The invitation from the Queen had come as no surprise.

Even in the depths of the Time Gate, Pluto had felt the stirrings of darkness. It was something thick and gruesome and it was continuously growing. And it was all pinpointing at the very Earth itself. The threat to the Moon was imminent and Pluto worried for her Queen and her Princess.

Previously, she could nothing but watch from her post. She was unable to go and investigate, unable to make sure that the two shining points in her life were okay. She had to stay here, in the mists and her own kind of darkness.

But the summons had been clear, and it could only be for a dire reason for Queen Serenity to ask for her presence. But despite the fact that Pluto knew there was danger in this visit, and that there were growing problems for her Queen, Pluto felt something akin to a thrill of excitement at the idea of being given permission to set her duty aside for a short visit. And so, despite the fact that it felt strange to be leaving her post for the first time in years, Pluto turned her back to the Gate and opened a portal to take her to the Moon.

The brightness of the Moon was what struck her first once the teleportation magic faded away around her. It hurt her eyes and Pluto had to blink several times to adjust to it. It was always amazing to witness just how much the Moon seemed to glow of its own accord. Such brightness was uncommon on Charon Castle and the Gate was all mists and shadow.

The palace stretched out to great heights in front of her, so high she would have to strain her neck in order to see the top. Even the smooth curving walls seemed to glow with an ethereal light. Pluto remembered that someone had once told her that the Moon was blessed, and Pluto had to agree with that sentiment. The entrance doors were wide open, welcoming any one to enter within, and Pluto could see servants and guards alike each doing their own duties.

Behind her was the view of the Earth. It was beautiful in its marbled blue and green, but Pluto frowned as she sensed the dark vibes emanating from it. This was why she was here. Something had to be done before the threat on Earth could do any real harm to the Queen and the Princess.

Pluto turned her gaze away from the Earth and made her way first to the teleportation deck. She could create a portal from the Time Gate, but her comrades would be arriving through the teleports situated in every castle aligned with the Moon.

It felt strange to think of having comrades. She knew of the other senshi of course. She knew their names, their element affinity and generally what they looked like. But she had only ever met them once before. She had sent to her post when she was much younger, and there had only been one time she had been allowed to leave before here and now. When Queen Serenity had presented her daughter to the court, Pluto had been given an invitation, and it was when she first saw the other senshi.

And now, she would meet them once again. Pluto didn’t know exactly why they had all been called her, other than the imminent threat growing on the Earth.

Standing near one of the teleportation pods, Pluto leaned up against the wall, her Rod still held in her hands. The other senshi would be arriving soon, and then, together, they would find out what Queen Serenity wanted them to do.

Something twisted tightly in her chest, but Pluto couldn’t quite place what it was. Excitement? No, that wasn’t it. Anxiety perhaps, or trepidation.

Pluto shifted, and waited.

The ominous aura of the evil’s presence in the Solar System had been lurking into people’s minds, slowly but surely tearing the bonds between the two Kingdoms. The darkness had already shadowed Neptune’s Talisman, the Deep Aqua Mirror, with a premonition that promised nothing good to come in the future as the time would pass, in the worst case causing something irreversible to occur. The warnings on the surface of Neptune’s Ocean drove the teal haired soldier of sea to gaze into her mirror increasingly day after another as she had to carry out her mission and stay in her post despite what would happen inside the Solar System.

But no storm could wipe away her worry for the Moon Kingdom and for her Queen and Princess and she had made sure to find out every possible detail about the growing darkness staying in her post before the Queen of the Moon Kingdom had summoned her to the silvery glowing palace. The order had come way too sudden for Neptune to expect it and that worried her since she knew that if their Queen would gather the Outer Sailor Soldiers to the Moon Kingdom despite the risk that their visit would allow a new threat to enter the Solar System, the situation was much worse than what it seemed to be. The orders from the Queen were absolute and first time in countless years Neptune had gotten the permission to leave her planet as she had to put her duty aside for the time of this visit she had been granted with.

Walking though the marble hall of her Triton castle Neptune took the final glances of the familiar view of the aquamarine glow of the walls of her home and light reflected from them as she arrived to the door that lead to the room where the teleport aligned with the Moon was. The walls of the high room echoed from the slight slam of the massive door when it closed and Neptune headed to the center of the room, approaching the portal which would soon take her to a completely different place than the one she had spent almost all of her life in. Her Sailor uniform’s collar, bow and skirt fluttering from the wind like power the portal surrounded her with Neptune closed her deep blue eyes and focused on the still misty view of the palace she could see in her mind, the aura of her powers glowing as she left the aquamarine palace to begin the journey between the two portals.

Despite the distance between the two castles was very long the actual trip was over in less than half minutes and the sudden glow of the beautiful Moon Castle was almost blinding as Neptune hadn’t used to look at it even though she had had her gaze on the Moon countless times in those lonely nights she had spent on her planet, guarding the Solar System in solitude. The view of the magnificent castle of the blessed Moon Kingdom still stayed in her mind when the energy of the portal faded around her and she was inside the castle full of silver shades and golden adornments which made the already light silver look even brighter as Neptune had to blink her eyes few times to get used to the glow the whole surface of the moon seemed to be radiating.

For few seconds Neptune had managed to catch the blue-green Earth in her sight before she had arrived to the Moon and even though she did not have time to stop and admire the beauty of the blue planet that reminded the young woman more of her own planet the view of the blue glass ball had drawn on her thoughts. But the shadow she had seen eating the blue and covering it within darkness had made her eyes darken almost black as she knew that the thick darkness would be a threat to the Queen and Princess and to the peace of the Solar System. Something had to be done before it would be too late.

Neptune stepped out of the portal and saw a dark skinned Sailor Soldier close to her, leaning against the bright wall. The teal haired soldier found it strange to stand face-to-face with the guardian of time as she had spent her life alone just like all other Outer Solar System soldiers, guarding the Kingdom from far away, and the thought of them working together and her having comrades felt very unfamiliar. Neptune had only met the other soldiers once and knowing their given names, the elements their powers were based upon and how they looked like felt insignificant since in reality she did not know her comrades at all. As all of the Outer soldiers were given their duties while they were very young they had had the chance to meet only once when Queen Serenity had presented the Princess to the court and all of them had received invitations. But after that Neptune never had the chance to meet the soldiers who shared the same duty with her, not until now when they were all called to this place because of yet partly ambiguous reasons, the only yet evident one being the impending threat on Earth.

Feeling herself slightly anxious Neptune walked to the taller soldier and nodded to her before sharing few words with her, her blue eyes on the garnet ones “It is an honor to meet you again, Sailor Pluto” she said her face never leaving the serious expression that the feeling of the new threat had managed to leave in her eyes. Silently the teal haired woman joined the guardian of time, waiting for the next soldier to arrive from the portals as she stood near the wall however keeping a small distance with it. Neptune’s dark blue eyes were on her mirror as she tried to search for signs about the shadow she had witnessed on her way to the Moon Castle and every passing second that she spent looking deep down into her Deep Aqua Mirror seemed to darken her eyes even more.

The wind was blowing more harshly every day.

Uranus stood on the balcony and let the wind pass over and through her. The fabric of her skirt and her short locks of blonde hair fluttered and tangled in the wind, but Uranus paid them no mind. Her teal eyes were trained on a spot in the sky. There was nothing to see, not really. But she knew without a doubt that she was looking in the direction of the planet Earth.

Even standing here, impossibly far away, she could feel the darkness emanating from the Earth. It too grew stronger every day.

Still, it had been a bit of a surprise to recieve the summons from the Queen. Uranus knew that she was the final line of defense in the outer solar system, and just like with the other Outer Senshi, she was never allowed to leave her post for fear of any possible attack. But this was important. She could feel it in her very being.

Uranus clenched her fist, still leaning up against the balcony rail and her teal eyes boring into the sky, to a point incredibly far in the distance.

But then she tore her gaze away and turned around, walking back into the castle. The winds still played through the walls of Miranda Castle with its wide open windows, and the wind continued to follow her as she moved to the teleportation room.

It wasn't a room that had had ever used more than once in her memory, but Uranus knew exactly where it was and she did not hesitate in going there now. Her heart was beating more quickly with the idea of leaving Miranda Castle, but it was both excitement and trepidation. This would not be a relaxing visit.

Uranus frowned at her thoughts but pushed them away. She wouldn't allow herself to become overly worried when she didn't even know what the Queen wanted of her and her comrades.

The teleportation device was already up and running when Uranus entered the room, and she pressed in the correct coordinates and then walked into the portal. It was a strange and disorientating feeling that was over in less than a minute.

The first thing Uranus heard as she waited for the slight dizzying feeling to pass, was the sound a voice that instantly caught her attention.

"It is an honor to meet you again, Sailor Pluto."

Uranus blinked and looked to the place where the voice had come from. A woman with hair the color of the ocean that fell in soft waves stood next to another woman whose hair was as dark as the darkest forest. She knew who they were, of course. Sailor Neptune and Sailor Pluto, but Uranus was struck by the realization that she knew nothing about either of them, despite the fact that they were supposedly her comrades. She remembered them only by the fact that she had met them once before, and it was her job to remember just how useful they would be in a battle.

"Hello again, Neptune. Pluto." Uranus nodded to each woman in turn. Her eyes were drawn back to looking at Neptune as Uranus stepped closer to both of her comrades. When she realized that she was staring, Uranus blinked and glanced away.

Pluto nodded in Neptune's direction after hearing the other woman's greeting. She recognized Neptune instantly by her fuku's color scheme and her hair that was reminiscent of the ocean in both movement and color.

Neptune moved over to stand next to her but Pluto didn't say anything to her, unsure as to what a person should say in this kind of situation. Making small pleasantries seemed like an unnecessary thing to do. They were both warriors and they both knew why they were here. With such darkness looming over them, Pluto couldn't make herself talk about the weather or even to ask how Neptune has been all these years.

Neptune did not seem to mind the silence either, and instead looked into her Mirror. Pluto watched her and her serious expression for a few moments before turning away and staring ahead at the teleporter once again.

The silence was thick and palpable but it did not bother Pluto. Silence had been her only companion for many many years.

The teleporter lit up, and once the lights dimmed away, a woman with messy blonde hair stepped into the room. Her fuku and her stance gave her away as Sailor Uranus. The newly arrived senshi was drawn to look at Neptune, her teal eyes staring at the other woman before moving onward to look at Pluto as well.

"Hello again, Neptune. Pluto." Uranus gave a nod to each of them.

With the arrival of their last comrade, Pluto knew that it was now time for them to continue onwards to the Queen. She would be waiting for them in a back room, hidden away from prying eyes. This was a matter of secrecy and the security of the Kingdom.

Pluto made her way to the exit of the room, and had made it halfway out the door before she realized that perhaps she should say something to the other two women. She stopped in her steps and turned slightly back to face both Neptune and Uranus. "The Queen is expecting us," she told them. "Follow me, I know the way."

She didn't wait for them to say anything, and continued on her way without hesitation. The room that the Queen had described was not that far from the teleporter room, and it only took a few minutes for Pluto and the others to arrive. Pluto knocked twice before opening the door without invitation.

The Queen stood at the other side of the room in all of her pure white glory. Her hair was not twisted into its usual royal style but instead tied back in a long braid that ended by her calves. She looked up when the three senshi entered the room, and Pluto quickly closed the door behind her.

"Welcome," Queen Serenity greeted. There was a ghost of a smile upon her lips but worry took over her expression before the smile could ever truly shine. "As you know, my kingdom and the kingdom of Earth have been at odds, despite attempts to quell any conflict between us. Just recently I received word that there is talk of a rebellion beginning to build on Earth."

The Queen's face was grave and serious. She looked at each of the senshi in turn, though none attempted to speak.

She then continued. "Rumors are nothing for a Queen to go by. This is why I want to send spies to Earth. Proper spies who could defend theirselves if the situation called for it." She gave them all a significant look. "Spies in which I could trust completely with the safety of the Kingdom."

Pluto couldn't look away from the Queen's face, because it was obvious that the Queen wanted the Outer senshi to go to Earth. It was impossible. They weren't allowed to do such things, they had to stay at their posts. "My Queen?" Pluto began, finding the words. "Why not send the Inner senshi? What am I to do about the Gates of Time?"

The Queen shook her head. "I have plans in place for the Gates of Time as well as warriors who will help in taking posts in the outer reaches of the Kingdom. But I will not send the Inner senshi, not with so much talk of rebellion and sabotage. They will protect my daughter and nothing else." Her voice was firm and resolute and she looked at her senshi as if to dare them to question her decisions.

Pluto lowered her eyes and accepted it. Her heart raced at the idea of being able to leave her post for longer than a small visit like in the past, but it was also frightening as well.

"You will integrate yourselves onto Earth. Find a way into the Castle itself and become close to anyone who might have more information about the rebellion. I want information, and I want to know what they plan to do. You will report to me when you are able." The Queen paused. "It will not be easy. Learning the ways of the Earthlings will be a task in and of itself. But I must ask this of you, for the fate of the Silver Millennium."

Another pause, and the Queen looked towards Pluto directly, holding her eyes in a serious expression. "I am not cruel, however. You have a choice in this. Will you do as I have asked?"

Pluto did not hesitate. "I will, My Queen."

The Queen nodded, and hint of a smile upon her lips, but then she turned her gaze to look to Sailor Neptune. "And you? Will you do as I have asked?"

OOC:

The silence did not seem to bother either of the Sailor soldiers as they stood in the large room, waiting for one, or possibly two more comrades to arrive. The quiet moment did not last long before the teleport lit up and Neptune separated her thoughts from the mirror she had gazed upon countless times, looking to the direction of the teleports to identify the next soldier who would soon step into the room. When the bright light had finally faded, it revealed a tall, blonde haired soldier whose steps seemed so light that it almost seemed like she was walking on clouds

It didn’t take much time to realize who the new soldier was, Sailor Uranus, she who had been told to possess the power of wind and skies like she was a part of them, and for some reason Neptune didn’t have a hard time to imagine that at all. The teal haired soldier was disturbed by the thought that she knew particularly nothing about the two women who were supposed to be her closest and only comrades, nor did she remember their voices as it had been years since she had seen them the last, and only time.

Uranus’ greetings echoed in Neptune’s ears for a while, the strong, lower tone of her voice felt so fitting to her. A moment later Neptune’s blue eyes met with Uranus’ teal ones as the taller soldier was looking at her and soon after the moment they had gazed into each other’s eyes, they both glanced away to different directions. Soon the sound of footsteps got Neptune’s attention and she turned around to find Pluto walking out of the teleport room. The older warrior then stopped in her steps, turning back to face the two other women. "The Queen is expecting us. Follow me, I know the way." Neptune nodded to Pluto and started to follow her out of the room, thinking about the reason why the Queen had invited them here and how they would soon find it out, as well.

The few minutes that it took for them to reach the room the Queen was waiting in passed quickly and as they were walking in the huge hall, Neptune noticed that there were no people other than them anywhere close by.
Neptune wondered if this wing of the palace was forbidden from others than the Royalty to enter as there was not a single sign of life around them and their surroundings looked quite different from what you would expect a lively palace full of people to have. After waiting for Pluto to knock the door and enter the room, Neptune followed her and the three women were greeted by Queen Serenity whose warm light made the room almost glow.

Queen Serenity’s voice sounded nothing like it usually did, full of warmth and happiness, but was instead shadowed by worry over the future. Watching the Queen’s serious expression Neptune listened to her words quietly. When she mentioned the talk of a possible rebellion being built on Earth, Neptune felt her own worries were just to become reality and she remained silent, waiting for their Queen to continue.

The look she gave to the three warriors was significant as she expressed her urge to send spies to Earth, spies who she could trust the safety of their future completely to, everything was clear to the dark blue eyed soldier but a question arose in Neptune’s mind when she thought about the situation. What would happen to the outer places of the Solar System if they were to leave the posts they had been given so many years ago? They were forbidden to ever leave their planets yet they had already broken the rule by coming to the Palace of the Moon Kingdom to meet the Queen.

When Pluto voiced her own worries about the position she held and asked about the Inner Sailor soldiers, Neptune didn’t say a word as she waited for Serenity’s answer. The answer she gave to Pluto and to all three soldiers was resolute and serious, giving the Outer soldiers nothing to doubt about her decision. Neptune found her heart beating stronger than usually when she thought about the mission they would have ahead of them as this would be the first time they would leave their positions for a longer visit. Their task would not be easy as they did not know anything about the life of Earthlings and the thought about visiting the blue planet, the second brightest jewel in the Solar System’s crown, felt distant and unreal to Neptune while she listened to Queen Serenity continue her speech. But if the future of the Silver Millennium depended on them integrating onto Earth, Neptune was ready to break the seal between her and her post.

The Queen then gave them the choice to either do as she said or continue the task they originally had. Pluto answered to Queen Serenity before the other two women, willing to take upon the new mission. Queen Serenity turned her eyes on Neptune, asking her the same question as she had asked from Pluto a moment ago. "And you? Will you do as I have asked?" Neptune gave her answer without hesitation “Yes, my Queen. I will.” she said, kneeling down before Serenity.

Deep inside her heart Neptune wondered what kind of place the Earth would truly be, a planet full of life and worth more than what is measurable… Neptune found herself thinking about what life would be like on Earth when they would try to disguise themselves as normal humans instead of using the names of the Outer Sailor soldiers. Her thoughts were also turned on the last Outer Sailor Soldier - would Sailor Saturn remain in sleep on her planet or would they see her in this meeting? No matter how frightening the power of the last Sailor Soldier was, she also only carried the duty to protect their Kingdom. After Neptune had made her wow she turned her head to face Uranus who had not given her answer yet, wishing that the protector of sky would also decide to leave her post and join them for the new mission.

ooc:

Administrative Bump! This storyline definitely deserves to experience more activity. I enjoy reading it.

Listening to the Queen's plans, Uranus frowned, with no attempt to hide it. To leave their posts? That seemed like blasphemy. It had been ingrained upon her time and time again that she could not leave her post. Perhaps her own restrictions were not as resolute as Sailor Pluto's, but the restriction was still there. The Outer senshi were not to allow any outside enemies to reach the Queen and the Princess, and to do that, they had to stay vigilant and always at the ready.

Though the Queen did say that she had plans in store for taking over their posts, it seemed like a strange compromise. As both Pluto and Neptune agreed to their queen's proposal, the Queen then turned her attention onto Uranus herself.

And she found herself hesitating.

She looked into the Queen's eyes, and knew what she was expected to say. It was unwise to not indulge the Queen her every desire, but it was unwise to leave the Outer realms improperly defended.

"Will you do as I have asked?" The Queen prompted. Her eyes were kind, and held no hint of contempt should Uranus refuse. As though she sensed Uranus's reservations about the whole idea, Queen Serenity said, "I must have a full team that I can trust."

Uranus nodded then, her mind set. If this was what the Queen wanted, then this is what the Queen would get. Even if felt strange to agree to leave her post. "I will, My Queen." She gave a small bow at that. "We will complete this task for you."

Queen Serenity smiled. "I am pleased." She paused, clasping her hands as if she were in prayer. "You will leave as soon as night falls on Earth. Until then, you may stay here. There will be rooms readied for you, and supplies gathered, as well as a change of clothing that are more suited for Earthling cultures. Once it is dark upon the Earth's surface, you will take the teleporter a secluded location on Earth and begin your mission. But for tonight, relax and enjoy yourselves."

Uranus nodded once more, though a question gave her pause. "My Queen? How are we to find a way into the castle?"

The Queen smiled, though it was one full of sorrow and something akin to guilt. "This, I cannot tell you. The Earthling ways are foreign to me. The only things I know have been learned through negotiations through messengers that have traveled back and forth between our worlds. I'm afraid I would not be much help in figuring this out. Therefore, I suggest that you three come up with a story of sorts, something to tell the Earthlings when they question who you are. Perhaps you can pretend to be a couple of serving maids looking for work? Or guards perhaps?"

She shook her head, smile still just as regretful, and suddenly Queen Serenity looked older than Uranus had ever seen her. "Forgive me, but I will have to leave the rest up to you. I know you three will do everything in your power, and more. You may remain here if you wish, and discuss your plans further. Or you may retire to your own rooms until night falls. I will take my leave now, my senshi."

Queen Serenity nodded to each of them in turn, and then she walked to the door. She hesitated with her hand on the silver knob. "Thank you, for taking on this task. I know it will not be easy, but it is of utmost importance." And then the Queen was gone, leaving the three strangers alone in the room.

Uranus shifted, and glanced over to the other two. Feeling a thick air of tension, she grinned. "Well. We're in for some fun, huh?"

Trying to break the tension was harder than she thought, especially when she knew nothing about these other two girls besides their names. Well, just their Senshi names, actually. Uranus's grin slipped and then she shrugged off the uncomfortable feeling. "Shall we go somewhere more comfortable? Being in this meeting room makes me feel like I'm constantly about to do something wrong."

Administrative Note: Just a friendly reminder for you guys to submit a Storyline Extension Request.

If you do not submit a storyline extension request within a week or the request is denied, then this storyline will be closed.

When Queen Serenity turned to Sailor Uranus, Neptune somehow sensed that Uranus was more hesitant to join than her or Pluto had been though maybe that was just her imagination. Be it either case, she turned her eyes partially to the senshi of the skies, waiting for her answer. It felt like time had stopped and Neptune stayed in her current position not moving an inch while she waited to hear Uranus' answer, wondering if the taller woman decided to decline despite their Queen's request. To be fair, it would make sense since from the beginning of their lives, they had been told to never leave their posts as if they did, it could bring the Moon Kingdom and the whole Solar System to great danger.

At the moment when Queen Serenity added that she needed a full team that she could trust the task to, Neptune found herself in a deep thought. Queen Serenity needed them all for the task yet she had given them the opportunity to decline and return to their posts on their home planets. Perhaps it was thanks to her trust in the Outer senshi that she had given them the option to back down if they wanted to, believing that they would make the correct decision. Queen Serenity definitely was a ruler one of her kind, you couldn't find a wiser queen than she was.

Soon Uranus gave her answer, promising that they would complete the task for her and a small, voiceless sigh, a sign of relief, left Neptune's lips. Now they would have a full team for the coming task which would not be an easy one and all knowledge any of them had could come even more useful than they would think. Serenity's next words made Neptune raise her head a bit, they would not have much time before leaving the Moon Kingdom to land on the ground of the blue planet for the first time in their lives.

Even though the request was their queen's, Neptune was not sure how much she would be able to relax after being restless for some days and now getting to know the Moon Kingdom and the Solar System's current state and what threat was possibly lurking behind the corner just waiting for opportunity to take its first step. In a way it was not anything new for the three of them who had been guarding the Outer edges of the Solar System to stop all threats that come outside but this time the possible threat grew inside the Solar System, yet invisible for those who lived normal lives on the Earth and Moon.

The question Uranus asked from the queen stirred the thoughts in Neptune's mind, as did Serenity's answer. None of them had much knowledge about the Earthlings and their hierarchy but if the three of them could combine all the little knowledge they did have, it would hopefully be enough to guarantee them some kind of base and background story to tell when they would be looking for a way to get into the castle. It was almost surreal to think that they had never stepped on the ground of Earth before, knowing nothing other about the planet than what they had seen from afar or heard from the few people they had met.

A small ghost of smile rose on Neptune's face when she heard Queen Serenity apologizing for not being able to tell them more about the Earth and its people, a smile with worried eyes that wanted to tell the Queen that she had nothing to apologize for. None of them knew much about The Earth and there was nothing to blame that fact for as they were all in positions where they could not leave their posts to gather information on Earth itself. The worry of Earth and Moon's future was seen on Queen Serenity's face and Neptune felt it was not an easy topic to talk about in the current situation, not even with the senshi who looked over the two kingdoms.

Neptune responded to Queen Serenity's nod with a small nod of her own and watched how their queen gave them her farewell, then leaving the room. The thanks she had given them just before walking away had changed Neptune's feelings slightly, her now having more confidence than before. A moment later she heard Uranus talking, probably trying to break the tension that had started to grow thicker as time went by and Neptune closed her eyes lightly in order to clear and rearrange her thoughts. She opened them few seconds later and gave her reply to Uranus' question by nodding before expressing her opinion in words. " Discussing the plans further in another room sounds good." Neptune had to agree that being in the meeting room had made her feel uncomfortable although she could not be sure if it was the room itself or the possible threat on Earth that caused this atmosphere.

"If we leave this room, where do you suggest us to go?" Neptune asked the two senshi, trying to push aside the thoughts that she felt were running too quickly in her mind.

It still had not truly sunk into her mind that she and the other Outer Senshi would be going to Earth within the next few hours. Even as the Queen relayed their instructions, and then left the three on their own, Pluto still could not quite imagine what the next days would be like for her and her comrades.

Earth had the reputation of being much less civilized than the planets within the Silver Alliance. Things were less clean and much more modest. The Earth Kingdom was still relatively new in the timeline of the planets, and Pluto knew that it would be much different than what she and the others were used to. It was said that Earthlings were still hundreds of years away from the technological advances that the other planets were accustomed to.

The only technology to be found on Earth were those that were gifted from Queen Serenity herself during negotiations with the royal family.

Pluto allowed a small smile at Uranus's attempt to break the tension that pressed upon them like a dark cloud. Neptune spoke up then, agreeing that it would be nice to leave this room but she was unsure as to where they could go.

"Somewhere more comfortable would be nice," Pluto agreed, shifting to hide the awkwardness she felt. Being around others was still something she was unsure about. How were comrades who had never known each other supposed to act? She was at a loss. "Perhaps one of the rooms that the Queen mentioned?"

She gave a nod as if this suggestion was decided, and she walked to the door to leave the room. It didn't occur to her that she should perhaps wait for the other two until she was already halfway down the hallway. This was proving to be more difficult that she had realized.

She just hoped that this awkward phase would pass quickly and that once they were on Earth, things would flow more smoothly since they would have tasks to accomplish together.

Luckily, when Pluto glanced behind her, the other two had decided to follow her anyway. Pluto turned around once more and lead the way. She knew the layout of the palace and when Queen Serenity had mentioned guest rooms, Pluto had knew exactly which ones that the Queen had meant.

The rooms did not lay far away from where they had been given their instructions, and it did not take long to reach one of them. Guards were stationed nearby, but they only looked towards the three senshi before giving a respectable bow, not saying a word.

It was likely that the guards were curious why these strange and darkly clothed senshi were here. The Inner senshi were much brighter in color scheme, and they have always been in the castle, protecting the Princess. People might have heard of the Outer Senshi, but it was rare that a person would ever see them in person.

But it would take a very brave person to question the presence or intentions of any senshi, regardless of who they were.

Pluto opened the door to the room and held it open for the other two, before closing it once they were also inside. The room was relatively empty, and almost plain. It was of a white and pale blue color scheme, with a large bed and dresser to the left, and a white wood desk with four chairs to the right. Large panes of glass were partially hidden by the lush silver curtains. A few paintings hung on the walls, and soft light from quartz crystals lit the room.

It was pretty enough, but it held that rather stoic and impersonal feeling.

At least it was more comfortable than the previous room. Pluto closed her eyes and let her transformation drop. If they were to feel more comfortable around each other, perhaps a more casual approach would be best. Besides, they would have to drop the transformations before going to Earth anyway.

Setsuna walked over to the table and saw down on one of the chairs. "I guess we haven't introduced our civilian selves to one another," she said, looking at both of the other women. "My name is Setsuna."

She ignored the strange tightness in her chest, feeling as though she was making for strange conversation, and instead focused on waiting for her comrades to introduce themselves in turn.

OOC:

After Pluto suggested a different room, it took Uranus a moment to realize that the dark-skinned senshi was already halfway out the door. Well, she certainly did not wait around. Instead of annoyed, Uranus found herself more impressed. Wasting time wasn't something she liked very much either.

With a quick glance towards Neptune, Uranus got up and followed behind Pluto. It seemed strange to be following, rather than leading, but a part of her trusted in the fact that Pluto knew where she was going.

And with their mission, they would have to trust in each other sooner or later, right?

Uranus grinned at the guards as they passed them by. It amused her to see just how uncomfortable it made them, and they shifted and adjusted their positions, looking down respectably towards the ground, but they did not say anything.

She knew the rumors that came along with being a so called Outer Senshi. People associated them with being merciless and having mysterious powers. The whispers were more fearful than anything else. It didn't bother Uranus so much, as after this mission, she knew she would just be sent back to her post anyway.

In the meantime, however... Well, it wasn't her fault that it was so fun to mess with the civilians.

Entering the guest room, Uranus didn't take much time to look at the decorations. She didn't care much about things like that, and instead her attention was more focused on Pluto as the she let her transformation drop. The woman standing in her place looked as tall and regal as her senshi form, and Uranus found herself once more impressed by this woman she did not know.

"Nice to meet you, Setsuna," Uranus said in response. She let her transformation drop as well, already feeling more at ease in this guest room and out of her fuku. Being in a casual outfit of dark blue pants and a tight blouse with no sleeves, Haruka stretched and ran a hand through her hair, allowing it to fall as it may. It was still a little strange, being in a room with two women she was meant to work with without actually truly knowing them, but at least they seemed like good company so far.

She put on another grin as she introduced her civilian self. "I'm Haruka."

She then turned to look at Neptune expectantly, finding herself curious as to the girl behind the senshi.

ooc:

Administrative Note: Per the rules, a thread will be moved to the Graveyard if it has been in-active for one month. This thread has been in-active for over one month, so it will be moved to the Graveyard if no activity is shown.


The Graveyard is the place inactive role-plays go to rest. If a role-play has been inactive for one month, then the role-play will be moved to the Graveyard. But, not to worry! Sailor Saturn can always use her glaive to resurrect any role-play if she is asked.

Saturn knew that there was a very serious situation if she was awakened now. She had gotten an invitation from Queen Serenity herself about problems on planet Earth. Saturn knew that she would be meeting her fellow Outer Senshi and didn't know as to how they would react to working with her. 


When Saturn was awakened, it usually meant that her powers were needed and that usually meant the end of a civilization. The other Outer Senshi, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto feared her for that reason. But they would have to work together to resolve what was happening on Earth.

Spoiler:

The room was dark besides that of the cold blue glow of the teleporter in the center. The blue reflected off the smooth stone of the walls, and as Haruka, Setsuna and Michiru entered the room, the blue reflected onto them as well. The Queen waited for them, standing beside the control panel, a vision of silver and cobalt blue.

She looked even more ethereal than usual, and Haruka found it hard to look away.

"Welcome," Queen Serenity greeted them. Gone was the usual calm smile upon her lips and instead she looked like the regal queen she truly was, in control and focused. "I trust you all are ready to proceed?"

Haruka bowed before her. "We are ready to serve you, My Queen."

"Good." There was a pause as the Queen turned towards a darkened corner. "I have one more matter to discuss with you before you leave."

It was impossible to see what had the Queen's attention. Her silver eyes never strayed from the corner, but from where she was, Haruka could not see a thing. The room was far too dark, and the blue of the teleporter did not reach that far.

Haruka squinted and looked even harder when she realized that there was a dark shape hiding in those shadows. She felt suddenly on edge, though she could not explain why. Queen Serenity did not seem alarmed, so where was this uneasy feeling coming from?

"You may come out now," Queen Serenity said to the shadowed figure, her voice comforting and soft. "It will be okay."

Upon Neo Queen Serenity saying it would be okay, Saturn felt a bit more relieved regarding this situation. She still worried to some extent as to what the other Outer Senshi would think. She tightened her grip on the Silence Glaive, took a deep breath and stepped out of the shadows.

Saturn walked closer to the blue light of the teleporter, her figure becoming visible along with her purple and brown Sailor fuku, and her tall silver Silence Glaive. She recongized Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna from previous encounters as the rulers of their respecitve planets. 

"I am Sailor Saturn, soldier of death and rebirth. You have nothing to fear from me, I am only here to help you." Saturn said, allowing the others to take in what she said. She wanted to be in her Sailor form originally to show the seriousness of the situation. 

Saturn then took a deep breath, and de-transformed into Hotaru. She then appeared in a purple shirt and black pants. She hoped the other Outer Senshi would accept her being on their side.

Haruka wasn't sure what she had expected to come from that shadowed corner. The Queen's calm demeanor suggested that there was nothing to worry about, but Haruka tensed up anyway. She would be ready to react, no matter what happened.

It was the reflected light from curved metal that caught her attention first. Then it was the familiar colors of the purple and auburn fuku. Haruka had never actually seen the fuku in person, but those colors, together with that impossibly tall weapon meant that this could only be one person.

Haruka glared, and clenched her fist as she watched the other senshi stop in front of them and introduce herself. As if she truly needed an introduction.

"Tch, nothing to fear?" Haruka repeated. That was a lie. Throughout the years it had been engrained into her, over and over again, that Sailor Saturn was the end of all things. She wasn't even to exist unless her powers were needed. Haruka had stayed away, alone, for many years in order to keep her talisman from reacting with the others. To keep from this very being to exist once again.

What had happened? Queen Serenity told them that it would be okay. But seeing Sailor Saturn in the flesh, young girl or not, Haruka couldn't just idly stand here and allow an abomination to exist.

She took a step forward.

Queen Serenity blocked her path with one easy movement. "Calm yourself, Uranus." Icy steel laced the words and her normally calm eyes were hard. "Hotaru is not a threat to you or anyone else right now. She is an ally, and you will treat her as such."

The Queen's words were absolute. Haruka knew that. And yet, how could she possibly accept this?

She opened her mouth to protest but the look in Queen Serenity's eyes made her close it again.

Haruka backed off, though she sent one more glare in Saturn's direction before standing next to her comrades once more.

She would work with this Saturn if the Queen wished it, but if there ever came a moment when Saturn became any kind of threat, Haruka would not hesitate to rid the world of her. It was her mission and she would not falter.

Neptune gave Pluto's suggestion to settle in one of the rooms they had been told about a tiny, agreeing nod. Although Uranus had attempted to lessen the tension in the room, it was to be expected that things would stay awkward between them for a little while. After all, they had all lived most of their lives in isolation without many people close to them, so it would take time for them to be able to work together seamlessly. In fact, Neptune knew next to nothing about her comrades, other than their senshi names and the outline of their duties. However, being used to work alone was something that connected them, so perhaps that could help them to understand each other a little bit.

Taking the older senshi's hint, Neptune followed Pluto's lead walking beside Uranus. When Pluto glanced over her shoulder midway down the hallway to see if the two women were following her steps, something that had been deranging Neptune's thoughts suddenly settled down.

"This really is new to all of us, probably even more for her since her mission is  so different from the other senshi's"

The castle walls reflected light almost like they were made of nacre, not leaving a single corner of the hallway in darkness, thus creating a strong contrast between the dark sailor uniforms of the senshi and their surroundings, like they had come here as a reminder that peace and the Moon Kingdom were always threatened.

The wing of the castle they were currently walking in was empty of people except for guards who acknowledged the three senshi's presence by giving them a respectable bow, and Michiru couldn't help the quick nod that her head did almost subconsciously as a greeting to the guards who did not dare to question why the Outer senshi were in the castle, but the look in their eyes told about a hidden fear of the senshi. Nobody couldn't blame the civilians for being cautious in the Outers' presence, though. They were soldiers veiled by mystery, their powers unknown to most people, and their appearances recognizable only thanks to the Sailor uniforms.

Soon they had walked from the meeting room to the door of one of their respective rooms that Queen Serenity had mentioned. After Neptune entered the room before Pluto, her gaze lingered around the room, studying the few details of the simple decor, and she then focused her eyes on the two taller women in the room. She hoped they would have time to talk before they had to take their leave, since this was the first time the three senshi had an opportunity to get to know something about each other.

Pluto was the first one to drop her transformation, and she stood as wise and stable in both her civilian and senshi forms. After she introduced herself as Setsuna, Uranus let her own transformation drop and introduced herself as Haruka. The air around her didn't change either, holding the same wild strength as when the three women had met in the teleporter room. Now that they were alone, the tension was slowly slipping to the background, and they were all more relaxed.

With a contented sigh Neptune also changed back to her civilian form, and introduced herself with a hint of smile on her face. "Nice to meet you, Setsuna, Haruka" she said turning to each woman when reciting their names.

"My name is Michiru"

__________

If Michiru hadn't been in the teleporter room earlier, she could have said that the room they were in now was a different one, darkness filling the air except for the cold blue glow that the teleporter lit the room with.  Queen Serenity had been waiting for her senshi, and she welcomed the three women her voice possessing a different quality than before and her usual soft smile gone. Michiru's reply to her Queen's question was affirmative, given with a bow, wowing loyalty to the queen who had led them all.

Serenity's next words made Michiru raise her head up a little bit. What new matter was there to discuss about at the current moment? Michiru had a feeling this matter may not be the easiest one to bring up, deducing from Queen Serenity's words. Following the Queen's gaze to see what held her attention, Michiru's eyes stopped at a corner, but it was too dark to see what was hiding in the shadows. The atmosphere in the room had changed, and an uneasy feeling was disturbing Michiru's senses, though she could not quite explain why.

After the Queen's calming words, footsteps could be heard, coming nearer the group. What could be seen first of the person who was now walking towards them, was a gleam of light reflected from a blade that's shape was painfully familiar even though this was the first time Michiru had seen it before her own eyes. A cold chill ran down her neck when she lifted her gaze, now watching how a younger senshi approached them.

"Saturn.." She wasn't sure if the name had left her lips in an audible whisper or had not been spoken elsewhere than inside her mind, and it didn't matter.

Questions filled a part of her mind, but Michiru kept herself in place, eyes not leaving the young senshi even for a second. They had been told over and over again that the girl was a threat, a senshi who will end everything if the Three Talismans reacted to each other, but now she was here without being summoned by the Outer senshi. And there was one question that rose above others: "Why are you here and what is your mission, Saturn?"

But before Michiru could question the senshi by asking her, her thoughts were interrupted when Haruka stepped forward closer to Saturn and was stopped by Serenity. On one side, Michiru did agree with Haruka's opinion, since even if Saturn was not a threat herself at the moment, her powers were. But if the younger senshi had been summoned by Queen Serenity, they had to trust her, they knew she never made decisions that were rushed. "There must be a reason why Queen Serenity has decided to ask Saturn to join us"

And if Queen Serenity asked them to treat Saturn as an ally, Michiru would do so, but with caution, so if anything happened that the three of them could stop, she would be ready. Another worry started to grow in Michiru's mind, since if even Saturn had to join them for this mission, the severity of the situation must be much greater than how it looked like from the outside.

ooc:

Hotaru didn't expect anything else but fear and a lack of trust from Uranus, the Soldier of Death and Rebirth knew what her typical role in the galaxy was for and as a result of that, the other Sailor Senshi tended to fear her. She just hoped that working with the other Outer Senshi wouldn't be too awkward, although deep down she feared this would get rather complicated.

"I wish I could do something to gain your trust Uranus. But just please work with me on this, and we will never have to see each other again if you wish." Hotaru said, as she tried to hold back her tears. "All right Queen Serenity, when should we leave for Earth?" Hotaru added as she turned her attention to their Queen.

Haruka wasn't too pleased with seeing the tears in the younger girl's eyes. It made her feel somewhat guilty, perhaps she had been too harsh. Haruka pushed those thoughts away and decided that this had to be a trap. Sailor Saturn could not be trusted, and Haruka was not going to let herself be drawn in by that sad expression.

She wondered what the other two senshi thought about all of this, if they were more sympathetic to Saturn or not. Haruka glanced to them, first to Setsuna and then to Michiru, but she was not able to gauge either of their expressions.

Perhaps one day she would be able to tell what her comrades were thinking.

But the Queen had called this girl an ally, and Haruka wouldn't disobey the Queen. Not until Saturn acted out on her dark intentions.

In response to Hotaru's question, the Queen gestured towards the teleportation pad, glowing cold blue in the center of the small room. "You will be leaving for Earth now," she said. "Please walk onto the the pad, and I will begin the sequence. On each placement there is a satchel of supplies for each of you. There's enough to last you a few days, but by the time they run out, I would hope that you will have found a way into a more civilized area."

Haruka didn't hesitate to walk over to the teleportation pad, picking the spot in the back end of the circle, so that she could keep an eye on everyone in front of her. She slid the satchel over her shoulder, and awaited for everyone else to join her.

Her heart raced at the prospect of being on Earth for the first time. It wasn't fear, she didn't allow herself to be afraid of anything. But it was strikingly similar.

Hotaru's reaction to Haruka's hostility, which was more or less justified, was stronger than Michiru had expected. The younger senshi seemed different than how Michiru had initially pictured her, based on the warnings all senshi had received at some point. She was younger, and although there was a menacing aura surrounding her, without the Silence Glaive in her hand the girl looked a lot like any other senshi. Hotaru's teary, glimmering eyes made Michiru wonder if there were multiple layers of previously felt pain in those purple eyes, and she frowned for a second.

Michiru's thoughts about the younger senshi were contradictory. A part of her wanted to put aside the feelings that had been born after she had heard about the girl's destructive powers, but her mind told her to be careful and to not let her guard drop down. So she blinked once and remained in her position, not showing the thoughts that were colliding inside her mind. There would come a time for this kind of topic later, so it was no use to dwell on it now. At the moment their first priority was Earth's possible threat to the Moon Kingdom.

The Queen's statement made Michiru's head rise a little bit when she listened to her words. "We are leaving already?" she thought, silently glancing every member of their group before turning her eyes to the direction of the teleportation pads. "In that case we'll need to make the final decisions on Earth."

Michiru let out a small puff of air to settle the thoughts that had started to run faster again after hearing how close they were to see the Earth for the first time, and she quickly walked to the teleportation pads. She chose the pad on Haruka's right side, closer to the group, and took her place.

Her satchel was soon picked up and now hung on her shoulders after some adjusting, and she looked at their queen and the two remaining senshi, waiting for them to join her and the blonde senshi. One corner of her mouth rose up to a small, almost smile like gesture, but she couldn't exactly tell why. Perhaps her subconscious was trying to reassure her that everything would go well, although there was no guarantee of what could happen once they were on Earth. Suddenly she was more aware of the growing emotion in her chest. She couldn't call it excitement, as it was much closer to anxiety, and it made her feel uncertain.

Once everyone was in their place, Queen Serenity stood in front of the control panel, her hand hovering over the buttons. She was silent for a moment, looking to each girl in turn. "I do not expect this to be an easy task," she said. "I know that it will be a bit of shock for all of you, to be on this planet, away from your posts."

She paused, a calm almost apologetic smile on her lips. But her eyes were serious and hard. "Good luck. Everyone is counting on you."

Haruka wanted to say something, to reassure the Queen that everything would be okay. That they would do everything in their power to complete the task that the Queen had given them.

But before anything could be said, Queen Serenity pressed in the correct sequence of buttons, and then the group of senshi were being teleported away from the moon, and onto the planet Earth.

It was a strange sensation, almost painful and kind of ticklish as and her mind became blank. It felt as though she wanted to move, tried to move, but was completely unable to do anything as everything else moved around her. It could have lasted seconds, or hours. Haruka wasn't certain.

With a white flash of energy, everything came crashing back into focus, and she stumbled forward, though she was able to keep her footing before falling.

Everything was incredibly bright, almost painfully so. There was a floral scent to the air, and as her eyes adjusted to the brightness, Haruka looked around. They had been teleported into some sort of thick forest. It was not something Haruka was used to seeing, and she didn't spend much time taking it in. It was the cool wind breeze that caught her attention most. It was comforting to feel the wind against her skin.

Haruka turned to look at her comrades, moving from one to the other before settling on Hotaru. She did not trust this girl, but she was also a senshi, and they all had a mission to do.

"Is everyone okay?" Haruka said to them all. She didn't wait for answers as she turned around and began looking for a path to lead them out of this forest. "We should get moving. Once we find a village, we can figure out where the castle is from there."

The Queen's last words earned a sharp inhale from Michiru. She felt her fingers tightening around the straps of her satchel, albeit only for a moment, and her eyebrows twitched as a sign of unrest. The woman stayed silent and watched as their Queen entered the command to send them off to Earth. The excitement and slight fear was replaced by something else as Michiru yet again thought about their upcoming task. This was real, every part of it. The Queen's silhouette was the last thing Michiru saw before the teleporters lit up and everything went black.

Michiru could only feel everything around her was moving, although she couldn't even move her own fingers. The feeling was strange to describe, being inside a kind of flow that reminded her of strong rivers or storms. After a blast of energy that sent her balance off, the sensation was gone and the surrounding world's presence came back.

She was sent falling to the ground after losing her balance momentarily, several thumps following shortly afterwards. It was quiet for while before the nature's voices filled the air again. When Michiru opened her eyes, her mind instantly debated on whether she should squint them or open them wider since the view could only be described as astounding. Everything surrounding them, the trees, the sky, the plants, were all so bright. So alive. It took Michiru by surprise since nothing she had heard of the Earth was quite like the forest she now saw around them, and her fingers had stopped their search for the satchel that had fallen off her shoulder during the landing.

The blowing wind caught her attention seconds later, its sound like gentle whispers in her ears. The air was a tiny bit harder to breathe in, since it felt heavier than she had got used to, but it was fresher, carrying multiple scents unknown to her. There was a scent she recognized, though, although it was very faint and almost covered by the forest. Water. No sea was seen anywhere nearby, but the scent was still there, lingering in the air.

After a moment Michiru stood up, picking her satchel by the straps on the way as she answered the taller woman's question with a short reply.

"Do you have a feeling about which way to pick?" she asked the senshi who was facing them all. The last thing needed was for them to get lost in this thick forest on a planet foreign to them, and Michiru had a feeling if somebody knew what way to go, it would be the senshi of the wind. She turned to look at the other two senshi after voicing her question.

"Are you two alright?" she asked, keeping her guard on when her eyes settled on Saturn. But after a moment of consideration, the look in her eyes softened. She remained in her position, looking at both senshi again, her head slightly tilted to one side.

Haruka looked to the first woman who spoke. What was her name again? Staring at the soft waves of hair and those deep blue eyes, the name came back to her in an instant. Michiru.

Realizing that she was staring, Haruka was thankful that Michiru had turned her attention onto the rest of their group, giving Haruka a moment to get herself under check. What was wrong with her? If she was going to make sure this mission was successful, there was no way she could spend her time with distractions.

No matter how pretty they were.

As Michiru checked on the status of the other two, Haruka closed her eyes, focusing her power and feeling for the wind. Michiru had asked a valid question, and now Haruka was going to do her best to find the answer. With the constant feel of the wind against her skin, Haruka was certain she could figure out which way would lead towards a village.

Though a part of her wanted to be annoyed that they had not been given directions before teleporting all the way here.

The wind whispered to her, telling her the secrets it held within. With her eyes closed, she could see the wind pulling at her, gently showing her the way she wanted to go.

Opening her eyes again, Haruka turned towards her fellow senshi. She wasn't sure if they had said anything more in the moments it took her to feel the wind's calling, but she didn't particularly care, either.

"I know where we need to go," Haruka told them. There was an impatient quality to her voice that she didn't bother to try to hide. She looked at each girl expectantly, waiting for them to be ready. "Let's get moving before it turns dark."

After Michiru had checked and confirmed the two other senshi were okay, she raised her head and turned to Haruka who looked to wear a concentrated expression on her face. It only took a moment before the silence was cut by her words, telling the others she knew where to go. A tiny smile appeared on Michiru's face before she hid it under a stern expression. Now they only had to follow Haruka and trust her and her abilities to guide them, but for some reason that train of thought didn't feel so foreign anymore. Michiru started walking in Haruka's footsteps, and voices of boot soles connecting with the ground in a steady rhythm were heard behind her.

The air was fairly warm, but could not be described tropic nor all that humid. When the wind blew the warmth on Michiru's arms and face, it created a strange but pleasant feeling since the wind wasn't cold like what she had got used to, instead wrapping around her like a cape.

On their way out of the wild nature, her vision had been filled with hues of so many different colors she hadn't even thought such rich colors could exist all in one place. She was glad Haruka was leading them a direct goal in mind, since it was probably possible to get lost in this forest for days, and they had to get out the faster the better. The journey had taken a reasonable amount of time already, but would you expect something else after being transported in the middle of a huge forest with not much knowledge about the surroundings?

Michiru frowned in her thoughts, wondering why they had not been given more instructions before being teleported. "Could it be for us to get to work together better? To make us more united as a team?" Admittedly that would make them work as a team, but the thought felt strange. What was sure was that in this world full of colors and life, they needed to rely on their senses more than before on their home planets.

After a while it seemed like everything around them was brightening little by little, like someone was opening the curtains of a window in the morning. The light played on every surface it happened to reach, creating maps of light and shadows that looked to almost have a life of their own. Michiru's steps had quickened without her noticing, and in half a minute she watched as the blonde senshi ahead of her guided the group to the edge of the thick forest, the bright light making it hard to look ahead without squinting. But through the brightness buildings could be seen in the distance.

ooc:

Haruka was pleased to see that the others followed after her without much fuss. She listened to the wind, allowing it to lead her to the right path, but she did not give all of her attention away. She still kept an eye on the other senshi, making sure that they did not fall behind. Haruka knew that she had a tendency to speed ahead of most people.

She also continued to look at every move that Hotaru happened to make, just in case.

It was always better to be on the alert than to be caught off guard. And Sailor Saturn would be the worst kind of enemy to give that kind of advantage to.

Haruka wondered if she would ever be able to see past Hotaru's senshi persona. She had no problems seeing Setsuna and Michiru in that light. Seeing the person behind the senshi was easy when she looked at the two of them, even though Setsuna's reputation as the Guardian of Time was almost as renowned as Saturn's reputation.

But the other two were not known solely for the amount of total destruction they could cause, either.

Haruka was not sure how long they spent walking through the forest, but when the forest began to clear, she spotted the sight of various buildings in the distance. They were crude buildings, made of clay and wood, small and compact. They were nothing at all like the grand constructions of intricate stonework that could be found on the Moon.

Stepping completely out of the forest, Haruka paused, a hint of hesitation gripping at her. She saw people walking in the town, going about their daily lives, and Haruka stared at them. They looked human enough, but what were Earthlings truly like? So many rumors were whispered about what it was like on Earth, but what was the truth?

Well, they were going to find out soon enough, it seemed.

Haruka looked back to her fellow senshi. "Remember, we have to try to fit in," she reminded them. She then turned back and began to walk towards the village. There was no hint of the castle that was the true destination, but at least they had found a place to give them better directions.

She just hoped that she and the others would be able to pass themselves off as genuine Earthlings.

OOC:

The buildings in front of them differed from those Michiru had got used to seeing. Instead of constructed of marble or other metamorphic rocks, these buildings were made of materials the citizens could find near them, and which were easier to shape. They appeared to be closer to the nature of Earth, and some would probably say that they were almost like a part of it, small and practical. There were no signs of a castle anywhere nearby, but the group was out of the forest and one step closer to their destination.

From the corner of her eye, Michiru noticed Haruka pausing for a bit when they were watching the people of the town, still outside. From far, they seemed to be living a normal, happy day. But how different were those people and their culture from the senshi in reality? There was only so much they could learn about the people of Earth without living among them, and most of the images Michiru had formed of the Earth's Kingdom were based on rumors and whispered stories. Regardless, like Haruka reminded them, the group had to fit in or their plan would be a failed case.

On their way to the town, Michiru found herself quickening her steps, careful not to trip over when she reached Haruka. "Thank you for leading us out so fast. We would still be in that forest without your help" she told the blonde senshi and returned to her previous place behind the group's current leader.

When they entered the village, the atmosphere felt different from the impression Michiru had got while still watching the Earthlings from far away. It couldn't be explained well since she had not experienced this kind of feeling before, but there seemed to be an unknown emotion behind the eyes of some villagers, like an almost invisible shadow. Despite feeling uneasy when she noticed this, Michiru pushed the thought to the back of her mind as it could have as well been just a strange feeling caused by the unfamiliar environment. That didn't stop her body from tensing up momentarily, though.

Being surrounded by so many people felt foreign, like they were out of place in this town. Looking straight ahead, Michiru kept most of her focus on the people around them when the group proceeded to walk deeper into the maze of small buildings. She tried to listen to the citizens' chatting in case somebody happened to mention the castle they were trying to find, and to get a better view of what the Earthlings usually discussed about. If the lively streets were anything to go by, the task of finding information about their destination could be completed fast, hopefully.

ooc:

The group had traveled for a while in silence, and so it surprised Haruka when she heard Michiru thanking her for leading them out of the forest. Haruka glanced over to the other woman, but before she could say anything in return, Michiru had already fallen back. Haruka didn't even know what to say to that kind of comment.

Somehow, it left her feeling flustered.

The village was different than any other village that Haruka had been in, but in a way, it was similar as well. Humans still lived here and worked together and laughed together. But there was a heaviness in the air, something that was almost impossible to feel other than to those who had special powers. Haruka knew that her otherworldly senses were incredibly limited, but she could feel that shadowed aura, and she wondered if the others could feel it too.

Haruka saw that there were people looking at the senshi now that they had fully entered the village. Some didn't seem to care too much about the newcomers, but others were very interested and stared unabashedly.

As she wondered how best to approach one of these villagers, the decision was made for her as two women stepped forward. They both wore homespun brown dresses that were simplistic but looked well made despite the poor quality of material. They both were smiling as well, though Haruka wondered if she was only imagining the hint of distrust she saw in their eyes, or if it was truly there.

"We'd like to welcome you to our village. I am Marianne and this is Elisabeth." The woman spoke loudly, but she seemed nice enough.

Haruka put on her own kind of charm, and returned the smile. It was time to be diplomatic and find the directions to the castle quickly. "I am Haruka. Nice to meet you."

The woman glanced over to the rest of the senshi group, focusing her eyes on Michiru next. "Oh, and is this your wife?"

The comment took Haruka by surprise, but only for a moment. "Yes. Yes she is." Haruka carefully did not look at Michiru. The assumption that she was male was not the surprising part, as Haruka knew that most people tended to think she was a man when they first looked at her, and most times Haruka even encouraged that kind of thinking. And going along with what these women assumed would make things easier, rather than taking the time to correct them.

But she wondered if Michiru would be okay with being called 'wife' by essentially a stranger.