Stasis (Natsume thread with others)

[Midnight Sun]

"I suppose any would be fine, I don't exactly have many preferences when it comes to sleeping in a gigantic lunar palace like this," Natsume says with a laugh.

[Halbarad]

"I guess not," Usagi says with a smile. "It's not something you'd have guessed you'd be doing today, right?"

Heading into the nearest room, Usagi raises her hand, a small globe of light forming above it. "This room should do then," she says. The room in question isn't anywhere near the size of the one where Natsume found Ami, but it's still a good deal larger than her own back at home, with a separate sitting room, an attached bathroom, and a large, four-poster bed.

Usagi thinks for a moment. "There are a few signs scattered around the palace, I think - if you wander around, just look for those. They should get you up to my office if you get lost, which is kind of easy to do. I'll go ahead and let you get some rest right now, unless you needed something else first?"

[Midnight Sun]

"Ah, n...no, nothing at all," Natsume stuttered as she gaped at the size of the place. Was everything in this palace super sized? "I guess this is what the Emperor must feel like everything day..."

[Halbarad]

Usagi giggles a bit at that. "I never really thought about it like that, but I guess so," she replies. "I've never been to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, so I'm not sure how it compares to here. I just know that this place is huge - probably the biggest building I've ever been in, by far."

[Midnight Sun]

"Hm, speaking of which, I've been meaning to ask," Natsume starts, turning to Usagi. The long flowing dress, the odd crescent shaped symbol on her forehead, that slight aura of mysticism now around, hell, she even looked a little bit taller than normal. "What...has happened to you? You seem so...regal now."

[Halbarad]

"You could say I am," Usagi says with a small smile. "This is just one of the forms I can take on, like Sailor Moon - except that this is the form of Serenity, the former princess of the Moon Kingdom. Although I'm more the queen now, even if it's not of very much yet," she adds wryly. "Just a few friends and this palace, really."

[Midnight Sun]

"A senshi and a princess, those must make wonderful titles for your resume," Natsume laughed. "But really, that's amazing, even though I can't see the auras of others that well yet, even I can tell yours is extremely strong right now."

Natsume's brow furrows for a moment, as if recalling something.

"Back when you were telling me the story of the Moon Kingdom, you said the Silver Crystal was the source of Serenity's power," she says. "So how is it you can assume this form now that its destroyed?"

[Halbarad]

Usagi shakes her head. "It was what the original kingdom was founded on," she says. "I can use the Crystal, and better in this form than in any other way, but I'm not dependent on it. I'm still the princess - or the queen, whichever way you look at it - whether I have the Crystal or not."

[Midnight Sun]

"Ah, so many details, I still don't have all them down yet," Natsume admits. "Well, anyway, I'm sure you have more important things to do than chit-chat aimlessly with me. I'd better try and get some rest right now..."

Natsume bows deeply after that.

"Thank you for the generous hospitality."

[Halbarad]

"It's no trouble," Usagi says with a smile. "And I wish there WAS something I could be doing right now," she adds, shaking her head a bit. "I have no idea what Celcia's doing, but whatever it is, it's too complex for me to do anything about."

[Midnight Sun]

"I...I'm sure..." Natsume starts, not sure how to voice that particular concern. "All any of use can do now is rely on Ami-chan's strength. She beat Celcia once, and there's no doubt she will do it again."

[Halbarad]

Usagi simply nods. "Anyway, I'm going to go up to my room to get some rest myself," the blonde says. "Feel free to wander around if you want, but I wouldn't go too far into the underground levels - it's pretty dark down there without a light and I haven't done much repair work there yet. I'll come find you when I get up." With that, the blonde monarch nods to her guest, leaving the ball of light behind as she departs.

[Midnight Sun]

Natsume watches the princess disappear into the darkness of the palace. She idly grasps the ball of light, it seems it would be her only source of illumination in the place. She then wanders over to the bedroom window that takes up nearly the entire side of the room.

"I suppose I should follow my own advice, and just wait," Natsume murmured as she stared out onto the lunar landscape. "As much as I hate it..."

She walks over to the bed and collapses onto it. It was like lying on a bed of feathers, much softer than the one at home.

"If I want to be stronger, I have to grasp it, crying won't solve anything," she says. "When I wake up, I'll do everything I can to find the strength I'm looking for, no matter what I have to do...."

[Halbarad]

You don't even remember falling asleep, but the rise back to wakefulness is a definite indication that you are. You feel remarkably well-rested after the nap; the bedside clock reveals the time to be just a few minutes after noon. The light left by Usagi sits where you left it, shedding a dim light over the entire room.

[Midnight Sun]

"Uhhgh," is the intelligent vocal Natsume gives as she wakes up. She sits up, idly wipes the drool from a corner of her mouth and glances at the nearby clock. So it seemed this place did have a method of telling Earth time. "Well, I'm pretty sure grandfather is awake by now and wondering why the hell I didn't show up for morning training. Wonderful...."

Natsume wanders over to the door and steps outside into the hall, the light orb in hand. In space, it was always night.

"Now...where am I again?"