Stirring from the darkness, Yinko awoke on the bed of the infirmary. Flexing and releasing his left hand, something odd seemed to tingle in his right. Rising slowly, the clouded thoughts soon cleared, and he saw Sophia standing beside him. As he started to speak, his eyes flashed towards the nearest door.

"I know where it is," he started simply.

Coming back out of the experience, the lights are painfully bright as Sophia feels a migraine spread across her head. Fighting against the pressure pushing her out and manifesting wasn’t easy. She walks over to one of the other beds, feeling a bit nauseous. Pulling one of the blankets over her head to shield herself from the light, she says, “Wonderful! Can you find Valdis? I’m not sure where in this place she ended up. I’ll just sit her and wait until someone finds her. Then, we can leave.”

She peeks out of the blanket for a few moments with a somewhat conflicted expression to say, “And David, I’m sorry about shooting you.” And she was… kind of. It wasn’t something that she intended to do. However, at the same time, it got the effect she wanted. It ended up working out better that way. And if looked like he was going to lose himself, then she didn’t really have much choice as to her next course of action. It would have been her responsibility to the team, to David, to the world to end it there. And it would have been better for him to end it before he could cause any problems to any other person. The idea that sometimes you needed to hurt the people you care about didn’t really sit right with her, and she buries her head under the blankets once more from that bright lights. Thankfully, it didn’t have to come to that.

Aglaea reappears near the senshi and knight, hovering and looking exhausted: there was a lot to the cleansing process than could meet the eye. As she waits for David and Sophia to calm down a moment, Aglaea then looks to David and bows her head slightly.

"I wish I could have made that a less...unpleasant experience somehow. I had never encountered a...'trap' like that before. However...I was able to extract an image from the program and decrypt it partially." she says, perhaps making the entire thing sound almost too computer-like. She closes her eyes as she glows a moment, and the image of the figure that was in a blind spot to David before manifests, the image is fragmented, but looked like a scientist of some sort wearing a bloodstained white lab coat. His face was covered in a bone-like mask with tufts of pink hair sticking out. The mark of Libra could be seen sewn into the shoulders and the left breast of the lab coat.


Artemis concerned about Sophia hops on the bed and puts a paw on the mound that was the Venus Senshi's body under the blankets, not quite sure where he was touching.

"Sounds like you had a bad time in there...but you did well if both of you are back in one piece..." he says, then turning his feline head toward David.

"So did you...I could only pick up on small pieces of it, but I could tell that you were going through a lot for a bit." he says complimenting the male guardian whom surprised the white mau.

A moment of silence later, Aglaea speaks again.

"I did notice a change though David. After you...changed...to defeat that shadow, the attribute of metal has a supernatural affinity with you. You should find that any metallic object will be more effective against evil now and that you can even influence it to a minor extent."

David closed his eyes, trying to focus. He appreciated the commendation from the cat, he really did, but there were other matters at hand. As the fairy-like creature mentioned something about an affinity for metal, the young man flexed his clenched hands. Yes, he understood it now, the affinity of metal.

"I don't know where Val is," David sighed. "Even if I did... there is something I have to do. It's..." he started, then paused. This wasn't going to come off right, no matter how he said it. "I need to stay here for a while... sort this out."

Rising to his feet, Yinko extended his hand, guiding it through the air. Yes, he could feel it. It resonated with him. It wasn't the same as the Beowulf, or the knife, or anything else he used as a weapon of opportunity. No, this was something deeper, something more intrinsic.

Wandering through the castle, he found himself on the edge of the armory, the gilded doors tarnished. It was different from the other parts of the castle, which still seemed to have a luster. No, this was where the real work was done, and this, oddly suiting, had the age and character appropriate for it's function.

Pushing the door aside, he stared. The swords were numerous, all different ages, different styles, from different regions. The only thing any of them had in common was that they were used by men to cut or stab. Some were two-handed broadswords, others were rapiers, some short swords, and even a few katanas. Oddly, they all seemed to be the forms he had used in the dreamscape.

That is, all except one, buried in cobwebs and the scraps of blanks left in a dark corner. It would be the ideal place to hide it, he thought.

"You take raw steel," David spoke aloud, reaching for the blade. He remembered that commercial as a kid, always thinking back to it when he signed the papers and made the commitment. All through the oh-dark-thirty runs, the rain, the mud, the exams, and finally, graduation. He pushed through it, and he pushed through the Camps, just as he would with this.

Hefting it in his hands, the tarnished, ragged broadsword was heavy, blunted, but it would serve well.

Sophia bears the stinging pain of headache to take a look at the image Aglaea deciphers. She can’t really imagine an individual cruel enough to do that to another human being. Another Zodiac by the looks of it though. It was a shame that the face was not visible, but she tries to remember all other aspects about him. Would there be more people like David? She doesn’t really think that a person like that one would stop at doing this just once. “David, do you remember this person at all?” she asks.

A hand sticks out of the blanket to pet Artemis, “We’re both alright though. No need to worry.” However, she does worry a little bit about David. Was it all really over? Was it really gone? It’s not like she could tell simply by looking at him. In fact, not much about him seen to changed, but she’s not really sure what to even look for.

However, evidently Artemis noticed something. “Metal? That’s pretty useful.” At least, he would be a more effective fighter. And that’s kind of what he was, wasn’t it? He wasn’t a diplomat, but a combatant. Why was this so much radical difference between the two of them. She looks at him struggling to understand exactly why they seemed to be each other’s opposite. She was looking for maybe someone else to understand, but it was clear now that it wasn't the person in front of her. At least, not at the moment.

She jumps back out of the bed when David mentions not knowing where Valdis is. “Aglaea, Artemis, do you know? I’m going to go look.” Headache be damned.

Aglea nods when David makes his exit.

"Let me know if I can be of assistance. I can hear you through any part of the castle." she says cheerfully with every intent to aid the Venus Knight should he wish it. It was the nature of the guardian to attempt to accommodate the masters of the castle any way possible. When Sophia asked as to Valdis, Aglaea shook her head with a tinge of regret at unable to fulfill the request.

"There is no other human entity within Venus Castle. It is possible that the transportation feature may only work for guardians of Venus. Truth be told, only Lady Venus ever transported between the castle and anywhere else."

Returning to the infirmary, the corroded, blunted sword in hand, Yinko looked quickly between Aglea, Artemis, and Sophia. They were discussing Val again, trying to determine how to best find their friend. Looking back to the cat, then to the fairy, and finally, to the senshi, the young man scrunched his eyebrows together in thought. What alternative destinations could she have reached during their transit? Was it even possible for her to divert from the castle en route?

An idea started to form, and looking back to Sophia, he knew he had to ask.

"Sophia," David started, "have you ever... just held your meditative trance? I mean, did you ever reach this non-corporeal plane, and then just stay there?"

“Are you sure?" Sophia Asks, staring at Aglaea, “But she went through with us. And I thought the portal only went one direction. Where else could she have gone?” This was worrisome. Hopefully, she didn’t accidently fling her friend to the other side of the world…

She leans back on to the bed as David talks about going into a meditative trance. “No. I’ve only done it the once, and I ended up here. I’m not sure about travelling to other planes and what not. I can try that though. I just don’t know where I’ll end up.”

However, this was worth the risk. She’d find a way back somehow. She calms her breathing and closes her eyes, trying to get back into the meditative mindset as she did before. What did it mean to be a senshi? That was how she did the out-of-body thing before. It meant to protect others from suffering. It meant to be a guardian and symbol. She tries to visualize her perfect self.

"I can detect all energies and presences of sentience on Venus. Only those here are on the world. I'm sorry." Aglaea says calmly. Artemis shrugs as he looks at Sophia, arching his back as he began to walk around in small circles stretching out.

"Valdis is probably fine, back on Earth or something, it might be that only a planetary guardian can travel through Sophia's method."


As Sophia began to enter a trance, a golden portal would open...

David clutched the sword tightly to his chest, and squinted into the opening portal. Was this really going to help them find Val? Maybe it would, but then again, maybe it wouldn't. It was a stab in the dark. Turning back to Artie, picking the mau cat up, he held the feline close to him and Sophia. If they were going to find Val, they weren't getting separated.

Sophia Torres TAGS Fate, Yinko ❀

Opening her eyes, Sophia begins to stare at the golden portal, “Hmmm… I have to admit that I didn’t actually think much would happen.” This was beginning to be such an odd ability. However, it made sense for all the senshi to be able to do this kind of thing in the past. How else would they have moved around between planets and such? She smiles a little warily at David, “Ready?” Sticking close was probably a good idea, so she steps through the portal but doesn’t move too far ahead of the others. Now to figure out what was on the other side. .

LAIKA OF GS!

"I don't think you should..." Aglaea starts but Sophia, Artemis, and David were already through the portal before the power guardian could finish her statement.

The trio would appear over top the large fountain in front of Magellan Castle, hanging for just a moment before they are unceremoniously dumped into the waters below. It appears that the portal had simply redirected to another point in the castle. The statue of Sailor Venus nearby might explain why this location was chosen from Sophia's will.

Artemis spazzes out, squirms out of David's grasp and poofs up flailing to get out of the water and onto the rock, his expression one of pure evil. Cats and water...

Aglaea's voice rung out.

"My apologies Venus Guardians...but the amulet only works between Earth and Magellan Castle. I tried to warn you but..." she says, apologetic, but the faintest sound of a muffled laugh could be heard.

The fall into the fountain was far from graceful. Flopping and stumbling out of the fountain, David hauled the cat up into his arms, trying to insulate their guide from the cold air cutting into the soaked fur. Shuffling towards the edge of the fountain, he set Artie down on the ground, giving his head a slight scratch.

"That was... different," he grumbled.