Castle in the Sky

Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix

A/N: … yes I'm still working on this.

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Dear Arikado,

How many times in your life have you had random girls run up to you yelling 'Master I found you!'. I swear this question is relevant.

Signed,

The reason you're still gainfully employed as a Vampire Hunter.

Plushy Soma.

This was a thing...

When Mina had called him asking if he had any siblings he neglected to tell her about, or if his parents had more children they neglected to tell 'him' about... That confused Soma, enough so that he put down what he had been doing, spoilers chilling out, and went to the Hakuba shrine.

And now?

"MASTER! I FOUND YOU!"

Soma was completely baffled by the presence of this new comer, she was young, maybe 14? Her hair was up in a ponytail, but it looked like getting 'that' done was a hard fought battle. It had highlights of all manners of color blooming from the hair tie, so while black, it had a rainbow effect going on strong. She had the clothing sense of a girl who lived in the Shinjuku district, an almost goth-lite version of attire in bright showy colors. Petti coats and knee length skirt, no bonnet but really Soma was just blown away by both her radical appearance and the 'master' comment.

He looked at Mina with both his eyebrows visiting his hair line, while she shrugged and held her hands up helplessly. The young girl threw her arms around Soma and the second her fingers interlocked at the base of his spine. Leaving him completely caught in her arms his mind had an immediate name for this sensation.

'Castle'.

This was the 'Castle'. His mind registered it instantly that the sensation was like standing in the Master Chambers. But that was impossible, the Castle was a building, a structure hovering in a seal between the light and darkness of an eclipse. This girl... couldn't be 'the' Castle. She looked up at him with such an earnest gaze and the moment his expression registered his shocked realization she buried her face in his chest.

Mina held her hands out as though to say 'yours?'

"I don't know how you did this, and I'm honestly afraid of the answer," Soma told the top of the head before looking at Mina. With a helpless shrug he finally said, "Well the castle apparently is out of the seal..." While pointing at said girl, watching as Mina's expression went from patient confusion to horrified.

"How is that possible?" Mina asked when a sudden familiar voice called out from behind Soma.

A voice that instantly made him groan before turning to look over the thick white collar of his coat to see who stood there. Because of 'course'...

"Is that... CHAOS?!"

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Several hours ago at Hino Shrine\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

The shrine grounds were serene, the trees still filled with leaves that had yet to fall to the ground, the stone paths brushed, Rei's home didn't look different. It still held the modest, dedicated charm that it had all those years ago when an ordango headed blond girl walked up the steps. The booths that sold charms still stood their grounds, as well as the pond with its koi fish. Easily out of everyone this was the one place that felt as though time had forgotten it existed and allowed everyone to be eternally 14.

While the shrine stood steadfast against change, the miko who stood amid the trees was another story. Once upon a time she had been young, a fiery young teenager who looked after the shrine with all her passion. Her connection to fire had made her a mystery among her peers and a target for rumors that often scared away potential friends.

She was never able to shake those rumors off, mostly because they 'were' true, she 'did' see visions in flames. Her abilities may have kept her isolated from the rest of society, but her Princess ensured that she, and others were never 'alone'. Hence making this particular call had been agonizing for her.

"Rei? Was it really necessary to exclude Usagi?" Ami inquired as she saw her friend and fellow scout. Giving Rei ample time to look over their world traveling doctor, Ami may not have given up being a Scout, but at the sight of her you wouldn't believe she 'was' a scout. She wore a professional dress suit in modest soft blues with a white blouse. Her own colors as the Princess of Mercury down played heavily since blue was not always an ideal 'healing' color. Indeed a good number of times Ami now wore bright golden scarves around her neck to evoke health or healing.

"I'll talk about it when the others arrive, I promise Ami. Until then you look great! How's it been in Africa this month?" Rei asked, still amused that that Soldier of Ice was sent to such a naturally hot place. Just 'how' was Ami coping?

"Hot, but we just got a new hospital established so I'm going to be reassigned soon I hope. Someplace less heated," Ami answered with a modest laugh. "Also had to put down some angry spirits because someone desecrated a local graveyard. But the spirits put the fear in those teens so I don't think they'll ever do 'that' again."

Rei had to laugh, being a priestess, regardless of the Religion she understood the importance of respecting the dead. That Ami knew what would work as a good opener for a chat showed how well she had grown at engaging and socializing with people.

"I 'thought' I recognized that hair!"

Both women started and looked back at the gate to see the Outer Scouts standing at the top of the stairs. Haruka arm and arm with Michiru, Hotaru on Michiru's left side with Setsuna in the front. All dressed elegantly, all in subdued colors of their own respective planets, and all elderly comparatively speaking.

Haruka was beaming though, she looked over Ami with an approving gaze while Michiru gave a polite smile and brief nod to the Inner Scouts.

"I believe I saw Makoto driving in with Minako in the passenger side when we turned the corner. So they may be here soon on their own." Hotaru mentioned as the quartet joined the pair under the thick green leaves of the trees on the shrine grounds.

"I do confess to my confusion about this meeting though, why call it without Princess Serenity?" Michiru asked once they were close enough that she didn't have to raise her voice to be heard.

Rei's lips tightened into a straight line as she looked at the Princess of Neptune, "I'm going to wait until the others arrive. Honestly, I want to only talk about this once, it... it just hurts too much to keep bringing it up, even to update everyone on whats going on."

"Its about the Queen, isn't it?" Setsuna asked quietly, her tone knowing and remorseful at the same time. Causing the other Outer scouts to look at her in surprise and mounting concern, 'Queen'?

"Yeah... Guys... its Usagi..." Rei spoke the words like they were shattered glass. But any words she was going to say was stolen by another voice.

"Guys! We got an emergency! Usagi just called!" Makotos' voice cut through all the starting conversations as she reached the top of the steps alone. "Chaos has returned to earth!"

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"Hi Usagi!" Soma gave a slight wave towards the Blond as an even larger number of women crowded the entrance to the Hakuba shrine.

"Soma, she's dangerous! You need to get away from her!" Usagi called out in concern, while Rei merely scowled at Soma.

"I know... but well this is going to get awkward..." Soma confessed as he sighed, his gaze dropping down to the girl at his chest. "Do you have a name I can call you or do I just call you what you are?" He asked finally.

"Ms. Hino? Its both a surprise and an honor to have you visit the Hakuba shrine," Mina stammered out in what was clearly growing into a hostile situation. The Miko in question didn't even spare Mina a glance, though a short blue haired woman in a light blue business suit, as well as a pair of long blond haired women, spared her a reassuring smile and wave.

"Rei! Answer the girl," Minako nudged Rei as she noticed Usagi seemed more distracted by how easily all of the scouts got together so fast. After they all had lied about their schedules and inability to have their group lunch. Rei never got the chance to explain the reason for the subterfuge and now Minako was starting to feel anxious.

"I see that," Rei huffed, "however the Hakuba shrine is a shrine of purification and sealing. That there's a vampire and 'chaos incarnate' here? I think that takes a lot more of priority of my attention."

"Are you threatening my master?!" the girl in question demanded in a huff turning her head to the side so she could glare at said scout.

"MASTER?!" All the scouts exclaimed in disbelief, some louder than others.

"What? Are you some sicko in a sex trafficking group, too?!" Rei demanded developing a self righteous tone.

"You know what? I'm going to duck tape that mouth of yours shut, Rei. Every time you've spoken you've blown up whatever is going on way more than what it is!" Soma retorted in frustration when the girl suddenly produced a roll of the desired tape out of thin air.

"Here Master!" The girl in question held up the roll earning wide eyed disbelieving looks from a good number of the scouts and Mina.

"Wall Turkey..." Soma grumbled as he covered his face with his hand and signed deeply.

"What?" Makoto asked as her head tilted to the side in bafflement.

"Wall turkey. When I was in the Castle there were times when I would break walls and find food or hidden away areas..." Soma explained almost flat in his tone as he stood there.

"In me," the girl clarified only to get Soma to stare down at her in horror.

"Do not 'ever' put it that way!" He blurted out in a barely restrained shocked tone.

While all the other girls nodded, their eyes huge and cheeks red given the context of what the stranger just said.

"But you were!" She pouted in mounting distress.

"When you were a 'castle' when you were a 'building', you look like a girl you can't say stuff like that without me sounding like some sick monster!" Soma explained as he rubbed his face, hoo boy...

"You still 'are' a sick monster," Rei pointed out while Haruka chuckled at all the lewd going on.

"But how is that possible? You say she's a 'castle' but that's clearly a girl, is she an embodiment of the spirit of this castle?" Ami inquired as she tried to get a better look at this supposed being of chaos.

"Well if its Chaos, then that's how. It wouldn't be chaos if it stayed only in one state," Hotaru explained thoughtfully. "Even we're in a constant state of change, its part of nature after all."

"She gets it, unlike the rest of you idiots," the girl, castle, whatever, noted aloud.

"Why would a Castle turn itself into a girl though?" Makoto asked folding her arms across her chest as she leaned back thoughtfully.

"Why not? The seal is boring and I wanted to be with Master so I skipped out!" The girl pouted returning her grip around Soma's waist.

"You're an abomination!" Rei pointed out accusatory in tone at the girl for which Haruka had to nod.

"She's right, your presence is a threat to existence," Haruka remarked while Michiru released her grip on Haruka's arm.

"Uh guys? Civilians?" Chibi Usa whispered in disbelief that everyone was just going to forget about the priestesses standing on the other side of Soma.

"She's probably brainwashed," Michiru explained quietly despite the sudden deep frown on Soma's face at that.

"How am 'I' a threat? You're literally a gang advocating universal stagnation!" The girl argued back releasing Soma, only to stand between him and the scouts.

"That... sounds a lot like what the Black Moon Family had been about," Minako remarked thoughtfully.

While Setsuna shook her head slowly, her eyes discreetly focusing on the Princess and the growing distress on Usagi's face. The princess had yet to say a 'word' really. "We need to settle down everyone."

"What? You going to transform? I can do that too!" the girl taunted earning an alarmed expression from both Soma and Mina.

"Hold up, you can't change back into a Castle on the shrine!" Soma argued before Mina could even form the words, but yes.

"Huh?" The girl turned just enough to look up at Soma before shaking her head. "Nah, like this!"

"CHAOS POWER MAKE UP!"

'… that's it... I quit life.' Soma thought as the girl shot her right hand up in the air and was consumed by a dark swirl of rainbow colors. Because 'why not'.

The rainbow had a decided egg shape to it and grew as Soma watched, until it dispersed revealing the girl was now dressed in a sailor suit with her hair having exploded out of the pony tail flowing down her back in thick waves. From behind all Soma could see was the skirt and collar which were both black with an ever changing sheen of colors and she was now monstrously huge!

Which meant he was close enough to nearly upskirt her so he desperately turned to look at something else. When he realized that 'everyone' now looked bigger than him, causing him to look down at his hands...

"This is impossible," Usagi commented for the first time since she arrived. "It should be centuries before you're able to return."

"Nope, its just like you wanted," the girl commented confidently. "'I want my life to never change', those were your words. And the Cauldron answered to respect that. The universe is free from the stagnation you tried to inflict with your eternal life spans and unchanging universe. And you keep the stagnation!" The girl explained with her arms across her chest and her expression smug.

The scouts grew alarmed at what the new scout had proclaimed, turning as one to check on Usagi as the statement was something they could easily see as effecting the woman. Which it clearly did. Usagi had turned white, the color draining from her face even her lips. Her body lost all strength and she began to sway where she stood.

"Mom?" Chibi Usa, who was already standing by her mothers' side, moved even closer as the other inner scouts followed suit.

Usagi turned, almost like a gear, feeling each bone grind as she turned to look at her daughter, her eyes catching sight of all the other scouts. There was no color in the world, only the shapes told her who she saw at all. Even then the weight of the universe telling her that she was right.. she ruined 'everything' crashed down into a sea of darkness.