View source for 1653/Reap the Whirlwind

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2016/06/23
|Location=Earth Court Frat House
|Synopsis=Makoto is on a mission: to save herself and Nephrite from an endless cycle of duty and death. Makoto is on a mission: to stop herself from doing just that. Riventon is on a mission: science. And Mamoru's apartment is now on fire.
|Cast of Characters=47,56,109,116,54,64,58,42,160
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>'Makoto' has been even more off the grid now than she was before she turned into a ball of angry lightning and teleported away from Rei. After a few more experimental jumps through the Dusk Zone, as though testing the power she'd demonstrated, the tiny camera Ami had placed on her ceased working, leaving the Senshi in the dark about her whereabouts.<br /><br />In truth, she'd been mostly brooding, deciding what to do, how to get what she wanted with all of this turmoil roiling within her heart.<br /><br />As isolation and dwelling and brooding often does, this has slowly caused her to slip further and further into the unique form of madness Dark Energy brings on, her goals and plans slip further from reality.<br /><br />All of that has culminated in this moment, now. There's a resounding and repeated thud that sounds suspiciously like a thunderstorm as she bangs her fist in absolute anger against the glass window of the balcony to Mamoru's apartment. This lasts only a few moments (likely just long enough to get everyone's attention as well as set off any wards the Shitennou have ready) before she grows impatient and slams her fist into the glass, shattering it with a loud noise and a fair share of sparks.<br /><br />Her red eyes are not the eyes that are, traditionally, the eyes of someone in their right faculties of reason.

:'''{{#var:56|Nephrite| (56)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The first thud is lost on Nephrite. He is in the kitchen, attempting--something. The kitchen is too empty without Makoto here. It lacks her warmth and her cookies. Nothing is quite where she would have left it. And with Kunzite no longer in peak condition to pick up the slack, it has grown far too messy. That just wouldn't do. What would she say if she came back and saw these stacks of plates? She can lecture him later on how he did them all wrong, and he can feel like he is doing ''something.''<br /><br /> So the first thud is lost beneath the sound of running water. As is the second. On the third, he is drying his hands on his jeans, and moving to the living room. And moments before the crash--his heart is in his throat, and his uniform and cape are on his shoulders.<br /><br /> When Makoto Kino smashes through the door, Nephrite is already standing in the middle of the room, waiting for her. "Hey honey," he says with a dry throat.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There are cookies. But they're not ''Makoto's'' cookies. It makes all the difference.<br /><br />Kunzite had promised Daisuke another chance to catch up, after the most recent time the young healer came by in a hurry to take care of yet someone else who stopped by while bleeding. Keeping that promise was enough to make him actually leave the room Mamoru's in -- something increasingly rare, given the steady worsening of Mamoru's condition. Makoto's arrival on the balcony was enough to cut that conversation short. The first time her fist hit the glass he was on his feet.<br /><br />By the time glass shards are flying, he's turned away from the doors, sheltering Daisuke against any splinters that might make it that far.<br /><br />He straightens; glances over his shoulder at Nephrite, at the girl he's facing. "Kino-san." Nothing else. Level as if she'd been escorted in on Nephrite's arm instead.<br /><br />Daisuke can see what 'Makoto' can't: that Kunzite's right hand is crossed over to the band of silver-white and muted gold he wears on his left wrist. If Ami's not still angry with him, maybe the senshi will be listening.

:'''{{#var:116|Daisuke Hansuke| (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Daisuke Hansuke came easily enough. Kunzite wanted to talk. He was super worried about Mamoru's condition. Also, Bannana Nut Bread Cookies made by Naru. Daisuke Hansuke remember's Makoto's cookies. They are the best cookies. He'll settle for Naru's which are delicious.<br /><br />He is is exactly one bite in when the loud banging catches him off guard- and he almost chokes on the cookie, coughing a bite and he peeks past the door. "What the heck..."<br /><br />Then the glass smashes in and he flinches and it's... Makoto. Kunzite might had just finished catching Daisuke up along these lines just as it happened, or not. But regardless. Smashed glass and loud banging means something is wrong.<br /><br />Then there's Kunzite. And Nephrite. Who seem solmen and weird about this. He stands indeed, somewhere behind Kunzite as he frowns just a little.<br /><br />'Hey, this is a problem right?' he whispers somewhere behind Kunzite.<br /><br />He'll stand still for now. No reason to transform or do anything to cause a greater commotion than some banging and a borken window yet.

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Makoto's not in henshin, but that doesn't stop the room from begining to feel like everything's about to lash out with bolts of static electricity. Makoto herself clenches her fist and a bolt of green lightning surges from her shoulder to her knuckles and back again. "Why are you in henshin, Nephrite?" she asks, looking at him with those red eyes. It's half hostility, half almost looking betrayed. "Are you going to stand between him and me? I expected to have to go through the others, but you should stand aside." she asks.<br /><br />"I've come to save you from this cycle of duty and death. To save us all." she says, and another few bolts of electricity gather and run down her legs as she shifts into a more aggressive posture. "I'm here to save you, but the only one I can promise I'll be careful about not hurting is Nephrite. I'm tired of sacrificing myself for other people."<br /><br />"So get out of the way or I'll make you get out of my way." Makoto says, punching her fist into her palm once, then twice. The second time, there's a Jupiter Henshin Pen in her fist as she draws it away. "I'm begging you, Nephrite - and I'm warning you, Kunzite and Daisuke. Stand aisde. I am Makoto Kino, but I have also been forced to be Sailor Jupiter."<br /><br />"And Sailor Jupiter is, by role, the Senshi of Courage. I have seen what needs to be done to escape this cycle, and I am the only one with the courage to do it."

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno| (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Ami has spent the better part of a week in seclusion, hiding from her friends and her family (which is to say: her mother), and just about everyone else. She's spent most of that week at Makoto's house, doing her friend's homework, watering her plants, wishing she could figure out how to find her in a way that doesn't endanger her further.<br /><br />Feeling guilty.<br /><br />Luckily, her friends have not pushed the issue too hard. She's gottena lot of writing done, which has helped, some. She's gotten a lot of reading done, too, which has helped more than some. And the plants aren't ''dying'' under her care, even if they don't quite thrive the way they do when Makoto is around.<br /><br />Given how long her friends have allowed that solitude to go on, Ami is a bit surprised when her phone rings. Even moreso when it's Kunzite's emergency number on the display. Confused, she puts the phone to her ear ... just in time to hear Makoto's speech.<br /><br />"Oh no," she mumbles, then yells through the line, "KUNZITE IT'S NOT HER! SHE'S A DARK ENERGY CLONE!" Nephrite knows, but did he tell Kunzite? Ami isn't sure. More importantly, Ami gets a sudden idea; a plan forms in her mind. "Try and subdue her! I'm on my way!"<br /><br />Then, she grabs the Mercury Pen and holds it over her head. A moment later, Sailor Mercury holds out her palm, forms a bead of subspace there, and allows it to expand. The tunnel doesn't quite reach Mamoru's apartment, from here, but she's on her way.

:'''{{#var:64|Sailor Mars| (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rei has been trying to figure out what to do since 'Makoto' showed up and started going off about random things. If Rei actually thought that it was her friend speaking, she would have listened a bit more closely, but evil creatures say evil things, and there is no way that was the Makoto Kino she knew.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her one consolation was that she knew, somewhere out there, that Makoto was alive and well, at least physically. She also didn't seem to be in too much pain, where she was, as far as Rei could tell.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When her emergency cellphone vibrates, Rei is already out of her bedroom door and seeing who the message is from. When she hears the voice on the other end, she does not properly and politely walk down the steps of the shrine, but she runs into the trees and jumps out of them as Sailor Mars.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It will still take some time for her to show up to Mamoru's place. Hopefully the Makomonster will still be there when she arrives.

:'''{{#var:58|Sailor Moon| (58)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Her blood runs cold when Kunzite's communicator activates.<br /><br />She was supposed to be there already, had planned on playing cat's cradle with Jadeite while simultaneously making mushy eyes at Mamoru and annoying Kunzite.<br /><br />Stupid errands. Thanks, Mom.<br /><br />She's actually on her way over already. Fortuitous, since that means she doesn't have to explain to her family why her wrist is talking.<br /><br />She doesn't come in through the balcony. She enters the apartment through the front door.<br /><br />Her breath catches in her throat.<br /><br />It's Mako-chan, but only if she were a radio station that wasn't coming in too clearly. She ''feels'' like Jupiter, but she doesn't. And either way, she's very, very angry.<br /><br />"Mako-chan~!"<br /><br />Large eyes look at the imposter. Large, sad eyes. "If Mako-chan wanted to leave, I would have let her. All I want is for Mako-chan to be happy."

:'''{{#var:56|Nephrite| (56)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Nephrite's usual smirk does not cross his face when he lightly replies, "I thought you liked me in uniform."<br /><br /> Mamoru. She's after Mamoru. He does not even have words for that. He steps forward--just once. "You think you want to kill him? Your brother, Mako? You knew him even before you knew me. You wouldn't hurt him. Not for me, and not for you. I'm not only protecting him, sweetheart. I'm protecting you from what you will definitely regret later."<br /><br /> He spreads his hands, showing they are empty and weaponless. "There was death, yeah. I know that scares you. But Usagi and Mamoru were the ones who brought us back. Remember that part?"

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>This is a problem, right? -- well. Daisuke can hear Mercury's opinion on the 'problem' part. Kunzite lets his eyebrows lift just a trifle in answer to Dai, and then lets his hands drop, so that when he turns to face Makoto -- a step to the side of Daisuke, in case of sudden lightning, though it won't help if she throws flowers -- he can have both lifted. Ready to take more direct steps.<br /><br />Usagi and Nephrite have her attention. That's fine. He can wait and watch, and be ready when she lashes out.<br /><br />If Mercury's right -- maybe even if Mercury's wrong -- she's ''going'' to lash out. And someone needs to make sure she doesn't burn straight through the walls.

:'''{{#var:116|Daisuke Hansuke| (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Daisuke Hansuke can feel that short static and it puts him on edge. Electricity in the air was never a good feeling-- the kind of thing you don't want to feel during a thunderstorm because it means you're in danger. Yeah.<br /><br />He can hear that as he frowns-- but everyone still seems to be acting like this is the real Mako too, talking to her. So, he'll play along.<br /><br />Maybe it'll confuse it. He speaks up.<br /><br />"Yeah..." he says softly to 'Makoto'.<br /><br />"It's bad, isn't it? Just being sucked into this one day? I know that feeling, Makoto." he says softly. "--but lashing out like that isn't going to help you. Or your friends. Or anyone. Get away from it." he says as he takes a short breath as he does stay 'somewhere behind Kunzite'. Daisuke has things to say but he'd rather say them behind someone actually capable of standing after taking something to the face more than a couple times.

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Makoto's eyes shine like fire. "Yeah, they're the ones that brought us back. They're also the ones who caused the calamity in the first place!" she shouts at the top of her voice to Nephrite, and the edges of her eyes fill with tears.<br /><br />"I was never asked if I wanted this!" she turns and fixes that anger firmly on Usagi. "I wasn't asked if I wanted to be a soldier! NONE OF US WERE ASKED!" she says, her voice tinged with as much sadness and despair as there is anger. "Look at all of us. Look at what our duty has done." she says, voice choking up.<br /><br />"We've all lost the chance at a normal life. We've all been given curses disguised as gifts. And each of us has in some way lost everyone, so we're all tied to the princess and no one else! Look at all of our families!" she says. "You wouldn't understand, Usagi." she says the name Usagi with such a softer voice, so much less hostility than she says 'the princess'.<br /><br />"You have a family. Yours didn't die in a plane crash. Or a car accident. Or end up forgotten like the guys'. Only you are allowed to be whole, and the rest of us have to gather around like animals huddling for warmth!"<br /><br />"Do you really think that's a coincidence?" she asks, holding the pen tight in her hand. And then back to Nephrite. "No, I know what you're doing. Even now I feel that pull, to protect Usagi-chan - no, the princess - even from myself. But it's that Duty that's already damned us both twice and I WON'T LOSE YOU AGAIN! I WON'T!" she shouts. It's as much from despair and misery as it is courage and strength, a terrifying admixture. She hoists the pen up high.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="color:xterm71">"JUPITER POWER, MAKE UP!"</span><br /><br />The roar of the thunder, the storm that accompanies Makoto's henshin grows out of nowhere, angry and hostile and dangerous, dumping out rain and bursting with bright bolts of lughtning and roars of thunder. When it's all over, and she stands in her outfit, a darker color with black accents, she glares at Kunzite, like she can see a hole in the wall that leads to Mamoru. From her tiara, the antenna rises slowly.<br /><br />"I won't hurt him. He won't even know. He'll pass into the afterlife in one moment, like waking up." she says as the charge begins to build. "And so will you if you don't move." She's actually held up for just a moment, by what Daisuke says, and she looks at him with an almost sad look. "None of us had a chance to choose. We've all paid, and so have you. In many lives." It does stop her from charging up whatever she's getting ready for, as she turns to answer him.<br /><br />"I'm not lashing out. I've thought this through for a week. Ever since my eyes were opened." she says, and the energy begins to charge at the tip of the antenna.

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno| (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The doorway from subspace into the multitude of apartments that Mamoru and his boys have claimed is, of course, in the kitchen. Where else would it be than the place Ami is most likely to meet Makoto before talking to the rest of them?<br /><br />When Sailor Mercury steps out of her portal, she spots the charging energy, and grimaces. Fake as Makoto may be, there's no question this ''thing'' has power. So, rather than giving it a chance to act, Sailor Mercury falls back on the oldest trick in her book:<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"<span style="color:xterm33">Mercury Aqua Mist!</span>"<br /><br />And suddenly, the entire apartment is blanketed in a fog so thick it could be described as doughey: not only to provide cover for her allies, but also to provide some minor relief on the buildup of electricity. Not much; lightning ''can'' happen in a fog, after all. It's just not quite as likely.

:'''{{#var:64|Sailor Mars| (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"That's not true."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sailor Mars's voice can be heard through the fog, from the direction of the balcony that she's now standing on the edge of. Her voice isn't an accusation, but it's a statement of fact.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You never had a duty. You never had a destiny. You never had a previous life and you were never one of us. You're not even a traitor. You're a youma spy, and now you're trying to assassinate our prince and princess."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Whatever this creature before her is, it's not Mars's friend, but she still feels sorry for such a delusional monster. Yet, she isn't going to defend those delusions. She's going to call this like it is.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"If you don't want to be a part of this team, fine. You aren't, you never were, and you don't owe us anything. Don't blame the prince for whatever false memories you have, and certainly don't blame the princess for the obligation that was never yours. Blame the creep who stole our friend and replaced her with you, who created you and the turmoil you now feel.."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Simply, calmly, and straight to the point. She could not state it more clearly. Yet, that charge is there, and Mars can't just allow this false Jupiter do as she pleases. For all she knows, the evil clone can't be reasoned with, even though she ''is'' trying to reason.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Looks like Mars will have to do something that she threatened to do nearly a year ago, yet for completely different reasons.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"<span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">FIRE SOUL!</span>"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mamoru's apartment is now on fire.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sort of. It's magical fire, so his stuff won't get burned, and the fire manages to avoid burning Mars's allies. The Fake Jupiter, however, may soon find that she has very few safe places to stand, and none of those places are where she is currently standing.

:'''{{#var:58|Sailor Moon| (58)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Wow.<br /><br />Even knowing this isn't her friend, hearing those words from that voice.<br /><br />And everything that she's been hating about herself, too.<br /><br />They didn't choose this. Neither did she, but 'Makoto' is right. Usagi doesn't need to be told she got off far too lucky.<br /><br />It's...a good thing Mars and Mercury have a handle on this.<br /><br />Score one for Fauxkoto.<br /><br />Still.<br /><br />Sailor Moon.<br /><br />Tiara in hand, she flings it toward where she remembers that antenna being.

:'''{{#var:56|Nephrite| (56)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Once, in what feels like a lifetime ago now, Makoto patiently endured his darkness, his twisted views. She refused to give up on him, even when it seemed hopeless. So it doesn't matter what she has to say now, how painfully wrong it is. He's not giving up on her, either. "Your princess didn't take your parents, Mako. She wasn't there the day that plane went down. But she's here for you now. And so is Mamoru."<br /><br /> Rei is speaking, but Nephrite does not quite catch the words. She says someone has stolen Makoto and replaced her, but that is what it feels like when dark energy takes someone over. She is Makoto. She must be Makoto. <br /><br /> And then he hears Mars' attack. "No wait--" Jupiter is strong, Jupiter can endure anything. But she's still Mako. He throws himself forward. There is no way to make it in between her and the path of the fire in time, but that does not stop him from moving ''into'' the path of flame and wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, dragging her back. It probably won't be enough to save her from getting the brunt of it. It's certainly not enough to stop the fire from singing him. But at least he is doing something.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>That's not her. The fears, maybe. People have those. The irrational things that rise up in the night, claw at the mind for a little while, are eventually chained back down or banished away. The hurt -- that might be hers, too, might explain why she fled into the kitchen from a certain conversation. But people get over hurt, given time. Sometimes they even weave themselves new families. Sisters. Brothers. Someone closer than either.<br /><br />What makes Kunzite certain that Mercury is right is that whatever is wearing Jupiter's face and power and memories -- it thinks that he'd ''want'' to outlive Endymion. Again.<br /><br />"Move," he says half over his shoulder to Daisuke, and lifts his hands to add another layer to the firelit fog. Letting it grow darker; drawing his shadows up to try to shield the wall she's facing, Daisuke, Kunzite himself.<br /><br />This is a problem. Because with this many people, this close, he can't risk ''reflecting'' the attack. He'd have to try to take it in.<br /><br />He hopes like hell that Moon or Mars or Nephrite is enough to make her reconsider.

:'''{{#var:116|Daisuke Hansuke| (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Daisuke Hansuke wants to say something to 'Makoto'. He doesn't care if this is some sort of shade or shadow or clone or copy or what have you. This is something important to him because it's something he muses on often when he's alone with his thoughts. 'What if I wasn't as helpful in nature and said 'No, I'm not archiving the storage room'.'. Would he still have found the staff and be here? Could he just leave it behind if he wanted to? He's made his decisions of course.<br /><br />But thinking....<br /><br />But then there's fire and his eyes go wide. It may be magical fire and persay doesn't burn him and go hiding from heat but--<br /><br />WELL THE APARTMENT IS ON FIRE.<br /><br />"Yeah. I'm moving. I'll be back. In a moment."<br /><br />There's a purple flash...<br /><br />Daisuke's in Mamoru's room now. He looks between the Jadeite and Zoistite duo as he frowns. "It's getting too hot in there. Need to get him out of here." he mutters.<br /><br />He indeed, makes the grab for Mamoru. "Going to the house." he says.<br /><br />It's probably the safest place to go right now that isn't directly here--- dissapearing into a purple flash. He'll be waiting for someone to follow along shortly after. He's a little quicker.

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There's a cloud of fog that rolls in, and it does do a lot to dissapate the charge. It'd be one thing if she was outside, but it's another thing entirely inside. Wait. Inside.<br /><br />There's more lightning than just what's outside. It's in the walls, too - that electrical power. It's in the wires and outlets and electronics and she can feel it, and that means she can pull it - which she begins to do, and in the fog little jolts of dangerous electricity begin to pull from the walls and appliances and everything electrical - if Jupiter can't use the storm, she'll use Tokyo's entire powergrid.<br /><br />It's what Mars says that stops the next charge from being released into the walls - as the surging orb begins to form even in the fog from the raw power. Sailor Jupiter argues back against the strange words from Mars. "Don't be ridiculous! I remember it all! I remember fighting Walpurgisnacht alongside Nephrite. I remember cooking for all of you. I remember the Silver Millenium. I remeber the arctic..." she says, but the hold on the orb is somewhat weaker from Mars' chastisement. And then there's fire. A lot of fire. She can't shift position, but her hold on the electrical surge is so tenuous, she can't move. She's prepared to endure it...<br /><br />And in one moment, Nephrite pulls her out of the way just as the Tiara comes in. So the tiara doesn't hit Jupiter, or the antenna, but it does hit the lightning orb she was already losing control of. "No!" is all she gets out before the electricity begins to surge all over the room, coating the whole place in dangerous electrical charges. Only a few of them are in actual danger, though - Sailor Jupiter pushes Nephrite behind her twoards the door and crosses her arms in front of her body, withstanding the electrical charge and leaving a safe space for him behind her.<br /><br />Daisuke's not there as the surge detonates, and neither is Mamoru.<br /><br />And nearby, a hand presses against the air and energy is channeled, and a runic, circular barrier of darkblue energy erupts in the fog just in front of Ami and protects her from the surge. There's a clear energy signature nearby, outside of the house, just as this occurs, and then it's gone again.<br /><br />Sailor Jupiter rises to her feet from the half-kneel the burst of energy created, as she was so much closer to its epicenter. And her eyes are wide. "He's gone. Mamoru-n... the Prince is gone. Damnit!" she looks down at Nephrite. "I'm not doing this for me. I'm doing this for us. I have to protect you." she says, and then she tucks her body, almost into a cannonball shape, and leaps backwards out of the balcony. Of course, she's closer to the unshattered side, and so she goes through the other part of the door.<br /><br />She unfurls her body in the air, and lands gracefully on both legs and one hand in a crouch.

:'''{{#var:42|Makoto Kino| (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Outside, as the balcony door shatters into a cascade of glittering shards--<br /><br />--thunder crashes in the sky over the darkened neighborhood, a deep, reverberating ''RRRRWOOOOAAAHH'' like the voice of some great mythical beast, accompanied by a flash of energy that lights the clouds from within and turns them silver and uncanny green.<br /><br />A second later, a streak of light plunges down from above, a streak of white and pink and green and crackling electricity, a rush of wind that smells of summer. No graceful landing this - she ''slams'' down onto the balcony with a sound of shattering tile, sending fragments flying in all directions.<br /><br />The electricity is still seething around Sailor Jupiter as she straightens, threads of it curling and snapping around her in a blazing corona. She's scuffed, bruised and dusty. She is straight and tall and towering with fury. The look that she fixes on the other Jupiter is full of it.<br /><br />Fury... and a trace of pity.<br /><br />"''Enough,''" she says, as another clap of thunder snarls through the clouds.

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There's a voice from just above Makoto and to the left. On the roof. Sitting casually on the roof. With all the flowers. Though there's a shimmering, smoking ring of dark energy around him that keeps the flowers at bay. "I think this is the first time I've ever agreed with you about anything. Mazel Tov. Also, I see you got out. Kinda messes up the experiment anyways." Takashi says.<br /><br />As he speaks, he slides off the roof, and stops suppressing his energy signature which allows everyone around to sense him even if they can't see him. He slips off the roof and into the Dusk Zone midfall...<br /><br />Only to reapper behind the raging, dark-henshined of the two Jupiters. She turns to him and her eyes glare with a different sort of rage and dislike than she was giving just a moment ago, like a fire that burns of a different color. "Agera, you bast-<br /><br />She stops midsentance. She doesn't just stop talking. She stops moving. "Behave." he says to her. She freezes, mid-moment in time, body only twitching as Riventon has pushed his hand through her body, a metaphysical manifestation, and on the other side, facing everyone, he holds a green Linker Core. A soul, or at least, something like a soul. The bright green sloughs off like a snake shedding skin, revealing a much darker green core beneath. "See? You didn't have much longer anyways. Burning through that energy like that." he says, manipulating the black-greenm Linker Core - the Nullheart - until a misaligned spike of some sort appears at the top, a black sliver with red and purple lightning coming off it.<br /><br />"You would've fallen away if I didn't come back and finish you." he says, regarding the jutting out spike. With another motion, it shifts into position, filling the hollow part of the Nullheart, which shines, with black light. Riventon retracts his hand, returning the Nullheart to its home, and instantly, her eyes change color from red to grey, her skin takes on a grey tone, and even her uniform shifts to adopt a different scheme with more black.<br /><br />Riventon steps away to the corner of the balcony, and the newly-readied Nullheart Jupiter steps up and moves into a combat pose. "Ah, this feels much more like home." she says, as her mouth turns into a sneer. The rage is gone, and the hostility now is far more twisted, more muted. Riventon pipes in from behind her. "You really surprised me. I was kinda expecting that one to youma out, but no, you've got a lot of black things stashed down deep inside you. Enough to give you motivation to keep yourself together - and not succumb to the despair." he says, to the correct-color Jupiter.

:'''{{#var:54|Ami Mizuno| (54)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Mercury brought up her visor only moments after calling down the fog. The buildup of electricity that courses through the room is startling, and it catches her attention. Mars unleashes fire, Moon throws her tiara, and this might literally be the worst confluence of miscommunications in the history of magic.<br /><br />And somehow, Mercury feels responsible for it all. Grimacing, she starts to duck away from the incoming explosion, but then as field of mystical blue energy surrounds her. A barrier. Takashi's barrier. ''Riventon's'' barrier.<br /><br />"Oh my god that's creepy," Mercury declares, as she watches the lightning crackle around her harmlessly. And yet she trusts in that shield, because she knows why it's there. He's not going to betray her like this. No, he's already done ''that'' by taking something far more dear to her.<br /><br />--and that something just landed on the balcony!? "Sailor Jupiter!" Mercury calls, rushing towards the broken windows. She comes up short when she spots Riventon there, as well. All the self-doubt and the guilt vanishes at the sight of him, replaced instead by a chill so cold it makes the arctic seem comfortable. "Agera," Ami says with a glare of anger and disapproval.<br /><br />''And I know there's going to be days where you probably wake up and hate me ... but the fundamental truth of how I feel about you hasn't changed on all of the days.''<br /><br />Sailor Mercury shivers at her own cold realizations, and then raises a hand.<br /><br />"<span style="color:xterm33">Shine Snow Illusion!</span>"<br /><br />A scintillating snowstorm of frigid chill washes out from around the senshi, dazzling in its perfect cold white. All of that pent up guilt and anger and fear and hatred rushes towards Riventon, now, seeking to encase him in the deepest of cold.

:'''{{#var:64|Sailor Mars| (64)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lightning arcs out everywhere, and Mars raises her arms to tank the hit. She just isn't as sturdy as the team's missing member, and even though Kunzite does a lot to mitigate the damage, the force of the bolt knocks her off the balcony edge, singed and shocked but still with it enough to grab the railing with her elbow-gloved hand and hang on.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tiny sparks fall from her as electricity arcs through her hair. All she can do is watch as Fakoto breaks through the sliding glass door, and Mars is struggling to climb back up while wondering just how she's going to be able to stop the pseudo-senshi from leaving. Truth is, she probably can't.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But she hears something behind her, and looks up as Makoto... hopefully the real Makoto, appears. "Jupiter-chan!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She uses the distraction to flip back over the rail and onto the balcony, and when Riventon himself shows up she frowns, pointing her chastising finger at him. "This is your fault. I saw you with her, in that black abyss. How ''dare'' you?!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's no justice speech this time. Takashi knows what he did. The only question is 'what's going to happen now?'<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;... and the answer to ''that'' is, "<span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">Burning Mandala!</span>"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eight rings of flame form in orbit around Mars, and she thrusts her arms forwards to urge them on. One after another they fly from her towards the Nullheart and Riventon alike.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As for the fire in the apartment, it seems to have gone out. Not much point in maintaining it now that the fight is out here.

:'''{{#var:58|Sailor Moon| (58)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Usagi feels her before she hears her. It's weird, but it feels like static electricity up her spine.<br /><br />And then.<br /><br />Agera.<br /><br />While Mercury is dealing with him, she can't stop looking at the Jupiter that is not Jupiter.<br /><br />A few seconds ago, she felt like...<br /><br />And now.<br /><br />With a scream, she rushes outside, probably taking a blow or twelve before slamming her crystal into the wrong one's solar plexus.<br /><br />She she can't keep it there, can't keep up the attack.<br /><br />Because Null Jupiter still has Mako-chan's voice.<br /><br />So she staggers back, hands over her ears and crying, and the only thing she can do is mutter, over and over, how sorry she is.

:'''{{#var:56|Nephrite| (56)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>She protected him. She protected him even with everything else that is so wrong with her. That's a small grain of hope. <br /><br /> Nephrite's uniform is singed, and he can't yet tell whether the sting on the backs of his hands are serious burns or not, but it does not matter. He can ignore that. He's going after her. He'll do that as long as it takes.<br /><br /> But then--that lightning. The faint floral scent on the wind. And Jupiter is standing there.<br /><br /> The other Jupiter is wrong in every way. But dark energy does that to people. But when next to the real thing, there can be no question. The false one pales in comparison. "Welcome back, Thunderbird."

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Teleporting into Mamoru's room is not, strictly speaking, the safest of possible plans. After all, they're on alert against a teleporter. But Jadeite's edged his way toward the door to try to listen to the shouting, and the fire that ''Zoisite'' calls at that flash of purple is held on to, not thrown, when he sees who it is.<br /><br />Two sentences of explanation plus the teleport signature are enough for him to keep it that way.<br /><br />"Wait, what?" Jadeite protests. "What are you --"<br /><br />That's all Daisuke sees on that end. It's a few seconds, three or four longer than he might have expected, when they join him -- Zoisite in his swirl of petals, Jadeite just not-there and then there and still arguing. "-- might need help --"<br /><br />Zoisite tosses his head, mostly just to emphasize the glare at the other blond. "They have ''three Senshi.'' If they need any more reinforcements, it'll be because they're coming ''here.''"<br /><br />Thunder echoes in the distance, and that is not the normal color of lightning.<br /><br />"Four Senshi," Zoisite amends.<br /><br />---<br /><br />In some ways, it would've been easier if not-Jupiter ''had'' sent out her attack as she'd planned. But there's enough warning of the orb that Kunzite can be braced for it, enough sign of it going unstable that he can let his shadows flood forward to envelop it.<br /><br />Not enough time to absorb ''all'' the power, but enough to lessen the damage, partially contain it. Keep it from striking Moon, lessen the effect on Mars, keep things in the apartment -- say, a certain small and intricate clock -- from being damaged.<br /><br />And enough to leave him with sparks at his fingertips as, like the others, he turns toward the balcony.<br /><br />He is not certain of Jupiter until he hears Nephrite's voice. He's far ''too'' certain of something else he sees, and it takes even him aback for just an instant. "Agera," he says quietly. "How often have you done that to yourself."<br /><br />It's not a question, because no-one is about to give Riventon time to answer. He lifts his hands, to channel power --<br /><br />Not the stolen lightning, though the energy is just as bright. Not at Riventon; at the Nullheart, where Moon is, where the crystal is, where someone else might have focused, should be focusing if he were here, should be giving her heart. Maybe he still can, after a fashion.<br /><br />"<span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">TUXEDO LA SMOKING BOMBER!</span>"

:'''{{#var:116|Daisuke Hansuke| (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Look, I'm really sorry guys, but importance, thank you!" he says worriedly as he throws his hands up. "Going back." there's a flash of purple energy right after that because he appears in the room he just left and turns around to see---<br /><br />The door's been blown wide off. Yeah. Yeah that was the right decision.<br /><br />He still feels bad about that though. He'll apologize later with horrendously bad for you junk food or something.<br /><br />He arrives just in time to hear the crack of thunder as he peeks out from the door and frowns. He looks over to Moon and frowns-- looking up at Riventon...<br /><br />And the act he feels is some sort of blasphemy to his senses as he looks back down.<br /><br />He keeps back and out of the way. He'll let the others do thier things while he does his own. Mainly, this involves keeping out of the way and keeping his eyes on everyone- though his eyes glance up to Riventon every so often while looking back down at the fight. Maybe trying to make sure he doesn't decide to descend inwards.<br /><br />He keeps a low profile overall. For the moment.

:'''{{#var:42|Makoto Kino| (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Whatever Makoto thought might have happened when she faced down her doppelganger - whatever pity she felt that made her land ''next'' to the faux Jupiter on the balcony instead of coming down upon her like the hammer of god - none of it comes to anything. Before she can even speak again, Agera's already showing his hand.<br /><br />Later, she'll remember this moment and feel kind of sick.<br /><br />But right now, Sailor Moon is stumbling back, crying, and Jupiter's response is as immediate as it is reflexive; she moves between Usagi and the Nullheart, wrapping her arms protectively around the smaller senshi. <br /><br />Her face turns toward Nephrite at the sound of his voice, and though she can't smile, not right now, for a moment as their eyes meet hers grow softer, warm and grateful and full of too much feeling for words. "Sorry to keep you waiting," she says.<br /><br />Just that, for now, before Sailor Jupiter's eyes turn towards Takashi and any softenss in her expression evaporates as though it had never been.<br /><br />"An experiment?" she repeats, scornful, incredulous. "Is that what this is to you?" 'This,' and as she says it she halfway disengages from Usagi to wave her hand towards the thing that is still ''wearing her face'', that until only a moment ago had no reason to think it was not truly Makoto Kino. "For what? For science? For your ''stupid'' bruised ego?"<br /><br />The arm that's still around Sailor Moon squeezes once before Jupiter lets go and turns fully to face Riventon and her double, standing between them and her friend. She doesn't flinch from the wave of bitter icy cold that Mercury unleashes, nor from Mars' rings of fire - her friends won't hurt her. She stands and glares at Takashi, eyes blazing with indignation and righteous wrath. <br /><br />"Let's get one thing straight right now," she declares, raising her index finger to point directly at him as though in accusation. "''Yes'', there are things I'm frustrated about sometimes. ''Yes'', there are things that I worry about. And ''yes'', sometimes I even feel jealous. But I have not ever, not ''once'', wanted to stop being a sailor senshi. And how dare you," Makoto spits, "how ''dare'' you drag all of those things out to put into that poor puppet, and use her as a weapon against the people I love, ''just to try to prove you were right'', you epic fucking ''douchebag''--!"<br /><br />Before she's finished that last phrase she's moving. Thunder roars again, a lance of lightning stabbing down from the sky towards the Nullheart, but Jupiter's not even looking at her any more - after what the others have unleashed, she's no longer in the way, and Makoto's throwing all of her weight into a straight punch driving directly at Takashi's face.

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The Nullheart Jupiter is as good a melee fighter as the real thing, and when Sailor Moon rushes her with that hateful brightness in her hand, fists clench with electricity and she tries to go to batter her. While the much more accuracte clone she was a moment ago would've truly hesitated to attack her Princess, the Nullheart has zero reservations. Electrified fists assault Sailor Moon, and find home, and sink into flesh, but Sailor Moon is too focused. Too determined. Hurting too much. And the Silver Crystal itself connects with the Nullheart.<br /><br />The scream - an echo of Jupiter's - is deafening, it's loud. But while the scream comes, while the crystal is in connection, the thing has more in common with someone rapidly changing channels on a TV as the positive and negative energy shatter and drive at each other, and the Silver Crystal wins out handily.<br /><br />Riventon watches this as the blasts of fire begin to come at him, and a casual Round Shield erupts out of his hand, though he's going to great effort to make it look easier than it actually is. But he can see the Silver Crystal, he can feel that power. He has some sort of immense desire to grasp and touch it, even though that would be a Very Bad Idea with Usagi channeling so much positive energy. Still, it's an impossible-to-ignore item.<br /><br />Kunzite unleashes Mamoru's power he's been holding onto, and the Nullheart, already distorted from the Silver Crystal's power and a little bit crispy from Sailor Mars', gets flung off the balcony by the impact of the Bomnber, simply too weakened to hold ground against it.<br /><br />And that's why, when the thunder roars in the sky, when the combined storms answer the absolute, unequivocable rage of the ''real'' Senshi of Thunder - the bolt of lightning is so overwhelmingly bright it stands against the silver crystal - it catches the Nullheart out as it was soaring through the air, and the circuit completes and the creature is simply obliterated by the force of the energy. The henshin goes first, then the body it was built around, and lastly the Nullheart Core itself, disintegrating under the force, leaving only the small toothpick-sized black spear which detonates with a small pop, and that threat is handled.<br /><br />Back on the balcony, Riventon's barrier is holding against Mercury's impressive attack, cracks in the barrier showing as the Silver Crystal is so close, as LaSmokingBomber is so close but being filled by dark energy flowing out from Riventon, though he has to bring his other arm forward to hold the barrier and dig in his heels to avoid sliding back and off the balcony.<br /><br />Which is what he's doing as Sailor Jupiter delivers her tirade. He'll have to process it later, all of his focus is going into holding this barrier. The bright flash of thunder makes him have to squint - Jupiter is going after her nullheart then, good, he can hold this barrier. His eyes open after the brightness.<br /><br />In time to register the fist, but not with enough time to do a damn thing about it. He'd accuse Homura Akemi of being here for all the time it takes between seeing it and the connection and then feeling it. Takashi has sparred with Hannah, he's done battle with Youma as both Frost Knight and Riventon. He's been in a few regular fistfights.<br /><br />It's entirely possible no punch thrown at Takashi, or in the history of the world, has had this much force behind it, this much emotional justice contained in one kinetic motion.<br /><br />Riventon slams backwards - not off the balcony, but into the side of the house, and there's a pop as the Barrier Jacket detonates to hold off the rest of the damage from the second impact - and it's not Riventon there, but Takashi. And there's blood on Sailor Jupiter's gloves, and it isn't hers.<br /><br />And yet he still finds some way to snark at her, though there may be some slurring in his speech and slowness as he finds the words. "Don't cut yourself too short. I didn't give her any feelings. Anything she picked up was just your heart mixed with the dark energy. It wouldn't have been nearly as useful if I wasn't sure of that." He puts his hand back as if to topple off into the Dusk Zone... except he's not Riventon. He stops instinctively. He doesn't have enough energy, much lessthe right kind of energy, to not be seen as an invader by the creatures there, by the zone itself. Everything was expended holding off the attacks, manipulating the linker core, in his barrier jacket holding out against that punch. So he can't go to the Dusk Zone like this.<br /><br />So now, Takashi Agera is dazed, with no offensive energy, on the wrecked balcony of Mamoru Chiba's apartment, with the vast majority of the Silver Millenium Court around and all rather... unahppy. The conscious thought going through Takashi's mind can actually be summed up as 'ohshitmaybeIfuckeduptoday'.

:'''{{#var:116|Daisuke Hansuke| (116)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Riventon-san...!" comes the voice. It's not a voice many people here know- except maybe Kunzite, but has the tone of a very very almost 'concerned imouto' candor to it. It's missing a lot of feeling--- but the darkness flaring up isn't Riventon's as Lacrima finally makes herself known appearing from what appears to be some sort of black mist that flares into existence.<br /><br />She's a girl with long purple hair, eyes-- and wearing a black and purple accented dress with some sort of bat motif. Around her neck like a shawl is some sort of whitish-offwhite little rabbit weasel with red eyes.<br /><br />The concerned girl races to Riventon-san's side because she's ignoring everyone right now because she knows what happened is very very bad when you're confronted with this very many people. She shoots a sudden hateful glare up to the others.....<br /><br />"Hey!, Back Off!" she says resoundingly as she moves to raise her right hand-- a sudden flare of dark energy emits from her hand as she moves to grasp Riventon-san. The burst suddenly constructs some sort of 'darkness wall' in front of her--- a shield of sorts, perhaps--- as she frowns heavily.<br /><br />"Hurry up...!" she calls out to the creature around her neck.<br /><br />------<br /><br />Daiuske Hansuke, meanwhile, is keeping his head down and watching. Waiting. There's no reason for him to input here. Or move. He can act when this is done. All Done.

:'''{{#var:47|Takashi Agera| (47)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The grey-eyed Kyubey hops off the vampiress' neck and towards Takashi while the dark energy covering fire is laid down, throwing a small, shotgun-shell like cylinder at Takashi, who catches it and jams it into his device with all due haste. There's a pneumatic sound, a hiss of power, a burst of energy, and Takashi is Riventon again.<br /><br />"Thanks, Kyubey." he says, getting up under the cover of that wall. "Leaving. Us. Now." he says sharply, and all but tackles Norie while grabbing Kyubey by the tail, diving off the side of the balcony, and all three of them hit the Dusk Zone as the wall fails.
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