savetheearth | 033 ♦ various

Entry tags:

033 ♦ various

[closed: Lily | Las Vegas, a hospital on the Strip | 2/1, immediately after the rescue operation]

A second heart-shaped portal opens in as many hours. The first had been the one that returned the children to Rovaniemi, and her with them; she'd managed to trip on her way out, and someone had realized she was badly injured, at which time they carted her off to a nearby clinic and left word for Lily that she'd been moved. That had lasted her a little while, but it wasn't exactly a well-appointed facility, and they'd struggled to start to close her wounds. Lily returned as they were getting started, and with her fiancée present again, Winter pushed the doctors away, apologizing but saying she had a better idea. "Take me to Mama," she'd said, forcing herself to her feet and stumbling, arm again holding her stomach to control the bleeding as much as she can.

She'd wanted to go through on her own and let Lily keep handling things here, but that's obviously not going to happen in her present condition; she didn't fight her on it more than once. So when the second portal opens up, it's in front of the hospital April Adamas works at.

[audio (open) | Las Vegas, Adamas family hotel room | 2/8, afternoon]
[It's been a week since that trip to the hospital; Winter isn't feeling quite up to snuff yet, but it's enough to be conscious and functional. April had gotten some good and proper medicine in her (and raised enough hell to make her actually take it, for once, between herself and Lily), and she feels... a little floaty, if quite a bit better than before. Still, she's trying her best to be upbeat, even if she knows she's probably not doing good things for Lily just by virtue of being stuck here in the first place. April's fussing over her when she got off shift didn't help matters, either. She's wondering what to do with herself today; she's spent a lot of time reading, talking to Lily, and assuring her mother that she wasn't doing this on purpose. Eventually, she recognizes that a week of radio silence probably isn't a good thing, and she picks up her phone, dialing her number but not clicking the video on. Her voice is softer than usual, a little scratchy, and she sounds a little spacey, but that's probably the painkillers talking.]

Hi, everyone... sorry I was gone so long. I got hurt in our little rescue attempt a week ago, and I've been recovering for the last few days. I just wanted to check in... I should know better than to just disappear for days at a time. [People worried. Of course, she wasn't going to say that on the network.] I've been kind of out of it, so this is the first time I've felt good enough to talk to people. Does... anyone have news on how everything ended in Lapland?

...I guess part of why I'm posting is because I'm a little disappointed, too. I'd hoped it would be a simple in and out thing, but I almost got killed. This keeps happening, where we end up getting hurt over little things, and we have to keep running around the world to solve all kinds of little problems... it just feels like we do so much, and nobody ever notices. Nobody ever compliments us on the things we do right, even as they slam us and laugh at us for the things we do wrong. We get hurt, and it's like we had it coming. It's... hard to feel good about all this, sometimes, when it feels like so much is against us. I just want to live my life in peace, with the person I love, but it's not that easy anymore. It's never that easy. And it's... kind of frustrating. I feel so wrung out...

Sorry. I don't mean to be so depressing. I just need a little time to recharge, and I'll be back, good as new. So I guess I just want to ask everyone not to worry about me. Give me a little bit longer, and I'll be ready for anything, just like always. And if anyone needs someone to talk to, I'm always here.

[She picks up her phone, thumbs the end call button, and doesn't quite get it the first time; setting it down on the bed, she lets her arm rest against her forehead, sighing heavily. There's a pause, before her voice changes slightly, and she starts to sing softly, clearly something she picked up on the radio.] A hero of war... is that what they see? Just medals and scars, so damned proud of me...

[The sound shifts as she picks her phone back up to check something, and she squeaks quietly before she cuts the feed properly.]

[open | Las Vegas, around the Strip | 2/9, evening and late night, into 2/10]

She can't resist the thrill of standing on a roof, hair blowing dramatically in the wind, looking down on the city. Never mind that she'd abused her powers to get here; what's the point of being a hero if you're not going to have any fun along the way? The view of the lights from here is spectacular, and her heart warms as she looks down on them. It's a pretty sight... something you can't match anywhere in the world. It's not the same as standing atop the castle. That's a majestic place too, of course, but while it's neat to dream about being the ruler of all you survey... this is a testament to mankind's sin and desire. Thinking about it - about destroying it - made her lips curl up into a smile.

"It's a fine night for a little chaos," she finally says aloud, whether there's anyone to hear her or not - Lily is probably behind her, but looking back ruins the image a little bit. "This is our city... my city. I think it's high time I lived a little in it." Leaping from the building, she bounces lightly from point to point on the signs, rooftops, and lights until she makes it down to street level, landing next to a fountain. "There's a long night in front of me... so let's party until the dawn!" Winter takes off into the city proper, looking for places to exert her power and make herself feel alive. So much to do, so much to see... so much to break, so much to steal... the Mountain of Sin is hers to shape.

((Replies to this prompt will come from Winter as well as Lily (

alilyinthemoonslight) by default; if you're only looking for one or the other, let us know!))

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Through that heart-shaped portal comes a decidedly fast moving form - namely, Cure Moonlight. Cure Moonlight whose dress had been stained a few times over with the blood of her fiancee, of whom she now carries in her arms. She carries her as carefully as possible, but pays little heed to anyone in her path. She just moves around them with an astounding amount of grace, yet somehow does not stop her momentum.

"I'm sure you'll yell at me for this later, sweetie," she murmurs, "and that'll be fine."

She only wants Winter to be able to do just that.

She's at the front desk within a matter of moments, Cure Diamond in her hands, staring down the receptionist hard.

"I need Dr. Adamas. Now!"

I get what you mean, Winter.

[ Marina sighs, trying to put thoughts of evil copies out of her mind. ]

We're fighting, so... of course people are gonna get hurt, but a little recognition, a little effort by people to at least say 'hey, wait, we're letting a bunch of teenagers get their shit wrecked for us, that's wrong' would be nice, y'know? I mean not getting hurt would be nicer, but I wouldn't want to see people without powers fighting some of what we fight either.

You all need to stop giving me heart attacks over this though.

It's hard to focus, through her head swimming. She's being carried. That much is easy enough. She can recognize, logically, that's she's lost a lot of blood, which is probably not helping her mental state. Lily's voice is easy to pick out by now, and she smiles weakly. "Count on it."

The receptionist, on the other hand, is stunned into silence; there's a tabloid on the counter next to her with a picture of the very same superhero standing in front of her now on its cover. Clearly, she's not quite prepared to deal with her, but she's doing her best to set that aside. "Y-yes, ma'am... why do you-" Her gaze finally shifts down to the young woman in her arms, and she freezes as the gears visibly turn. Cure Diamond. Winter Adamas. Dr. Adamas' daughter, whom the matriarch will move heaven and earth for, if the rumors around the hospital are any indication; that also means she doesn't want to be in the doctor's way in this particular case.

"I'll get her right now. If she's in the middle of surgery, I won't be able to pull her away, but aside from that, she'll be right down," she insists. "Keep calm, we'll get this worked out." Punching a button on the phone, she indeed pages Dr. Adamas to the lobby immediately, before shouting to someone behind her, "We've got a live one out here! Get me a bed!" There's a flurry of activity behind the counter, and a gurney is being wheeled toward Lily with surprising haste. Either this is a well-oiled machine, or April has managed to scare a lot of people into competence.

Wouldn't it? It's true that we're the best thing to fight the kinds of stuff we end up against, but... we're teenagers, like you said. I'm supposed to be in college right now, but here I am, laid up because I got winged by a supernaturally-strong Santa Claus monster with grimy claws that... may or may not have been infected, Mama says.

Sorry, Marina. I don't do this on purpose, I promise. [It's... less cheery than it should be, for what she's saying.]

Seriously Winter, I know. I'm honestly more worried about how you'll all react when it's my turn, because this - [ She points at a tiny set of stitches on her bottom lip. ] - doesn't really count.

I dunno, I wish there was a way to turn this into good publicity though.

Edited 2015-02-11 06:37 (UTC)

Moonlight's gaze remains steely in the face of the reception's reaction, and her sudden recognition of both of them. As well as the implications of just why they needed that Doctor, in particular. She has to keep that expression, because Winter needs her to be commanding in that moment. She needs her to get these people to move.

Move, they do - the gurney is rolled up within moments, and she moves to lay her down upon it. In spite of her incredible strength, she's able to do it as gently as any person ever possible could, careful to note it's her back that must assuredly be in the worst pain.

"She'll be here soon," she whispers. "Don't worry, we're going to make sure you're just fine. Okay?"

If anything, Lily's as much assuring herself as she is Winter.

The receptionist is inclined to take a picture, right up until the look on Moonlight's face causes all thought of anything other than helping to die in her throat. This... oh god, this is serious, isn't it? She starts to get up and see if there's anything else she can do to help, awkwardly spinning to get a clipboard and start taking information, but that's overshadowed by a shout from across the hall. "What's going on-" It's April, and perhaps at the worst possible time, as Winter's set down with an absent smile, twitching in pain as she's set down on a surface less soft than Lily's arms. "Winter!" Abandoning most of her decorum, she picks up the pace, crossing the lobby in seconds and arriving at her daughter's side, horror dawning on her features. "Honey, what happened to you...?"

She spends a few precious seconds taking everything in with the eyes of a worried parent, rather than a doctor; once she gets herself under control, she shakes herself visibly, before she turns to the purple-haired girl. "Cure Moonlight. I'm going to want a full report later, but for now, you're all I have on her condition. Tell me the short version while we walk," she starts, glaring at the assembled nurses and aides. "I need an open operating room so I can figure out what's going on here; daughter or not, I'm not going to let someone die on my watch if there's anything I can do about it. I know you're a fan of the Precure," she adds to the receptionist whose name she can't be bothered to remember just now, "so start drawing up the charts. I'm sure you know enough to at least begin them."

She takes exactly two seconds to look over her daughter again, before she starts to speak, in a tone of command. "There's no time! Let's get moving, people! I can see some nasty lacerations that... wrap all the way around her... what the hell did this?" Looking back to Lily as she says it, there's a look like she's actually expecting an answer from her.

Probably the same way Lily and I react when one or the other of us gets winged, except with more of Jasmine. We'll all panic, and we'll end up vaporizing whatever hurt you, and then we'll figure out the fastest way to get you to a hospital. It'll be Jasmine carrying you instead of Lily or I, though. [It's lighter this time, but she's still not quite as upbeat as usual.]

How do we... even spin this positively, though? "We saved a bunch of children that were being kidnapped, except we only found out because two of our number, acting independently, allowed themselves to be captured right under our noses. Then we fought a bunch of evil Santa Claus monsters, brought the children home, and..." I don't actually know what else happened out there. I left before then, and it's probably a good thing I did. Most of that day after I warped out is... fuzzy. I don't have anything after Lily carried me into the hospital in Vegas, until I woke up in a hospital bed.

I sorta had to follow you guys around after that. I mean, we got everything straightened out with getting the kids to safety, and then I went and got patched up and came here. But hey, think about what people do anytime they can spin a story with little kids - it's all 'what about the children?' and then their story looks a hundred times better, only we aren't trying to manipulate anything, we actually saved a bunch of kids.

However it happened, we just saved a bunch of kids from a bunch of violent psychos, and that feels pretty good.

Well, it's good enough to see you made it back in one piece. Or at least, you didn't leave too many pieces behind.

...it is difficult, however. Our perspectives may differ, and we may come from different ways of live... But it's nothing less than frustrating to have to fight for just something as simple as the a non-skewed perspective on us.

At the first sight of April, Lily's apprehension rises considerably. She's thankful for the woman's presence, because this means Winter will get the help she needs - still, she's brought her daughter here, looking like this. April now has to see the thing most precious to her in the world in the worst possible condition, and it's all because Lily froze up for a moment. Of course, there's a part of her that reminds her: Winter froze up that time in Vegas, too. Can you beat yourself up without being a hypocrite?

Regardless, now's not the time to ponder. At the request of her fiancee's mother, she begins talking and walking. "We were in Finland, the government had us hunting down missing children... We were- were attacked by men that had been turned into monsters, that could move faster than us. They had claws, and- and Winter..."

Her steel eyed expression finally falters, just looking down at the girl as she walks. She still maintains her transformation - she doesn't know if the Super Silhouette is helping keep Winter in one piece, and she doesn't want to risk the chance it doesn't. As such, when she grips the gurney's railing at that moment, there's the sudden sound of creaking metal... and as she jerks her hand away, she's left quite an imprint on it.

There's a sharp giggle as this particular Cure Diamond makes her way through Las Vegas, especially as she makes creative use of the scenery to do just that. It comes from someone not exerting nearly as much effort - Cure Moonlight, her cloak spilling out behind her, floating lazily along after her, just admiring the sight.

More than anything, admiring parts of the sight of her. From behind, specifically.

"Oh, you do have such a flair for the dramatic, honey!"

we take a lot for saveing everyone but would it be better if we did nothing?

Winter has described the similar incident in Vegas to April already. Told her how scared she'd been, how badly she wanted to get revenge in that moment. How helpless she'd felt. And April recognizes, in Lily's response, what must have happened. Her answering tone is frosty, but firm. "And my daughter is the only reason you are here talking to me right now. I understand, Lily. It's not easy for me to accept, but I'm mature enough to not blame you. Right now, though, that's not important. Winter's life is hanging by a thread, and you are the only person that can tell me what happened. Do you understand?"

Winter had said they were being called away to a remote region in Finland, but her injuries didn't keep with that. Lily said they were attacked by men like monsters, with claws... that much was consistent. The wounds are jagged, though. What happened...? "Tell me about the men you fought. Sharp claws, or ragged? Clean or dirty? Did they seem mentally stable?"

Lily continues to follow along, eyes widening a little as April assesses - quite accurately - that Lily would probably be dead and gone, rather than just injured and savable. It doesn't keep just the slightest bit of shame from creeping into her expression, but she nods. "Yes, of course, I understand and-"

Then she asks about who they fought. Lily bites her lip, her eyes shimmering as they cast back down to Winter. This person who had changed her world so much, who she'd be lost without... She swallows. "Ragged... they'd been wandering for days, there's no way they were clean... they were all... just deranged, feral..." She sucks in a sharp breath, that shimmering spilling down her face, but she keeps talking, trying to push aside her basic fears - she describes where the blow first struck Winter, how Lily tried to pull her away, how she twisted around... She can't help it by that point. Revisiting it, with the situation still so raw, tears flow down her face freely, no matter how much she attempts to keep a strong expression.

She tries to just keep it to the facts of the matter. The injury itself. What it came from. She has to bite her tongue to not say anything else, to throw herself on her sword, or to apologize and beg for forgiveness. For now, April needs those facts more than anything else in the world, and if that's all else Lily can do to save the love of her life... She's going to focus on that. She has to.

Absolutely not. I wouldn't say it's our job - most of us aren't so dedicated to it - but I think we have an obligation to protect this world. Because we're the only ones who can.

If I can save even one person, I don't mind getting hurt. That's how I've always been, and how I will probably always be.

i guess so. it just seems really hard to understand why we should keep doing it if people are only going to be mean and unhappy with us all the time.

but seeing all those kids get reunited with their families was nice..even if it kinda was bad.

Mm, it does feel good. I won't argue that. Even if I'm still recovering from it, we made a big difference, and that's something to be proud of. I'm glad everyone got out okay... you weren't hurt that badly, and I don't know that anyone else was injured. In terms of the operation itself, it's a huge success.

[There's a long pause.] I just feel like I let Lily down. Like I let everyone down. I said I'd stop with the heroics, and put myself first, and then I got peeled like an apple. I promised Toushirou I'd save him, and then I had to stumble through the portal with his help. Getting hurt in battle happens, but... I feel so helpless, now.

No pieces, thankfully. Just what feels like a quart or two of my blood.

Having to fight for my honor, though... I've done that before, on a smaller scale. When I got kicked off the student council, I had to make myself seem trustworthy again, from scratch. And I managed that, but only through a lot of hard work and more luck than it really should have taken. On the world stage? It's almost impossible to keep a good self-image and not feel like you're killing yourself to do it.

Mm. That's kind of the problem I'm having. Between Lily and I, we've gotten hurt a lot for no real benefit, aside from knowing that we're doing a good job. Good feelings are nice, but they're not enough to turn people's opinions around.

...I didn't see a whole lot of what happened after we got back from the building, unfortunately. I was having a hard time keeping myself conscious, so I couldn't really focus on any of it. I'm glad it went... well, it sounds like?

Is it cynical that I just sort of... expect it? I'm kinda... really scared that one of us won't just get laid up for a while, but it seems like every major battle has at least one major injury any more. I don't think any of us feel let down either, but I know that probably doesn't help anyone blaming themselves much.

I know, I'm getting to that point too. I don't want anyone to get hurt, but... I want everyone to come home safely even more. So if us getting hurt is what it takes to bring everyone back with us, I might need to start carrying bandages and antiseptic into battle. I'll still blame myself, I think, but I might just have high standards. [Her tone lifts just a tiny bit as she says that.]

She knows Lily enjoys the treat, so she makes a point of staying in sight and not getting too far ahead. It's a reward of sorts, and a promise that she knows how to keep her important people happy. "Mm, it's good to be able to feel like a proper hero once in a while. The speeches make all the difference."

She looks down at her costume again as she makes a hard push off a building, heading toward the ground, landing in front of... some casino or another, she doesn't really care right now. They're all going to be scrap in a couple weeks' time anyway. In the interest of added drama, she adjusts her approach angle just slightly, falling in a perfectly straight line and touching down gently with a click of her heels, raising her arms so one hand points straight over her head, the other bent at the elbow, the general outline of her limbs describing a long, skinny diamond. Her face sets into a dark grin as she completes the image: "The shadow of malice! Dark Diamond!" There's a pulse of light that seems to agree with the shape she's forming, in a deep, dark blue that seems to gobble up the light it passes by, before it fades, leaving behind one girl with a grin far too cheerful for what she just said, and her partner drifting in from above her.

We really need someone with like, healing magic. Just straight up 'I cast Restore!' and presto, we're patched up and not bleeding. Then we just make sure we keep them safe, and everything's a million times easier.

That would be nice... and also unrealistic. I've gotten used to our not having nice things. A dedicated healer? Impossible.

 yeah, i see what you mean. not everyone is kind or nice about things, even if they are saved.

yeah..from what i saw they were happy and good. i got taken away quickly to get fixed up as well but still...

Hm. Blood loss is something I have grown a little accustomed to, although I'll admit not nearly at your level.

[After all, Junketsu is always hungry.]

It is nearly impossible, at that. However... nothing worth doing is easy, as they say, correct?

Moonlight simply floats after her, watching. Admiring. Letting her imagination run wild with her as she imagines what Winter might do as she takes a leap down, and... then she does that. She watches for a moment and then... squeals, zooming down and nearly knocking a few people over as she does so.

She clasps her hands together and giggles. There's a look in her eye that is... more than a little unhinged. That admiration in her eyes isn't necessarily one of someone who sees herself in an equal relationship. It's a very dangerous sort of worship, a pure and unrelenting obsession quite evident, and it seems rather clear that in spite of any crowds she sees no one else around here.

"Ahhh, that's enough to send chills up my spine...!"

April almost couldn't have asked for a better assessment. She can see it's hurting Lily to retell everything, and she'll do her best to make good on it later. But right now, she needs to hear this. All of it, as much as Lily is willing to tell... no matter how much it tears at her own heart. Her daughter charged into a foreign country to save children she didn't know, and very nearly got herself killed to save her fiancée. It just sounded so much like Winter that April wanted to sigh. But that... wouldn't really go over well right now, and she's not sure she can manage that amount of levity just now, anyway.

"I understand," she finally says, nodding. "Thank you... I know it's hard, but that tells me what I need to know. We'll take care of her, Lily. I promise you. I will not lose my daughter to something like this." There's a fire in her eyes, and apparently everyone around her recognizes this tone of voice, as their run to the operating room picks up a tiny bit. And then they're there, and April hesitates. "One moment." She looks down to Winter, who is visibly not doing well; there's blood staining the gurney even now. "Winter, honey, I know it's going to hurt, but I need you to change back to just being you again. If I fix Cure Diamond, I don't know if it's going to fix you. Can you do that?"

The girl doesn't respond. She just seems to... slump sideways a little further, finally unable to stay conscious now that her mother and her most precious person are both fighting for her. Everything will be fine... she can take a nap for a little bit. Surely that's fine, right?

Of course, that's also the moment the transformation undoes itself; her hair spills down onto the floor, and her Lovely Commune falls to the tile, bouncing once before popping back into Raquel, who flies up in a panic to assess his partner... and then start to panic more. "S-sorry... I don't know what happened, but she passed out, and she changed back, and-!"

April, exasperated, immediately cuts him off. "Never mind that! It had the effect I needed, so we'll take it from here. Moonlight, I know I'm not in a position to give you orders, but wait here, in case something else comes up and I need to ask you another question. Hold onto Raquel, please, I don't need him getting mistaken for a plush toy. The rest of you, let's move! The clock's running!" As they open the door and push her in, April turns back briefly to look at Lily again. Her expression is briefly something helpless, as if she knows full well what her future-daughter-in-law is going through right now. But it tightens up after a second into determination and focus, and as the door swings shut, she looks back to Winter, and starts giving orders with force and grace befitting her occupation.

I'd rather not become accustomed to it, honestly... once is more than enough. Twice is a pain. Three times... is the mark of either a clumsy or overly-eager hero.

And that's true, but... not all difficult things are worth doing. If our efforts don't get us anywhere, is there a point to them? Or should we just focus our efforts on the things we can do aside from them?

The effect, between Diamond's announcement being very much not what a magical girl's appearance should be accompanied by and Moonlight swooping in after her, is a nervous ripple running through the crowd. Moonlight's response further unnerves a few that are too close for their own good, and they back away before turning and running off.

Diamond, though, is just basking in the praise. "I'm glad you liked it. I spent the whole day thinking of how to announce myself properly." She's in a good mood, which will result in her not making the whole Strip cease to exist all at once. No, for now, she slams a Loveads into a curiously silent Lovely Commune, pointing a finger in front of her and firing an icy blast that turns a nearby fountain into a dark pillar, before lightly hopping atop it.

Looking out over the people, Winter can feel her emotions surging. This is her city, and she's going to make sure everyone knows it. "Tonight... there will be snow in the desert, ice in the streets, and chaos in the city. Tonight, everything begins anew! Tonight...!" Diamond spreads her arms wide, reveling in the attention and the high of revealing herself in front of so many people. "Las Vegas will glitter from beneath the coming storm!"

...This part was less practiced. She's feeling really good right now, shut up.

As Cure Diamond's transformation gives, her connection to Moonlight via the Mirage is cut, and her own Super Silhouette dulls back into her regular dress and accessories. The loss of that connection, something about it... It's like a needle through her heart. For the time that power held, she knew she was tied to Winter - to her own power, to her own life. It was comforting even in all of this to know she was still holding on to Winter in a way, even if not by hand.

As that's severed however, she feels... alone. She doesn't hear anything for a moment, and the only thing she sees is Winter, unconscious, her hair everywhere. God, that was going to be such a mess later, and Winter wasn't going to be in any condition to fix it herself, right? She'd have to help and do that for her. She would because... there's going to be a later, isn't there? There has to be. She didn't come all this way for nothing, but all she can do is stare as her vision blurs more and more, and...

April's voice is the one resounding thing that cuts through her consciousness. It's loud and clear, and she can only stand there as Winter is wheeled off. It's one of the most painful moments of her life, she realizes, and will realize again and again in the coming weeks. Not being able to follow, leaving her fiancee's life in the hands of others, even if one of them is the young woman's mother. Not truly knowing, not for certain, if everything will turn out okay.

She barely even realizes it as her own transformation pops away. She's left in heavy winter gear not befitting Las Vegas, of all places. She gazes through her glasses as they suddenly settle back on her face, vision blurring more and more. She catches April's look, and that determination... it's enough to hold her at bay, if for just a moment. That's all that's needed to get Winter where she needs to be, and then Lily is just...

Just standing there in that hallway. She mechanically shrugs off her heavy coat, throwing it on a nearby chair, not saying a word. Then... her hands reach out, gently grabbing Raquel out of the air, both because she was instructed to and because... She very much needs someone to hold on to. He's very soft. Warm. So much like Cologne in her memories. It offers a small comfort, all of that having come screaming back to the forefront of her mind today as well.

She then sinks down onto that chair, and everything she's been holding back, all that she's been trying to bottle up so that she could be strong for Winter, or for April... It all comes spilling out as she hugs Raquel to her chest and begins to cry openly. She simply can't hold it in any longer, and she'll need to get it out before she sees Winter again.

Because... she will see her again. She has to tell herself that, or else she's not even sure she could function right here and now. She wouldn't be able to convince herself any of this was even worth it. So... she'll hold onto that belief for now. She has to, as much as the worry and anguish now wants to gnaw at her.

Another giggle, sounding more and more off-kilter as she goes. As Diamond leaps atop the pillar and makes her proclamation, she slaps her hand against the heart brooch on her chest, drawing out her Moon Tact. She waves the crystal-tipped baton at the crowd, a dull light shining within it.

"Hehe~ You heard her...! We've done nothing but give, and give for you people...!" She flies up, cloak fluttering behind her, drifting around Winter. "It's time you gave something back, don't you think?!"

Floating closer to Diamond, her free hand suddenly goes out, looping around her side. "At the very least, I do think we have their attention~"

No, you shouldn't. That's a given, but... This is the life we lead for now, isn't it? Perhaps that won't always be the case, but it'll remain a distinct possibility for awhile yet. One mustn't let that weigh upon them, if they are to do what... hm, I suppose not what others expect of us, but what we expect of ourselves.

Regardless of anything else, we did make a difference, this time. I'd say that's enough, wouldn't you? For the time being, anyhow.

Right. Even if we're not perfect, we can't make any mistakes, or we end up with problems anyway. It's hard, but I want to do the best I can. I've been helped by so many people, and I want to pay those feelings forward.

How badly were you hurt? I didn't see you until the end, and like I said... all that kind of went over my head. But I don't remember seeing anything particularly grave.

If I aspire to be some kind of superhero, I can't back down. No matter what, I have to push forward, even if it hurts sometimes. It's... what I want. I told someone before, that I must have this power for a reason. We've lost a lot of allies... a lot of friends. In their place, and in their honor, I want to keep going. As long as my body and my heart will support me. [For a second, it felt like she was kind of faltering, but... the fire's back in her eyes. She needs this, sometimes.]

For now, that's enough. I don't want to settle for making a difference at cost, but I'll take it if that's what I can get away with.

Diamond grins openly as Moonlight follows along after her, and continues to vaguely threaten the city; some of the observers finally recognize that maybe this isn't an act, and take a few steps back. But most of them continue to stand there, paying rapt attention to the magical girls, taking pictures and video and tweeting the event. When Moonlight slips an arm around her, she hums in approval, turning and kissing her full on the lips, watchers be damned. "That we do. Now, we've just got to hold it."

Pulling her Love Heart Arrow out of thin air and slamming the Loveads home, Diamond raises it skyward, calling, "Precure Twilight Storm!" Tapping the edge, along with the sound of the tambourine, there's a dull echo that lends a much creepier tone, even as the snow, dark and obscuring, begins to fly. It solidifies into a staircase starting atop the frozen fountain and extending into the sky in defiance of gravity, black ice forming cloudy blocks, and Diamond starts to saunter up them, hips swaying as she goes. "I can't wait to see what kinds of trouble we can get into," she calls cheerily. "Isn't it so much fun, to look out over a city and plan your night?"

[... She must still be in pretty rough shape to just do a voice post. But the first thing he does is answer her questions.]

Kids got back to their parents. Whatever they wanted to release is still sealed; I went back and made sure it was still frozen over after Raye and Saretha took the heaters out.

We do have this power for a reason, but also the choice and ability to use it however we see fit. I am actually... glad for the fact that there are people who seek to use it in a responsible manner.

It makes all our lives a little easier, in that respect.

[She might not be able to see the fire in her eyes, but the younger woman seems to be speaking a little more confidently. Saretha figures that much is good.]

Everything has some sort of cost, in the end. Just make certain it's not one you push too far.

Moonlight's not the least bit surprised by the sudden kiss, and she likely cares even less about those watching them. She makes a hungry sort of sound as she holds her, kissing her back, looking far more than a little disappointed as it becomes all too brief an experience. As Winter's power surges out, and there are flashes all around them...

Lily isn't exactly focusing on any of them. At all. She just watches Cure Diamond stroll up those steps, her eyes zeroing their attention to her hips' sway, and anything in that general vicinity. She gives a dark chuckle, clambering up after her, careful not to slip. She's rather quickly well within Diamond's personal space again, right behind her, hands moving to slide over her shoulders even as they walk.

"It is at that, and I can think of all sorts of things to plan," she murmurs, leaning down by her ear. "Or not plan, and just leap into. I guess that all depends whether you want to go ahead and wreck these losers' worlds... or wreck something else."

that makes sense! i guess...it is jsut hard to see at times.

um..i wasnt hurt that bad. my fingers were cut up a bit but that is it. nothing as bad as everyone else.

Edited 2015-02-24 08:29 (UTC)

I want to lead by example. Rakka proved, logistically, that even if you weren't a Precure in some past life, any girl can become a Precure in this life. Can become a hero. I have to set a good example for my juniors, right? And besides... somewhere in the world, I want to believe I have a fan. A girl watching me, that wants to make something of herself, but she doesn't know how. I want that person to know that, with hard work and an honest heart, anyone can make a difference. That's what I started from, and that's where I'll keep going.

...Sorry, I let myself ramble again. But this, specifically, is something I'm passionate about. And it'll drive me until I can't do this anymore. Until... well. Until I make a mistake, or I do push myself too far. It'll happen, someday, I'm sure of it, whether I'm doing it consciously or not. Someday, something will happen, and I won't be in the hero business anymore. But until then, I have a job to do, right? [Her smile is audible, even if she's talking about resigning her right to be a Precure. To be a hero.]

Mm... so that is what happened there, is it? You are right, however... Hard work is a necessity. It is what I have built my life on, and it is what I expect of those who I employ. If they cannot comply with that, they have no need to be there. The same in turn runs for us... If we are to be successful, we must work hard.

It has however, taken me a little longer to realize the "honest heart" part of that. Observing you all, however... It has helped.

[But she's getting there.]

Perhaps that person is out there, watching you. Or us, in general. It's good to remember the world goes beyond us, and what we do changes it.

So yes - we do have a job to do, even still. It is... gratifying to know there are people that can be relied upon to help see that though.

I'm glad. I would have felt terrible if I got hurt that badly and I couldn't even keep everyone safe.

And try not to worry too much about how we present ourselves, and all that. I get a little worked about it, but it's not something but that everyone needs to consider. We have bigger things to worry about most of the time.

Outstanding. Good work, Toushirou. I don't have to worry so much about things getting done if you're already on the ball. Thanks.

[With the others, Winter hid the pain; with Toushirou, there wasn't really any reason to. He probably already figured it out anyway. So she lets the mask drop, and immediately her tone is strained, but still positive.]

Are you okay? There wasn't much time to check on you before everything went to hell.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

033 ♦ various

Closed, 2/1

audio

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

audio, 2/8;

no subject

2/9, Action;

[Text 2/8]

no subject

no subject

[voice]

[PermaText because Dani's a butt on her end]

no subject

no subject

[permavoice because sitting up to use a tablet is hard]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Voice 2/8

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject