[Thread] I went to the seashore (OPEN)

[waterfell]

Characters: OU!Mercury, OPEN
When: shortly after the Usagis arrive
Where: park near the pond
Summary: Playing with her water powers! Mercury needs to get her bearings again.
Warnings: who knows?

Comments

[lady_azula]

One could have said Azula was pointedly trying to avoid those of her world, but would have been injured well after saying it. It hardly mattered that it was true: Azula had a reputation to keep. still, the whole ordeal with all of those from her world dying had been frightening, and she would have preferred to be away from them for the time being.

She was headed to the park again for a little bit of meditation by the fire. She could have opted for the waterside, but all that cold was still something she had to "warm up to," for lack of a better phrase. It seemed a good idea to clear her head, perhaps have some time to herself. She hadn't expected to see Mercury there, but observing her, she also didn't want to bother her roommate. She simply gathered some kindling and raised her hand over it, allowing several seconds before a fire was ignited and Azula was warming herself.

[waterfell]

How did you meet Zuko? With Azula. Azula was there when I met him for the first time. Azula wasn't there.It made it disconcerting to see the fire princess. Since that time, Mercury had been unable to settle her mind about what had or hadn't happened between herself and...anyone. She searched her mind briefly for the memories she had of Azula: planning together, fighting together, facing some of the strange events in Econtra together, relaxing together. There had been arguments sometimes, but those had been solved

[lady_azula]

Azula was going to reply sarcastically, but she paused. Something was amiss. She had no idea what that was, but there was something in mercury's eyes, as if she were trying to gaining recollection of things, and this bothered her. She recalled, with a lurch in her stomach, the conversation with the other Mercury, who seemed angry that she had allowed Dark Mercury to proceed with that ritual. Azula had said what she thought was obviously plain to see: she had no right to stop Mercury from doing what she intended. They had seemed right at the time: it was Mercury she was dealing with, and her first reaction to Azula would have been "stay out of this."

But was she wrong? Should she have gotten involved somehow. Azula was actively worried now. Why was there that look in Mercury's eyes. And it being awhile...they had seen each other during that attack, hadn't they? What was truly going on here?

"It has?" Azula said. "Maybe it has. What brings you out here, Mercury?"

[waterfell]

"Mm. The water." That came with a smile that did seem natural, and it was. "Besides, I have to keep in form with two princesses here now."

The second comment was spoken in a drier, wry tone. It wasn't hard to see why Econtra would want someone here who possessed as much power and energy as the princess. That had been the original primary reason for the Dark Kingdom seeking the ginzuishou before its danger had become obvious. But letting that destructive girl run free...

Mercury spread her hands as she reached towards the fire, warming herself still further. It felt nice, the heat wrapping around her.

[real_justice]

Everyone had been telling her to stay away from Mercury... but how could she? Mercury was one of her best friends. She just couldn't stay away. She had to find out the exact reason why this Mercury hated her!

Enter Usagi, who had been walking around, trying to get her bearings in Econtra. Even her Mercury had an affinity to water, so she gravitated to the place where she could probably find the water senshi. Lo and behold.

Usagi stopped at the water's edge, and before she even knew she was talking, she called out. "Ami-chan!"

[waterfell]

Mercury froze, her back still to the observer making it impossible to guess the blue-haired girl's expression. She knew the voice immediately; it was the only other voice in the world that somehow still rang through her body when she heard her name.

But this girl was calling Ami-chan. That was the first thing to have clear. Mercury turned around and had her sword pointed towards the shore in one fluid movement.

"I told you not to treat me so casually as if you know me," she said.

[real_justice]

Usagi's eyes widened, and she stepped back out of reflex. "But... I do know you! You're my best friend! We've gone through everything together!"

'What happened to you, Ami-chan? Did Galaxia taking your starseed change you that much? Did you defect to her side?'

Usagi's hand clutched at her chest.

[waterfell]

They were too far for the sword to have been any real threat to the blond-haired girl, but that hadn't been the point. She wanted Usagi kept at a distance. Mercury smirked slightly as the other girl stepped back.

"Seems you understand," she said. The weapon did not lower, maintaining their separation.

That impression was destroyed for the water senshi an instant later by Usagi's ridiculous words. The question of the war might still be undecided until a reasonable plan could be developed, but there never had and never would be some...friendship between them.

[serene_rabbit]

Usagi slipped behind her one time friend silently, watching as she played with the water. It was beautiful, both to see and to feel the power the senshi of Mercury controlled. A smile slipped onto her face. This calm sort of play was what the past had once been like, before darkness and war struck. Peace.

The bunny sat down on the shore of the water, settling in to simply watch.

[waterfell]

Someone was watching her. Warrior's instinct would have told her that much, especially when the other person was that other person. Mercury turned around sharply, sword already pointed towards the intruder.

"Who's there?"

She saw the other girl even as she spoke the words. So the other princess had also come? Mercury kept her sword arm firm, watching Usagi with a serious expression.

[serene_rabbit]

Her smile was warm as she rose to her feet. Toeing her shoes off, Usagi stepped into the water just a bit, shivering at the chilled temperature.

"It's just me, Ami-chan." A flash of light hid her from view for a second, and when it cleared, Serenity stood there. The hem of her gown floated on the water as she took another step. This form was so much more familiar now than her reborn body, and used to the cold.

[waterfell]

The transformation only seemed to enrage Mercury. Her expression darkened immediately and her grip on her sword tightened. She glanced down and away, and then directly back towards Serenity. Abruptly, the water around Serenity's feet froze, intended to trap her by completely encasing her feet in a thick coating of ice if she didn't move quickly enough to avoid it.

"Don't come any further." The words were spoken as a definite order, a command, as if Serenity's mere presence was profaning the pond and its water.

[tomo_boshi]

It took a lot for Tomo to prepare, and if one had a careful eye for detail one might notice his costume and face paint were not as perfect as it usually was. He still had a raging headache and wasn't sure what was going on. But sitting inside wasn't going to answer any questions.

He recognized the Entropi. He watched them as he walked. Why had they released them from their shackles? Had they unleashed them upon each other? This couldn't be liberation. Was it experimentation?

Something else caught his eye, then. Sparkles of ice glinting in the sun. A girl was playing in the water, making ice out of the droplets.

He was weary, but he wondered just how unfettered he was. He slipped a hand into his pocket to touch his shin. She was a strong mind, but he had little interest in her memories. He focused only on causing her to see a handful of crystals hang aloft in the air, circling gently into a vaguely dragon-shaped swirl before falling back to the water.

[waterfell]

It was soothing to relax this way, near the water that would always hear her and protect her. She could give herself some little peace of mind and leave worrying for a little later. The strange state of her memories, the worries over the new arrivals, the tension of the Keepers and the communal illusion or vision or whatever it had been, all of it receded just slightly until-

That... that wasn't her. A vague prickle of what she took for nervousness struck. After all this time, she hadn't really gotten used to her situation, had she? Mercury turned her head to both sides, expression serious and alert as she looked for the possible source, for this person who apparently also had power over water. Evidently, the illusion had taken root successfully.

"Who's there?" The challenge rang out as Mercury's sword was already up in a ready position.

[tomo_boshi]

Tomo smiled, pleased that his abilities were still in play. "No one special," he called as heartily as he could through his headache as he approached. "I didn't mean to startle you," he added, stopping at a safe distance.

[waterfell]

She watched the man approach somewhat warily still, and then Mercury nodded slightly and slowly lowered her weapon. She had other defenses if this person was here to fight, and it didn't seem as though he was. It was more as if he wanted to play.

"It's pretty impressive, to be able to manipulate my water like that," she said idly. It was; very few were the people who could equal or best her control of her element, even if she had just been amusing herself this time.