|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 7:30 am
A youma was chasing Andreiya. Or, he thought it was. It didn’t look like any Earth creature, and it moved in a strange, sickly way that made his skin crawl. To be fair, there were many Earth creatures that he didn’t really like. Dogs. Cats. Rats. Squirrels. Opossums. Snakes. Not Dylas, Dylas was perfect. Hamsters were obviously the superior species on the planet, he loved them.
This thing was like a squirrel, with a big, bushy tail and round ears, except it had long, human arms, and the face was shaped like a pointy rat.
It tried to eat him. He was just walking to the greenhouse to do his nightly check when it had lunged at him, so he frantically led it away from both his home and his plants.
He couldn’t shake it. The thing was resilient, and he wound up deep in the park. Sometimes he could afford to turn around and fire at it, but most of the time he was just trying to run.
He had good aim! This thing was just so twisty! And there were trees everywhere and–was that backup? Did this youma have backup?
Andreiya fired–it moved again! This was not fair! How was it so big and so bendy! Oh, but maybe he hit the backup?
He just needed to get out of these trees, he needed to be able to face it head on. He couldn’t run forever, even if he didn’t want trouble.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 1:23 pm
Keiko had been stalking the youma, and had just dealt the finishing blow to it when something hit her squarely in the chest, causing the whole area to go numb.
She cried out in confused pain and doubled over, her knee falling right into the nasty pile of youma dust…ugh. That was gross, and not what she had wanted to deal with today but…
Had someone just…shot her? Was this for real? She hadn’t…
Keiko swallowed and finally looked down, half afraid and dreading to see her bodice stained with red…to know that this was it that she was dying that…
But…there was nothing at all, and even the tingling numbness was starting to leave…whatever had hit her wasn’t…lethal, at least.
Still…
“Hello? Whoever’s out there, don’t shoot me again, okay? The monster’s gone. I took care of it!” Slowly, Keiko moved to stand up, swiftly wiping the dust from her knee and making an utterly disgusted face. “...You don’t have to be afraid!”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 2:56 pm
Oh, oh no. She had taken care of the monster? Was she lying? Oh, no.
It was a Senshi. Andreiya’s face already hurt and he felt an angry warmth in his eyes. He wasn’t afraid! How insulting! He was just full of adrenaline! And he’d shot a Senshi. There wasn’t really anywhere to hide, the trees were all too skinny. Now that the youma was gone, the immediate danger was taken care of–maybe.
There was still a Senshi. That he’d shot.
“I am very sorry!” he called, and hid behind a skinny tree just in case. He shook his blaster to try and recharge it quicker, just in case this was a trap.
“I thought it was chasing me, I had no idea you were chasing it! Please do not hit me, it was an accident. I did not want to be eaten. That is the only reason I was shooting!”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 3:50 pm
Oh! There was someone there…a very pink someone but, that was all right. People could be pink if they wanted to. “No worries! Are you okay? It didn’t hurt you, did it?” Keiko began walking towards the person, holding up a hand in greeting. “I’m Sailor Keiko! It’s nice to meet you…I hate youma so much! That one was particularly gross.”
Why…was he hiding? Were there more youma? Or…was he planning on shooting her again because he thought she was some kind of a youma too?
“I’m not going to hurt you, if you’re afraid of that! And I don’t feel any other youma around, you don’t have to hide, it’s okay, I promise you, it’s okay.” Honestly…it could be protesting too much but…he had a blaster of some kind…and if she couldn’t get him to believe her…she really didn’t want to end up getting shot with it again.
…It really hurt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:01 pm
“No,” he said cautiously. “I am not hurt.”
She was holding her hand out. Was she going to chop him? No, she was introducing herself.
“I am not afraid of you. I am very brave.”
He was not. His heart was pounding and he clutched his blaster tightly. He held it close to his chest, as if he meant to protect it as much as he did himself.
“My name is Andreiya. I am with the Vanguard. I also do not like youma. I cannot always tell them from Earth animals. Except they seem meaner. I am sorry for shooting you. Are you okay?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:17 pm
“I’m fine! No worries! I’m glad that you’re okay.” Keiko continued to hold out her hand, and then slowly lowered it, smiling softly. “I’m very glad that you’re not hurt at all, you are very brave, I know that I still hate dealing with youma alone! It’s so nice to meet you, Andreiya…but um. What’s the Vanguard?”
It sounded vaguely familiar, and Keiko knew she had heard it somewhere but…actually placing where she had heard it was…proving to be quite difficult.
“I’m…obviously a senshi. But, uh. If you didn't know that…now you do! Are…you always pink like that? It’s a very pretty color, and it looks good on you.”
…Obviously. As it was his skin…but hopefully he wouldn’t think she was too terribly weird.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:31 pm
Andreiya thought she was terribly weird. He looked at her for a few seconds and then slowly lowered his blaster, almost even put it back in its holster.
“Always pink, unless I have to blend in. And then I am human colored. But I like this more, this is how I am supposed to look.”
He squinted at her, not quite sure if she was telling the truth.
“The Vanguard is an Elite guard of Velencians. We are here to find a way to save our world. I,” he put his hand on his chest proudly, “am a Corporal. I am working to become a Commander. I am researching soil quality so we can grow things back home. We are also trying to find Caedus. Do you know where he is? We need him so we can get our Senshi back and save Velenia. That is a world that is far away. I have never been, but our Commodore has and he says it was beautiful. So we are trying to restore it so we can live there. It is very complicated. But if you know Caedus and can point me in his direction, I would be very grateful. I want to go home. I keep getting attacked.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 4:39 pm
Wow…that was a lot of terms that she had no idea how to translate, but Keiko nodded, trying to look as though she understood. “I’m afraid I haven’t heard of any Caedus, but I’ll keep my eyes open for him…um…I’m not sure I can do much to help save your world, but I would be happy to share mine if you ever wanted to come see it. It’s nothing very special, but I have a few living insects that have come back! And it’s very cold…it’s wonderful! Though, I am quite biased, to say the least.
Keiko gave him what she hoped would be seen as a reassuring smile shrugged slightly. “I know, I’m not helpful at all but…this is all I know, and what I know I am happy to share with you…and I hope that you stop being attacked…that’s terribly rude and if I ever see you being attacked I will protect you if I can. As I hope I have shown tonight.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:19 pm
Of course she hadn’t heard of Caedus. He was too slippery. It was partially a relief, but mostly a disappointment. He wanted to be a good Vanguardian but it was hard to think about anyone acquiaring their Prince.
Maybe it didn’t matter. If he could just find him, Commodore Lyndin could do the rest. In the interim, he was just going to do his hardest to find a way to restore Velenia.
“It is rude, isn’t it?” he asked, a little guarded, but…
She had life on her world. Her Senshi world.
“How can you say your world is not special? All worlds are special. And your world has life! Insects! What type of cold is it? Can I really go see it? I have warm sweaters. Lots of them. And mittens. I want to know everything. Was your world sleeping and you brought it back to life?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 5:26 pm
Keiko all but lit up, as she did whenever she spoke of her world, and nodded eagerly. “I mean, it is special, to me, but there are some I bet who would think I’m silly for being so proud of it. It’s cold, like winter cold…um…sweaters are very good! I have a room now that keeps out most of the cold and is quite warm. It’s taken a while but now that I have it I’m going to work on more repairs. There are lots of different insects, butterflies and ladybugs. Spiders and moths, it’s fantastic!”
She indeed eagerly. “You can come wherever you’d like to! I’m not sure how I managed it, but they’re definitely there, the bugs. It’s wonderful. Though, I never thought in a million years that I would ever find bugs to be wonderful!” Keiko laughed and beamed. “Tell me when you’d like to go and we can make an evening of it!”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:03 pm
“I was here for Winter! That was cold. But I can dress in layers and it is less cold, I learned that. On Velencya–back home–it is always comfortable and warm. The perfect temperature. But we have the same weather all the time. I like it. But I also like the seasons. It is, you know, magical. I do not think it is silly to be proud of your accomplishments!
“Whenever is when I want to go. Now? I can go now. Oh–no, I am not in warm clothes. How will I meet you again to go? I have no schedule right now so I can go whenever. But I want to see this world that you brought back to life and have been repairing. Maybe I can learn something from you? It would be very helpful to me if I could. I have not repaired a sleeping world! But I am good with tinkering and making things. I can bring you, um. I have grown some flowers and tomatoes. And fresh herbs. I can bring you some?” he offered, even though he was protective of such and did not particularly want to share.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:08 pm
“I would love that! And if you would want to help me try to grow things on my world? I haven’t done that yet…I would like to though.How about…in two weeks? So on the first of next month? We can meet here at five in the afternoon? It’ll be wonderful, I think!” Keiko looked so pleased, as she always did when inviting someone…or conning them to come up to her world.
“I think you’ll like it. I hope you do. I want it to be like it used to…or…or better than it used to. I just want Keiko to flourish!”
It was getting there. Slowly but surely.
“If that sounds good to you, just let me know, okay?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:40 pm
His nose wrinkled just slightly because he wasn’t sure he wanted to study soil on two worlds, but…
He could get more information about that, he supposed. It might be good for his research. He could test on a wider variety of soil and put his theories to the test. “Okay. No, that works. I like that a lot,” he said, and then nodded eagerly.
He pulled out a little cell phone and rapidly began to type out the information or himself to make sure he didn’t miss anything. “I will be here! Dressed warmly. I will bring some seeds that can grow in cold weather. Or maybe I can make a little greenhouse for you. I do not know! I will bring many things, I have bags. We will figure it out there. I will see you then, Keiko. Thank you for helping me with the youma. Please do not forget about me! I will be here at five exactly. I will be right here, exactly.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2022 6:45 pm
Keiko grinned and nodded. “Good. I’ll see you then. Please stay safe! I’ll see you in two weeks.”
She was terribly ready for this…the idea of having someone help her grow something up on Keiko…that was…that was something new…
And something widely wonderful.
Hopefully, they would be up for the challenge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
