There's certainly more to Naru than we know; we got several questions answered, but nowhere near all of them. Definitely want her to keep having her work at her past memories in more conventional fashions (transforming into Pandora worked well once, but we probably shouldn't push it with how Pandora could probably swat at least one Senshi if she got mad).
As for other people forming into teams... there will probably be a few, but I suspect that the majority won't jump that way immediately. They'll be too weak to start to want to just go out into fights. Probably quite a lot of clandestine experimentation and practice, but I suspect most won't go full demon-hunter, at least not right away (there will, of course, be at least one or two hot-blooded teenagers who will, but there's always a couple outliers).
Alright, and now for the Wednesday Exams... Seriously, you guys have already gotten Eight Successes across your 4 exams (Out of the 8 total). You are doing great.
But now for Exam 5 and 61:
d10 + 17 for Exam 5 DC 19
d10 + 17 for Exam 6 DC 21
Turns out all Usagi needed to get her grades up was to discover she is a magical princess and get into a bunch of battles to the death. After all that the "boredom" of studying is suddenly almost relaxing.
Well more practically speaking from an in universe perspective I think Usagi's Tuning played a big role here. From what we see of her in canon Usagi struggled to wake up on time for school and with staying awake in school. Not an uncommon problem since the time most teenager's bodies want to be awake and school hours don't always intersect. As part of her gradual transformation into a magical post-human her perpetual tiredness has basically disappeared. She regularly wakes up not simply on time but early and is both wide awake and alert during lessons leaving her primed for actually absorbing their content.
Combine that with Usagi's new found work effort bleeding over into her studying and the ghost of an ageless princess from an old space fairing civilization whispering into her ear and Usagi's grades climbing is to be expected.
I think we're looking at DC 21 and DC 23 for Exams 7 and 8 respectively. We've got a 60% chance on passing the first and 40% on the second. So individually not that unlikely but passing both is only 24%.
Honestly there's still some stuff about Naru that confuses me, namely when she got purple eyes that one time and the whole Celestial Bodies aspect to the blessing she gave Tessaiga. I know I joked it was Pandoras latent Senshi-thirst, but it's still freaking weird that the magic of the Mother of Monsters has side effects pertaining to celestial bodies.
It may have been situational, inasmuch as several Senshi were present at the time.
Also, think about the thematic aspects.
What was our top priority that gave Naru a sense of urgency in breaching that dimensional barrier? Trying to locate two planetary Senshi, who were lost to us and could not be found.
What side-benefit did Naru give Tessaiga, along with the specific anti-barrier sharpening enchantment? The ability to locate celestial bodies.
There's a connection there, symbolically.
...
Alternatively, the 'spot celestial bodies' thing could actually be part of the 'corruptive' aspect of the modification. I remember it being mentioned that the blade had a tendency to corrupt the user if wielded too long, and also that it somehow protected him from vulnerability to the phase of the moon. What if the 'spot celestial bodies' feature was integrated into the sword because the corruptive effect is trying to incentivize Inuyasha to use it frequently to keep track of where the moon is at certain times of the year? Admittedly that's a bit of a stretch.
Yeah, based on the pattern so far, the statistically most likely result for the next set of tests is one success and one failure. Still, assuming the banked successes are used at a one-to-one ratio, we have a very good chance of acing the entire set of exams at this rate. Let's go forth and see if we get any shiny bonuses for such a feat!
Turns out all Usagi needed to get her grades up was to discover she is a magical princess and get into a bunch of battles to the death. After all that the "boredom" of studying is suddenly almost relaxing.
Well more practically speaking from an in universe perspective I think Usagi's Tuning played a big role here. From what we see of her in canon Usagi struggled to wake up on time for school and with staying awake in school. Not an uncommon problem since the time most teenager's bodies want to be awake and school hours don't always intersect. As part of her gradual transformation into a magical post-human her perpetual tiredness has basically disappeared. She regularly wakes up not simply on time but early and is both wide awake and alert during lessons leaving her primed for actually absorbing their content.
Combine that with Usagi's new found work effort bleeding over into her studying and the ghost of an ageless princess from an old space fairing civilization whispering into her ear and Usagi's grades climbing is to be expected.
Ghost of Princess Serenity: "And remember to actually check your calculations instead of just shrugging and figuring it's good enough. I, uh, once accidentally redirected a small asteroid onto a collision course that way."
Usagi: "I totally understand and sympathize."
Ghost of Princess Serenity: "To the best of my knowledge, you are the first person to say that out of literally thousands who found out about the incident."
Just a thought, is Kenji Tsukino going to research and then see published a hit piece on the Imperial Ministry of Onogoro? Without necessarily talking about magic out them as a mundane Government Adjacent Body with undo influence who may have a hand in preventing a full Diet response to the DK and propogating the Memory Plague with Esoteric application of technology, drugs, and or existing post hypnotic suggestion techniques?
Ghost of Princess Serenity: "To the best of my knowledge, you are the first person to say that out of literally thousands who found out about the incident."
"...And that, my prince, is... was my ultimate plan." Jadeite says with a chuckle, swirling a glass of wine in one hand. "Not that any of the Youma seemed to realize that anything was going on. Thankfully, I managed to convince Beryl that the missing Life Energy was just Youma skimming a little off the top out of hunger. She never suspected a thing."
Endymion is quiet for a moment, sitting at the other end of the couch, a cup of Sake in his hand instead. "I see." The prince says, slowly allowing a smile to slip onto his face. "That... that does a great deal to quell my concerns. Knowing that you had a plan, and weren't simply actively helping Beryl with... whatever the ultimate goal was."
"Yes..." Jadeite is quiet for another long moment, before knocking back the whole of his glass of wine with a single massive gulp. "Beryl's... so called ultimate goal." Jadeite mutters the words bitterly as he stands, heading back to the bachelor's kitchen. "I'm going to need to be much less sober if I want to talk about that."
Endymion winces, "That bad?" He asks, and the only response that the man gets is another sigh from his former body guard. "...That bad."
Jadeite fills the glass with wine, before knocking that cup back completely and filling his glass a third time. Coming back and sitting on the couch, Jadeite sighs, looking over towards his Prince. "According to Beryl," The vitriol and hate in the General's voice makes it clear that there is no possible way in all the worlds that he could hate Beryl any more than he already does. "The purpose of all of this, her Holy Design," Jadeite snorts at the term that the Dark Queen used, "is to gather enough Life Energy to reawaken Metallia." There is a moment of silence before Jadeite glances up from his misery and alcohol to realize that Endymion is sitting there, waiting for the man to continue. Blinking, Jadeite realizes that it is entirely possible that the Reborn Prince of the Earth doesn't know who... or perhaps rather, what Metallia is.
"Right." Jadeite grumbles, shaking his head. "I've spent too long around the Youma." The general coughs in embarrassment, before he continues. "You... I... Metallia is that... thing that burst out of the Sun during the fall. That which inverted all of space and rent asunder the worlds of the Silver Millennium."
Endymion pales at that statement, his mind cast back to the horrible day. The horrible noise that ripped it's way across the moon. The way that the sun shuddered, visibly writhing even from the surface of the moon, before a pair of black claws tore their way through the outer surface, and all at once the universe ceased to make sense.
He remembers the way that space went from black emptiness to an almost pearlescent hue, with the stars inverting, becoming glimmering black jewels in the sky. Even now, countless years later, the very memory of the horrors that that... thing... unleashed on the solar system sends terrified shivers down his back. "They... want to bring that thing back?" Endymion asks, trying to wrap his head around the mere idea.
"Yes." Jadeite says, continuing to sip away at the wine in his own glass. "Beryl has told the Youma that Metallia will wipe the Earth clean, destroy all that the usurpers have built. Leaving the world empty and dark for them." Endymion scowls at the statement, but Jadeite isn't quite done yet. "In a way, that is where my plan truly started. The thing is that the Youma need Life Energy to life. Sure, they can feed and feast on one another... but even that isn't enough to keep them going forever. Some of them started to realize exactly what it would mean if Metallia was awakened. That it would be the end of the Youma as well, just... not the same way as it would be the end of humanity. I wasn't a direct part of their little... rebellion, but I managed to discretely slip information and resources their way."
"So the Youma aren't a monolith..." Endymion mutters, eyes closed as he thinks. "Wait... does that mean that there is a chance...?"
Jadeite sighs, shaking his head despite the fact that his prince's eyes are closed. "I would say no." Jadeite admits, "There simply aren't enough of them that are willing to turn against Beryl to create a full scale civil war. The fact of the matter is that my own efforts were... at the time not enough. Beryl had already collected nearly ten percent of the total energy that she needed those weeks ago when Sailor Moon first arrived and destroyed the gathering scheme at the Osa-P."
Endymion scowls, "Ten Percent... over a year?"
"I know that it doesn't sound like much." Jadeite confirms, "But you have to realize that each day that schemes were left unchallenged, the more energy they were able to collect, and the more schemes that could be constructed. Each day started to gather more energy than the last. By my estimates, it would have been... maybe six months at the most before her supposed plan was ready."
"Supposed?" Endymion asks, as he himself gets up, heading to the kitchen to refill his own glass of sake.
"Yes... I don't have any proof for it... but when it comes down to it, destroying all life on Earth doesn't benefit Beryl." Jadeite points out. "So I don't believe that resurrecting that thing is her final goal. Of course, I could be wrong, and Beryl could want to destroy all life on the Earth for some insane reason. There is something wrong with the woman, but I have to hope that she isn't planning on destroying all life on Earth, or else my plan simply won't be enough."
Leaning back, Jadeite sighs, before the man chuckles. "Or at the very least, it wouldn't have been enough." That statement draws Endymion's attention anew.
"Oh?"
"I don't think it's the Senshi that are responsible..." Jadeite begins, "But starting a couple of weeks ago... The Life Energy that has been being collected has started to... disappear."
Endymion's eyes lock onto the General with laser focus. "Disappear?" He asks, and Jadeite can't help but let the grin on his face grow even bigger.
"Yes. Beryl was in a right snit about it too." He says with a chuckle. "The energy would be collected, offered to Metallia, and stored away in the small sliver of the beast that is trapped here on the earth. Gathering more and more and more. Now, however... little by little the Life Energy is being siphoned off. I don't know how... but I do know when, and that's already given me a handful of theories to work off of."
"First and foremost, the fact of the matter is that there is variance between the weekdays and the weekends." Jadeite explains. "There is more variety in the weekdays themselves, but there is more structure and order during that time. On the week days, the first bit of energy being siphoned away takes place in the time between sunrise and 7:15 am... local time. For the most part, the siphoning stops until about noon, twelve thirty at the latest for a short burst. It then picks up again sometime between four and six."
"All together, it would be an annoyance at most." Jadeite says, "The amount stolen was barely more than an hours work. On the first day. On the second, the amount siphoned off was maybe an extra minute of work stolen away. On the third... well, you're starting to get the idea. Even now, weeks out from when it first started, the amount stolen is little more than a drop in a bucket. But even Beryl was realizing just how big a deal it was that every day the thief gets bolder."
"Stronger too." Endymion points out, grinning as he takes a long sip from his second cup of Sake. "So... you think with the addition of the energy being stolen that your plan might actually work?"
"Not the mention the work of the Law Enforcement officers of this era..." Before the man glances away, muttering this last part quietly. "...And the work of those blasted Senshi."
Endymion can't help but chuckle, despite the growl on his friend's face. "Still... you think it will work?"
"Maybe... I think the Earth actually has a chance now." Jadeite says, a smile on his face.
Lifting his glass high, Endymion laughs, "Cheers to that, my friend."
Usagi's discussion with her family lasted long into the night, covering anything and everything that Usagi could think of. Quite often, the answer ended up being to point them in the direction of Rei's grandfather and his greater knowledge of magical society and the intricacies involved within in.
All together, that leaves the breakfast table the next morning a quiet one. Usagi isn't entirely sure where the subdued air comes from, and worse, the girl doesn't have the slightest idea of how to break it... Especially given that the girl has her exams to worry about today.
After a quick breakfast, the girl slowly looks back and forth between her parents, before she slowly sighs. Popping out of her chair, she gives them both a hug, before ruffling the hair of her younger brother. "Alright." She says, looking to her family. "I'll be home after school." Usagi says with a smile.
If anything... the air in the room seems to become even more awkward. Usagi's smiles becomes just a hair more brittle as she notices this, before the girl finally makes her way out the door.
If there is anything that Usagi can appreciate her exams for, it is the fact that for all the stress that they put the girl under, they do not give her the time to even start to worry about the way that her family is reacting to all of this. At the very least, Usagi is happy to know that her parents didn't demand that Luna leave the house, which is something that the girl had been worried about, but...
The bell rings, exams begin, and Usagi no longer has the time to even try and think about her family, instead having to focus on what she knows of the natural world - the science of minerals and stone and lava, before moving on to her second exam, which is instead Japanese history.
The tests are hard, and they take everything that Usagi has, but at the end of the day, she can't help but smile, feeling that she actually managed to answer the majority of the questions before her correctly.
Making her way back home, the girl can't help but feel the worries and concern from the morning start to slip back in... At least, until a familiar presence lands on her shoulder. "Hey Luna." Usagi says with a smile, doing her best to keep it from slipping.
"Usagi. You... might want to hurry home." The cat says, but there is a bit of an amused smile on her face. "Your mother needs a bit of help."
"Help?"
"Shingo and your mother got into a bit of an argument about Shingo cleaning his room." The cat explains. "He managed to do something and your mother can't get in his room."
"Can't get in?" Usagi asks, and Luna just sighs, nodding.
"I think he's either using a chair, or he managed to move something heavy in the way." Luna says.
"But I can get in from the window." Usagi says with a chuckle, shaking her head. "At the very least, it sounds like things aren't as bad as they were this morning?"
"Oh yeah." Luna confirms. "They just needed a bit more than a single evening to start to really parse it all. Things should be back to normal now."
With a laugh, Usagi starts to hurry back home. Alright, with my main DnD game tonight, I'm putting out a slightly shorter than average update, but I wanted to get something out after not managing to get anything out last night.
I've already got a part of the next bit done, so hopefully I should get it out before work tomorrow.
On the week days, the first bit of energy being siphoned away takes place in the time between sunrise and 7:15 am... local time. For the most part, the siphoning stops until about noon, twelve thirty at the latest for a short burst. It then picks up again sometime between four and six."
"I know that it doesn't sound like much." Jadeite confirms, "But you have to realize that each day that schemes were left unchallenged, the more energy they were able to collect, and the more schemes that could be constructed. Each day started to gather more energy than the last. By my estimates, it would have been... maybe six months at the most before her supposed plan was ready."
That...
Is honestly really scary just how short a timetable we would have had.
A mere 6 months before the endgame, luckily something we done, very likely bringing naru into the fold gave us a lot more time than we should have, which also seems to have opened the door for actually amassing enough support for a rebellion. 🤔
"I don't think it's the Senshi that are responsible..." Jadeite begins, "But starting a couple of weeks ago... The Life Energy that has been being collected has started to... disappear."
Endymion's eyes lock onto the General with laser focus. "Disappear?" He asks, and Jadeite can't help but let the grin on his face grow even bigger.
"Yes. Beryl was in a right snit about it too." He says with a chuckle. "The energy would be collected, offered to Metallia, and stored away in the small sliver of the beast that is trapped here on the earth. Gathering more and more and more. Now, however... little by little the Life Energy is being siphoned off. I don't know how... but I do know when, and that's already given me a handful of theories to work off of."
"First and foremost, the fact of the matter is that there is variance between the weekdays and the weekends." Jadeite explains. "There is more variety in the weekdays themselves, but there is more structure and order during that time. On the week days, the first bit of energy being siphoned away takes place in the time between sunrise and 7:15 am... local time. For the most part, the siphoning stops until about noon, twelve thirty at the latest for a short burst. It then picks up again sometime between four and six."
IRRC, early in the thread, it was mentioned that in the manga/Crystal anime, the Dark Kingdom storyline took place over 4-5 weeks. If anything, here in-quest, we're rather behind.
