Welcome to Gaia! ::

Right before midnight, Ptolemy invited everyone into the main room once more.

There was one final task left to do, but first, she knew there would be questions.

They had all been through so much in the course of an evening. She had allowed everyone time to rest, heal any wounds from the battle and visit any of the other rooms in the tower. It was after an hour that she called them all back into the room that had held the final battle against Chaos.

From the platform where Aether had once stood, she sat and addressed the group, her bare feet hanging from the edge.

She didn’t care that they were seeing her in her pajamas — it was a really cute night dress! — or that she hadn’t put on shoes before transforming. (Who need those things when a senshi fuku provided them!)

“Thank you for saving my world from Chaos! Tonight was… a lot.”

For the first time since this all started, the girl looked relieved.

“But I am sure you all have questions.”


❂

Alastor, Eternal Senshi of Despair

It hadn’t felt right to just leave so soon after the battle. Alastor wanted to make one last sweep of the building, just in case. Despite the slow trek through the Observatory and all the extra scrutiny, nothing seemed particularly out of place. Everything seemed peaceful, and without any Chaos it seemed like it had been burned away.

He was skeptical at first, if only because he’d made the mistake of letting the Chaos get away on his world. Once.

Sessrumnir had been with him while they meandered. They’d rendezvoused with Ephesus and Amarynthos and their group of friends, but with the threat averted there was no harm in separating. Now, Alastor stood by Sessrumnir before Ptolemy. Amarynthos wasn’t so far away and carried Ephesus on his back. Ephesus had used quite a bit of magic, but Alastor was pretty sure that his exhaustion was at least slightly exaggerated so he had an excuse to get some extra pampering. Percy would have loved him. He and Sessrumnir let the boys think they were being clever, but it wasn’t like they were up to anything troublesome anyway.

Alastor had questions, many of them. He had patience, too. What wasn’t asked now he could ask later. “How are you feeling?” She’d probably taken the hardest hit out of all of them but she looked relaxed, and she’d have had plenty of time to get treated. “And have you planned for what you want to do next?”

He’d taken many preventative measures to repel and detect Chaos, and she already had some Mauvians around. But it was more than just how to keep Chaos at bay and keep herself safe–if this was the last building she had on Urania, he wondered what her goals were now that she’d overcome this first hurdle.

Alastor, Eternal Senshi of Despair

Alastor nodded along with her as he glanced at the ceiling. “Admirable goals.” Some of which he shared, so he thought he understood where her heart was. He was used to rushing into danger, and he had a vendetta against Chaos that he was barely keeping out of the forefront of his thoughts.

“If you need help with any of that, I hope you’ll reach out. Your Observatory is beautiful.”

Percy would have loved it here. Alastor thought he should explore it more for his sake, but it was too early to ask to come back when things had calmed down a bit more. He knew at least two Mauvians that would be interested to see how the technology here worked, and he was interested himself, but Urania deserved some peace on her world.

Belmont, Squire of Jupiter

Belmont had his fair share of engineering, and he’d taken full advantage of examining all that he could during their trip here. He didn’t know if he’d have the chance to come back and he didn’t want to bombard Urania with requests. Or questions. He just couldn’t help himself when the Observatory itself was mentioned.

When there was a silent moment, empty and waiting to be filled, he asked, "Who built this place?"

It seemed old--older than her, though he knew he couldn't judge by appearances. Senshi who outlived a human lifespan were still new to him and he wasn't sure what age he should guess for her, but she seemed too young to have been around at the birth of this monument.

"Your planetarium was unlike anything I've ever seen." Destiny City's was phenomenal but there was something so mechanical, so technical in it. Not that he was complaining, he loved it there. But hers just had some ancient artistry that seemed forgotten in the modern era. "I was wondering, what you used it for? Sorry, if it's a weird question. It just seems like something that would be really technical and difficult to maintain."

A lot of small parts and pieces like that? It must have been well built to function after so many years of Chaos chipping away at it. There were so many things he wanted to ask, like how she programmed her security, or what Aether was and if she was safe with it, but he didn't want to bombard her with curiosities.

...Especially when that line of questioning--while genuine!--made him sound like he was a little too interested in the security of this building. He was fascinated by the technology behind it but he wasn't looking to undo it. It felt like there was so much to learn here--from her.

Belmont was relaxed as he inquired, but offered an apologetic smile nonetheless. He'd come here with Connie and Perdita and he'd been happy to have them through all of this. He couldn't leave without asking a few questions.

Super Sailor Selinur.


Selinur from wher he sat had listened to the two ancients for moments, letting their words wash over him. When finally he spoke his voice was soft, no need to raise his voice, and yet firm. "If you need help in the rebuilding, or repairs to his building, I will offer what little assistance I can." He was just one person and so not capable of what the many could do collectivly. But he was here and he was willing to help, space needed to be rebuilt and start beginning anew. Life needed to start repopulating planets because they may not have another option but to live out here - in space. If the Negaverse, and chaos with it, won over the last remaining city than space would be all they'd have left. And it was not as ready as it needed to be for them, for life.

"One day the observatgory will be known again, across the Cosmos, for what it was known for in the past. Perhaps someone may even hold the answers of it's more ancient purpose, somewhere on some far flung planet with a senshi alive who cannot read the writting." There were plenty of options and information out there, with senshi and knights reborn on Earth who could not read the ancient writtings stored on their planets and wonders. For a moment he wondered if any of his former knights, some he'd knwon, had been reborn here and were just waiting...sleeping starseeds without a purpose at the moment. Innocent humans who were living a peaceful life.

He wasn't, of course, hinting that information on this observatory might be anywhere on his planet...not at all, because why would such information be found on his planet? If ever asked, by anyone who had ever heard the whispers of his planet, he'd deny or ignore them. It had all been lies and slander; of course. And it was, of course, still lies and slander. They had no information tucked away, and never had for that matter.

Turning his blue eyes onto Alastor he nodded his head once. "It is not a surprise to see you here and helping. I hope your home world is fairing well since it's been cleansed of chaos." A gentle inquiry, of course, though he was also curious. He did hope the planet was doing well, but how well was the question?

Alastor, Eternal Senshi of Despair

Alastor knew that Selinur hoarded information so he was not surprised with any of his questions. He offered a polite smile in response. “Very well, thank you. We’ll have to catch up, I’ll tell you more about it. Maybe you can come up and visit sometime.” The offer was open to anyone who would take it; Alastor loved his world and took all opportunities to show it off.

But this was not about his world, it was about Urania’s, and he intended to offer nothing but respect for her and her world while here.

He liked listening about her world, but he understood the frustration of having questions and no one to answer them. He hoped, hidden somewhere safe, she could find all of the answers she was looking for.

He held much doubt they’d find Senshi so phenomenally old could have survived and remembered much of other worlds, but impossible things had happened before. Just because his memory was still patchy didn’t mean everyone’s would be. She was more likely to find it on her world–and he hoped she did.

Belmont, Squire of Jupiter

Belmont nodded along as Urania spoke, absorbing the information like he was still in school. He wondered what purpose the tower had before it was transformed, or what about it gave it the strength to survive so long. But then, he could ask the same thing about his own Wonder. He didn’t know if there was more to it; he knew even less about its origins than Urania did.

She seemed like she was in good spirits, though. "If you do find it, let us know. Or if you ever want help exploring." No pressure, though. Belmont wore a warm smile but wasn't going to force himself in on her adventures. He couldn't help that he was naturally curious! He wanted to explore, he wanted to discover things!

He was still working hard to unlock whatever mysteries Belmont was hiding from him. It just felt like every now and then he hit a wall and needed to work on something else, too.

Meighei
Belmont talking to Urania
Sleet Tempest Snape
Alastor talking to Selinur

The telescope was on the platform, but it extended to the ceiling.

It somehow looked ancient and new at the same time. It was a lot like an Earth telescope. And also, somehow, unlike anything you have ever seen.

“Inside this telescope is something we call — called — the Veil Crystal.”

Ptolemy held up a crystal. It was shaped just like the fallen stars, yet flat and it was three times the size. It was also completely clear — almost like a lens would be.

“This allowed the sky to be entirely clear for stargazing. Also, it blocked out the rays of the sun. It no longer seems to have the power to do that for the whole world.”

She placed the Veil Crystal on the telescope and the ceiling opened up! The dome that was above you opens liked a star-shaped flower to reveal the night sky. It is almost midnight, but there is still some fog in the air until…

“But I think there might be just enough in it that it can keep the sky clear above the Observatory.”

Suddenly, a bright light flows from the telescope straight into the sky. For a moment, you can see nothing but the light. And then it disappears.

The sky above is perfectly clear and you can see the stars perfectly.

But that is not all that is different.

Something has happened to Ptolemy, too.

The senshi is transformed now, but something is unlike when she de-transformed an hour ago. Something feels different now. There is a symbol on her forehead in a silver-white light.

The symbol of Urania.

❂

Sailor Grieve of Grieve

A lean and ghoulish figure had been hunched in a corner to both fend off accidentally learning something by proximity to Smart People Talking, and to finish off the snack rat that she'd stashed away without being expected to share. Looking around the area earlier hadn't yielded anything she could eat, and she hadn't been given Looting Permission, but at least Grieve had come prepared.

Noticing a lull in the conversation, Grieve turned her head around, chewing even more rapidly like a dog about to get something heinous forcibly removed from its mouth.

Holy s**t!

"Holy s**t!"

“I will give my world time. I will let it heal. I will give it everything it wants or needs. I will give it myself —”

It was in the middle of her sentence that she stopped. Her friend’s exclamation made her pause, if just for a moment. And that is when she felt it.

The gift her world had granted her. Could it be? Was this transcendence?

Urania found the closest shiny surface to look at her forehead. There was no denying it. There it was — the symbol of her world!

“I… just… transcended…”

Her starry eyes showed disbelief and happiness and excitement all at once.

“But let’s bring all of you back home!” She looked determined now and full of a confidence you hadn’t seen before. “My world waited for me once. I’m sure it can wait until I after I return you to Earth.”




❂