2391/Get the Body Off the Floor

Get the Body Off the Floor
Date of Scene:	06 March 2025
Location:	Hikawa Shrine
Synopsis:	In Jinja Snaps, Calaveras died. Now, Saphir's come for her body - but since there's a bit of an audience, he's decided to allow an Ask Me Anything. An entire host of heroes gets to benefit from this show and tell.
Cast of Characters:	280, Minako Aino, Mamoru Chiba, Glimmer Brightmoon, Usagi Tsukino, Kazuo Saitou, Veronica Perenna, Catra, Madoka Kaname, Zoisite, Amanda Faust

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Blue Saphir (280) has posed:
Last time, Calaveras died in action, her body slumped against the wall of one of the shrine's buildings, and Rubeus departed - but only after knocking everyone down and making the ominous reveal that he's gained most of their identities.

It's a dark moment for our heroes for many reasons, not the least of which the grim knowledge that they'll have to decide what to do with the fallen body of their enemy...

Which is perhaps why it may be decidedly startling for a man to step from nowhere beside Calaveras.

He's tall, clearly an adult, though not especially old - early twenties, at most - with neatly combed blue hair, white slacks, and a deep blue shirt with silver tassels.

Some of them have seen him before, and there's a pause as he takes in how many of them there are, before he scoffs.

"I see Rubeus couldn't handle the lot of you."

Minako Aino has posed:
Sailor V glances up from being called out as Sailor V by Amy, Red Rocket Girl, Chalcopycat or whatever guise she was going under at the given moment--To blink in surprise. "...Yes?" Yes of course she's Sailor V! Give the guises that Amy has taken weren't really the ones she had seen her in when she first became a magical girl the connection hadn't clicked for her either. Then again she was also distracted a *lot* lately.

Like this!

Saphir's arrival and remark cause her to bristle a bit. Steping forward she moves to place herself between Sailor Moon and this... This further unknown-to-her person. Partially to protect her, and partially to block the view of the woman that had died at their hands from Usagi to give her a moment to recover.

"That's because we're a lot to handle!" She chirps out confidently, hands on hips. Zoisite was down, Mamoru was protecting him, likely Kunzite was as well. Amy was still there as well as that Princess of Sarek and... The... Glitter? Was her name Glitter? Odd name. But not a lot in case this turned into a fight again.

"I know others have likely said this before, but we would much rather help you all than fight you over something our maybe-future selves did in another timeline."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"He didn't stay to fight," says Mamoru, only briefly glancing up at Saphir; his attention is primarily on startng to heal Zoisite, who got piledrivered through the concrete. He's on his knees still in henshin, of course; his mask almost luminous, vaguely transparent. He does add, "If you have a moment, I wanted to know, actually, what you're using their bodies for."

Zoi gets a severe look. "Stay still, your spine's fractured."

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Dark Glimmer had been rather annoyed already, what with Rubeus having gotten away (seriously, sparkles, you had ONE JOB and... that wasn't it. But whatever.)

She glanced over when suddenly another jerk appeared. Her eyes narrowed and an arcane circle appeared around her hands. "Yeah. Gonna be honest, he really wasn't much of a warm up. I'm still down to go a few more rounds if you want to 'negotiate' with some sparkle to face action," Glimmer said, her eyes narrowed on him. "Are you another one of her fanboys? Cause seriously, I swear you people keep multiplying and sticking your head in fire you lot really cannot handle."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi has just barely started to get over the initial 'a murderous villain knows my face' panic, and now -

Now there's another one here, standing cool as a cucumber, beside the body of a woman she helped kill, and that is something she's going to have to untangle later, because she'd attacked Rei-chan and planned to burn down her home just to get back at Sailor Mars, but she hadn't actually done it, but she attacked that school, she tortured those kids, just because it was Usagi's own middle school -

Complex feelings, she's having them.

"Do you - think this is some kind of game? She's - she's dead, and that's all you have to say?"

Even if he hates them, surely the rest of their own people should care!

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
Kunzite's gotten to his feet and come around - he's placed himself similarly to Sailor V, not actually between Tuxedo Kamen and the man in blue and white and silver, but close enough to the line to intercept if need be. Mamoru's talking to Saphir, though, and he won't interrupt - especially not when the question asked is one that interesting.

What he does do is angle so that fields of view are complementary. So that if Saphir's a distraction, one of them at least will see anything else coming.

Unless it teleports in beside someone, of course, but that's a problem they can't do much about right now.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
The Princess of Sarek would be considering going to ask what measures they should start taking to protect the families that live in Tokyo. The option of taking rounds at regular intervals is one of the things she is contemplating, at least until the menace with Black Moon is finally over.

To this end, has also over to Glimmer to ask her name and number, since she has offered her cooperation, but as a member of Obsidian, getting into contact with her is a bit harder than any of the other people present.

Veronica's ears twitch with annoyance at Saphir's arrival, and her tail starts swishing slightly. Weren't they done with for today already? What does he want now? "Don't be too hard on him, he was working with what he had", the Princess of Sarek downplays Rubeus' presence to the man that appears.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit? Is it a ritual purification you seek? The people here also sell charms for your betterment, but revenge is ill-advised by a shrine. All that rancour only makes it worse", she tells him.

Catra has posed:
How does this even happen.

Every time Catra goes anywhere for peace and quiet it seems, or just to put her headphones on and shut the world out with the loudest, angriest music she can lay hands on, there are PEOPLE HERE WHO DO THINGS LIKE FIGHTING and disturb her calm.

It's not that Catra doesn't like fighting. Beating someone into a mewling puddle of something trying to remain in a solid state and not become a liquid when she's done pummeling it is always enjoyable and makes for fantastic catharsis. But when she's trying to figure out how this Spirit Ember thing works and how to explain that she has all the hallmarks of being a princeBUT ISN'T ONE THANK YOU and she'd really rather be alone, hearing some kind of commotion just isn't what she's interested in.

But with her solitude already disturbed, even though the commotion seems to have died down for now she's still going to come and see what's going on.

And so, Catra appears, with Powersend manifested (blade still in scabbard) and rested on her shoulder, held almost carelessly in one hand, as she wanders up into the scene.

"Oh, hey Sparkles," she half-grumbles to Glimmer. "What's going on?"

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Somewhere overhead, a tiny little thing that looks like a bird from this distance flits chaotically overhead. It only looks like a bird because it's small and has wings. Three wings to be exact, and it doesn't seem to know what to do with the extra one but it sure is doing its best!

    The odd thing spots Saphir, the shrine, the body, and the other signs of violence and then gets excited for a moment as strange Witch Runes suddenly appear around it before it opens a portal and vanishes through.

    A little while later, Hope Blossom is running up the stairs to the shrine wearing a flossie while Rens and Kamiko trail behind her.

Zoisite has posed:
Golden glow from the tips of fingers to the palm of Mamoru's hand. Usually there was warmth that accompanied it, able to touch deep and thorough. It was just this time, when skin made contact with skin, all Zoisite could feel was a numbing sensation. Wary as his body shivered in caution. An injury was an injury, and he was more than able to shake off the worst of them--despite the bitching that would follow.

This however...The light had to see what Zoisite felt, where it hurt and why. Spinal fracture. That explained the needling shards of pain and numbness. Zoisite wanted to scream, but he gritted teeth instead. The brutality of Rubeus' attack would have killed any mundane human. He was lucky to just have gotten a fracture.

He was obediently still, but it was hard for him. The presence of someone new was obvious, and he wanted to look. He could hear the others talking, hear Usagi asking a rather stupid question in his opinion. Obviously the Black Moon Clan knew that there would be casualties. Death was inevitable. Some hearts were hardened. But that really didn't matter now.

"If you have a moment to also spare for my question," Green eyes kept a watch on Tuxedo Kamen as he spoke. "I would like to know what happened to cause such a vendetta. Fragments were given, but I am sure there is a much bigger picture for us to see and understand." And if there was one, how much of it was true, and how much of it was--

He'll get to it.

Quietly, another part of him wanted to see where Kunzite was. Was he okay?

Blue Saphir (280) has posed:
Sailor V earns a - not scathing look, exactly, but one that undeniably reads 'who are you, again?'

That honestly might be a bit worse than scathing.

"Yes, I'm sure you're plenty to handle," he informs V dismissively, before eyeing Glimmer with a look of disdain. "Are you the 'quipy' one, then? That does seem to be a stock role in the heroic media of your time, so it shouldn't be a surprise that it's manifesting in reality as well."

Before she can answer, he's kneeling before Calaveras, reaching out to touch her shoulder - and at his touch, magic sparks, and the corpse jolts, before climbing to its feet. He rises, looking Calaveras' body over with keen, professional focus.

Standing, the corpse lacks proper posture, the shoulders rolling forward, the head lulling at an awkward angle, revealing that the neck had broken in the final crash against the wall. Burns and torn patches of skin mark where attacks had hung true, and the eyes are unfocused, limping staring in the general direction of the ground.

"If he was working with what he had, he would have accomplished far more," Saphir informs the Princess of Sarek, and with a gesture of his fingers, the corpse walks in a small circle in front of him, demonstrating it's mobility. There's a jagged limp to the left leg - another injury - but other than that, the walk cycle is smooth.

"I have no interest in ineffective charms," he adds. "The power of these trinkets is useless outside of Sailor Mars' hands."

Finally, the King and Queen to be are acknowledged - there is a flash of unmistakable loathing at Sailor Moon, but King Endymion is given a look of disgusted pity, before it all smooths away.

"Why, we eat them, of course. Like the misbegotten savages we are."

There are more people arriving - another with feline features and a girl in pink, trailing a miniature copy of herself. The would be queen is answered -

"Would it matter, what I thought? You, who would make yourself queen of the world and sit on a crystalline throne for a thousand years, would not change your ways regardless."

Calaveras' corpse ceases to walk. Blood has dripped, as a result of the motion, leaving more droplets of impurity - she now stands facing Glimmer and Catra, though the odd angle of her head and glazed over eyes should likely have made it clear the feline warrior that she isn't among the living.

"Many things happened," he tells Zoisite, frankly, "I have no interest in giving you a recounting of a thousand years of rule and growing frustration. A philosopher might say it is the nature of people without power to seek it, and the nature of those with power to prevent others from obtaining it."

"I am not a philosopher. Revenge is a useless endeavor - making sure that your enemy is beyond recovery is a matter of practicality."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy is feeling a little bit awkward, her enthusiasm in fighting the ghosts having changed her outfit to one that is generally received as cute, followed by the whiplash of Rubeus's reveal and a dead Calaveras.

    [Something's Different], indeed -- Many of their homes and families will soon be no longer safe, and some of them may not have been killers before but are now.

    Although, the reveal that Sailor Venus, Minako Aino, was Sailor V the whole time has rather distracted Amy's thoughts until Saphir appeares. She looks at Saphir, recognizes him, but takes a small comfort in his assessment -- so, were they really obviously not a fight Rubeus could win?

    "You... You've appeared before, and you don't seem so set on... misplaced vengeance against those of this timeline. Why are you here, then? You're not exactly their friend," she nods towards Moon, "Or you'd be mad that we've killed them. But... you're affiliated with them somehow nonetheless?"

    Her eyes widen and she steps back as he animates the body.

    "So, wait... you're saying she's your enemy?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
This time it's Tuxedo Kamen who looks disgusted, at the animated corpse being walked around for show. "Ah," he says. "What'll you do about Koan then?"

His other hand comes up now, to brush Zoisite's hair out of his face, and there's the golden warmth, the sense of the living world beneath their feet, the memories of stone and the history of trees, the unmistakeable welcome of home. "You can look in a minute," he murmurs.

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Dark Glimmer glanced to Saphir before giving a shrug. "I'm mostly just the 'annoyed' one right now. You people decided to involve us when you assaulted our people."

... And then her eyes fell to Catra and urk. Wait. No. They were on the 'okay to hit' list! "Hey, Catra. Sailor Moon's fangirls decided to attack this place for..." She trailed off. "Not really sure why. Caaaan't even pretend to care. After what happened last time, I thought it'd be fun to go a few rounds. Sadly, one of them was a push over and the other was a coward." She then glanced down at the ashen whip. "... I'd offer you her whip, but like... it's gone now."

She'd then glance to Veronica and well... give her the quick number.

She then glanced back to... Wait... why was the corpse MOVING?! "Uggggggh... ewww... that's... that's not true, is it? You can't actually eat your... dead..." A hand moved to her mouth. Oh, now she was going to be sick for another reason! Yayyyyy...

Minako Aino has posed:
Sailor V stands her ground staring at Saphir in spite of the apparent dismissal that is sent her way. There's not an inch of wavering in her demeanor even then. What he said didn't matter enough to dent her confidence. It's not really a surprise someone from a thousand or more years in the future wouldn't know who Sailor V was.

She's fine with letting it remain that way, too. Maybe they would under estimate her if he tried something else. A single deep breath is drawn in as she listens to the questions and quips of the others sent the direction of the Dark Moon clan man. Not even mention of *eating them* sends a shiver through her!

... That.. uh. The. The reanimated corpse being puppeted around, though? THAT hits rather hard. Not just because *damn that was disturbing*, but because she knew Sailor Moon would likely find it even more disturbing than she would!

The visage of Sailor V melts away leaving Sailor Venus there instead with hands clenching tight at her sides.

"That is so completely disrespectful to her!" She hisses out. They may have fought, but she was being puppeted grimly. "Don't you care about your friends at all?"

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
Kunzite stays lingering, listening, watching. Studying Saphir, and trying to perceive what he can at a distance of the energy flows - far less than if Saphir and Cadaveras were within his shields, but he's not about to send even the faintest of mist-shadow probes in that direction.

And not about to open his mouth. Lest he make a particularly ill-chosen comment about recycling.

Zoisite has posed:
Was it strange that Saphir's reply to the princess satisfied Zoisite's own need to quip? Perhaps. He should feel some guilt, but he didn't. The cold and calculating had every reason to exist along with the warmth and light. What did bother him was the sounds of a corpse, the crackling of rigor mortis, muscles straining after stiffening. It made his ears itch at the sensation.

"You're the smart one then." Mutters. "I would agree with you that pulling sprouts from the ground before roots are able to sink in is very practical. However, knowing the Princess, it is hard to see her as someone so cruel to let tensions rise in such a fashion. So humor my next question."

The touch to his face is welcoming, so is the quiet reassurance that he'd be able to see Kunzite soon. Just focus.

"Could it be possible that what you know now might have been manipulated? Not by us, but by others?" It would not have been the first time, and doubted very much it would be the last.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka finally comes to a stop among the group, and the two fairies she brought with her are now hiding behind her shoulder. It takes her a moment to realize that, actually, no one is really fighting right now and that one of the villains has already died. This dude is apparently here to raise the body like a zombie?

    Suddenly she's glad that Koan's corpse vanished into the void.

    Rens, the labcoat wearing minidoka, feels a bit differently, floating out ahead of Hope Blossom and adjusting her tiny glasses. "Interesting. So you can reanimate the corpses?" Crossing her arms and tilting her head she asks, "Are you intending that we fight her again later? Like a rematch? Or are you going to make... 'improvements' first?"

    Kamiko frowns at Saphir and says, "You're so icky! Gross! You're gross whether you're joking or not, but especially if you aren't!"

Catra has posed:
Catra enhs and shrugs her shoulders. "If I want a whip, I'll just talk to Riventon," she replies, shrugging as she glances at Glimmer. "Who knows, if I ever figure out this Spirit Ember, maybe I can make a fire whip. But I have a sword any and I could leave my autograph on someone with it if I wanted."

Catra leaves it at that, watching as the corpse gets animated and paraded around. And one eyebrow rises, partly at the... walking corpse, and partly at the general air of discontent directed at such behavior.

"That is so weird," Catra comments flatly, as she just... walks up to the ambulatory stiff. "How did you do that? Is she still dead and just being waggled about on two feet, or like, half-alive now or something?

In a perfect demonstration of how cats only care about their own personal space, she just reaches out, takes Calaveras' remains by the chin, and tilts her head from side to side, checking to see if the neck really is just as broken as it looked like. Which, of course, it is.

"Hunh. Neat. Though I'm guessing by how everyone here is annoyed and stuff, animating the dead is kinda frowned upon around here."

Veronica Perenna has posed:
The inflection of Saphir's tone during his response at her shade earns him an interested hum. What he had, hmm? That's definitely something to bring up later, as much as it is confusing right now. As far as she remembers, he still had that earring during their last fights. So what else might be going on here?

A scowl of disgust and pity is given when Saphir reanimates the corpse. "Mister, please, there are more respectful ways to recover the corpse of your ally", the Princess of Sarek hisses at him, using her cane to release mist of moonlight whose only power was to reveal what is concealed.

And ironically she is using it the exact opposite way, to keep that terrible sight away from them. "Don't worry about it, it's innocuous", she warns Saphir in advance. "I am only sparing us the sight of your puppeteering", she explains. "Do you have a name we can use?"

The treatment of the corpse and the fact the Spectre Sisters and Saphir seem to have had such different opinions on revenge has gotten Veronica to think. He certainly hasn't demonstrated much affection, and the Spectre Sisters may have even been unaware, possibly?

"Were Calaveras and the others your unwitting pawns? I am starting to think they were only part of your group as mere workforce. Did you tell them fake intentions? What was your aim with them, and what do you intend to do from here?", she crosses her arms.

"Yes", Veronica replies to Catra with a questioning undertone. "It's gross, and that was a person. Treating her like this only gives away what little opinion he had of her."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Sailor Moon does indeed shudder at the sight of the moving corpse, remembering with distinct horror Tamaki's suggestion that could be making zombies. She's not asking. She doesn't want to know.

Blue Saphir (280) has posed:
Saphir's brows furrow as he looks at Amy. "You perceive a lack of anger as proof that I must not be in liege with my own?"

Honestly, he finds that a tad hilarious.

"Anger will not reverse death, neither mine, nor yours."

And then he glances towards Glimmer again, and nods, once. "An irreverent witch, then. Rubeus is many things, though a coward isn't one of them. And Calaveras clearly took a large amount of injury before her death... I wonder if you could survive what you so readily dismiss?"

His tone makes it clear how much he doubts that, before he dismisses her.

And then the unknown Sailor becomes Sailor Venus, and he quirks a brow, as in his memory, the henshin of V becomes recognizable as Venus becomes recognizable as the young girl in a school uniform.

"Assessing the damage is disrespectful, but leaving her body against the wall wasn't?" He almost sounds genuinely curious. "Is caring for a 'friend' as you put it, at odds with being interested in knowing what, exactly, you've done?"

There are actually two miniature copies of the girl in pink, and at least one is asking questions.

"I have no intention of restarting this battle. Improvement, however, is ever the goal of the scientifically inclined."

Zoisite is given a penetrating stare, and Saphir - pauses, to turn and look at Catra, who is turning Calaveras' head from side to side. Once he confirms that she's doing nothing particularly damaging, he says, "She is dead. How do you manipulate your ears and tail?"

(Calaveras' neck is indeed broken, and Catra's keen ears can hear the way they grind against one another. Her heat isn't beating, either, and her pulse can't be found.

The mist does indeed cover the sight, but Saphir doesn't seem bothered, having the corpse walk backwards from Catra's grip and raise its arms, flexing each individual joint.

"I was raised alongside Calaveras," he reveals to the Princess of Sarek. "She is no more a pawn than any of us. However, she took the death of her sisters more personally than I did."

His tone suggests that perhaps they may have an idea as to why that might be.

His attention returns to Zoisite.

"There is ever the potential of manipulation. One must always be open to reconsidering their conclusions." A beat. "However, given that we have already murdered the capital city, it's a touch late to reconsider. We can consider that potential after we've finished what we set out to do."

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Dark Glimmer was already starting to like this small fairy creature following the pinkette. And then... then Catra did the UNTHINKABLE! "No, Catra, don't! Don't touch it! You don't know where its been! Even before she was a body, she was some kind of like... Sailor Moon cult lady thing! There's no telling where it has been! Ew ew ew ewwwww!" Glimmer shrieked, flailing her hands a little. "Animating the dead is frowned on everywhere! Ewwwww! Don't touch it! IT could have weird diseases!" she shrieked. "Ugh. Okay, right, so like... if we're not doing any more of the fighting thing? I'm just going to... go. Cause... this is going from 'weird' to 'creepy'. And I do not want to watch someone go to the cannibal buffet... Urp... I think... I just threw up a little, in my mouth..."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy is assuming Saphir is joking about the cannibalism.

    She's looking closely at how the corpse moves, trying to figure out the extent of the ability, is this telekinesis, puppeting it, a zombie...?

    She'd be more horrified, and there is an instinctive, uncanny wrongness to it, but... it's not that much of a stretch to think of bodies as seperate entities minds drive around. She certainly doesn't ascribe the spiritual associations to corpses that most locals do, at any rate.

    Sailor V calls out that it's disrespectful to their fallen foe and Amy has to kind of think about that for a moment. Saphir is presumably an ally of Calaveras and more familiar with her death and burial customs; just examining the body doesn't trip anything that offends Amy's sensibilities, though.

    Rens is here for science! 'I'm wondering about that,' Amy whispers aside to her, quietly. 'It doesn't seem independant, more like he made it stand up so he could examine it. But I'm not sure yet.'

    Around here, Catra says. "It's not frowned upon on Etheria???" Amy is surprised! Glimmer must be from a different part of Etheria than Catra, though. "She's not rotting..." She looks to Saphir. "And her brain is still intact... but you don't have magic for that or you'd have already left with her."

    Saphir explains some things. "So this is more of a magical autopsy of a close friend, and you are... unusually calm about it."

    "...How can you set out to do it? Wasn't your goal to get revenge on people who, functionally, are not here?"

Minako Aino has posed:
"I didn't expect you to leave her there!" Sailor Venus blurts out looking ... Unsettled. Especially when Catra moves over to grasp Calaveras chin twisting her head side to side.

A half-step is taken back before she catches herself by digging her heels into the ground. She caught side of Kunzite in her peripherial vision in a position similar to her own, which meant as much as she may want to turn and gag into her hand, she couldn't abandon him to the only guarding position.

"It's... Usually you close their eyes not move them around. You can see what damage is done with your own eyes as well." That's what autopsies were for but that's more Ami's area of expertise, not hers.

What ever more she may say on that topic, she doesn't. The rest is met with a bit of confusion. "... If the others were her sisters, of course she'd be more upset." Was that a slight pang of sympathy to her tone? Her head twitches to the side a miniscule amount to keep from watching the animated corpse be examined by others, while still keeping Saphir in her vision. Only for the slimest of moments does she flit a glance to Sailor Moon with concern.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Hope Blossom looks at Catra, and then at Calaveras. "I mean... well eating them sure is. Also sometimes we use reanimated bodies, but it's different when it's your own corpse."

    She can't actually shit talk the reanimated dead part too much considering what Sayaka was before having her Contract annulled, and what Amy and Homura are right now, but she also can't deny the revulsion she feels at seeing Calaveras look like she does. Especially with Catra moving the head around the broken neck. Fortunately the mist seems to help a bit.

    Rens floats a little higher higher because she still wants to look from above, and her curiosity isn't enough to get her to fly any closer to Saphir than she currently is. She's currently taking notes and making sketches on a tiny clipboard. At one point she brings out a tiny smartphone and snaps a picture. Her scientific curiosity wont be denied!

    ... she's still sticking close to Amy, though. Always important to have a mahoujin to hide behind in case Saphir gets testy.

    As for the concept of respecting the dead, Kamiko crosses her tiny little arms and floats higher to address Saphir, yelling at him because of the distance as much as her general annoyance. "I mean it's been what, five minutes? The respectful thing would be to inform her next of kin or get the body moved to a morgue-- oh."

    Then she twitches at Saphir's response to her [Ed Note: 'yes, it is gross. i believe the saying of your time is 'when asked a stupid question, receive a stupid answer?'] and yells back, "Well you got the stupid part down pat! You're all really good at being stupid! Must have a lot of practice!"

    Madoka reaches up to pluck Kamiko out of the sky and cup her in her hands before the goddess fairy gets too carried away.

Zoisite has posed:
Good. This man knew then that there was indeed a possibility. Not all were blinded by a personal need. Zoisite takes a deep shuddering breath, eyes still focused on his prince.

"I am to assume you mean the capital of the future was obliterated. Yes, there is no point in turning back once you've done so much. In terms of war, you've already conquered Earth."

Teeth wanted to be bare at the thought, snap at the incompetence of those in the future. How could they fail so horribly? Lessons never seem to be learned.

"Earth of the future that is. Not this one." Curious, wanting to also look at who he was speaking to. But he's still very obedient. "Mind you, I'm not asking for you to abandon your mission, but I am asking for you to at least consider and think about what you're doing before destroying another capital in the making. It's not too late." There was no point in trying to change this man's mind, but if he could plant a seed of doubt, that would be enough.

It would grow, and do the work itself.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Kunzite," Tuxedo Kamen says quietly, looking up to the white-haired man, then letting his gaze flicker down to Zoisite. "Here, you can move your head now, but I want Kunzite helping you home, okay? And then go to bed. You're off the rota for the next couple of days." He glances up to see where Venus is, and she's keeping guard; he looks relieved.

Once Kunzite's come over, Mamoru gets up and walks a half-circuit of the gathered mahoujin, staying in sight of Saphir, Kunzite, Venus, and Moon as he goes. Once he's almost to Moon, he asks Saphir, "Why do you pity me, of all people?"


And then he is to Moon, and he goes to support her physically, be solid and present and warm for her to lean against or be hugged.

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
The twitch of Venus's head to the side catches Kunzite's attention, and he turns his head as well, seeing if he can re-catch hers for a moment in turn. If he does, he repeats to her silently - just mouthing the words - 'The damage?'

It's an interesting choice of words that this man keeps using. Assessing the damage. Large amount of injury. It might nothing - might be just be his analytical mindset; might be a change in word usage over time, variance between populations happens. Or it might turn out to mean something.

Or Venus might just give him a confused look, he can't know for certain. But they've done better than that so far tonight. Maybe the streak will continue. Or maybe at least they can talk about it later, when the man in blue and white is not actually standing there.

And then his name's called, and Kunzite moves, keeping his body language casual, unhurried. Not offering a threat to one who isn't, for this moment, offering a direct one to them. Finally getting a look at Zoisite. The change to his expression is entirely in the tiny muscles around his eyes, almost invisible to anyone who doesn't know him well. And unless Zoisite is already on his feet, something that would be ill-advised but not impossible, he simply trades places with Mamoru to lend Zoisite support.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Was he misunderstanding or playing coy? He must know that was not the revenge she is talking about, right? Considering he must have clearly heard her comment to Catra, and not given it any regard, she is considering the latter option more. And she still doesn't know his name.

"I mean the axe to grind you have against the society of the Moon. That revenge. The one you allegedly tried to undermine before coming to the wrong past, and the one you are chasing a scared kid for", she pointedly remarks. Surely, he won't misunderstand again.

"Is your name a secret? If you are not telling us that, at least gives us a moniker we can call you by. We all do this here", she gestures around to the group. "Even if Rubeus kept himself hidden so he could know who we are." He was no doubt going to find out soon, and now he should reconsider his lask of cowardice.

With how much he is avoiding mentioning, she could start a collection. "What are you going to improve then? Isn't this the wrong place for you to be at?"

Catra has posed:
"What?!" Catra lets the corpse retreat from her grasp, and turns her gaze back to Glimmer. "What, you think it got diseases in the last two minutes? If it wasn't diseased before it died, it's not diseased now. ...And it's not like I'm going to eat it or anything, geeze."

The feline flicks her tail as if in answer to Saphir; but she does, after a moment, shrug her shoulders. "I dunno. Never thought about it. They just move. Same way you move your arms and flap your lips I suppose." She shrugs, and casts her bichromatic gaze towards Amy, "I dunno, I really never asked anyone about it on Etheria. I bet Hordak would've done it if he could have, though, I mean... he was never really all that bothered about things like ethical concerns. Y'know, child soldiers and all that."

Catra meanders back to the general vicinity of Glimmer and leans against a wall, making herself really interested in her sword. "But so, just so I'm clear -- these are the people after Twinkle Toes' kid? I'm sorry I missed watching this one get herself turned into a walking anatomy lesson."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Sailor Moon - shudders, when Mamoru comes to her, and clutches at him, when he comes to her, breathing in. She doesn't want to look weak.

She is. She doesn't know what to say to this man, not when... not when everyone else has it handled, and Zoisite especially is giving those insightful, biting questions, and she...

"I'm sorry," she murmurs to him. "I don't know what to say."

Blue Saphir (280) has posed:
"Unless one of you killed the Rabbit while we weren't looking, we still have a task to complete on our checklist."

The response to Amy is dry, because he is certain that they haven't in fact, killed the Rabbit.

"Assessing at a glance would not articulate how well she could move after what was done, or how the skeletal and muscular systems would further withstand stress. This does."

And with a flick of his fingers, the corpse neatly sits itself down. There is an energy that Kazuo can faintly detect - and he may realize, later, that he's felt it before, in faint amounts, around the other Specter Sisters. When Calaveras sits neatly, the energy dissipates.

"Stupid is certainly an option." And he looks down at Veronica. "I am Blue Saphir, of the Black Moon Clan, of the Forbidden Planet Nemesis. We didn't come to the wrong past - we followed our target to the place she ventured."

Personally, he thinks she made the correct choice, to come to a land beyond her wretched parents, to a place where there were more weapons, more opportunities.

"That scared child is the heir to a kingdom that has held sway over the human race for a thousand years. When she is dead, and the world's most deadly weapon is no longer in her hands, there will be no chance for her parents' power to return."

Or so they think. The Future King speaks up, calling for one of his servants. Saphir's lip curls.



"Are you going to have Saitou-san escort Saitou-san home?"

He looks upon the other servant, as the one collects the other, and looks at Future Queen, who stares. He considers what he will say. He certainly won't be betraying his brother's secrets, but - "It's hard not to pity a man when you know what's coming."

His brother is absolutely going after that man's wife.

"And yes, we are the ones after Serenity and Endymion's child. The Rabbit bears the Silver Crystal, after all."

Blue Saphir (280) has posed:
"Unless one of you killed the Rabbit while we weren't looking, we still have a task to complete on our checklist."

The response to Amy is dry, because he is certain that they haven't in fact, killed the Rabbit.

"Assessing at a glance would not articulate how well she could move after what was done, or how the skeletal and muscular systems would further withstand stress. This does."

And with a flick of his fingers, the corpse neatly sits itself down. There is an energy that Kazuo can faintly detect - and he may realize, later, that he's felt it before, in faint amounts, around the other Specter Sisters. When Calaveras sits neatly, the energy dissipates.

"Stupid is certainly an option." And he looks down at Veronica. "I am Blue Saphir, of the Black Moon Clan, of the Forbidden Planet Nemesis. We didn't come to the wrong past - we followed our target to the place she ventured."

Personally, he thinks she made the correct choice, to come to a land beyond her wretched parents, to a place where there were more weapons, more opportunities.

"That scared child is the heir to a kingdom that has held sway over the human race for a thousand years. When she is dead, and the world's most deadly weapon is no longer in her hands, there will be no chance for her parents' power to return."

Or so they think. The Future King speaks up, calling for one of his servants. Saphir's lip curls.

    o his injured servant, he says, "This world is not of interest to me. You've killed those who were interested in attacking this world, and destroying those important to what could be the future. If it's the safety of your world that concerns you, surrender the child. If our future isn't yours, then the child is hardly yours either. And if you find them one and the same, then you know how my comrades felt."

And then, his eyes lift, to meet the future King's. r
"Are you going to have Saitou-san escort Saitou-san home?"

He looks upon the other servant, as the one collects the other, and looks at Future Queen, who stares. He considers what he will say. He certainly won't be betraying his brother's secrets, but - "It's hard not to pity a man when you know what's coming."

His brother is absolutely going after that man's wife.

"And yes, we are the ones after Serenity and Endymion's child. The Rabbit bears the Silver Crystal, after all."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"That's just fine," Mamoru murmurs to Usagi, putting his arms around her, letting his gloveless hands lend her warm quiet strength, power, peace. Belief that they'll sort through this, that it'll be okay, that they can handle whatever Rubeus wants to do; the back of his hand lightly touches her arm. "Let the people whose specialties are 'creep' and 'pragmatic ass' say stuff, they speak his language."

Saphir's answering his question, sort of, and Mamoru snorts. "Of course I am. They're married. Do they look like brothers to you?" Then he finally looks up at Saphir and-- laughs. "You think she still has it? And that's very kind of you, but..." His tone gets even kinder than his words, pitying right back, "unless you're a seer, you have no idea what's coming."

Minako Aino has posed:
That was almost something Sailor Venus had missed: The phrasing that Saphir used. When Kunzite mouths the word in her direction she reruns what she recalls being said in her mind a moment only to give a small curt nod. Just a little dip that refocuses her attention on Saphir and not the walking dead contestant.

"... You said you wanted to 'assess the damage' but that's usually just what someone says when they can fix something." A pause, and she tilts her head with cocky confidence as she mocks, "You make it sound like you can fix her or something! She's ..." Dead. Killed. Murdered. Shanked. "Passed on." The mockery was in such stark contrast to her opinions of a moment ago. If they could get information, however, then it was worth seeming as if she were flipflopping.

When Mamoru orders Zoisite to be taken away by Kunzite she widens her stance just a bit intending to take over the whole 'cover the couple' role instead of sharing the defending duty. Thankfully, so far, no defense was needed.

He continues to speak though telling his name, the fact he has a yet-unseen brother, and--- Saitou-san is bringing Saitou-san home.

a quick series of thoughts flit through her head: Oh yeah they Do have the same names, oh shi* he knows their names, oh no they're going home together-- Then Tux speaks up causing her brain and heart to nearly derail and crash into the ocean of despair.

HEAD IN THE GAME! Ignoring the shudder that caused her to twitch involuntarily, she tries instaed to focus on the issue of the Silver Crystal. Thinking quickly she blurts out, "The Silver Crystal? But we left that--" Abruptly she pauses while blinking a single quick time, and crosses her arms over her chest.

"--Somewhere safe! Yes."

Bluff. Bluff.

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Dark Glimmer nodded. "I mean, yes? They might have already been diseased for all we know. I don't know them. I'm not going to be touching them a bunch, either. Just... just wash your hands, honestly."

"... Wait, they're after somebody's kid? All I know is they attacked an Obsidian building and went after a bunch of non-magic people and... killed Sara," Glimmer said, clenching her fists. "So... I wasn't aware of that. They really are bad at making friends. No wonder they keep getting got..." she mumbled.

"... Wait. Are these people like... supposed to be from this world's future? Cause... that's... a thing." As if she and her people weren't having their own 'time' troubles.

"... So like... if he's trying to kidnap someone's kid.... or kill them and whatnot... why... are we not just blasting him? I mean... they did start it... and now they're just doing weird experiments on your front lawn. Also, like... this isn't my world. But you're going after... more than just children. YOU started things with Obsidian, not us. So like... I seriously doubt you'll stop even if you get this... kid."

... Not to mention there was no way she was going to just let him take a kid... cause like. She wasn't a monster.

Catra has posed:
"I dunno," Catra replies to Glimmer, "But I'll tell you what."

The Cat drops Powersend down off her shoulder, holding the scabbard with one hand as she draws the blade with the other with a soft 'Schwing' and points the weapon straight at Saphir.

"Here's the thing," she states, adopting a tone of poisoned honey, "I really don't care what you do, but I happen to like the kid you keep referring to as 'The Rabbit', so I'm going to warn you just once. As the ruler of the Etherian Fire Kingdom, if you or any of your... people come after her again, I will consider it an act of war and bring the entire might of my Kingdom down on your head." She narrows her eyes.

"And ram it down your throat."

Nevermind the fact that the Etherian Fire Kingdom ceased existing a thousand years ago and the Spirit Ember only just got found like... three weeks ago.

And she still doesn't know how to use it.

Everything she said was, however, completely true.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Neither Hope Blossom nor Kamiko are enjoying themselves right now, but Rens seems to be outright fascinated. Biology and necromancy are definitely not her field but she can't help but be a little curious. Then again, there's only so many notes one can take, only so many things one can observe from a distance, and soon she is putting her clipboard back into the nowhere space that such gag items vanish to when the joke is over.

    Madoka has very little to say regarding where the Silver Crystal is. The Tsukinos seem more than capable of tracking their own items of power and she hasn't really thought about it. Her own henshin power source is proving to be quite a handful as Kamiko breaks free from her grip in order to yell at Saphir some more.

    "What's coming? What do you mean by that you creep? Creepy Creep McCreeperface Creepson!"

    Then she glances towards Kunzite and Zoisite at the mention of them being married and says, "Oh! Congratulations." It has not occurred to her that Mamoru might be trolling a little.

    Madoka winces at Kamiko's antics, then turns towards Dark Glimmer to say, "I think they're actually from the wrong future... or something. Like... an alternate reality, but also the future of that reality? If that makes sense?"

    Rens adjusts her tiny glasses and explains in terms that she thinks are simple. "If you consider parallel dimensions to be the X axis, and time to be the Y axis, then they are from a place that is... perhaps diagonal from us."

    Madoka also chimes in saying, "One of them tried murdering a different child right in front of us. I doubt they'll stop causing trouble here until..."

    She trails off, because Madoka is not the kind of person to say 'until they're all dead' even if she is absolutely thinking it.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Hmm. So it was some sort of non-independent animation/puppeting, for, yes, a magical autopsy or medical damage assessment. Presumably they want to know how their people die and then avoid it happening again.

    "So first of all. She may be from another timeline but she is still an innocent child. And even were she not, the sin of being born to parents you don't like is not one recogized by any of our moral systems. I kill or condemn to death only when someone makes it clear that-- Okay this is not the outfit for this conversation."

    She returns to her Chalcopyrite disguise. "I kill or condemn to death only when someone makes it clear that not doing so will result in tremendous unprovoked harm to others, by their hand or their command."

    Amy holds out two fingers. "And second of all, weapon?! If we had some weapon as powerful as you say, we would have used it to stop you already. You are delusional."

    She lowers her arm. "The future stretches out before us, Saphir. We will fight and die to stop you from making it worse, because we want it to be better. Why do you fight and die, Blue Saphir of the Black Moon Clan, of the Forbidden Planet Nemesis? Why is it so important to you to make both this timeline and yours, worse? More terrible places to be?"

Veronica Perenna has posed:
And yet they have been trying to kill people that are supposed to be important in their world. Veronica does not believe Saphir's claim for even a second. She gives him that he may have been convinced he was getting both Chibiusa and the past of his enemies at the same time, though.

And that's how his talks about revenge go to waste. "You have no reason to both kill the Rabbit and take away the weapon from her. You haven't even thought to see if she actually posed a danger by herself. You would kill a child purely so you see your enemies gone completely. You care more about revenge that you let on" she looks up at Saphir.

At least they have something that could pass for his name. A brief glance is given to Usagi and Mamoru, with the thought to ask if the name means anything to them, but probably better not to ask in front of the man himself, if they have actually learnt something from Chibiusa.

"So Obsidian lost someone as well", Veronica briefly closes her eyes. While Molly's death is their fault, and she very much holds it against them, she can't remain impassible against them losing someone, Veronica observes the clenching of Glimmer's fists. "I am sorry for that. But mostly knowing more about them, I think, for now."

Zoisite has posed:
Being permitted to move his head was a small blessing. One he was surely going to try and abuse of when the prince had not stated he could try and sit. But Zoisite did, especially knowing Kunzite was to come to his side. It would be smart of him to conceal his affections with the other Shitennou, knowing that they were being observed, that their personal lives would be the subject of target. So Zoisite only gave Kunzite a smile, soft and discreet, taking in the small shifting's of expression.

Until Tuxedo Kamen blew that caution right out of the water by stating they were married instead. It didn't matter how steady his mind was, how he wanted to remain the one asking those biting questions--his face went as pink as cherry blossoms, shoving it on Kunzite's shoulder to conceal it. Gods damn it--!

Definitely not the brotherly kind of love.

"Did he have to be so blunt." Mutters, a mixture of frustration and tenderness. Hearing a random congratulations off to the side only made his face burn worse. This too answered the question if he and Kunzite were known by name. Yes, they were. Even in the middle of all the affectionate jabbing to his heart, he could feel it twist. Something in his chest was tight at Saphir's words. The little care for this world, those that lived in it such as Kunzite, the rest of the Shitennou, Mamoru, Usagi, Ami, Minako--all that mattered to the Black Moon Clan was Small Lady.

It would be so, so much easier to be selfish and not care anymore.

Deep inhale, a long exhale following. "Kunz-kun, I think I'm done asking questions. I want to wait for all of us to go home together." Whispers.

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
Well, that's one way to prove that Zoisite can, in fact, move his head. Kunzite shifts to support Zoi's shoulders, and says deadpan to Kamiko, "Thank you." No naming names, not when Saphir's made a point of it - not even Kamiko's. No hints.

And then, more gently, he murmurs to Zoisite, "All right." All home together. That's a difference between them and the Black Moon, at least.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Let the people with a specialty speak - because this isn't her specialty, her specialty is purification and - and what, pacification? Killing? No. No.

This is about protecting her daughter.

This is about protecting her friends and her world and -

"When does it stop, if you'll keep to punish her parents, if you'll kill us to punish them, and we kill you to stop them, when does it stop?"

She is looking Saphir in his cold eyes, and her own are filled with a desperation to stop it, to reach something in him, something that might want this all to end.

Blue Saphir (280) has posed:
"Dr. Hanamura's scientific achievements were very beneficial to Serenity's regime," Saphir tells Glimmer, and then smiles at her and Catra both. "If you are determined to make your point with combat, you can attempt it."

The keyword, of course, being attempt it.

"...The Silver Crystal is the source of the most powerful magic in the known galaxy," Saphir says, flatly. "Capable of resurrection, granting eternal life to hundreds of millions of people, of transporting the planet into another dimension, of mass so-called purification of eight planets, five dwarf planets, 290 moons, 3900 comets, and more than 1.3 million asteroids."

He looks at Amy, almost puzzled.

"Those are what she considers the passive abilities of her crystal. What would you call that, if not a weapon of great power? The fact that the girl hasn't figured out how to use it doesn't make it harmless. Or would you call a gun with a safety harmless, and hand it to your enemy?"

He cocks his head, like a bird, staring at her.

"Do you believe the child of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen, of Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion, will be powerless all her life? Perhaps that's what her mother thought, when she allowed dozens of children to be born on Nemesis, and to die in the choking fumes. We are fewer than a dozen when once there sixty-seven children and one hundred and eighty-six adults, as the consequence of our parents' banishment. That we would be powerless."

He glances at the servants.

"Congratulations on your nuptials. Even if the girl doesn't have the silver crystal, one of you will."

Only then does he acknowledge Sailor Moon's entreaty.

"It ends when our enemies are dead, Usagi Tsukino."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"That makes our job much simpler," Mamoru says gravely. "Thank you, Blue Saphir."

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    "No..." says Madoka with a frown. "It ends when you do."

    She hates saying that. Hates feeling like this is the only solution. Yet she's not given a choice.

    Sure, being born on a hateful demon planet is pitiable, but from what she's seen of this crowd she douts the factuality of their story. Could she ever trust the judgement or witness of someone who thinks that murdering that sweet innocent little boy was a good thing to do?

    He was in the middle of rescuing a kitten for goodness's sake!

    She glances at Zoisite for a moment, because the presence of the flossie in her henshin means that Medo is currently merged with her, and her inner nurse can't help but be concerned... but Mamoru has already helped him as much as he could. Blossom turns her back on Saphir, both literally and figuratively, while both Kamiko and Rens pick up on their Bearer's mood and start hovering a bit closer to her.

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Dark Glimmer blinked a few times when suddenly... Catra... did the unthinkable. She claimed her throne. Glimmer clasped her hands together, and *sparkled*. As in legitimately was sparkling. Yes, they were dark sparkles. But she was practically *radiating* them. Coming off her like a sparking electric wire.

"... Wow... they... sound... kind of confusing. Also... Eeeeee! Princess Catra! You claimed your birth right! HA! Well, then, as crowned queen of Brightmoon, I have no choice but to help you in this deed. Eeeee. We should get you a battle dress! I can't *wait* to tell everyone about this!"

... It was sooooo not the time. But Catra used her royalty! This was a cause of celebration. "Oh! I should get a cake to celebrate!"

Then... then she glanced towards Saphir. "Wait. So you went after her... because... in YOUR world... she helped people? That's... that's fucked up."

Of course, as he listed the powers of the millenium crystal, her mouth fell open. "Wait... is the silver crystal a RUNESTONE? IS THAT what you've been fighting over? Does this world have runestones of its own? Is that why we ended up here?" She'd seen Adora do resurection, eternal life... doubtful. Another dimension, yes. Purification, maybe.

Was that why they'd all ended up finding their way here? That was... That might be the key...

"... So... Wait. You're from the future, where your people were banished to like.... the planet version of the crimson wastes... and now you're seeking vengeance for all those who died? By... killing... thier daughter? Not her, but her kid?"

Honestly, she was having a bit of trouble keeping up. Time travel, other universes... The fact that, effectively, NONE of them here were the people these people hated. And yet, they were targetting them... anyway.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy's head suddenly swivels to look at Glimmer. "There are battle dresses? What do they look like??"

    And then twitches, slightly, when Blue Saphir starts reciting the full powers of the Silver Crystal. So, it can in fact do all that on command, when you've had centuries to figure out how to use it.

    And then he finally answers something she's been wondering, and had given up on getting an answer on: The Black Moon Clan are the children, of those banished to Nemesis.

    And Glimmer is excited about runestones. "Uhh... can we talk about that later?

    And then another thought enters her head as she looks back to Saphir. "Wait... but they only banished Death Phantom to Nemesis! Who was the other parent???"

    She looks thoughtful as she considers the math. Mouths the word 'dozens'... Someone was busy, but maybe there's not much else to do when you're banished to Nemesis.

    "She couldn't have wanted that, for you to suffer. You could've... you could've asked for refuge, instead of making war."

    She holds her hands in front of her together, palm down, her signature launcher appearing under them, vertically, as she leans forward and rests on it as if it were a cane. "But it does seem that after your actions so far, we are at an impasse. ...So, why tell us all this? Why talk to us at all, instead of coming out swinging and seeing how many of us you and Rubeus and that green girl could take out?"

Catra has posed:
Saphir said some very interesting things.

Catra registered none of it.

The feline is still looking like hse might be about to commit murder in the manner that only a cat can quite manage; it's sort of like the baseline expression she normally has, except there's a singular intensity to it; a rival has been detected, and they will be terminated. With extreme prejudice and all that.

"Look," she explains, opting for conversation instead. "I don't care about your people one some undesirable planet. Maybe your parents deserved to get sent there. Maybe they shouldn't have arrived on some deadly hell planet and think to their collective selves hey y'know what? Let's get busy and have a bunch of kids who can share this miserable horrible existence with us. But you know what, honestly, I don't care."

The feline almost swings her sword around to the side -- almost -- when she remembers that Glimmer is there. So she just sheaths it instead, and hangs the scabbard off her belt to keep her hands free. "Thing is, I happen to like the kid, and that's honestly all I care about, so if you or any of your morons go after her again, I'm going to chop your right arm off and beat you with your own hand. Okay got that?"

She pauses, turning her head slowly sideways, with an eyebrow quirked way up.

"Battle... dress?! Sparkles, do I look like... HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ME IN A DRESS."

Only now does Catra look over her shoulder at the number of people arrayed against Saphir. "...Never thought I'd be on the same side as all of them," she mutters. "Whatever. Doesn't matter."

Zoisite has posed:
Zoisite lifts his head from Kunzite's shoulder, looking back at Saphir. It's his first time taking in the visage of the man. "Thank you for your kind congratulations, Blue Saphir. You're an intelligent man. It is a pity that in your mind, death is the only option. And to think, in any other life and wrinkle of time, we could have been good friends due to the nature of our conversation. I would've mailed you an invitation to my wedding."

Flecks of ember in his eyes then. Nothing threatening, but indeed a promise. "I hope, for you sake, you won't regret your choices."

He lays his head back onto Kunzite's shoulder.

Minako Aino has posed:
Sailor Venus draws a slow, deep breath. She hadn't enough information from the fights with the others. The little breadcrumbs that had been dropped along the way weren't as easy for her to peice together. Now that Saphir actually says it all, some of it starts to form the bread of truth in her mind.

Their parents were apparently criminals that were banished to this awful, dark energy world, where the children grew up stewing in it. Of course they weren't going to be talked away from their war: They didn't really know any other way to live, now, did they?

"I see. Then we'll be here to stop you every step of the way."

A half-glance is cast back to the other around here. To Tuxedo Kamen, and Sailor Moon. To Kunzite and Zoisite. The others are nodded at while they all talk. This Glitter Queen person, and Princess Meow-Meow Stabby, and Amy. Her lips press together tightly only to blurt, "Are we done here?"

It's actually a question of those she stands in front of. She would remain here if needed but right now being around this *stubborn dark energy jerk* and his dead friend he was puppeting around, just had her feeling a bit ill.

Blue Saphir (280) has posed:
"It is the way of the world. Blood for blood. Whether she intended it or not, our people are dead, and now, so are hers."

Reaping, sewing, etc, they all know the logic. He's turning back to Calaveras now, having shared what he is willing too, and as he goes, there is a comment made - she only banished Death Phantom. His stride doesn't break, but it's a good thing no one can see his face, because he's thinking about that, churning it over in his mind. there's been a fair question asked, one that's simple, and as he kneels to lift Calaveras into his arms, he says, "I see no reason not to share the simple truth. Knowledge is power, but your precious Tsukino-san is hurt far more by the truth of what she became than we are. We've already defeated her. Her husband. Her guardians. Her daughter is what remains, and she brought it all upon herself."

Calaveras is in his arms, and he looks to Catra, and shrugs.

"Come what may. I'm sure my fellows will enjoy skinning a cat as much as they did killing the others."

Zoisite is given a wave.

"In another life."

And then he's gone, with the body.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    The Black Moon Clan has claimed several times to have already defeated Crystal Tokyo's royal family...

    ... but it's a bit more chilling when Saphir says it.

    Maybe that's just because Madoka doesn't take him to be the kind of person who'd lie just to get under someone's skin. Hope Blossom watches him leave, with the body, and a part of her is a little sad that she couldn't offer him Koan's, but...

    Honestly she's a little worried about what he'll do with that body. Especially given he can reanimate it.

    Feeling worried, she snatches her two minidoka fairies into her arms and holds them tight, suppressing her fears in what might be considered a selfish cuddle, but... well, her Chara have never complained about that kind of thing before.

    After a moment she looks around and says, "I'm... gonna have my Familiars check the area to make sure they don't have anyone else around here. It sounds like they already spied on you all once."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
He knows her name, and there are so many Tsukinos, but he knows her name and he will find her family and she is filled with terror-dread-horror, because it wasn't enough to have her face, he's already gotten her name, she doesn't even live at home -

And her future self, is responsible for so many deaths, he says, and she doesn't know. She would like to believe otherwise. Chibiusa says that they banished one person.

But how were there children on Nemesis then, a part of her wonders, and she shudders. In her broach, the Silver Crystal dims.

"...we all need to be purified," she says, and closes her eyes. "I can do it, but - Madoka-chan, if you could?"

And then, quieter... "If you could watch, that would help."

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Dark Glimmer glanced to Amy and... "Yesssss? Of course there is. You just like... make sure you have a shorter skirt, more armored leggings. It's a thing, but they can be fun and fashionable. Trust me. We had a whole... custom we had to follow for it."

She then grinned and glanced back to Catra. "Well... no, Princess Catra of the Etherian Fire Kingdom. But I can always hope."

Then... the jerk was leaving. She sighed and glanced towards him. "Hm. I wonder how much of what he actually said was true. A lot of the stories the Horde said about the princesses back on Etheria were ridiculous... especially from people who lived in the 'fright' zone."

She glanced over to Sailor Moon and... "They came to your time to attack children, even when they found out it wasn't the right place, they kept attacking people who had nothing to do with their world. Just for the satisfaction of it. I wouldn't put a lot of stock into what they say unless you can validate it. And if you go by their actions..."

She shook her head. "I'm going to head back. I don't... need purification. Thanks, though. Uhhhh... And Sailor Moon? I might need to... talk with you later. About that... silver crystal. If you don't mind. Catra? Wanna come with me?"

Then paused. Considered and... "I'm going to walk, though. Ugh..." Bus or dusk port... this time... bus...

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Glimmer says battle dresses are totally a thing. "I would love to know more." Amy replies, although she doesn't press the subject now with Saphir here.

    The unanswered question remains unanswered. Back to how things usually go, she supposes.

    Amy didn't know this other Usagi and Mamoru, and that they are dead may be a lie, so Amy doesn't worry about it.

    Far more worrying is that he knows Sailor Moon's identity, and so many others', in this place and time. Amy's not sure what to do about that, save to be there for her friends.

    She watches him go as coldly as she can manage, and then lets out a breath as she dismisses her weapon and turns to where Madoka, it seems, could use some comfort. (Moon is already in Tuxedo Mask's arms.) Amy approaches her and holds out her arms to offer a hug.

    "Our lives... keep getting more complicated. I'm lucky to have no ties outside Radiant Heart, now, but... if there's anything I can do for any of you... don't hesitate to ask."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"You all can come over, if you want, to decompress in company and talk about this," says Tuxedo Kamen, hugging Sailor Moon and then letting her go so she can purify everyone. "And I have some ideas about things we can do for your family, Usako."

He glances up at Catra and Glimmer, and he says, "Riventon knows where I live, so I guess I don't mind if you do, if you're more or less loyal to or attached to his approval. I'm his brother. Chibiusa's his *niece*. And also Catra's friend. So if you want to decompress with us, come on."

A beat. "I'm on the top floor upstairs from the new cat cafe in Juuban."

Catra has posed:
Catra grints her teeth. "Look I might have the glowy rock and I might be able to use it to light things and, people, on fire when I think firey thoughts, any maybe I technically rule a kingdom that I haven't actually seen yet, and maybe at some point this thing will manifest a tiara on my head, But am absolutely, completely, unquestionably, drawing the line at

Weating

A dress."

Catra folds her arms, and her ears flatten as her eyes narrow. But Glimmer's already on to other things, because of course she is. Catra glances at everyone else, and the invite from Tuxedo Kamen, and then turns back to Glimmer.

"Sure," she answers, "But." She jerks a thumb towards everyone else, "Let's go with them? We can get food on the way." She pauses. "Should give them time to do all their purifying so they don't get me with it."

Glimmer Brightmoon has posed:
Dark Glimmer blinked a few times when they mentioned the cat cafe.

... Crap. Now she wanted to go. And... And Catra did too! YES! "Well... okay. Fiiiiine. That... actually sounds pretty nice. I guess I'll follow your lead, Catra. And... really? Not even a little dress? But... oh... you're right. I know better than to try and argue that. I guess you win this one, Princess Catra Meowmeow..." Glimmer said before crossing her arms and 'pouting'.

... Catra acknowledged her kingdom. Glimmer was SO calling this a win. And if she could shift Catra's ire away from 'being a princess' to 'Wearing a dress'... "But what if it was a really cool dress? Like... with fire and stuff? And blades on the ruffles? Or... Uggggh. Fiiiiine. You're the boss..." She wanted... so much cake.

Madoka Kaname has posed:
    Madoka glances over to Usagi with no shortage of concern. She remembers Sailor Moon needing purification before, remembers what led up to it... She takes a moment to ponder the significance of her asking for back up in this moment. It doesn't take her too long to guess at the context.

    "I'll watch. Any time you need it," she promises.

    Amy goes in for a hug, and of course Madoka accepts and returns it for a moment.

    Then, to make sure they wont have any further problems, Madoka henshins with Kamiko. Medo's egg pops out of her chest as one Chara swaps places with another. Hope Concept floats higher into the sky like a balloon that's been dropped by a child, but her gaze is ever downwards, at her friends below. She's a little translucent, and probably invisible to the non-mahous, but... she makes sure that her presence is felt, that they can remember her this time, and that she can be seen by them at least.

    "I can also help with the purification! But... it'd a bit wide area in this form..." She glances towards Glimmer and Catra. "... maybe I better not, if it's going to cause friendly fire." After a pause, she says, "Oh!" and then looks back at Usagi. "If you need, I can instead give you some energy. I kinda missed the big fight..."

    As she talks about that, tiny portals appear all around her as her benotafraid Familiars swarm out. The fly overhead, peer through bushes, peek around corners. One can be confident that, with as many eyes as they have, they wont miss very much.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy gives Madoka a hug. With a little squeeze in it for comfort. Amy likes squeezy hugs the best and assumes others do too.

    Amy blinks at Catra. "When did you find out you were a princess? ...Oh, 'cuz of the runestone." She raises her hand and brushes her fingertips over the tiara of her Sailor Chalcopyrite costume. "Like, people keep turning out to be princesses around here, and I can't be a hundred percent sure I'm not. It's not... it's not contagious, is it?" And she's joking, but she's not smiling, not now, as she considers what an upset all this... everything has been to people's lives.

    She nods to Mamoru, "Uh, yeah, I'll come along, it's always... nicer to hang out with you all than at the dorm."

    Madoconcept rises above them, and Amy feels a little better under her watch.

    She looks at Glimmer, who is just. So enthusiastic about dresses. "I think you're barking up the wrong tree there. But if you need someone inexperienced to be enthusiastic about dresses, I'm listening." She smiles.