Homura Akemi had agreed to bring Mamoru's Infinity homework to Sailor Moon. She insisted that it be Sailor Moon and not Usagi Tsukino, for the sake of keeping Usagi, her friends, and also Mamoru safe. She was sure that this was the best way to go about it.
This wasn't the first time Homura had retrieved Mamoru's homework during a time in which he couldn't go to school. Mamoru's teachers were used to Homura's face. They'd ask how he was doing and she'd tell them some story to placate them. Maybe it was a lie, maybe it was a half-truth, maybe it was just as much truth as she felt they needed to hear, but at no point did she drop appearances.
So Homura is now waiting on the rooftops, at the promised meeting point, waiting for a certain moon bunny to appear. Her blank face is as solid as stone, but her darting eyes betray her nervousness. Was she sure that she wasn't followed? There's no way anyone could've followed her through a timestop. What if the homework itself was magically bugged? Someone else was taking care of that, and while she didn't know the senshi that well, Mamoru had faith in them, and Homura had faith in Mamoru.
Regardless of her precautions, there's something in the cold chill of the air that Homura just can't stand. She hopes the tradeoff can happen soon.
Sailor Moon usually hates anything to do with homework. But hey, this gives her an unnecessary excuse to see Mamo-chan! And also Homura!
Yes, seeing friends was good. Being in love was good. Heck, life is good! So much happy in one small bunny!
Okay, so there's things going on that shouldn't be, things that made her sad, especially those involving focus of said love.
But still! Today, as far as she is concerned, is a good one.
She finds Homura pretty easily, since she knew where to look. She lands quietly, for her, and can't suppress a grin and wave. "Hi!"
It's not chirped quite as loudly as it otherwise would be. Homura's looking a bit tense.
Two minutes ago: Tuxedo Kamen's burner phone spammed everyone in its contact list except for Homura and Sailor Moon with the address of the exchange, and just the word "help".
One minute thirty seconds ago: Sailor Moon arrives for the homework handoff! It's so kind of Homura, it allows the eleventh-grader masquerading as an eighth-grader to keep his actual school grades up. And logistically, Tuxedo Kamen shouldn't be there at all.
One minute ago: Winning love by daylight, apparently. Hat perched rakishly atop his unruly black hair, Tuxedo Kamen lands on the rooftop behind Sailor Moon with a light ta-tap of dress shoes on chilly roof tar, mischievous smile on his face. Just in case she didn't hear it or feel his presence, he holds one gloved finger to his lips at Homura, then sneaks up behind Usagi and slinks his hands around her waist, bending his head to kiss the side of her neck, just below her ear.
"I'm feeling a lot better," he says in a low, smiling voice, just a little bit of a growl in it.
He's warm. He feels just like he should: that golden light of him inside that she can feel if she looks for it, it's right there. And when she turns around, it's his own beautiful eyes, crinkled at the corners, as blue as the Earth's oceans as seen from space.
Now: Up on that rooftop, one of Mamoru's gloved hands comes up to touch the underside of Moon's jaw, sliding up it to tilt her pretty face up to him, and his other hand slips to the small of her back, just above the bow. He leans down again to kiss her.
Why in God's name would he need help with this?
Homura lets out a deep breath of stress as Sailor Moon shows up. Turning towards the Soldier of Love and Justice, Homura... actually manages a smile? Normally she wouldn't, but anyone who knows Usagi for long realizes that she kindof has that effect on people.
Besides, Homura would trust a magical girl far more than she'd trust any amount of armored cars and armed guards.
"Hello. Glad you could make it. Here's the homework and notes from today."
Then Tuxedo Mask shows up. Homura actually frowns at him. Considering how Mamoru usually makes Homura feel, a frown from her is rare. Considering how Homura usually is, frowns being rare is pretty ironic.
"Is it really okay for you to be out of hiding like this? Aren't you taking a risk? Considering how many people are worried about you--"
Mamoru came all this way just to kiss his girlfriend? For the love of-- he could've chosen safer places to do that in!
"This is really unlike you, Tuxedo-kun. I wish you'd be more careful in the future."
Sailor Moon's grin widens at Homura's smile. "Of course! And thank you so much for doing this for him, Homura-chan. I mean it! Next time, milkshake on me?"
Wait, what's this sudden frown for?
Oh!
Speaking of love!
Sailor Moon is only mildly surprised to feel Tuxedo Kamen on the roof, given how he'd been earlier. Surprised still, but no less pleased, to feel his hands slide around her and goodness, Mamo-chan! Such public displays from you?
But who is she to complain? Especially when her heart's all a flutter at the slight growl, and really, no one can blame her for kissing him in return, fingers going to tangle in his hair.
Her brows furrow slightly, but there's really no reason for it.
Smoochy smoochy rooftop kisses!
An address, and the word 'Help'. Suzuki Natsume looked at that phone, scrolling through it. Suzuki had barely hesitated, putting her phone away haphazardly, she had henshined almost immediately, and soon she was out a convenient window.
It wasn't that long before she arrived, using both leaps and flashes of electricity to help her travel quickly to the location that had been texted to her. When she arrived, it was shortly after that kiss arrived, and Homura's chastising of Tuxedo Kamen. IT took her a moment to notice they were on top of the roof. Soon, she was up on top of the roof as well, her naginata aimed down at the ground. Let's see. What looked like a magical girl. Sailor Moon. And... Tuxedo Kamen. She bows her head slightly towards them.
<GUTEN TAG.>
Yep. Verdrehen Sturm talked before Storm Knight, who was still looking around for possible danger. Before finally focusing on the others. "...You called for help?" She asks. "What's going on?"
Kyouko got a text from Mamoru that just said 'help', and had a location. She doesn't even need to think about it, she just goes. She's been on the run herself, recently, keeping out of sight as much as possible. The upside of that is that she can react quickly. She doesn't have any other considerations holding her back. A flash of red and she's leaping across rooftops towards the designated building.
In truth, she's not even really selfless in this. She wants to help Mamoru, sure, but she can't keep thoughts of another chance at revenge on the Dark Kingdom out of her head. She wants payback, and maybe she'll be able to get it.
This is why she doesn't go right to the rooftop in question, but rather to an adjacent one, landing lightly behind a big HVAC unit and leaning out to peer at the rooftop. Hmm.. Mamoru is kissing Usagi. Did he need help with that? But she has feelings for someone else, and-
She spots Homura, and her eyes narrow. Did Homura betray Mamoru? That would be just like her. Kyouko considers attacking Homura. But she's not sure, and she hesitates..
Minako Aino/Sailor Venus shows up and observes from a distance. Normally, she would immediately move to interrupt and intercept, but instead she just quietly grumbles from herself from the distant vantage point.
"Uhhghhhh-uhhhh-guhhhh. I hate it when I get texts without context. This better not be weird girlfriend troubles goin' down. That's not what this number is for!"
For all that they conflict with each other, one of the people who can get Miss White to show up swiftly no matter what's going on is Tuxedo Kamen. Thus, she very simply teleports into the scene, landing with a tack-tack of her dress shoes. Weapons clenched, she's on high alert, and just /looking/ for someone to punch!
"Homura! What's the situation?" She can always count on Homura, after all.
And then there's Moon and Storm! Both get a swift nod. "Hey kids." Smirk. Then she realizes just who's up on the roof.
And what he's doing to Sailor Moon. Even Hannah gets words caught in her throat. She very nearly says something horrible, then slaps herself on the wrist.
"/Bad/. Professional, White-chan." Ahem!
"Hat-guy! You'd better have brought us all out here to offer your hand in marriage to her! Or otherwise have one good explaination for pulling me out of a board meeting!" Comes Hannah, feigning irritation. Nah, she's mostly just a little flustered.
HOmura's right. Something's off, and she takes a step or two forward.
Tadase Hotori is dealing with some decidedly mundane problems when he gets the call out for help. It's too far for him to make it in his civilian form, and even if he could, with just such a short message and no explanation, he's grimly preparing for the worst.
Kiseki grimly agrees with the 11 year old's assessment, and returns to his egg. "MY HEART: UNLOCK!" Tadase shouts. And then he's not Tadase, but a vision of regal strength (as viewed by said 11 year old) and Platinum Royale is bounding across the rooftops as fast as he can.
Being in a Character Transformation causes you to merge with your Guardian Character, and in some cases pick up more of your mannerisms. This is why, when arriving and landing near Mamoru and several others, an /extremly/ exasperated Platinum Royale crosses his hands over his chest and all but shouts. "It looks like you've got all of the help you're going to need, Kamen-sempai. And if you two need help kissing, that's NOT in my expertise."
Tuxedo Kamen glances up just long enough to smile briefly at Homura again, and his arm tightens around Moon's waist. Hand still cupping the side of her face, as Suzuki gets there and asks what's wrong, he murmurs against Usagi's lips, "I just wanted..."
His teeth rake against strawberry lipgloss. More people begin to show up, to join them on the roof, to land on rooftops nearby, watching. His hand curls slowly around Sailor Moon's jaw and neck, thumb brushing her chin. He pulls his head back to gaze at her with love.
Love and-- something really not right at all. Something is wrong.
Louder he says, for everyone arriving, "I just wanted witnesses."
Everything happens at once, timed perfectly to be synchronized. That hand that had slowly been making its way around Sailor Moon's throat shifts slightly--
The other hand leaves Moon's waist and flashes up in a heartbeat, aimed at Homura, and he mutters "Tuxedo la Smoking Bomber." The hand on Moon's neck abruptly squeezes, and Mamoru lifts her up off the ground with one arm, still smiling. It's still his eyes.
It's still his eyes as that golden riot of violent strength slams out toward Homura.
It's still his eyes as he looks up at Moon.
It's still his eyes as he starts laughing, and shifts, and then it's not his eyes at all, it's another mask that covers his whole face, and he grows to eight feet, ten feet; his cloak envelops him and the top of it spikes out and the bottom of it blurs into the blue-black of the night sky, eating upwards, and his laughter echoes off the sides of the buildings around them.
It's still his voice.
It's still his heart that can feel Usagi's panic, it's still his heart that's projecting calm at her even as he begins to cut off the blood supply to her brain.
https://45.media.tumblr.com/345dad3eadc90df295965f6bfbe304a5/tumblr_nzbetiGDbO1tw7aovo1_400.gif
Homura Akemi tilts her head as she watches lover embrace lover, and then she turns away, crossing her arms. They want to do that? Fine. Well, it's not really that fine, because this is completely careless, but this is probably some stupid romantic notion that Mamoru has. He tends to have romantic notions, though this is the first time Homura thought of any of them as being stupid.
What is with this guy? Actually... this isn't like Mamoru at all. Not even slightly.
Of course. Homura should've expected some kind of trick. Maybe it's just paranoid, but a simple test would resolve her suspicions.
She turns around, walks up to Tuxedo Kamen, and says, "Sorry for interrupting, but if you could just answer one question for me, Tux-kun, I'd feel a lot better."
"When I first met you, I saw you looking at pictures on your cellphone. After that I called you something. Do you remember what kind of person I called you?"
It's then that she's starting to notice the appearance of other magical girls. Many magical girls... What the heck is going on here? These magical girls aren't enemies, but something is very wrong!
What's her priority in this situation? She should try to protect Sailor Moon, at least she's sure that's what Tuxedo Kamen would want her to do in his stead. But is this person really Mamoru? And is there really a threat?
Don't kid yourself, Homura. Something is about to go down.
Hannah is here, asking her a question. "This was supposed to be homework dropoff. A private dropoff. Secret. So how the hell are all these other people here?"
There is a tenseness in Homura's voice that she usually reserves for... well... everyone who isn't Madoka, Mamoru, or Hannah.
Her spoken question goes unanswered, but her unspoken question is answered loud and clear. Tuxedo Mask was never Tuxedok Mask at all.
Homura immediately shifts into survival mode. Priority 1: Protect Sailor Moon. Wait, dammit, how can I save her when he's touching her? I can't use timestop like that!
Wait is that--
Homura's brief moment of hesitation allows the golden blast to slam her in the chest. She falls, wide-eyed, to the ground, clutching her stomach. She isn't dead, as her gasping for air indicates... but... she's going to lie down for a while.
Sailor Mercury has been oddly silent and absent the past several days since meeting with the Senshi about the Orphanage. Certainly, she was present, but even at the Orphanage, Mercury kept unusually quiet and observant, rather than taking a direct role.
rNow, with Mamoru's text on their phones, received at the same time, Sailor Mercury rushes towards the location with all due haste beside her ally and friend Sailor Mars.
Sailor Mercury knows that location. She's been there before. Sailor Mercury also knows that 'help' doesn't require an 'e' when you're in a hurry on a phone. "Oh god oh god," Mercury is saying to Mars as they race across the rooftops together. "Mars, I should have told you. I should have told all of you."
As Mercury reaches a rooftop too far away to do anything helpful, but just close enough to see, she spots Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon together.
And Mercury's whole world begins to shatter.
Without any explanation or warning to poor Mars, Mercury lets out a shriek of terror.
"SAILOR MOON!!!!!!!"
Minako Aino/Sailor Venus doesn't even hesitate. She shouts the words and makes the motions, not that anybody but her and trespassing rooftop vandals could hear.
It's a Crescent Beam, a particularly mean one with a little more oomph than even the ones she gave to Dark Kingdom Shitennou the night previous, a streaking bolt of gleaming light that burns up her fingers.
Tragically, it also burns itself up as it crosses the extreme distance between herself and her masked target so it's a pale glimmer of its original form, as different as a crashing truck is from an unfriendly shove.
The warmth in her chest fluctuates swiftly to panic. And fear. Definitely fear. Witnesses?
This isn't his face, but it is.
But it isn't.
And then...everything at once.
All she notices is a hand, usually so gentle with her, squeezing her throat, lifting her, and all she can do is claw at his arm as she tries to breathe.
What...what is this? What happened?
And of course, she's at that stage of oxygen loss where she can't exactly think clearly so there's one, very stupid, question on her mind.
What did I do?
But even as her brain is being dumb, her body is in survival. Her legs kick out, trying hard to find a way to survive this, to gain breath, and though her weight is overall sleight, it's not when her neck is supporting all her weight.
She hears voices. But she also doesn't hear them.
Kissing. They were kissing and not responding. And... there were others around. A lot of people, in fact. Kyouko, who she didn't recognize. Sailor Venus, who she recognized the voice of but not the appearance. Miss White was there. Storm Knight lifts her hand to wave back towards Hannah as she says hello to them. "You're not that much older than me, Miss White." Storm Knight responds, shaking her head slightly. Well, that was amusing.
Tadase was here, that was good, that meant they had good shields, it seemed like. They seemed to have a pretty decent team building. And then... then Tuxedo Kamen was beginning to strangle moon. He was throwing a Tuxedo La Smoking Bomber at Homura. And saying he wanted witnesses. Storm Knight's eyes widened slightly at first. And then anrrow. That change. Something was wrong. Was he tricking them this whole time, or had he been...
There was something more important. Focus. Focus. Sailor Moon was being strangled. Homura was falling. Storm Knight moved quickly, stepping towards Mamoru. She didn't say a single thing, but there was a sudden whistle of weapon through air, as the shaft of Verdrehen Storm is brought towards Tuxedo Kamen's wrist, attempting to force him to drop Sailor Moon. "You don't want to do this. There are a lot of people here who do not handle betrayal well." Storm Knight says.
Her voice was cold, her actions were swift and precise... but there was a subtle anguish blossomming in her heart. She had just hit Mamoru. The man who was basically her /best friend/. He was betraying them, it seemed. Or someoen had corrupted him or ... she didn't know. She just knew that Mamoru was suffocating the person who he had said he loved, who loved him, and who she considered a friend. She had to stop him before something bad happened.
Kyouko's eyes narrow as she watches Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon from behind her cover. Similar to Homura, even if nothing appears to be wrong, she suspects something is. It's instinct, the hairs on her neck standing up.. just like at the orphanage. But what's the problem? Homura doesn't seem to be doing anything threatening.
And then Tuxedo Mask blasts Homura. Kyouko can sympathize with this, but why? And.. oh, is he getting bigger? That's.. he was plenty tall already! But soon it becomes apparent- that's not Mamoru. She doesn't have Moon's proximity or special connection. She doesn't have any confusing senses telling her this is Mamoru. That's clearly some kind of Youma doing a clever impersonation, and it's choking Sailor Moon!
Kyouko acts without stopping to think any more about it, as is her way. She steps out from behind the HVAC unit, already sprinting, and hurls herself like a missile off of the nearby building, a blood-red nimbus forming around her body as she brings her spear around to aim straigh towards the suddenly-much-larger target of Fauxedo Mask, at just about the same time Storm Knight (who she hadn't even noticed until now) is swinging at his wrist.
Sailor Mars joins Mercury on the way to the given address. Something very wrong is happening. That text should not have come from Tuxedo Kamen's phone. A lot of things are just not adding up.
"Should have told us? Told us what? Mercury-chan, what is it?"
Mars doesn't know what's going on. Stuff is going on too fast for her to process. The game is changing too quickly. By the time she arrives, though, her mission is pretty clear.
A tuxedo'd monster is attacking Sailor Moon. There's only one guy in a tux that Mars cares about, and this monster ain't him.
That means he's kindling.
"Fire... SOUL!"
Mars holds a flaming sphere in her hand, about the size of a baseball. She draws her arm back, and flings it forward, launching the fireball towards the ground beneath the monster's feet, where it explodes upwards into a spreading blaze.
Storm Knight gets a cocky grin, but it all vanishes in a moment. Homura's words have Hannah's hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Something's definitely off, and it shows in her face.
But then the man transforms, growing larger, and then blasts Homura while throttling Sailor Moon. Hannah, for once, actually hesitates. Completely caught off guard, her eyes widen.
"...Tuxedo...Kamen?" She whispers, confused, scared. But as the others attack, she pulls herself together. Shoving aside those feelings, she quickly teleports her downed employee to a nearby rooftop, and then she runs for the massive creature-cum-Tuxedo.
A leap, and just after Mina's beam gets to him, she raises both fists and comes down onto him with twin orbs of wind energy in her hands. Her fists fly as she rams them towards his back in berzerker fury, tears running down her face.
"WHAT THE HELL!? LET HER GO! THE MAN I KNOW WOULDN'T DO THIS! HE'D NEVER BETRAY HIS LOVE OR HIS FRIENDS! SO WHATEVER YOU ARE, GET OUT OF HIM BEFORE I RIP YOU OUT!" She screams, voice horse, a horrible, horrible anguish in her voice overwhelming her anger.
Tadase Hotori can't believe what he sees, as Tuxedo Kamen-Sempai - Mamoru-Sempai - unleashes an attack on someone who doesn't threaten him. On someone who isn't threatening anyone. On a friend. And... then when he grabs Sailor Moon. A lot of people call out for a lot of things. The boy who is now Platinum Royale is stunned still, trying to figure things out.
It's the tiny chara inside him that urges him to action, that causes him to leap into the air. It's Kiseki, not Tadase, who knows that someone needs protecting and that someone needs to be protected now.
That's why Platinum Royale leaps into the air. That's why he's interposing his scepter between the two of them, to try to smash down on Mamoru's arms with golden force. Any damage it does can be healed once this is fixed.
But what is wrong with Tadase's trusted sempai? "KAMEN-SEMPAI PUT HER DOWN!" the boy yells as he tries to bring his increasingly-less-improvised weapon down with force. There might be tears from his eyes, confusion from them. But yet still he's acting with determination. Such is the strength of the would-be-King.
It's Mamoru's voice that laughs at the horribly injured Homura from that ten foot tall monstrous phantom. "You called me the gentle, sensitive type! And I've been, haven't I?"
He's tall enough on his own to hold Sailor Moon by the neck at eye-view, but those aren't eyes, and that smile is painted on to that mask. Mocking her, the rose at where his lapel should be is a lovely thing, the scent of Elysion and its golden splendour filling the air around them. Almost unnoticeable, a small golden circle falls from beneath the cloak and clatters to the ground. It's quickly followed by four quarters of a circle, the center cut out; it was the medal he wore.
He brings her face close to his mask and makes a mockery of another kiss.
The Crescent Beam, as unfriendly a shove as it is at that distance, makes the towering ten-foot-tall figure rock forward a little, and Sailor Moon sways in his grip.
There's a slice at his wrist from Storm Knight, and it slices through as cleanly as a hot knife through butter: his hand comes right off, white glove and all, still around Moon's neck as she falls to the ground-- but no longer tight, simply lifeless. The hand that had been so gentle with her, so loving...
When Tadase moves, smashes down his sceptre on his senpai's arm at the same time as Suzuki's trying to whack and is dismembering her friend instead, the arm shatters and turns to scraps of floating darkness.
The explosion of red that is Kyouko and her spear literally rockets through the horror that Tuxedo Kamen has become, and she'll feel a sizzle of that bright peace and beautiful calm that he's offered her before, and there's a hole through him-- through that ghosted cloak of space; his hat tumbles to the rooftop next to Sailor Moon, but he still stands, laughing and laughing and laughing.
The fire hits him next, and the cloak spreads out, ragged and burning at the edges, licking up at the horrifing mask, lighting up the place where his hand had been, and the smoke smells of burning forests and singed human flesh.
Hannah's attack, teary and hoarse and desperate, doesn't hit anything truly solid-- but the cloak shreds further, leaving pieces of the beautiful night sky drifting through the air, showing nothing but glowing golden light beneath-- it's exactly that light, that feeling of power, that she's lusted after for so long.
"You have to trust me-- you've always trusted me before-- Mars saved me before, didn't she? When I had that darkness in me-- she saved me-- it's me, I'm ME, I am Chiba Mamoru, I am Tuxedo Kamen!"
And then the ragged figure, losing pieces of himself to the air, to the fire, to the attacks, spins out and the cloak billows, and a hail of projectile roses whips out in all directions, stabbing with their armor-piercing at everything and everyone. The ones that don't hit Tokyo's defenders bury themselves in the rooftop, in concrete and metal and asphalt. "HELP ME!" he cries, and it's STILL his voice, and it's desperate and afraid.
While everyone is focused on the Youma, Mercury has a far different and far more pressing, panicking objective. The Sailor of Love and Intellect races across the distance as fast as she can, rushing, leaping, jumping ...
Catching! Sailor Mercury grabs Sailor Moon out of the air and cushions her fall. There is a steely resolve in Mercury's eyes as she tears that horrific hand off of Moon's neck. "Sailor Moon, I'm here," she says, as she sets the blonde back on her feet. "I'm so sorry, I should have known," she should ahve known what?
Mercury looks up at all the powerful magic assaulting the creature that Mamoru has become, then winces at his cry for help. There's a moment where she hesitates, then turns to Sailor Moon and says, "You can do this. I believe in you. I'll protect you. You can save him."
He... he knew?
From the nearby rooftop where Hannah teleported her to safety, Homura hears the answer she wish that she never did.
Mamoru... that's really Mamoru... and he's attacking Usagi... "How can you attack her? I thought you loved her. I can't believe the same man who took a deathbeam for her... and I know you did because I had to drag your ass to a hospital after that... I can't believe that same man would be attacking her! You can't be Tuxedo Kamen!"
Yet, even as she says that... he knew the answer. No one else but Hannah should've even known that. How could anyone else have known?
She's losing one of her best friends, and all she can do is weep.
Platinum Royale's scepter, sheathed in a golden glow, wasn't meant to shatter bodies. Just to save a girl in trouble. Just to give him room to figure out what's going on. To say what happened surprised him would be an understatement, as the arm shatters - and it doesn't explode into blood and bone but into shadows and sickness.
It's another time in which without Kiseki's strength backing him up, he'd have been stunned in shock. But there's deep reserves of strength in this him-that's-not-him.
And once again - people need protecting. So even as Mercury catches Moon, as they move clear - and as the creature-mamoru moves to attack, Platinum Royale jumps back too, standing in front of them as the hail of thorny roses, like a storm of little daggers, come forward, that determination is still evident on his face as he levels his scepter, and before the roses can impact anyone - though one gets through and drives a sharp cut through his shoulder - he protects.
"HOLY CROWN!" The call goes out, and a crown-shaped burst of energy surges forward, and the roses impact it and shatter into motes of dark energy, and that field of protection is massive, hopefully giving Mercury and Moon a little saftey in this sudden and horrific moment.
The blunt side of her naginata ... /cut through/ his wrist?! Storm Knight looked in surprise. What was this? Why was he so seemingly fragile and weak? He claimed to be really Tuxedo Kamen and calling for help. Help with what? Saving him from himself, or whatever had taken him over?
As the roses come out, her close proximity made it hard for Storm Knight to evade it, the roses piercing through her Knight Clothing easily and ... well, sticking there, unless they disappear after hitting. One in her shoulder, one in her thigh. It hurt, and made her falter briefly. She takes a slow breath, forcing herself to stand straight.
"...We'll figure out how to help you soon. First we need to stop you, Tuxedo Kamen." Storm Knight says softly. She lifts her device, pointing it towards Tuxedo Kamen. Or... whatever he was now. lightning was beginning to charge in several magical triangles beside her, four of them. Electricity was gathering, as Storm Knight looked up towards Mamoru, her gaze had grown cold, as she steeled herself for what she thought she would need to do.
Kyouko slams right into and /through/ the phantom Tux, just barely missing Sailor Moon as she falls to the ground with the severed hand. She hits the rooftop and skids to a stop, spinning at the same time to bring her spear around in a defensive crouch, red eyes hard.
Only to be met by the now-burning and ragged Tuxedo spinning around, hurling projectile roses everywhere. One of them whizzes right by her face, causing her to flinch back and leaving a red and bloody scratch along her cheek. She snarls, baring her fangs..
Only to hear that "Help me" cried out from the monster, in Mamoru's voice. She hesitates briefly.. but it's a trick, right? It has to be. It's using Mamoru's voice to trick them. She glances around, spots Homura laying on the ground clutching her stomach nearby. Needing some space to consider her next move, or set up an attack if that is her next move, she throws herself into a diving roll and comes up crouched on the other side of a section of AC unit structure.
Hannah reacts quickly, leaping back as Tuxedo cries out and lashes out with all of those armor-piercing bits of cloak! She's blown back, her shield shattered almost as soon as it's hit, and she crashes into the wall!
She ignores the bits in her leg. She doesn't even feel it. No, she's too focused on Mamoru. She wipes away her tears, and lets out a growl of anger and anguish.
Then she turns to the others. "She okay? Tell me one of you guys knows that purification magic! Like the Pretty Cure use!" It's a very, very off chance, but it might just save the man, if it really /is/ him.
Rather than just rush in, she focuses her magic, and her Device shifts form. Thrusting her hands out, dozens of wind-chains erupt from them, aiming to wrap around the transformed Mamoru's arms!
"For now, though, Storm's right! Time to stop struggling while we figure out what to do with you!"
Sailor Mars shouts, "Good job, Merc-chan! Get her to safety! We'll hold him back here!"
Then, Tuxedo Kamen... how can this monster be Tuxedo Kamen? Yet... it seems to know things that only Mamoru would know...
He's asking for help.
"I don't know what's happening to you, Tuxedo Kamen-kun, but I'll try to help in the only way that I can!"
Is he possessed? Maybe. Something is clearly wrong with him. So maybe if she...
Suddenly Mars is leaping into the fray, high heels landing mere feet away from Tuxedo Kamen. An ofuda is between her index and middle finger. She has to actually leap up to reach his forehead, aiming to place the ofuda right over where his third eye should be.
"Evil Spirits, Begone!"
She hopes to work.
Minako Aino/Sailor Venus arrives. For real. She took the long way, apparently. Her last contribution to the fight was from too far away to matter, but her next one will count.
Her eyes sizzle, metaphorically, and her fingers sizzle, literally. "Mars! Not 'hold him off'. Take him down!" she corrects, straightforward and simply.
Sailor Moon pulls in a ragged breath when the glove is removed from her throat.
She's curled on the ground, coughing, gasping, choking.
As she does this, she is curled against Mercury, clutching her bows and absorbing the belief her friend has in her.
She hears the please of Tuxedo Kamen. Of Mamoru.
She'd made a promise to him, on the tails of a nightmare, that she'd do whatever she had to to bring him back.
When she can stand, it feels like hours later but is probably only a minute, she does, and there's a wand in her hand.
Mars threw an ofuda, so it's now or never, right?
"Moon--" A series of coughs interrupt her, and then her face steals in determination.
"MOON HEALING ESCALATION!"
She pours everything she has into it.
Because this isn't Kyouko, nearly broken from her brainwashing from her own accord.
This is Mamo-chan, freshly ripped from her.
I. Will always. Find you.
I believe in you. You can save him, said Mercury. She should have known. She should have told.
He knew. He knows things only Homura and Hannah and Mamoru would know. It's really him, isn't it, Homura? Her tears fall unnoticed.
The eleven-year-old heart of a king is a quick thing, protecting people, protecting his senpai's Most Important Person even as he can't take the time to parse what's happening, and roses shatter against it, turning to dark motes and light golden motes and flower petals.
The roses that flew through Storm Knight's armor and pierced her flesh are only reminders, aren't they? All of it is. The Princess he sought, the things Mamoru confided in her-- the encouragement he gave, always do the right thing, always-- even if the right thing is hard. She might have to.
Blood is drawn from Kyouko, bright red to match her colors, matching the blood that equally red roses are pulling forth from Mamoru's other friends-- it's all his friends here, isn't it? Not all of them, he knows everyone, it sometimes seems, but everyone here is a friend or ally...
Hannah, fighting to contain herself as well as her friend Mamoru, the boy who stands in front of danger, the boy who hopes, the boy who protects, the boy who gives: she moves to leash him, bind him, and this time, the bindings hold, bright chains of wind and magic curling around him and restraining that cloak, pulling him down-- is he shrinking? He is, he's getting smaller, battered and maimed; he struggles against the bindings.
And then Rei, answering his call for help as well, pulling out that which saved him and banished the evil from him before: the ofuda sticks, and suddenly the monster's no longer struggling. He's frozen in place and the mask falls away, replaced by his own face, pained and panicked and stopped. Earth-blue eyes are wide open behind smudged glasses, soot and blood clinging to his tear-tracked face. He's in his school uniform, bound and held and ragged and bleeding, still awake, still possessed--
Venus makes the difficult calls, always. It's her job, it's her pain. Is she convinced he's a monster, not the Prince? Or is the Prince the necessary sacrifice to keep the war from being lost? She's ready to kill him at a split second's notice.
And then there's Sailor Moon, blessed with all the hope in the world, all the strength and determination people have claimed she didn't have shining bright through her horror and tears and sorrow, pouring her heart into saving him, saving the boy she loves, the boy she said she'd die without. The boy who told her not to die, but to keep fighting. To find a way. To bring him back.
@};--',--'-,--
It happens in slow motion. The brilliance of w, shimmering, weaponized love and moonlight hits the bound and tattered and wounded boy. The ofuda falls gently off his face, fluttering away in the breeze, and his face finally starts to relax.
And then something's wrong. His eyes turn black. The panic sets in, and he struggles against the chains again, hyperventilating. His voice is a choked thing, agonized. "U-usa--" he gasps out, then screams at the top of his raw voice, "USAKOOOOOO!"
Usagi has been able to feel his pain throughout, through that beautiful silver-gold link that holds them together.
Now she can feel that link snap, shatter. Backlash. BURN.
The chain falls through Mamoru, leaving ripples in his flesh, in his clothes, starting the visible disintegration. And then everything is too fast. Even if Sailor Moon stopped right that second, it's already over.
The pile of dust and ash sifts to the surface of the roof, bits of it drifting away in the slight breeze.
Everything is still.
Usako!
CRACK.
Sailor Moon stares at where Mamoru had been, crescent wand clattering to the ground as her fingers claw at her face, her neck, her arms.
It should have worked.
She watches the dust of what had once been her boyfriend float in the night air. It's an almost peaceful dance of mote and air, a graceful end for a very graceful man.
It should have healed...
This is, of course, in stark contrast to the turmoil crashing through her chest, clawing at her heart and tearing at her soul.
If she hadn't felt that crack -- much like a broken bone and so much worse -- she could have pretended. But she did, the same as in a dream she'd rather forget, and she doesn't realize she's screaming until her knees are scraping pavement.
He's dead...
And even as glass is raining down around her, she doesn't realize that she's let slip that iota of control she's always kept as Sailor Moon over the supersonic cry. All around her, in a large radius of buildings, glass vibrates, most of which shadders or explodes.
When she does realize it, she doesn't even want to stop. If she does, how will people know he's gone? How will they know her heart's already shattered?
He's dead...
She does have to stop, of course, if only because she needs to breathe. Given the choice she wouldn't, would scream forever and ever, but her head's light and she doesn't have the strength for much more.
She does, however, push through the exhaustion. She has one scream left within her, one that bubbles and writhes from a place she didn't know existed until now. And on the next scream, a name tears from her throat, one that is foreign yet so very well known. So very loved.
"Endymion!"
As his name echoes through the darkened streets, her Sailor uniform shimmers and ribbons. But instead of her shorts and his sweater, everything about her changes, even if subtle.
She doesn't notice, of course. She does not see the glow her paling skin casts against the rubble. Doesn't feel her hair lengthen as pigment is removed and is instead the color of kissed moonlight. She doesn't notice the dress swirling around her in something so much more delicate than chiffon. The appearance of a pale gold crescent moon on her forehead, one of the few splashes of color, twinkles with its own glow.
Minako, it looks like you don't have to pretend to be the princess anymore. You can rest, now.
Something else wants to come out, wants to come forth and fix things, heal things, but she clutches her hands to her chest and holds it back. Because nothing can fix this.
I killed him and he's dead...
And so, where Sailor Moon had been wailing her pain to the heavens, Princess Serenity pulls all that grief and sorrow into herself, only a few broken sobs escaping where there had once been a cacophony of cries, using it to form a barrier around what remains of her heart.
It's all my fault...
Kyouko has a front-row seat. She's crouched only a few yards away behind that thin barrier of aluminum, gathering herself for another pass at the monster, blood trickling down her cheek to drip in scarlet droplets from her chin. But she never gets a chance.
Sailor Moon uses her big healing ray. The one that had worked on her- had saved her. It had purged the dark energy from her. If this /is/ Mamoru, it should do the same for him. It should free him. Of course, she's still not sure it is Mamoru. He hasn't said anything to make her doubt, and she doesn't have Sailor Moon's ethereal connection to him.
But it's still somewhat of a surprise when he shrieks out his pain.. and then collapses into a pile of dust. Her eyes widen. Guess it really was just a youma then..
But then Moon begins to scream. A supernatural, high-pitched scream that causes Kyouko to cry out herself, although the sound is lost in that overwhelming cacophany, and she reels back, hands goign to her ears instinctively.
"W-what.." She starts to question, not knowing what happened, what's happening now. But a chill goes through her, a feeling of dread. Something is wrong. Could that have really been..?
Storm Knight's lightning continued to charge, those four magical circles aimed straight at what she had considered her best friend. She kept watching, getting ready to dodge. But... it seemed that Mamoru was rapidly losing that fight. Bound... frozen, and struggling.
But not winning. The lightning was already beginning to dissipate. Sailor Moon was using a skill that sounded like a healing ability, that would hopefully save Mamoru. Storm Knight was beginning to relax slightly, to feel she wouldn't have to hurt her best friend anymore. But... then it all seemed to go wrong.
Slow motion, weaponized love and moonlight... and ... the ofuda falls from his face. And his face relaxes. His eyes turned black?! He's struggling, hyperventilating. Agonized. Storm Knight began to move towards him. "Mamoru!" And then... the chain falls through. And... and he's... ...turned to dust.
And Usagi dropped her wand. Clattering to the ground. Watching the dust. Storm Knight shifted. She did not have the time to allow her heart to break and sorrow to overtake her. There was something wrong. And... screaming. Screaming. It was loud enough that it hurt, but Storm Knight continued to move towards Sailor Moon. This woman was in agony. The agony of a heart broken and damaged worse than hers.
Storm Knight moved forward, even as Sailor Moon transformed, even as she yelled the name 'Endymion'. Even as the screams made it difficult to move and possibly even hurt Storm Knight, she moved to attempt to do a very simple action.
Give Sailor Moon a hug and hold her tightly.
Sailor Mercury watches as her Princess--her best friend, the woman she's supposed to protect, the one she hasn't told anyone about--lifts into the air. She watches as Sailor Moon whirls slowly and calls upon all of her strength, love, and concern for Mamoru to cleanse him of the evil that has possessed him.
It's only an instant before the golden ray of Moon Healing Escalation splashes over Tuxedo Kamen's face that she realises the mistake.
"Oh no," Mercury intones softly. "What have I done?"
As the Princess begins to scream, Sailor Mercury stands in stark awe of the situation. Everything is wrong. She could have prevented this; should have prevented this. If only she'd had more pieces of the puzzle.
But it's too late. It's too late, and everything is wrong.
Sailor Mercury rocks backwards as that first sonic wail hits her. She steps forward, through the second one. And then she wraps her arms around her dearest friend. "Princess," she breathes. "I'm so sorry. I should have told you. I should have known."
Everything happens so fast. In a few hour's time Tadase Hotori will be sitting at the table in the Royal Garden replaying all of this in his head. But now, he can hardly make sense of it at all.
The magical boy he looked up to, the one who showed him how strong you could be just by supporting the strength of others, who showed him the power being a protector could have, who laughed with him, who understood him - a kindred soul, an ally - and there, in front of him, only ashes, only dust.
Not even a corpse to lay properly to rest. Dust in the wind. He's seen creatures be defeated before. This wasn't a creature. This was Mamoru Chiba, Tuxedo Kamen - the sempai who he'd laughed with, spent time with. Who'd visited him after a nasty fight and talked with him.
And as Sailor Moon's cry rocks the area, Kiseki and Tadase seperate - there is no Platinum Royale standing there, just a young boy with tears in his eyes trying to come to terms with the sudden and traumatic loss of a friend. Of a mentor.
And yet, even still, as the tears fall quietly, he can tell that his tears are just drops compared to the ocean, even as the cries of his sempai's beloved rock the world around him - rock through him.
And he's not Platinum Royale anymore, he's just Tadase Hotori - but even still, even in his own time of grief, those cries - they bid him to walk forward, to go to their source. To bring comfort.
Because even still, she needs protecting. She needs supporting. And that is what a good King does. And what good people do, it seems, as Tadase isn't the only one coming towards her. He might not have much strength left, and he might not understand anything. But he's even now, with his own tears flowing, making his way to give up the last of his strength to the one who needs it far more.
Minako Aino/Sailor Venus puts out another few slender beams of light from her fingertips, all aimed in and around the dusty remains of the prince. She's a few seconds late on the draw, but puts out the energy anyway, straining under the effort to make it look good.
"I... I got him," she says, to Moon/Serenity, Mercury, and whoever was standing nearby. She repeats it again, a little more loudly.
"I got him," she says again, louder over any screams and shouts and cries, before starting to step back as if to leave.
Homura watches on as Tuxedo Kamen is torn apart by various attacks. She knows they're trying to save him, but even then each strike looks so painful...
There's a glimmer of hope as Sailor Moon brings out her purification attack. This is the same attack that saved Kyouko, right? So it should work?
... but it didn't...
Somehow... Tuxedo Kamen turned into a monster... not quite a Witch, but... this is what she just saw. No, that can't be right, can it?
Homura, weakly, tries to move. She tries to push away from the ground. She barely manages to prop herself up on an arm, just high enough to see...
He's really gone.
Cold tears run down her face, landing on the rooftop.
Then Homura watches as Sailor Moon changes... not into Usagi Tsukino, but into... a princess? Was this... the princess Mamoru sought all along?
Homura is so sick to her stomach, and the worst has already happened. All she can do is cry. She does want to help Sailor Moon, in honor of her friend, regardless of what happened tonight... but can she really give Sailor Moon the emotional support she needs? Can she really lend her the strength of heart that Homura herself doesn't have?
A stopped moment is all the time Homura needs to recover and make it over to Sailor Moon... no... the Princess of Mamoru's dreams. She can't even stand, clutching her stomach.
"I know he loved you... whatever happened tonight... whatever happened to him... I know he loved you... please... don't forget that."
And don't do something desperate... but Homura's got an eye on the people here, and if someone has to be taken down, well... she still has that timestop.
The supersonic shrieks hit Mars hard, knocking her to her knees, forcing her to cover her ears with her hands in a vain attempt to protect her hearing... but the revelation that she sees in front of her hits her even harder.
Sailor Moon was the Moon Princess.
Sailor Moon was Princess Serenity.
Mars doesn't hide her feelings. She weeps. When the shrieking finally stops, and when Moon is overtaken by exhaustion, Mars tries to speak, "I... How... how could we have known? How could this have happened?"
Mars picks herself up and runs to Serenity, throwing her arms around her, saying, "I'm so sorry... I am so, so sorry..."
There's a brief moment of hope in Hannah's heart. Maybe Moon's great magical power can do it! She clenches the chains, and grins, ever confident!
And then he screams, and falls, his body reduced to dust from the backlash and his eyes turning to black. Her Device is on point, even as the agonizing feeling of her heart being ripped out as she watches a man who's been one part moral compass, one part family, and one part best friend and constant barrier reduced to mere ash by the woman he loves.
Her ears bleed from the sobbing of Sailor Moon, but yet, she can't even move. Her magical chains dissappear, Hannah's attention on that pile of dust. Stunned, she only barely registers Sailor Moon's transformation as she hears the words of the others who converge on her, offering her love and what little comfort they can.
Miss White hobbles forward. Step. Step. Step. She feels hollow, tears gently flowing, her energy utterly gone.
She falls to her knees a foot in front of those ashes, and reaches out, her hand hovering above the ashes. Slowly, her face twists, contorts into a frown of grief, and she lets out a sob. Chin to her neck, her hand clenches the air, and then lets go.
"...Who...who said you could...die on me? Who did this to you, Mamoru!?" She whispers to the young man's ashes. There's nothing to her words, only pain and a numbness of something she can't accept.
With what little power she can muster, wind gently gathers the man's ashes, and she sets something down from within her suit's jacket.
It's an urn. She'd meant to give it as a gift for flowers. It's gold, engraved in roses. She'd thought it might suit him.
The wind gently deposits the ashes. Hannah never thought she would be giving him a burial urn.
She scoots back, and reaches up, gently hugging Serenity's leg and laying her cheek against her.
".... I'll find whoever did this. I promise, big brother."
Kyouko stands there, a little ways off from everyone else, just watching. Her hands slowly drop from her ears, and her brows draw together over her eyes. She doesn't know jack about the Senshi and their princess, so seeing Sailor Moon glowing is.. just one more weird thing happening in front of her eyes. But it is becoming very clear from the reactions of the other people here that they know something she didn't. Even.. Homura is crying? If anything, that hits her hardest of all.
But Kyouko doesn't cry. She stares, and slowly, she feels something within her that had been softening turning to steel once more. She had thought.. maybe she had been wrong. Maybe caring about people /wasn't/ just a road to pain and misery. Maybe it was time to let someone people in at last.
But she had been wrong. She had let people in, and now Mamoru is dead, or so it seems. She doesn't know if she's cursed, bringing doom to everyone she befriends, or if the world just sucks that much. But either way, one thing is clear.
She had been wrong.
A flash of a smiling blue-haired form passes before her eyes, and her resolve wavers for just a moment. And suddenly she's confused.
She doesn't go over to the others. She just turns and walks to the edge of the building. She's numb inside, but she was always more comfortable with that than with letting herself feel. But she does let one thing through- she knows who did this. She had a bone to pick with the Dark Kingdom before, but that was nothing compared to this.
As she leaps down into the darkness of the alleyway, a single tear slides down her cheek, mixing with the blood on its way to her chin. A tear for Mamoru, but also a tear for herself. Hope may rise like a phoenix from the ashes, but in the end, it seems, to ashes it must once again return.
There are arms around her.
Normally, these hugs would happily be returned.
There are words of encouragement around her.
Normally, these would be met with a sniffle and a smile.
Now, though.
Storm Knight's arms are there. Venus is backing away, trying to shoulder the blame. Platinum Royale was pretty much griefed into two again. Homura is saying words that will either comfort or haunt her for weeks to come. And Mars is hugging, too, sorry for...something? Even White, who normally scares the living daylights out of her. (And Kyouko, understandably, deals with this in her own way.)
Mercury is the closest. Or the one she feels first.
For no other reason than Mercury is the smartest person she knows.
Well, the smartest person alive.
"Bring him back..."
At first, it's almost too soft to hear. "Please! Bring him back...?"
This is not the impossible demand from a spoiled princess.
This is worse.
This is a girl, heartbroken, begging for the impossible.
And she knows it's impossible, even as she's trying to ignore it being so.
As Venus claims the kill for herself, Mercury looks up to her with horrified, grateful eyes. Suddenly, everything Sailor Venus has ever said or done makes sense to Mercury. Suddenly she understands. And with that understanding comes even more pain. She should have known.
Bring him Back.
Serenity's desperation hits Mercury like a hammer, and the Senshi of Intellect nearly falters in her ability to stay strong for her friend. She should have known.
"I ca--" Mercury starts to tell her friend, her hero, her dearest friend. But she can't bring herself to say it. She should have known.
"I will," Mercury promises the impossible. "I'll bring him back. Somehow, I'll ... I'll find a way." She should have known, and she second guessed herself.
And now it's happened all over again, just like before. He's dead, and her Princess is torn in two. And Mercury somehow knows how this story ends. Something has to change. The story has to change. "I'll bring him back," Mercury promises with more resolve. Because they're not going to get a third chance to reset the story.
Tadase Hotori doesn't know what to say.
He doesn't know what to do.
Even Kiseki is at a loss for words, for actions. He just floats there. Kiseki is crying, too.
How do you tell someone in such obvious painful grief it's going to be okay? How do you tell someone who just ended their love of... apparently, many lifetimes... by their own hands, twisted and mishapen by darkness?
Tadase doesn't know. All he knows is... he has to do something. He can't let this end here. He has to protect. That's what he does. A King protects his subjects. A King watches over them.
There's still a warm hand on her shoulder. It's not Mamoru's hand. It's not that warmth. But it's as much encouragement, as much hope, as much light as the boy can muster. That hand on the shoulder becomes a hug. It becomes a tight hug, a stronger hug than perhaps the boy should muster.
Tadase doesn't speak any words now though. There are no words he can say. Even when she begs Mercury to bring him back, he just holds on and hugs.
Largely unresponsive. Not hugging back. And then... there was the worst thing that Storm KNight had ever heard. That heartbroken 'Bring him back'. Storm Knight shifted slightly, releasing Sailor Moon as she listened to others begin to make promises. Sailor Mercury. Storm Knight looks towards Princess Serenity. "..." She looks towards Mercury silently. "...Do not promise what you cannot do." Storm Knight says softly.
She turns towards Miss White, a hand reaching for her shoulder. "We need to talk." She says towards her rival. Her rival who she knew had more information than she did. Who was working with the darkness, and knew all that the darkness was hunting for. Bringing him back. That would take a miracle. And that what darkness hunted for would hopefully provide that miracle, because they need power.
And honestly, she couldn't look at Usagi, or her heart would have to be surrounded by a stronger shield. She takes a slow breath as she looks straight into her eyes. Those eyes were firm, almost cold right now. And wholly focused on what she wanted from Miss White.
Homura's own bitterness grows. It wasn't fair. There has to be something she can do. This wasn't an ending that she could accept. It wasn't Madoka... but... Mamoru was important to her.
No... Mamoru was important to all of them. This was all of Mamoru's friends, wasn't it? Everyone who cared about him is here, or at least most of them are. The ones who could show up.
They were all meant to see this death. This was meant to hurt them. To torture them.
Maybe Homura could do it this time... It had been more than long enough. She could undo all of this. She could tell Mamoru everything. She could go back and tell Mamoru who his princess was. Maybe they could have a bit more happiness, and maybe... if they knew ahead of time, maybe they could prevent all this. No one else had believed Homura before... but Mamoru never once distrusted Homura.
... still gonna torture the heck out of Kyouko, though.
Homura reaches up to her shield. She turns it. Further than she usually does. The same symbol that has long vexed her, the same green glowing P-that-was-not-quite-a-P, burns on her shield like a nightmarish brand.
Homura whispers, "... why, even now, are you getting in my way? I could stop this, I could save them, but you won't LET ME..."
Homura stands up. Eyes full of tears, she looks at Serenity and says, "I'm sorry... I want to help you... for his sake... but you aren't in danger right now... and I need to be alone."
She is gone within a second. One moment she is there, the other she is not.
Mars holds Serenity tightly. The princess's pleads to bring back her prince. It's all too much to take.
This is what she saw before. The princess weeping over the prince.
To think that things went like this... is this the tragedy that they all were trying to avoid?
"I should have been able to see this... why couldn't I see this? Why couldn't I know that this was coming? I should be able to know things like this..."
Mars looks up to Mercury, and says, "If you can... Whatever it takes... We'll help."
What gods did they anger that they have to endure this terrible fate twice?
Hannah barely manages something like a smile. All the guile, all the planning? No, it didn't matter right now. A touch to her shoulder.
"Yeah. Yeah we do, Storm. I get it." It's almost instinctual, and yet Serenity and Mercury offer it in words.
'Bring him back'.
'I'll bring him back.'
Cold eyes stare at her, and slowly, Hannah stands up. She's always been a woman of action, and something tangible to work on is the balm to her soul she needs. It keeps her together. Walking over, she silently picks up the golden urn, and begins to walk past both Storm Knight and the Senshi Pile.
Homura is gone, but there's still two she knows she needs right now. Raging Tempest is slipped into her pockets.
A laugh comes from Hannah's throat. It's one of bitter, low, bordering on unhinged purpose. "...Storm Knight. Sailor Mercury. Let's go. We have work to do." Her voice is commanding, and then she gently spins the urn in her grasp.
"Even if it means stealing from God Himself, nothing and no one will get in our way!" And then she's walking off, trying to take Storm Knight and Sailor Mercury in tow.
"We don't have time for any of that," Sailor Venus begins, interrupting tears and crying and random suggestions of all around. She keeps her voice's volume higher, unwilling to put herself physically near anybody at the moment.
"Mercury, I got a text. I want to know where the text came from, where that phone is, and where it was since the orphanage."
"And Mars," she continues, making little gestures with her fingers. "Protect the princess. In case somebody else tries something against her - or against me, since I killed him and emotions might run high."
She thinks of asking more, but blanches, not really knowing what to do. "We probably should get out of here, or search around, in case there's another trap around here..." she notes, as a general 'all around suggestion' for everybody else.
It's funny, the things you think of when your mind just isn't coping.
As everyone makes plans around her, Usagi pulls her cell phone out from...somewhere.
"Gotta text Hannah-chan..."
Not to tell her about this, of course. That's not really on her level of cope.
TXT Hannah: Cabt make ut to kiclbozing.
Of course, it's easier to text when one can actually see and not be blinded through tears and such nonsense.
Everyone is making plans around her. Mercury is likely leaving. Venus probably wants to be...away.
She looks up at Mars, eyes wide as though to say 'am I staying with you?'
Then she looks around, lost and more than a little confused. "Where's Jupiter?"
Logically, she knows where. Illogically, she doesn't. "Where's--?"
She jerks to standing, swaying a bit as she looks around. She doesn't even know who she's looking for.
She looks at Venus. Venus is their leader. She knows what to do. "What about me?"
"Mars," Mercury says quietly, "I can't," she looks to Sailor Mars, then starts to disentangle from the pile of people comforting her princess. "Take care of the Princess," Mercury reiterates Venus's orders. She should have told them. "Please," she begs quietly, her voice cracking with her grief and her self-consciousness. Then, Mercury stands and looks to Venus. She nods and promises, "I'll find out." What's one more promise on the list?
For a moment, Sailor Mercury just stands there over the collection of gathered people. Mamoru is gone, but she is already resolved. Somehow, someway, she will bring him back.
She brought Aki Kurosawa back. And once upon a time, they all came back from death.
She can bring Mamoru back, too. "I am the Senshi of Love and Intellect," Sailor Mercury says very quietly to Storm Knight. "I can bring him back. I'll find a way."
Hannah's words only echo her thoughts, and so she nods. "Just ... one second," she says to Hannah. Mercury steps away from them all and reaches up to touch one of the three earings in her ear. A slim blue visor slides down from her tiara to cover the tears that start to well in Ami's eyes. The Mercury Computer boots immediately, and she begins to pick up the pieces.
Sailor Mercury collects some of the ashes in a tiny little glass vial. When the vial is full, she stoppers it and tucks it into her skirt, then swallows and turns to join Hannah and Storm Knight.
That immediate understanding. That was probably part of what it meant for Hannah Sharpe and Storm Knight to be rivals. Ultimately, they were both very similar in ultimate goals, but just had a very different method of going about it. Storm Knight gives a simple nod towards Hannah, those eyes turning away from her as she thinks on that.
She couldn't just do something wrong for her, but she could get information on ways to possibly bring him back. Or at least find the way to get to the bottom of it. Storm Knight watches as Hannah begins to walk away. She takes a couple of steps forward, but then... Minako began to talk. Well, she had ideas. And ideas were important right now. And a plan, already. Minako was claiming that she was the one who killed Mamoru. Storm Knight shifts slightly, looking back towards Hannah, before looking back towards Minako. "That's a good idea." Storm Knight responds simply. "I'm going to go with Miss White for now. She has information that I need."
Storm Knight looks back towards Miss White, beginning to follow after her. Mars would protect the Princess. As would Tadase, and Minako. She was certain of that. It would be fine in the end, she was sure. Probably. She hoped. Otherwise she wasn't sure she was going to be able to keep things together.
And then... Usagi speaks. She had to text Hannah. She shifts slightly, her gaze shifting towards the bunny. Watching her quietly. Listening to her as she spoke. Listened as she tried to grasp for something, anything, and trying to figure out what to do. Sailor Moon. Tsukino Usagi. She was lost... and hurting worst than any of them could be in the situation. "...Sailor Moon. Just hold in there. ... You have a lot of people around you who care about you greatly." Storm Knight says softly, before turning her gaze back towards Miss White, finally following after her. She walked silently as she listens to Sailor Mercury talk. "...Good. But don't push yourself too much and get yourself hurt too." Storm Knight says softly.
Hannah lets Mercury go, and then the Senshi of Love and Intelligence scoops up ashes. The woman allows this with a nod. Her every move is stiff, shock still running through her, and so she stubbornly clings to the /plan/.
And then Serenity goes and mentions her name. There's only the slightest of pauses, and hands are sinking into her pants pocket. For Mercury, it might be nearly nothing. But to Storm Knight as she joins them?
Miss White's phone audibly buzzes for half a second before she can touch the 'off' button. Could it be coincidence? Hannah had been careless in her rush to get here.
Storm KNight and she /definitely/ have much to talk about. Another clue atop others.
"Sailor Moon. You're strong. Live on. And trust in those closest to you. A guy like that? He is not the type to just abandon the people he cares about, friend or lover." A peace sign, oh-so-casual as she walks away.
And holds in the sobs as she walks, as once she's out of Serenity's sight, she's hugging the urn to her chest. As the unmarked black sedan pulls up, she finally breaks down, curling up into a ball around that beautiful urn, staining the car seats with tears as she unashamedly bawls out her pain.
As Serenity's eyes, Usagi's eyes, turn towards Mars, Mars smiles to her and says, "You're with me, Princess-chan. I've got you. I'll keep you safe."
This was her mission, right? As a Sailor Soldier... As a guardian of the Moon Princess... this was her duty, right? Venus and Mercury both ask her to. Right now it's her duty.
"Come on... we need to be... not here. Like V-chan said, there could be other traps, and Mercury-chan needs to study things."
Mars's voice is soft, and quiet. She stands. She tries to pull Serenity to her feet. If Serenity doesn't stand on her own, then she'll carry her... but they need to leave.
They are in a confusing and traumatic situation. They are at their most vulnerable point. If an enemy attacked right now...
Taking Serenity home is also out of the question, at least until she recovers enough to be normal. Where should they go?
"Come on... let's go."
Tadase finally has to let go of Usagi. Of Sailor Moon. Of Princess Serenity. He's given her all the strength he has to give, in all the ways he knows how. But his duties aren't done. A King has to attend to duties, and in bad times moreso than any other.
Tadase looks down. "I can't let him be forgotten." he says, quietly. Then. Louder. "I won't. I won't let this be the end." Tadase says. There's no more tears from him. It's not the stern determination of Platinum Royale. It's softer, quieter. And yet... also strong in its own way.
"I have work to do now." he says, standing to his feet from where he kneeled to hug his Semapi's crying princess. "I... have to do work." he says again, like he's building his resolve. And he starts to walk off. There's a very sad looking tiny king behind him, head down and shoulders slumped as he floats just above Tadase's shoulder.
Usagi/Serenity/Moon/Whoever is quick to follow Mars. She clings to her, because despite arguments it's still her Rei and her Rei is very huggable.
She's being guided somewhere. And then nowhere. And then she points.
If one could see that far, her finger would be pointing at an apartment a certain high school boy had to abandon awhile ago.
"They're not looking for him anymore."
Minako Aino/Sailor Venus invites Serenity along in response to 'what about me' questions, with just a gesture towards Mars. She acts guilty and doesn't actually use any words at first, just keeping her head down.
"Sorry." She begins with an bare-bones of an apology. "I had to protect you. I wouldn't know what it's like to have a boy I love die," she mumbles.
"But I'll get 'em for you. Lots of us will. You just help the others and relax for now."
Rei smiles at Usagi, softly. "Okay. Let's go there."
Rei knows where she's pointing, just from the direction alone. She's been there before. Once to threaten, once to question herself, and several times after as a friend.
She knows the way.
"You're the princess."
She nods at Venus even as she's been leading away. Protect. Right. That's what Venus did. That makes sense.
She follows Rei. Her observation makes Usagi blink.
"I am?" She looks down. "Huh."
She's quiet for a moment. "You know. That means he fell in love with me three times."
A nod.
"I thought you'd be the princess if it was one of us."
"Yeah... three times," says Mars, keeping an arm around Serenity. "... but I couldn't be the princess. I already called 'not it'."