Scene #1463: Magical Police Tape

Owner	Pose
Mamoru Chiba	That Taro kid is taking a break from guarding the portal, Luna is preparing something secret, Takashi has gotten some readings and is checking some things, and Tuxedo Kamen has dropped himself down on the steps of the plaza far enough away from the portal that he won't get sucked in, but close enough that he can chase anyone off if they get too close. He is texting. Mamoru TXT: zoi they all left me behind everyone is in a portal come get me And also: Mamoru TXT: so there was a... a thing, and beryl threw a portal and it swallowed up like 12 mahoujin Chrono TXT: ... What. Mamoru TXT: including rashmi and all the outer senshi Mamoru TXT: juuban. plaza at the corner of x and x Mamoru TXT: portal still open Chrono TXT: I see. I'll be there in 300 seconds. Mamoru's hand drops to his lap; he's still in henshin, but he hasn't put his gloves back on after eating a bunch of mochi and onigiri and drinking coffee from ''yet more people'' who went into the portal. The empty cup sits on the broken-up steps next to him.
Kyouka Inai	Some short while after leaving, Stellar returns to the scene of the portal. She just appears, as is her wont, stepping out of nothing on the sidewalk dangerously close to, but not ''too'' close to, the portal. She glances around to see who might still be here. Spotting Tux sitting nearby on the stairs, she turns and heads over towards him. She has something in her hands- a small cylindrical device with a glowing blue screen on one of its side-panels. The thing can't be bigger than a can of pringles, probably not even as tall. "This should do the trick." She greets him as she draws near, waggling the device in the air. "It's got a forty-square-meter range, according to Fuyurin." She pauses, eyeing the thing. "Of course she didn't give me any instructions, but it's similar to the one I use for Self-Defense class, so I should be able to figure out how to turn it on."
Zoisite	Zoisite is in the middle of a face mask when his phone lights up on his vanity. If not for the buzz of the vibration, he might not have noticed at all, not with the cucumbers on his eyes. With a great heave of a sigh, he peels one off to peer down at the screen, his lips pursing. After a moment of pause, his fingers move. Zoisite TXT: What do you mean, a portal? Zoisite TXT: Never mind. Sit tight. Zoisite TXT: unamused face emoji There is a whole process involving peeling off the mask and patting the leftover moisture into his skin, unwrapping his hair from the towel and running a brush through it, all of which takes time because perfection, after all, takes time. But soon enough, a swirl of sakura petals flutters on the breeze right in front of Tuxedo Kamen, and then there Zoisite is in his uniform, one knee propped up with his arms around it, in a casual sit next to him on a part of the steps that aren't crushed into pebbles. "That ''is'' a portal," he says, to announce his presence. His green eyes stare at said portal distrustfully, then half-twists to look up at Stellar, before he turns back to Mamoru. "Okay, tell me what happened."
Chrono Harlaown	Chrono Harlaown flew in, landing on the ground not very far from Tuxedo Kamen. His eyes, however, were on the portal. He'd been making plans already due to that... what he hadn't known was that Rashmi had gone in. Which explained why she hadn't responded to his messages. He'd felt a moment of panic, which he'd suppressed. He'd then told Adrien that he was going on ahead. To meet with the others, so they wouldn't know he was in any way affiliated with Cat Noir. And while a small part of him was... scared. His family was locked in there. He appeared to be calm. Fenix rode on his shoulder, nestled between his neck and the neckguard of his uniform. Warm and secure. Rashmi could handle herself. so could the rest of his family. He reminded himself that. As many times as it took. He gave a small nod to Stellar and... then blinked. "A pleasure to see you again, Stellar." Then to Zoisite. "Hello. I am Time Space Administrative Bureau Enforcer Chrono Harlaown, a pleasure to meet you. Is this the portal that everyone transfered into?" He held out his right hand and his device began to glow as he proceeded to scan!
Adrien Agreste	Cat Noir had of course told Chrono about the portal, what little he knew. He'd already sent some snacks over for those watching earlier courtesy of his civilian identity. Naru had been right about being unable to dodge work though. His father would be frantic if he didn't show up to a set, so he trudged through it and finally returned back to the dorm to shower and change preparing for a long vigil alongside anyone else there. Then Chrono had gotten the text. His stomach sank significantly upon hearing that news, too. A good two minutes pass before he bolts out into the city as Cat Noir racing over rooftops to head into Juuban to join his friends again. He'd have to make it up to Chrono later. With one vaulting leap he lands in a crouch holding his staff beside him as he does. The sleek suited figure then stands with a little bounce onto the balls of his feet as he rises to regard all here with his green cat slitted eyes. "Sorry, I would have been here sooner." There's really no need for explanation so he doesn't. There's not even a cat quip this time from him. "What can I do to help? If anything."
Mamoru Chiba	Honestly Mamoru looks ''rough''. He doesn't -- quite -- look like he lost his dignity and washed his face and calmed down after, but he does look like it was at least on the menu at one point. There is also cat hair on his shoulder, but it's black on black, so nobody but Zoisite would honestly notice. Stellar shows up first, so it's Stellar he addresses first. "Well, I hope so, because I sure don't know how to use one. I should probably learn, just in case. If we can't figure it out, though, I texted Chrono..." Then he looks over and a little up at Zoisite, sitting on non-rubble as he is, and he shifts closer and leans. "Beryl," he says. And Chrono gets there, and then there's Cat Noir too. "Don't get too close to it, it sucks people in," he says, then sighs. "Beryl was here when a fight with a Sunbreaker youma versus a whole bunch of us rolled in and disturbed some kind of ceremonial bank opening or something. She got big mad. She also saw me and asked if I was Endymion. Of course I said no, and Sailor Moon and Jadeite told me to run, and then positively six different people threw up shields to cover everyone as I booked it. Moon threw an Escalation at her." He lifts his head and turns it to squint at Zoisite. "I did what they told me to," he says, and it's in his voice, and it's in his eyes, even if he's gotten the rest of it cleared out of his system enough that it doesn't show up as raggedly anymore. Guilt and shame. He'll get over it. It comes in waves. He holds his phone sort of listlessly, and doesn't re-lean-- he just says, "She got even bigger mad and I could see from where I was... she threw a portal in the middle of everyone like she was bowling for magicals, then left. Said something like 'you'll all learn from seeing my victories', I don't remember exactly what." He rubs at the base of his thumb. "Riventon owes me a big favor, so he's working on trying to get them out, too. And there's a kid from Obsidian HR who'll probably be back soon who was standing guard. And there's this barrier Stellar got us to make sure no more construction workers get sucked in."
Kyouka Inai	"Sailor Mercury and Naru went in, along with Kunzite to watch their backs, in order to try and figure out how to get out from the inside." Stellar addresses the group a they show up, returning Chrono's nod of greeting in the process. "We're all fairly certain that the portal itself isn't killing anyone but transporting them somewhere, or possibly somewhen. Mercury said it reminded her a bit of some of Pluto's magic based on the readings she got. Anyway, the hope is between them on the inside and Riventon on the outside.." She makes a sour face, unhappy with relying on Riventon for anything but not about to argue given the situation, "...someone will figure out how to get everyone back out." "In the meantime the biggest problem for those of us more suited to punching things than solving interdimensional math problems is keeping more random people from wandering into the damn thing since, as you've probably noticed, it's still right there in the middle of the sidewalk. Like Tux said, a couple construction workers already had the misfortune of wandering too close. That's what this is for." She holds up the device. "It's a Barrier projector. Should have about a forty-square-meter range. So we just put it down close enough to the portal (but not too close, we don't want ''it'' getting sucked in either) and turn it on and... well, at least it'll stop mundanes from getting too close." She shrugs her shoulders. "Doesn't solve all the problems, but at least gives us one less thing to worry about."
Zoisite	Given that Tuxedo Kamen leaned into him, he'll be able to feel Zoisite go absolutely still at the mention of Beryl. His breath catches, his muscles go taut, and he doesn't so much as twitch until the explanation has truly commenced. And only then, it's because Zoisite forces himself to. Like someone rousing themselves from sleep paralysis, it isn't until he's managed to flex his fingers that he can breathe normally. He looks around, not at anyone in particular, but also doing his best not to face the portal directly at the same time. He grips Mamoru's forearm for steadiness, though he's not sure who he's trying to steady, himself or his prince. There's a tense moment where Zoisite just ''looks'' at him, eyes wide, before he finally gives a solemn nod. Then he turns away, hair falling to partially obscure his face. The revelation that Mercury went in has his shoulders hunching inwards slightly, but it's Kunzite's name leaving Stellar's lips that has him looking up sharply. Zoisite will perhaps have to be forgiven for his rudeness, because in the face of all this information he barely acknowledges Chrono's introduction, gaze landing on him once before being pulled away by another piece of information that threatens to turn his insides to ice. "Her victories? From the fall of the--..." He can't even finish the sentence, his jaw tightening in restrained fury.
Chrono Harlaown	Chrono Harlaown gave a small sigh. "I see. Beryl, then. Interesting. And she was after you. And... yes. Trying to shield her target does follow standard guidelines." Yet another reason he believed Rashmi would make a good enforcer. He looked, relatively, calm. "The fact Riventon has decided to aid us in this endeavor is comforting. For all of his... troubling behavior, it is good to know he's willing to aid in times like this. Unfortunately, my talents in this kind of endeavor are more of the... jump in and defeat the portal makers. On the positive side, the dimensional distortions are unlikely to threaten this world from this magic. But it is... still quite dangerous. Yes, a permanent barrier would be wisest." He took a slow, deep breath. "Admittedly, in this situation? My abilities would be far better inside the portal than outside it. I have plenty of experience in traversing through dimensional spaces like this. Likely more than anyone else on this planet. My expertise in such things could be invaluable in these matters. But... it is... unfortunately... not a situation where I am... entirely... there is a decent, no, more than likely chance I am emotionally compromised and that I am only believing such a suggestion would be best, as I am... quite... attached to many of the people inside the portal." ... Those who knew him well, likely only Adrien, might notice how... strained his lips were in that smile. The way he gripped his rod just a little tighter than normal. The boy tended to... not... show his stress very strongly. But in a situation like this? It took almost all he had to not jump into the portal immediately.
Adrien Agreste	Cat Noir feels his own shoulders droop while letting out a sigh. The ears on his head almost seem to dunk down as well even though they weren't real ears. Somehow his entire being was just mopey right now. "I'm definitely on team 'better at punching'," he has to admit wryly. "But that means I can also help guard the area and give others a break." There's a pointed look toward Tuxedo Kamen at this with more than a bit of worried concern. He did not look good. Mask or not there was no real way to hide how exhausted he looked. The way he was almost leaning on Zoisite doesn't go unnoticed. When Chrono begins to drone on with his own thoughts on the matter he actually steps toward the enforcer to lightly clap a hand over his shoulder. "As much as I'd like to jump in myself, I have enough experience with 'time travel' to know that more is not merrier. I'm not sure if that's exactly what's going on here," he admits looking around the group. "But talk of 'seeing past victories' kind of gives that impression. We should trust those that already went inside... Unless we figure a way out from out here first." "I'm ah, relatively 'fresh' right now. If anyone needs to grab a nap or a proper meal I can keep guard."
Mamoru Chiba	Arm gripped, Tuxedo Kamen meets that wide-eyed gaze, and he bites his lip. When Zoisite nods, then turns away, he's doing that hunched shoulders thing that makes Mamoru want to just hug him, and he's weebling over whether or not he should or whether Zoisite wants to turtle alone for a moment -- he can't tell, he's not ''touching'' him, he can't tell. And then there's more Zoi is reacting to, and that last unfinished question has Mamoru giving him a jerky little nod. "I couldn't think of anything else. It gives us a when, but Mercury's and Riventon's readings both indicated it was a sort of time-adjacent somewhen and somewhere. If it were actually temporal I'd say to start looking at roughly fourteen thousand years ago. Again. Still." Silence for a second, and then, "I like one less thing to worry about. I really hope they find the construction workers while they're in there," Mamoru says to Stellar, and... in general, really. He looks to Chrono again, and oh my god is there an aching empathy there, even without it being Empathy -- they are In The Same Boat. A glance at Cat Noir, and he shakes his head. "Let him." "You can go in," he says quietly to Chrono. "We'll get you all out. You should go help, too, Zoi -- Neph is still out here with me, and so is Stellar, and for all his faults, so is Riventon. They won't let her get me. All the people in there now -- some unknown but small number of workers, Kunzite, Mercury, Naru... Sailor Moon, Jadeite, Sailors Mars, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, Hope Blossom, Rashmi, Red Rocket Girl, and that pirate girl whose name I still don't know-- maybe just wait a little longer, go in when Riventon has something to send with someone. The more people in there that have a tether to ''me'', the better a shot Luna and Riventon have at following that connection." At least there's exhausted and there's emotionally wrung out, and Mamoru ''sounds'' more of the latter than the former. They're related though. He could use the nap. He'll probably take it.
Kyouka Inai	Everyone here is emotionally invested in this. Everyone has people in that portal, lost to time and space, that they care about. Tux wears it on his sleeve, though who can blame him when he was here to witness it all go down. The others are more restrained, but it's still obvious from tone and expression that they're all worried- about the situation in general and about people who had gotten sucked into that portal. It's perhaps odd then, that Stellar does not seem tense- not relaxed or carefree, but businesslike. Composed. There's an ash-like softness to the grey of her eyes which speaks of her sympathy, but her expression is calm, her motions concise and purposed. Her stance confident. She reaches a hand out to Mamoru's shoulder and gives it a squeeze as he names her as one of those who would look out for him, reaffirming that belief as she gives a faint half-smile. "Tux is right. We'll get everybody out. Ain't no reason to doubt it when we got some serious smarties workin' the problem. The important thing is to trust in them- the ones who fell through. They can take care of themselves." She looks at Mamoru as she says it, but the words are obviously meant for the group at large. "I wouldn't even be surprised if they came bursting back out of there before we had time to do much of anything out here." "But... we owe it to the regular-ass people around here to do what we can to keep them safe so.." She tosses the barrier device to Chrono. "Like I said, I could probably figure out how to turn it on, but you're probably better at this sort of thing than me. Find the best place for it and power it up. The sooner we get the interdimensional police tape up, the better." She shakes her head a little bit, turning to glance back at the portal. "Seriously though... this isn't even the scariest portal I've ever dealt with. Sometime I'll tell you kids about the one that opened up under Tokyo Bay when I was your age." Hopefully this one will be less costly to close.
Zoisite	Both Chrono and Cat Noir are unknown to Zoisite, but once he's come through the worst of his reaction to the news, he looks at them both in turn. One after the other. There'd been a long list of people who had gone in, some he knew, some he didn't, but in that list there must be people they care about, to be here. And Zoisite is not unfeeling. He can be unkind, ruthless even, but he is firmly on the side of good now. Sympathy may not come all that naturally to him, but he can manage. "I'll wait, for now. If things seem dire, I'll head in, but we need people on this side who are familiar with Beryl's ways too." He nods to Stellar. "They're all resourceful, in their own ways." Certainly sending Mercury and Kunzite in seems to be wise from his perspective, given their strengths, ones he is very familiar with. Cat Noir's offer has Zoisite nodding, and standing up. With a quick backward glance he offers his hand to Tuxedo Kamen, to bring him to his feet should he need the assistance. "We'll come at this with level heads, after some rest."
Adrien Agreste	Cat Noir glances over toward Tuxedo Mask when he tells him to let Chrono go. The reaction is a fist clenching at his side before forcibly relaxing. Getting angry certainly wasn't going to help at all. When Stellar throws the device toward Chrono, he just nods toward him quietly. "I'll be here," he offers quietly to his friend. "No matter what decision you make. At least until I decide it's gone on too long and go in myself." A little lighter remark but none the less serious. He'd told Naru one day. It was coming up quickly. Turning away he strides to the steps where Zoisite and Tuxedo Kamen where to flop down with legs stretched out crossing at the ankles. His arms loop behind his neck as he reclines on the stairs with his attention focused toward the portal. "Get some rest, not just a cat nap. I'll be around all night. It wouldn't be the first time I've been up at odd hours for Naru."
Chrono Harlaown	Chrono Harlaown would take the device with a small nod. "Yeah... you're... likely right. Going through now would not be wise. I don't know how the area operates and throwing yet another variable into the equation, without any information, would not be wise. I... trust the people inside," he said softly. Meanwhile, he tapped, and poked, and prodded the device. It would take him like ten seconds to activate it. "... So Pluto, Neptune and... Uranus are in there as well. I... see. They'll be fine." They would have to be fine. "I've seen worse portals. I've... been in worse portals. They will be fine." He said it with all the confisdence of a soldier. Determined. Things would work out in the end. Rashmi was in there. The closest thing he had to family was in there. And. They. Would. Be. Fine. The barrier sprang to life, surrounding the area... and protecting the portal from any more mundane intruders, at least. ... Beryl would go down. One way or another. She was going down.
Mamoru Chiba	A squeezed shoulder, and Mamoru looks up at Stellar's composure, and again feels a little better. And Cat Noir tells him to take a nap, and Chrono's turning on the barrier and falling a little bit more apart in the privacy of his own head and the steadiness of his own hands, and Zoisite... ...Zoisite offers Mamoru a hand up, and Mamoru is no longer bereft of his presence by his side. He takes the proffered hand and the help hauling himself to his feet, and he shakes rubble-dust off his cape and smooths it out, not letting go of Zoisite's hand yet. "Okay," is all he says, and they can go be upset together, too, and in a manner less abrupt than Stellar's, the two of them also leave. Tuxedo Kamen does look back at Chrono and Cat Noir for a second, offering them a grateful look-- not that it's a favor to him or anything, but yes: they all have people in there. And Beryl ''is'' going down.
Adrien Agreste	Cat Noir seems overly relaxed in his lounging posture as if he were chilling instead of standing vigil. Yet when Tuxedo Kamen looks his way it's obvious that the cat boy's attention is on him as his gaze watches Zoisite begin to lead him away. When the look is cast back in his and Chrono's direction he inclines his head toward him. A single, solemn nod of understanding. He would be here. He knew the stress they were under as well. A deep breath is drawn while his head tips back to look skyward a moemnt. "How are you doing, Chrono?" He asks after a few seconds. "You know you're not alone in this right? We will get them back."
Chrono Harlaown	Chrono Harlaown gave a small nod before walking back, sitting down on the curb and staring out at the portal. "I know. I know it will be okay. I know they will be okay. I know they will be safe. I know... they can handle this." "... But my family is in there right now and there's nothing I can do to help them but... be the best me I can out here. I don't... know... if I can... handle it if I lose any of them. If they..." "... I still haven't found all of my family on this planet. They... help keep me together. I don't... know... what I'll do... I guess. I... I can't do what an enforcer does here... I feel... powerless."
Adrien Agreste	Cat Noir reaches out toward Chrono. As he had before he rests a hand on his shoulder giving a squeeze to be as reassuring as he could be. It was odd how much they had gotten used to one another, especially with Chrono's overall fear of cats. "I know. If this were something I could Cataclysm I'd do it in a heartbeat." His gaze sweeps over toward the portal. "But even if I could touch a portal, I wouldn't want to risk what it might do to those inside. It's possible it would spit them out, or it would make things worse. All I can do is wait, too." "... I know that doesn't help much," he adds with a heavy sigh. "I'm worried too. Naru's in there, and... Probably a lot of other people I know as well. "I really wish I could do more."
Chrono Harlaown	Chrono Harlaown gave a small nod. "I know. I know you'd do more if you could. We just... have to trust that the people inside there... that they can handle it. That they're strong enough. That they... that they can do this. Rashmi's strong. Pluto is... capable. They're... they'll be okay." "They have to be okay. I don't... think I'm strong enough for them to not be okay..." And there it was. Tears in his eyes. Just one. Just... a single one going down his cheek. He hadn't cried since he was a child... since he lost his father. But now... "It takes a lot of strength to... have to stand there and... have faith. I wish you could just destroy it too..."
Adrien Agreste	The word that Chat Noir utters isn't in Japanese but his native French as he curses seeing how much Chrono was falling apart. He was on the verge of doing so himself but he just felt that hollow, empty fear in the pit of his stomach right now. Instead of falling apart he actually just wraps his arm around Chrono's shoulder to pull him against himself. Unless the TSAB enforcer tries to pull away he's content to just sit there leaning in against his friend and staring at the portal. If looks could kill the portal would be in dire straights right now, but... But no. He can only comfort his friend. His own voice is a bit thick with emotion as he agrees, "Our friends are strong, and smart, and clever. And so are we." "I don't know about this 'Riventon' that we'll apparently be trusting but we'll have to keep an eye on him. Just in case he tries anything funny." A deep breath is drawn before he adds quieter, "I told Naru I'd join her after 24 hours if they don't come back. You're welcome to join me."
Chrono Harlaown	Chrono Harlaown gave a small nod. "Y-yeah. Riventon... Riventon isn't so bad. As the people on their side goes. I wouldn't let him know any of your secrets. But he's not a murderous jerk, either. If he says he'll help... I believe him. He's not the kind of jerk to... just not try. Even if he will rub it in your face for months that you needed him." He wiped his eyes and sighed. "Sorry. I'm... I'm a professional. I shouldn't... I can't..." Then he trailed off. "... Yeah. I'll go in with you. That'll be... that'll be a good time frame. They'll be okay. I know they will. They're... they're part of this planets TSAB now... they're strong..."
Adrien Agreste	Cat Noir pffts quietly as he gives his friend several slow pats on his back. "There's no shame in crying. Trust me I do it plenty myself," he half-jokes but with a seriousness underlying the remark. The blonde glances away breifly recalling how often he'd spent being upset over Ladybug. Even now that was a sore ache to remember. An ache that is immediately replaced by guilt as he recalls it's Naru he should currently be thinking about. "Besides," he adds with a wry grin. "You checked on me recently about my mental health too. It's okay to let things out when you need. And they are strong," he agrees. "And have already survived so much."
Chrono Harlaown	Chrono Harlaown nodded, giving a soft sigh. "They are..." he whispered. "And... I know. There's nothing wrong with crying. People do it all the time. Just... I've never been good at it. Not since my father died. So... I hope..." Slow, deep breath. "So I guess I'm just out of practice... heh." He was quiet for a moment before taking out his device and then doing a quick scan. Once he was done... "So, let me know if you need to go home. I could call my roommate to hang out with me while... keeping an eye on things." Just in case Cat Noir needed to de-henshin to recoup.
Adrien Agreste	Cat Noir keeps the arm around Chrono a few moments longer. Until he pulls away to do the scan. Then his hand drops back down to his lap unless or until he was needed again. "I can stay an hour or two longer before Plagg gets tired," he assures only to add after a moment of thought. "I know you wouldn't tell anyone. I trust you, Chrono." His 'staying awhile' lasts maybe ten minutes more during which he foot taps, fidgets, and finally gives in. "Okay I should go for a bit, I'm not used to waiting and sitting around like this." Plagg was not a patient kwami especially when stressed. Hopping up to his feet he looks back to Chrono with a wink. "Want me to tell your roommate to snag some coffee and pastries?"
Chrono Harlaown	Chrono Harlaown nodded. "Y-yeah. Tell him to... get something... sweet." Pause. "Not just for me... but... for everyone. Okay? They'll deserve a treat when they get out. I-I can store them in my device so... so they won't get stale..." And if they went into the dimension to save them? At least he'd have a gift for them. He reached up and scritched the little sleeping bird on his neck. She, at least, would make sure he wasn't alone. "And thanks. Really. For everything. You really are good at this. A lot more than you give yourself credit for, Cat Noir." Even the hug... well... he hadn't pulled away. And if ever there was a sign that Chrono needed on. Needed his friend? That was it, right there. He wiped his cheeks again, though no more tears had fallen. "Just... thank you."
Adrien Agreste	"Won't take long for him to show up. I'm pretty sure he's close by." Plus there was a cafe nearby, and a konbini. Either would have what was necessary. A little list is already being made in his head. Spending money? Now that he could do. Rich boy powers activate! "Of course. Naru said they'd gotten supplies from someone near here, so they should be okay awhile. But," he adds looking off in the direction Zoisite and Tuxedo Kamen had gone, "That's also why I wanted him to rest. He's our healer, right?" Makes sense. He had sense sometimes. Smiling faintly he responds, "You're welcome. Back in a jiff." And then with a leap he's gone. Soon to be replaced by another worried blonde no doubt.