WELCOME TO S&S

[Leon Mason]

Princess?! Leon couldn’t help his eyes widen, probably taking on a slightly crazed look – but this was a valuable lead for him! Banished from the moon…why? Fuck Beryl, and Metallia, for killing him! Treason?! What the fuck went down after his murder! Leon turned away from the Venusian, the pieces slipping into place, he presumed – Pluto was neutral, linked to time and the defence of the galaxy, not squabbled between planets; if Earth had started a war, like it had seemed to be preparing for, then one of the sides could have called his planet in, demanding it choose a side as it is part of this galaxy. Neutrality was not a choice – with me or against me argument – neutrality was treason… But why was she on the moon…presumably trying to divert the war, like he had tried at her behest…and there she was forced to answer to the Moon and banished on treasonous grounds…

“Fuck!” He growled, facing the junkyard now as anger coursed through him. This whole war, because of one woman – Metallia. The one who had been behind the hand that had murdered him; and she had gotten her foothold through the affair.

He spun back to the Venusian man, answering his question in a more friendlier voice, forcing himself to let go of the anger – it wasn’t conducive to anything. “You remember, from the past. We were both re-incarnated in this time; we died back then.”

[William St. Jude]

Will frowned. Died and reborn? Sounded like some religious shit or something. There might be a crucifix under his shirt right now but he didn't consider himself religious... not really. Not directly. More spiritual? But he didn't believe in reincarnation. Not really. Did he?

God, he was going nuts.

"Alright, let's just say that you're not crazy, and all of this is real... what do you want from me now? Revenge or something? Cause I didn't banish the girl... I didn't even touch the girl!" He didn't think he had, at least. He didn't remember touching her. And if he did, well, she probably liked it. Judging from the other man's expression, Will was very sure he wasn't going to add the rest of that mental information just yet. Or ever. Yeah, probably ever.

[Leon Mason]

Lets just say…at least the man wasn’t running away, another good sign. The memories could be his trump card though; Will couldn’t explain those away easily. “No, not revenge. …Alliance, or friendship even. We were given this second chance but something is wanting to mess it up – in the future I saw you get impaled by a youma, a monster. Someone would have had to send it…probably Metallia” He muttered that last part, thinking on how influential the woman had been in the past; she wouldn’t get left in the past without a fight. If they were reincarnated it could stand that she was too, and she had motive to kill anything and everything…that she wanted really – shes kinda crazy from what Leon remembers. Her and Beryl both.

“You’re involved, and it’s up to us to protect this galaxy, even if its from one of its own. Metallia…sun queen…I think shes the one behind the youmas and the weirdness and the tower downtown…” Thank you Koni for pointing that one out; Leon had been completely oblivious to it until he had pointed it out. “Its up to us to stop her and to…well…have our second chance at life really…our first one was stolen from us…”

[William St. Jude]

Will was really tired of that phrase... "second chance on life". He'd had about six of those, if people were to be believed. Life just kept changing. It wasn't another "chance", that was crap. Will groaned and looked away. "Look, this is absurd. Metallia? That tower? What in the world am I supposed to do about it, eh? If my memory serves, then I was a frickin' prisoner for the lot of it all. I just wanted to be left alone,"

'I'm not too pleased with this idea, Pluto. I don't want to get dragged into this. I just want to be Will... just like I just wanted to be Bes." he said too clearly. "Why can't we all just forget that shit, and be ourselves?"

Will paced away, through the slush and ice, despite his sock feet. He didn't want to deal with this. He didn't want to be a prince. He just wanted to be himself.

Prince of love? He was no prince.

He deflated, shrunk down, turned around. "What can I do to help?" he said.

[Leon Mason]

Prisoner? That…didn’t make sense to the time senshi, but he had never had any dealings with any of the other planets around that time; only Earth, and that was where he met his demise. He sighed, sympathising with Wills want to just be himself, and to not have to be who he was again – a normal life would be so much simpler; he already knows this after having faced one youma so far – but life didn’t always work out fair and it was up to them to fight for this life otherwise it would all fall into Metallia’s hands. “I wish we could, but Metallia’s here, youmas are amuck, and that tower is just the first wave. If we don’t do something about it no one will, and we’ll all pay for it.” He hated to be laying it on so thick, but it was the truth – they were the last line between Metallia and galactic conquest.

Will paced away and Leon sighed, not liking how serious this discussion was becoming but seeing the necessity for it. He looked over at Will when the man asked what he could do to help, shocked that he had already gotten through to the man. The time senshi smiled at the other man, a real smile, if slightly tired. “You need to awaken your star seed so you have your memories and abilities back. We’ll need them.”

[William St. Jude]

Will rolled his eyes. What the hell did that even mean? And this guy was being a bit melodramatic, which was impressive coming from Will. He tucked both arms behind his head and stretched. His shirt rode up, exposing his midriff, and then he dropped his arms. "Right, do they got a drink for that? Or do I have to open my chakra's or some shit?"

He thought of that beautiful place he'd once lived brought a smile to his face. Venus. Beautiful men and women. Gardens with flowers and trees as far as the eye could see. Temperate weather. Paradise.

He closed his eyes. A tap on his mental shoulder. Somewhere in his mind, he turned, and faced the smiling face of Bes. He recoiled, initially, and finally offered a hand. The image of the prince took it, then embraced him. He inhaled sharply, then was back in his own cold body, with soaked feet.

He turned to face the other man, blinking.

"Fuck," he said after a moment's pause. A flood of... emotion?... filled him. Concern and lingering uneasiness. Further away, love and affection in one direction, and annoying concern in another. He turned towards the house and spotted Jenn standing in a window, watching the two of them.

He raised a hand, and she nodded, the curtain following back in place.

He turned back to the man, but he was speechless.

[Leon Mason]

Leon wasn’t impressed by the sarcasm; he was serious, it wasn’t his fault he would just wave his magic staff and waken the man up! Koni’s had awakened in a time of crisis, his own seed had done the same, but he couldn’t put Will in crisis just to waken him up – there had to be an easier, better way. He shook his head, then noticed Will just standing there…like a statue, but with a weird smile on his face. Was he remembering something – if he did that would make his job easier, the man was already sort of believing him, mostly. The moment was gone with a sharp breath then Will’s eyes flew back open…and Leon felt like he had just missed something.

He didn’t know what Wills sudden exclamation meant, and then turned with Will to see that they had a watcher at the upstairs window. The girl shut the curtains after a gesture from Will; and then they had privacy once again…though how had Will known she was watching…? The window hadn’t been in front of him. “…How’d you do that?” He asked, more intrigued than curious – he knew why he could do it, just not what it was he did. This was a good sign though; if it was some sort of Venusian sixth sense then that meant the star seed was approaching the surface that bit more.

[William St. Jude]

Will turned back with his usual half stupid grin on his face. "Empathy is a gift of the Venusian royal line. Most Venusian's possessed it in some measure, but the royal family enjoyed an intensity that was... somewhat more than others." he explained. "Mine's still weak, compared to what I remember... but I'm glad. Getting used to it is rough, sometimes." He remembered a younger sister with a potent gift who had nearly driven herself mad when her gift had come upon her without warning.

"I don't know how to 'awaken' any more than this... I guess i just jump in and figure it out as we go. More importantly, though... how can I help?" Storming the front gate was probably a bad idea, especially as his abilities in martial situations had always been limited... as Bes. Will could defend himself well enough, but he was better at sneaking about, not so good at fighting one on one... or any kind of real fighting.

"I'm gonna be honest, maybe once my empathy is stronger I can do something offensive with it... but right now I'm a scrawny kid who can probably tell if you're lying, but is pretty squishy, all things considered."

[Leon Mason]

Ok…something had definitely happened because that grin seemed very out of character for how Will was acting moments ago. An eyebrow went up, then Leon’s face morphed into a small smile when the pieces fit together at last – Will was a Venusian royal; Leon had only known of his origin, not his status there. If his empathy was starting the bloom then they were getting through to his star seed; weak was better than nothing, it was a start.

Leon nodded, agreeing that he too didn’t know how to proceed, to awaken William further, then he had stop and think about an answer to how Will could help… “At the moment we just…need to find more allies, rally the troops and such, especially before Metallia or someone else gets their hands on them, or worse.” He remembered Metallia, her influence around Beryl as she struck him down. The sun queen hadn’t been there in person, but her essence was inside Beryl; she had placed a portion of herself into the other woman. Stupid Beryl, she got more than she could handle, and all because of her jealousy…

“It doesn’t matter; it’s a start, and it will grow, we just have to get you used to it then push its limits further and further. You remember, I hope, how it once was; we need to get you back to that state. Powerful. In the meantime that ability will help; it’ll allow us to feel out other people, see who could have a star seed or not.”

[William St. Jude]

"Alright," Will replied. He wasn't entirely sure about all of this. Memories were hazy and hard to pin down. Emotions were easier, and yet harder. He shook his head, consumed by something. A feeling. Anger. Desperation. Pain. Resentment. Frustration. The feelings that had consumed his past self before his ultimate death. He didn't have many images. Parchment between his fingertips. Cold white marble walls. A sky, and a beautiful blue planet that he'd only wanted to crush.

He blinked, and was himself again. "I'll do whatever you need me to do. I'll help." he said, but he didn't believe himself when he said it. He didn't want any damn part of this. He sensed in the other man a mix of emotions, but Will was too tired to consider them, to try and use that knowledge.

"I'm exhausted... I think I'm gonna go lay down. But call me, if you need me." he pulled out a cheap throw away cell phone and offered Leon his number. That done, he pocketed it, and stretched, as if nonchalantly.

As if anything would ever be the same again.