her, but otherwise refraining from any particularly dramatic parties. Unsurprisingly it seemed she had missed a large one and whatever had occurred during that party hadn't been received well[. What she had managed to pick up was that there had been a fight, some individuals had picked a side and in the view of some there had been incorrect decisions made.
...Well that was generally how life worked, wasn't it?
This was perhaps her first time hearing of 'Ares' though and she did raise a brow, her interest slightly piqued by the names of those she had never heard before. A little hint of a past she had never been privy to, and yet it seemed to be of importance here. Regardless, it wasn't difficult to hear some of the underlying discontent in one of the few Dark Mirror she did recognise.
Her lips pursed ever so slightly as she at least made herself visible, hands carefully folded into the long sleeves of her uniform. She had no horse in this race, but as she had been summoned she would at least be present for any type of consensus that might come from it. Whether she was necessarily on board with what that might be was another thing, she had made no secret of the fact she wasn't a fan of Negaverse philosophy, but it wasn't as if the Orders philosophy was perfect either.
For now, all she could do was wait quietly and see what came of it all...
Quote:
She doesn't know many folks but she came as summoned, she'll watch in the wings. <3
Epine de Rose
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Sweenys_Revenge
Dangerous Lover
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Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 11:22 am
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Well, at least Remarque wasn’t angry at Acubens for her calls in battle. That being said, he still didn’t understand her fascination with Ares and the origins of their court. She deflated in a different way, but when she spoke next her voice was stronger.
“It’s not about Ares, Remarque. It has never been about Ares. If Ares had never existed and the Dark Mirror Court sprung out of the ether, I’d be just as insistent that we know why. It’s about the information. It’s about knowing where we came from so that we can use that to our advantage. Or at the very least to keep that from being used against us. If we know who Ares was before she became whatever it was she became and who she was after, for however long she stuck around, then we can brace for when someone tries to use that against us.”
She wasn’t going to pretend that Remarque’s implications that she was being manipulated stung her. They did. And she winced at the anger she could feel in his voice. She winced, but she did not flinch away. She refused. Instead she turned to face him and went on.
“So no, I don’t know who Ares was. Not really. All I have is some idea. But even that vague concept is far more than other members of our court have. It’s not about idolizing her, it never has been. It’s been about studying her, studying where and when and why we came about. If we know that, then maybe we can make a smoother headway moving forward.
“And Scylla was there. She has one of only a handful of first hand accounts that we can use to parse out as close to the truth about what happened as possible. And if we can get her to trust us enough to speak to us objectively, without anger, then we can get even closer to the truth. Or something like it.”
She didn’t know how to get Remarque to understand why this was so important to her. She felt like she’d had this conversation with him before, and maybe she had. But she’d never been able to explain herself well enough.
“Ares’ violent roots and the story of the Blood Moon Court can and have been used against us. Scylla uses them against us. And they will continue to be used against us until we can grapple with them and use that information to our advantage. At the very least owning it and proving to our enemies that we are rising up from the ashes that Ares left us in and that we have gotten and are getting to be better than she ever was.
“But I didn’t ask people here because I made a call and they deserve to know why. If I’m going to be a leader, then I need to be transparent. And that means explaining myself when I make bad choices. Sure, everyone got out alive, but defending Scylla and having Logos use her magic against our own was not the right choice. And the people who were there deserve an explanation and to see me take responsibility.”
Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 11:50 am
Remarque watched her with fading patience, because this felt like something they had talked about before. And yet, despite his completely unimpressed expression, he did not get mad at her. Not in front of everyone else. He was agitated, because this was a prickly subject that--no, he did not understand, and he never would understand.
“You’re right,” he agreed. “They do deserve an explanation. If I were them, I’d want to know why you chose a stranger over your own Court, too. But I don’t think you’ve got the answer you think you do. You helped Scylla because she has ‘answers’. Acubens, I have answers. You think I didn’t spend the first few years of my time in the Court trying to figure out what we were? What we were supposed to be? You think I didn’t track down everyone who knew Ares, to see where she was? What she was? She ‘started’ this Court because her old Court wisened up to just how broken she was. We are not the Blood Moon Court. And more than that, we've talked about this, Acubens. The last time you ran into Scylla and asked me about Ares.”
He put his hand on his chest for emphasis. “We have never been the Blood Moon Court. We are not responsible for Ares’ choices. This hasn’t been her Court in a long time. She threw us out like she threw them out. And we’re better off for it. The reason the newer members of the Court don’t know who she is? It’s because she doesn’t matter. I’ve only ever met two Dark Mirror Senshi who were in this before I was--Leto, and Requiem. I don’t know how you can think Scylla has more information than Leto, she was there too.”
Remarque’s hands were folded across his chest again.
“Ares was a monster, Acubens. She was misguided, she was selfish, she was manipulative. She did what she wanted, and she has not, nor will she ever, represent this Court. No one’s going to try and use Ares against us--everyone else has realized she’s got nothing to do with us. You’re the only one who hasn’t.”
A muscle in his jaw tensed and he dug his hands into his arm to force himself to relax; even if he wasn’t yelling, even if he was doing his best to stay calm.
“There’s nothing more to learn from Ares. You went into Mirrorspace with me, you met Altea. We know what happened. Ares used her own ambition and selfishness to try and create an army, and she left. We are our army. With our goals.”
He turned to the rest of the Court, the ones who didn’t know the story, who didn’t get trapped by a mad queen. “These aren’t secrets. And if anyone wants these answers, they need only ask. I’ll write a summary of it and send it out on the communicators if that’d help. But Acubens,” he turned back to her.
“In the middle of a battle? You ally with a Senshi, whose motivations you don’t know, after she attacks the Court. And then, you want to attack your own Court for her? You want information that we already have from her? Acubens,” he bit his tongue, sharply, inhaled, and shook his head.
He breathed out.
Calm. Okay.
“You’re not setting a good example for the Court. I appreciate that you did your best in battle. I think your heart is in the right place. But do not, ever, sacrifice their well-being for your own curiosity.”
Sweenys_Revenge
Kyuseisha no Hikari
Crew
Dragonslaying Dragon
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Epine de Rose
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Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 12:13 pm
"If I may..." She afforded herself a brief moment to speak though she would do little more than interject for the briefest of moments. The main dispute between Remarque and Acuben wasn't her's, but she had raised a valid point in explaining the motivations for her actions.
"While you may have said that you know what has happened and that you have had these discussions with Acubens before," she cleared her throat and made a mental note to remember the name. "Sometimes it is of great importance to discover who and what you are for yourself. A person's identity is their own, what makes them who and what they are equally so... It is one thing to be told a story and a very different thing to find out the truth for yourself," she pointed.
"I apologise for interrupting, but I would at least like to impress upon you in particular," she looked towards Acubens and smiled. "I acknowledge what you were trying to do and your cause is noble, but the timing sounds like it was not the best," she murmured and shook her head. "But to lament and martyr yourself for something realised in hindsight is pointless and does nothing more than to ease what sense of guilt you might have."
She paused briefly.
"Remarque I would very much appreciate a copy of anything you do know as I do have those questions as well, but if Acubens desired to make up for her misstep here, at least in my eyes the best way to do that would be to find the answers," she pointed out.
"...Preferrably in a more constructive manner."
Another pause, though only because she hadn't heard of the Blood Moon Court but were his assumptions correct.
"And to be completely frank with you if there is a connection, no matter how small it might be. Wounds can run extremely deep and take a long time to heal. If there is something that historically we may be guilty for, it would be advantageous to take steps towards reassuring those who were wounded that we are not connected," she remarked. "It is dangerous to assume that everyone has detached who we are with what we might have been, taking ownership can give a powerful signal in terms of growth and self awareness..."
He might not have liked Ares (it certainly sounded like that anyway), but that didn't mean her presence hadn't scarred their reputation. There might very well have been some out there who hadn't separated them from her name and where she came from yet.
With that she fell silent again - she had no need to press the matter further, but in all honesty she didn't see a reason for Acubens to flog herself. A mistake had been made and there were more constructive ways to correct it than this.
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