[011 ☿] Silent Planet Mercury

[waterfell]

Unearthly quiet falls over everything. This place is empty and barren; nothing grows in its desolate grey soil. It's a void without atmosphere, but those who arrive here find themselves able breathe normally and withstand the incredible heat of planet Mercury's sun-turned side

Comments

[burnamotherdown]

[Axel winces a little in the face of such a bright light, but he's a little surprised to hear Mercury- especially Mercury, of all people- whimper like she does. It wasn't that bad, was it?

He hesitates to reach out to her at first; Mercury doesn't seem like the touchy-feely type- but after a moment, concern wins out and he's turning to place one hand on her shoulder, while using the other to protect his eyes.]

You okay?

[waterfell]

[It wasn't that bad, unless you happen to be a girl who lost herself to the Darkness a long time ago, a girl cast off and forgotten by the Light that burns and blinds her now. Her jaw tightens, and her fist clenches at her side to help her push back the reaction, before she turns away from it and turns a surprised face towards Axel.

The words she wants don't come. Her mouth does not form the shape of 'I'm fine' even though she intends for it to. She does not step away from his hand like she should. Instead, some of the tension leaves her shoulders finally.]

It's passed, now. [As if this means it was nothing to start with.]

[burnamotherdown]

[Axel knows a lot about darkness, and being lost to it. Fortunately for him, however, this light doesn't seem to be affecting him the same way it does Mercury. If he'd really been thinking about it, he'd probably assume it was because no matter how realistic any dream was, in reality he was still entirely enveloped by the darkness.

But then, Axel also knew that some of his dreams lately were some kind of weird exception to every rule... and they were also starting to feel like more and more of a reality then the void he was left wandering otherwise.

His lips curl into a half-smile for a moment, but something about his expression remains questioning. Axel's still not entirely convinced she's doing okay.]

Yeah, but that's not what I asked.

[waterfell]

[He's supposed to be brushed off by that cool response, not persist. She takes a breath before answering. She isn't sure herself, yet, what exactly just happened; only that it isn't the first time she's felt the same holy light, looking in Venus' sacred mirror.

That time had hurt, too.]

It's nothing. [Nothing serious.] Just the light. [She's not being evasive; it's the truth. But pride forbids saying it hurts her. That much was pathetically obvious already.]

If you're here... Is this a dream?

[burnamotherdown]

[Sorry, Mercury. He's almost as stubborn as you.

Axel draws his hand back to rest it on his hip, watching Ami carefully. Why was she so keen on hiding what she was feeling? Not that he could really talk about feelings.]

Yeah. I guess so. Where are we?

[waterfell]

This is planet Mercury. [Don't mistake it for the Moon, though the crater-ridden surface is very similar.] We're near the Caloris Basin, where the Mercury Kingdom had its important center in the past.

[burnamotherdown]

So... what does that mean?

[Most of that went over his head.]

[waterfell]

[The answer is so very, painfully, simple.]

This is where my kingdom was, in the distant past.

[burnamotherdown]

[He frowns for a second, her wording seems a little off to him. 'My' kingdom?]

So you used to live here? It's uh... [How to not be an asshole right now? Axel scratches his neck awkwardly.]

Well, it... what happened?

[waterfell]

[It's hard to believe it now, with the eerie quiet and utter lack of life. However, Mercury seems far too serious for it to be any joke or lie. This kingdom was the one she should have one day ruled, the one she was born to as its princess.]

When I was young, I was sent to the Moon Kingdom. The princesses of Mars, Jupiter, and Venus also were. Later, a war broke out between the Earth and Moon. We fought to defend the princess.

And in the end, she destroyed everything. The moon princess. Sailor Moon. Tsukino Usagi.

[She repeats each name almost like a mantra, a reminder to herself and a clear signal to Axel that she does not excuse any form of the princess for the crimes of the one.

And as he hears the tale, one part is as wrong as the silence here: It was the princess she served and protected, that destroyed her and her lands.]