Awareness seeps in at a crawling pace. Rei first identifies that she is no longer sleeping. As she slowly acknowledges this, she attempts to filter through the white noise surrounding her to focus on the faint murmuring going on nearby.

She's lying down… She feels too warm, and the heavy blanket on her is rough against her bare arms and neck. She feels weak...so terribly weak as she barely shifts when attempting to kick the blanket off.

"Alright…" Says a familiar voice. "So, let's start at the beginning. I'm… I'm still having a hard time believing this."

A sigh follows the comment, and there is the sound of several people shifting uncomfortably.

"It was a trap," says Amora. Her shoulders droop, her voice lacking its usual vibrancy. "Somehow, they were aware we were coming. Planned for it, even." She stares blankly at the floor, hands limp in her lap. "I… I thought that the flanking maneuver would work, that if we divided the main force from the obvious leaders, we'd gain the upper hand." Bruises litter her face and arms. A few gashes and scrapes are visible, and there are two heavy bandages on her left arm.

Rei recalls the moment they'd touched down on Pluto after their short stop at the tele-pad. They were just on the edge of the battle, quick to analyze the clutter of hastily erected defenses and the current scramble to create a safe zone for the wounded being drug from the battliefield. The enemy was advancing steadily, led by a wave of hulking deformed creatures with crazed eyes and salivating jaws. In the back were at least fifty humanoid figures, grinning wickedly as they directed their army of monsters.

Amora had given quick sharp commands, having them split until they created a partial wedge in which to breech the two distinct groups of the enemy. Her confidence and determination were on grand display, and when the defenders noticed, it created a hearty cheer and a renewed vigor in the fight.

It lasted all of about ten feet into the chaos when they hit the first line of resistance. Amora missed the glee on the enemy commanders' faces and the quick signals being cast along the line. Rei had caught just a glimpse, but it was enough of a warning that she was able to grab Amora's charging figure and throw her harshly into Serenity and Pru. She had no way to give warning as Hotaru, Aetas, Elysia, Endymion, Aequus and Ventus plowed right into the first string of waiting land mines hidden within the enemies own minions. She watched in choked horror as they were all blown back viciously, Endymion, Hotaru, and Ventus lost in the mass of minions while the others were thrown back to the empty space they'd first arrived.

A wash of pain and a fleeting feeling of weightlessness filled Rei as she was sent tumbling high into the air from the explosion she herself had been caught in. It was a potent bomb… Not enough to kill a Senshi, but certainly enough to cause some decent damage. It hurt to scramble to her feet, body already moving as she whipped out a string of quick spells to send the monsters surrounding her scattering. They didn't go far, but it gave her a small diameter of breathing room to reorientate herself.

But the monsters didn't re-engage. That was the second warning that something was seriously wrong.

Instead of attacking while she was isolated and discombobulated, the monsters backed off even further. Before Rei could even begin to decipher her next move, a quick string of spells had been fired from a dozen of the humanoid commanders. Rei dodged a good handful, got grazed by two spells that sliced deeply into her leg and shoulder, and took four direct hits from two ice and two lashing spells.

It was the last spell that changed everything. The raven haired woman didn't even have time to scream before she collapsed in a cloud of unfathomable pain. She had lost all of her senses immediately, so absorbed in the agony consuming her.

"-didn't even make it five minutes into the foray," murmurs Amora, a vague glimmer of moisture gathering in her eyes. "I didn't even realize what was going on. And… And I lost it. I…" She takes several deep gulps of air as her shoulders tremble. "You all just…disappeared. I couldn't see half of you, and before I could get my wits together, Serenity and Pru were already being swarmed and scattered by the monsters as they just…plowed right over us." Her hands clenched together in her lap, knuckles now white. "I was being trambled… Feet, hooves… And I panicked."

The blond drops her face into her hands. "I started lashing out with spells wildly. I tore everything around me apart. Anything that moved got destroyed and sent blood raining down all over the place. And I…" She chokes, almost gagging. "Then, there was a scream, and suddenly the chaos just…stopped." There were tears dripping from between her fingers and rolling down her forearms. "I hit Serenity in my panic, lashed her across the back with my whip and leaving a horrible gash…" A sob follows, cutting off her dialogue.

Serenity sighs softly, carefully sliding from her seat to gently wrap Amora in her arms. There are several swatches of gauze visible on her upper torso and arms. "It was an accident. The scar is already almost faded." She soothingly strokes Amora's back as her blue eyes woefully stare into the distance. "Besides, once you realized what happened, you snapped back to the situation."

A derisive snort escapes Amora between some gasping half sobs. "A lot of good that did. I couldn't get a single plan of action in my head. I floundered, trying to stem the blood from your wound while trying to hysterically call Elysia for backup. When you seemed to be safe, I left Aetas and Elysia to protect you so I could try and find everyone else. I wasted too much time looking for them... The vague sight of Pru plowing through part of the line of monsters to my right made me figure she was fine on her own for the moment. I was screaming and shouting for you all, using my sword to cut down the enemy instead of my magic. I… I didn't want to hit anyone else…"

"I couldn't make headway with that method. I wasted a ton of energy and was pushed right back together with Elysia, Aetas, and Serenity. I turn to check on Pru, and find her right in the middle of the cursed commanders, blowing one of them to absolute pieces. There's a wash of scattered bodies behind her, and…" Amora swallows thickly. "There, in the middle of them… Exura is just...laying there, body contorted in such a horrible way…" She curls a little away from Serenity in guilt. "I raced to her, even as she finally seemed to go slack. I called to her several times, but she just lay there… I didn't even notice Pru come racing over." Her eyes flick to the Mercurians. "Your face… I've never seen you look so terrified, so angry."

Pru's face is deathly pale, body trembling and making some of the bandages wrapping her loosen. "What happened to her… Is a thing of nightmares. It is a curse that has been forbidden by all, and is a tale told to young adults as they come of age. Every single Mercurian is told how to end its casting as a form of graduating into adulthood. My parents were very forceful in explaining it to myself and my brother, ensuring that we both knew that to end the casting you had to completely destroy the caster. You had to physically thrust your magic into the origins of the spell and cut off its channel connecting the two as you also destroyed the energy creating the flow of magic inside the caster by slaughtering them so thuroughly that there was no brain, heart, or lung function to fuel the spell." Her eyes dart to the others. "Th-there is always some lasting damage to the victim, even if you cut the spell off as soon as possible. No one…ever found a true cure."

The silence is heavy as each of the Senshi ponders her words.

Elysia clears her throat. "The doctor… He said…" She closes her eyes and takes a steadying breath. "He said that Martians created the spell, that they used it liberally against the Mercurians."

Pru's body quakes harder, eyes once again on the floor. "They did," she says lowly. "The lasting effects were so terrible, and the amount of victims so large, Mercury has since held a grudge against Mars. We were the least capable of defending against it, as very few of us had the magical power to cut the tether between caster and vicitim. It made us easy prey."

Moods are low as each Senshi turns to stare at Rei's prone figure. Rei herself is so startled, she lies completely still as she attempts to swallow the gruesome thing her people had done.

"How…" Murmurs a voice. Everyone turns to find Ventus frowning at Rei, one eye hidden beneath a medical patch. "How do they know such a spell? I thought these people were from a different system."

Aetas winces. Her own figure has its fair share of dressings. "That…is a horrible thing to consider. Either we have been betrayed…or our fight is far more closer to home than we'd realized."

"Do you think Exura would know? She has Seen a great deal of the fighting to come." Elysia shifts her weight, ignoring the many bandages wrapped around her battered form.

Hotaru sighs, a great deal less wounds on her person than her fellows. "This was not part of her vision. The fight has come to us early. I am uncertain how much this has changed the expected future and what kind of means our foes will bring in to retaliate. If they are part of our Solar System, it is not hard to imagine that they are as informed about our early awakening as everyone else. Meaning, they may have come up with more creative ways of dealing with us."

Ventus mutters a low curse, easily reflecting the other Senshi's feelings adequately.

Aetas moves to sit carefully next to Endymion's chair, and he gives her a supporting smile. "With things as they are, it is now more than ever that I must visit the Gates. They may have a way in which to give us the advantage in a War that is quickly looking to be more than we expected."

"Would it be fair…" Begins Elysia. "To leave her behind?" She glances at Rei. "I mean, she is the one who made such an obvious stand that we all go this together. I cannot imagine her wishing to miss being present."

Rei wiggles a little bit, a grunt of pain escaping her as she attempts to rise.

"Exura!" Serenity is by her side instantly, gently brushing cool fingers across Rei's sweating brow. "Lie still! You are still very wounded."

Rei hisses, refusing to listen as she slowly manages to knock some of the thick blanket off. Serenity seems to understand and pulls the rest to the floor, letting it pool carelessly there as she moves to kneel next to Rei's head.

Footsteps approach as all those present in the room move to hover around the bed.

"Goddess," breathes Amora. "You've given us a fright." There are tears in her eyes, her body trembling.

Rei lets a broken chuckle, her throat dry and her eyes just barely flickering open to squint at the abused figures of her teammates. "How?" She croaks out, eyes flicking across their sagging forms. "Escape?"

Endymion gives her a tired half grin. "Serenity took one look at you and…" He waves a hand vaguely. "Exploded?"

Ventus snickers. "She reached Tacheia. Not only did she weave through the enemy like the wind itself, her powers reacted to her emotions. Everything her light touched was washed clean of darkness." There is a touch of respect in her voice.

"It was amazing," commented Aequus with a hint of awe. "She swept through, and suddenly, a fourth of the enemy forces were cleansed, leaving a few confused people and animals behind. The rest simply turned to ash…"

Endymion's smile is a little more lively as he continues the tale. "It made our job a lot easier. We managed to take out another chunk of the enemy's forces before they called for a retreat." He frowns. "There was someone who teleported to the back of the group, yelled out a few quick orders before disappearing again. I couldn't see who it was from my vantage point." He grimaces. "It's concerning, considering that means that the true people in charge have not yet even graced the field and therefore cannot be identified."

Aequus sighs. "By no means did we win. We were failing rather horribly, to be honest. The natives were easy to cheer for us, but it was obvious we were not as effective as we were supposed to be."

Amora stares at her feet. "I am not the commander I was supposed to be." She looks into Rei's eyes, a pained grimace on her face. "You should be in charge. You would not have made the same mistakes as I." Amora hugs herself, her sniffles filling the air. "I was useless. It was only because of Prudentia and Serenity that things started turning around."

Rei doesn't have the energy to sigh, and she sure as hell doesn't have enough for a speech. But damned if she doesn't try. "No… Every command...fails. Always…mistakes. Learn from...them."

Elysia is the one to reach out and gently lay her hand on Amora's shoulder. "Every ruler knows that they are not omnipotent. We will all make mistakes. This is your first battle, your first test as a team leader." Elysia smiles softly at her. "Had you managed to do everything right, you would be leagues ahead of any other who ever stood in such shoes. You would have to be a god. No one ever steps onto the battlefield perfect. It is a gruesome test, but all who fight and live have learned more for the next battle. We are all very lucky we have lived to see the next."

"But I did so poorly!" Rebuttals Amora.

Elysia simply shrugs. "So do better."

Amora shoots her a nasty look, but Elysia just smiles. Amora huffs and looks away, but she does not shrug off Elysia's calming touch.