Urania was not prepared for the heat. Her world did not have weather in this way. It hadn’t had much of a sun, either. But now she felt the true power of that singular star. And it felt like it was trying to kill her.
Well, maybe the sun was not trying to kill her, but the bugs certainly were.
It had started with just regular bugs, but it didn’t end that way. She had been learning the difference between different insects. Butterflies are good. Bees were neutral. Wasps were bad. Cicadas though…
Cicadas were in a whole other category.
Supposably they could live underground in a dormant state for years. It was almost like the crystal stasis pod she had evergreen from. Well, almost.
She was just about to touch one of the pods when she felt two auras.
Lepus was out with Etoile today, checking out the tree that had been the talk of the town lately, because two heads were better than one, or something like that. Realistically it was probably just because Etoile enabled all her bad decisions, though Lepus would be quick to argue that that wasn’t the case, and that all her decisions were good decisions, thank you very much. Either way, the mysterious pods had warranted their attention, especially after the droning of the cicadas had expanded to be heard all around town, something that wouldn’t normally be suspicious to people who weren’t Lepus… probably.
Of course, suspecting something and actually expecting it were two different things, and when the two arrived at the tree, they were more than a tad bit surprised at the sight of the giant cicadas, though it was more of amazement on Lepus’ part- this was like something out of those monster movies she watched sometimes! Except, like, with cicadas. And not just one moth… man. The moment of awe didn’t last long, however, as Lepus immediately realized there was danger afoot, and that someone needed to step in and stop these bugs before they got out of hand.
Y’know, someone like her.
“I think it’s time to do some pest control, my loyal companion,” Lepus declared to the kitten riding atop her shoulder.
Etoile nodded, clearly in agreement, and was about to hop off of Lepus’ shoulder until the little kitten noticed they weren’t alone. Another senshi was present, presumably having come to check out the tree as well, and… about to touch one of those pods the bugs were coming from?
“Oh! I don’t think you should do that,” the Mauvian called out, wondering what the senshi was trying to do. … Aside from ‘touch the strange pods that the giant bugs were coming from,’ that was.
Urania was totally going to ‘touch the strange pods that the giant bugs were coming from’. She just didn’t know it was a bad thing. She wasn’t used to cicadas, although she had read about them. How they sleep under ground. How they appeared all at once.
She’d been quite interested in how they hiberanated. Was it anything like what had happened to her on her world? These bugs were fascinating. So fascinating that she wanted to see them. Touch them.
But she did not know that this one was way too big be a regular cicada given this was her first one.
“Umm. I won’t do that then. A Mauvian!” She said excited to see that not only was she in the present of a senshi but a cat as well.
"Hello!" Etoile greeted with a wave of a paw, happy to be recognized, "I am Etoile, and this is Lepus. Those bugs look very, um... hmm, what's the right word for it?"
"Very threatening," Lepus offered helpfully.
"Oh, yes! They look awfully mean," the kitten agreed, nodding, "Are you alright? We came to see what was going on, and then we saw you standing there!"
Etoile paused.
"Well, I guess you were doing more than just that, actually. It looked like you were about to touch those pods, so we are very lucky to have run into you when we did!"
“It’s nice to meet you, Etoile. I don’t meet Mauvians very often. So it’s always a pleasure!” She reached out to shake the cat’s paw. “And you, too, Lepus! Are you named after the constellation?”
There were many tribes that had once existed on Urania named after constellations. Lepus had been one of them. But to meet the senshi of Lepus was fascinating in its own right.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize the bugs were threatening. I read about cicadas in a book and wanted to see them in real life.” But the book hadn’t mentioned they were dangerous. It also hasn’t mentioned that they could get this big…
“I’m Sailor Urania. I’m kind of new here so sometimes I do the wrong thing.”
"That's correct! Not only am I named after the constellation, but I also am the senshi of rabbits," Lepus declared proudly; also, like, her past self was a space pope, so she thought that made her extra awesome, even if that was completely irrelevant in the present day and time. "Sailor Urania, eh? Well, no worries about being new- stick with us, and we'll show you the ropes!"
'Show the ropes' was a dubious statement at best, coming from Lepus, but the teen senshi truly felt she was a qualified mentor, even if her only 'student' was a small child who clearly was taking after the older senshi in all the wrong ways.
"Oh, cicadas don't normally get this big, so these ones are most unusual," Etoile chirped, allowing Urania to shake her paw, "Normally, they're just... noisy."
“Senshi of rabbits? That’s perfect.” What luck! She always wondered just what determined a senshi’s sphere. Sometimes it just lined up perfectly like that.
“So these cicadas are unusual. Hrm? I wonder why?”
As Urania said this, a rather large and angry looking cicada started to hatch from one of the pods, staring at them as if they had interrupted its slumber.
"Hmm... well, it's just one of this city's many seasonal mysteries?" Etoile helpfully offered with a shrug of her little kitty shoulders; neither she nor Lepus had any reason to suspect that Urania was anything more than just a newly awakened senshi who simply was unaware of the seasonal shenanigans that happened every now and then. "Very strange things occur around here during certain times of the year..."
Lepus noticed that one of the pods was hatching as they spoke, and stared down the cicada that emerged and was staring at them in return. "Oho? Look alive, Etoile - it would seem we've been sighted!" she said, pointing out their newly emerged foe, and then, to Urania, "Urania, be sure to stay close to us, and we'll be sure to keep you from falling into mortal peril."
Also, Lepus was sure to show off and stuff, but that was just what she did best.
“Seasonal mysteries?” Another senshi she had met had said something similar.
But she didn’t have much time to ponder.
“That one looks like we woke it up.” Urania took a step back at Lepus’s suggestion and didn’t take her starry eyes off the insect for a second. “What should we do if it moves?”
"Why, beat it up, of course!" Lepus declared, and it was very clear from her expression and the tone of her voice that she was very serious. That was just simply how Lepus rolled- you used your magic first, usually, of course, but if that didn't work, there was nothing a good ol' pummeling into oblivion wouldn't do!
"It's okay, you'll get used to it," Etoile assured, in response to Urania's first question. Now that she was 'awakened' and powered up, she'd get to see just how strange the city could be sometimes, that tended to go unnoticed by the average civilian... usually.
Lepus didn't need to be told twice, and immediately leapt into action, because she was always eager to beat up baddies! Giant insects were a little different from her usual lineup, but it was all good! Picking Etoile up and placing the kitten on the ground, Lepus took a few steps back, in order to get a running start.
"Away with you, foul fiends! Leaping Rabbit!"
Quote:
Super Sailor Scout Attack B: Leaping Rabbit
Invoking the strength of the rabbit's powerful hind legs, Lepus delivers a magically enhanced jump kick to an opponent, capable of knocking them back. At player discretion, lingering damage can be done to a target, but otherwise leaves no permanent injury, only the sensation of having the wind knocked out of them. This attack can work both from close range and also from up to a 5ft radius if Lepus can get a running start. The magic strength boost lasts for thirty seconds, and she can use this attack twice.
"It's okay, Lepus is really strong, so we'll keep you safe!" Etoile reassured, in case Urania didn't have any offensive magic or anything like that. Maybe they should have asked about that, formed a plan that wasn't simply 'beat things up'?
Her eyes, usually with stars in them already, were extra starry. She wished she could kick like that!
“I don’t have much. My powers are more for getting around. But I’ll try!”
She made a motion with her hands and a star chart appeared before her. She then selected three stars with her finger. The stars manifested on the ground in front of the insect. If it didn’t move, it would be blinded for a few seconds.
nyamomask
Basic: Star’s Step. An ethereal astronomy chart manifests around Urania and three stars become platforms to stand on. For the next 15 seconds, she can use the stars to create a path either vertically or at a 45 degree angle and cross over them. Allies may follow her on this path. However, enemies that try to follow will find that the stars will glow brightly, blinding them for 3 seconds and then disappearing under their feet. Three uses.
"Excellent work!" both cat and senshi cheered, as Urania blinded one of the cicadas, with Etoile looking at her magic in admiration, while Lepus went back to beating up the giant insects. She was at close range now, and while she could use her extra super attack one more time, she wanted to save it for now, just in case.
Another cicada attempted to ambush them, and Lepus called upon her strongest magic, tricking them into attacking her decoy while she delivered a sneak attack from behind.
"Stay sharp!" she warned, "Slowly but surely we will defeat this menace."
Quote:
Eternal Sailor Attack: Meddlesome Rabbits
With the power of magical ventriloquism (sort of) to make it seem like she is where she's not, Lepus tricks a single opponent into looking behind them, where she has created a decoy Lepus, tricking them into attacking the fake. After a few hits, or after thirty seconds have passed (if not attacked), the fake Lepus 'dissolves' into a bunch of bunnies, who swarm her target before disappearing, leaving her opponents temporarily too confused to take any action, while the real Lepus delivers a sneak attack from behind in the meantime. This can only be used once.
This time she used her magic to walk on the stars, bounding from one to the other in quick jumps. She had to stay one step ahead of the cicadas as they multiple just as Lepus had with her rabbits.
“I will! I might be able to maneuver behind this one and take it down.”
