|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:41 pm
The last time she had gone patrolling, Lenka had met a new friend, so it seemed that perhaps she should go out again. At least that sounded like a good idea to her, and go out she did, once more going back to the park that she had spent so much time in as a chibi.
She took her time, snorting softly as she made it to the monkey bars...she could stand in between them now, her head sticking a few inches over the tops of the bars themselves. Useless for any further ‘training’, but still. A nice memory.
Maybe one day she’d bring a lightsaber with her on a patrol again, just for the hell of it. They had been useful when she was younger...and it was a fun thought, smacking someone in the shins with a tough piece of plastic.
There was the feeling of a senshi aura coming close and she took note of it, but didn’t feel very interested. She had nothing against the White Moon. Nothing at all. And if they had an issue with her...well. She’d just retaliate. No big deal.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2021 8:37 am
Goretti powered up every bit as much as he used to, so it was only a matter of time before he ran into Lenka.
He was juggling a whole different life now; he was in college, working a part time job out of the school, and looking for her. Some things were the same--he was still living at home with his father. He was still powering up. He went to visit her mother at least twice a week.
He wasn’t afraid of the Dark Mirror energy signature; overall they had been a fairly decent faction--at least, to him. In recent years, he hadn’t had any negative run-ins with them, and to be honest--he was lonely.
Without Lenka there, he’d fallen out of a lot of his powered social groups, and while he had worked diligently to reach out to people and make sure they knew how to contact him if they found her, it seemed like he used his powered side more to look for her--to find out what happened to her--more than he did to do anything else.
Sometimes he dusted youma.
Sometimes he met a Senshi or Knight.
Mostly, he just looked.
And yet, despite all of that, he didn’t know what to do when he found her.
Across the park, he recognized her. In dark colors.
It didn’t seem real, and when he called, “Lenka,” it didn’t even sound like his voice.
He’d thought this was real, but suddenly it just felt like another dream.
He couldn’t bring himself to approach her, to move. To breathe.
His heart had stopped, and he stared incredulously, too stunned to even process anything beyond her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2021 2:38 pm
Lenka paused, freezing at the sound of her name and glanced over towards the one who was calling it, and for a moment, all of the breath seemed to leave her body. <********. It was Goretti.
It seemed like Lenka’s brain suddenly went completely offline and she tried to move forward, and ended up hitting the edge of the monkey bar, hissing in pain and ducking out from under it, rubbing her chin. It was painful...but it was a good distraction, giving the senshi’s brain a few moments to reboot. Looking up again, Lenka forced a smile. “Ah. Hey. Goretti...long time no see...ah...how have you been?”
I’ve missed you. Oh god, I’ve missed you…
Had he been looking for her? They had been good friends...patrol partners...he had been one of her closest senshi friends...
“...As you can see....I ******** up.” It was the understatement of the year but...she had to say something.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2021 5:58 pm
His eyes flashed with concern when she collided with the monkey bar; he hurried over with the same care he’d always had for her. “Here,” he said, and held out a hand for her.
A shaking hand.
He was overwhelmed with emotions, not many of which he could understand beyond obvious grief and despair--and happiness! And hope! She was alive! --But lost, in her own way. But here!
“I’ve been looking for you,” he answered bluntly. “I never stopped. I’ve been worried about you--you joined...the Dark Mirror Court?”
Why would she have? She knew what it would take from her. Unless she hadn’t wanted to join. But did that count as her ******** up? Was she ashamed, had she been hiding?
“Are you okay?” he blurted instead, because that was more important. He didn’t mean just now, and it was obvious that wasn’t just asking about the monkey bars. He was asking about her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2021 6:45 pm
Goodness he was a good friend...he always had been and it seemed that not even her corruption would stop that.
Hesitating for a moment, she took his hand and squeezed it, shrugging. “I’m...yeah. I’m okay. I guess. I...I didn’t want to join it. This b***h, her name is Leto, she’s a ******** b***h Goretti...don’t cross her and if you do...don’t lick her hand she doesn’t like that much. She decided she would pull a power move and threw me through a mirror...I…”
Her voice broke and her hold on the other senshi’s hand tightened, as though she were afraid that he’d pull away. Hate her. Turn on her.
“I never wanted this. I’ve been a depressed little sack of woe for the past...however long it’s been now. I can’t even keep track but...I’m so happy to see you. I missed you so much...thank you for looking...I...I’m sorry you had to find me like this...Looking like this.”
...Feeling like this.
...Being like this.
God. She utterly hated herself.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2021 6:16 am
He looked a little alarmed, because--what? Why would he ever lick someone’s hand? There was obvious confusion on his face, but he nodded firmly, effortlessly promising not to lick some stranger.
The news didn’t make him draw away, though. When she squeezed his hand, he returned it. He wasn’t letting her go.
There was nothing wrong with her.
Even if she had wanted this, he wouldn’t have been able to condemn her.
“I don’t care how you look! You’re in one piece! You’re alive! You’re still you!” Sort of.
He pulled her close and squeezed her, holding her tightly in a hug. “I was worried you’d been killed, or that the Negaverse got you. You’re not on your own, are you? You know if you want to come back, you can, right? No pressure. But--I’ll be here for you, no matter what. You don’t have to hide, Lenka. You don’t have to be ashamed.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2021 6:13 pm
Lenka looked at Goretti for a long moment and chewed on her lip before nodding slowly, so happy to be in his arms when he pulled her in for the hug. “...Goretti...I’m alive. Yeah...I...I’m not on my own. I’m staying with Remarque...you know we had that frenimies thing going on since...forever...but. I guess Leto told him and he came to find me...he was so pissed at her...I hope he punches her the next time they see each other. Lord knows I will.”
She returned the hug, squeezing him as though she would never let go. He didn’t hate her...he was hugging her...and he didn’t hate her.
“...I can’t come back...I won’t have anyone...Nobody will know me...I...I’ll be a stranger to everyone and...I just...I can’t go through that...I just can’t. It’s been hard enough this way...at least...at least I have a new...found family or whatever...but...I’ve lost everyone important to me…” Lenka had to break off, half choking on a sob. “...I’m so sorry…”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2021 6:59 pm
Goretti paused, and here was no denying that his heart broke, even if she couldn't see it. He squeezed her tighter and rubbed down her back. “It’s okay,” he said, and sounded like he meant it.
It wasn’t okay; she’d lost so much. She had it taken from her, the same way she was taken from him, and taken from her mother. It was a loss they couldn’t recover, and she couldn't come back.
“You haven’t lost them. They’re still there. They still love you. Even if they can’t see you, even if they never get to see you again, they’re always going to love you, Lenka. They’d just want you to be happy. You don’t have to apologize. They’d just want you to be okay. I promise. Trust me,” he said, and rested his chin on her shoulder as he held her.
“I know this isn’t the path any of us would have chosen, but it doesn’t mean that you don’t still have a bright future. We can figure it out. You’re not alone, okay? I know you’ve got your new ‘found family’ and all, but...I just want you to know that I’ll still be here, too. I’ll still support you. I still care about you.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2021 7:34 pm
Lenka nodded, burying her face in his shoulder and shuddering, just melting at his touch, “They’re still there...but if I see them...they won’t know me...and if I talk with them...try to make new friendships….they can’t know me...I’ve wanted to reach out to those I’ve lost I...I just don’t think I have the courage...which sounds so stupid because, ‘Retti...you know how stupidly brave I am...it’s what got me in this mess. I don’t even know why I had decided to go out...I had pretty much given this all up. I swear my boyfriend was about to propose soon. I mean, not that he ever said anything but...god.”
She hiccuped and hugged him tighter. “He and my mom must think I’m dead. Have you seen Julienne…? Is she okay? I miss her...I…”
God. This was why she hadn’t reached out to anyone. This ache that was all consuming...it made her want to throw up. To just run away. To really just disappear.
“How have you been? Other than looking for me? Is life going okay?”
She hadn’t...ever met Goretti when he wasn’t powered. At least not that she could think of. If she had...she couldn’t recall who he was so obviously he wasn’t anyone important.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2021 7:56 pm
She still remembered them.
Part of Goretti was relieved. Part of him just hurt.
A lot.
He was glad that she didn’t want to pull away; he kept his arms wrapped around her and just kept rubbing his hand soothingly up and down her back. His eyes had misted over and it was taking everything in him not to just start crying, too.
She didn’t remember everything, didn’t remember that he was her boyfriend, but.
“They don’t think you’re dead. They’re still looking. I’ll figure out something to tell them, Lenka, don’t worry. I’ll make sure they’re okay. And they’d want me to make sure you were, too. I’m doing okay,” he promised. “You and I can meet up again, I can tell you what they say, or pass along messages. I don’t mind. And I’d like any excuse to see you again. I don’t want to do this again, I don’t want to go so long without knowing you’re okay. Can we work something out so we can meet up? I can bring dinner for us sometime, we can just sit in the park and catch up. Or hunt youma, if you still like to do that?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 8:13 am
He knew her family and friends? She hadn’t realized they had been so close...but…
What luck. “Thank you Goretti...thank you...and please! I would love to meet up again...when are you thinking? I’ll do any time, honestly...the fact that you don’t hate me...that’s just the best thing ever, honestly. I was so…” She broke off and quickly rubbed at her eyes, drawing away from the male rather reluctantly. “...I don’t want to lose you...not again. Not now that you’ve shown up in my life…” Lenka wanted to bury her face back against him, to just let him carry away all of her fears and insecurities but…
“I would love dinner. And love to sit in the park, and I could still hunt youma. That would be nice...a nod to the good days, yeah?”
Maybe she could just...dunk her fuku in some bleach and they could really pretend it was the good days again...god if things could be that easy...she would have done it already.
“I don’t really...like anyone in the Dark Mirror Court...I mean...I don’t really...care to get to know them, other than the two I live with...and they’re wonderful. They’ve been really good to me, Gorettti...so I am taken care of ******** the rest of them…”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 8:23 am
He nodded. “What are their names? If you don’t mind me asking. I don’t want any trouble with them,” he insisted, just in case she’d forgotten that he cared about making friends more than enemies. “Just so I know who the good ones are. Who I know are watching your back. Um, do you want to meet up--well, whenever,” he suggested.
“I can make it work. Anytime after the sun goes down is pretty much good for me. We can meet by the big fountain in the park, I can bring something for us? Is tomorrow too soon? I don’t know, I’m just happy to see you again. I could never hate you.”
He drew her into another hug, and gave her a good squeeze before he pulled back so she could see his smile. “You’re my best friend. Now and forever. I don’t know how this is going to work,” he admitted, “But we can figure it out. We don’t have to be enemies. We’re still fighting the Negaverse, right? Now we just have more options in case something happens.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 4:13 pm
“Oh! Remarque and Lesath...they’re really nice. Lesath doesn’t get out much, but Remarque does, um...I’ve told them a lot about you too, so I know they would never hurt you...not that I think they would hurt anyone? Not on purpose.” Her past history with Remarque aside...obviously, Lenka had been very...pushy. And she still was. Obviously.
“Tomorrow sounds great...can I bring something too? I’ll bring dessert, or ah...whatever you might want.” She could bring watermelon...that…
Mm...maybe not. That would be too close to what they had done before, and it made her chest ache a little.
“What time tomorrow? I’ll bring oreos!”
She didn’t comment on the fighting the Negaverse...she didn’t have a response for it. Especially not with her friendship with Schee...it was complicated but...she was still against them as a whole, and she would still protect people. “Yeah. A lot more options. And...we’ll always have one another. I hope.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2021 8:36 pm
He blinked. “Oh, really? Remarque? The one you hit with a mirror?”
Out of all of the Dark Mirror Senshi, he was the one she wound up with--the one who was her new family. He looked perplexed, but he couldn’t help how much he wanted to laugh at the idea of it, of the strangeness of the way the world worked. He smiled and shook his head, because he was happy for her, even if he didn’t understand it.
“I would love some Oreos. I don’t even remember the last time I had any. Tomorrow at nine?” he suggested, but he was already making notes on how he could adjust his schedule to make sure he could meet her at whatever time she wanted.
“Or, whenever. Because--we’ll always have one another, I promise. You don’t even have to ‘hope’.”
He held out his hand--his pinky.
“I swear. You’ll always have me. No matter what happens. We’re a team, Lenka. And I’ll always be here if you want to talk. About anything. No pressure, no judgment.”
He wanted to say ‘I love you,’ but he knew he couldn’t.
She didn’t know who he was underneath this, and he couldn’t let her know.
No matter how much the words burned in his heart.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2021 3:11 pm
Lenka gave a soft laugh. “Yeah...isn’t that crazy? Of all the people...it had to be Remarque...but...he’s really nice, Goretti...I’ll introduce him to you someday, if you’d like...that way you can be sure that I’m being taken care of!” She felt warm, cared about…loved even. Goretti wouldn’t leave her. He didn’t want to be rid of her...he wanted to keep seeing her, be in her life again…
God it felt so good. To be wanted. To be remembered.
She took the pinky and smiled softly. “Thank you...I’ll bring the Oreos, and we’ll have a good time...things will be okay. We’ve got this...you and me. We’ve got this, don’t you think?”
Lenka thought. Lenka wanted to think.
It seemed so much better to have someone from her past that still cared.
...Remarque didn’t count.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
