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In theory, running on Earth should as easy as walking was on Velencya. The gravity differential was more than enough to justify that assumption. During her first weeks on earth, Fae-Fae often felt as though she was about to float off the ground with every step she took. She actually found it quite unpleasant and hard to adjust to... especially on the "buses" that passed for public transportation here. Just the slightest of bumps could be awfully disorienting. It had been a miracle she had retained her coordination on that battlefield.

So, ultimately, the gravity was more of a hindrance than she initially thought it would be. Worse yet, it presented an obstacle to training -- how was she supposed to get stronger when her movements met such little resistance? Traditional Vanguardian methods wouldn't suffice.

She had tried quite a number of human fitness practices to compensate, and would ultimately try quite a many more. Today, however, she was simply running, with the heaviest pair of boots on her feet she could find (and Caelyna would certainly be amused about where she had found them later). The harsh winter air added a refreshing layer of challenge to the activity she found invigorating. Her lungs strained to make the most of it. Finally, she could feel her body getting stronger.

That was, until, a characteristic signal she had programmed into her ComTech started to whine in her ears.

She had forgotten to charge it.

An amateur mistake that made her start to panic as her glamour started to disintegrate. Her little plume of blue hair was replaced by her mop of feathery gray. Her caramel skin flashed back to its normal muted lavender. And her freckles -- well. Her freckles stayed exactly the same. She had placed each one meticulously, after all.

Now her obviously alien appearance was exposed in broad daylight, for all the world to see. With gritted teeth, she dashed into a nearby alley and shrank against a picket fence that stood a ways in, while considering her next move. While she could simply warp back, it would add an extra layer of shame and an extra resource cost she would prefer to avoid.

A senshi descended upon her suddenly, landing squarely in front of her, just when she had found a hiding spot -- and, besides Sailor Cosmos -- Fae-Fae had no idea which senshi she could trust. One had attacked her directly. One had killed Velyria. Others, she was sure, had endangered her comrades. Many, she was sure, would attack any Vanguardian on sight after what had happened.

Fae-Fae had no choice but to be cautious.

She immediately drew her weapon.

She pointed it forward. She did not fire. She waited, listened, considered the senshi's tone of voice, recognized an apology.

This wasn't a familiar face. And, it seemed, the senshi didn't recognize her kind either. Why else would she be surprised to see someone of a perfectly natural Velencian complexion?

The blaster was lowered, but she didn't put it away just yet. With her ComTech out of power, she needed it to talk. Her fingers slid through the input panel she had installed on it, a bit clumsily -- it was a recent modification she hadn't used much, after all -- and observed,

"You were not at the battlefield."

Six days? Six days?

This senshi had been a senshi for only six Earth days? Fae-Fae blinked once, twice, stared a bit, then blinked again. The offer for help was lost completely in her surprise.

"Why did it take you that long to awaken?" she asked, plainly.

The explanation made enough sense for the intensity in Fae-Fae's expression to ease. It was somewhat disappointing to her, ultimately -- there was a small hope that perhaps, perhaps, the senshi's answer could reveal some way to help Caedus -- but it was a foolish hope, she supposed, to have for a spontaneous meeting like this.

"I will not fire," she promised. Her fingers continued to run along the input panel on the side of her blaster. "But I need it to talk to you. My primary communicator has run out of energy." With effort taken to ensure that the weapon remained pointed away from the senshi, she indicated at the ComTech at her wrist with a gesture. It was an embarrassing situation to be in, and this showed on her face.

She did have a notepad and pen she could use instead, but it was too slow for her liking.

"I am Velencian," she continued. "This is my natural complexion." This was said with a haughty, prideful air, in a silent agreement that it looked good. Of course she was pretty! All Velencians were, after all.

Especially the blue girls.

"I am Fae-Fae. It is a pleasure to meet you." The Cadet offered a small, cool smile. Even after everything that had happened, she wasn't about to forget her manners, especially towards a senshi who seemed genuinely harmless and friendly to her kind.

"My ComTech can use ambient energy to recharge, but it takes some time," she explained. So, she could, theoretically, hunker down and wait here, but would rather resume her running if she could. "It would be helpful if you could donate some of your energy."

Fae-Fae pulled out her Source Stone for Sailor Raksha to see. It was a small, white crystal that was practically a symbol of the Vanguard on its own. "It will not hurt you," she said. Her expression was the serious kind of reassuring. Some Earthlings, she remembered, were offended by this practice, so she wanted to emphasize to the new senshi that she meant to harm. "You can stop it anytime. It will pull energy from your body with your touch. You may become more calm, or it may make you a little sleepy."

This, truly, was not an ideal way to answer questions -- spontaneously, in an alley, to a well-meaning stranger. Fae-Fae was impatient to recharge her ComTech so she could continue her exercise. Not only that, but caution about what to share was at the forefront of her mind. How much did this new senshi really need to know about her people?

"Life in space is hard," she said, truthfully, in her melodious engineered voice. "You must make many sacrifices." Too many, she thought. Far too many. Creases of grief formed on her face without her noticing.

"Your Voyagers are unknown to us." In another situation, she might have been more curious. For now, she simply filed the information away in her mind for later. "We found Earth while looking for ways to save our people. It is a truly unique world."

Burner phone.

Fae-Fae immediately perked up at that term, as it was familiar -- she had one as well. One of the charitable senshi had donated a number of them back when the Vanguard had first arrived on Earth. It was strange to suddenly establish a contact, so spontaneously, but this senshi seemed well-meaning enough. There was still so much work to do to understand Earth, to help Caedus. She couldn't pass up the offer.

With an emphatic nod that took over her entire torso in its movement, she reached into her subspace for her own phone and allowed Raksha to record its number.

"Thank you," she said, sincerely, graciously. "I must go. But I will remember you are an ally to the Vanguard."

Fae-Fae nodded gratefully, and held the names in her mind to record later. It was true, she needed more connections, more allies. So did the Vanguard.

She nodded in agreement, and went on her way.