|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 5:40 pm
Albireo didn’t hate the Negaverse. Even after she returned from her vacation, even after hearing about what happened on the battle atop the hill, even after she heard how people were corrupted right and left and how the Velencian’s had betrayed them all…
Well. That hurt the most, honestly. She missed her friends. Missed Fae-Fae more than she wanted to admit, but…she didn’t hate the Negaverse.
She feared them, obviously, and pitied them more than was healthy, but she didn’t hate them. Even if perhaps they did deserve it.
So when Albireo felt the aura of a corrupted senshi, she didn’t move towards it with the intent to attack, it was weaker than she was, so that to her signaled that she should try and talk to whoever it was. Perhaps they were lonely like she had been.
Or, perhaps they were a jerk and she would have to attack and defend herself.
Thankfully it was only one aura, not two like that other time, and she made her way over, schooling her face into a friendly smile. “Hi. It’s cold out tonight!”
She took in the long dark dress and hair that the corrupt had and gave a rather envious sigh. “But you look like it would be easy to keep warm!”
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 6:03 pm
The approach of an Order aura stronger than hers always made Ilse tense. She never wanted a fight; they sucked and were deeply messy. But sometimes people on the other side did want one, and so she was always sort of ready for things to go bad. Especially with people stringer than her.
But this...didn't seem like someone who wanted things to go bad. She opened with a friendly greeting, and that made Ilsa force herself to smile back and give a little wave. This would...this would be okay, as long as she didn't panic. She had to not. panic.
So she took a deep breath, and smiled. "Oh, it still gets a little chilly, with bare shoulders and all," she said, lightly. "But it's not too bad. What about you?"
She paused. "I'm Ilse, by the way."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 6:10 pm
When the smile was returned, Albireo felt herself relax. “The shoulders would be a problem, and one I know all too well! I will say I’m happy for my bloomers but wish they were a bit longer, I prefer the summer months to winter. I’m Sailor Albireo, Senshi of Swans…um.”
She hesitated and looked thoughtful. “...Do you…want to come and talk up on my homeworld? It’s warmer up there and um. I know that’s super forward of me, but I’d like to visit it again. I miss it.”
…Which was a very new feeling for her. And why was it that she was always bringing corrupts with her…that…almost seemed silly. First Albite, and now she was asking this senshi…
But she was cold.
Holding out her hand, Albireo gave a rather sheepish smile. “...I know it’s short notice but…if you want to, I’d love to take you.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 6:44 pm
Ilse blinked. An invitation to a Senshi's homeworld? She'd never even thought to go, but the idea of it made her break into a bright smile.
"Yes! I'd love to!" She extended her hand. "It's very nice to meet you, Albireio. I've, uh, never been to space before? So I don't know what it'd be like, but I'd like to find out."
That sounded so much better than having a fight. It would be nice, and fun, and she could see a beautiful other world...like something out of a fantasy novel--or sci-fi, really, she supposed.
The point was, it would be wonderful.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 7:24 pm
Albireo lit up and nodded, grinning and taking hold of Ilse’s hand, making sure her grip was firm. Purposeful.
She took out her senshi phone and pressed the home button, keeping her eyes on Ilse, feeling hope beginning to well up in her chest. “Now, I’ll be honest, I used to be really afraid of my homeworld. I never…”
When they arrived, she glanced around and gave a little smile, letting go of Ilse’s hand. “I…used to be like you, you know. I corrupted into the Negaverse a few years ago. But um. I’m back now…but the one who corrupted me told me terrible stories of my homeworld and how I was the cause of it dying and…”
Albireo broke off, pausing as she saw a small flicker of purple light.
It was dusk for once on the place, and it was lovely, but–
Another flicker of green caught her eyes and she frowned slightly. “...And that…the senshi…” She looked to Ilse, brows furrowed, and reached out to grab at the flicker of blue that flew right past her nose, and when she opened her hand.
There was a small fat little bug that blinked blue again.
“...what the hell.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 7:33 pm
Ilse let herself be whisked away, and when she looked around, she gasped in open wonder.
It was incredible. A whole other world, and Order Senshi could apparently reach them with just a thought. What could she do, if she were on the other side? Would she find somewhere like this, somewhere waiting just for her?
Was this what she had lost out on, by being in the Negaverse first?
"That's terrible," Ilse said softly. "But it's so obviously not...dead?"
The little lights held her attention, too, and when Albireio caught one, she turned, to lean in and look at what was in the other Senshi's hands.
"....Is that....a firefly?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 7:48 pm
Albireo stared in wonder at the small creature that crawled on her palm. It looked almost like a ladybug, or at least that was the shape…but it was very round. “I…It…I mean…”
She looked to Ilse, dumbfounded and growing more excited by the moment. “I…I think that it must be…I didn’t…I mean…there was never…never anything before…”
Swallowing hard, she held her cupped hand out towards the girl, beaming. “Look! It glows blue like you do! I’m going to call him Roy!”
Assuming it was a him, though…it didn’t really matter anyway. This was roy, and he was now her new best friend.
“I..yeah! It’s not dead! Ilse! Ilse there are fireflies! I’ve never come at night before…oh…this is utterly amazing!”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 7:56 pm
Ilse started to giggle, and then to laugh, in pure, delighted joy. What a truly amazing thing--to see a world that was truly alive, with little insects thriving on it. Sure, they were just fireflies, but Albireio's reaction told her everything--these hadn't been here before.
They were new. Special.
"You said you were corrupted, but you went back," she said, and she spun, watching as more of those little lights, in a rainbow of colors, appeared around them. "I think...I think this means you made the right choice."
She turned to Albireio, and gave her a conspiratorial smile.
"You know," she said, "I'm thinking about leaving the Negaverse. And I think...I think this is showing me what I'm gonna find when I go." She smiled, broadly. "Because there's a planet Ilse out there, too, right? And if it's half as pretty as this..."
Sop many reasons to go. Not a one, that she could find, to stay.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 8:26 pm
Albireo looked at her and nodded, gently letting Roy fly off of her hand and join up with his friends, then moved to half jump on Ilse’s back. “I know I made the right choice. And I think you’ll be amazing when you come to the White Moon! If you need a place to stay my husband and I would be happy to have you! He’s a Knight and he also left the Negaverse. We purified out together!”
She had never felt so validated by her decision to leave before, and now, hugging this strange new corrupt friend who was with her when she found fireflies on her homeworld…and who was talking about leaving the Negaverse…it all seemed to slot into place. Everything. All of it.
What…an odd feeling.
“I hope I can come see it! And I hope you’ll come back to Albireo with me! We can have picnics on both of our worlds! We’ll bring them back to what they were meant to be! Ilse, you can do it!”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 8:41 pm
Ilse gasped, in absolute delight. Sure, she'd already met people on he other side that were kind, but this was the first really concrete offer--and it made her feel so much safer about the potential to escape. here was someone who had one it, and was so much happier for it, and was married to someone else who had done the same thing.
This was it. What she longed for, what she was working for.
What Lysithea deserved, too.
"I-I'll remember that," Ilse said, and she felt her eyes well with tears--happy tears, for once, though. "Thank you. I'll find you again if I need somewhere to go."
She took a deep breath.
"I'd love to take you to my planet, when I can go." It was the least she would owe her, Ilse was pretty sure, just for showing her something this beautiful. "Picnics sound amazing. And maybe we can explore, some? I bet there's a lot to see, on a whole other world."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 8:55 pm
Albireo snuggled against her, nodding and nuzzling into her cheek. “It’ll be so much fun! We have a spare room, I’ll start getting it ready for you if you want me to!” Hell, she might do it anyway…just in case. It seemed like a good goal. Helping people find their way out of the Negaverse…
“We’ll have a party when you come home! What kind of food do you like? What colors do you like? Ilse, I’ll make it all perfect for you, I promise!”
And it would be something that was a pleasure to do.
“I’m so very happy that I got to meet you!”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 9:09 pm
"I'd like that," Ilse said, and she smiled, broadly. Having somewhere to go made the whole thing seem more real, more within her grasp. She had plans. And friends. And a safety net.
She just had to make sure all the pieces were in place before she ran.
"Uh, I like sweets," Ilse admitted, "but mostly I'll eat anything home cooked? I can't cook at all, myself, so it's just...nice to get something that someone actually made." She laughed. It was the same thing she'd told Ana, not too long ago.
She wanted to never let go of this wonderful moment.
"I'm glad I got to meet you, too." She sighed, happily. "It's so good to see what it looks like to come out the other side."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2022 9:14 pm
“Sweets it is! I’ll make sure that I have a lot of sweet things for you when you come home! It’ll be wonderful! And, I’m glad that you think so. We’ll have fun, Ilse. It’ll be scary, but I’ll do my best to make things go as smoothly as possible.”
There were fireflies and a new roommate and…she was so overwhelmed with joy she honestly felt like she could burst.
“Come on, let’s walk around and then we can head back! I want to show you my favorite spot…well…favorite spot for now.”
But she would find more, she knew she would. So that…
This was all fantastic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
