[Thread] - (For) One day, what's lost can be found

[waterfell]

Characters: OU: Mercury, OU: Azula, OU: Usagi, OPEN~
Where: Loh-Tessera
When: after this entry
Summary: Mercury has reverted to her 'good' self. This is either worrisome, or an opportunity.
Warnings: Emo!good!Merc. Also, Azula will probably punt anyone she feels like.
Posting order: Azula --> Mercury --> whomever

Comments

[lady_azula]

Azula had come quickly, but if there was any anxiety at this, she showed none. This was simply one of those rather annoying setbacks: she had, after all, gotten wind of it the last time. Something Mercury had done, most likely making wish, had forced her back to the self before Kunzite, and she would simply have to tolerate this version of Ami. Azula would probably find that irritating, but that hardly mattered. It was those other meddling people that concerned her: there were a long list of people who wanted THIS Mercury to stay.

And Azula had no intention of allowing the person she cared about most to be lost in that rabble, nauseating or no.

Azula entered the room, looking matter of fact. She had gotten here first, and all the better. She would be the one to give this Ami her answers, and she would be the one to throw any ignorant fools out. They wold not take advantage of Mercury in her weakened state.

'Ami," Azula said simply, staring at the girl. "So you've returned."

[waterfell]

Mercury looked uncertainly at the arrival. How did she- How did this woman know her civilian identity? Her mind obliged with the obvious answer: she's learned it here in Econtra, but that was small comfort; it had always been kept such a close secret in Mercury's own world.

"Umm..." she started. Was it better to confirm or deny? (Avoidance was as good as confirmation; not an option.) This woman was acting very matter-of-fact about it, as though everyone knew it. Was that possibly the case in this strange Econtra? Mercury - Ami - decided to let silence confirm it after all, and ask her own question: "I'm sorry to have to ask, but, may I have your name, too?"

The tone was quiet, Mercury's head and gaze both slightly lowered as she addressed Azula.

[lady_azula]

Azula nodded. Of course, it was obvious. The girl had no idea Azula had seen her detransform before and was unaware of their memories of Econtra. Well, that made sense, but it was still a bit of an inconvenience. Azula was not one who enjoyed being forgotten. Were Mercury in her true senses, she would feel the same way.

"I am the princess of the Fire Nation, daughter of the Fire Lord. Azula, named so after my grandfather, Azulon. I have commanded armies and have taken over many nations and tribes, and brought them to their knees. Now that we have that aside, I can only wonder that you have been panicking. I am here to ease your fears. Tell me what it is you want to know."

Of course, that meddlesome Usagi was bound to have been alerted to Ami. No doubt she would come and be her irritating self. This was bound to be a very peculiar day.

[waterfell]

She'd made a blunder. Keeping her gaze still lowered, Mercury apologized. "Pardon me, Azula-hime." The honorific was a subtle additional apology in itself for her lax address of this princess. It was also delivered in a serious, sincere tone; this was, after all, the girl who used formal Japanese with stuffed animals she 'didn't know'.

"I don't.." she started, then hesitated, then started again, "I don't really have questions. A lot of them were answered on the communicators."

Mercury stole a look at Azula as the thought struck her: This woman really had come, had come because she was worried about Ami, had come because she wanted to without Ami even asking anyone for help, had come immediately. She wasn't sure how to repay that kindness, except to try to be cheerful. To be less worrying.

"I'm really glad you came!" the girl ventured quietly, smiling a little now.

[berranyrmizzrym]

Lady of Lusts, this is all I need. Of course Mercury would revert just when things seemed to have stopped conspiring to make him wish he was back in the Abyss. Sailor Mercury didn't seem to remember anything that had happened since Mercury was brought to Econtra - and Pharaun didn't know whether to be pleased about this or not. I could almost believe she did things like this on purpose.

No matter; he had arrived at Loh-Tessera. He rapped on the door frame gently. "Mercu- I mean, Sailor Mercury?" He pronounced it as one word, the way he vaguely remembered that Mercury usually wrote it.

[lady_azula]

Azula raised her eyebrows. Oh great, HIM. Well, she figured he was bound to show up anyway, and she wasn't going to deny him entry if Mercury had wanted him to come. She opened the door, giving him an impassive look. Several bubbles floated freely out o the room, but of course Azula refused to act as if they had done anything different.

"She's over there," Azula said, indicating the blue haired girl popping the bubbles and giggling. ""Do not say anything to upset her, oh so help me I don't care how many bag of tricks you have, you're leaving."

Of course, this would have sounded more threatening if Azula hadn't paused to pop five bubbles over the drow's head.

[waterfell]

She'd paused in the bubble-popping just after the fire princess opened the door.

"Azula-sama, who is it?" The voice was higher, softer, gentler than Mercury's usual, with none of the velvet-concealing-steel either. Its owner soon stood just behind the taller woman. It was, of course, Mercury - still transformed, still at least looking very much like the girl who fought for the Dark Kingdom.

A glance took in the new arrival's appearance. White hair? Very dark skin. Pointed ears? An elf? Dark elf. Drow.

Why was a drow...?

In this place. At her room. Wanting to see her.

[berranyrmizzrym]

Pharaun shot Azula a venomous glare. "Aren't you wasting your time making threats?" he hissed, hoping that Mercury couldn't hear him. "If I upset her, it won't be intentional."

He schooled his face into an expression, if not of friendly concern, then at least not of outright malice. "It's Pharaun."

[iamusagi]

Usagi wasn't going to burst in randomly. She knew Azula was probably there before her and would probably flip out if she did. Not that she'd expected to be in a race with Azula as to who got to Mercury first - it really wasn't a race (though she was sure some people would've decided to make it as such). And even if it was, Usagi hobbled, still in pain, and the situation with Mao hadn't helped her too greatly either

[lady_azula]

Azula heard the knock and rolled her eyes. It didn't seem like there was going to be anyone interesting or unexpected to visit Mercury-chan (she decided the "chan" would differentiate her from DK Mercury). Even before opening the door she could tell who it was. Embarrassingly (although Azula was being amused by Mercury-chan) the bubbles were still very much in action when she opened the door.

"Usagi," Azula said, narrowing her eyes. Unlike Pharaun, Azula would trust her steely gaze as an indication not to meddle. Saying a threat would be a little too over the top, and besides...these days Usagi irritated her less than Pharaun.

"Won't you come in," Azula started, when a slew of bubbles escaped the door and headed toward the odango-headed woman. "Are you injured?"

[iamusagi]

"I sprained my knee," the odangoed woman responded as she hobbled in, giving a bow of the head to Azula. "Thank you, Azula-san."

Usagi replied, knowing better than to sass Azula. Unlike Pharaun, she was at least learning - slowly, yes, but learning. And like it or not, Azula was in Mercury's life, and she had to respect that. That and, well, Usagi was the last person to talk about who and who shouldn't be in one's life.

Then she saw the bubbles, several of them sticking to her odangos. She couldn't help but smile at it.

"Aah, I brought some food for you both. I figured you'd be here and you'd both probably be hungry."

[waterfell]

Usagi...?

"Usagi-chan!!" Mercury barreled across the room like a shot before coming to an abrupt pause just a foot or so from the door and the other two girls. Her first impulse was to throw her arms around this girl, hold her there, and not let her go for at least a month. Her second impulse, which checked the first, was to run away, to regret coming over in the first place, to remember that not only had she made herself Usagi-chan's enemy, this was not that Usagi-chan.

The expression on the face, therefore, was more stunned than anything else; still somewhat in shock perhaps. It went with her current bedraggled appearance: makeup smeared and face tear-streaked though it was dry now, still in her darker senshi uniform but clutching a blanket around herself for a warmth that probably seemed ridiculous in the overheated state of the room.

(ooc: azula, usagi, merc?)

[only_hitsuzen]

Call it being curious. Or maybe Yuuko just wanted to see if it had worked. Not that she doubted her own abilities, but... No, the truth was, she had always wondered why kind of person Mercury had been before she had joined the Dark Kingdom. Thus she was here to see her and that wasn't too strange, right?

Yuuko knocked once and then entered Loh-Tessera without waiting for a reply.

[lady_azula]

Azula startled, looking up to see who would dare walk into the room without waiting to be let in. The peanut gallery had already come and gone, so if there was a Chibi Usa in here she would be sure to make them pay.

However...it looked as if someone interesting HAD finally shown up. It was Miss Yuuko herself, apparently coming to make something of a house call. Even Azula, who rarely showed anyone any kind of respect, gave Yuuko a small bow.

"Miss Yuuko," Azula said, smiling, "It's an honor. I never did get to see you after the female get together from before. A shame. I trust your time in this place has treated you well?"

Azula looked over, glad that Mercury had cleaned herself up with Usagi. Yuuko was NOT someone that should see weakness all too easily.

"Miss Ami, please say hello to Yuuko. She is an honored guest in just about anywhere she steps in Econtra. Of course, I'm sure miss Yuuko would love to see her handiwork herself, hmmm?"

[waterfell]

"Ichihara...Yuuko?" Mercury echoed the name slowly, quietly, thoughtfully. She hadn't been looking towards the door and didn't quite feel ready to look at that person. "You're the one..." The same inscrutible tone.

Then she turned around, bowing low in a sudden, quick, fluid movement. "You're the one who freed me from the Dark Kingdom! Thank you very much!"

She was untransformed, appearing as her natural - or at least original in this incarnation - form as a young Japanese girl. Her dress was, by necessity, still dominated by black and her hair still loose, but the expressions, the face, were softer, gentler, less brazen. Her brow was furrowed in an intensely earnest expression as she rose. Then she took a step back, watching the other woman uncertainly through lowered eyes.

What must she think of me...?

[only_hitsuzen]

Yuuko smiled at Azula's greeting and bow, nodding her head towards the Fire Nation Princess in return. "It has been awhile, Princess. It's nice to see you're well."

Crimson eyes shifted back towards Mercury... no, Ami... when Azula reintroduced them. She smiled at her and watched as she bowed, thanking her. She shook her head lightly.

"You're welcome, I suppose, though thanks isn't needed. I'm glad you're well, Ami."

She was so different from how Yuuko was use to. Yet at the same time... still similar.