Awakening (Open)

[Terra Sloane]

Terra inspected her pen carefully as Kasumi spoke, as she played with it a little bit, words echoed in her mind in a soft, motherly, kind voice..like someone she once knew...or...maybe had been?



'When the time comes...all you need to say is Earth Planet Power Make up'



When Terra came out of her headspace, Kasumi was still talking, something about youma being the japanese word for monsters. Her mind-fuzzies cleared and she smiled at Kasumi. "Oooh okay, sorry, I never studied Japanese..and...complications? What kind of Complications?" She glanced at Tuyen a moment as she spoke then turned her attention back to Kasumi, entraptured by her voice and how she was talking. The girl had a pretty voice, easy to listen to and Terra found herself enjoying how the girl was describing things and telling them about everything.



"Elysian..is the center of the earth? I thought the center of the Earth was like..magma..?" She asked, blinking a few times then looked up as Kasumi pointed upwards. "Wow.." She blinked as Kasumi trailed off and the singing caught her attention. Frowning thoughtfully she turned to look at the masked figure that wasn't Tuyen. "That's a weird language.." She mused.



'Say it..quietly..now.' The voice echoed again in her mind.



"Earth Planet Power Make up.." Terra whispered and in a flash she was in a rusty orange and earthen brown fuku holding an odd looking wand that had a faceted top with a gold 'crown' around the top and the same Earthen brown as her skirt.



"I'm not running, not if I have to help out." Terra muttered to Kasumi. "Besides I have nowhere to go and running off and leaving a new friend behind isn't me..I won't leave you.."

[Tuyen Van Huynh]

The green-haired girl turned into a dark-haired girl, and Terra was entranced. For his part, Tuyen tried not to be impressed by the level of change the girl achieved; she hardly looked the same at all! Then she started to explain a few different locations that were visible in the distance. There were certain ones she told them not to visit, and Tuyen's rebellious side found him immediately wanting to go there just because he'd been told not to.

Terra was all questions, which the other girl seemed happy enough to answer. They'd just met and already the girl was trying to become like a mentor to Terra. It seemed inevitable that she would be going with them now, even though Tuyen still didn't know if they could trust her.

But before they got the chance to head off towards Elysian or anywhere else, some guy in a mask... er, some other guy in a mask, that is... appeared and started singing in what sounded like gibberish. Then he was talking about how it was time for the world to end. His pleas sounded very impassioned, and if they weren't so crazy he might have been more inclined to listen. But no, this was one of the bad guys, wasn't he? One of the ones Tuyen- or rather, Thuy Hiep Si (it was going to take some time to get used to that name, for sure)- was supposed to be fighting against. The girls seemed to think so, since they immediately changed back into their senshi forms.

A jump drive (yes, you read that right) materialized in his hand as he narrowed his eyes at the silver-masked man. He didn't throw it at the man, but just had it there at the ready just in case.

"You're wrong," he said. "There are still plenty of good people in this world who, just like anyone else, are just looking for happiness and meaning out of life. You can't take away everyone's chance at happiness just because there are a few bad eggs."

[Deleted]

"You do not recognize me, Setsuna, or maybe Kasumi... But I recognize you. I recognize you so well. You pushed me to live in this world of darkness, instead of letting me die, forced me to be corrupted by Chaos even more. Opened the floodgates for my soul to never be free of this eternal war." He laughed. "You sacrificed me, giving Chaos just enough of a victory in Crystal Tokyo to abate her thirst, and allow Moon to purify her." The Silver Man cackled. "Begone children, this does not concern you. It concerns this harlequin, who sacrifices those she claims to love in the pursuit of her 'Greater Good'!" He roared that. "Where I am honourable, and bring my loved ones to a better place, she discards them. Neti, and the Inquisitor, both thrown into the trashheap when she did not need them anymore." He snarled at that. "I want nothing more than to snap your miserable neck. But I am still a compassionate man. On your knees, beg me for forgiveness."

[Kasumi Hepburn]

Kasumi rested her staff before her as he raged against her with words, mocking her and scaring the others.. or at least, attempting to do so. She rested her forehead against the cool edge of the silver. "Kasumi." She let the name slip from her lips with a sigh and she straightened. She tilted her chin toward Terra, no, Sailor Earth with a small smile. "There won't be a fight here. This is neutral ground."

Her staff glowed purple, just briefly before she pointed it toward Nanashi- or rather past him to the gates. A woman with long black hair and a long purple gown sat perched on the top of the Nemesis Mirror. To her opposite, a senshi in white with rainbow underskirts stood just behind the mirror.

She took a soft gentle inhale and exhaled it again. "There are only two souls who stain my hands, in two different lifetimes. Neti. As you said, was Persephone's husband. She who broke the taboos and had to pay a price for the greatest love of her life.... However, the other soul that I was forced to..." She trailed off and studied the mask a moment longer. "...Siphon into the gates of time was because there was no other hope for him due to his own decisions. That isn't an excuse, one of the silver mask. It is merely that my burdens and my choices are not for you to judge me on. Nor any other. They are between me, my Queen and my chosen God."

She stepped a bit before the two. "You have said your piece. I have heard your belief, oh nameless one, that I have dishonored you in some fashion- though you will not give your name nor your bearing. I have heard your words, echoed in this holy place of rebirth and hope. So too then will you hear Mine."

She stepped forward her purple eyes flashing.

"Peter Emile. You gave yourself away. Neti would have understood, for he too, understood the gates of time.. But you, who who was sacrificed in Crystal Tokyo. You who chose, time and time again to play forth for someone else to make your choices, and hold your leash. You, who I claimed as my Knight. To follow at my side and help with My burden. I had but barely met you before you had flung yourself back into Chaos's arms with a gleeful intent. Did I put you away from her? Hai. A thousand times Hai. Would I do it again? Yes. Though it broke my heart and I have carried the stain of your life on my hands... And look.. Look at you now... Claiming you carried your family, your friends to a higher place - a better place. But do you know what became of Me, Peter Emile, Inquisitor? Do you know what became of me? Of the price I paid?"

"No. You are still selfish. Me me me. When you have been to the desert and seen what your choices have wrought. When you see the lives not of just your friends and those you believe 'worthy' of your affections... When you see what your choices have done. Then Maybe you can bring judgement down on me."

She narrowed her gaze further. "Until then I will be assisting Sailor Earth and her companion to Elysian, which is where they wish to go."

[Storyteller]

((Storyteller Note: Chaos and Cosmos are both in physical form near the mirrors and look to be able to take action against either side should a fight break out in the bowl... You can just assume they will stop your characters if you start a fight.))

[Terra Sloane]

Terra's eyes widened in surprise at the two appearing near the mirrors. She found herself inexplicably drawn towards the woman in the golden mirror with the rainbow underskirts. She was beautiful, peacefully so. It was a sense of familiarity. Her gold crystal, hidden under the collar of her fuku, warmed considerably and Terra found herself relaxing, there was to be no harm here, Cosmos would not allow it, Terra herself..wouldn't allow it.

This seemed to be neutral ground and she was fearing the consequences, of what would happen if they indeed did fight. She had no idea her magic, nor her powers..perhaps she should have run after all. Terra felt her legs shake a little bit and she sat down, eyes wide, scared of fighting..she'd never been the fighting kind, hating conflict. The fact that it could hopefully be averted was a relief. A sigh escaped her lips and she played with the three inch earth-brown wand in her hand. Her golden-hued gaze forever on that golden mirror.

Please please don't let this erupt into fighting..please..I hate fighting.. Terra thought to herself, biting down on her lower lip. A senshi that hated fighting...who knew that was even possible? Not to mention this guy looked like a Knight of some kind and she had a feeling deep in her gut that attacking people that were like them was so many kinds of wrong. The teen exhaled quietly once again, and gazed up at Kasumi. The woman was mature, very mature, how could she ever think to make friends with practically an adult? The thought made her brow furrow a bit and she swept her hand through her cloud-white hair,  hand brushing up against the hard golden metal that lay in a v shape on her forehead.

Looking down at the man on the stage, she worried her lower lip some more, hoping he'd just walk away and not do anything. All she wanted to do was go to Elysian and figure out who this Gaia lady was and why she'd chosen her to carry the golden crystal....it confused her. What could a teenager possibly do with such an item? As if sensing her doubt, the item warmed further, as if to reassure her that things would be okay. Mentally she thanked the crystal for doing such a thing, her gaze unwavering from the man on the stage.

She broke her gaze from Peter then focused on Cosmos. Effortlessly beautiful and so elegant looking. Terra dearly hoped she'd grow up one day to be that beautiful..

So that's the Cosmos I was told about..she's gorgeous...I hope she doesn't think me as some scared kid that can't fight...I'd be devastated if she thought such a thing..

[Tuyen Van Huynh]

The guy in the silver mask dismissed Tuyen and Terra as if they were just children playing dressup, which made Tuyen narrow his eyes at the man from behind his own mask, as his grip on the thumb drive tightened. This guy couldn't talk to him like that- he was a highschooler now, not some kindergartener drooling on himself and eating paste!

"You'll leave her alone," he announced. "You'll leave all of us alone... or else!"

Never mind the or else what- he... he... would figure out something...

Then the girl who had identified herself as Kasumi tried to put a stop to the fight before it could begin by saying thy were in a neutral place. She drew their attention to a pair of figures, one light and one dark, hanging around by those mirror-portal-things. He didn't understand much of what Kasumi said next, which he guessed was something private between herself and the guy she now called Peter. He certainly understood her last words, though, that she was going to take them to the place called Elysian. Maybe they would find some answers there?

In the meantime, Terra seemed to be freaking out a little. It wasn't a tantrum or anything, she just seemed a little frightened. A lot of people probably wouldn't have even noticed, but Tuyen did, and he put what he hoped was a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be all right," he said. "Apparently no one can harm you here."

If they left to look for Elysian, though... well, then what?

[Deleted]

"Or else what, Child. I have waited hundreds of years, hundreds of lifetimes, for my vengeance. Do you think I am going to be so stymied? I have the patience of the Angel Michael, and his power tenfold. I am as far beyond you, as you are beyond the simple proteins that composed the very first life."

He smiled behind his mask. "I am, Eternal." He stared at them. "I offer the peace of darkness, the eternal night, a song of shadow, a nocturne of rest. You are forced to come to darkness, to sleep. Eternal Light leads to Madness, Darkness to Peace."

He stared at them. "I am not your enemy. Not until you draw arms. Even her. Even that woman, I will not harm until she forces my hand. She is still the girl I intended to take for ice cream after she wept in the face of my love for Chaos."

He extended his hand to Kasumi. "It is not to late Kasumi Song. Join me, bring them with you, and I will deliver you to eternal bliss, my Nocturnal Eden."

[Jack Lige]

It was something hard, cold, and unmoving that Jack felt himself lying down on, slowly stirring from the sleep he'd been in. It didn't feel like his usual comfy bed - maybe he fell asleep on his motorcycle again, or conked out on the floor somewhere?... No. No, it didn't feel like the floor this time - and he didn't feel nearly hung-over enough to have been drinking prior to this black-out, so that ruled that out.

He stopped musing to himself and finally actually opened his eyes, lazily starting to sit up. 'Huh... lighting sure looks different in here,' he sleepily thought, stretching his limbs out with a yawn. It took a few seconds for him to notice the heavy-duty armour currently covering most of his body, making him pause and wrack his brain a bit. He then started actually taking in his surroundings - The small rose and note tucked into part of his armour; The bowl-like structure of, well, The Bowl; His change in wardrobe; The other figures lying on stone slabs around him, that he didn't think were dead. He had to ask, how the hell did he end up here, or what the hell happened to him?

... oh. Right. He was dead.

At least, he was pretty sure he was dead. Memories of the night came back to him: working in his room, toying with motorcycle parts and watching violent movies again, there was a drunken attempt at jury-rigging something together out of spare parts... an explosion... coconut-fried prawn? He really hoped it was the explosion that did him in, all things considered. If that was the case, was this some kind of afterlife?...

Blearily, he ran a gauntlet-clad hand through his hair - his hair was white. Why was his hair white now. He had so many questions - and rose to his feet, looking around. He saw the stage; the pair of mirrors - they both looked like they might lead to some interesting places, he noted; the paths leading to different directions; and the handful of actually lucid people gathered, at least one in some sort of uniform - a Sailor Fuku, he blinked as he vaguely remembered the appearance, and another opposite the three, wearing a silver mask and dark clothing. And the pair of fancy-looking figures near the mirrors he was looking at earlier. Huh.

Jack didn't think any of them would be hostile, from what he could see - so, tucking the rose and note into some little compartment of his armour where they wouldn't stick out, he slowly approached the pack of figures he couldn't recognize. He was going to subtly introduce himself, and maybe ask for directions. Simple as that.

"Hello! If you lot are the room service," he gives a sarcastic smile and loudly announces as he strolls over to them all, making a little flourish with the ochre cloak attached to his armour, "Your sleeping arrangements are top notch, I might add - and if I may ask, do you know where the nearest Dunkin' Donuts is? I'm famished."

Subtle, Jack.

[Josephine Hanson]

Upon opening her eyes, Josephine's first thoughts, surprisingly, aren't tuned to her surroundings - they're set on the soreness in her spine and the absolutely regrettable state of her blazer. Stretching lazily, she gets upright, eyes still closed and brain fuzzy with sleep as she rights her hair and adjusts the rolled-up sleeves of the wool-blend coat she's wearing. It isn't until a few seconds of self-adjustment that she remembers what happened before waking up; the falling car, inches from her face, and one of the few instances of true terror that Josephine Hanson had felt in her sadly short life. Did that mean she was dead -?

Eyes snapping open, she took in her surroundings as quickly as she was able, leaping to her feet and staring out across the bowl - the motionless stars, the hard surfaces, the voices of others echoing around her. By the tone of those voices, it was going to be a fight, which meant she didn't have time to discern the place, time, or circumstances of why she was here - it was time to get involved. Hopping off the edge of the slab, Josephine shot a glance toward the wise-cracking gentleman who had apparently risen only a few moments before her, flashing him one of her thousand-watt smiles as she cracked her knuckles. "Better be a continental breakfast, at least, because I'll tell you what - my bed wasn't even made for me when I got here. I expect more pillows tomorrow."

Taking a step toward the group who's tensions seemed to be running so high, Josephine's artfully touseled hair recieved another unwelcome assault in the shape of a light breeze - one that seemed to carry rose petals upon it - and she turned her head to look for it's source, all thoughts of getting in on any beatdowns briefly stalled.

[QUINN WASSER]

She bargained this chance for us. She helped us. That was the resonating thought that echoed through her head. She was given a second chance, and a chance to help the world, instead of die horribly to the hands of a force that she didn't understand. But now she understood one thing. She was definitely dead, and she could definitely learn from her previous mistake. Trust no one; especially that slimy boss that signs your paycheck. They might be a soul-sucking monster.

But that was about to be put to the test, when she awoke to find herself in a short mini-skirt, on a stone slab, with shouting voices all around her. She was one of the apparently many stirring bodies, but unlike the last two, she wasn't full of some kind of wisecracking joke. She instead sat up, trying to keep as alert as she could while trying to move the fog of just waking up out of her mind. She stood beside her stone slab finally, and flipped one of her blue pigtails behind her back as she stared at the scene.

The drama of standing beside Uranus had not dawned upon her yet, quite frankly, nor the fact that she had stood up beside Josephine off to the side. Instead, the wind picked up her hair and started to blow the tails behind Josephine's back. She finally caught on a bit, sliding her eyes to the side to stare at Josephine, before sliding them back to the group. It just seemed... natural, to stand beside this woman and judge the ever loving hell out of the others.

She let her gaze finally rest over the man beckoning another woman to come and join him, and the utter look of disgust the woman seemed to have on her face. She smirked.

"Not my place to intrude, but I do believe the lady looking at you like you are curdled milk in her fridge is all the answer you need, sweetheart." She winked at Nanashi.

[Terra Sloane]

All of a sudden BOOM, more people awake. Her attention diverted completely from Peter she looked at the other three that had woken up, a look of curiosity appearing on her face then she visibly facepalmed. Great, they thought this was all room-servicey.



"Okay OKAY WHOA, this isn't some sort of hotel!" Terra waved her hands at Jack, Josie and Quinn. "We've all woken up here due to some..weird event. If you guys want answers I know where to go but you need to follow me because I know where to go.." With that, she started walking towards where the Greek Temple was, not waiting for anyone, she just started walking, her knee-length hair flowing about her almost gracefully. She was getting overwhelmed at all these people, it was insane, she hadn't expected anyone else to wake up, much less two senshi and a knight. Her boots clacked softly on the floors, holding her wand tightly.





Terra Has Left The Thread and is heading for Elysian. 

[Kasumi Hepburn]

Kasumi... no... Sailor Pluto kept her eyes on Nanashi. Her lips curled into a patient, but small smirk as he spoke... On one hand, condemning her and making her worthless.. on the other offering a place by his side, with Chaos. At least one thing didn't change... He still had an ego the size of a small moon.

She braced herself to go forward when three people made their presences known and the equation changed. No longer was she a lone little girl facing off against... well... Nanashi. Two voices, of two women whose souls she'd never thought she'd feel, or sense, again arrived. Those two whose strength could be leaned on, but trusted- warily. She turned her face to greet them like a flower meeting the sun.

"Uranus. Neptune." They would have different names, different faces... but somewhere underneath them both shown a woman that was not unlike old friends from old memories. Best of all? She wasn't alone.

It was almost with relief that she noticed Terra take the opportunity to run for it. They could distract Nanashi and keep him occupied while she reached the safety of Elysian's borders.

Sailor Pluto shifted her attention to Peter, and Jack. "There is no place by your side for me, Inquisitor. You have chosen to serve a goddess who knows nothing but darkness and fear and hunger. You may condemn me and my path, but I have found others who stand by me. Time and time again."

[Deleted]

"Yes. And how long before you discard then when you find them wanting. You were unwilling to invest the time to see me pure. I answer to no master but those who would speak to me. Cosmos had her chance to, and chose otherwise." Turning, and shaking his head, the Herald faced Chaos, but spike over his shoulder to that baleful little girl. "I will have my sister back from you bastards. You took Celeste from me. And that? Is unforgivable." He roared, throwing two hands up, a black morass rising around him. He nodded to Chaos, orders understood. "The Dark side has sustenance tempting enough for Gods. If you have need for it, we shall nourish you, in spirit and body. Stand with those who are blinded by the Light, or find a home amidst the Night."

He strode through lest his temper overwhelm him. What waited beyond was the Dark Kingdom

[Nanashi -> Beryl's throne]

[Tuyen Van Huynh]

Suddenly there were people coming out of the woodwork, and in keeping with her pattern, Terra ran off as soon as the others began to appear. Some of those new arrivals seemed to be Sailor Senshi, and that Kasumi woman seemed to know them and to be glad to see them. The man in the silver mask clearly wasn't. He left in pretty short order, but the whole time he was there he never stopped talking up the dark side. To hear him talk the Dark side was the good side and the senshi were in the wrong! Tuyen didn't believe it for a moment.

"Well, that was easy enough," he said nonchalantly. "Now we need to hurry if we're gonna catch Terra. I wouldn't. wanna end up wandering around lost in the desert, and she seemed to know where she was going."

(Gah, that post sucked. This is what I get for posting from my phone...)