>>39850858
She nods and resumes hugging you. Her earlier tears cut off by the unique circumstances that continues to be your lives. This left, the two of you sit together awkwardly for a moment, your younger sister sliding her bowl over and absentmindedly stirring the thick soup that remains of her sundae.


You are Mikage Chiba, second year highschool student 15 years old. You were once the Champion of Love & Justice known as Sailor Moon. The third to bear that mantle after your mother and older sister. Now it belongs to your younger sister, Koyomi.

~Hey,~ you nudge her in the side and shoulder your bag, ~We’re at the arcade, let's play some video games,~

A soft smile spreads across Koyomi’s features as she nods. A moment later she hops up from the booth with her fists tight and punching into the air.

“Alright! Lets do this! A round of something co-op and then I’m thinking we go head to head in something,” she shoots you a thumbs up and soon you are swept away in a few hours of fun.

Classic Sailor V in cooperative mode. Going head to head on the motorcycle racing game with the ride on motorcycle peripherals. Its a blast playing with your sister, even when it's a touch competitive. The entire thing goes by quickly between shared cheers, jeers, and playful shoves between the two of you. There is laughter between the two of you as the other patrons of the arcade return to their own business and games despite the strange happening earlier.

“On your left!” Koyomi call out as she shoots offscreen to reload as the two of you storm a zombie infested house of the dead.

~Coming up on your tail, sis,~ you tease as you speed past her on a motorcycle peripheral.

Combos in fighting games, sharp shooting on rail shooters, and racing at breakneck pace. You play. The two of you play together. Its good.

>>39850864
Soon, you realize that the hour is growing late. The two of you settle your bill, and bid goodbye to the attendant, Yeon.

He is as pleasant as usual, and Koyomi is her usual flirtatious self on the matter.

>Head for home, big family dinner is waiting
>Talk to Koyomi about something
>Avoid going home just yet, stall for time
>Call someone
>Write in

>>39850876
>Avoid going home just yet, stall for time

>>39850876
>Think about what happened today
Maybe talk too. Lot happened, even if we exclude mysterious side quest that seems to have been off screened.

>>39850876
>>Head for home, big family dinner is waiting
the key words are "family" and "dinner".

>>39850992
That will continue, there are other matters delaying that. However it will be resolved, and come together.

Give this a few more minutes for a final and decisive vote.

>>39850864
>>Head for home, big family dinner is waiting

And writing

>>39850876

>Head for home, big family dinner is waiting

Might be good to prevent more emotional drama preventing before they go off. Less chance of shadow stuff and what not.

Coursing through the streets of downtown Juuban, the two of you laugh and joke about your time together. Briefly, you think back to your exchanges with Rin and Aiha. Their stresses and worries; then to your explorations with Kairi. The long day over, you and your sister head home. Relaxing as the walk is, you do impart to Koyomi that she should give Rin and Aiha some of her patented smiles and good friendship when tomorrow dawns.

“Did something happen?” she queries as the two of you approach the front steps of your home.

Sweet and warm home, though you pause. There is a familiar car parked in the driveway ahead of your father’s vehicle. Its enough to brace you, the awareness that Tomoe-sensei was here.

Well, if she’s here then it is likely that Usa-neechan is out of the hospital. Do mom and dad know about them? That might make for awkward dinner conversation?

~A bit, it's probably better if you hear it from them,~ you smile and lay a hand on her shoulder, ~And then just be a good friend,~

“Man, I wonder what mom made for dinner,” she hums to herself after nodding to your assertion.

~Something delicious,~ you reason, ~And there’s probably plenty to go around,~

She pauses in front of the door.

>>39851851

“I’m going to miss her...and Usa-neesan,”

~So am I,~ you sigh, ~but we’ll be okay. We’ll have each other,~

“Y-yeah,” she hesitates and then grabs and squeezes your hand, “Thanks, nee-chan, for today,”

You beam at that. You beam and are glad you chose to step back into the world. Grabbing the door you open it wide and are greeted by an unexpected sight in the living room.

Your big sister, Usa, is sprawled out on the couch. Her head rests in the lap of your Tomoe-sensei; while her feet sit in the hands of a man clad in a white cotton shirt and simple black pants. The shock white hair and the smile on his face are unmistakable as Helios. He is busy rubbing your elder sister’s feet, while Tomoe-sensei stares at him in slight jealousy while her fingers dig into the relaxing pink haired woman’s shoulders.

All this registers with you before Koyomi reacts or they notice you.

>Break up this display
>Nope. Just, nope.
>Walk past, ignore
>Say something, what?
>Write in

>>39851871
>Nope. Just, nope.
Not even gonna touch this situation with a ten foot pole. Let's go back outside.

>>39851871
>Walk past, ignore

>>39851871
>>Walk past, ignore
what would Rena do?

Go for the food

>>39852400
She may have Hotaru and unicorn boy, but she who controls the rice controls the universe

>>39852476
the rice must flow

Writing

>>39851871
Nope

Just

nope.

>>39851871
>Walk past, ignore

“Eh?” Koyomi queries at the scene as you kick off your shoes and stride across the living room and head toward the kitchen.

“Ah, Mikage-chan, Koyomi-chan!” your sister smiles beneath the ministrations of her two lovers.

Does Koyomi have any idea? The things such a revelation could inspire her too...you’d rather not be there to see any form of realization of the sort on her face. Especially considering it is already spreading across your face. You suppress the blushing warmth and continue onward, not even sparing Helios or Tomoe-sensei a second look.

She stares at...whatever this is. You cross the archway into the kitchen and see your mother busily working on dinner along with your father. Veggies are being chopped. Meats are being simmered. Helpings of rice are being prepared in the cooker.

Sparing a glance back toward the living room, you see your little sister engaging Usa, Helios, and Tomoe-Sensei talking. Not your problem anymore, nope.

>Head out into the back yard before dinner, relax and compose yourself
>Offer to help mom and dad in the kitchen with various tasks and prepare for dinner
>Grab a bite to eat behind their backs, it has been a while since your last meal
>back out and head upstairs to compose yourself in your room
>write in

>>39853010
>>Head out into the back yard before dinner, relax and compose yourself

>>39853010
>>Offer to help mom and dad in the kitchen with various tasks and prepare for dinner
Mom is the only reason I havent nope'd out of this already

>>39853010
>Offer to help mom and dad in the kitchen with various tasks and prepare for dinner

Writing, sorry for the delay, had dinner.

>>39853010
>"ARE YOU REALLY OKAY WITH WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE?!"

The question HAS TO

HAS TO BE ASKED

>>39853902
But first, just what is going on out there?

>>39854012
CALL ME QUEEN!

>>39853902
not yet.

There may be fireworks later, but right now we need to keep a lid on it for the sake of those departing.

Assuming that mom and dad aren't being just as touchy-feely, because that it justifaction for blue-screen

>>39854070
If the 'rents are at it too, we cover Koyomi's eyes and nope out.

~Can I help out?~ you raise your voice and draw the attention of your mother and father.

“Oh, Mikage?” you mother smiles at your presence and sets you to work with her on chopping veggies to be sauted.

Your father ruffles your hair and winks at you. Briefly you wonder about what happened in Magician’s lair after you left, and just where he hid the contents of the secret room. He seems fine though, so you don’t press on it yet. Mom seems to be unaware of it, and judging by dad’s state of dress he only just got back before you and Koyomi.

“WAIT, you mean…” your attention is drawn back to the living room for a second as Koyomi shrieks in confusion at something which you’d rather not think about.

“Chiba-san, please try to think of this maturely,” Tomoe-sensei explains calmly, “And no, we aren’t what you would call a-”

There, right there, you stop listening. Your dad sighs and shakes his head in mild annoyance. Your mother chuckles to herself, well it looks like she knew...as much as it mildly bothers you to think of.

“At least I didn’t have to explain it to her,” you mother smiles to herself and then looks to you appraisingly, “How was your day, honey?” she asks absentmindedly as you pick up the knife and get to chopping beside her.

What didn’t you do today? Well, best to stick to local events. Your mother’s reaction concerns you. Is she trying to gauge what you know about your sister, Helios, and Tomoe-sensei. Wait...she isn’t broken up about anything? Just how much does she know?

>J'ACCUSE!
>Tell her you don’t want to talk about
>Nothing is going on, keep to these veggies
>Talk about something that happened today, what?
>Distract her with Dad’s clone ancient earth mom
>Distract her with something else, what?
>Write in

>>39854115
>J'ACCUSE!
Then
>Distract her with Dad’s clone ancient earth mom

>>39854115
>Nothing is going on, keep to these veggies
>Let's talk about the weather today!

I think the Dad Ancient Evil Mom thing is something Dad should bring up, not us.

>>39854234
Actually, modifying this, let's talk about the girl that we saved.

>>39854115
>>Write in
"I think I can honestly say that today is the quietest and most relaxing day I've had in as long as I can remember."

>>39854115
Changing from this >>39854217
to
>J'ACCUSE!
then >>39854261

>>39854106
>“WAIT, you mean…” your attention is drawn back to the living room for a second as Koyomi shrieks in confusion at something which you’d rather not think about.
Woe unto the earth, Koyomi just found out she CAN have ALL the partners

>>39854521
We should have dragged her away.

Writing

>>39854571
Koyomi is a big girl (and crybaby), the time for handholding is over.

>>39854636
More accurately, beginning

>>39854869
She could hold TWO hands at once no problem.

>>39854636
No, we should have handheld her MORE because NOW she's going down the path of hedonism

>>39854912
>Evil mode Koyomi in a leather one piece corset, gloves, and boots. A cape on her shoulders and a whip on her hip
>uses Sasha on all fours as a chair, Gai as a table
>Yeon serving her a slice of strawberry cake
>Koito pouring her coffee.
>OOOOOHohohohoho

You wheel around to face your mother and stare at her wide eyed, knife pointed down and finger pointed at her.

~You knew!~ you declare in a hushed should then look back toward the door into the living room and back to her, ~How- you know what, nope. Nevermind, just nope,~

This leaves your father actually and heartily laughing while your mother finally has the good sense to look embarrassed and sheepish. You zero in on chopping up veggies and grumble to yourself about all this...this insanity.

“Heh...well I pay attention to my girls,” she admits while scratching the back of her head, “I mean, I’m not that oblivious. Wait, no changing the subject! How was your day?”

Chop chop chop. Dicing some peppers and seeding some chilis. Teary eyed with onions up next.

~Well, Kairi and I found a shadow girl skulking around Magician’s lair,~ you explain and shrug your shoulders as you dive into your veggie world on the cutting board.

“Shadow girl? Another monster?” she queries while your father turns over the simmering meats in the pan.

~Would be monster. She was kinda...useless,~ you explain, ~Just a girl without any confidence. Purified her, no snacking,~

“Ah,” she nods and washes a few more things for the cutting board, “So do you still get that hunger or,”

~Yes...but it isn’t the same and I’m trying not to give in to it all the time,~ you explain, ~Though she is a nice girl, if completely without social skills. Kairi is looking after her,~

“Yeah, actually I wound up getting involved in things,” your father explains to your mother with a heavy look in his eyes, “There are a few things we need to talk about, but we can do it later and in private,”

It hangs between the two of them…

“Tonight is supposed to a happy night,” he breaks the thick tension with a smile.

Your mother leans past you and kisses your father on the cheek.

>>39855779

The three of you make quick work of the dinner spread your mother decided on for tonight’s meal. Fried strips of beef and pork tossed in sauteed vegetables in a sweet and smokey sauce. Piles of rice are set in personal bowls for everyone. Soon enough, your mother sets you to clearing the table and setting it for everyone.

Places are set for yourself, mother, father, Koyomi, Usa, Tomoe-sensei, and Helios. You momentarily ask after Luna and the Dianas.

“Luna said they were doing something with Artemis tonight,” your mother explains as she washes her hands and heads into the living room; your father had left to get changed into something more comfortable while you had started setting the table.

You catch a glimpse of Koyomi sitting rapt with attention as Usa quietly explains something to her a wide grin on her face. Tomoe-sensei seems suitably embarrassed and Helios is nowhere to be seen.

“I hope to enjoy this family meal,” a voice smiles behind you, “I haven’t been part of a real one for quite a long time,”

Helios sits there at the place you set for him. Idly looking at a spoon set out for a soup your mother had made earlier.

>Quietly wait for the others to get back
>Engage Helios in conversation, about what?
>Go into the living room, separate Koyomi from Usa
>Sit down at the table
>Write in

>>39855802
>>Sit down at the table

>>39855802
>Engage Helios in conversation, about what?
We really don't know him that well. Hey, he was around for Elysium and is the caretaker of its memory, lets ask him what it was like, when things weregood.

>>39855802
>>Engage Helios in conversation, about what?
What do we actually know about Helios? Other than his apparent foot-fetish?

>>39856163
giving footrubs is not indicative of a foot fetish. Usa just got out of the hospital, and probably spent the whole of the time freeze on her feet messing with Helios and Hotaru. These footrubs are probably for her benefit.

>>39856290
Yeah, but you've got to admit it's a killer put-down

>>39855802
>Go into the living room, separate Koyomi from Usa
>Engage Helios in conversation, about what?

>>39856388
We don't really need a put down for him.
Besides, a put down would just slide off his zen and be wasted.
Then we'd get foot rub tips.

Writing, sorry, was destracted by parent's dogs.

>>39856684
he requires gentle chiding so he knows not to pull that crap in the front room, right in front of Koyomi next time.

You move over to the table, take the spoon from him, and return it to the place setting. Honestly, aside from the time you sat in the lap of his villainous shadow, this is the first time you’ll have ever really spoken with him. He’s this aloof figure from your misinterpreted childhood dreams, beautiful and charming in his calm way. You know him to a certain degree, but through the filter of believing Usa’s dreams with him were your own...when emotions passed between the two of them that you were too young to understand.

“Sorry,” he smiles, “I didn’t mean to disturb the setting,”

~No, thats not it,~ you struggle with your words, ~So...you were around during Elysion, right, when the Silver Millennium was in full swing?~

He leans back and seems in reflective thought.

“Well, I spent most of it outside of reality. Not fully sunken into the dreamscape...but for most of that time I was just an observer,” he shrugs, “I was already older than my form would have suggested by the time it all fell, a pure child picked from a young age to harbor the golden crystal,”

~So, you saw it all,~ you step to the other side of the table and into the center of his field of vision, ~Even my mom and dad meeting and falling in love?~

“Yes, but time and reincarnation being what they are, would you believe I didn’t properly recognize their current incarnations when I first saw them,” he laughs.

>>39857646

~I don’t see why that’s funny,~ you shrug.

“No, I don’t suppose it would be to anyone but me,” he leans forward on the table.

~So...what were mom’s other parents like? What were my dad’s other parent’s like?~ you venture carefully toward the subject of Queen Kalyke.

“Hmmm,” he thinks to himself a moment as your younger sister shuffles into the room, blushing furiously and changed into an oversized pink sweater.

“I don’t actually remember Queen Serenity having a king or consort,” he surmises, “Though the king and queen of Elysion were admirable folks. King Aethelios was wise and kind; he left rule to his son when he came of age and rarely intervened after. Queen Kalyke was a beautiful and kind soul as well...Its sad thinking about how things went for all of them. Beryl especially,”

He smirks here and looks up at you as Koyomi shuffles into her seat whilst deep in thought herself.

“Then again, for giving that sadness a happy ending, I have to thank you,”

You blush under his praise; it's a reflex. Pavlovian response from years ago.

>write in

>>39857673
Make an allusion to the time stop and inquire as to what Usa might have done.

>>39857673
Do you know how to repair the Golden Crystal? Setsuna suggeted there were ways to mend it that didn't require massive trauma first.. I'd like to avoid that path.

>>39857945
Yeah I guess this.

Writing momentarily

>>39858420
Alright, got my request in, back to writing.

~So,~ you nod at his assertions and push aside the blushing and take your own seat at the table and pull out your locket, ~On to more pressing matter, do you know how I can repair the golden crystal?~

Popping the white faux plastic casing open, the room is set in the soft glow of the half and two fourths of the crystal, held in place by the forces of your locket. The seams of the points of the split remain quite visible, and gazing upon it puts a certain look of remembrance and regret onto Helios’s features.

He reaches up and closes the locket, and your hand around it. Wistfully he looks out the window and gazes at the dying light of the sun as he gently pushes your hand away.

Koyomi stops blushing and looks back and forth between the two of you in curious interest. Her eyes linger on your locket, and her thoughts likely on the contents there in.

“I spent a very long time as a part of the crystal’s existence,” he says calmly and simply, “I broke it in desperation before...and you’ve already found all the pieces,”

~Yeah...it was actually kind of easy,~ you shrug, ~Events kinda gravitated toward me...anyway, I was talking to Meioh-san and she said that a great trauma or danger could draw it back together while it was in my possession...I’d like to avoid that if possible,~

He nods slowly.

>>39859735

“I imagine you would...hmm” he leans back, “I can offer you two ideas. First, you could meditate on the crystal while trying to draw on its power...but that has as much chance of blowing up in your face,”

~And the second?~

“Ho- ah, sorry. Tomoe-san has some equipment reverse engineered from her youth and improved upon by her own theories which have repaired heart crystals and fractured Starseeds,” he explains, “For either method, frankly, I would try to use her facilities beneath Mugen Gakusei...if only for their shielding,”

Even if you and Tomoe-Sensei have worked out enough of your issues for you to not immediately be filled with hate at the sight of her, you are still a bit uncertain of stepping into her mad science lab. Even when you were her student...that place gave you the creeps. It was so clean...too clean. Sterile, like the way you used to think SHE was.

Koyomi glances up to you.

“Nee-san,” she asks carefully, “When its whole...are you going to join up with us? I mean officially,”

>Tell her you will
>Tell her you aren’t certain
>No, you intend to use the crystal for your own ends
>Say nothing, its dinner time
>Write in

>>39859768
>Say nothing, its dinner time

>>39859768
>Say nothing, its dinner time

>>39859768
I am and will always be your ally, dear sister."
Give a bit of the regal thing there.
"..even if I'm still working out the form and details." Sheepish grin.
"

>>39859768
>Say nothing, it's dinner time

Food first. Especially with these captchas

Hm, occurs to me that we should take an opportunity this evening to formally request to the Queen of the Moon that the Golden Crystal be released to our care, offically discharging Helios' task.

>>39859768
>Say nothing, its dinner time

>>39859768
>>Tell her you aren’t certain

Writing

>>39859768
>>Tell her you aren’t certain
"I'm not interested in power for the sake of power."

You regard her carefully and return the necklace to its place beneath your shirt. Picking up your spoon you go and move the serving bowl for the soup to the table. Mom returns then, as does your father, Usa-neesan and Tomoe-sensei not far behind them.

After all, it is supposed to be a family dinner.

Your sister’s query gets lost in the hubbub of an energetic and happy, if the underlying purpose is sombre, family dinner. There is conversation and life at this table, Tomoe-sensei and Helios of course thankful to your parents for inviting them over. It lasts a while, courses prepared and cooked to perfection and significant portion.

Usa and mom wind up praising Koyomi for her efforts as Sailor Moon. Helios and Usa both wind up teasing Tomoe-sensei a bit, and your father and you have a short conversation about the work he’s been doing at the Metro building. Then your mother interjects and asks your father if he’ll be okay keeping house while she’s gone.

“I’ll be fine, Usako,” he leans over and kisses her cheek, “Our girls are very self sufficient,”

Well, not that you like to brag…

“Though I may have a bit of trouble making sure Koyomi gets up on time” he teases.

“HEY!” cries your little sister.

Dinner lasts a while, and as the evening winds down, everyone begins splitting off for the night. Now what to do with yourself.

>Head to your room
>Help clean up
>Hang out in the living room
>Go out to the back yard
>Follow _____ and talk about what?
>write in

>>39861685
>Help clean up

>>39861685
>Help clean up

>>39861685
Tag mom and Helios, formally request the Crystal be placed in your care.
Sure it may seem odd since we have it and given means to carry it safely. But it seems the right thing to do, offically ending the stewardship of the crystal and allowing an heir to the Earth to bear its Crystal.

>>39861917
Pretty please guys, I think this would be neat to do.

Writing

>>39862364
As everyone disperses throughout the house, you opt to help clean up after the meal along with your mother. You’re actually a bit surprised she’s cleaning up right now considering she was the primary architect of the evening.

“Just don’t want to leave any mess considering I’m not going to be home for a while,” she smiles as the two of your go about rinsing and washing while also packing away the leftovers.

~Alright, but this night was about seeing you off,~ you sigh, ~and you’ve already cooked the meal,~

She shrugs and smiles, that air of motherly authority takers her and she tuts at you with a raised finger. Motherly authority, you snicker at the thought considering how all over the place she normally is.

“Mikage-chan,” she says softly after the two of you return to work, “I know you’ll keep everyone safe while I’m gone...but don’t push yourself too hard. I need you to take care of yourself too, okay,”

Having the good sense to be embarrassed, you don’t speak much more until after all the work is done. And its just you and mom alone in the kitchen. Tomoe-Sensei, Usa, and Helios are out in the backyard, talking on the patio bench beneath the porchlight. Koyomi is watching something on TV with dad in the living room, and your mother is taking some ice cream out of the freezer to defrost.

>Eavesdrop on the patio
>See what the love birds are up to, but openly
>Go sit with Koyomi and dad
>Talk to mom about the ownership of the golden crystal
>Go to your room until desert
>Write in

>>39861917
I think that we pretty much already did that by taking possession of the crystal in the first place.

Plus the golden crystal is an Elysion thing isn't it? So we would have go to dad if we were going to have some official ceremony to relieve Helios of the duty.

>>39862582
>Go sit with Koyomi and dad

>>39862582
>Talk to mom about the ownership of the golden crystal

>>39862582
>Talk to mom about the ownership of the golden crystal

>>39862627
The Moon Kingdom was keeping the Golden Crystal from Elysium for their own good until they decided they could handle the power responsibly, with Helios named as caretaker and outside reality.
It was one of the beefs Beryl used to stir up resentment of the Moon Kingdom among the people of Earth to get them to attack.

In theory Helios was stuck with the task until the ruler of the Moon Kingdom decided the people of Earth could handle it.

writing

~Hey, mom,~ you venture carefully and draw the locket out from your shirt.

“Hmmm, yes honey?”

~I have a question...about the golden crystal,~ you say and hold the locket nervously.

“Oh?” she seems confused, “What do you need to ask me about the golden crystal?”

~Well...not about it...its...Queen Serenity charged Helios with it’s keeping, until it could be passed on to the people of the earth. right?~ you venture.

“That’s right?” she says, perplexed and confused as she dries her hands and fishes out an ice cream scoop from one of the kitchen drawers.

~Well...since you’re the heir to that authority, even if you aren’t actively queen of earth or the moon or anything…~ you nervously laugh, ~Could you maybe officially relieve Helios of his duty and recognize me as the crystal’s owner?~

She smiles a bit at the thought, then frowns, then smiles again. The uncertainty of how to respond seems to keep up for a moment.

“Young lady, even if I’m not the ruler of the world I’m still the queen of this household,” she scolds you before smiling, “So, I guess we can do something about that,”

She plucks the locket from your fingers and pulls it over your head and down the lengths of your tightly coiled tails and buns. WIth the necklace in hand, she beckons you to follow her as she strides toward the kitchen door and into the back yard. Helios, Usa, and Tomoe-sensei all turn to look at her as she casually strides out into the night air without slippers, and as she clears the patio and sets foot on the grass, your world is bathed in white light.

“Helios, as Heir to the house of Serenity I summon you to discuss your charge of duty,” a voice calls out.

>>39863425
Its blinding, and the garden is saturated with the familiar warmth of your mother’s power. As your vision returns, you find yourself clad in the white dress you wore in the dream where you fought Beryl within Keiko’s mind. It is white, pink, and has blue accents. Your skin is porcelain white and flawless...at least to you who normally knows every blemish or mark on your own arms.

Helios strides up beside you, in familiar clothes of white cotton and to your expectations of fashion perhaps too may tassels. He knees before your mother.

“I am already a guest in your home, your majesty, to what end do you formally call me to duty,” he queries with no small amount of worry and confusion.

“I call you here to officially end your duty. A suitable heir to the royal line of Elysion has come and the Golden Crystal shall be her’s to bear. Do you recognize the woman beside you? She is daughter of Endymion and myself, do you recognize her and acknowledge her as the Crystal’s intended recipient?”

Helios rises to his feet slowly and faces you.

“I recognize this woman, I know her and acknowledge her as the Heir to the thrones of the earth and the moon. The golden crystal is her’s,” he again faces your mother and bows at the waist, “Your majesty,”

~Mom?~

“Then by the authority vested in me, in the name of the moon, I do relinquish this golden crystal to the heir long awaited. It is yours to keep safe, use its power to protect this blue earth and one day guide it,”

She extends the locket to you from the light, you can see her a bit more clearly now. Clad in a white dress and sporting angelic wings. Your mother is luminous and resplendent.

Behind you, Tomoe-sensei and Usa-neechan watch from the patio. Your father and little sister stand in the open doorway to the kitchen investigating the light.

"Do you accept this, my child?"

>Take the locket
>Do not take the locket
>Write in

>>39863475
>Take the locket

>>39863475
>Take the locket

>>39863475
As heir to Elysium and the Moon and one that would see this world safe, I accept this responsibility.
..Thank you for your faith in me.

>>39863475
>>Take the locket

Damned if I know what we're planning to actually do with it, but I guess we can't not accept it after we had mom do that.

>>39863693
It is a super powerful artifact on par with the Silver Millennium Crystal, attuned to the Earth rather than the Moon.

Also, I believe this means Helios isn't required to live in Dream Elysium anymore as he was before. Even if he's been removed from it somehow at the moment.

So in short, to save the world and relieve Helios.

Writing.

...when will everything stop spinning, just...

>>39863879
Spinning? You alright over here?

>>39863795
I get what it is, but that isn't the same as a plan for what to do with it.
Are we going to be Sailor Moon again? An Earth orientated Senshi? Or are we going to keep fighting without it like we have been?

>>39863898
Its complicated...and keeps getting more complicated...like trying to mix a mohito while doing the macarena in zero gravity backwards.

You reach out into the light and carefully take the open locket. There is a pulsing energy in your hand, even though the crystal remains fractured both to your eye and your supernatural awarenesses.

Something resonates, deep within your heart. That pulsing warm light consumes you and draws you into your own mind’s eye.

It is a sea of white, and you remain in the white dress. The white dress of the princess you once shunned being.

She stands before you, your mirror. She is clad in the black dress of the dark lady, its long and voluminous sleeves crossed over her chest. She is worried, but there remains a certain happiness playing across her lips.

Whether its the earth beneath the shadow of the moon...or the moon beneath the shadow of the earth...the interplay between the two will always be around the idea of darkness.

~I understand that,~ you say and close the open locket in your hand.

Its true even within your...our sister, she sighs and uncrosses her arms,Whether it was her intention or not...the world knows her as Sailor New Moon. The start of the cycle anew, but still wreathed in the black of space. She has accepted the Silver Crystal, so its only right that she be the moon.

>>39864309
~I...don’t quite understand that,~ you say and tilt your head as her black dress begins blowing off of her frame, revealing something else entirely underneath.

Its a mutable idea, possibilities not yet given form. It could be a skirted fuku of black and pink accents. It could be a leotard and capelet with long gloves. It could be whoever you want to be along the theme of the idea.

Koyomi is the New Moon, the moon wreathed in the shadow of the earth. A union of their existences, your darkened benevolent id explains, We are the earth, but we are of the moon. We cast our shadow upon the moon and it dances a slow waltz across the surface and defy the cycle at our whim. She is the new moon...we…

She steps forward and closer to you in the white void, now full of the dark and misting dust falling from her person as the idea of her appearance and clothing continue to shift and explode off of her.

As the words leave her lips, you understand. Its an idea, its a barrier that has kept you in this odd state of schism despite being so often in agreement, in synch. Your denial, even partially, of who you are. As she sinks into you, and your dress is blackened by the ash of her own shifting vestments, you feel a step closer toward being whole.

We are the Eclipsed Moon

Eclipsed Moon Quest Episode 76
End

Interlude Vote
>Sound Test
>Rotten girl
>Feeling blue

>>39864393
>Rotten girl

>>39864393
>Sound Test

Thanks for running Arty!!

Thank you for participating in tonight's thread, /tg/.

Please comment, discuss, and vote on the interlude. Sorry the first attempt at this thread last week was a false start...hope this one was good.

>>39864349
Nice.

>>39864393
Sound test sounds interesting.

Oh shit, title drop?

>>39864495
Good times and I even caught most of it!

>>39863945
We aren't fighting without so much as that, when we awakened our personal power, we decided to keep it in the Always On version, rather than split part of it off to make a transformation item to transform into a stronger version while being weaker other times.

So we are always ready and don't need to transform to access all our abilities, though we do enjoy a variety of costumes.

As for why we need the Crystal, for one we decided to protect things of Elysium from the Enemy when we accepted the role of Earth Heir when prompted by the Shitennou.
Secondly, we need more juice to stand up to more powerful threats.
Thirdly, even if the other two didn't apply, the Enemy wants it, so we don't want them to have it.

I'll have to admit, while I thought formally accepting it would be an important step for us and Helios, I probably shouldn't have been surprised that it would have mystical results as well.

>>39864393
>>Rotten girl

>>39865241
It felt like our last chance to back out, that we had a choice at all.

>>39865241
Mystical results are fun.

>>39863945
We were always a Senshi. We will always be a Senshi

>>39865241
Wonderful breakdown and analysis.

>>39863795
Yay, we've done good.

Thanks for the thread artemis.

>>39870091
Have we?

>>39870917
You are welcome.

>>39868764
Thanks!

>>39865693
Well, we have done a lot of backing out.. followed by toing the water and diving headfirst into a thing. Theme seems to continue.

>>39870091
>>39871029
I think we have, though we have raised our profile a bit, within the family at least. We will have to ask that they don't mention the Crystal being recovered to PIT, save that reveal.

>>39874813
We will have our big damn heroes moment.

>>39874813
And there will be other opportunities to raise her profile, as it were.

>>39863945
Wonder if we can still say "Prism Power Make up" and turn shit up to 11.

>>39878887
I recall it came up once, long ago, and Art decided he would leave it to the dice to see if we could still pull off a connection to that abandoned path.

Personally, I am more curious to see if we can manage an 'Always On' version of a connection to the Golden Crystal, rather than a transformation or upgrade to a transformation.

>>39881732
Though we have moved further down our current path since then.