2431/A Lunar Oath

A Lunar Oath
Date of Scene:	26 March 2025
Location:	Radiant Heart Academy -- Gardens , The Moon
Synopsis:	Aloisia has a favor to ask of Usagi, desiring to renew her oath. She gets a bonus Mamoru and also ends up on the /moon/ to swear which is just cool.
Cast of Characters:	Aloisia Stauss, Usagi Tsukino, Mamoru Chiba

---

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
Aloisia had been informed that PROBABLY the best option to re-swear an oath of knighthood, would be Usagi Tsukino because most of the other options might be a bit weirded out. (Or Sugata) And so she had started to seek her out. Vaguely recalling having met someone who matched that description at some point, she mostly remembered the one trait.

...The really long blonde hair.
So she opts for the easiest option she can think of.
...She quickly texts Rashmi asking for her number.

Text: Hi, this is Aloisia, I think we met a couple of times before but Rashmi recommended you regarding something that I need to do can we meet up somewhere?

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Finals are just wrapping and Usagi is the most tired girl in the world. Somehow, she made it to the next grade, which is something she can still barely believe, between everything that happened. If she were a little more cynical, she'd wonder if the school was fixing things behind the scenes, but then again, surely they'd have managed something more than barely-good-enough grades if they were going to bother, right?

"I made it," she tells Mamoru, laughing in relief, "Eleventh grade, here I come!"

That's when her phone buzzes, a new text message arriving, and she tugs it out and takes a quick glance, and double-takes. "Eh? Oh! Oh, it's Aloisia-chan, it must be about that whole knight thing!"

    Usagi TXT to Aloisia: hihi! do you want to meet on campus? by the garden with the elephant?
    Usagi TXT to Aloisia: i'll have mamochan with me, he's my fiancé!
    Usagi TXT to Aloisia: how are you doing?

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Of course you made it," Mamoru says with an affectionate laugh, slinging an arm around Usagi and loosely walking alongside her, at her pace, until her phone bings. He tries to read over her shoulder, but doesn't really need to since she's reading it aloud anyway.

"Oh right!" he says, straightening up, then taking his own phone out. He texts Kazuo to let him know there will be Lateness Happening But It's Fine. "Is my desire selfish?" he asks after a second, brushing his hand over hers and Showing; there's a little FOMO in there, but he truly does want this for both of them for unity reasons. "For a tie-breaker?"

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
Aloisia TXT to Usagi: Sure, sounds good. I don't know if I know Mamochan. I'm alright. Still readjusting. So much homework to catch up on AND finals.

It wasn't long after those texts were made that Aloisia was on her way to the aforementioned garden, it wasn't a particularly long trip for her since she currently lived on campus. She opted to dress up a bit for it, wearing a relatively nice black dress with some white cherry blossoms on it.

She had managed to adjust the zweihander device to get it into a storage form, which was ... more or less just a smaller version of itself, but it was better than carrying around a giant sword.

She had also opted to bring a small bag of some drinks and various little snacks, because really if you're asking for a favor, bringing snacks is the /least/ you can do.

....Even if they're just vending machine ones.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I don't think it's selfish at all," Usagi says honestly, "And even if it was, I mean, I do have like, twice as many girls as you have boys. A tie-breaker sounds fair to me, you know?"

With that said, the two make their way to the meeting point, and wait.

Not that there's a problem with a waiting! It's only natural, when she picked the meeting spot! Usagi Tsukino, having not taken the chance to run and change out of her uniform, mostly because she didn't think about it, blanches a little when she sees Aloisia coming. There's an obvious expression of 'oh no I didn't dress up for this', when she takes in the lovely dress, but ultimately she squares up her shoulders and smiles brightly. If Aloisia wants to be their knight - for some reason - she might as well get used to a princess and prince who are a hot mess probably fifty-five percent of the time.

"Aloisia-chan! Hey, it's good to see you!"

It really is - especially as she realizes she actually does recognize Aloisia, from Bow's 'campaign'. Hopping out of her seat at a garden bench, she waves.

"Are those snacks for us? Uh, to share?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Usagi's not the only royal in a school uniform right now, and Mamoru's looking at how dressed up Aloe is and he's just... regretting wearing his school uniform to school ever, every day, and he's the one who ends up blurting, "Do you want us to henshin? So we at least look less like the last day of school and more like business?"

He's so tall, and his hair is fluffy and his tie is untied and hanging around the back of his neck and his shirt is unbuttoned and untucked with a metal band t-shirt underneath it, and he has never felt like more of a hot mess. Not even as Casual Friday.

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
Beyond the silver hair, Aloisia definitely hadn't changed much. Maybe looking a little bit more tired than she had before, but being slowly drained for a while does that to a person. "Ah, I thought I recognized the name, I think we might be in the same class. It's good to see you as well."

She holds up the bag with a light smile. "Yeah, I figured if I'm asking a favor the least I can do is bring snacks. They're just from the vending machine but I figured I couldn't go wrong with some green tea and sandwiches from the cold food vending machine." She went to the nice one, too, which had the /good/ sandwiches that usually was out of stock. But since school was out, it wasn't.

"I mean, I imagined you would eventually but I wasn't expecting you to right out here in the middle of the garden?" She chuckles softly, stepping over to give a little bow. "I mostly just felt like dressing up just a little bit for this." She pauses. "Uhm. So... basically as a quick explanation, I uh. I dealt with Otto Steiner but part of dealing with him was that uh. I stripped his bloodline of all noble titles." She pauses.

"I am, regrettably, technically part of his bloodline. And my title as a belkan Knight is technically one of those." She says awkwardly.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"There's no one around, and we'd like, hide behind a tree, probably," Usagi says with a thoughtful hum, "But! It can wait, sure!"

Little grabby hands are made at the bag, but in a laughing way, even though she really does want the sandwich, before she gestures to a spot where Aloisia can sit, and sits herself up a little more properly, even, watching her patiently.

And then she gets to the story - that she'd stripped the bloodline of titles, which meant...

"Oh, so this is like a green card thing! I saw that on a TV show once," she smacks a fist against her open palm. "Except, this is more like restoring your noble titles, by swearing to us, right? Um, do you want to be a knight in name only, or is it more like, a meaningful thing?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Aloisia bows, and so does Mamoru, finally, something ritual for him to latch on to. He smiles at Usagi going for the sandwich, and he snags one himself -- today was a no-breakfast day due to finals nerves -- then sits down on the bench next to Usagi. Maybe there's still nerves, he isn't unwrapping his sandwich yet. "I will henshin anywhere anytime at this point. I mean, I can only teleport in henshin..."

He's grinning, but he quiets down for the explanation, then glances aside at Usagi as he listens to her. Then he looks back to Aloisia, shoulders straighter, a different cant to his head, a different bearing to him somehow. He doesn't change so much as he emphasizes a different part of himself. "Or giving you new noble titles commensurate with your merit and experience?"

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"...I guess I'm just used to the academy always being super busy and there always being someone around." Aloisia comments thoughtfully, before shrugging as she lets Usagi take the bag. The explanation of Usagi's understanding gets a soft laugh. "I suppose it's similar to that, it is... somewhat significant since it is technicaly my title as a mage, mostly it is renewing vows to protect ... well, I guess it's a brand new oath since it would be an oath to protect this planet, instead of Tungeturm this time around."

Pause.

"So uh yeah. It's a more meaningful thing I suppose." She closes her eyes thoughtfully a moment, before...

Reaching for that miniature sword charm from her pocket. "The way that identities are somewhat hidden in this world is strange to me, since on my world it is a note of honor to be a Knight, so I can empathize with willingness to henshin anywhere."

The concept of new titles gets a bit of a tilt of her head. "I mean, I hadn't thought of /that/ option, but..." She shrugs helplessly. "Most of what I have done on this planet is endanger its people, so I don't believe I would deserve such." She says as she opts to kneel in front of the two, rather than sit next to them. "We could likely do it here unless you have another idea."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Oh, it usually is," Usagi laughs a little, biting in the sandwich and offering a belated bow, sandwich still to her mouth. She chews, humming in satisfaction at the taste - sourdough and chicken and cheese, with some spicy sauce over the greens - before swallowing a little roughly. "Do you still want to protect Tungeturm?"

The question is innocently asked, but her eyes are focused on Aloisia, taking in the seriousness of this whole affair. Her title as a mage, her vow of protection, once for her home, but now...

"No one ever said you could only protect one planet, if that's what you're worrying about," she adds, softly. "We won't mind, you know?"

There's no offense to be taken, not when it comes to oaths and promises, homes and their protection.

Aloisia kneels. Usagi kneels with her, and light shimmers, her clothing and hair shifting - and blond becomes silver, and an orange and blue school uniform becomes a white dress, with so, so many layers of tuille and fabric.

Princess Serenity smiles at Aloisia, her deep blue eyes deep as the endless limits of space itself.

"Do you want to see your new home, from a different angle? You don't have to kneel, with us. We might be a princess and prince, but we're not... stuffy, you know?"

She holds out her hand, to Aloisia, offering, not demanding.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"I yell at my knights sometimes when they're being insensitive dicks," says Prince Endymion, "but I'll never ask them to kneel. Not in this life, not in any nexts we might have."

Sometime in the background, he just... changed, like a dream disconnect, like he was always that way. Still tall and fluffy-haired, the prince is in a navy blue military jacket with pale green and gold piping, and reduced armor over it, leather trousers and boots, pauldrons, cape. No mask.

He looks at the ground they're kneeling on, and the fact that Serenity's reaching for Aloe's hand, and he sighs, then laughs, then clanks down to one knee and puts his ungloved hand over theirs. Then he pauses, looks amused, and puts his hand beneath theirs, holding them up instead of pressing them down. It's warm, an it brings with it a sense of the connected Earth.

His eyes twinkle at his Moon Princess, he knows exactly what she's going for, and he lends his power and his ability to the task.

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"I don't believe there is, at present, a way to get back to Tungeturm. And it is..." Aloisia pauses. "My feelings towards it are complicated, a lot of my life there was used to try to shape me into what Otto wanted." She says quietly. "But if it was needed, I would protect whoever needs it that I can reach." She smiles, her tone is somewhat quiet, but still has that kind of confidence that if she were there, whoever she was defending would be made as safe as she possibly could. "But for now, I wish to make amends for the danger that I helped to bring to this world."

Two silver-haired girls kneeling right next to each other, that sure would be a sight for anyone to see.

When Usagi transforms into Princess Serenity and offers her hand, Aloisia is hesitant for a moment. But mostly just long enough to take hold of the little sword charm. "Platinkante, set up." She says quietly.

Her transformation is a bit less shimmery, her clothes ... staying unchanged, instead just getting a small armor layer over top of the dress she was already wearing.

...Apparently with a generic device that's the best you get instead of a full on transformation. Just a bit of protection layered on top of your pre-existing clothing.

Also a big arse sword since it's a zweihander but she's got that gently resting on the ground while her other hand reaches to take Usagi's.

The urging to both of them that they don't need to stand she begins to get ready to stand as the two hands rest over hers. "It's.. uhm. Somewhat habit, I suppose, more than anything on the kneeling. Your society's ancient times are not unlike belkan knighthood. I believe they call it 'medieval'?" She muses out loud.

That feeling of warmth and connection to Earth was ... certainly something she was not expected, something that shows briefly on her face. Not alarm or upset so much as just an almost curious look up towards Endymion, but she doesn't really comment on it.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
There's Endymion beside her, offering his hand, and there's Aloisia beside her, transformed - well, mostly the same, but with a sheen of armor over her dress, and Serenity smiles warmly at her, radiating that gentle acceptance. When she stands, it's helping bring Aloisia back up, and Endymion can feel her love and affection through the touch, though, thankfully, she's not the touch empath, and Aloisia can't also feel that embarrassingly schmoopy rush of affection.

"I don't know how far that is from here," she admits, "I don't think we ever had records of it. And I don't know if we could get back, when it seems like everyone gets stuck here, in our gravity. But I do know, that if there's anything we can do to help your home, we will. That's the kind of royals we are."

The medieval period was a time of kneeling and bowing and postrating oneself before a lord - but neither of them are that sort of lord.

And then, there's a rush of energy, a surge of power that shines and twinkles, refreshing, regenerative -

And they are no longer in the garden at Radiant Heart Academy. They are no longer on Earth, at all, for the Earth is in the sky, visible from where they stand -

Under a dome, intact and whole, the air - for there is air, breathable air, not just magic making nothing into something for them to manage - tinged with salt, and the sound of the sea. They stand on a great stone path, leading to a shining castle of white marble-like stone, with a split staircase, leading up to the interior of the palace, lit from within. At the base of the steps are enormous planters, filled with flowering bushes. All around them, along the path, shine bright lights, lamps lit warmly, welcomingly.

It's the Moon Castle, in Capital City, Mare Serenitatis, and the Sea of Serenity is full once more.

Princess Serenity stands, frozen, still clutching Aloisia and Endymion's hands, her eyes wide. This, this is more than she expected to see.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Zwei zweihanders.

Endymion's sympathetic, and it filters through all that affection that comes with the Earth's welcome-- and he gives Aloisia a crooked little smile when she looks at him-- but he laughs, then, when she talks about medieval times. "Not our society, though there's an element of the same type of honorable fighter sworn to service in our history as well. Sorry, your prince is pedantic."

But then it's Serenity completing the circuit and bringing them to the moon, and--

Endymion's hand tightens convulsively around Serenity's, and he looks at her, wild-eyed, then up at the dome, up at the Earth hanging wide and bright in the sky, and he makes a tiny little choked sound.

"How--?" he asks, and cuts himself off; why is he bothering to ask when he can tell how shocked Serenity is. How shocked Usagi is.

And the idea flutters drunkenly across his mind in the middle of the reacting -- they could being her parents here. And the idea flashes bright, oh he can test it!

Endymion drops his henshin and it's Mamoru standing under the Earth in the sky, his metal t-shirt jarringly modern, his glasses necessary again, his hand in that of the Princess of the Moon. "Oh I can breathe--!"

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"That would be because it is in another dimension. I was in space for around two years before I was drawn in by earth's magic. But attempting time-space travel around Earth results in... Issues. Only half of my ship made it here." Aloisia explains calmly as she stands with Serenity and Endymion. "But... that is also... fine?" She muses to herself. "I do not really have anything to go back to, though. I would likely be arrested upon arrival even if I did due to my relations and involvement. It is likely best... to simply let things be as they are. Tungeturm -- Steiner Space as a whole, in fact -- is likely better off without me there to complicate things."

And that rush of energy and power, refreshing, regenerative energy. ...And they're no longer on earth. In fact, they're in an almost... more familiar style of space to Aloisia than earth's.

A dome, filled with an air that feels just slightly 'off', but not bad. Like standing next to the sea on a beach. Aloisia Stauss takes in the castle and the area around them. Flowering bushes, bright lamps, and a sea around them.

Aloisia is silent for a long while as well, though for different reasons. Mostly just taking in and marveling at the beauty of it all, in that dome on a ball of dust that orbited the earth.

Her gaze is off of that castle as she looks at the blue planet above... below? Whatever it was, to them. "..."

That is the planet she is going to protect from now on. To ensure it remains that beautiful blue.

And then Endymion asks 'how' and other comments and that bit of surprise and such going through that connection. ... Aaaaand Endymion is back to being Mamoru, testing if he can breathe. "Wait was that a possibility. Not being able to breathe???" She's not entirely sure the current knight armor would help with that situation.

Ahem. "Uhm. So uh. ...Up into the castle then?" She looks up towards it, taking a few steps forward... though not letting go of the hands, which means if they're not following immediately she'll end up just stopping.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Only half? And two years? Wow - I had no idea it was that hard to get here... I feel like it didn't used to be that hard, but it's not like anyone was supposed to touch Earth, before..."

The last words, pondered, before the teleport and landing that takes everything away.

It's like it was in her memory. It's not like it was, the last time she was here, abandoned for millennia, the buildings untouched but the organic matter long-gone, the lack of true weather preventing the stone from weathering.

This is the castle grounds that Serenity walked every day of her young life, sneaking across his bridge to the rest of the city, crossing it in laughter and giggles as she was chased by her guardians, walking it gracefully at her mother's side, prepared to watch her work -

This is the city, alive, and well, and oh, oh, so empty.

Serenity feels Endymion's shock and then his idea - her parents - and her own heart races, and then -

And then there's Mamoru, in his school uniform, breathing the air, and Serenity utters a strangled little cry, and then her own henshin drops, leaving Usagi Tsukino standing on the Moon, for the first time in her life with no magic to shield her.

The air is crisp and clear and she blinks back tears.

"Um - there was a - less than five percent chance, I'd bet, of problems," she says, sniffing and trying to sound both very serious and very reassuring even as she wipes away tears. "Naru-chan as able to breathe with a spacesuit my Disguise Pen made, and that doesn't have any kind of could-fight magic, you know?"

This is hopefully reassuring, because it's the best she has. Congratulations Aloisia, these are the goofballs you're considering.

"Yes! Yes, into the castle - sorry, it's just, the last time we were here, it was still, it was mostly ruins..."

And she grabs their hands, both of them, and starting rushing towards the steps, pulling them along even though she is all of four feet eleven inches and they are both taller and stronger.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"And if you started asphyxiating we'd have teleported you right back, don't worry," Mamoru says extremely distractedly; he's rooted to the spot, staring at the sky and taking his glasses off--

The last time he was here and it looked like this was over a [year|lifetime] ago, and the only name he used was Endymion, and everything was still all right, and he could see his kingdom in the sky...

...but he had never had the experiences and attachments that now ground him in the present day. He laughs as Usagi starts pulling him, tearing his eyes (the same blue! the same! as the oceans up there in the sky--) away from his planet and hurriedly kicking his shoes off, hopping on one foot and then the other to take his socks off too, in order to run barefoot and say hello properly.

"See there's no WAY he can see the crystal from the steps," Mamoru crows. "Aloisia-kun, one of the things you'll have to help the Senshi and Shitennou figure out as our knight is security for our Moon Wedding this summer and Riventon is invited!"

No pressure. Maybe meet them first.

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"I was flying in a really really old ship, I think newer ships probably could arrive faster. Honestly it's probably why my ship was so together instead of like the Arthra which has apparently been falling in random chunks." Aloisia explains about the whole 'two years' thing.

Okay both of them are shocked so this is certainly something different. And they explain it. Talk about the parents and Mamoru breathing and all of that stuff. "Oh, well, that's good then. And this device /does/ have some protective qualities." She pauses. "...I'm just not sure if I'm ready to test its ability to handle the vacuum of space yet. I just barely have it combat worthy right now." Eh-heh.

The falling tears gets a somewaht reflexive movement from Aloisia though, who pulls out a handkerchief to hold out for Usagi. Yes, she's the sort to carry a handkerchief with her. Just in case. "This is an improvement then, and explains the surprise for sure." And then they are rushing off towards the castle, and Aloisia is matching pace fairly well, though somewhat letting Usagi pull her along.

...Mostly because it's honestly kind of novel to be dragged along by a shorter person like that.

"Oh, well, that's reassuring!" Aloisia responds fairly playfully in response to Mamoru at the comment of teleporting back. "I mean i think I could probably barrier myself to keep myself from asphyxiating too but I don't know how long my magic would hold out with this device." Aloisia chuckles softly.

And then Mamoru talks about her figuring out security for the Moon Wedding this summer.

...And Riventon is invited.

"I don't think we can secure a wedding where Riventon is invited." Aloisia responds almost immediately upon that comment. "Beyond that I don't imagine anyone would be willing to start something with the sheer number of magical people... I recommend a magical form masquerade of some sort though just for that basic security, and..." She kind of starting to muse to herself under her breath, thinking about potential security measures she could take. "Maybe some sort of barrier up around the castle once all of the guests are in, just in case..." Pause.

"Well, we have time. I'll have to assess resources."

Ahem!

"I uh. I should probably detail some of my story for you since, well. It's not an entirely 'clean' one, though I am unsure if I could have avoided a lot of it." She adds quietly, her gaze flicking around the castle, now, keeping an eye out for obvious potential side entrances and vulnerabilities.

...Look Mamoru talked about security, now she's thinking about security.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The handkerchief is gratefully accepted, Usagi dabbing at her eyes, but these are happy tears - maybe a little bit, maudlin tears, too, but mostly happy tears, because this is a world that feels so near and dear and far away all at once.

It's a good thing no one is resisting being dragged along, because she runs with them up the stairs and into the great entrance, the receiving hall, and at some point she'd slipped out of her shoes too.

"You're right, with the Castle built again, there's no way to even see it from here, you'd have to get all the way in -"

Much lower risk! Of that particular Crystal being stolen!

"Yeah, it won't be perfectly safe, or anything, but, he's Mamochan's brother, so we kinda have to invite him, especially since he's stopping the war for Best Man just by existing." It's an important war that isn't happening! "But also if we invite him and my parents he'll know who I am but I won't know who he is - wait, we could invite Takashi too!"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru looks pleased at Aloisia immediately starting to assess things-- but he does chuff out a laugh as they're hurried along. "Keep in mind you'll be working with a team on security, and you don't know how you'll work with them yet-- but--"

Oh when they stop so Usagi can wipe her eyes, Mamoru's face softens. "Yeah, we can invite Takashi too. The last time I saw them they were on weirdly metaphorically bad terms, so maybe we'll luck out and Takashi will win the ego contest. Oh I could invite Takashi to be my best man too! May the Best Man Win."

He looks around, his warm feet on the cool marble floors, living stone in something that otherwise feels like a dream-- "Imagine your parents here. Kazuo's mom here. ...Kazuo's grandmother."

It's sleepy. The moon is sleepy. It feels like it could wake up like Earth, if it had people here-- Mamoru briefly tangles his fingers with Usagi's again, his energy thrumming with joy and quiet ache, and shows her how the Moon missed her.

And then he looks to Aloe again and smiles, and it's a steady one, and small, but real. "Someday maybe we'll restore some of my kingdom too -- we'll have to have another wedding there when we do -- but seeing Earth from here? Seeing Earth from here... it's a reminder of what we'll all be sworn to protect in a minute."

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
Happy or not, tears are tears and it's hardly particularly knightly to let a maiden cry without offering a handkerchief! Another thing she doesn't allow is Usagi's shoes to just sit there on the stairs, a subtle movement with her sword tapping them storing them away in its internal storage.

She'd hand them to Usagi later. That might be a bit weird, but she's keeping pace with Usagi nonetheless. "Well, if he's Mamoru's brother than it may make things more secure to have him there, since Obsidian Operatives there are more likely to not cross him, then." Pause.

"Or more likely if someone with a grudge pops up." Working with a team. "Well yeah, I figured. That's why I said I'd have to assess assets, fighting styles, personnel... check potential entry points of the castle that people could sneak into... though erecting a barrier with only one entryway would likely minimize some of the need for that..." Yeah now she's back to musing about potential security.

She kind of fades out and lets Mamoru talk about imagining parents and grandparents here. It's a slightly complicated look on her face at that, but one that she only lets linger for a moment, mostly hidden by the fact she's a half-step behind Usagi and Mamoru.

"If you require help with that restoration, let me know if there's anything that I can do to assist. I'm particularly skilled at fighting wild beasts if there's some sort of legendary dark beasty that's causing problems." Aloisia comments towards Mamoru, once the topic moves on.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The Moon is sleepy, but it missed her. It's warm inside, and drowsy, and if there were people, it would be awake, but it's not dead, either.

The Moon isn't a dead ball of rock, the way so many people think, it's just sleeping, and she missed it as much as it missed her. It's alright. The people will be here soon. Will a wedding party be enough? If it's big enough, right?

"We'll definitely be able to introduce you to our security friends. Kunzite leads the Shitennou and Sailor Venus leads the Inner Senshi. The Outer Senshi kind of do their own thing, but Uranus-san would probably love to talk security..."

Hmm...

"Will Riventon poison Takashi if he can't be Best Man? Because it's bad enough all of your boys want to push Riventon down a flight of stairs, Takashi's like, actually normal..."

Someday this will be funny. It really will.

She looks around the castle with new eyes, imagining it decorated for a wedding, her wedding, her parents here, Kazuo's mom there, his grandmother over there, and maybe there will be new recipes for Makochan to learn from her. There will be joy and laughter and a cleansing of this place that was her home -

"You know, I don't think there are any dark beasts, but there's a whole dark side of the Moon."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"You know, there just might be malevolent beasts and fell monsters? Hell, there could really be dragons," Mamoru says thoughtfully to Aloisia, brushing his fluffy hair away from his face-- starting to need a haircut, him. "It's been closed up since the end of the Pleistocene, and I'm sure its guardians are long dead..."

He slows to a stop. "Um, unless they're like Pluto..." and he gives Usagi an uncertain glance, then he shakes his head. "Riventon wouldn't poison Takashi, believe me. Unless you count dark energy, I guess, that's the only poison involved."

He leans down to kiss Usagi's head, then, and he says, "Are we taking Aloisia-kun to the Prayer Tower for her oath, or outside where she can see Earth?"

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"Kunzite, Sailor Venus, and Uranus. I'll have to make sure to link up with them sometime in the near future, then, see their viewpoints on things and ideas for ensuring the wedding goes the best it can." Possibly also plan secret ways to make it extra special, but that's definitely not a part of security and definitely not something to discuss here. Especially if she wants to surprise them.

"So, basically, if Takashi and Riventon are in the same room, keep an eye on Riventon. Got it." Aloisia gives a simple nod at that. No further comments.

Someday it definitely will be funny.

Aloisia's eyes are on the castle and admiring it for different reasons, not a look of nostalgia, of course, but definitely admiration. Look it's a well-constructed castle. She's a Belkan. She can respect a well-constructed castle.
Talk of malevolent beasts and fell monsters and possible actual dragons gets pause from Aloisia. "Oh, my, I was somewhat joking but actual dragons~? How fun. The fantasy stories here have some surprising overlaps with Belkan stories, tales of long-extinct mystical beasts~. Perhaps from before the earth's magic became so... subdued? Yes, subdued."

From a planet of magic, that probably is how the earth seems, at least. "I have mixed feelings about if they're alive or not, being stuck in a sealed place is not exactly a particularly pleasant experience or great for the sanity."

Talk of where to take her for her oath she opts not to weigh in on, letting the other two decide.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"The Moon didn't have dragons thousands of years ago! But Mother never let me travel to the Dark Side of the Moon, so I don't know... if there's anything there. Like dragons that could survive without air." Who could honestly doubt it, in this world they live in where magic is the norm and evil witches can seek power from the sun and friends can be killed and resurrected as near literal flesh suits for monsters?

It's a worry, but only in the most distant way possible, not really something she's concerned about, just like she's not really worried about Riventon hurting Takashi.

"Aloisia-chan, can you add 'make sure Riventon doesn't put dark energy in the punch' to your security analysis thing?" This is an important concern. Trust her. "In fact, avoiding dark energy in all of the food is a security priority! Not just because I want to eat it, or because people could get poisoned, but Chiyo-chan and Makochan are going to cater, and they'll destroy something if their food gets tampered with!"

This is a mission critical objective, as she's thinking through the worries - oh! Kissu <3

Her whole vibe softens again, and she leans back against Mamoru, looking over the receiving hall where they now stand, great windows still allowing a view of the Earth, and she turns to Aloisia.

"Here, I think. Where you can see the Earth, and stand on the Moon. Aloisia-chan, how do you want this to work? You had things you wanted to tell us, right? I can promise you now - whatever you did and whoever you were, we won't turn you away."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Everyone did used to know about magic, and there was so much more of it ambient, all over the globe," says Endy a little wistfully, draping his warm arms lightly around the leaning-back Usagi. "I don't know why the magic didn't flood back in with the people. But-- yeah, that's why I'm like... I really hope Pluto's dating prospects don't increase by a hundred percent by age, because yeah, mixed feelings."

There's the smallest of sighs; Usagi, in contact with him, can tell he's fine -- only a little homesick, and picking up on the loneliness of the ground beneath their feet. The floor of stone, cool and calm and smooth. He quiets when Usagi asks, but he nods in agreement, and he adds after, "My hands aren't clean, either, anyway."

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"I recommend silver punch bowls, naturally reacts to poison and ... I don't know maybe something with dark energy, there's that thing with vampires and werewolves and stuff?" Aloisia muses at that. "Anyway we can probably just have someone watching the food table or serving people maybe." Aloisia /definitely/ didn't have the thought of getting Hannah into a maid outfit to serve punch to people. Not at all. Nope.

"Perhaps the simplest solution would to be to have Chiyo-san or Mako-san take turns serving and watching over the food? Perhaps with a third or fourth person to rotate out so that everyone can enjoy the wedding to the fullest." Aloisia muses. "Or if there's a reasonable amount of money involved we could possibly just hire--" Pause.

"Hm. Moon. That complicates just hiring someone for the event. Does the Veil reach up here, I wonder..." Hrm!

She gives a soft exhale Usagi confirms ... there. Just there was fine. She gives a look up at that sky, and then towards the other two with a soft exhale, not a particularly upset or uncomfortable one, more a steadying one, possibly to push away some anxiety.

"My name was Aloisia Stauss." She starts softly.
"I was born for nothing other than to be a part of my father's scheme. Raised in secret on a world where none would think to look for a daughter of a member of the ruling family. Raised in plain sight. My training -- and my indoctrinization to their beliefs -- started at a young age. Taught that the people in power were evil, that just people who protect the universe were parasites on belkan lives." She says softly. "My path was decided for me from the first moment I could hold a shield. The moment I was old enough to be put into the Tungeturm Defense Force as a squire to learn how to fight."

"In a way, I was being shaped into a little heroine, so that should, after my father usurped the throne, be able to replace him as a 'heroine' to take over if his popularity was inevitably poor from the usurpation."

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
"A usurpation that failed. That threw me into a ship and sent me on a collision course with earth. I was to bring the fratricidal war to this soil, to help bring more tragedy into an already tragic situation."

She exhales softly, eyes closing as she continues. "Luckily, my arrival was not as smoothly as expected, and rather than simply landing and being claimed by those who would use me to their ends, I was instead saved. By those very things I was taught were evil. By Chrono Harlaown, the TSAB agent. By Hannah Steiner, the very girl who I was told was as corrupt and evil as her parents, that did not care for the common people." She shifts that zweihander, setting its tip in the ground as she rests both hands over its crossguard in a knightly pose.

"I tell you this because I do not swear to you to bind myself. I swear to you to free myself from bonds. From bonds of the past. I was born as Aloisia Stauss, I reject that name. My 'true' bloodline is that of Aloisia von Karstein-Steiner. I reject /that/ name."

"Before you stands simply a fallen knight, the girl known only as Aloisia, a girl who owes a great debt to this world and who hopes to repay that debt by swearing herself to its protection." She bows her head, respecting that the two had requested she not kneel, but still feeling the need for the moment of reverence. "And so, I, Aloisia of no family, wish to swear myself. My shield to protect the helpless."
"My strength to support the weak."
"My virtue, tarnished as it is, to provide succor to those in need of it."
"And my magic to crush evil." She gives a soft exhale.

"I have been rendered a girl with nothing. I have been torn asunder and almost remade. And yet I persist. And this persistence is what I have to offer. And a promise."

"Never again shall I allow that which I care about to be torn from me."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"Originally, we kind of thought we'd have to test that everyone could still breathe here, and do a magic only wedding," Usagi says softly, "But with the dome back up, and the air here... I don't know if we want to risk bringing too many civilians around, especially for a party - " because truly, that's what this wedding will be, a party to celebrate their love, their union, their lives, before it can be taken away from them. " -but it's definitely worth looking into, maybe!"

Silver, they could probably do. Buying some, looking through the Moon for some, there were options there...

And. More important things to focus on, too. They're here for Aloisia-chan, after all. They can wedding plan any day. Today, they are receiving an oath, and bringing in a new friend.

Today, Aloisia is sharing her story with them.

Born to be a pawn in a scheme, lied to from birth, manipulated and used and saved - no wonder Rashmi had sent Aloisia her way. Sure, the other princesses they know would be nice too, but - Usagi casts a glance Mamoru's way, because he had noted his unclean hands, and Aloisia-chan is reminding her almost of the Shitennou, and the way they too had been used, shaped, turned astray.

Aloisia bows her head. Usagi, still in her school uniform, down to her socks, shoes abandoned on the staircase to the castle, steps forward and put a hand on her shoulder. She has to reach up a fair ways, given how much taller than her Aloisia is, but it's not like she's unused to that. Aloisia is almost as tall as Makoto, and just as sad.

"You threw away everything that man put on you," she says quietly, "I don't think you're a girl with nothing. If anything, you're like... a girl with integrity. You know yourself, Aloisia-chan, and you're here to be a knight in shining armor, for everyone who needs one. I would be very, very happy to have you as my knight."

Her free hand goes to her uniform bow, where her transformation broach, the crystal star, is pinned. She opens it deftly, and silver light shines, falling over Aloisia, offering a sense of renewal, a freshening of the spirit, the righting of wrongs.

"You already know I'm Usagi Tsukino, and Sailor Moon. I'm also Princess Serenity, heir to the Silver Millennium, and even if I never sit on a throne - ah, I hope I never sit on a throne! - I still have the responsibility. I am the Soldier of Love and Justice, the Soldier of Mystery who stands with the Sailor Senshi now, where I couldn't before, and I too have promised to use my power to protect the weak, and the helpless, and everyone I care about. When you have so much power... that's what it's meant for."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru's smiling a little, fluffy hair falling a little into his face, partially obscuring his glasses. He tosses his head to free his face of its chains, then straightens up more, one hand landing on Usagi's shoulder as a warm weight while they listen to Aloisia's story. He doesn't interrupt, and by the end of it, he's forgotten what he wanted to say about the Veil--

Much more important things to think about right now. Aloisia goes through her personal history, goes through the events that cost her a real childhood and turned her into a little soldier, a pawn, and a face with no power, operating on lies... and to think she was able to break free of it. And to think that she did, no matter the cost to her and everything she had known. Mamoru thinks she's incredibly brave.

Her oath is a beautiful thing, simple, and as is only right, she's not binding herself. She needs them more as witnesses than an authority, she's more pledging to work with them, to uphold and fight for the same things as they do.

She says she's been rendered a girl with nothing-- his mouth opens to say something to that, but Usagi's nailed it -- Aloisia has integrity. He smiles, and there's nothing wry about it, it's only warm.

"You're impossibly brave, Aloisia. Your persistence is more than admirable, it's inspiring. Usako would love to have you as her knight-- I would love for you to be our knight, neither silver nor gold but crystal, with the clarity that implies, and in light of the possible shape of the future of our respective courts."

He's keeping his smile from being a grin only because Endymion has had training in solemnity, and because there is something so deep and ringingly true happening here. His hand comes out to rest over Aloe's on the hilt of her sword, and he shows her how deep the world's singing of a welcome goes, a welcome and a new home for a lost Belkan, at the Moon's sleepy warmth, at the connection between silver and gold and the planet in the sky and the moon beneath their feet, at the connections branching out between Mamoru and the Shitennou, and between Usagi and the Senshi, and at the bright thread that's thrummed into place between the two of them and Aloisia.

He shows her the planet she'll be protecting: the electric nervous systems of cities and the underground rivers that are their blood, ruins in sandy, scrubby desert that used to be green, bright sunlit breezy meadows, quiet glades in the forest primeval, the slow dripping of water depositing sediment in caves deep within soaring mountains, the snowy tundra, the lush rainforests, the people the people the people, the life that's there that may live as long as a yew or as brief as a mayfly.

"And I'm Mamoru Chiba, and Tuxedo Kamen, and Endymion, Crown Prince of the Golden Kingdom of Earth and heir to Elysion, where sleeps the dreaming heart of our planet. I've also pledged to protect the helpless, support the weak, heal and care for those in need of relief, and you know what? I love a good 'crush evil,' nice and explicit. I'll sign on for that one too," he says, his hand slipping off Aloisia's, and his smile finally turns into affectionate beaming, and there's such a joy for the future that Mamoru's completely forgotten about the Fade for a hot minute. He doesn't even remember it now. Sometimes it's possible to just be happy.

Aloisia Stauss has posed:
There had been more than a little anxiety in Aloisia after revealing all of that. Sure, the people of this planet were kind, sure, it may not have technically been her fault, but it did not stop the guilt, the anxiety that she might be rejected, that she might be thrown aside, that --

A hand rests on her shoulder. And then a second on the hand over her sword.

And gentle words follow. Aloisia visibly relaxes slightly, as she listens to Usagi. She's not really speaking just yet. Just listening as that silver light falls over her. That sense of renewel and freshing of the spirit. As well as probably cleansing whatever lingering darkness might have still been hiding within her.

Words follow that actually cause a slight tremble in Aloisia's shoulders, a slight welling of tears in her eyes. But she doesn't truly fall to crying in that moment, keeping her composure... at least, somewhat. There's more words that come to mind, but those words, she decides to keep for another time. "I agree." She says softly, finally, at the comment of 'When you have so much power... that's what it's meant for.'.

She wasn't... discarding what they said, more the thoughts and feelings in response were... complicated, frankly. And likely would take a very long time to try to get out properly. And that sharing of that song of welcome, welcome and a new home. Silver and Gold, that beating pulse of the planet and its people. She gives a soft exhale. Neither silver or gold, but crystal.

There's a ripple of magic that goes over the armor she was wearing, not a true change, but the Weight of Words still rippling as she opens her eyes, a calm, confident resolve. "As you say, then." One of her hands lifts to wipe those tears from her cheeks.

"With the witness of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion, I declare myself the Crystal Knight, in the Belkan language, Kristallritter."

Not long after, she gives a small smile.

"And with all of the pomp and circumstance out of the way, a picnic on the moon sounds like a rather wondrous way to spend the rest of the evening, does it not?"

A notion that she strongly believes that neither Usagi nor Mamoru is likely to reject.