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[alilyinthemoonslight]

[Sometime late after school, Lily is at the library. She's moderately less worried now, without even really thinking about it, about the level of danger out there, making her avoid day to day things she normally would. Almost kind of living shut in, at times. There is a certain confidence knowing how to disarm and flip grown men twice your size all of a sudden grants you.

She's had time to mull over things for a few days, now. In fact, that's sort of why she's there. Somewhere quiet, away from everyone. Just someplace she can think. Pulling out her phone, she types in a few numbers and]

For anyone who was wondering, Jasmine is fine now. Much better, in fact. Things were just a shock, and it sort of took its toll. It did for both of us, to some extent.

However, seeing all of this - seeing what the Precure can do, seeing just how dangerous the Blood Keys are - I know I've been resting on my laurels for too long. Expecting something to come along. I have things to protect, from my family to the friends I've made among you all.

The ability to protect those things is just out of my reach, but it's there. I'm not going to sit around anymore, lamenting my inability to do this. I can't afford that.

If there's ever anything I can do, I will do it. It might not mean a lot now coming from some teenager, but... I'm not satisfied just sitting here twiddling my thumbs anymore. I refuse to stay like that.

[She pauses for a moment, then types in something else, creating a message Private to Winter.]

Winter. I didn't bring this up the other day, because I hadn't spoken with Jasmine yet. But...

You remember, don't you? What I told you about her only remembering the Desert Apostles, our enemies.

I remembered more. This past self of hers, she was apart of them. Realizing this hurt her pretty badly, and while she's better now, she's probably going to have a hard time ahead of her. I'll do whatever I can, and I trust that you won't hold that against her, but... I'd already told you half of this, I figured you deserved the rest.

With that in mind, it's important I speak with you about something. I need to know more about all of this. About the Precure. This past life. Her relationship to this "Dark Precure" that Jasmine is reliving the memories of. I don't care how painful it is. I have to know in order to protect my sister.

When she mentioned that name, and described what she saw, I saw something. From this other girl's perspective, I saw Cerise and another girl defeated at the hands of this woman who looked like my sister. This "Dark Precure." But also I saw... two creatures with those girls.

...I never told you in detail what my first echo was, did I?

It was one of those creatures.

I saw him die.

You mentioned your "plushie" before. I didn't bring this up because I was afraid. I'm still afraid, but that doesn't matter anymore.

Winter.

I need to see him.

[She draws in a breath, closing her eyes. Why does she feel on the verge of tears typing that? As if she didn't already know. It was something she was avoiding for a long time, then.

Finally, she releases it and opens her eyes back. One more thing.

She types in another number, sending one more private message to Cherry.]

Hi, Cerise. It's Lily.

Sorry if this seems sudden, or a weird question, but... Jasmine and I both had things appear to us when we went to the Dead District. They're things we're both trying to work through, and...

I know the memories you've been getting come from the same place as us. I'm more certain of that than ever. Especially given what my sister remembered. And what that caused me to remember.

Because I had a memory where I saw the both of you.

I... guess you could say I'm concerned. I just want to make sure everything is okay with you, and if you saw anything you need to talk about.

Comments

[private]

[peacefulwinter]

[Reading this for a moment, Winter is inordinately pleased with Lily; another person helping her keep an eye on everyone would be nice to have!

And then the private message comes through, and the smile drains away, along with a good portion of the color from her face. But this was important. She couldn't run away from this...]

You have my word. The only person whose distant past I'd hold against them is myself, and that's only beca- not important now. Dark Precure must have been amazingly strong, to defeat two other Precure...

And no, you didn't tell me. If you need Raquel for something, name the place, and I'll be there. I owe you that much, if I'm dragging you into all this whether you like it or not.

[...she says that, but she picks up Raquel and hugs him tight to herself; he looks up at her, but doesn't say a word.]

[private]

[alilyinthemoonslight]

Anytime is fine.

I stayed late at the library, but if you can't come here, it can be some other time. Just... sometime.

And not someplace where there's a lot of people around.

I honestly don't know how I'll react, or what will happen. I wasn't paying enough attention when you came to fight for us, I didn't realize he was even around until Kari told me about it later.

I need to know if seeing him will... Trigger something. A memory, or... anything. Those creatures are tied to my Precure, just as they evidently are your own.

I'm afraid of what's coming, but for once I don't want to be surprised.

[She pauses for a moment before continuing.]

I have no doubt she was strong. She summoned some sort of... dark wand, and had one giant wing... Like something a demon might have...

[That thought almost makes her hand start shaking, but she composes herself.]

But it isn't her. I know that.

It's all the more reason for me to discover more, though.

[private]

[peacefulwinter]

I'll come there as soon as I can. We can go somewhere else, or find a quiet place in the library... we might still be able to get into the school... anywhere you want to go.

If you don't want to do this now, you don't have to, Lily. You just went through something terrifying. Are you sure it's a good idea to purposely look for another shock?

[All the same, she glances at Raquel.] Are you okay with a l-little trip? We've... got someone that needs us. I need you to be out of sight for just a bit, though. [He nods briefly, climbing into her backpack and zipping the pocket shut behind him.]

[private]

[jasminebloominginshadow]

... Thanks sis.

But look at you, talking a big game like a hero. Think I might swoon.

[private]

[alilyinthemoonslight]

Jasmine, please.

I'm not joking.

[private]

[jasminebloominginshadow]

Believe it or not, this is me trying to be encouraging

[lackinginfaith]

You're doing better than most.

[alilyinthemoonslight]

I have something I need to protect. Sitting and hoping I'll get what's necessary to do that in the meantime won't help me get there.

[lackinginfaith]

Then welcome. You've got people looking out for you.

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[sun_sun]

so like
are you joining the team

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[alilyinthemoonslight]

I'm considering it, at least.

I still can't do what you and Winter can, but I may be close. But then, I can't be entirely certain.

Either way, if you need something I can help with, all of you need only ask. I owe you.

[private]

[willchange]

Um, well... I have remembered a few things, actually. I got some stuff too, from echoes. I've been getting a lot lately... I guess that's because a lot has happened.

I actually got a memory back after seeing Jasmine. I don't know if it was the same memory as you got, but... maybe it was.

[private]

[alilyinthemoonslight]

...I'd be, uh, interested in seeing that some time. If that's okay, anyhow. These histories we're reliving are connected, so it... might be beneficial.

...would it be too much to ask what that was?

I think I have an idea, at least, of what you may have seen...

Re: [private]

[willchange]

Sure, that's fine. You'll probably recognize some of it, so that should help us both understand them more.

I got, um... A plushie... [Luckily for Cherry's sanity, the echo granting Chypre sentience hasn't quite kicked in just yet.] A perfume bottle... Oh, I also got this really strange toy back during Christmas, but I'm not sure if it's actually meaningful. But as for the memories... I remembered something really important, I think...

...you do? Do you think you might have seen the same thing?

[text]

[seishindairingun]

Instead of "meaning a lot" it might reassure some of us to know you're going to be careful.

Even if it's a stranger.

[text]

[alilyinthemoonslight]

I just had to pull my sister out of nearly getting killed because she wasn't careful.

Believe me, that's the last thing you have to worry about

[seishindairingun]

Everyone please be careful.

Sorry if that was pretentious

I hope your sister wasn't hurt? She isn't [This part is awkward, but she doesn't know how else to put it] young...is she?

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[dragon_blossom]

sounds like you are all tough enough to not get killed so

good luck heroing it up.

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[alilyinthemoonslight]

Well, I wouldn't quite put it like that, but if there are things I can do, or things I may be able to do... I should do them.

I'm just tired of sitting here saying, "I can't do anything."

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[dragon_blossom]

power, responsibility, etc.

or more like not wanting to just sit around feeling less useful than you could be?

[Handwritten]

[dododo]

Welcome to the team.

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[alilyinthemoonslight]

By which I hope you mean the generalized, "save the world" team.

No offense sir, but you don't quite strike me as "magical girl" material.

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[titansno]

I'm not a teenager now, but... my last self was. So were her friends. I don't know all of the details, but... I think they did good work.

We can always use more help - especially the careful kind.

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[alilyinthemoonslight]

I'd like to hope everyone was a teenager at some point.

But then, I guess you can't always tell with these things.

Still, thank you. Certainly going to attempt to be careful, at least.

( not here, but know what you have wrought. )

[duette]

[ Idly scrolling through the network, trying to find anything to throw an anchor or two on, trying to find anything to give her purchase on this impossible situation, Harper finds a number she recognizes. One of several, in truth, but one also not tarnished by her former intolerance of the situation. This was the girl who'd had the liberty of speaking to her after she'd calmed down from her introductory debacle. So at first, she skims courteously, but several words hook her — things to protect, the ability, refuse...

It sinks in, that it might be something serious, and this person had, if nothing else, been kind to her. Harper opens up a line to reply, when the last of the hooks comes tearing into her.

Precure.

All at once, without emotions running high to obscure the effect, Harper sucks in a breath as it sweeps through her, a heartbeat not her own, and yet giving her something she feels in her heart she ought to have. On impulse, she closes her free hand over it, hoping to keep it in. ]

Legendary Warriors...

[ It's something she says out loud to herself, voicing that sudden knowledge of what Precure were, and what they were meant to do. Defend. Defend the world. It's then that the sudden weight of the knowledge hits her like a ton of bricks, bleaching the awe from her face and replacing it with sudden fear. If she knew that, if she knew that, in her heart, without having to be told...

Oh, no. No, no, no.

The realization startles her into fumbling with her phone, closing out the connection before she's even had the chance at a proper reply. Quietly, she cuts the network off, places her phone face-down on her desk, and watches it for a long, difficult while. ]