View source for 750/Welcome Home (Third Take)

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2023/10/31
|Location=Starlight View Mansion
|Synopsis=Welcome home, Himeko.
|Cast of Characters=90,81,38,43,72,59
|Tinyplot=Inner Conflict
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:90|Nephrite (90)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Starlight View Mansion, recently remodelled and exorcised, is the perfect spooky place to hold a Halloween party. Honestly, the only reason it's being held here is for Himeko's benefit. It's her birthday after all. So not all of the decor is Halloween-themed, even if Masato knows she loves that sort of thing. There's also colorful balloons, ribbons, a table with a cake and other birthday party food, and another table for presents... It used to be a spacious dining room, but the walls were knocked out, turning the living room and dining room into a single huge space. A ballroom of sorts.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Masato has it on good authority that Usagi doesn't like scary things or Halloween, so he has made sure everything is as tame as can be, including the music selection (Monster Mash, Bad Moon Rising, and other extremely outdated western songs, along with themes from cutesy anime). Only occasionally does something like the 'Halloween' movie theme come on, and the master of the house has gone for remixes that diminish the spookiness factor whenever possible while still sounding good.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, Kim Petras's entire 'Turn Off the Light' album because Zoisite insisted even though he didn't even show up. What an ass.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nephrite is standing near the door into the ballroom, in a tuxedo with tails, and a white 'Phantom of the Opera' mask on half his face.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Okay, he also made sure that the entire OST to the Phantom of the Opera remake is on the playlist too, get bent.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With how foggy it is outside, especially at night, and the long, winding road through darkened woods to get up here, and eerie glow through the windows, it is fortunate that the sounds of party music and lots of bass can be heard pounding before the mansion even comes into sight.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Himeko and Pyrite have been consolidated. There is, aside from whatever's inside her shrine, just the two of her now. Probably. So, even though they should now be identical, and have basically the exact same level of intellect and experience, as this might be the only chance they get to celebrate the holiday and birthday in this manner... They've decided to assume familiar forms. One is the younger Himeko (not the youngest, the little squirt who looked 6 despite alegedly being 10, just one who actually looks ten. Standard Himeko/Pyrite) and the other is the teenaged version (the one with the scar on her left cheek, which she seems to have stopped reapplying. It was just there as a reminder for herself, and she no longer needs it).<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Also one is in a white and black vampire-like costume that looks like a party dress (because it is), and the other is some kind of vampire catgirl ghost (half).<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She is ''so pumped to be here right now you guys'', you ''don't even know''. Little Pyrite indulged in a Halloween tradition she never got to experience, playing the role of little girl enjoying herself to the hilt, even if her mind has matured significantly over these past few months. She went trick-or-treating, met some other kids, ran around and had fun with them, got compliments on her costume and how cute she is, scared some bullies, and is now attending a big party with all sorts of people, including the most improtant ones: Her friends and family.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The anxiety over what she knows is going to happen tonight is nowhere to be seen. But Mamoru knows.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The older Himeko, meanwhile, has been preparing herself for this night while putting any idle thoughts or feelings firmly in the hands of her younger-looking self. A division of labor. She spent hours in front of the mirror, making sure her costume and appearance were just right, exactly as they had appeared in her memory, and fortifying herself psychically for whatever lies beyond where her memory ends. She is also very anxious.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mamoru can probably feel it from her too, even if they are now just two halves of the same brain instead of a past and future self. Or whatever the brain equivalent is for a ghost.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's all very complicated.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba (38)}} has posed:'''<br>There's a shimmer to go along with the teleport this time, as Hematite deposits himself and Usagi a respectable, but still close for the purposes of walking in a lot of gown, distance from the door. He immediately dehenshins, and he's in a white military jacket with gold epaulets and gold braid across the chest in a wide arc, a gold belt, and red trousers. His black hair's pulled back in its usual ponytail.<br><br>"It's not even haunted a tiny little bit," he's telling Usagi as they walk up, "except by the non-bodybuilding aspects of my sister, which doesn't count for the purposes of 'haunted house' right? Look, it's all lit up, it's all fixed--"<br><br>That is. A LOT. of dress.<br><br>So it is that Prince Charming is handing Cinderella up over the threshold of Nephrite's eerily misty-woods surrounded mansion, and he's not being very romantic at all, because he also says, "And my sister's anxious. Both of them. I wonder if it's because this is a lot of social. I'm probably going to want to hide behind you. Uh, metaphorically."<br><br>The inside of the mansion is different! Different, thank god, from the REALLY SPOOKY mansion, but also different from what it was before. When Mamoru sees Neph's costume, he has to chew on the inside of his mouth to keep himself from laughing. The only thing more appropriate would be if Neph were dressed as one of Brian Blessed's roles.<br><br>"We're here!" he calls cheerfully.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>It's a Halloween party, which Usagi doesn't love - but it's also a ''birthday'' party, which she ''does'' love. It's Himeko-chan's birthday, and even with all the eerie things that have happened, Himeko-chan deserves to celebrate. If she wants a Halloween party, then Usagi will do her best to put aside her anxieties about the holiday in favor of making the day fun for Himeko. <br><br>She's dressed in a costume, even, though it's far from scary - she's Cinderella, dressed for the ball (no glass slippers, at least, she'd probably break an ankle - or break the shoe - trying to navigate that. The large skirt of the dress, accurate to the film, is already enough to have her unbalanced. <br><br>But that's what Mamochan is for. The joy of ''boyfriend'' can take a person far, especially when he's got strong arms for catching - and Mamoru has definitely had to catch Usagi at least once already. "Okay, I'm going to believe that, for a little while, at least. I hope - Himeko-chan and Pyrite can have a good birthday, at least..." <br><br>But when they get inside, everything is better. It's not nearly as scary as it was, huge and beautiful, almost as much as the D----- Kingdom mansion. <br><br>"Oh! It's nice!" Yeah, she's genuinely shocked.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:72|Sailor Mars (72)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rei Hino is ''highly suspicious'' of this ''extremely circumspect'' gathering in a ''sketchy mansion'', but also she's not getting any psychic visions about it, so it's probably fine. This is how she can attend something like a Moon Princess Skiing Contest without concern. Still, she is here mainly as support for Usagi, secondarily for Himeko, and thirdly (at a great distance) for Hematite. She is wearing a crimson dress with a very low neckline, laced at the front, with ruby-red gems on gold chain necklaces, including one worn on her left arm as an ornament, and red beaded bracelets on both wrists. Also, ruby earrings.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What is she supposed to be?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Who knows! But she's stunning either way. There's an almost-full moon tonight. Waning Gibbous. It's only three days since the Full Moon, but that sliver of darkness does little to diminish the illumination provided. Rei pauses to look up at that moon in thought, before continuing her trek alongside a a spooky, foggy forest as she follows the road. Some party attendees notice her and hurry along. Her pale skin, and long, purple-black hair, and ephemereal, willowy appearance may make her appear to be the spirit of some long deceased noble lady or something.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ironic, to be sure.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She eventually arrives on the doorstep, with the door apparently open for all and sundry. Though, the miko muses, unwanted guests probably don't make it this far.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When she eventually gets to the ballroom, her violet eyes quickly alight upon 'Cinderella', and she saunters over, trying not to give Hematite the evil eye too much, or the guy in the Phantom of the Opera costume. She can sense evil from both. One more than the other. But that is, allegedly, the fault of some kind of demon that is working through them (or at least one of them), and a fix is being worked on to deal with that problem.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Bare skin chilled from the walk through a cold October night, Rei is quick to put her arms around Usagi from behind and press against her for warmth. With the boyfriend right there. Hopefully he won't have to catch both of them. "Usagi-chan~." Rei lilts. "Why isn't the forest heated? That was a long walk up here in the cold. There should be a law." she grouses unseriously.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She also spots Himeko and Pyrite and untangles long enough to smile and wave at the birthday girl(s). "Happy birthday, Himeko-chan!" she says to both of them.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then, she eventually greets Mamoru. "Good evening," she says simply. Then she scans the room. "No Makoto, Minako, or Ami, huh...? I thought I would see Naru-san here as well, but..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:90|Nephrite (90)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Masato is far too cultured and serious to do a fake vampire accent to be all, 'Velcome to my humble abode...' or something. He does give a formal bow, one arm behind his back, to Cinderella and Prince Charming. "So glad you could make it. The party wouldn't be the same without you two." He glances over at Himeko and Pyrite, one looking happy, the other a bit off on the sides by herself. There's other people in the ballroom beyond the named invitees. Just an assortment of random people. Some from work, some from school. He invited the beautiful math teacher he used to ask out for dinner, but she declined as well.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Something about going home to get extremely drunk and not answer the door for anyone.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Which Masato can respect.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As he straightens up and comes closer, Masato says, "I did invite Naru, and she was interested, but..." He shrugs. The gesture and his unbothered expression do a lot of work in covering up his disappointment. But the party isn't for him, so he deals with it.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pyrite hurries over, her ruffled skirt swaying enough that she has to grab it to hold it up so she doesn't trip on it. This helps add to the visual effect of being a little princess. A pale, red-eyed little vampire ghost princess. She curtsies to the newly arrived guests like she has seen in The Animes. "You have my sincere gratitude for attending this celebration. I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I am, and have a memorable evening." she says, her eyes closed during her little speech, before rising up, and then opening them again.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She's smiling as she then darts in to hug Mamoru around his midsection. "Thank you for coming, Onii-chan! Usagi-san, and Rei-san!" Sure all of her instincts are telling her to get the eff away from the shrine maiden (<span class="bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">ENEMY</span>), blaring bright and deep and red and painful in her consciousness, but she suppresses it. Rei is a friend of Usagi's and tried to help back at the other dance when they first met, back when she didn't know how to deal with crowds and lost track of her brother. The raven-haired woman can attend a party if she wants to. Himeko eventually meanders over a bit hesitantly, or shyly, and gives a bob of her head and a small wave to the gathered guests. "Thank you for coming~..." she says quietly, but with a smile. She doesn't know most of the people here, but she is glad to see faces she recognizes.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pyrite steps back after getting all her hugs in on her big brother, and looks him over, a hand cupping her chin. Eventually, she snaps her fingers and says, "You're All Might, right?"<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pyrite just sweatdrops a bit at her own conclusion.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>Masato looks genuinely disappointed, and Usagi is - not exactly surprised, given the everything, but pleased, actually. Not because Naru isn't hear, but well - she'll be happy to hear about this, right? <br><br>"She wasn't able to come out with us, but if she can make it late, she'll definitely come," Usagi says, and she might have had more of an explanation, but there's ''cold'' pressed against her back and arms and the only reason she doesn't shriek is because her breath catches in her ribs. Her eyes are absolutely wide with terror and she does jump, possibly smashing her head against - <br><br>Rei-chan?!" This is a shriek, or well, not The Shriek, the one already becoming famous at school after all that practice for the Test of Courage, but a lesser version, equal parts shock, fear, and annoyance. "You're ''freezing'', let go! I didn't make the forest, you know, and I don't think the laws can fix that, and you're ''really, really, cold -''" <br><br>Alas, she is not released. Instead, Rei-chan mentions all ''three'' of their friends and allies by name, and she stomps on Rei's foot with her white flat, giggling nervously, "Yeah, No Naru-chan or Makoto-chan, or Chiyo-chan, or Ikiko-chan, nope, none of my friends from school are here! Himeko-chan got to make the guest list, and Masato-kun, and -" <br><br>Thank all that's holy for Himeko's little speech, very cute, and Usagi wriggles herself free and curtsies - nearly tripping. "Thank you for inviting us all - what?! No, he's Prince Charming! Because I'm Cinderella!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba (38)}} has posed:'''<br>Mamoru's more than a little taken aback by the girl he hasn't seen before draping over Usagi in her voluminous skirts, and definitely braces to catch them if they go offbalance. He looks a little concerned. "I didn't realise Kino-san knew Hime-chan or Py-tan, or I'd've invited her. I'm afraid I don't know who Minako or Ami are-- I invited Wako-chan but she had other committments--"<br><br>--and Masato's explained Naru's absence, and Masato's also ''there'', and Usagi is There, and Himeko is There, and he can cope with a social situation. He can! He can do it. "Hi," he says uncertainly back to Rei, before looking to Usagi for cues that aren't shrieking and annoyance. And, okay, her name is Rei. "I'm Ma--" Pause. He almost self-corrects to Darien, it's obvious, and then he clearly makes a Decision. "Mamoru Chiba. Pleased to meet you."<br><br>And there we go! There's Pyrite making a delightful production of greeting them all, and Mamoru holds his arms out to catch the girl as she impacts his midsection; he oofs obligingly, smiling with clear and open affection, and bends over a bit to hug her. "Happy birthday! I left your present back at my dorm, but I can go get it before you open up your other presents," he murmurs, and then straightens up as she pulls back.<br><br>"Who?" he asks blankly, then laughs a little. "What she said. I'm dressed to match Usako-- I'm supposed to be, uh, the Prince from Cinderella," he tells Pyrite, then reaches for the teenaged Himeko to give her a big hug, too. "Happy birthday. I love your costumes, they suit you very well."<br><br>Then he smiles at Masato, and that's full of honest affection too, open, nothing evil about it. "You did a wonderful job setting this up, Masato-kun."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:72|Sailor Mars (72)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rei rubs her cheek where she got an odango headbutt to the face, as the blonde breaks free. After getting an introduction and watching Mamoru carefully... Well, she believes in Usagi, and she believes in Sailor Moon. So she introduces herself properly after giving Usagi a foul look for stomping on her foot. "Rei Hino. I attend a different school, but various friends of Usagi's study at my place sometimes. It's the quiet, peaceful atmosphere, probably."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Whatever the evil is she feels, her hawk-like gaze doesn't find it in anything outward. And it's just... A taint upon Mamoru. Not inside of him. Exposure to something immensely evil. Perhaps she misjudged him after all. She worried that he was using Usagi to benefit the Dark Kingdom, but... The Soryuu Shrine made her doubt her instincts. She's even more doubtful now, watching him interact with his sisters, and the host of the party. Though, the host has a much more intense evil clinging to him. Unlike 'Prince Charming', this is clearly emanating from somewhere inside of 'Masato-kun'. So... She'll keep an eye on him.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I owe you an apology later," she says to Mamoru, without explaining why. Then she smiles. "It's nice to finally meet the much-spoken-of boyfriend at last."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then her attention focuses on the two ghosts. She used to think that if she encountered a ghost, or a spirit, of course it would be evil. But that's because evil spirits have always been attracted to her. Because of her power. Because she could detect them. She was a threat that needed to be eliminated.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She has been forced to accept that many of her biases may be faulty. That includes a being that was, until recently supposedly, working for the enemy... And is now here, trying to capture an experience that was denied to her in life, for no other apparent reason than to feel human. She can't besmirch such a pure intention.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Thank you for inviting me, Himeko-chan. And, um. Pyrite-chan?" she says uncertainly. Should she just call them both Himeko? She's sure she'll be informed.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"And your costume is..." She looks Masato up and down. He's so tall! Just like Mamoru. What are these boys eating!? "...I'm sorry, I don't watch television. I have no idea."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Naru Osaka (59)}} has posed:'''<br>Better late than never? Naru did not think she was going to make it in any sort of timely manner, but for once, the fates aligned such that she was just a little bit late. She does, however, get to approach the mansion alone, because that's not indimitating at all.<br><br>She's dress in a confection of black and lace, full gothic lolita fuss, complete with petticoats. She's wearing ankle boots with little heels, and the high-low hem of her skirt show off the dark stockings beneath.<br><br>Naru holds a small package in her hands as she manages to get to the door to the ballrom, somehow, looking relieved as she sees people that she recognizes. "Sorry that I'm late." Her voice comes with just a touch of an unfamiliar lisp and that smile shows the little fangs that render her outfit not just lolita, but 'vampire'.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:90|Nephrite (90)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nephrite has no idea about Rei's identity, so just takes the sharp looks from her as protectiveness over her friend. "No need to worry. Mamoru and I are both perfect gentlemen. Masato Sanjouin. Welcome to my home, Rei Hino, and thank you for attending Himeko's birthday party. There are plenty of snacks and beverages, please don't touch the cake until the young girls get their own pieces first, feel free to mingle, and stay out of the basement."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Masato smiles brightly, and then moves to go past the gathering to greet other guests and play host, only to catch sight of Naru. He holds up a finger in a 'one moment' gesture, to let her know he'll be with her soon, and speaks to some of the students and co-workers. He invited Kyouka Inai as well, but, well, you know.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pyrite looks Mamoru over again, and then Usagi, and then Mamoru. Finally, she just says seriously and yet blandly, "I understand." Then she's off to greet Naru! "Oh-hoh!" she lets out as she hurry-scurries with her skirts in her hands and half-slides to a stop in front of the smart girl in the room. "Thank you for coming, Naru-san! I thought about doing the teeth thing too, but it seemed like a bother since I would need to keep putting them back when I wasn't using them. I'm glad you found a solution!" Then she pauses. "...Ah!"<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pyrite curtsies to Naru and says, "I sincerely thank you for attending this celebration. I hope that you will enjoy is as much as I enjoy having you here, and that you form fond memories this eve." She practiced, okay, she's going to do this all night so she can get her money's worth. "You are super pretty, and black is my favorite color! Black and white actually. Also red. Also, calico is nice as well... Have I shown you my new cat?" She pulls out her phone and starts scrolling through it for pictures of the bakeneko.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The older version of her, Himeko, just says to Rei with an abashed smile, "Yes. That's fine. You can call me Himeko, and her Pyrite for now. It will become less confusing soon, I suspect." She doesn't elaborate on that. She doesn't know how much Rei knows, but the other girl is a shrine maiden, so she has to know that Himeko and Pyrite are ghosts, right?<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Don't worry about presents. I'm happy to have them, but this experience alone is something I never could have imagined. Being here now is already a perfect gift." Himeko gratefully accepts the opportunity to hug Mamoru, and says quietly, "Thank you, Nii-chan. For everything." before separating.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She turns to look over her shoulder at something, and then over to a grandfather clock against one wall. Her anxiety goes up a notch.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Usagi-san... You are not wearing glass slippers are you? They seem impractical and likely to cause foot injuries, and with how long your dress is you would be in danger of tripping and falling and breaking them, and then your feet would become injured, and--"<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Some things never change.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>Usagi has absolutely no regret about stomping on Rei's foot. ''She's'' never mentioned any of them to Mamoru, or Masato, or anyone here, not without them meeting as totally normal people, first! Mamochan doesn't ''know'' Rei-chan is Sailor Mars, but if he ends up figuring it out - which she hopes he doesn't! - then knowing everyone's names might make it easier to pick them out! <br><br>Come on, why's she the one having to think about that? <br><br>But then Rei's saying she might owe Mamoru an apology, and Usagi is genuinely, truly confused. Wasn't she teasing him because she was mad at him? But now she might give him an apology? Does she think Mamochan is a bad guy or not? This is all way too much, honestly! "Yeah, you're finally getting to meet the boyfriend! And the boyfriend's sister and best friend. And we're going to have a great time, because it's what these two deserve, and - Naru-chan!" <br><br>Forget about this, for a moment, anyway - she squeezes Mamoru's hand, then rushes over to Naru to give her a big hug, and whisper, "He was ''really'' disappointed when we thought you couldn't make it." <br><br>Then, she's letting her go, the hug released with a wink and a nod in Masato's direction, and she starts trailing back, towards her poor, abandoned boyfriend. "Don't forget to say hi to the birthday girls!" <br><br>This, just before Pyrite comes to make her birthday speech, and she joins Mamoru's side just as Himeko glances at the grandfather clock. She blinks at the question, then smiles, a little touched. "I'm wearing flats, I promise! Regular, non-glass flats. Real glass slippers would definitely not be good for ''me''."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba (38)}} has posed:'''<br>Mamoru gives Rei a very wry look. "I do most of my studying in my room-- there aren't that many other quiet, peaceful places on our campus, so I understand," he says, and then he looks surprised and laughs, shaking his head. "Apologize? But we just met! It's great to meet any friend of Usa's--"<br><br>--and then Naru arrives, and she's another player in his court of 'help oh no it's a party,' or at least he's pretty sure that's the case. Someone else he can metaphorically hide behind. Another friend. And she's dressed as a loligoth vampire and that's ''adorable'', and-- why isn't Neph losing his mind? LOOK AT HER.<br><br>And then Masato, in fact, Bluebeards his basement and one-moments Naru, all within the same ten seconds. Mamoru marvels. He also glances toward the direction of the basement door, then looks sharply back at Himeko when her anxiety notches up. ''It's tonight, isn't it,'' he says to Himeko or Pyrite or both inside his head, reaching out to put a hand on Himeko's arm even as Usagi's answering her anxious flow of words.<br><br>He offers Usagi his other arm, of course, and feels bad that he thought, for some reason, that there wouldn't be anything scary. "Wouldn't real glass slippers also be awfully uncomfortable? And slippery and breakable? They definitely belong in fairytales."<br><br>He looks over at Naru again, then at Pyrite, and Naru can undoubtedly tell he's preoccupied and a little bit worried, but he does wave over in her direction.<br><br>He leans down to Usagi to murmur, "I think we might have to go in the basement later. If you want to leave early, we can do that, but I think I need to stay."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:72|Sailor Mars (72)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rei smiles at Mamoru. "I may have pre-judged you despite promising not to. I'm just very protective of Usagi, and my past hasn't instilled me with a lot of trust. She's a precious friend to me, who I don't want to see hurt, so I was prepared to be on defense tonight. But it's unfair to you, and you make her happy. No... You make each other happy, clearly. So I wanted to apologize." Speaking of assumptions, she actually just assumed that Usagi had told Mamoru about their civilian identities already, given how close they are. Another unfair conclusion to come to. She'll apologize to Usagi later too.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The warning about the cake is reasonable, and Rei waves it off. She wants to check out the snacks though. She doesn't really celebrate Halloween, and the snacks look like plain old normal snack food. Very western, but still more or less normal.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Being warned off the basement earns arched eyebrows, but it's a reasonable request, no matter how suspicious. She has no business exploring this huge house, even if it would be fun to do so. If Minako was here, she would not try overly hard to resist being dragged around doing so while protesting for show the whole while. While smiling and nodding to the warning, and turning to wave to Naru and mouth a, 'Good evening, Naru-chan!' She stays where she is, and doesn't interfere with the various guests around her. Most of them she doesn't recognize. How can one teenager know so many people?<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It boggles her mind to even have the number of friends she has now. To have ten? Twenty? Fifty? More? It's overwhelming. People online may have thousands of friends, or tens of thousands. She doesn't think she has even met that many people in her whole life. She drifts away eventually, to see about those snacks, and to put her present on the presents table. Himeko is a good girl. She seemed earnest about this experience being enough for her.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If only there was more that she could do... But no one seems to be in a rush to exorcise the ghost. Rei has to admit, neither is she.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Naru Osaka (59)}} has posed:'''<br>Naru smiles her greeting to Masato as he makes with the host duties and then she reaches her arms out to offer Pyrite a hug if she wishes. "I'm delighted I could make it, I feared I wouldn't be able to. Happy birthday." She offers the bag to her and then leans in to look at pictures on the phone. "Oooh, such a handsome kitty!" She admires as she peers at the pictures.<br><br>Within the bag is a little rubber duckie, thematic to the occiasion wearing a cape and with little fangs. Vampire duckie!<br><br>Naru gives Usagi a big hug as she comes over and then she giggles softly at the whisper. "I'm glad I could make it too!"<br><br>Naru waves over to Mamoru, offering him one of her smiles, full of chill. And fangs right now, but chill.<br><br>That smile extends to Rei as she also waves and Naru waves in return, noting the offering of snacks and drinks and the like. She seems to have missed warnings about basements, but she also doesn't seem to be in a rush to explore all over the place.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:90|Nephrite (90)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Expediency. Efficiency. Managing people, coordinating them, and achieving results. That is his strength. He now uses it as a party host to get through all necessary customary greetings in record time, and then winding up at Naru's elbow so quickly he might as well have teleported (he did not).<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He goes down on one knee, one arm folded across his chest, the other raised in offer for her own hand. With his head bowed, Masato says, "I am earnestly glad to see you. I always am. But after how the ball at the embassy ended, I wasn't certain how to approach you." He looks up, one stormy blue eye exposed, and the other peeking out of a pale mask that covers only half his face. "It is truly an honor that you have graced me with your presence at another party. I hope this one involves less fainting and lightning storms." He smiles up at the girl only a couple years younger than him, even if he looks a few years older than he is outwardly.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's an odd pair they make.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You have stolen the evening with your beauty." Then he grins and adds on. "Also, your costume is wonderful too." Okay, Masato. Chill. We get it. You like her, and will be heavily biased as a judge in any costume contest Naru enters.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pyrite definitely accepts hugs! She hugs back, as well! She is trying to keep the weirdness to a minimum, so she is just showing pictures of the bakeneko as a normal cat, not the ones where she's big enough to ride on, or doing other weird things. Don't ask about what happened to the fish paste. She also doesn't opens her mouth wide and pull her cheek aside so that Naru can see as the ghost makes fangs protrude from her gums, and then retract back in. That's what she meant about 'putting them back'. No, she just leaves the statement ambigyous and open to interpretation, and tries to play normal.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Himeko replies silently to Mamoru, though Pyrite is also 'hearing' everything. ''Yes. Soon.'' She appreciates the physical contact, but her hands remain folded in front of her at her waist, fingers tightly clenched together. Another look at the clock, then in the direction of the basement. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She drifts away as though just distractedly seeking a quieter place to be, away from the crowd. Another similarity with Mamoru. She gets overwhelmed in social situations. The last time this happened at a group gathering, she had to ''run'' to get back to her Shrine in time, before she just started killing people until she felt secure again. That was when she first met Kazuo.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, she is in control of herself. It would take a lot to erode that control, and reduce her to that same primitive, impulses-and-cycles state of reacting to every problem the same way.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So, though the anxiety practically radiates from her while she quietly, unobtrusively, almost penitently glides out of the ballroom, and into a quieter hallway that will in turn eventually lead her to her destination, she allows her mind to wander. She thinks about everything that has happened up to this point. She thinks about the people she met, and the connections she has made. She thinks about how she'll still be split tomorrow, discussing with herself whether she should intervene with Sailor Eclipse running wild, but she was only one of her yesterday (wasn't she?) and was distracted from thinking about this moment or from doing anything to interfere with events, sent on a wild journey through her own memories, and how things have been happening out of order from what she remembered, and... And she wonders what else has changed, and what waits for her in the basement.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Eventually, she opens the door, and begins heading down the stairs into the cold dark, anxiety turning to fear as she trembles despite lacking the necessary biological impulses to quiver in terror. She has stepped into her role, the her of this moment, the Himeko who is the victim in the horror movie, going where she shouldn't after being warned, following a strange sound or impulse.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She sees the figure ahead of her. Writing on the wall of the basement, where the wallpaper was torn away, just finishing putting the finishing touches on the words, 'Welcome home, Himeko.'<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I don't understand." she says in a shaking voice as she watches the taller woman in the basement room, with her back to Himeko. "Why did you call me back here?" Himeko clutches the fancy skirts of her party dress in both hands.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And the white-haired woman turns to face her and she has red eyes too, and she's so pale, and she looks just like Himeko, but older, and maybe a little bit narrower, and it's ''so cold'' down here.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The woman smiles as she stands there in a white coat with golden finery all across it, over a red and black garment, tied at the waist with a floral emblem, and a leather belt leading down to a pouch at her left side. Her hair is braided differently than Himeko's, but the resemblance is clear.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The yuki-onna smiles, and says, "Oh, good. I was just finishing getting ready. Welcome home, Himeko, my dear daughter."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pyrite turns around, losing all attention in anything else going on. She's facing away from everyone, over to where Himeko disappeared.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then just like that, she's gone.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>That's what she thought he'd say. <br><br>Okay, no, she hadn't actually thought Mamoru would say that, because she'd missed, for a just a moment, how absolutely horror movie it was of Masato to say stay out of the basement. But she'd figured ''something'' would happen, and of course Mamoru is offering her an out, like some gallant knight. <br><br>Usagi doesn't elbow him, but only because he's not wrong. She does want to leave. She does want to not be there. <br><br>"Absolutely not, you'll get eaten by this awful, cursed house," she hisses at him, "Just, tell me when you go, okay?" <br><br>And then time passes. There are snacks to eat, and they taste good, honestly. There are plenty of people, but Usagi doesn't know any of them but Rei-chan and Naru-chan, and when she passes the snack table, she hisses to Rei, "Something weird might go down, if you see me head for the basement, find a place to transform, alright?" <br><br>And she - doesn't, get a chance to warn Naru. Mostly because she's with Masato, and she might just be having a good time, and Usagi is a shipper at heart, alright? <br><br>The time comes, eventually. Mamoru books it for the basement - and Usagi follows, Cinderella following after Prince Charming in a rustle of skirts.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba (38)}} has posed:'''<br>And as soon as Himeko leaves, Mamoru's on guard. When Pyrite vanishes, Mamoru does, indeed, book it for the basement -- knowing that his badass Cinderella has his back no matter how scary the situation's going to be.<br><br>He drops conversational threads and greetings; at least he doesn't drop a plate of snacks, and he doesn't drop any names either. Gold epaulets and braid glinting in the light, he worms his way through, only making a wrong turn once when something was remodeled and he didn't remember how it used to connect. But then there! There's the basement door--<br><br>He henshins as he pulls the door open, and then doesn't so much ''throw himself down'' the stairs as float down very rapidly. "Himeko? Himeko!" he's calling out, the buzzing in his head practically neck and neck with the buzzing of the dark energy he's allergic to, right under his skin. The static, the wild out of control fear and anxiety and emotional distress--<br><br>--and then he sees this ''lady'' and he practically hisses. "Who the hell are you? Get away from my sister!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:72|Sailor Mars (72)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Rei doesn't reveal her emotions as she just nods slightly to Usagi's warning. At the appropriate time, spotting her leader running off after Mamoru, she ditches the party to find somewhere to transform. A few seconds later, Sailor Mars is charging down the hall, hoping she catches up before something terrible happens to Usagi.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Naru Osaka (59)}} has posed:'''<br>"I mean.. texting is pretty low impact." Naru points out with a soft laugh as she settles her hand into the offered one from Masato. "Our collective lives are far too much unending chaos to judge too harshly when things go.. unexpectedly. I am glad to be here, and glad to see you again."<br><br>Certainly nothing unexpected will happen here tonight, right?<br><br>No such luck.<br><br>Naru watches as people go racing off, heading after Pyrite. "I am going to guess that we probably want to go after them, if only to ensure things don't go horribly, horribly wrong." She's in no rush to let go of his hand, although she does give it a gentle tug to pull him to his feet. If he agrees, they join the crew heading to the basement.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:90|Nephrite (90)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Masato allows himself to be 'pulled to his feet', and gazes off in the direction the others ran. After he explicitly told them to stay out of the basement too. Pyrite appears to be gone too, with the bag bearing her present falling the short distance to the floor in front of where she stood with no one to hold it. "No, we probably should not follow them." he says with a sigh. Though nothing changes about his clothing outwardly, he is suddenly somehow much taller, broader-shouldered, and more powerful in presence as he gently pulls Naru close and puts up a forceshield around the two of them.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"At least this will make things easier." he mutters as he sweeps a cape over his special guest as well. Then there is an ephemereal glow, and the conversations and laughter and fun everyone is having suddenly starts turning into groans and impacts as they collapse to the ground. Energy flows from them into the mansion's walls and flows up towards the ceiling.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But no energy drain on Naru for once!<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Try not to stray too far. It's indiscriminate. I was trusting Pyrite and Himeko to guard the important people, but with all of them leaving..." he mutters by way of explanation.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Himeko stands frozen in place in front of her mother, unable to move. Like a toad transfixed by a snake's gaze, she just stares back. She doesn't know what comes next. What's she supposed to do now? Her memories have never gone further than this before. Her emotions are wildly out of control, a tangled ball of scribbles animated to pulse and squirm and twist and spiral at highest speed. Days and hours and months and decades and weeks and centuries all fly by, melding together, experienced over again for the first time, and also the billionth time, and every other time between and beyond.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Witnessing her entire life and death rolling behind her eyes in a schitzophrenic kaleidoscope of film reels cobbled together and spliced from countless mis-matched sources. She is the captive audience to her own existence up to this point.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She can't move or decide anything.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"That's fine," Himeko's mother says sweetly. "I'll decide everything for you from now on." She holds out her arms. "Come to okaa-san, Himeko."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Himeko starts to obey, but then the door bursts open (when did she close it? was it her who closed it?) and Hematite floats down the stairs, and confronts the yuki-onna, and Himeko can't turn to look at him. She just freezes in mid-step, one leg outstretched in the air.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Hmm? Your sister?" the woman says in a voice that was probably musical in life, silver bells, beautiful to the ear. Now it is ice crystals clinking together, rattling upon glass, plunking into pristine snow as the weather turns to hail. No less beautiful, but harsher, sharper, and all together colder.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"She has no relation to you. I advise you to mind your own business. Only I know what is best for my daughter." Then she holds out one arm to the side, and the fabric of her clothing spirals and winds itself around anew as it changes in bright red coat and dress, with a red wide-brim hat on her head, and the excess turns into a red umbrella in her hand that she points at the intruding young man. "Do not interfere in this long-awaited reunion."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>The henshin happens as she follows Mamoru, chasing him down the path to the basement. ''Hematite'' may be able to float down stairs, but Sailor Moon absolutely can't, so there's a racket as she comes down the stairs, a tap-tap-thud-tap-tap-thud as the toes and heels of her boots come slamming down every single stair, rapid fire style. <br><br>When she sees the situation - <br><br>"She has every relation to him! What are you going to do with Himeko-chan? If you're her Mama, where have you been all this time?!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba (38)}} has posed:'''<br>"You LEFT HER," thunders Hematite, planting himself on the ground and stomping over, reaching to make contact with Himeko. "There is a *STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS*, ma'am, and you left her for hundreds of years! I don't CARE what you think, she's NOT the same little girl you left ALONE in the DARK."<br><br>To make contact with Himeko-- he wills his glove away, and he makes the same effort he made at the shrine the first time he tried to get past Pyrite. He claws internally at the darkness coating his golden heart, claws at it, makes the effort to sluggishly move the tarry mass of it around so any of that brilliance is there for Himeko, calling for her.<br><br>Contact, to strengthen their connection. The static and buzzing in the back of his head, throughout Himeko's head, is horrible -- the confetti of a life lost and lived over and over and over, the existence of a ghost -- but he dove in after her before, and he'll do it again, and this isn't anything like that. This isn't that bad.<br><br>This is just:<br><br>"Sailor Moon is here for you too, Himeko-chan! Py-tan! Don't forget what you've made of yourself, what you've made with us, the family you have here that LOVES you. Don't forget your bakeneko! We're all here by choice!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:72|Sailor Mars (72)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sailor Mars appears at the top of the stairs, and calls out, "Hold it right there!" Hands on her hips, legs apart, glowering at the red-garbed woman with the long white hair, the Senshi of Mars decides to skip the justice speech for now, and just comes down the steps after Sailor Moon. "Also, this isn't even your house, trespasser!" she snaps. Not the most important point to be made here, but, you know... Property laws should also be respected!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Naru Osaka (59)}} has posed:'''<br>Naru is pulled in close with Ma.. Nephrite. There's no doubt who she's settled close with, and she isn't going far. "Your lack of curiosity is either because you are resigned to the chaos, or because you know what's happening downstairs. My curiosity is not appeased, and I'll be jealous if you know and are not sharing."<br><br>Naru glances around at the rampaging energy drain and mmms softly. "Should I ask why your house is draining everyone else, or is ignorance bliss here?" There question is posed with quiet interest, much as if she was asking about his choice of water feature in the garden.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:90|Nephrite (90)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"It's a classless, mass energy drain. An opportunistic trap with no care for how much is taken or from whom. It's the sort of stupid plan I'd expect from a low-level youma commander or Jadeite on an off-day." he grumbles. "I have no idea what's happening downstairs. All I know is something was supposed to happen today, because the Full Moon from three days ago was used to cast a spell on my house. A spell that inscribed an energy drain trap on the floor."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He whispers some words in a long forgotten ancient language, from a long extinct ancient culture, before any surviving recorded history. Then he quietly and gently asks, "Please close your eyes for a moment, so that you can see what I see." Assuming Naru cooperates, Nephrite brushes his index finger lightly across each of the brunette's eyelids, and then draws some kind of symbol on her forehead. Then he says, "You can open your eyes now."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The only sound upstairs now is the music, which Nephrite shuts off with a remote control he whips out of his pocket. Gods, this is not the time. He lowers his cape slowly, and it vanishes back to wherever it came from. Nephrite's blue eyes scan the ballroom. Everyone is out. Not a single conscious individual. And none of the 'important guests' are present. Good. About as good as he can hope for in a situation like this.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I could have disabled the trap, but that wouldn't have told me who put it there, or why, and it wouldn't have brought me any closer to confronting them. So... I left it there." He sighs. As long as Naru remains inside his forceshield, she should be fine. For a given definition of 'fine'.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I am Mariko Soryuu. We have not been properly introduced, so that is out of the way now. As for ''where I've been''..." She faces Sailor Moon. "I've been right alongside her every step of the way. Always there, always trying to comfort her and guide her and advise her, but she couldn't hear me, and I couldn't touch her. No embrace, no rubs on the back to soothe her, no patting her on the head, no telling her it would be alright or that I'm there for her... I had to watch every second as my daughter suffered, and I watched over her hollow shell when nothing else was left inside to break."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Himeko trembles a little. When Mamoru touches her shoulder, her leg gradually comes down to the floor. She's starting to regain some form of awareness, as she digs through the darkness and the memories and the madness between her and him, slashing with her wakizashi, stabbing with her knife, and then clawing with her mind's bare fingers when all of her weapons break. When they're worn down to the bloody bone, she keeps going. Until there's just stumps, until there's no arms or legs left at all and she has to dig by biting and eating the pain and fog away, and when she loses her teeth, and her face is worn away, and she doesn't even remember who she is anymore, the golden light shines through, just a bit, and she finds the strength to keep going somehow.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's a slow, agonizing process. But it's working. She's coming to meet Hematite in the middle.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Not until you took back your memories and your pain were the circumstances right for me to manifest. But ever since then, I've been within her, gradually gathering the strength to appear, and working to set up the right circumstances to finally free my only child from the cycle of torment and madness she is trapped in." She tilts her head to the side. "And now that I see you in person, I recognize you," she says lightly to Hematite. "It is not only Himeko that I am here to rescue. As you are her brother, you are my child as well. You have loved, supported, protected, and strengthened Himeko. You are the reason I was able to slip the chains keeping me from her, and stand before you now." She lowers the umbrella, holding it down and at an angle by her left side. "I have much to thank you for. So please allow me to grant your wish. One of your miracles."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Just as the layers of suffering begin to thin out, and the dark turns into golden light, a flash freeze locks everything in place. No more thought, no more feeling, no more awareness, just preserved in perfect frost forever. Untouched by the world's pain. It spreads to Hematite too thanks to his connection with Pyrite.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She holds out her arms wide again. "Himeko, my daughter... Mamoru, my son... Come here and let mother hug you." Himeko resumes moving forwards, icy tendrils spreading up Hematite's hand, or his soul's version thereof, seeking out his heart.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mariko also shakes her head at Sailor Mars. "The first shrine, the one that Himeko and I died in, was torn down and rebuilt after the 'Miracle Of The Soryuu Shrine'. Those rotten boards were to be discarded, but an eccentric occultist wanted them for their magical properties." Icy blue-white light shines through the walls in places, outlining where the old shrine was turned into this mansion's basement walls. "I was here first."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba (38)}} has posed:'''<br>"Why-- did you-- cut. Your. Face," Hematite grits out, not letting go! Not letting go of Himeko, he won't, he ''won't'', any more than he'll let go of Nephrite, of Jadeite and Zoisite and Kazuo, anymore than he'll let go of Usagi. He ''won't let go.''<br><br>The danger is that the cold doesn't burn. It's a relief from the horrible burning buzzing of the dark energy coursing through his blood, stinging him, making everything feel wrong. This is a relief.<br><br>It's just that Mamoru can be mulishly stubborn when he wants to be, and apparently now is one of those times. He took the pain over the dissociation before, didn't he? He'll do that again, too:<br><br>His other hand reaches for Usagi (find the Silver Crystal) and he looks back at her, pleading (find the Silver Crystal) and he's Hematite but he was Prince Charming just a moment ago, and his blue eyes are frightened-- but he looks back at Mariko.<br><br>"You're not, you're not my mother, but she is my sister," he breathes out, and his breath is visible. "Don't touch her. Don't touch us! Himeko, come back! Soryuu-san, you've got to let her go! Let her be real with us-- please. Himeko..."<br><br>He fights it away from his heart (he doesn't know how to fight this, just that he didn't ask for it and doesn't want it), but it creeps like real frost does when it's so very cold, numbing, making things so easy, so sleepy...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>Having Mars at her back is a relief, and the Moon Stick drops into Sailor Moon's hands with just a thought, ready for use. She doesn't know when she'll use it - doesn't know when it will be her time - but then that woman says that. Then ''Mariko Soryuu'' says - <br><br>She was there? She was with her? She was - can Usagi be mad at her, for that? She doesn't ''know'' what she's doing, she doesn't know what it means, as far as she can see, Himeko-chan is just standing there, staring at her mother, it could be, it could mean, anything, couldn't it? <br><br>Couldn't it? <br><br>And then Himeko puts her foot down. And woman claims Mamoru for her own. And he reaches for ''her''. <br><br>Sailor Moon claims his hand, tight in hers, and she raises the Moon Stick high. <br><br>"''Get away from them!'' You're not his mother! And you might be hers, but you're not her Mama! You're not doing anything good for them, you no-good, lying creepazoid!" <br><br>And maybe it's the wrong thing to do, but the Moon Stick glows. A weapon and a threat - but ''not'' an attack. Not yet. She's giving Mariko Soryuu the chance to back off.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:72|Sailor Mars (72)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mars moves up to be by Moon's side, with as clear a shot at the spirit before her as she can get. Something is bothering her about this. Beyond the inscrutable circumstances, the lore she has no knowledge of, her lack of understanding of the participants involved on at least three counts, and all the rest. But if Mariko Soryuu is Himeko Soryuu's mother... And she has been with Himeko for 500 years... And they're both dead...<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Mariko Soryuu." Sailor Mars says, after Sailor Moon's warning rings out. "If you've been dead and watching over her for so many years, and she's a ghost... Shouldn't you be one too?" Sailor Mars brings up one hand, with an ofuda between fore and middle finger. She has been re-examining her biases and assumptions. About people, about her loved ones, and about spirits. So she hopes she's right about this.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"If that's the case..." Violet eyes narrow. "...Then why are you a youkai instead?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Naru Osaka (59)}} has posed:'''<br>Naru closes her eyes when directed, feeling the light touch on her eyes and forehead. She looks around, evaluating what has changed from her own vision to however Nephrite adjusted hers. "Picturesque." She comments as she considers the magical energies running around the room.<br><br>"Did you get any information from it when it triggered? Or what, exactly, was the trigger. A specific event? A specific time?" Naru asks, considering the various unconscious people. "Any distinctive magical energies on the spell?" She is matter of fact about her questions as she looks around, nodding slowly. "I think I'll be grateful that we're, at least so far, light on having our dorm room festooned with magical traps."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:90|Nephrite (90)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nephrite nods assent. "A timed trigger. The event was the thirty-first of October of this year, just three days away, when a spirit passed through the door to the basement. Then he crouches down, but not so far that Naru has to crouch or duck too to remain in the bubble, and puts a hand down flat on the floor. "There was also a distinctive magical energy. A youkai, like I detected during the Night Parade of One-Hundred Demons just last evening. Specifically, the Dark Energy that was floating around like a black fog, and then crystallized by a specific type of youkai." He shakes his head wearily.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'm no expert on them. I literally had to look them up online to find out about them, and it is not as though the Youkai Enclyopedia has a section with, 'How to know if you are being haunted by a Tsuchigumo' or whatever." He closes his eyes, and exerts his own power. "But on the same night the youkai's spell was cast, I cast a spell of my own on top of it." Then he smirks up at Naru as Astrological Glyphs begin appearing all over, overlaying the existing spell marks. A second circle appears on the floor, changing the strange ancient symbols by modifying their shapes, filling in their blank spaces, and otherwise overwriting them until they take on the form that Nephrite designed them to. "You see, the spell was cast via a Full Moon. And that youkai isn't the only one who uses celestial objects for magic."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Smile fading away, Nephrite says seriously, "<span class="bold_fg_g bg_n ++ hg">Horologium.</span>"<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The circle on the floor glows brightly as the symbol of the Horologium Constellation appears. A clock face. The grandfather clock that Himeko was using earlier to tell time suddenly starts moving backwards, the pendulum swinging back and forth at high speed. The night reverses to day time, and then morning, and then night, and then day, over and over, three times, until the Full Moon hangs in the sky, visible through the window.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then Nephrite murmurs, "The stars know everything..." The spell that was cast on the Full Moon is erased as soon as it is appears, flickering, fading, and disappearing, to be replaced with Horologium. The constellation's symbol begins ticking forward, and the grandfather clock does the same, pendulum swinging back anhd forth once more, night turning to morning, into day, into evening, into night, over and over, until they return to the Moon of the present: October 31st. Waning Gibbous.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh, and all that stolen life energy? Unfortunately I can't return most of it." He grins evilly. "I need it to power the repurposed draining ritual I just modified."<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Light flares up from the floor, tracing the edges of tiles, glowing through the smallest spaces in the walls, making the ground shake, and the earth rumble, as 91 percent of the life force, the exact amount of illumination in the Moon this night, flows into the land around the mansion, and outwards into the forest and mountain. The wards that were never reactivated surge to life. But they were modified during the long down-time while the house was being repaired too.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Instead of keeping things ''out'', almost every single one of those wards points ''inwards''.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mariko Soryuu shakes her head. "Well... I was only able to have one child... I would gladly take you in, as you took in my daughter. But that is your choice, in the end. She will definitely be coming with me though." A patronizing smile is given to Sailor Moon and her wand. "I am going to free her from pain and loneliness. As her mother, I wish to protect her as I could not all these years. She has suffered so much already. If you would force more upon her, then you are my enemy."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Himeko's finger twitches. She stops advancing again, as Hematite fights against the ice, pushing it back somehow, making cracks and fissures that splinter all the way back into Himeko the Ocean.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I have planned all sorts of things for her, so that she won't have to cry ever again--"<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"--" a slight sound comes from Himeko. A breath almost.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mariko turns to look at Mars. "Because she couldn't hear me or feel me or see me. She was so mad that she couldn't detect me, her own mother, despite us both being ghosts. So I needed a physical body. That was the purpose behind spreading Dark Energy and the story of youkai... So they could physically manifest, and I could obtain a physical body by taking one of them over."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''Come morning light... You and I'll be...'' rises from the depths of Himeko's memories, the ones too broken for her to even perceive anymore. But Hematite can, as that frozen ocean continues to shatter and melt before golden light.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Finally, turning to the ghost, Mariko says, "Come, my daughter. I've made you a body. I just need a little bit of energy to bring it to life, but you can stay safe inside of it for now. When it's complete, I can finally embrace you and--"<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"--ember--" Himeko barely breathes out as her lips move slightly.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mariko pauses, cocking her head to the side. "What are you--?"<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I... Cut my face... So I... Would remember. Who I am. I cut my face so I would remember who I am. I cut my face so--!" Himeko starts speaking more loudly, forcefully, as she raises her head and regains focus.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Golden light is coming from above. But it's coming from below too. A little golden pearl.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I cut my face so that I--" More melting. "--can remember--" The ice shatters and splinters and the water floods in to fill the gaps. "--<span style="color:xterm184">WHO I AM!</span>"<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The warmth is traveling back along the connection now, from Himeko to Hematite, thawing them both and restoring them. Healing them. Burning away broken things, rotting things, and renewing them. The Earth Soul, whatever that is... The Golden Magatama that is a tiny sliver of something greater... Rises like the sun, and health soil, and golden fields, and clear skies, and a sunrise over the mountains, and then she's there.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A princess in the flesh, hovering above the ground, limned in golden light, chrysanthemums growing, dying, and growing again beneath her feet every second, golden wind flowing around her. "Okaa-san." Princess Himeko says, her hair growing out even further than its already significant length, stretching out into a cloak of midnight that surrounds Sailor Moon, and Sailor Mars, and Hematite, like a cat's fluffy tail, protecting them and comforting them.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I am not going with you." she says simply, red eyes circled in gold, giving them the appearance of the Rising Sun itself.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then all the energy that was drained up above flows ''DOWN'' through the walls, into the floor, and then deeper still, as Mariko wraps her arms around herself in pain, hunching over, and crying out.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>Sailor Moon is... lost. She can admit this. She can acknowledge this. Between the revelations, the explanations, the lies, and all the just - sheer, ghost, things - that are happening? She's lost. <br><br>But Himeko-chan has said ''no'', and she stands before them, hair fluttering protectively, chrysanthemums growing and dying and growing beneath her feet, and there is light around her. <br><br>And energy flows ''down''. <br><br>Well, then she knows what to do next! <br><br>"Sorry about this, Mamochan! <span style="color:#ff5fdf">Moon Healing Escalation!</span>" <br><br>And let silver glitter and golden beams of light add to the assault on the wicked mother.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba (38)}} has posed:'''<br>Mamoru's hand ''squeezes'' Himeko's, and then everything else is happening-- ''so much else'' is happening -- and he can breathe again. He can take this moment, protected instead of trying to protect, to breathe and try to patch himself back tog-- she's helping him patch himself together. That's something he's been having to get used to, with Kazuo, with Usagi, when he's taken himself apart for the others. Now Himeko, again, like the last time...<br><br>It's just enough time before Usagi calls out her attack for Mamoru to brace himself. The golden light that Himeko brought is something true, something his, and it feels like it's not allowed, like it's too dangerous, as perfect and wanted as it is. The ''silver'' light, that Usagi's attack brings--<br><br>Ow. ''OW.'' A small sound escapes Hematite's throat, but that's it; he curls in on himself too, but he tries not to complain, tries not to make it hard on Usagi to do what she has to do. But wow it hurts.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:72|Sailor Mars (72)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sailor Mars stares at Himeko. The thought goes through her mind. ''Is she the Princess we're looking for after all? There's something--'' But she can't finish the thought. The silver light blanks everything out. So, she yells out, "AKURYO TAISAN!" and throws her ofuda, charged with the spiritual power of a true shrine maiden. If Himeko hates it, then so will this ghost hopefully. Backed with the purifying light of Sailor Moon, and that restorative power of Himeko's, perhaps a three-tiered attack will be enough.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Purity, Restoration, Banishment.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If that doesn't work... Then she has fire in abundance to add in.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Naru Osaka (59)}} has posed:'''<br>There is plenty of ducking Nephrite can do before Naru has to duck. A bonus of being vertically challenged, one of the few.<br><br>"Youkai has not bubbled its way up to the top of my research pile." Naru has to admit as she watches Nephrite's magic. "And the lack of magical encyclopedia is the bane of my existance, but what can one really do about it."<br><br>She watches time turn itself back, and then rush back to the current time, with a change of sygils upon the floor as the witness to the shifts.<br><br>"If they aren't dead, then they'll recovering. Drain sucks, but it's not fatal in and of itself." Naru comments with utter certainty and the voice of much experience. "The snacks will suffer when they start waking up, I usually end up starving post drain."<br><br>Naru's attention settles on the wards, tracing them over with her attention. She notes a faint wisp, pale and faintly white, drifting down the hallway, past the doorway to the ballroom, towards the front door. "Those wards keep everyting in?" She asks.. clearly familiar with the notion of wards and then.. she can just barely hear Moon's voice raised. She winces a little. "That doesnt sound promising down there."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:90|Nephrite (90)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nephrite is, himself, very drained. He used not just life force but his own energy to perform that spell. He is not, by profession or otherwise, a Time Mage. It has a Cost, with a capital C, when someone improperly attuned tries something significant. He just rewound time by three days, and changed something, and then wound it back again. So he doesn't notice at all whatever just escaped, and it takes precious seconds for him to understand Naru's words. At first he was going to offer to instruct here in magic, but then he realizes what she said.<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He starts cursing heavily as he gets to his feet unsteadily, almost falling over. "Not ghosts! I knew Himeko would be here, so I didn't ward for ghosts! I have to warn them!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:81|Himeko Soryuu (81)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The three of them are more than enough. The feedback of healing and warmth bouncing back and forth between Himeko and Hematite, amplifies that golden pearl even more. Several seconds pass, with the earth rumbling and ward flaring, and then purification strikes, and renewal wipes away dark energy, and the spiritual attack dispels the shrieking youkai as she withers, melts, and disappears like frost before the sun.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Himeko watches the creature die, and sadness fills her heart. More fully than she has been able to feel in a long time, because now all that darkness is cleared away, and that means there's so much more room to ''grieve''. She collapses to the floor, golden light dying away, her eyes reverting to their typical red, her outfit like a cross between a priestess, princess, and mythological goddess all turning back into that outfit she wore originally this evening. The white dress, with vampire aesthetic. Because she's back to being ten years old, not the teenager version of herself, but there's that cut bleeding on her left cheek regardless, and she cries silently on hands and knees for what could have been. What was lost. The relationship with her mother, and the life she could have lived.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And she grieves too for the poor youkai who died because her mother possessed it and replaced its soul. Mariko Soryuu isn't gone yet. "Ah..." she says quietly in the quiet that follows. "...So she was mad too."<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She is still grieving when she crawls over to Hematite, hugs his leg, and starts absorbing his pain for him. She's his little sister. There's no way she could let him suffer and do nothing.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Oh, what a ruinous pair.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks up at Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars, still crying ashen tears down pale, pale cheeks, and says, "Thank you."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:43|Sailor Moon (43)}} has posed:'''<br>The youkai dies, screaming, and Usagi - she doesn't know if that's the end of it, the end of everything, or if Himeko's mother will be back, but what she does know is that for today, at least, it seems like everything is over. There's nothing else to fight - and so Sailor Moon's henshin drops, replaced by the billowing skirts of Cinderella's dress, and Usagi sinks down in all that fabric beside Himeko and Hematite, reaching out to the little girl, pressing her hand to her back and patting her, slow and gentle, apologetic. <br><br>"Of course, Himeko-chan." <br><br>She'd say that there was no need for thanks, but - that might be more than poor little Himeko-chan could bear, right now.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:59|Naru Osaka (59)}} has posed:'''<br>"Protein and electrolytes." Naru comments as she steps closer to prop Nephrite up and ensure he doesn't fall over. Drain from well.. drain or drain from overuse of magic, it seems a good bet that recovery is probably pretty close.<br><br>"I'm going to guess, based on the sounds coming from downstairs, that either they have solved their problems, or they have figured things out. Either way, I don't think you need to rush and faceplant." Naru points out. "They'll likely be up shortly."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:38|Mamoru Chiba (38)}} has posed:'''<br>A ruinous pair -- but sometimes what's broken can be mended, and what's ruined can be rebuilt. Mamoru, standing there with Himeko and then Usagi, is forcing his breath to even out even as Himeko's taking his pain again, and he ruffles her hair and then carefully crouches down. "I'm okay," he says breathlessly, "it only hurts at the time, I'm okay. Let's take care of ''you'', baby ghost."<br><br>And he looks up at Mars, and it's gratitude in his face. For figuring it out, for helping, for not kicking him, you name it.<br><br>They'll go upstairs in a minute and check on Naru and Nephrite. That was a lot of energy flowing. But...<br><br>In a minute.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:72|Sailor Mars (72)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sailor Mars smiles back at Himeko, wishing she could do more. One arm across her midsection to hold onto her other. She then looks at Hemati--Mamoru Chiba. And Usagi. And back at where the youkai used to be. Sigh. She'll ask Usagi later... If she should reveal her identity or not. She doesn't think anyone can handle another shock right now.<br> <br>
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