View source for 3268/Oh Brothers!

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2018/08/04
|Location=Uminari City - Residential District
|Synopsis=Part One of Three: Sailor Earth tries to make Kukai Souma's brothers into her new Shitennou. When a Barrier cuts her off from the Earth for a second time, she just solves her power problem by stealing Mamoru's soul. Oops.
|Thanks=Takashi Agera
|Cast of Characters=217,200,141,220,160,151,38,171,132,58,109,78
|Tinyplot=Sailor Earth
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:217|Royal Archwitch Mirai| (217)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Bright golden light floods out of the windows of the Souma household - once, twice, three, four times. It radiates into the street like a floodlamp before fading away into silence, a strange feeling creeping into the hearts of Mahou around the area. And then - the door opens casually, and the tall girl with the dark hair in the caped Senshi uniform walks out first, her boots clicking on the floor of the apartment building. And following behind her...<br /><br />Are the four older Souma brothers. But not as Kukai would know them, were he returning from some errand he lost a Jan-ken-pon game to do. Kaidou, the largest, face barely visible in the glowing golden heavy armor, massive armored gauntlets on his fists.<br /><br />Suusui, the second oldest, walking with arms folded and carrying a long staff - clothed in thinner golden shade-armor than Kaidou. Unkai, still looking lazy, but dragging behind him the golden chain and head of a shimmering spectral flail, armored in the circular golden chain.<br /><br />And last, Rento Souma, in flowing golden robes that evoke a classic shinobi if someone had given them the very wrong color choices, two spectral blades at his waist. And Earth jumps off the edge of the balcony... and the other four follow her, jumping right off the fifth floor and hitting the ground - Kaidou making a small divot in the earth from the force of the impact. And none of them are really there - glowing eyes bleeding energy, looking ahead but at nothing.<br /><br />"Such a delightful rarity to have found four strong souls in one place..." she said to nobody in particular as she moved her hands up to run her fingers down the side of Rento and Unkai's faces.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's Saturday evening, and Kokoro is out wandering. Being on Summer Break has been weird for her; in past years, she's just kind of drifted from day to day, but where last year she had only a scant couple months under her belt here, now she's had over a year, and... well, it's changed her. School has actually kind of become routine. She's gotten used to the people she runs into there, even if they still tend to give her a wide berth. She's fine with that, really. Having people 'present but respectfully distant' is very different from just plain not seeing them.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Tch. The hell am I doing, going soft like this." There's not much teeth to the mutter. Kokoro's self-aware enough to realize she's probably better off this way. Day-to-day life doesn't suck so much, even if it does make summer a little lonel-<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What was that.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kokoro knows that feeling. Her magical senses are dim at best, but she can feel /that/. Without a word, the girl turns, and breaks into a run that-a-way.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's early in what's turning out to be a hot, muggy Tokyo evening. Kukai had gone out for his nightly jog, as his brothers knew his patrols, and as they had settled in for their own evening activities at home (an uncommon event for all of them to be at home together for once) the strange girl had found her way into the floor-sized apartment, Earth's powers working her will over the four young men. <br /><br /> For some reason, Kukai could feel himself wanting to stay home tonight, or at least wanting to stay in the area. He'd planned to go to King Penguin Park and patrol, but his footsteps lead him back into the residential area, a strange pull of some sort attracting him. There was a feeling, like a fist gripping at his stomach, that had him extra disturbed tonight. And then, as he rounded the corner to his own street, he saw the figure of Sailor Earth walking away from his apartment building, followed by ... no. No, no, ''WHAT'', no. <br /><br /> Kukai's stomach swelled in fear as he dove backwards, ducking into a nearby closed newspaper stall, one hand going into the little egg pouch he carried at his waist where a dozing Daichi was being jostled awake. "Daichi! I need you!" With one movement he brought the Guardian Chara up to in front of him. <br /><br /> <span class="fg_78">"Unlock my heart!"</span> <br /><br /> There is a powerful green glow, and a few moments later Sky Jack, the Jack's Chair of the Guardians, shoots out around the corner in midair, riding his hovering skateboard and staring down Sailor Earth. "What do you think you're doing to those four?!"

:'''{{#var:220|Miho Kagami| (220)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Last week, the sensation of strangeness sort of passed Miho by. This time, she now knew what it actually was, so as soon as she sensed it, she cheerfully told her mother she was heading out, and then headed out and snuck into the nearest alleyway.<br /><br />Now there's a green magical girl zipping through the air at about the speed of a car. Unlike a car, though, Life Mahou Joy isn't limited to Tokyo's roadways. As she nears her destination, she has a little bit of time to take stock of the situation; she swoops in and slows down to a stop near Sky Jack -- ''slightly overshoots'' Sky Jack, then floats back up. She frowns down at the four boys and their ''frankly really creepy'' ringleader; she can ''feel'' something wrong about the woman. "That's 'Sailor Earth', isn't it," she says, in her bright and clear voice.<br /><br />... And then she remembers that Kukai hasn't seen her in henshin before. "Oh right, Life Mahou here," she says, lowering the pitch of her voice and adding scratchiness so it sounds ... well, exactly like her out-of-henshin Miho-voice.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima is walking to Kukai's house with a purpose in mind. Mainly, she's warning him about Ryo, that he's this dumb crazy reincarnated warrior saint and he might attack you because he thinks you're a sports wizard like a dumb jerk or something.' and that he's 'worse' than when Kukai would had interacted with him when he was stuck in her body.<br /><br />She doesn't want to have this conversation. With anyone. She shouldn't have to. She still thinks this is her fault, still. Not as much since after last night.<br /><br />Ariel has a way with calming her. Still, she's sighing a bit when she looks up and... nrg, a wave of energy. Feeling like......Mamo...ru...<br /><br />The liesurely casual awkward 'going to do a thing I don't really want' walk turns into a jog before she mists off into the Dusk Zone...<br /><br />...and comes off around the edges of this whole affair. She's been around Kukai's house before... when she was Kukai. And she knows those boys. Because she was Kukai for a bit. This causes her to twitch a bit.<br /><br />"SAILOR EARTH." she says. "I'VE SEEN ENOUGH." she says.<br /><br />"I'M GOING TO SUCK ALL OF MAMORU'S ENERGY OUT OF YOU. I'M GONNA SHOVE IT INTO KUNZITE THEN HE'S GONNA PUT IT BACK WHERE IT BELONGS." she says angrily.<br /><br />This is not an actual productive plan of action, and has no idea of Kunzite can actually DO that anyways, but it spouts how ANGRY she is right now at this. This... disgusting awful actions Earth is taking right now.

:'''{{#var:217|Royal Archwitch Mirai| (217)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Earth looks at Kukai as he floats above. And smiles. She's not carrying any weapons in her arms. "I'm giving them the chance to be a part of something so much greater than themselves, than even your family. Don't you think they deserve that? Instead of leaving you to have all the fun. But you could join them - join me - and then you'd all be together, forever, and you'd be the soldiers, the guardians of a new grander world!"<br /><br />And then Lacrima shows up, directly, and she's angry. And Earth... shrugs. Visibly shrugs and leans back crossing her arms like there's an invisible wall to lean against there. "Kid, I worked really hard to put the energy back where it belongs. In me. And you really shouldn't be messing with things beyond your understanding."<br /><br />"And this is Sailor Earth - you're right. And soon to be the Empress of a new shining, brilliant, Golden Kingdom! So you can either step aside or we'll be coming through you." Behind her, the four Golden Brothers start to ready their various weapons. Except Kaidou, who's already wearing his, and just claps his hands together loudly.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's remarkable how fast a pair of long and powerful legs can carry you when you really want to book it. Just fast enough for Kokoro to catch everything she needs to hear - the sound of Lacrima being genuinely angry, and the tail end of a smug rant.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The crackle of electricity starts before she even properly arrives. By the time her pace slows down, her hair is already standing up on end, crimson instead of brown. The last of her sparse armor is forming into place with a sizzle of barely-contained lightning. Up that hammer comes, resting on a shoulder, and her other hand... reaches over to rest on Lacrima's shoulder.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Can't say I'd recommend that. Trying to go straight through a concrete wall tends to be bad for your health. Lacrima, who'm I smashing and how hard?"

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack glares daggers at Sailor Earth. "Oh no you don't. You don't get to just walk in and say 'my plans for you are so much better than what you had planned' and drag them out of their lives with every intent on throwing them away in a battle you only want because you don't know how to get along on your own!" His voice has gone from an angry normal volume to an infuriated yell at the end. <br /><br /> Jack throws his arms to the side, picking up a good head of angry steam. "And if you think this is ''fun'', fighting monsters every day, trying to keep the world from going crazy - and failing ''way'' more often than you'd know! - then you need your head examined! I tried my best to help you find a way to work yourself into the world without hurting or displacing anybody, but this? This is the last straw. You're going to regret ever touching them, me, Mamoru, ANYONE, at the end of this! I'm going to take ''great'' pleasure in ''BLASTING THAT ENERGY RIGHT OUT OF YOU!''" <br /><br /> A ball appears in front of Sky Jack, what looks to be a normal soccer ball. The kick delivered to it takes only a fraction of a second, and more follow, aimed at the black-haired girl with blistering, rampaging force, intent on wrecking the uncrowned Golden Empress's ability to wear anything on her head, crown or hair either one!

:'''{{#var:220|Miho Kagami| (220)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Life Mahou Joy blinks at Lacrima's outburst, but she doesn't comment. She can't ''quite'' shake off the knowledge that good people who she looks up to have decided that at some point in the foreseeable future, the woman in front of her needs to die. "Well, Your Worshipfulness," she says, "but if your 'Golden Kingdom Empire' needs mind-control in order to function, it's already doomed."<br /><br />Her heart-wand materializes in her left hand; she tosses it into the air and catches it in her right. "So we'll just hurry it along. I am the warrior of light and hope, faster than the breeze, Life Mahou Joy! If even the ''real'' Prince Endymion isn't going to forgive you ..." She points the wand directly at Sailor Earth. "... then what you've done is ''unforgivable!'' In the name of all life, we will halt the threat before us!"<br /><br />As Kukai gets ready to attack, she thrusts her left hand out towards him. <span class="fg_35">"Life Blessing, Courageous Strike!"</span> she says, and a minty-green glow surrounds him, boosting his attack power and adding purifying energy to the soccer balls.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima is about to ... villainous monologue in a weird reverse way. That's how upset she is, when... there's a hand on her shoulder and she turns to her side. "....Dengeki." she says. This kind of grounds Lacrima for now so she doesn't do something stupid like trying to actually follow through with her dumb angry idea.<br /><br />"Do you see those four boys?" she asks. "They're mind controlled right now. I need you to weaken them. Then I'm going to drain them. Then they're going to sleep and when they wake up, her butt will be beat and they'll be back to normal." she mutters.<br /><br />This worked last time, right? It should work this time.<br /><br />"JOY." she calls out. "Help Kukai shove the fake." a pause. "Please." she offers.<br /><br />With that, she begins walking towards the four boys. "I AM SOOOOOOO SICK. OF JERK KNIGHTS IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW, WILLING OR NOT. YOU THINK I WOULD BE SOME SORT OF GOD FORESAKEN PRINCESS." she calls out. She raises her arms. <span style="color:purple">"TORMENTA OSCURA!"</span> she screams out, black energy bolts raining down on the area of the four boys.

:'''{{#var:151|Sora Hisakata| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sora had noticed the energy too, and came to investigate. Soon enough, it's Kazeko on the scene and she lands on a nearby rooftop. "False Earth." She says, her voice amplified by the wind, "I do regret that I probably cannot let you live, because it's a shame that you won't suffer nearly enough for your crimes." This is accompanied by her wind rushing out towards Sailor Earth, sharp cold winds meant to tear into her.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>He's done with justice speeches for Earth and her nonsense. He's done with listening to her, arguing with her; he's long since been done with giving her the benefit of the doubt. And now, after that massive wave of HIS energy, AGAIN-- well. He can't teleport himself right now, but he yelled into the apartment that he was going, and then he didn't wait. A henshin, then off the balcony, and then superjumping in the direction of that epicenter--<br /><br />--and now Mamoru Chiba, Prince Endymion, once and future Tuxedo Kamen, current Moonlight Frost Knight, is on the scene.<br /><br />He takes one look at the situation and his blood *boils*.<br /><br />"Breaker mode," he says softly to the halberd in his hand, and like last week, the Device shifts into a configuration like a massive crossbow. He carefully inserts a cartridge. He takes aim. He doesn't fire *yet*.<br /><br />"Barrier," he says even more quietly.<br /><br />Silently, an ice-green Barrier the very color of the deepest arctic permafrost flickers into life around the battle. Then, "Eisrosen."<br /><br />Eiszapfen glows, and then a steamingly frigid bolt of ice-green shoots from it with a PWANG and turns into the shape of a wickedly sharp and very large rose carved from ice, directly at the ground in front of Earth.<br /><br />He didn't miss.<br /><br />Ice rapidly begins forming on the ground beneath her and up, going to envelop her feet and keep growing if it's allowed to.

:'''{{#var:217|Royal Archwitch Mirai| (217)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"By Serenity, Mind control? I'm not controlling their minds." She spits out, honestly angry at the accusation. "I've just opened their eyes - and their souls - to the truth of the Earth and who deserves to be in charge, and I've offered them a chance to serve. They've just made the only rational decision with the information I gave them."<br /><br />But then the attacks start flying - a bunch of soccer balls that start to rain down with also the power of LMJ's green energy.<br /><br />"KUKAIIII!" Kaidou shouts, and hunkers down before... well, he doesn't fly, so the huge Souma just launches himself into the air, all madness and golden energy and trying to fly into the air and outright slam into Kukai and take him out of the air. <br /><br />Earth starts to twirl her cane, using it to deflect some of the shots. And then her spinning has to increase in velocity to push against the wind of Sora's attack. But when Lacrima's torment rains down, and a rose lands next to her... which she glares at... it's just too much to hold off. She switches to hiding behind her cape and... rolls herself into it and shifts away from the field of effect in a flash of golden light.<br /><br />The shinobi-cosplaying Rento Souma draws a pack of glinting, golden-shade shuriken and starts to roll them through the air towards Life Mahou Joy, while Unkai moves up and starts to swing his flail towards Lacrima. All of them show the impacts of Lacrima's energy, dimming parts of their armor, and the occasional dent and crack in the spectral golden plate from Kukai's orbs, as well as bits of ice frosting the armor - but they move like men possessed and only flinch from the damage, bodies taking orders from crazed minds.<br /><br />Across the barrier-encased battlefield, Earth appears stepping out of her cape to stand atop a lamppost. "You really are daft. Roses make such a better symbol for a ''girl''." she notes with venom in her voice. "Beautiful, dangerous, and eternal. Sounds like me, and not you."<br /><br />And then the last Souma brother suddenly jumps up - Shuusui, the planner and strategist, has gotten behind Sora and is trying to give her the staff-beating of a lifetime. At least it's not a spear.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So, you're controlling their minds," Dengeki Shoujo deadpans in reply to Earth.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The barrier unfolding around them - that's something she recognizes immediately. Someone's here with a Device. That's good. It means she can go wild. A little more electricity crackles around her arms, as she takes a step forward; the flail being swung at Lacrima never reaches the vampire, because it slams right into Kokoro's abdomen instead. There's a hissed grunt, a gritting of teeth and a quiet buzz of electricity at the point of impact, and then one gauntlet-clad hand snaps out to grab the flail by the chain. "Yo. C'mere."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then she yanks.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Even among magical girls, Kokoro's strength is utterly absurd. She's a power-type fighter, through and through, and she's absolutely not above putting that power to work yanking an opponent clean off their feet... and right into melee range. Where she can swing the hammer in her other hand.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki had been at the manor mostly experimenting on her personal gateway, her attempts to wrap her head around what happened not that long ago and what to do with all of it. There might be some quiet introspection, without the hardm usic even. Which is why the text message sound about made her jump out of her skin. This does mean she needs to hurry though, looking at the message. <br /> <br /> She arrives from between some of the homes, stepping out of the side of the doorway with what looks like a normal door. It disappears behind her and she shakes herself off. She bolts out of the alley and tries to catch up to the group with a low chant under her breath. A guandao is formed in her hands and she charges straight towards the melee, magical weapon held behind her hand held out for balance.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima stares. "Maybe I should try to control you. Maybe I should try to shove my darkness into you, and see how you like being told some things, and being made to accept it." she says with a hiss. She watches armor crack. That's good. That armor needs weakened. It'll protect the person from getting too hurt. Right? That's what armor does.<br /><br />Then one begins to move and Lacrima is readying something when--- Kokoro tanks the hit for her. She winces. That had to hurt. But it means she is free to retaliate some more. She raises her hand and a blast of dark energy flies out towards the Souma boy throwing shirukens, just a pure beam of energy.<br /><br />Jiaying's arrival is noted in the back of her head.... but that beam? She isn't stopping it. She raises her second hand and joins it with the other, forming a bigger beam. Before finally releasing it.<br /><br />"I'm losing my god damn patience. People aren't things for you to take and use like this. And most certainly not THESE people." she says. Earth should go find her damn brother, Lacrima thinks. These two would be instant bad idea friends.

:'''{{#var:151|Sora Hisakata| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Come on, Mirai." Kazeko says with no small amount of frustration. "You're not stupid enough to be unable to tell that what you're doing is mind control. So stop playing victim and accept responsibility for your crimes." She doesn't notice Shuusui until it's too late and gets hit by a few good whacks, then jumps down to the ground and rushes forwards. "Oh wait, you can't. Because if you took responsibility you'd have to accept that you're a loser whose only claim to being more than a gnat to be stepped upon is stolen. And that would hurt your feelings, wouldn't it?" Kazeko turns around and tries to pick up Shuusui with her winds, to immobilize him without harming him

:'''{{#var:220|Miho Kagami| (220)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Life Mahou Joy gives Lacrima a faint comforting smile, then ... blinks as the barrier forms around them. "Whoa, what?" she murmurs, looking around.<br /><br />She frowns down at Sailor Earth. Something about her words makes Miho feel slightly queasy. When the shuriken start flying, her eyes widen. <span class="fg_35">"Boost!"</span> she shouts, and then suddenly zips forward at the speed of a car on a ''freeway'', realizes what she's doing, and then almost immediately slows to a stop ... well, a little too far from the battle. She's got ''lots of speed'', but no precision. "Okay, how about I not do that unless I'm trying to get ''to'' someone," she murmurs. She turns around and boosts back the way she came, wand held out. <span class="fg_35">"Minty Barrage!"</span> she calls out as she draws nearer, firing pellets of minty-green light at Rento; they aren't very damaging, but they're filled with purifying energy.<br /><br />She pauses. "Maki-san, those boys are being mind-controlled!" she calls out. "I ... can't kill anybody, because we don't know how my Curse would react. You concentrate on turning ''that woman'' into Sailor Flat Earth, I'll try purifying the brothers that Lacchan can't get to!" It seems that there's now someone else besides Ryo who Miho isn't dignifying with a name.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>There's a moment of Mamoru watching to see where Mirai shows up again, and then his eyes are back on her, and he's absently maintaining the barrier and hoping everyone else has a handle on keeping Kukai's brothers from getting hammered too hard while not letting them hammer the heroes too hard, but mostly he's watching for an opening. Any opening. He silently moves away from where he'd been crouched between houses, running behind the back of one to get a better bead on Earth where she is on top of that lamppost, and then he crouches and aims again.<br /><br />And then Life Mahou Joy says 'Sailor Flat Earth' and Mamoru blows his cover by cracking up really hard-- just doubling up and *howling* laughing, staggering back between houses.

:'''{{#var:220|Miho Kagami| (220)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Life Mahou Joy blinks, looking over at source of the voice, which she doesn't recognize due to the henshin-magic she still hasn't learned about (notwithstanding actual physical transformations like her own). "... I meant flattening her."

:'''{{#var:132|Zoisite| (132)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's not that one of Mamoru's ''proper'' Shitennou hasn't been paying attention, it's that he's been watching for an opening, too. This is somewhat spoiled by his Prince's helpless laughter at the 'Sailor Flat Earth' wisecrack. A condescending giggle reveals Zoisite, a knife balanced between his fingers and poised for throwing.<br /><br />"That was good. I'll have to remember that." And maybe see if they can make it a reality. Beating her until she's flat on the pavement sounds like an ''excellent'' idea. The green-clad Shitennou smirks, flinging the knife at Earth. "You're incorrect, by the way. Roses are for ''everyone'', but a wilted rose suits ''you'' best!"

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The balls Sky Jack is punting at Earth at this point are not only infused with his own crackling electrical force, but now Joy's purifying, infusing energy. They snap as they impact against Earth's cane, sparks and green shimmers spraying everywhere as they're deflected, the force behind the blows more like punches from an angry gorilla than kicks from a soccer ball. <br /><br /> Sky Jack nearly cries in anger, barely noticing the others who've arrived. He'd never told his brothers about his abilities. He'd done everything he could to keep them away from Guardians and youma and magic and everything. And now his biggest, oldest, strongest brother, that horrible energy shining behind his eyes, is leaping into the air after him to take him out. It takes him a long moment to figure out what to do, and at that point he finds himself trying to carom the flying board off Kaido's chest, desperately trying to avoid him without hurting his brother. "Kaido, STOP! Try to shake this off!" Around them the fight erupts in earnest.

:'''{{#var:58|Princess Sailor Moon| (58)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Luna runs a little ahead as Usagi tries to rub the remainder of a Detention Nap from her eyes. "Hurry up, Usagi!"<br /><br />"I am, I am!" She psychs herself out, remembering the way the school bell went off this morning just moments before she made it to her sleep and--<br /><br />'''ZOOOOOOM!!!'''<br /><br />"Ack! Wait for me, Usagi!"<br /><br />There isn't much time to take in the surroundings.<br /><br />Sky Jack.<br /><br />Four civilians.<br /><br />Mamo-chan (instert five thousand floaty hearts here)<br /><br />Decidedly Not Mamo-chan (insert many annoyed faces here)<br /><br />And people she knows and people she doesn't.<br /><br />And, of course, a lamp post perhaps directly behind Sailor Earth.<br /><br />She takes a deep breath as Luna launches toward the larger of the Soumas. (Stubborn object meeting...stubborn force?)<br /><br />She takes a deep breath and BELLOWS. If she had a megaphone, it would be directed just behind Earth's ear. "AS WONDERFUL AS THEY MAY BE ON THEIR OWN, YOU CANNOT MAKE THEM BE WHO YOU WANT THEM TO BE!"<br /><br />Ouch, maybe bellowing is the wrong way to go. Meanwhile, Luna is a kitty missile aimed for the eldest of the brothers.<br /><br />"Autonomy! This was on a word of the day calender I saw somewhere! It means stop being a jerk and let people be themselves! They deserve to be more than a generic store brand of soda!"<br /><br />Then she looks up at the others and beams. "Hey, even I know the earth isn't flat!"

:'''{{#var:217|Royal Archwitch Mirai| (217)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sailor Earth keeps that smirk fixed on her face. "Look at how many of you it's taking to get control of this situation. The whole insect hive. A fake, a bunch of nobodies, a corrupted girl - this is why I should be in charge. This world is sick, weak, terrible. And worst of all - LAME!"<br /><br />Kokoro's strength is far above the powers imbued in Unkai's armor, and he comes careening into Kokoro after her hammer connects with him - He's trying to get to his feet after, huge chunks of his spectral armor missing - but he keeps hitting the ground. Body isn't allowing it...<br /><br />Jiaying helps to clog up the melee, making some of the other blows clang against her or miss her instead of other members of the group.<br /><br />Earth steps back into her cape - and repeats the process a few more times, a cape with a girl appearing and disappearing across the Barrier-field. She appears behind Lacrima, just for a moment, though. Just long enough to whisper something into her ear before vanishing (and before getting blasted.)<br /><br />Shuushui is held in Kazeko's storm, but starts to strike at her with his staff, which suddenly extends to try to connect with her head - he's controlled but not at all immobilized.<br /><br />Rento moves around the battlefield - and is dodging LMJ's attacks - until the very last one nails him in the back and sends him to the ground for a moment. He springs back up and tries to dive for her, katana and wakizashi sparkling with golden energy.<br /><br />Mid-teleport, Earth's hand reaches out of the air and... plucks Zoisite's knife from the air. "Really, I think my roses are best sparkling and brilliant!" She says as she turns Zoisite's knife into a gleaming golden rose that gets returned on its trajectory before Earth continues moving about the battlefield. She should be using a lot of energy to do this, at least...<br /><br />It's the arrival of Sailor Moon that makes Earth stop doing that. She stops actually mid-teleport, with half of her body still coming from the portal-cape. "Bunny... you shouldn't be here." She pauses. "You shouldn't even be in this world. This cruel world shouldn't even exist. We should live together with our friends in the greatest time. I'm going to create that again. I'm going to make up for my failure in the past."<br /><br />Above, the combination of cat-and-skateboard prevents Kaido's massive metal-encased gauntlets from pulping Kukai's face - but barely. He doesn't seem to have the problem of his brothers - his body is still very active and, despite being blinded by cat, is trying to get his hands on Kukai.<br /><br />And Earth's eyes look to Mamoru. "You're trying to cut me off, again. But it's not going to work. I'm so much stronger now, stronger than you could ever be." Still, she was starting to channel brilliant golden energy into her hands again. The likelihood of an encore act was building.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima is trying to keep this up. She wants to help Kukai's brothers right now. That's it. Then Sailor Earth appears behind her. And there's something whispered in her ear. First it's a look of shock, and for a full ten seconds she comes to a complete halt. Then there is a look of confusion, this lasts for about five here...<br /><br />Then. Then Anger.<br /><br />"YOU......." she says. That hand of hers just turns black and it EXTENDS, just letting the facade of humanity fade away. She's trying to grab t Earth, she's trying to grab her and squeeze and try to do... anything. Choke. Strangle. Throw around.<br /><br />"YOU. YOU GO BACK TO RIVEN-SAMA. YOU TELL HIM I'LL TAKE A DAMN PAYCUT. YOU WILL NOT HURT THE BROTHERS. OF THE ONE PERSON. THAT UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ME. PERFECTLY. YOU WILL NOT. AND I WILL NOT SIT HERE. FUCKING IDLE. WHY ONE OF HIS... HIS /NULLHEARTS/ THINKS IT'S THE REAL DEAL. YOU WE'RE CREATED. HE CREATED YOU. AND YOU STILL PUT FUCKING.... FUCKING INSIST. THIS!? THIS. THIS IS....."<br /><br />There just an inhuman screen from her right now. It's practically hurtful on it's own. Like... a crow and wolf and ... cow all at once.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Flat Earth. Kokoro's eyes dance over to Sailor Earth briefly, and- did... did she just snort? No, couldn't be. Impossible.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(yes)<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But the TOTAL LACK OF A SNICKER doesn't distract the thunderous girl from her focus on Unkai. She darts forward without missing a beat, setting aside her hammer to dive down and pin her opponent to the ground - and then hurls a shout towards someone who looks as if she could desperately use a distraction from her own dark side right now. "LACRIMA! I got this guy but I got no clue how long! If you got somethin' you can do here, worry about breaking her smug face ''later''! I'll ''help''!"

:'''{{#var:151|Sora Hisakata| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Nullheart. Riven-sama. Kazeko recognizes both of those things, and this creates disappointment. "So you're one of Riven-sama's toys, then? I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, Mirai-chan. That you were just misguided, but you're not even a person. Riven-sama is no gepetto and you're no pinochio." She gets hit by the staff while distracted, and responds by trying to lift the poor Shuushio up and far away. She is intentionally trying to avoid hurting the poor guy.

:'''{{#var:220|Miho Kagami| (220)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Life Mahou Joy turns, and has to stop herself from staring. The legendary Sailor Moon herself! Even ''she'd'' heard of her within days of moving into Tokyo (all those months ago ...), but they'd never actually crossed paths before. She just ...<br /><br />She wasn't quite what Miho was expecting, but in her own way, she's even more adorable than she imagined. "Heh ..."<br /><br />She winces at Lacrima's outburst. "... Guess our sunny friend was wrong after all," she murmurs. "Well. Three out of four artificial life-forms being from space isn't bad."<br /><br />But now she has a Rento leaping towards her! Joy launches herself straight up into the air, avoiding his leap completely. In the few seconds she has, she turns around and twirls her wand in a circle, leaving a minty-green trail of light. She thrusts the wand forward, and the circle collapses, firing a brilliant beam of purifying energy! <span class="fg_35">"Joy Shining Ray!"</span><br /><br />It's probably not as impressive as, say, one of Nanoha's lasers. But what it lacks in punch, it makes up for in purification.

:'''{{#var:141|Kukai Souma| (141)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sky Jack has one advantage over Kaido, at this point - the height advantage. He grabs ahold of the back of his skateboard with one hand, and reaches out with the other, hand slipping past Kaido's grasp to try and dip under Luna's stomach and lift her as he, for lack of a better term, falls upwards, getting some altitude away from his magically enhanced brother. A little voice in his head (Daichi?) mentions that he'll probably leap up here again, but as long as he's doing that, Kukai has a better idea of where he's going. <br /><br /> More importantly, he's got a new thought. Earth has stopped in the middle of her teleport and is distracted by Sailor Moon and Not-Tuxedo Knight. Another soccer ball appears in place, falling a bit before one foot blasts around and launches the spinning green-and-yellow sparking orb at the black haired badgirl.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Sagging against the side of the house to catch his breath, Moonlight Frost Knight Endymion catches his breath and gives Zoisite a sheepish look. He'll have an explain-the-joke moment with Life Mahou Joy later, he's pretty sure they got some attention. And then-- (''...I didn't feel her transform. I didn't feel her get here...'')-- SAILOR MOON IS ON THE SCENE! And Mamoru's face clears, some of the tension seeping from his shoulders and the tight set of his mouth as he looked back out gone again. Except Earth's whispered something to Lacrima, and Earth *caught Zoi's knife* and the Brothers Of Kukai fighting everyone else, and then she's '''''LOOKING AT HIM.'''''<br /><br />Endymion feels something prickling underneath his skin, and then Lacrima takes center stage with what's at once a horrifying gut understanding and something that's not a surprise at all. "Now there's no chance," he says quietly, behind Zoisite, "of any of us feeling bad about it later. She ''isn't'' real."<br /><br />When Earth turns away from him to look elsewhere, he slams an ice slick down on the steaming hot pavement and pours energy into keeping it frozen, then backpaces to take a running leap. "Keep your attention on Sailor Flat Earth, Lacrima! I've got it!" He literally baseball-slides across the street to get to Kokoro and her charge at speed. As soon as he's there, he pours the energy from the cartridge into giving himself enough strength to help Kokoro keep Kukai's brother down. "Kokoro," he says in a low voice, "It's me, Mamoru. Endymion. Tuxedo Cape Guy. If Lacrima drains her energy, Sky Jack's brothers' energy will deplete and the armor should vanish. I cut her off from her source by putting up this bubble."<br /><br />Behind him, the ice slick evaporates completely. The cartridge empties, and Mamoru doesn't notice. "Then Zoisite should be able to teleport them out. That's the redheaded really pretty boy over there." Then his attention's totally on the underpressure brother, and he starts having to strain more and more to keep the barrier up and keep his own strength up.

:'''{{#var:132|Zoisite| (132)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The gold rose and return volley- both verbal and weapon- get Zoisite to shake his head and snort. At least she's given up on the stupid idea that roses are a gendered concept in argument, for now. The Shitennou watches the battle intently, looking around for an opening.<br />"If it comes to it, we can pay their hospital bills later, or find someone to heal them." It grates him to say that last to his Prince, the one who ''should'' be able to heal the Souma brothers if they get injured in this... but even on the side of good, Zoisite is much more willing to play dirty to accomplish his goals. Sailor Moon's presence is both a stressor and a relief on the Shitennou, dividing his priorities between ''protect Endymion'' and ''protect Moon''. Time for the arsenal of completely filthy tricks, which includes lobbing darts with local anesthetic at whichever Souma sibling is nearest. He's conserving his magical energy for now, keeping it for dodging and critical moments. Showy he may be, but stupid he is ''not'', and at this scale, the winning side might be determined by whoever has the most energy left toward the end.<br /><br />Zoisite plans for that to be him, unless everything goes incredibly pear-shaped.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's a long stare. "...you got a weird fashion sense, you know that?" Grunt. "Look if you gotta choose between helping me and keeping your magic up, I can hold for a little while longer."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After a brief pause, she adds in an embarrassed mumble, "...and it's... i-it's Dengeki Shoujo." Are her cheeks turning pink?

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki ducks and weaves through most of the attacks, taking the rest against her forearms, against her guandao or a few against her leg in a raised defensive stance. The style she's using though, it's fluid, a defensive or confusing style. She tries to weave counter attacks in, lashing out with the spear, occasionally smashing it into the ground where the head disappears and reappears below, a lash of water funneled into a magically created edge. It's limited, but she is on the defensive after all. One might notice she's inching towards Sora, trying to put herself there to protect the wind witch. Maybe they can come up with some teamup stuff after this. Errant thoughts get chased off though and she gets a focused look. <br /> <br /> Of course she's too late to stop Sora from getting battered by the big stick, which she clearly doesn't appreciate. Rearing back, deferring all defenses for a moment, she does a massive overhead swing, the blade of water growing in size as she tries to bring it crashing down. On impact with the ground, hit or not against the faux-Sailor, the weapon would splash into nothingness, replaced by a thick mist as she backs away and tries to check on Sora. <br /> <br /> That doesn't change that she does pause long enough to look at the others though, especially some of the heavier hitters present. She's usually not used to seeing this much in one place. Maybe she shouldn't have run in again...

:'''{{#var:58|Princess Sailor Moon| (58)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Luna is used to being lurched around, but it still doesn't stop her velcroing her claws onto Sky Jack's clothing as her fur stands on end. She gets why, of course, otherwise she'd likely be biting and clawing. "T-Thanks." She's so glad she didn't eat that tuna just before this...<br /><br />Sailor Moon catches Mamoru's eye and gives a warm smile and soft little wave. Which is her holding back. If she weren't concerned with enemies, she'd be shouting his name and waving her arms and even blowing him kisses. (With one or two for Zoisite, too!)<br /><br />And it's a punch in the gut, Lacrima's outburst. There's been speculation, but to have it revealed... "He..." She looks at Earth. "He is off my valentine chocolate list."<br /><br />The emotional whiplash between that and Earth's...being so ''nice'' to her and then so ''mean'' to Mamoru is highly unsettling.<br /><br />She stomps her foot. "This perfectly imperfect world is my favorite world! You don't get to take him from me! I won't let you!"

:'''{{#var:217|Royal Archwitch Mirai| (217)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Earth scoffs. "Well, cat's out of the bag now! And I'm not one of those imperfect constructs anyways! But it's not important. Or it won't be soon." She laughes - and it's more than a little manic. "When I rebuild the world none of this conversation will ever have happened."<br /><br />"What makes a person, Kazeko? Do I need a soul? Do I need to have been birthed? I have feelings, hopes, dreams. But you tell me I'm not a person? Maybe you're the mon-"<br /><br />WHUMP<br />Goes the soccer ball Kukai shot at her as it knocks her off her game and off her feet, causing her to stumble forward until she can right herself.<br /><br />Things seem to be getting... some degree of under control, though. Kaazeko's winds hold Shuushio mostly down, and he seems to just be getting tired of the fighting, as his attacks have less and less behind them. Rento gets hit by the purifying blast - not as hard as if he were a youma, but it seems to clear his mind just long enough for him to be peppered with Zoisite's darts. Kokoro and Mamoru hold Unkai down for now.<br /><br />And Jiaying is now moving towards Earth, who is parrying her attacks with her cane - before vanishing into the mist.<br /><br />And Earth looks to Usagi. "You won't have anything taken from you. When the world is set rightwe'll have been together always and you won't have to suffer seeing friends hurt, fighting for your life. It'll all be just... fine. All the time. My Bunny." And she vanishes. And reappears next to Mamoru. "Please, use another cartridge. I don't need any link to the earth if you're going to feed me energy like that..."<br /><br />The energy she was channeling in her hands reappears - just in time for her to get bodily tackled by Lacrima and that black hand, and Lacrima is pulling energy from Earth - who is now trying to literally bash Lacrima away with her cane in her other hand... because she's getting that energy back almost as fast as Lacrima can drain it, through other means than connection with the Earth itself...

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And there she is. Right next to Kokoro and Mamoru. The girl causing all this grief for everyone here - and worse than that, copping an utterly superior attitude. Lacrima's holding her attention. Not for long, but it'll be enough. Quickly, Dengeki Shoujo hisses to the Frost Knight, "Hold him as tight as you can. Sorry 'bout this."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she stands up. An arc of lightning dances around her hand as it closes on her hammer's grip.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yeah. You know, you're right. You got your own mind. Your own choices. Far as I care, you're as much a person as any of us... and people gotta deal with the consequences of what they say and do." With a heft and a swing, she picks up her signature weapon, the head starting to crackle. "And I got a real problem with haughty stuck-up ''snobs'' that think they got some natural-born ''right'' to dictate what everyone else gets to do and say! <span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">EAT IT, PROM QUEEN!</span>" Her whole body crackles with electricity. She's swinging that hammer right around with all the strength she has, aiming right square in the middle of Sailor Earth's back.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima is draining Earth suddenly--- and... there's something else inside there. She was going to attempt to pin down Earth, and just absorb that dark energy--- but there's something else and it's terrifying feeling so she backs off. "What the FUCK did Riventon-sama PUT in you!?" she says. "WHAT IS THAT...." she hasn't had the chance to look at the readings Rashmi-chan gave her yet.<br /><br />She looks apologetically at Mamoru, she can't drain that thing long term. It's making her sick. Think bad things. Making her feel wrong and she's already ''//wrong//''.<br /><br />"YOU'RE DELUSIONAL." she says, "You're a fake. Using stolen powers. That weren't yours to begin with. The only thing you're making is a mistake."<br /><br />She'll continue to rant as she moves to drain off the energy from boys. She'll use fricken... inhuman weird smoke tentacles to do it all at once if she has to. She doesn't care about her appearance or presentation right now. Revel in the inhumanity!<br /><br />She at least isn't yelling full tilt anymore.<br /><br />Because the anger is dying down into depression suddenly fast.<br /><br />"I'm sorry..." she says quietly. "I didn't know... I'm sorry... I should... I should had looked when.. when Venus asked me questions. But I was too upset about the dress... I..." she mutters, as she works.<br /><br />"I .. I think they should be good." she manages to say more silently.<br /><br />She isn't trying to fight anymore right now. Others can take care of that.

:'''{{#var:220|Miho Kagami| (220)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Life Mahou has ... literally never been involved in a magical group this big before, much less a fight. (Unless you ''really'' want to count the youma-bots she and Rashmi blew up with their combo-attack.) So when she looks around at the rest of the group after seeing Rento get hit with Zoisite's darts ... she feels a pang from social anxiety.<br /><br />And then Joy looks between Sailor Moon, Sailor Earth, and ... Mamoru. "W-wait, ''you're'' ..." She stares at him. "... How did I literally not recognize you until now!?"<br /><br />She shakes her head, and then just ... swoops down and throws her arms around Rento. <span class="fg_35">"Life Blessing ..."</span> She starts pouring Life energy into him, a minty-green glow surrounding them both. Not an attack, not bolstering anything, just ... ''purifying'' any dark power that might be inside him, pushing it out and cleansing him. <span class="fg_35">"... PURE HALATION!"</span><br /><br />... and then she starts feeling it interacting with ''her'' curse as well. It doesn't actually seem to be harming her, but ... "... ow ... ow ... ''ow'' ... ''ow'' ... OW ... OW ..."<br /><br />Not that she lets up, either.

:'''{{#var:132|Zoisite| (132)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Boy, it looks like Earth is distracted. Zoisite and his tactical numbing darts are searching for the next of Kukai's brothers to fall victim to it. If he can cause them to drop weapons or fail at all, that is good.<br /><br />He's still lobbing a couple at Earth; it costs him nothing in energy, after all, and targeting the ''source'' of the problems only makes sense. "Well, that makes complete sense." Click goes the logic, right into place, and Zoisite sneers at Earth. "Fake little thief... you have to ''steal'', lie, and cheat for everything you ''ever'' have, and ever will!"<br /><br />Those nasty little darts head toward Suusui next, though Zoisite is planning more to defend those who need it. In this case, it looks like Lacrima, and he sets a hand on her shoulder, gently.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Wh--aaat?" asks Endymion in a half-panic, then literally sits on Kukai's brother because god DAMN, and then has the presence of mind to start freezing him down. The problem is, that starts not being very effective, and Mamoru looks up at Kokoro and Sailor Earth, and Sailor Earth's words register, and the power growing in them as Lacrima starts to drain Earth--<br /><br />--is now really obviously trailing from Mamoru himself.<br /><br />"H-henshin-- magic--" he tells Life Mahou Joy, and then not only is the cartridge empty, but Eiszapfen's glow is dimming. Lacrima stops draining, but Eiszapfen... He's pinging something quietly at Mamoru, and then Moonlight Frost Knight's transformation vanishes, leaving a barely-twenty college student in a Sailor Moon bootleg t-shirt and cargo shorts and birkenstocks sitting on a wildly too-strong and thrashing Cookiebrother.<br /><br />He stares at Sailor Earth, dark blue eyes shocked and horrified, and then he slumps over and passes out.%

:'''{{#var:151|Sora Hisakata| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"You don't have feelings, hopes or dreams Nullheart Earth. You merely simulate them." Kazeko answers softly. "You are static, incapable of genuine learning. Your every behavior shows that you aren't merely stubborn and delusional, you are incapable of overcoming your delusions because those delusions are all you are. You're a lie acting at being a person."<br /><br />She's ignoring Shuushio's hits, sure they sting but she's been hit worse; and something far more important catches her eyes. A certain Frost Knight is falling and she rushes forward to take him away from any potential threat to his body.

:'''{{#var:58|Princess Sailor Moon| (58)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>It's funny how sometimes what a person focuses on when things start going to hell. As Sailor Moon lunges toward Mamoru, all she can think about without screaming is 'I really like his shirt.'<br /><br />Luna struggles out of Sky Jack's hold with a gasp. "Mamo-chan!" The little ball of fury uses her rescuer as a rebounding board, pushing toward Earth with claws outstretched, ears flat against her skull, and an angry hiss. "Get away from him!"<br /><br />There's a moment where Sailor Moon just wants to pour all of her crystal into Mamoru. She's very annoyed by the voice of reason in the back of her head (that sounds suspiciously like him) that it likely wouldn't help ''him.''<br /><br />Her wand is already out.<br /><br />It won't hurt the flying ball of fury. It probably won't even hurt Earth that much, but she has to try. And there isn't time for a tiara to the gut first.<br /><br />"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki ducks away from the scattered mist, then while reaching out, yanks the guandao back into her hand, the mist disappearing as it reforms. With Sora going for the downed person, she takes steps putting herself between Earth and her girlfriend. "Your hopes and dreams require taking those very things from everyone else. Even if you weren't a poor copy of someone else, you'd need to be stopped. You can't even see another option can you?" Each sentence is paired with a slash, a stab or a sweep with the handle of her polearm. <br /> <br /> Normally, she's got plenty of thoughts going through her head that the others' outbursts don't jar her too much, silly or serious. Norie's outburst gets her to stumble briefly, watching her with concern. Sora's still up and not having a freakout, so as before, she lashes out hard with the spear, smashing it against Earth's defenses and using it to create that mist again, covering her attempt to put herself between Norie and the baddie. She also tries to punch rather than pulling the spear away, down, then up, side then back. Every movement design to look slightly off, harder to read.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The barrier falls as Mamoru does, and the largest magical group Life Mahou Joy has ever been a part of grows larger again: as the real world is reasserted around them, there are ''two'' people in the uniform Zoisite wears here, not just one. Kunzite is standing a little to one side, his hands already lifted in preparation to shape his powers. Cold gray eyes already scanning to determine where best to apply them.<br /><br />He blanches when he sees Mamoru's fallen body, but he doesn't hesitate: he lends shielding to the one who seems likely to be in best position to protect him directly. Kazeko.<br /><br />(The one in best position to protect him altogether is ... not Kazeko. But a shout of 'MOON PRINCESS' anything means that Sailor Moon does ''not'' need any assistance from Kunzite in her person right now.)

:'''{{#var:217|Royal Archwitch Mirai| (217)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The combination of numbing darts, life blessing, and Lacrima's energy draining rampage take their toll on the Souma clan, and one by one, their armor dims... then shatters into sparkling nothingness.<br /><br />And there's the not small matter of Kokoro's hammer slamming into Sailor Earth's upper back, at which she lets out a very-human cry of actual pain, perhaps the first any of them had ever heard. She gets up, and starts fighting various attacks - Jiaying's spear, Zoisite's darts, and errant bits of damaging power from the others. It's just too much, and she's burned through so much energy... she hits her knees and tilts forward...<br /><br />But as she hits the dirt, she's not the only one - so does Mamoru. And the barrier breaks down. And the best laid plans of mahou come into play - a fraction of a moment too late. Sailor Earth rolls to the side - into her cape - and appears behind Mamoru Chiba the boy, throwing a surge of golden energy at Kazeko's shioelded form, and then pulling Mamoru up from ther ground with one powerful hand as the strange energy throbs out into the world from her body. A second pulse pushes everyone back with incredible magical force, and the third causes the world to slow, and the 'inverted colors' effect that swamps the world in wierd energy lasts for longer than an eye blink.<br /><br />She manouvers Mamoru so that he's in the path of the attacks as she flexes her left arm and it glows with strange golden energy - and she pushes it into his body.<br /><br />But rather than a brutal show of blood and gore, it phases into him - she spends a few moments like that before she retracts her hand... and a glimmering, golden crystal is in her hand.<br /><br />"The problem with telling someone they need a soul is that they just might decide you're right!" And Sailor Earth turns to the side and spits out something - a glass-like shard of something black with purple and red and blue energy crackling along it. And that's the thing that feels distinctly not radiant. And she lets go of Mamoru... as she shoves the crystal she stole from him directly into herself.<br /><br />Another surge of strange blue and golden energy erupts from her body and for a few moments she's not Sailor Earth - she's a body made of glistening blue crystal. Then a human. Then a golden spirit. And when the shifts end, Mirai Terra stands clad in Endymion's armor, a golden blade in her hand.<br /><br />"Won't need that anymore." She sneers as her booted heel comes down on the sliver she'd spit up earlier. And far away from the current fight... a tall, silver haired boy walking down the street suddenly collapses in a heap.<br /><br />And deep inside Mirai Terra - Sailor Earth - the Empress' body... unshielded by Takashi's machinations... the power of the final remaining Jewel Seed on Earth rings clear to all.

:'''{{#var:220|Miho Kagami| (220)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>''Oh, so that's what it is,'' Life Mahou Joy thinks to herself, dimly making a mental note to pay more attention the next time she sees, say, Hoshi in henshin -- ''Oh, whoops, Sailor Moon already has an attack named Halation --''<br /><br />The barrier's down.<br /><br />Joy staggers back from Rento, shuddering slightly as she recovers tries to recover from the pain of her own purification as fast as she can, arms crossed with her left arm grasped in her right. As she turns to face the brilliant Empress Mirai and the soulless Mamoru, she's not ... ''angry'' exactly. Anger doesn't really come naturally to Miho, especially when she's being Joy. But she's quite visibly ''upset''. "What the hell ''is'' this?" she breathes; she's never encountered the phrase 'Jewel Seed' before. But then she takes a deep breath, and says, "Lacchan, get back from ''that woman'', I need a clear shot at --"<br /><br />Green-black wisps of shadow emanate from her left arm where she's grabbing it, and a minty-green glow emits from her right hand. Her shadow turns pure black, and whispers, <span class="fg_22">"... murdering her ..."</span><br /><br />Joy just ... freezes up, eyes wide, squeezing her arm and producing a slightly greater light show as she tries to get her emotions back under control. "Crap crap crap crap crap ..." Her shadow lets out a low, guttural snicker in response.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kokoro is smart. She doesn't assume that one blow is going to take Sailor Earth down, so she takes a short hop back, both to give herself room to react to any counterattacks, and to give the others room to unload. That means that she's even more out of reach when she realizes Mamoru is down - and when Earth teleports right over to him and picks him up.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That second pulse of magic is strong enough to blow even Dengeki Shoujo off her feet. The only thing she can manage is swinging her hammer down hard enough to 'hook' the ground and stall her flight out. The street is chewed up, but she's down on her feet again, and- ...and moving slowly.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's nothing she can do but watch as that weird girl flat-out steals Mamoru's soul and shoves it in herself. "NO-! Oi, you thieving little- don't you- I'MMA SMASH YOUR FACE UNTIL THE WORLD'S BEST CORONERS GOT NO IDEA WHO THEY'RE PUTTIN' BACK TOGETHER!" The roar of fury rises from her, and her entire body begins to crackle and sizzle with rolling arcs of electricity. The ground cracks under her feet as she pushes. Trying to squeeze out even a ''little'' extra speed against this wave of slowing force. Trying to get just a bit closer.

:'''{{#var:132|Zoisite| (132)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>His Prince is down.<br /><br />''His Prince is down''.<br /><br />Regardless of whatever other events are happening, Zoisite's priorities are now shifted, and he leaps toward Flat Earth and his Prince--<br /><br />''Too late''.<br /><br />No. No. No, no no no no no no no ''no no no no''! Zoisite screams wordlessly at Earth, hands wreathed in flames. He may not be able to reach her, but he does ''not'' care. He does not even remotely care. There aren't even words, just raw fury, and fire, and Zoisite not caring in the least if he gets injured, so long as he does ''her'' an injury.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>...Zoisite is trying to provide support? That's.. uh. Not what she expects from Zoisite. "I..I'll be fine I just..." then she shoots up. "Wait what's....happening." her eyes go wide as she tries to process what exactly is happening? Is she trying to kill him!? Wait...<br /><br />Wait that's... Lacrima's eyes go wide as she tries to make a run for that. But she's too late. It's crushed. She's pretty sure he felt that wherever he was.<br /><br />She hopes he takes that as a sign that things didn't go very well since hopefully he might also feel that Jewel Seed.<br /><br />"So that's what..." that energy was. She reminds herself to check her own energy signature when she gets back to the manor. If she gets back to the manor. To make sure there isn't any corruption.<br /><br />"Joy, take a deep breath. Long in. Long out." she says with as she twitches a bit.<br /><br />She shoots another beam of dark energy towards her, lancing through the air. It may also be too late.<br /><br /><span style="color:purple">"I will end your miserable existence. I will fucking drain that back and put it back where it belongs with a fucking crazy straw in your god damn skull if I have to!"</span> she yells.

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba| (38)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Mamoru falls, lifeless, to the grass. Everything around everywhere is undamaged, as if the blasts and attacks hadn't happened-- but that won't stay that way long if they keep going. The barrier is, yes, down. This is the real world.<br /><br />This is the real world and there's a real world of hurt headed Sailor Earth's way, now, but the body on the ground is, in fact, soulless. No heartbeat, no breath. Undamaged, but dead.<br /><br />Anyone here with a connection to that Golden Crystal, though--? The same way Mamoru can find Usagi when she henshins, or when she's terrified--? Usagi and the Shitennou ''can feel his aggravation''. It's just that it's coming from the direction of Mirai Terra, wholly and solely. There's a lot of string-of-fate-tugging in her direction right now.

:'''{{#var:151|Sora Hisakata| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"And thus did she sign her death warrant in Mamoru Chiba's blood." Kazeko then giggles. It's a strange child-like giggle, a giggle that Kazeko has never indulged in. That weird child-like giggle should be familiar to many of those present, however. It's the giggle Shiniko had whenever she was about to condemn someone to her twisted sense of Justice. "I do so look forward~ to executing upon your sincere desire for your own death, Mirai-chan~ It will be so much fun~" That sing-song voice likewise has clear echoes of Shiniko. "But I guess you won't stick around for playtime~? Or are you going to be a good sport~" She's sending cutting cold winds towards Sailor Earth regardless.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki looks at confused at the first pulse. She tries to stab forward with claws, the mist still formed, leaving her unarmed. Which means she has no effective way of stopping herself, or even trying to stop herself were it an option as she tumbles away. There's attempts to grab onto something, to stabalize herself, to use magic to enhance claws and finally just tucking and rolling to keep something from breaking. <br /> <br /> When she comes to a stop with an exhalation of pain, she looks at the world upside down in time to see a crystal torn out and stuffed into the puppet. There's a few moments of confusion where she's talking to herself in Chinese, trying to figure out why he's got a soul ball. Then it kind of clicks that now's not a great time for dazed contemplation. Shaking her head, she scrambles to her feet and promptly stumbles. <br /> <br /> She wouldn't make it in time even if she weren't stunned, that doesn't stop her from lurching forward anyway. Motes of blue flame appearing around her before streaking out towards the pair. The chill of something otherworldly surrounding them. They collide and form the image of a long haired ghost reaching out to try and grab at the soul before recoiling in horror itself, fading away once more. There's some ancient Chinese shouted as though through a wall, though clearly in frustration before it fades away, hiding behind the fox-girl again. <br /> <br /> With a hand to her head, she closes her eyes, making a dismissive gesture behind her. Whatever entity she had brought with her disappears. Removing itself from the area. "I've seen those torn and carved out of yaoguai often enough, I'm sure it won't be too hard." The hood of her jacket gets pulled away, a grin on her features showing off sharp teeth and a look of what could be described as 'evil intent'. Before, she'd have been pushing her poltergeists to the angry dead phase, releasing a barely contained font of frustration and anger at her opponents. It's funneled inward now instead and as she runs forward, she opens up her arms to reveal sharpened claws, hooked, trailing phantasmal energy. She doesn't say anything as she lashes out mid-sprint, her claws leaving a furrow in the ground as the magic tears through it. She's not sure she's going to be fast enough, the way these sorts work, to actually connect.

:'''{{#var:58|Princess Sailor Moon| (58)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The cry gets caught in her throat. Everything does. Her body recoils as her soul waits for a snap that had already decimated her once.<br /><br />It's during that recoil that the ancient part of her responds to the call of armor and she's too distracted for a moment to force it back. She tries to, for a moment, wanting to hold it in and not let it come out for ''that,'' but whispy chiffon and silvery hair pays no heed to the person ''beneath'' the armor, apparently.<br /><br />For once, it isn't the armor she runs toward. Not even considering that dust and debris would be a bitch to get out of moon spun fabric, she nearly slides toward the slumped figure on the ground.<br /><br />He is empty. She knows this. But it doesn't stop her from reaching, from--<br /><br />''There.''<br /><br />She holds tight, shaking fingers actually balling into a fist at her chest as though that could do anything. She looks up and gives Earth a look she's rarely given to anyone since D-Point.<br /><br />She can't do anything.<br /><br />Her wand is in her hand again, knuckles even more white than they normally are in this costume.<br /><br />She doesn't lift the wand to Earth. <br /><br />She turns it toward Kunzite.<br /><br />It's an impulse, really. She doesn't even know if he can do anything with it. But while she might not be able to do anything, she's pretty sure he can.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kyouko is not at this battle. But that doesn't mean she isn't aware of it. She is, in fact, at work, stuck behind the counter of the conbenie. It's frustrating, but as Kunzite always tells her, there's five of us for a reason- we can't all be with Mamoru all the time. And that's okay. Most of the time.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If the world were in jeaopardy, or if this was a guaranteed end-game scenario, you'd better believe she would have walked out of her job, but as it is, this seems to be just another "Sailor Earth is causing trouble again" scenario. And Zoisite is there with Mamoru, and Kunzite is there. Usagi, too. (And others, but those are the ones she knows are present via communicator-traffic.) So she is being good, and staying at her job, despite the situation making her be mildly rude to a customer, and tap her finger on the counter.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That is, of course, until ''something happens''. She doesn't know what, exactly. It's like... something snaps in her head. And suddenly, Mamoru is there again. He's always been there, but this is different. Like he hasn't been in months. Stronger, even, than he was before, because the bond has still been growing as her connection to the Earth grows stronger over time, even if she hasn't been able to feel it clearly thanks to Earth's usurpation.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But now she can. So strong, relative to how she remembers it, that it makes her stagger against the counter. But not just because of the sudden revitilization of the bond- also because of what she feels. A moment of stress, horor and fear. Then, for the briefest of terrifying moments, nothing. And then.. Mamoru is pissed.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Something happened. Something ''important'' and ''dangerous'' happened, and Mamoru is there and Kunzite is there and many of the people that Kyouko cares most about in the world are there, and she ''isn't'' there and that's not right. Kyouko, suddenly, is consumed by fear- not Mamoru's fear, but her own fear. Of several things- of losing someone she cares about, again. But also of ''not being there'' when Mamoru needs her, after she swore and oath to protect him. An oath which means more to her than almost anything else, certainly more than her own life, because it's that oath which gave her life back to her- made it worth living, anyway.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And the need to be there is so strong, so all-consuming, that she's taken two steps towards the door before she even realizes it, even as her rational brain is telling her that she's too far away, and even at the speed of super-jump, by the time she gets there it's going to be far too late to make a difference. And the irrational part of her brain (which is a very large part) is screaming back that it doesn't ''matter'', because if she can't be there then what the hell is her oath worth, anyway? And just when it seems like the two halves of her brain are going to tear her head apart with their screaming match, something ''else'' snaps.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It might be reality.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then, she ''is'' there. There's a crack of displaced air like someone just snapped a bullwhip, and without any warning whatsoever, Apatite is standing in a spot which moments before was completely empty, in front of where Usagi cradles the unconscious(dead) body of Mamoru. In henshin, with her spear in her hand. And for a split second she looks startled. And then she takes in the scene and she just looks pissed, as her eyes center on Earth, in a fascimile of Endymion's armor. And radiating ''Mamoru's'' feelings from within her.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"What the fuck did you do to him?" She hisses, not bothering to wonder at how she got here, or to explain herself to anyone. Because that's really not important right now.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The rational part of Kunzite's brain is analyzing, as always. ''This'' is what just appeared to happen. ''This'' is what may have actually happened. ''These'' are contributing factors; ''this'' is what we know about them. ''This'' is how to repair it, and it is certainly within our capability, or at least within Usagi's capability --<br /><br />The emotional part is frozen wrath. But not so frozen that he does not, at that flicker of thought, glance Usagi's way. And see Serenity. And see the wand lifted.<br /><br />The shields vanish around Kazeko, and reappear around Kunzite.<br /><br />Searingly pure white energy meets void-black. And when they end, both are gone --<br /><br />He does not reflect the power toward Sailor Earth. He does not process it into some massive crackling beam of pink and silver. He holds onto it. Holds.<br /><br />A silent promise: this ''will'' be used. There ''will'' be a time for it. Not this instant.<br /><br />Which means there will be another instant, and another after that, and for all that it feels like time must be ending, it will continue, and ''there will be something they can do.''<br /><br />(Somewhere, in a desert, in a ruin, a caracal the size of a Clydesdale lifts its head, tufted ears flicking in startlement. There is a breath of a pause, and then its whiskers twitch. "Huh. ''That's'' interesting.")<br /><br />(The genius loci flickers out of one part of its domain, and into another, and examines the fountain at the heart of a parched and near-empty courtyard. It is still not running with water. The spirit is not certain what the shimmer like liquid silver ''is.'' But it is, at least, a change.)

:'''{{#var:217|Royal Archwitch Mirai| (217)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>And Sailor Earth stands there - as Empress Endymion, or some other unholy grouping of names that calls back to both Mamoru and Not Being Mamoru At All. And she's got power, very palpable power, every time she moves the air shudders at it. Jewel Seed, Dark Energy, Golden Crystal, and who knows what else, perhaps remnants of the Grief Seed she ''ate'' a week ago.<br /><br />There's no more armor around the others, around the now-unconscious Souma clan. She doesn't need pawns now. She doesn't need Takashi telling her what to do, or small reminders of a world she never really experienced but could feel in her mind.<br /><br />She turns to Life Mahou Joy slowly. "You can't control me - you can't even control yourself. Your mind is as impure as this world is." She moves and talks so... relaxed now. So calm. But the force behind her movements is so clear- when she pushes a hand out towards Dengenki and a distorted sort of Magic Circle appears and reforms into a crystal rose before another shuddering burst of energy erupts and pushes the girl away.<br /><br />"Yes. So very yes." Zoisite gets a similar dismissive burst, the strange power of Lost Logia and Golden Crystal actually snuffs out his flame as it pushes him away, too.<br /><br />Lacrima doesn't get a rose. Lacrima gets the other hand - the golden sword pointed at her before a battering, and purifying (mostly) blast of golden energy bursts her way. Lacrima's blast is simply swallowed up by it. "You're no better than her, a twisted wraith trying to remember the shadow of her former self. You can't fight me when you've already lost a fight to yourself."<br /><br />Kazeko, embracing Shiniko, gets a radiant sword blast as well. "So many people here, so flawed and problematic. Yet you fight to keep this terrible world. I will be merciful, when everything is fixed you will be pure, cured of your ailments."<br /><br />"Down, you feral beast." she says to Jiaying, noting the vanishing of the ghost, and the fox girl manages to close space - before the shuddering power surge erupts from Earth again, knocking Jiaying - and Kyouko, just as she appears, and Kunzite - back. But not Usagi. She has that much control, even over the Jewel Seed's pulses. She levels that blade at Kunzite and Apatite. "Moments ago I would be happy to duel you, but now that would be like burning ants with a magnifying glass. He's now what he should have been all along - empty, hollow shell of nothingness. Now I am Mamoru Chiba, and Mirai Terra, and Sailor Earth, and the Empress Endymion, and so many other titles. Perhaps I will make you address me by them all next time we meet." And with her free hand she picks up the body of Mamoru and THROWS it at Apatite and Kunzite. "Take your trash with you as you leave."<br /><br />And the last bit was for Usagi. "I am sorry to see you so sad, Bunny. But soon you'll never have to have a moment of sadness again. I ''promise'' I will make everything right for you. For us. My princess. That's why I have to leave. So I can fix all of this." Wether she means her mistakes, or the world, or both? Is unsaid. "I have the brother AND sister to your crystal - I will make this happen."<br /><br />And in a flash, the astrological symbol of Earth, that four-quartered circle, is ripped into the earth by sheer power - and Sailor Earth is gone.

:'''{{#var:217|Royal Archwitch Mirai| (217)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>And Sailor Earth stands there - as Empress Endymion, or some other unholy grouping of names that calls back to both Mamoru and Not Being Mamoru At All. And she's got power, very palpable power, every time she moves the air shudders at it. Jewel Seed, Dark Energy, Golden Crystal, and who knows what else, perhaps remnants of the Grief Seed she ''ate'' a week ago.<br /><br />There's no more armor around the others, around the now-unconscious Souma clan. She doesn't need pawns now. She doesn't need Takashi telling her what to do, or small reminders of a world she never really experienced but could feel in her mind.<br /><br />She turns to Life Mahou Joy slowly. "You can't control me - you can't even control yourself. Your mind is as impure as this world is." She moves and talks so... relaxed now. So calm. But the force behind her movements is so clear- when she pushes a hand out towards Dengenki and a distorted sort of Magic Circle appears and reforms into a crystal rose before another shuddering burst of energy erupts and pushes the girl away.<br /><br />"Yes. So very yes." Zoisite gets a similar dismissive burst, the strange power of Lost Logia and Golden Crystal actually snuffs out his flame as it pushes him away, too.<br /><br />Lacrima doesn't get a rose. Lacrima gets the other hand - the golden sword pointed at her before a battering, and a shattering blast of golden energy bursts her way. Lacrima's blast is simply swallowed up by it. "You're no better than her, a twisted wraith trying to remember the shadow of her former self. You can't fight me when you've already lost a fight to yourself."<br /><br />Kazeko, embracing Shiniko, gets a radiant sword blast as well. "So many people here, so flawed and problematic. Yet you fight to keep this terrible world. I will be merciful, when everything is fixed you will be pure, cured of your ailments."<br /><br />"Down, you feral beast." she says to Jiaying, noting the vanishing of the ghost, and the fox girl manages to close space - before the shuddering power surge erupts from Earth again, knocking Jiaying - and Kyouko, just as she appears, and Kunzite - back. But not Usagi. She has that much control, even over the Jewel Seed's pulses. She levels that blade at Kunzite and Apatite. "Moments ago I would be happy to duel you, but now that would be like burning ants with a magnifying glass. He's now what he should have been all along - empty, hollow shell of nothingness. Now I am Mamoru Chiba, and Mirai Terra, and Sailor Earth, and the Empress Endymion, and so many other titles. Perhaps I will make you address me by them all next time we meet." And with her free hand she picks up the body of Mamoru and THROWS it at Apatite and Kunzite. "Take your trash with you as you leave."<br /><br />And the last bit was for Usagi. "I am sorry to see you so sad, Bunny. But soon you'll never have to have a moment of sadness again. I ''promise'' I will make everything right for you. For us. My princess. That's why I have to leave. So I can fix all of this." Wether she means her mistakes, or the world, or both? Is unsaid. "I have the brother AND sister to your crystal - I will make this happen."<br /><br />And in a flash, the astrological symbol of Earth, that four-quartered circle, is ripped into the earth by sheer power - and Sailor Earth is gone.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Her blast is swallowed by the golden burst of energy... and it doesn't actually stop it, so she dodges to the right and--- a full chunk of her side is sort of blown open there. She begins cursing viciously. Ow. Ow. Ow. She might not 'die' to things like this but they hurt. But then Earth says something. Black ichor leaking from the wound.<br /><br />Something that has been echoed to her a lot in recent days, only a different way. 'The thing wearing my sister's skin.' 'A wraith trying to remember the shadow of itself.' this causes her to twitch. But she can't bring herself to outburst, falling on her behind. Just leaking awful and sort of digging her head into her knees. "...I should had... if I..." she whispers to herself. Everyone is probably gonna be a mess, she thinks.

:'''{{#var:200|Kokoro Akakuma| (200)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This time, Kokoro is ready for it - this time, the difference is night and day. Around comes that hammer again, slamming into the ground for just that little extra bit of anchor, and the crimson thundergirl braces herself. The blast hits her, pavement and blacktop churn, digging up a huge furrow... but this time, she remains on her feet. She remains on the ground. Glaring, bleeding from the lip now, Dengeki Shoujo stands defiant, the center of a minor maelstrom of electricity like watching a lightning globe. But she doesn't run in; she's smarter than that. Not without a plan to handle a blast power strong enough to knock even ''her'' around a bit.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...I ain't gonna call you but one thing. 'Dead girl walking'."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then Sailor Earth is gone, and Kokoro Akakuma finally feels willing to let go of her hammer - and the transformation it brings with it. She staggers for a second, hit by the tolerable ache of taking that mace to the abs and the much-less-pleasant sensation of 'blasted off her feet twice and pushing with all her strength to reach someone'. "Hnh..." But she's used to aching. You get that, when you brawl a lot. Of more concern is...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"O-oi, Lacrima..." Slowly, she turns to amble over to a friend that looks ''very badly hurt''.

:'''{{#var:132|Zoisite| (132)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Zoisite drops to his knees, which is ''probably'' a good thing, considering the rose heading his way. He doesn't even resist the blast, not really, because the sense of relief he feels is entirely too great for that. He can ''sense his Prince'' again. Earth's words fall on temporarily-deaf ears. This isn't over. ''This is not over'', not by a long shot.<br /><br />"You ''will'' regret this," Zoisite growls as Earth leaves, his hands white-fisted as he stalks over to his Prince's abandoned, empty body. Priorities. Now that he's not blank with rage, ''what'' do they do with his body? "We need to keep his body alive until we get ''him'' back in it. Anyone know a handy healer?" He's dropping to his knees next to the empty body, tugging it close.<br /><br />They ''will'' get him back, or Zoisite will watch the whole world ''burn''.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki could almost feel those claws digging in. She even tries to lash out with her other hand, scrambling before she's blown away by the power. For the second time today she ends up rolling until she impacts with something solid. She doesn't stand up immediately this time. Rolling on her side, she struggles to her feet, shakes her head a few times. She si definitely not in a good spot right now.

:'''{{#var:151|Sora Hisakata| (151)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As Earth vanishes, Kazeko giggles. The look on her face is one of anticipation, of joyous anticipation. She is looking forward to smashing Earth, to making Earth history. Because if she didn't focus on the anticipation of that victory, she would only have hatred. She takes to the sky and giggles as leaves, not in an emotional state to talk to anyone right now.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Apatite barely has time to get the words of her question out of her mouth before that wave of power is coming from Earth, pushing her back. She manages to keep her feet, but is driven a good few yards back, her feet leaving trails in the ground as she fights against it, teeth bared to show her fangs.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then, before she can gather herself for an attack, Earth is gone.. and Mamoru's currently-empty body is being hurled straight towards her and Kunzite, and her eyes widen and suddenly it's less 'rabid attack dog' and more 'oh god, fireman with a sheet under a window' type of situation.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She hurridly drops her spear and holds up her arms but Mamoru is like twice her size so its a good thing that Kunzite is there to help or else one or both bodies might have been concussed.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then Zoisite is there as well, and Kyouko is scowling as she lowers Mamoru to the ground (or the part she's holding, anyway) and she's just fuming. She hasn't even stopped, yet, to consider how she's here.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Kunzite has had an unfortunate habit, the last few months, of being knocked back by blasts directly out of henshin: reverting to a dazed or unconscious Kazuo, unable to hold on to the uniform and the powers that go with it. Not this time. This time he's knocked back, yes, but stays awake, stays alert, stays in possession of his cape. (Which is a considerable improvement over his ''last'' encounter with Sailor Earth.)<br /><br />Which means that, alongside Apatite, he can break the impact of Mamoru's unoccupied body.<br /><br />He helps Apatite ease Mamoru to the ground; glances to Serenity, to be certain she has a clear path; glances to Zoisite, and there is a sheen of silvery-white over his eyes, a faint little bleedoff of energy too much for him to hold. Glances to Lacrima --<br /><br />-- glances away again, quickly, lest he involuntarily make a bad situation worse. He lays a hand on Zoisite's shoulder, instead.

:'''{{#var:220|Miho Kagami| (220)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Right. Deep breaths. Joy breathes in, and out. In, and out. She looks over at Mamoru's prone form ... and immediately knows, from pure instinct alone, that there isn't anything she can do to revive him. Her shadow snickers into her ear.<br /><br />And her breath catches in her throat as she looks over at Kazeko. Or, to be more precise, the former Shadow Witch. ''Ohhhhhh.'' No ''wonder'' she had a personal mission to get rid of the familiars --<br /><br />She flinches back from Empress Endymion's words. "Curse, actually," she gasps, but it's still hurting her. Deep breaths. In, and out. In, and out. There's too much happening, there's too many people, ''Mamoru just died in front of her''. "I'm ... falling apart ..." The wave of force hits her, and she staggers back. The wisps coming from her arm seem to increase, and the glow from her hand starts to sputter. Her costume starts flickering with light, as though it might disappear any second. "Crap ... ''not right now!"'' she gasps. Her shadow actually laughs out loud, wrapping its arms around her shoulders.<br /><br />And then Zoisite speaks up. Hope returns. "I-I'm a healer!" she gasps. She looks at the shadowy arms wrapped around her, and the minty green light flares up. "I would rather not get ''draped over'' by Liquid Mi-- uh, Liquid Joy today." Her shadow looks surprised, and then reverts to being an ordinary shadow, and the dark wisps vanish from her arm. "Or, that doesn't even make sense. Liquid Malice?"<br /><br />She straightens up and drops her arms. "Be with you in a moment, Lacchan," she says, and walks over to Zoisite, Kyouko, Kazuo, and ... Mamoru's body. "... I've never worked with a dead body before. How long are you going to need me?" She looks around. "... also, can we get somewhere else ''really quickly'' like how, um, ''she'' just teleported here?" She gestures to Apatite, not knowing any other names. "I ... am not going to be able to concentrate enough in a crowd, this is literally only my second week with a henshin, aaaand yeah." She runs out of steam.

:'''{{#var:160|Lacrima| (160)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Lacrima looks back to Kokoro and frowns. "I...I'll be okay. I'm okay. There's worse hurt people here..." she says softly. She gently walks over to Kunzite, and Apatite. "Venus was right. It was Riven-sama. That was a Nullheart. With a Jewel Seed core." she pauses. "....Sorry...." is all she can say as she turns around. As if she's somehow responsible for that thing in any way.<br /><br />"....if there's anything I can do to help. You know where to find me. Or contact me."<br /><br />"I should.. probably. Go take care of the hole in the side of my body." she says.<br /><br />"....Joy can you please see to Jiaying?" she asks as she sighs. She just sort of lets herself mist into the Dusk Zone. She doesn't want to be here anymore right now.

:'''{{#var:58|Princess Sailor Moon| (58)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Usagi recoils at the promises and staggers to her feet when Mamoru's thrown. There's a hitch in her breath and for a moment she wonders if Earth means to take her crystal as well. It would make an odd sort of sense.<br /><br />Others have tried. She just hopes more won't succeed.<br /><br />"But...everything ''was'' right."<br /><br />Then Earth was gone and Usagi could only just stare at the body Zoisite and Apatite were holding onto.<br /><br />Luna, favoring a paw and looking a little dazed, climbs onto Kunzite's shoulder. It is the tallest human perch. She needs height. She slides beneath his hair, claws digging into his top to hang on, and makes herself as small as she can. Her erratic purring is more to calm herself down than anything.<br /><br />Usagi blinks. Questions. Right. Does she have answers? "A hospital...?" But oh, he hates needles.<br /><br />She thinks Joy said something about being a healer, but Usagi sort of tunes her out for her own sanity at 'dead body.'

:'''{{#var:132|Zoisite| (132)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Right, going somewhere else. ''Somewhere else''... "I doubt the apartments are secure." He's glancing at Kunzite and Apatite, some of the wide-eyed and wild-eyed manic expression leaving his face. "Heal who you can, and then hang on to me."<br /><br />There is still something dangerous in his expression and voice, but it's controlled for now. It's for use on someone later, after all, and he must ''plan'' to ensure it's well-targeted.

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Apatite looks at Joy, blinking several times in rapid succession. "I don't even know how I got ''myself'' here. It would probably not be a good idea to try and make me do it again with somebody else." She wavers suddenly, as if her energy decided to give out despite not having really done much yet, so she reaches out and puts a hand on Usagi's shoulder, both as comfort and to keep herself from falling.

:'''{{#var:220|Miho Kagami| (220)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Joy watches Lacrima vanish. "... someone who knows Ariel-chan, can you get in touch and tell her Lacchan needs ''all the hugs?"'' she says weakly. "Because she's ... one of the people who was here who needs all the hugs." No, she's not referring to herself, why would you think that?<br /><br />She looks at Jiaying, and then grimaces. "Can you bring me back instead?" she says softly. "I need ... quiet ''first'', ''then'' healing." She shakes her head. "There's just ... too many people here right now." She just ... grabs Zoisite's arm firmly.

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Zoisite and I can handle it," Kunzite says quietly to Apatite - his hand on Zoisite's shoulder presses lightly for a moment, and then he lets go and steps to the side, moving to join Apatite and Serenity. Carefully. Carefully so not as to dislodge Luna. To Zoisite, he says, "We'll follow you, when she's ready. Best for keeping him stable." He pauses and adds to Joy, "There will be other rooms, so we can minimize the crowding, and give you quiet."<br /><br />It won't be safe for long, of course. But nowhere else will be, either.

:'''{{#var:132|Zoisite| (132)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>The Shitennou on the ground nods, holding Mamoru's body close to himself. "Alright." There's a moment, and then they're gone, without Zoisite's usual flair for the dramatic. He is ''entirely'' serious, and likely already plotting how best to acquire truly horrific amounts of accelerants.

:'''{{#var:58|Princess Sailor Moon| (58)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Usagi blinks in surprise at Kyouko's sudden presense. Or maybe not so sudden. She leans her head against the other girl's shoulder as her arm sneaks around her waist. "Kyou-kun~" Comfort for support, it isn't a bad trade off.<br /><br />Zoisite leaves and...takes Mamoru with him. With them.<br /><br />She looks up at Kunzite and offers a smile before her eyebrows screw together in concern. His eyes look funny. "Did I hurt you?"

:'''{{#var:109|Kunzite| (109)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"No." Kunzite considers amending that to 'I don't think so,' but decides not to make Usagi's confusion worse. He gestures between Usagi and Apatite. "May I take you somewhere? To where Zoisite and the girl went to help Mamoru, or if you need to go somewhere else, name the place." Anywhere other than this. Anywhere.

:'''{{#var:171|Jiaying Maki| (171)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Jiaying Maki orients herself to her feet and looks at Miho for a few moments. Pulling her hood up over her head again, she stuffs her hands into her pockets and asks, "Where do you need to go?" Seeming confused. Might be that she's probably a bit addled. She looks at the others present, then mutters, "Either way we should go."

:'''{{#var:78|Kyouko Sakura| (78)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Apatite leans her cheek sideways against Usagi's head as the other girl puts an arm around her and leans her head on her shoulder. She doesn't offer any words of comfort.. not because she doesn't care, but because she does, and she doesn't know enough about the situation to offer anything meaninful. She just squeezes. Well, as much as she can considering she's barely on her feet herself. "Where Mamoru went." She tells Kunzite, quietly.
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