So, this is what she had been reduced to. Where was her power? Where was her status? Her queen was beautiful, just as she had imagined, but she had loyalties elsewhere. Specifically Charonite: a man she could never, ever hope to cross or defeat.

In the end, she had been left with nothing. Sure, she could jump higher and fly across skyscrapers like it was nothing. However, if she had wanted to fly before, she could’ve bought the ability somehow. She could pull out and destroy something precious from cute girls. However, she could already invade girls’ and crush their hopes—it just took a little while longer.

So, what did she gain from this secret of hers? Perhaps, in the end, she gained nothing. There had always been risk in this responsibility, and at least when all the garbage of the world had been dumped, she’d be above it all. Above the trash that she was milling about now. Sewage and grime lined the alleys that Dale Spencer tiptoed through, her Crystal Uniform dusty and dirty. She didn’t know why she had chosen to be in her civilian form that night, it was unlike her. Perhaps she wanted to re-connect to her old life.

Then why was she in a place like this?

The Dale before had never treaded the alleys before. She was always at the theater, or at the outdoor mall, or even at the coffee shop that was close to Crystal. She was in one of her cars, with a lovely lady in the back seat. No, she wasn’t wandering the alleys. This was all just some stupid nightmare that she had thrown herself into, all in the name of what? Power? What kind of power did she have now? Power that wouldn’t help her at that moment. What would she do to get further into high society? Steal everyone else’s Star Seeds? It didn’t work like that.

Dale stopped and shook her head, biting her lip in a rare moment of insecurity. She didn’t like this feeling of doubt, not at all. It was easy to complain, to scream or to cry or to dramatically tell the nearest brick wall how she will use the bones of your enemies to line her walkway. However, it wasn’t easy to be left with the feeling of doubt that remained in the aftermath of the temper tantrum. A temper tantrum, that’s all it was. How childish. Dale left these thoughts behind as her lieutenant’s uniform shimmered onto her lanky frame, the air around her rippling for just an instant. For an added dramatic effect, Variscite swept her yellow sash around with a flick of her hand. She figured, if senshi could have their own magical theme song and ribbons, she could at least flick her sash around. That’s why it was there, after all!

“Miss… Spencer…?”

Variscite blinked in surprise, and then slowly looked over to the quiet source of the voice. The short, chubby woman who stood nearby had wide eyes that were almost hidden by her round, thick glasses. From the surprised expression on her face, there was no doubt that she had seen Dale become Variscite.

“You’re the intern at the theater,” said Variscite. “Sally Wright, is that correct?”

Sally gulped and nodded.

Variscite had a calm smile stretched across her face, though her eyes were wide with anger. That was a stupid slip-up that she had done, but one that could be rectified immediately.

“No one has to know about this, darling,” said Variscite. “It doesn’t even matter… no, not a single blip on the radar.” The long-legged woman walked over to Sally and lifted her chin up with her metallic fingertips. “I’ve always loved full-bodied women, Sally. May I call you Sally? I just think the two of us are beyond formality, don’t you?”

Sally was quiet, just staring up at Variscite in rigid fear.

“I expect you have many questions for me, Sally,” Variscite’s voice was low and practically a purr. “Why don’t we go for a drive, hmm?”

===
One of Variscite’s hands was on the steering wheel, and the other was wrapped around the limp Sally’s shoulders. They were riding practically cheek to cheek, the Seedless one’s mouth slack while Variscite’s was pursed in that constant smirk.

“I told you it wouldn’t matter if someone saw me,” she mused as she drove up to a beautiful, but abandoned overlook. The stars were glinting in the blanketed sky, giving no hint about the meteor that had invaded the atmosphere. Variscite pushed her door open and dragged out Sally by her waist.

“I’m taking you cliff diving, darling,” she laughed. “Haven’t you ever wanted to do that? I’ve heard that Mexico is beautiful at this time of year, but why go all the way when you can do it right here?”

With Sally in her arms, she walked up to the edge of the ground, next to the sign with a painted camera on it.

“It’s a photo opportunity, my dear,” she said with a smile. “Too bad I forgot to bring my camera.” Variscite let Sally slip from her arms and go down the cliff’s side, her body bashing against the surface of the cliff with a bash every couple of feet.

“I told you it wouldn’t matter,” she repeated. “I can handle everything now.”