1697/An Eclipse for the Sun
From Radiant Heart MUSH
An Eclipse for the Sun | |
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Date of Scene: | 23 June 2024 |
Location: | Abandoned Theme Park |
Synopsis: | As a method of respect for the 'dead' (Okay she's not really dead just no longer Sunbreaker), Aloisia Stauss drops one of the Eclipse towers in the middle of an abandoned themepark. Fighting ensues. Lots of space politics do too.
Surprisingly, there was no punching. |
Cast of Characters: | Aloisia Stauss, Usagi Tsukino, Keaka Hoshiko, Chiyo Sakai, Chrono Harlaown |
- Aloisia Stauss has posed:
An abandoned themepark is perhaps a somewhat strange place to put up an Eclipse Zone. There's not many people who go into the park. And in the center of the park, it's large enough that very few people will even wander into its zone.
And yet, that is exactly where Aloisia Stauss stands. After deciding a suitable place -- one of the platforms for one of the taller roller coasters -- she jams the device down into the metal, and it begins to deploy, the sensation of Wrongness as the dark magic begins to take hold. The whirring and clicking of the central tower beginning to deploy ringing out through the empty themepark. And the Knight Aloisia stands, arms crossed, with full detection spells on. No doubt, people would come to stop this.
That's fine.
This is simply an act to honor a fallen comrade, after all.
- Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi Tsukino texts Hinoiri Kirara: HEY? HINOIRI?! HELP WHERE?
Usagi Tsukino texts Hinoiri Kirara: HELP WHERE?!
But there's no reply. Hinoiri's phone gets a good ten, twelve of these text messages, each with an increasing number of question marks and exclamation marks, before Usagi finally gives up, pacing around the roof of a building in distress.
It's not like she and Hinoiri are friends right now - it will take a while, before they reach that point, and Usagi just doesn't have the emotional energy - but she still cares, and no one likes to receive HELP and nothing else.
Especially when they're a mahou in Tokyo.
The pulse of energy, the wrongness in the world that can only be one thing, is almost a relief.
Maybe Hinoiri needed help because Obsidian was forcing her to make a new Eclipse Zone. Maybe, if she just followed that strangeness, she would find her.
What she finds is a creepy old abandoned theme park, and a knight in armor, and no Hinoiri.
Sailor Moon's eye twitches.
"Hey! You! I, Sailor Moon, am here to stop you! And to... to figure out where the heck the girl formerly known as Sunbreaker is, so if you have her, let her go!"
- Keaka Hoshiko has posed:
Earlier, somewhere:
"And so, then, we rip the affected part of the world out of the world and into the Dusk Zone!"
Sarida considers the information Keaka has just told it. "The procedure you describe sounds like it depends on first producing some form of resonant entanglement between some anchor you can move, and the world around it. The eclipse zones, while allowing dark energy to trickle in from outside, do not as currently used really... become a vital part of the story of the world around them. The people barely even notice them. Such is the brilliance of miss Hinoiri's design: Excellent for energy gathering, but not really suited to the purposes of world destruction. Still, perhaps they could be part of such a plan..."
She'll have to get more practice in with the Eclipse Zones. So when she hears someone is establishing one more, Aloisia is not alone.
Now:
"So why do you want to honor her, anyway? She's a brilliant scientist, but you don't seem the type to care about that. She hunted us down and burned us, or have you forgotten?"
Clarthas is watching the pillar unfold, monitoring its status from a datapad.
He looks up from it when Sailor Moon appears. He mutters to Aloisia: "She's missing? Curious."
Clarthas steps away from the pillar and turns to face Sailor Moon, looking her over. He remembers her, from the past. She helped, then; But he knows there is no point in asking Moon to just leave: She is a hero. He takes a combat stance, with the gauntlet held before him. It chimes softly, "Engaging Hype Drive." and His coat billows as if from a dramatic wind. "Hero... if you would see the world not drowned in darkness, then show us that you have what it takes to stop us!"
- Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Do you know what's also equally annoying about getting a mysterious text for help when you're in the middle of hanging out with your cousin? You don't get to finish the conversation you were having! Seriously. Hinoiri's timing was as usual the worst.
At the very least Chiyo tags along with Usagi because she wasn't intending to let her go out there alone. Especially not when the familiar energy sapping wrongness of an Eclipse Zone being erected sends the hairs on the back of her neck rising.
Guardian Daifuku arrives landing next to Sailor Moon allowing her to do the whole justice speech thing. That wasn't really her shtick (though she did get a good burn in the last time someone attacked her shop.) Instead, after Sailor Moon blurts out about giving Sunbreaker back she adds in, "Yeah, some of us have to punch her still ourselves!"
- Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown had been searching, again. There hadn't been much response in his search for the rest of the Artha's crew. So he had to keep searching. And weekends were prime time for that. One might be surprised at his diligence. People who were didn't know him very well.
However, as he was out, he felt *it*. Something... Weird. He knew that sensation. While he'd never been around for it before, he was out NOW. And if someone was trying to bring up an Eclipse Zone? This time he wasn't off dealing with other important matters...
So it was that a few moments after Sailor Moon arrived that a blue blur crashed down to the ground and Chrono raised his head. His eyes narrowed on Aloisia. "Despite the fact I am certain they have already said similiar, procedure requires I do. I am Time Space Administrative Bureau Enforcer, Chrono Harlaown." His ID formed in his hand to display. "Cease this assault on this world, or I will be forced to physically put a stop to your actions. If you put down your weapons, your wounds will be tended and you will be granted protective custody if required."
He then gave the sigh of an officer who knew they'd never take the easy way, but had to try. Because he always would. He then glanced to the pair of magical girls who'd arrived before him. "Hey Sailor Moon. Guardian Daifuku. Friends of yours?"
- Aloisia Stauss has posed:
Someone was approaching. Nobody that Aloisia particularly recognizes, having only encountered her briefly during a certain planning session where Bow was improvising -- and not in this form. The knight was turned towards her before she arrived, though, which might be a bit... creepy if she didn't know much about Device Mages.
"Sailor Moon? I see. A pleasure, I am Aloisia Stauss, and I do not have her." There's a pause.
"But I will not allow you to stop this."
Calm, yet mildly urgent at the same time. Perhaps doing her best to distract with conversation to allow the tower to get as much progress before things go particularly far. "Though, I suppose she /is/ technically involved." As the creator of the Eclipse Zone technology. "If you want to search around for her, I won't stop you so long as you don't approach the tower. I will warn you, however, that the structural stability of a lot of things in this area are suspect"
Keaka gets a glance from Aloisia. "She did no such thing to me. Perhaps because we had a pleasant interaction for the most part. Or I simply was lucky. Regardless, a fallen comrade is a fallen comrade. They should be honored." And then Clarthas provokes Sailor Moon into potential combat. Well, that's fine too.
Aloisia's device pings.
<Pyramid>
<Enfalle>
A pair of overlaid triangle magical circles deploy beneath the tower, as Aloisia steps slightly away from it and spreads, covering the tower and its deployment in a massive cerulean pyramid of energy. She didn't know how a Barrier would effect the deployment, so she opts not to.
"I have nothing to do with if you decide to punch her or not. Though I am moderately Displeased with all of the attempts upon the former Sunbreaker's life." Not that she had much place to really do anything about it. Guardian Daifuku is regarded calmly, examined carefully with one eye turned towards her, one shield angled to cover her mostly from both Sailor Moon and Guardian Daifuku.
And then He arrived. Tch. Honestly, she had hoped to delay many direct interactions with him for longer.
She owed him that much for saving her.
"I have no intent to listen to the orders of a officer of the parasitic TSAB, Herr Chrono. I would rather not beat the one who assisted in recovering me from my ship though. So I suggest a counter-offer: This tower is placed such that only this abandoned themepark and a small area outside of it will be in its area of effect. It should not cause overmuch harm. Ignore it. Leave." Energy was building in her devices, preparing a spell, but not unleashing it yet. "And we can continue this farce of peace for longer."
- Keaka Hoshiko has posed:
Clarthas shows a hint of a smirk as Guardian Daifuku shows up. Another Hero. Good, there should be a proper fight over whether evil will stake a claim here.
And then his eyes open wide in shock at the unmistakeable style of Barrier Jacket of their third foe. The introduction confirms it. His fists clench and now he actually looks angry. The 'as if he were floating in water' thing going on with his hair contibutes to how he emotes, going spikier to punctuate words; a hint of static overlays the world around him.
"Dog of the Bureau! You have no power or business here..." He holds his hands up in a shrug, smiling a bit. "Do you think we don't know what happens to ships sent here? Can you even send a single report to your jack-booted bosses? Is anyone coming to help? As if they care so much about you!"
He points. "But if you wish to represent them here and impose the Bureau's will on this free world... I WILL NOT allow it! You won't make the heroes of this world dance to your tune, hold them to some status quo because the current order suits you! They will be allowed to do whatever they want to save their planet, or fail by their best efforts! Not be held back by YOU!"
He charges forward, flying just above the ground and hurling bolts of dark energy, but it's not the mad dash it appears to be. This is an Enforcer of the Time-Space Administration Bureau, not some mere pushover. Clarthas must probe his defenses, see how he fights...
- Usagi Tsukino has posed:
With Chiyo at her side, Usagi is feeling pretty confident - but with the declaration that this strange enemy has nothing to do with Hinoiri?
She frowns, looking at her skeptically. "You don't have her, but you're going to honor her for falling, even though she's totally -" pause. "Mostly fine?"
Color her skeptical especially with that other person here!
"Of course I'm not going to let the world be covered in darkness! What kind of person wants that, huh? The world is where I live!"
Her Crescent Wand appears in her hand - the Eclipse Zone isn't up entirely, not yet, so there's still a chance to beat this thing!
"Chrono-kun, Daifuku-chan, let's send these two packiiiiing what the hell-"
Because suddenly, the one challenging her like a villain from a comic is rushing Chrono, and she lashes out, probing them in turn -
"Moon Healing Escalation!"
A golden circle is carved into the air itself, and then silver beams of light and clouds of mist flow towards Clarthas, burning with purifying light!
"Hey, uh, Chrono! Why does this guy hate you so much?!"
- Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Guardian Daifuku hefts her hammer up over her shoulder. The long staffed Kine is held easily without a hint of weariness or difficulty given it's large, presumably heavy nature, as she regards both Aloisia and Clarthas up on to of the coaster. Her gaze rakes over the magic triangles erected just beneath the device earning a little exhaled breath through her mouth. Not quite a huff but close.
Chrono's arrival earns a nod toward the TSAB officer as well in greeting. She hadn't really had much chance to talk to him business-like, but she knew he was dating Rashmi and that was more than enough to vouch for his credentials.
"Okay, so can we get a barrier or..." She starts to suggest loud enough for those on *their* side to hear at least. The ranting from both Aloisia and Clarthas however earns an eyebrow raising high.
"ALL RIGHT! As the only representative of EARTH here currently," she declares, "I agree with Sailor Moon! You're going down!"
Hissing again she utters, "Reeeally could use a barrier tho I don't want to wreck this place it's already a safety hazard."
When the dark energy starts to rain down, she leaps to the side to avoid being hit or getting in the way of the Moon Healing Escalation. Her next jump takes her toaward the coaster which she lands upon the tracks of only to start running toward the top.
- Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown cocked an eye to her. He then sighed. "That was then, this is now. The TSAB will protect those who require it... but just because I helped you then does not mean I can allow free reign of your future antics. Just as I worked to protect you when we first met, I won't hesitate to protect others from you if you pursue this line of action."
"Not sure why you think I'm a parasite, though. I hoped we'd have a slightly better relationship than that, Lady Stauss." Every single word he said was with that same smile on his lips. Calm. Gentle. The face of a TSAB agent who wanted to let the world know they could trust him. It would all be alright. Luckily, there were no civilians here to be endangered. He lifted his staff to the air, forming a barrier over the region. At least nobody would be--
"What?" he asked, his smile tightening, just a little. Well, Clarthas wasn't wrong. He couldn't send a message out. Still, he turnd that calm smile towards Clarthas. "My apologies, but here seems to be a misunderstanding. I am a TSAB enforcer. My duty to protect the worlds I come to remains in place regardless of how much backup I may or may not have." He then glanced back towards Sailor Moon. "No idea," he said, shrugging, before flicking his rod. Aloisia would feel it, two binds attempting to form across her arms. While Clarthas' blind charge was heading straight towards three delayed binds he cast in front of her, hoping to make her run into them and get bound by them. He leaped into the air, the blasts skewing past him, one grazing his leg but not penetrating the barrier jacket.
His eyes focused on Aloisia. "So long as your zone threatens even *one* innocent, you must know peace is not an option. I can't allow someone to suffer just because it is easier or *convenient*. Ladies, the barrier is up, please be gentle with her. I'll deal with... ummmm... I didn't... catch your name?" he called at Clarthas.
- Aloisia Stauss has posed:
All of her talk, and Aloisia just ends up watching.
As Clarthas dashes towards Chrono.
"..."
A long, drawn-out sigh escapes the knight as she watches the dash towards Chrono, one hand lifted to cover her face. "Ein verrückter Hund. <A mad dog> Tch." She mutters under her breath as this happens, but at the same time... this was convenient. She could probably avoid fighting Chrono for now. Probably.
Sailor Moon's comments get a pause, as Aloisia lowers her hand and looks towards her. "Yes. Of course, Hinoiri is fine, but Sunbreaker? She is dead, ja? Never to return, unless something horrible happens. Thus, fallen." And then Sailor Moon starts to unleash a Moon Healing Escalation towards Clarthas. Another sigh, and a burst of movement launches the Knight between Sailor Moon and Clarthas, both shields facing outwards towards the oncoming attack, as the twin devices intone.
<Unbezwingbare>
<Mauer>
An overlaid pair of triangles appear over the shields locked together to help protect the knight -- and Clarthas -- from the attack. She doesn't come out unscathed of course, and the blast leaves her falling back to the ground, where she lands, feet dragging along the ground and leaving a trail in her wake from the heavy impact.
Guardian Daifuku is mostly left to continue her movements, she was running up a coaster, though Aloisia was keeping an eye on her. She call out, though, "Seriously! I don't recommend running around on top of anything! You're absolutely right on this area not being safe!" ...Why is she telling a 'hero' to be safe when she's clearly the 'villain' here? Eh whatever. Maybe she thought there was still some vague sense of the possibility of things not going absolutely poorly.
Chrono's words get a pause though, as Aloisia stands, still somewhat in a defensive position. "Nein, I do not mean you Chrono. I believe you are likely innocent and simply working to do good. The TSAB, however, conquers planets they consider 'unruly', snuff out their culture, and drain their resources. Absolute parasites."
Binds were forming across her arms and ... she ... actually doesn't immediately move to stop the magic. His explanation of the zone. A soft sigh escapes her lips. Yeah, she somewhat knew that.
...Why does she even care, anyway?
This isn't her planet.
These aren't her people.
Just after those binds activate, her devices ping.
<Falle>
<Zerstören>
And bursts of targeted mana shoot through the magic of the binds, along with physical movements to push against and strain the binds, eventually breaking out of them.
...In spite of all of this, she mainly returns to a defensive position by the tower.
She still has not attacked. Yet. Probably because she hasn't been directly /attacked/ yet.
Maybe some vain hope they'd just leave remaining.
Or stubbornness.
- Chiyo Sakai has posed:
The tracks were indeed rickety. While the majority had held, there were missing bolts here and there where they had rusted through. Even if it were in good shape it would still be a precarious climb up such a contraption. Thankfully, nothing seems to fall JUST yet as Daifuku gingerly moves from one sturdy looking foothold to the next.
Most were ignoring her it seemed in favor of dealing with CHRONO HATE--She'd have to mention this to Page Mage if he had a anti-fanclub so that she could properly look out for him.
For now, she pauses atop one of the vertical support beams doing her best impression of having claimed a tall thing. She hadn't Yet reached the top, but it was close enough that she decides this was the time to reach into the pocket of her apron to grab a fistfull of something. With a surge of magic, her hand flings out sending a scatter of colorful konpeito candy that grow in size as they approach with a cry of, "KONPEITO BURST!"
Some were aimed for Aloisia but the majority were aimed for the coaster supports below the triangles of protection she had set up in an attempt to explosively bring that down.
Which doesn't leave HER in the best position as she blindly jumps backwards to get some distance.
- Keaka Hoshiko has posed:
Ugh, that smile. Martin's memories have seen it many a time on superior officers as they spoke to locals, and then those same officers refused to do everything that could be done, to disrupt worlds and alleviate the suffering of those taken advantage of by banal heirarchies and rules rather than some dramatic tyrant. Refused to allow the study of useful magics or artifacts just because they seemed 'dark', fear of the unknown more important than helping people.
Chrono speaks of duty and Clarthas grins, "You really are a loyal soldier. Of course, what else should I expect from the poster boy?"
He remembers countless battles. He's sparred with new agents to teach them, and veterans to learn. The boy doesn't appear to be attacking. Does he have a powerful undetectable barrier up? Is he projecting an illusion and really somewhere else? Has he set a trap ahead? Has he set a trap where Clarthas will dodge to? No... there!
Clarthas aborts his charge, and twists out of the way of Sailor Moon's more direct attack, though not fast enough -- beams and white mist graze his right arm and leg and he hisses at the pain of the purification. "Gah, stay out of this! No, scratch that. You should use every advantage you can."
Who is he? "Oh, of course. This world's 'veil' really is messed up, huh?" The man in the long black coat and the tattered red scarf flies up, spins once, and takes a dramatic stance with his left, gauntleted hand against his chest and his right arm out to the side while his coat and scarf billow dramatically.
(Sarida chimes, "Force Field." and a translucent amber sphere resembling Sphere Protection surrounds Clarthas while he talks. It wouldn't do to get zapped mid-introduction!)
"I am the ghost of Martin Wreuse! He's gone now, because there was no place for him in any world your damned organization or its enemies get their claws into!" With that pronouncement, Chrono may recognize the face from posters of known criminals, although he's certainly no Jail Scarlietti or Precia Testarossa. The name is that of a veteran TSAB agent who joined up 15-20 years ago and has appeared in reports of great conflicts until recently, but never as a famous mover and shaker or leader himself, just... there, supporting heroes... or after several years ago, supporting criminals who believed they could establish a better order than the TSAB on some world or another.
The last thing of note he did was go to the location of a lost logia known to bring out some sort of dark copy of people, which if Chrono heard about it, might have come to mind during that whole Scroll of Ka business.
"I am now Clarthas Anode, the emanation of your doom and all that's left of the light that was Martin Wreuse! And this is Sarida, the Vision of Thorns!" "Charmed. Now kick his ass! Let's show him what we're made of!"
- Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown managed to look a tiny, itty bit annoyed. Still smiling, though. "I don't know *where* you've heard that nonsense, but no. That is not TSAB protocal. If you have *any* information on a planet where that is occuring? Please inform me. Catching elements of the TSAB who have gone rogue is part of an Enforcer's duty."
"But we do not conquer planets and we put a great deal of effort into ensuring that our intervention to protect other planets impacts the people and culture and minimally as possible."
While, yes, there have been cases where lesser developed worlds had candidates for the TSAB and ended up joining, they tried to keep the general knowledge of the TSAB to a minimum on those planets. Attempting to be subtle.
But there it was. Clarthas finally gave him some information. 'Martin Wreuse'. Not a name he recognized... But he had it logged, now. To research later. For all the good it might do him.
"I'm afraid I appear to be at a disadvantage here. You seem to know who I am, but unfortunately, I'm not familiar with you. I don't believe we encountered each other when I was attempting to disable a dangerous lost logia, did we? If so, my apologies for forgetting you. However..."
He readied himself, smiling to him. Lifted into the air. "You seem to know exactly who I am. While I'll admit, my role as the... poster child of the TSAB was... annoying at times, I do still stand for the ideals of the TSAB."
"It, like any organization, had flaws. But as an enforcer, part of my duty entailed finding those flaws and *removing* them before they became a threat. You're correct, the TSAB doesn't have much presence here. But the ideals, the message, the *duty* of the TSAB lives on regardless and I will *not* allow it to crumble. Protecting the innocent, ensuring that all have a tomorrow to look forward to, my duty as a TSAB enforcer transcends the organization itself. Because that's what it means to take on the role of an Enforcer. Going against the TSAB itself if required. I am sorry for any damage the TSAB may have done to you, however I will *not* give you free reign to harm this world in kind!"
He then dashed towards him, zooming through the air and swinging his rod.
<<Stinger Snipe!>>
Three small, blue balls of magic flew out, curving through the air and redirecting themselves as necessary, trying to track Clarthas and come at him from ahead, the left and the right.
- Aloisia Stauss has posed:
Aaand Daifuku is ignoring her suggestions not to run around atop the roller coaster! ... ... ... And keeps running up there! ... ... Aloisia is honestly keeping an eye on her with more concern than anything at this point. Especially when THE GIRL ATTACKS THE SUPPORTS ON THE ROLLERCOASTER.
"..."
Okay, that's foolish. It's very foolish indeed. And even as the attacks come towards Aloisia... She launches herself again, flying towards Guardian Daifuku even as the attacks come in, her shield briefly lifted to tank the blow, parts of her barrier jacket blasted away from the exploding candy striking her shield. As she continues to get into close range of Guardian Daifuku!
... And attempt to snag her out of the air, landing with her in a crouched pose and slamming a fist into the ground.
<Unbezwingbare>
<Mauer>
...And place one of those protective walls over both of them as pieces of the ride crash around her. Where there had been an almost grim calm before, she was now grinning towards the girl if she'd successfully grabbed her. "Aaaah... you're so... so... reckless." She shakes her head, her tone excited in spite of herself. "Did you even have a plan???" She's laughing as she straightens back up, the Wall spell breaking as she does, a relatively smooth movement where she reaches to grab Daifuku and spin around, intent to chuck her towards Sailor Moon's general (And much safer) direction.
The massive pyramid over the tower, meanwhile, is flickering for the moment as the attack had in fact done its job of disrupting the spell, leaving it less stable from the attack. Luckily it wasn't /anchored/ to anything, but the damage had drawn some of the spell's energy and weakened it. The Tower, however, continues to chug on. Continuing its deployment. A beautifully simple thing, really. Basically fire and forget.
And Aloisia returns to her post, standing near the tower.
And Chrono talks. Explaining that that was not TSAB protocol. Tch. "Of course you'd believe that, Herr Harlaown, the TSAB has a /wonderful/ PR team, after all! Tungeturn though, our wealth, our gems that we lovingly mined from the earth, most of them were siphoned off to the TSAB for the creation of your very own war weaponry!"
Because to Steiner space, the mining colony's worth was seen as relatively minimal, most soldiers having ancestral weaponry.
But that wasn't useful information when trying to brainwash someone.
"And the utter destruction of the Belkan society in general!"
...That largely self-destructed themselves.
Also Steiner had largely been left to just continue as it had been.
...Look, Otto might not have been very smart with his points.
- Keaka Hoshiko has posed:
Clarthas grits his teeth at the hero speech. "No, I don't think we've met. Ugh, you really are a true believer." He takes a defensive posture inside the shield. He's already got it up... He just has to take the hit, then break out and avoid the follow-up, or so he hopes.
"That's what I told myself, too. I'd stand against them. But you can't. We're social creatures. To stand against an entire Multiverse?" He shakes his head. "It's too terrifying. Martin was too kind."
The stinger snipes crash into the forcefield from different sides. It seems to be pretty tough, although it visibly cracks and begins to break apart from the succession of blows. There are two obvious weaknesses, though:
1. Clarthas, and the field, are jolted by the impacts, much like if the stinger snipe had hit unbreakable armor he was wearing.
2. You don't actually see him attack while it's up, hmm... Maybe he can't?
As the stinger snipes come in, he holds his hand imperiously out towards Chrono. Sarida chimes, "Barret Burst Fire. Take this!" The damaged field is dismissed just after the stingers hit as the spell completes, and a trio of orange energy bullets spray towards Chrono as Clarthas flies sideways, trying to circle in closer in a curving zig-zag, changing direction at random intervals to try and throw off attacks and bind traps, continuing to fire Burst Shots and Snap Shots to keep pressure up as he closes in.
"She's right, though. The Bureau is a parasite. If not on worlds, then on heroes. On those who would change the world for the better. They have to join so the Bureau can control them, or be outlaws!"
- Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Guardian Daifuku was already glancing toward the ground intending to land. It would hurt, no doubt, but it would be controlled at least. Right up until Aloisia jumps out to grab her out of the sky. That was unexpected.
Caught around the waist she's forced to swing her hammer out to the side so that there's no accidentally hitting while they continue to plumet right until they land. The explosions above sending shrapnel down at them is thankfully safe from impacting them with the addition of the shield from Aloisia.
"Mostly my plan was 'you guys are distracted, let me try to take out this Eclipse Zone before it finishes setting up', and winging it from there,' she admits with a grin. She wasn't USUALLY the reckless one but she had some decent others here with her even if Chrono and Sailor Moon were currently distracted.
Speaking of... It was interesting being thrown at Sailor Moon.
She flips in air and lands in a skidding crouch with her arm extended out still holding onto that large wooden hammer she carries with her. "Nice! Usually I'm one of the strongest ones here!" Which was saying something for as girlishly as she was dressed. It's with a frown she notices the tower is still up. "Worth a shot," she mutters.
- Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Daifuku is thrown Sailor Moon's way, and Sailor Moon does move to catch her if needed - but of course her cousin is able to catch herself. Sliding in next to her, she glances at the tower, still standing proud, and suggests, "Maybe if we both hit it at the same time, we'll have better odds? My purification did something to the ghost of ranting over there, but this Eclipse Zone is the real priority, so I'm sticking with you."
She's trusting that Chrono can handle himself - and as someone who doesn't know a ton about the TSAB, she's not exactly about to debate its evils or its virtues!
- Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown shook his head. "It *is* terrifying. This world is terrifying. This universe is terrifying. Only a fool wouldn't be afraid of the things that exist. That doesn't mean I can just give up. I do not know what you've been through, but if you wish to discuss it, I would be more than happy to. However, when you are endangering other people, I can't just stand by."
Then... he received a message from Aloisia. He snickered slightly at her denial of knowing this person. He quickly sent her a confirmation back.
Then he focused on his dance partner. The blasts were coming at him and... Well, if Clarthas wanted to get close, who was he to disagree?
<<Stinger Move!>>
Suddenly, the boy became a blue arrow, zipping across the battlefield STRAIGHT over Clarthas. It only took a moment, and left him vulnerable, but for such a short distance, he took the risk. Aiming his device down at him, though it cost him a few barrett's to the chest.
<<Impact Cannon!>>
Like a cannon from the device, it'd launch at Clarthas, attempting to strike and slam him into the ground below.
"So many accusations coming at me and the TSAB today. Lady Aloisia, I'll investigate the Tungeturn incident as best I can. However, the fall of Belka predates the creation of the TSAB! It was organized in the face of the Belkan Disaster, to help ensure those dimension and world shattering events never happened again! We do not have anything against Belkan society, aside from where it decides to destroy the worlds of others!"
"As for you... obviously! One cannot just claim to be a 'hero' and then deem whatever they do 'correct'! Do you have *any* idea how many millions, upon billions, of lives have nearly been lost due to self-acredited heroes? Those who claim 'only they can fix things' or 'only they can make things right'. That is the path of insanity and destruction. If you truly wish to be a hero, if anyone wishes to be a hero? The most fundamental, basic princible that exists, that cannot be denied?"
"Is that sometimes they are *wrong*. There is no easy solution. Sometimes one has to swallow their pride, their own hurts, even accept that it's not *fair*. That sometimes reality just doesn't *care* if you get hurt."
"Then keep doing it anyway. Keep working, despite the struggles, the grief, the pain. Keep pushing forward, no matter how often you are stopped. If for no other reason than to make sure that others never have to suffer the same pain *you* do. No organization is perfect, nor is any person. That's why it takes constant, united effort, oversight, depending on others, in order to create an organization worth taking pride in! You may call it, even me, a parasite. But I will *never* stop fighting for the ideal of what he TSAB is *supposed* to be. Even if it meant I would have to go against the TSAB itself!"
<<Stinger Blade!>>
And three blue blades appeared overhead, dashing through the air and... attempting to strike by Clarthas. Not hit him, rather block and pin him to the ground.
- Aloisia Stauss has posed:
As Clarthas continues to talk, Aloisia takes the time to tap on a quickly appearing screen, then swiping it away. There is no spell or anything as a result. She was, in fact, just texting real quickly as she kept an eye on Daifuku's movements.
"Honestly not a terrible plan against someone less focused on defending it." Aloisia comments, her tone slipping into that cheerful almost... encouraging ... tone she tends to get into when fighting people she enjoys fighting. The girl had even taken steps to avoid hitting her when being saved! "Unfortunately for you, I have experience with defending when the objective is not the defeat of my enemies." Possibly why the closest thing to an 'attack' she's done so far is chucking Daifuku vaguely in Sailor Moon's direction? The comment on her strength gets a hearty laugh from Aloisia. "Well! When you are carrying shields larger than yourself most of the time, one must have the strength to handle it!" Nevermind that the shields can and do float on their own if she let go of them... ... No she doesn't use them in the most efficient way. It's fine.
It's more fun this way. She punches one of her fists into an open palm, those shields resting on the ground. "Well, come on then~. Have at me!" She calls out towards Daifuku, her arms opening wide, almost invitingly.
Almost like she was offering a hug.
...She's not really, though probably would be confused and accept it if Daifuku tried.
Chrono's talks continue, he mentions looking into the Tungeturm incident... was there really much of an individual Incident he could look into? Hm. Belka pre-dates.
Either he's super brainwashed -- which is highly likely -- or possibly history was edited.
"That's what the TSAB claim, of course! But it wouldn't be the first time they edited events to make them look better!" ...Yeah that's a pretty flimsy response.
The talk of heroes gets a pause. Aloisia's grin falters. "It's easier if you're like me. Just accept that you're on the wrong side of history." But she has nothing to go back to. And it's more fun this way.
...And there's no place for a thief and daughter of murderers in polite society.
As Sailor Moon speaks her plan, Aloisia just seems willing to wait. Still with those arms open in that 'come at me!' pose. Yes, she was still doing that while talking at Chrono and having a minor crisis. It's fine. This is normal. Definitely.
- Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Look, I don't really know what's going on with this whole, the TSAB is evil, the TSAB is good thing," Sailor Moon says frankly, "As far as I'm concerned, the TSAB is Chrono, and like all short people, he's good, because we don't have room in our bodies to contain evil."
Is that... is that how it works?!
"But more importantly?" She raises her Crescent Wand. "He's not the one trying to make a monument to evil! Sunbreaker is gone now, and if you want to honor the fallen, do it in a way she'd appreciate, instead of giving her something else to be sorry for!"
A circle of light, carved into the air, again, as she raises the Crescent Wand high -
"Moon Healing Escalation!"
A silver blaze of light that blasts towards the tower Aloisia has constructed, a purifying sting that will strip away dark energy, even as Sailor Moon raises a gloved hand to her forehead and launches her tiara-turned-discus of cosmic energy right at the heels of that beam.
"MOON TIARA ACTION!"
A physical attack to go with the ephemeral one, with the hope that Aloisia won't be able to tank everything that flies at her so easily!
- Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"Sorry, I'm not great at ranged," Daifuku responds to Aloisia with a small grin as instead Sailor Moon steps in to fill that gap. Melee? Sure of course, or even just short range. Distanced? Moon Tiara Action was way better at it there.
"Got your back!" She calls out to Sailor Moon while she takes up a protective stands. Though there's definite 'swapping of partners' going on it's almost like these two might be just a little familiar with tag teaming. For now, Daifuku hangs back making sure there's no over-spray of the huge attacks Chrono and Clarthas are throwing around.
- Keaka Hoshiko has posed:
Chrono would be more than happy to discuss... Clarthas briefly looks... sad, and shakes his head. "It's too late."
Surprise flashes across his face at Chrono using some linear dash skill through barrets to close with him. Damn, letting yourself get hit to do something worse is a classic ace move -- he's used it in the past to catch opponents off guard who are highly-trained but have no experience in a real fight with people -- but actually charging into the attacks...
Sarida chimes, "Hybrid Sword" and a pair of orange energy armblades materialize with which he goes to parry the incoming melee attack--
But it's not a melee attack.
He tries to block with the blades but he's not quite fast enough, missing the cannon shot by millimeters.
The alleged ghost of the former TSAB agent careens into the pavement below, cracking it and kicking up a cloud of dust. He rights himself with his flight spell but is again too slow to stop the blades from surrounding him and trapping him in place. He glares up at Chrono.
One can't just claim to be a hero! Clarthas nods. "Of course. But I never said 'only I can.' That is what the Bureau says."
It's not fair. You get hurt and you keep going, no matter what. Clarthas's voice chokes. "He did. He worked with the damn Bureau and when he no longer could he worked with criminals! He never gave up!" Tears well up in Clarthas's eyes. "And now he can't fight anymore. He will never fight again, or help someone again, or hope and dream again!"
Those red-sclera'd eyes glaring up at Chrono fill with night and falling stars. Sarida chimes, crisp and hollow, "Powering Void Drives."
"And that's why the world is wrong." The gauntlet's core matrix (gem) goes from grey to the same night and falling stars, and matching energy wreathes his left hand as he grabs one of the stinger blades and the darkness consumes it, allowing Clarthas to step through, hurling up bolts of darkness as he runs, keeps moving, trying to not get pinned down and struggling to come up with a plan amongst all the pain and rage.
"The world where the TSAB rules... I will never accept it! And when it's gone, no one like Martin will suffer anymore!"
- Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown hovered above, watching Clarthas move. Now? His smile was fading. And he looked at him with just... sadness. He glanced to Aloisia. He couldn't deny that. The TSAB had edited facts in the past, to make themselves look better, to make the right path seem more right. Unfortunately, the truth was rarely clean, but sometimes minor things had to be made for the greater good...
But seeing the pair of them here? "Then on behalf of the TSAB, there's really only one thing I can do."
"I am sorry for how the TSAB has failed you. And if he was lost, if he had hopes for a better world... I'm sorry we could not help bring that world to him."
"But a world, a better world, cannot be made by destroying the lives of others. Suffering only begets more suffering. And even if I am the only official representative of the TSAB, I will always endeavor to live up to that standard. And even if this world *is* wrong, I will continue to fight to make it *better*. And I will always stand in the way of those who try to harm the innocent to satisfy their own desires for revenge."
His rod moved out, striking and deflecting the blasts coming at him, more dark marks being made in his barrier jacket as he tried to fend off the assault.
"Thee is much pain and suffering in most worlds and I will do what I can to stop it. That includes for people like you. I am sorry that we failed Martin, but as long as you wish for things to be better, to fight for a future bereft of that darkness, there will always be a space for you. So long as you are still alive, there is nobody who is *beyond* help. All it takes is a willingness to accept your own mistakes and try to make up for them!"
<<Stinger Ray!>>
Shield piercing, rapidfire shots erupted from his rod, raining down on Clarthas. He really wished Rashmi was here, she was so much better at this stuff than he was...
... Also, did Sailor Moon REALLY think that?! Did she HAVE to say that?!
- Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"...I will reiterate I don't really think Chrono is an evil parasite, I'm pretty sure he legitimately just wants to take care of people." Aloisia says. "The TSAB as a whole is the problem. It's too big, too full of corruption." Aloisia says with a firm nod. ...Though Chrono as the face of it and the only real example of the TSAB for her is probably a fair assessment from Sailor Moon, really. Wait is it because she's tall that she's evil??? ... Otto's extremely tall. And so is Hannah. That explains a lot.
The talk of Sunbreaker and doing it in a way she'd appreciate instead of something else to be sorry for actually gets Aloisia to change positions, crossing arms and resting a finger against her lip. Okay but she has a point there. Sure, Sunbreaker probably would have appreciated a successful raising of the eclipse zone. But would Hinoiri?
...Eh.
She's clearly thinking about this even as that Moon Healing Escalation and Moon Tiara Escalation are being built up, and Guardian Daifuku gets into a defensive position. "Mmmm..."
"Hmmmmmm."
Closer. And closer. Mere feet away from her and that tower.
"..."
Aloisia steps to the side, as rather suddenly the remnants of that cerulean pyramid breaks into a thousand glittering shards of blue-green energy in the air, and the twin attack continues forward. Gaining speed aaaand.
...Directly striking the vulnerable tower.
Aloisia turns to look at Moon's handiwork, giving a low, appreciative whistle as the tower is destroyed in a flash of pink and gold sparkles, falling over and giving off puffs of black energy as the leylines of the area become more normal.
"Hey, dude. ... Martin? Clarthas? Whatever, the tower's down. Just so you know, so y'know. If you wanna keep fighting I'm not gonna stop you." She looks back towards Sailor Moon.
Especially since, frankly. She was really wanting to actually fight, instead of wasting most of her energy on maintaining a giant pyramid shield over something she had only done on a whim to honor a fallen comrade. "We should fight properly sometime, Guardian Daifuku, Sailor Moon. Without pretenses like that." She tilts her head towards the tower. "Though, I suppose, to get you to fight seriously, I'd probably have to be doing SOMETHING to draw it out. Hm..."
...Yeah she still has opted to have her closest thing to attacking being 'saving Daifuku and flinging her at Sailor Moon' so far.
Honestly she might be having an off day.
Chrono talks, and Aloisia points at him. "That. That is why I don't think he's some corrupt evil official. His actions speak loudly." And an organization can be awful without individual members all being evil or awful. She could talk more, but honestly... that heartfelt word, even if it were just lipservice -- and she doesn't believe it is -- was fine to stand on its own.
"I'm leaving. Good luck if you stay, Martin Anode."
And then Aloisia begins to do just that, moving away from the site of the battle.
...If one could call it that.
- Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The tower - is allowed to crumble. Her attacks are allowed to break through.
Her words, and Daifuku's pure heart, have triumphed!
Or maybe this girl is actually Hinoiri's friend and cares about her opinion?
"I hate fighting," Sailor Moon says frankly, "It's scary and a lot of the times it's painful, and it only mostly fixes things, instead of all the way fixing things, which honestly is pretty rude. But - you seem pretty alright? So if you want to just like... spar... or something sometime, we can try and work something out!"
She glances at the fighting going on, the yelling from Clarthas the Ghost to Chrono who - really is kind of just stuck representing his organization, isn't he? The face of all this...
"I should probably get in the middle of that, and maybe try and cool it down. Thank you for listening to us, and for being cool!"
And then she - well, unlike those two, she can't fly (or can she?!) and so she leaps onto a portion of the rickety railing, somehow managing not to fall.
"Hey! Destroying the world because someone died is pretty selfish, even for Obsidian!"
- Keaka Hoshiko has posed:
The night and falling stars effect fades, although Clarthas is still tossing darkness bolts.
> CLARTHAS: Be told suffering only begets more suffering.
Clarthas grins madly at Chrono missing a loophole.
> CLARTHAS: Be told you are not beyond help. Accept your mistakes, and be willing to make up for them!
"It's too late."
Stinger ray comes in. "Gah!" The man winces slightly in pain, but his strange Device(?) is already on it, "Force field." A half-second after the barrage starts, the barrier returns, although the rays are eating through it quickly.
...But whatever plan he might have, this is suddenly a three-on-one. They're clearly beaten, the tower destroyed.
He looks at Aloisia, frowning. Chrono isn't corrupt. "That's the problem. They use people like him." He frowns at being called Martin Anode (aa-no-day), although there is not time to explain the linguistic juxtaposition of the name of the dead with the name that claims one is all that is left of some great light that is now gone.
"Force field." Sarida repeats. Clarthas gives Sailor Moon a sad smile. "You're right about fighting. But it's the only way we know to stop others, isn't it."
"Force field. Barrier drive is about to overload!"
"Then stop me. But the people won't be destroyed, anyway."
Just as Stinger Ray is about to tear through the field again, he duskports out.
- Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown watched Clarthas and... "It's never too late until your last breath is gone," he calls after him. "Only then can you no longer make the choice to turn back from the path you have chosen."
For now, however, it looked like both of them were leaving. He turned back towards Sailor Moon, a smile back on his lips. And landed near her. "Thank you for your assistance again, Sailor Moon. I am happy I was able to fight besides you." Pause. Pause. Paaaause...
"... But... you don't actually believe... that height comment, right? If so... please inform me if there is any actual proof. Because the magic on this world..." Oh. That smile. Thaaaaaat was a smile. That slightly dead eyed stare.
He was getting used to magic that made no sense here... and he just... he just wanted to know, okay?
- Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Aw, you don't have to thank us, Chrono-kun! Of course we're going to help out, this is our world, and also, that guy was like, really mad at you, for a lot of reasons I don't really feel like, qualified to talk about?"
That sounded like a lot of space politics, right there, and she is soooo not sure of any of that. "Still can't believe Hinoiri-chan wasn't actually here.... wait, what?" Sailor Moon blinks -
"Oh, no, no! I was just, things were getting kind of heavy? And I thought maybe it would break some of the tension, make people laugh a little bit, because we're both short, and we're the heroes, and they're both tall, and they're the evil, and Daifuku-chan isn't short but she's not tall either, so it still works in our favor - I mean, come on, you've met Endychan! He's waaaaay tall, if that was real, it'd be terrible."
She does like a bad boy though. So maybe it wouldn't be that terrible...