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 Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2021 10:51 pm
There had been a time, not so long ago, that the redhead would have been astonished at herself. Looking down at a spiral notebook Arianna flipped the page over to one that was not blank before closing the notebook entirely. She had been working on getting to-do list in order and finally she thought that maybe, just maybe, with a goal in mind she could set any lingering fears aside and commit to her new life.
For no longer was she Izobel Beckett. Izobel had essentially died the moment that she, the senshi of bandages, had walked through the mirror and came out a dark mirror senshi but until now the redhead had lingered over keeping her name similar until inspiration struck. And that had happened only hours ago. It was with a great sigh that she had been able to place pen to paper and see her new moniker flow across the page. She'd been hesitant in using Rhona's last name but it just flowed so nicely from her murmured first name choice.
Taking her henshin pen from its concealed place the teen called upon her powered self and glanced around before hightailing to a location that would seem less likely to be ambushed. She needed to talk with Remarque now that she had decided on things.
Feeling the wind whip against her now dark fuku as she ran and jumped across the rooftops Lacerta fiddled with the idea of energy gathering before discarding it. Court business could wait until another night. Tonight she wanted a clear mind and it was with that thought that she paused before heading towards the outskirts of Destiny City. Taking her notebook out of the subspace pocket in which she had stashed it earlier the senshi pulled out her compact and focused deeply before praying she was doing this right. With a clear voice she issued her call, "Remarque, if possible, can you meet with me?"
Taking a seat on the ground Lacerta flipped open the notebook once more and began to doodle. She kept her eyes on the page but every other sense was tuned to her environment.xxKyuseisha no Hikari I hope I'm getting things right with calling with the compact mirror? Anyways - here is a start for you.
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2021 5:59 pm
For a few seconds, the compact didn’t register at all; it was as if her message had gone through and then been lost to the infinite, ever changing expanse of Mirrorspace. And yet, something swirled in the mirror and Remarque’s voice answered, “I can meet with you. Where are you?”
He hadn’t picked up any sense of emergency in her voice; she didn’t sound like she was in trouble, or hurt, but it didn’t mean he had any intention of making her wait any longer than she needed to. He didn’t have anything pressing to tend to tonight, and he’d have much rather spent it in good company, anyway.
There were plenty of mirrors hidden around the city, and in all the time he’d spent powered up around here it wasn’t hard for him to know where at least one was tucked away. Some nights it felt like he was out hiding mirrors, or checking up on ones that he’d tucked away. Mirror checkups felt like a full time job, and even as he walked to the nearest one he could think of, he wondered how much he might have to bribe someone to check up on his mirrors so he didn’t have to.
Thankfully, he knew the one he needed was still in one piece--unless someone had broken it in the last fifteen minutes. She might not have had any urgency in her voice but he took long strides to the mirror, anyway.
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Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2021 6:57 pm
At first she hadn't been sure that her message had gotten through but with the issuance of Remarque's voice echoing through her compact Lacerta straightened. She felt a small smile grace her features before her gaze shifted to her location. Well it wasn't exactly the greatest place she could have chosen but it served as being out of the way. While still new to the court she hoped that her decision making skills meant that their meeting wouldn't draw unwanted attention. With that she sighed before speaking. "I wasn't sure where the best place to meet was so I'm near the outskirts of Destiny City, um on the western side,"
She flipped open her notebook and looked at the page before penning another line of something to ask about before she gave a soft sigh of frustration, "just trying to make it easier and I go and make it harder."
The last part, being spoken softly, was meant to be heard only by the redhead as she admonished herself over this impromptu meeting. Maybe they should have met some other way.
What was done was done though and it seemed as if Remarque would be on his way shortly. Inwardly Lacerta wanted this meeting. She needed to get into some sort of routine.
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Posted: Sat Aug 28, 2021 1:54 pm
Remarque’s answer was faster this time: “Got it. Be there in a minute.”
There was nothing from him for a little more than a minute--and then the energy signature of an Eternal Dark Mirror Senshi popped up not so far away.
If she could feel him, he could definitely feel her--and it didn’t take him very long at all to cross the distance from the mirror hidden. It was well hidden, in a thick patch of bushes and trees, so he spent the majority of his time brushing leaves and twigs off of himself as he made his way to Lacerta.
He’d succeeded and raised a hand when he was close enough to see her.
“Hey,” he greeted, and seemed to further relax when it set in that she did seem fine. “Not a bad place to meet,” he said when he crossed the rest of the distance between himself and her, and planted his hands on his hips to survey the area. “Nice to get away from the city for a bit.”
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2021 11:11 am
It was hard to get a read on if she had pulled Remarque away from anything of dire importance but there didn't seem to be any indicators that she had done anything of the sort. As the dark mirror eternal made his way over to the place that she sat and offered up a greeting Lacerta merely nodded in a silent reply before remembering that Remarque was also one of the royals of her new faction. She couldn't help but wonder if there was any royal greeting that one needed to give before she laughed inwardly at herself. Surely grandstanding was not the important issue at hand. Flipping open her book to the page that she had been jotting down notes on Lacerta made the effort to stand before surveying the sight as Remarque was doing, "thanks for coming to meet with me tonight. I wasn't sure if meeting as our powered selves was wiser in the city itself so I thought maybe the safest was to meet where we could sense if others were around with relative ease. Would be poor planning on my part if we got attacked because of a poor choice in a location for a meeting."
While this was all true it also made sense that they could've met in Mirrorspace but since she had corrupted Lacerta was uneasy about investigating her new realm alone. It would have to be something she eventually got over but for now it was better to meet outside, at least in her books. Speaking of books Lacerta picked up the one she'd brought with her. It was the real reason behind the meeting. Her gaze found Remarque's and she gave a tremulous smile.
"I think that I've finally decided on my new identity. Before I corrupted Rhona gave me permission to use her surname if I ever changed sides and I wanted to take her up on the offer. I haven't exactly told her yet and I wanted to keep it a surprise until all the documentation is finished. My new name will be Arianna, Arianna Lee. I also made a list of things that this new ID will need associated with it: passport, social security number etc. I've also constructed a bit of background information on where I've been if that question ever arises."
She removed the pages that she had written down what was needed and gave herself a short pause before pressing forward. ID and official documentation aside, she also needed funds to support herself. This was the trickier question. She knew that the Court looked after their own but was that in all aspects of life or not?
She decided to just get it over with, "Remarque, are there funds set aside for those that come into the Court? If so - how does one go accessing them?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2021 8:35 pm
Remarque nodded as she spoke; it was no trouble meeting her here, and he thought she was clever to choose a place out of the way that gave them the freedom to meet without worrying about someone else accidentally bumping into them. And, out here, it would have been obvious to feel someone approaching.
He’d smiled a bit while she spoke about her new name, when he realized how thorough she was being. Rhona would be ecstatic, he was certain about that.
“We’ll get you in contact with someone who can help with getting all that paperwork made. If you need funds, talk to me. We’ve never had anything official, but.” They weren’t big, not like the Negaverse. They didn’t have the same influence or power. But, he’d done well for himself, and he cared for the Court and the people in it.
He glanced over at her paperwork, and then seemed to decide that standing only worked if you were planning a short discussion or intended to go somewhere. “Here, sorry I made you get up. Let’s sit down.”
He took a seat first to make sure he wasn’t making her feel awkward about any of it, or like there was some precedent to uphold.
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this, have you figured out a budget for how much you’ll need? Don’t be shy about it, I’ve got a business in town that’s been incredibly lucrative for me. I’ve been talking about branching out and moving into something bigger, I’ve got a few people working for me now. I deal in antiques, specifically, and I make good money doing it. That, and playing the stocks and making smart investments. I’m in the middle of negotiations to expand my business. So if you need a job to float you by until you get something better, let me know. But if you’ve already got something worked out or want to go a different route, don’t worry about hurting my feelings. Anything you need, it’s all legitimate through the company. I can get you a card with funds on it if that’s easier.”
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Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:36 pm
To tell the truth there was more things that Lacerta had not decided upon just yet. Sure it was the smaller things like ID that probably drew the most importance of acquiring but things like budgets and figuring out perhaps where she was going to live sat in the back of her mind. The need would be there eventually but as long as she was welcome to stay with Rhona at her place she'd be grateful. But there would come a time when she would probably be ready to move out. Her move wouldn't be far - but it would allow her some breathing space and maybe a chance to gain back some independence. There were other things that she could have been asking about as well but for now the biggest concerns were out of the way.
At Remarque's question about if she put thought into a budget she gave the most honest answer she could. It was a gentle shrug of her shoulders. Since clarification was needed she spoke up, "I hadn't planned that far in advance to be honest. I just had a feeling I might need funds and thought it was best to ask about them. I can always sit down and think out what I would need."
The offer of a possible source of income also intrigued the young woman. "I wouldn't mind holding any sort of position at your company if you are offering. I'm not sure what skills I'd need though. I thought for the time being I'd be helping out with Rhona's business but if I could do short stints there and also work for you I think I could strike a balance. I have beehives that I tend to at Rhona's place now but I have a lot of free time on my end it seems. Working a cash register doesn't always seem much of a challenge."
She gave a rueful smile to Remarque. The offer stood that if he needed people to work for him she wouldn't hesitate to jump at the chance. She'd learn what she would need to know in order to be a productive employee.
"I think that is all so far that I wanted to discuss at the moment. ID, passport, backstory - all the smaller, more important details that my new life needs. Other important decisions like where I might decide to live will come at a later time I think. For now I just need to become comfortable in my new role as Arianna."
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Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:07 pm
Remarque nodded understandably. “We’ll get you set up with a Mauvian. They’ve got the technological skills to create completely functioning fake IDs. Downside is that if the Negaverse gets upset with you, they know ‘who’ you are, but.” He shrugged and shook his head somewhat dismissively. “Just stay out of their way and they leave you alone. Or, if they give you a hard time, you come to me and I’ll figure something else out.”
He wasn’t the Negaverse’s biggest fan, but he understood the necessity of having to balance things to make sure they stayed out of the way and had the chance to survive.
“When you get the chance, though, yeah. Figure out what sort of budget you need. I can make just about anything work. I mean, no Ferraris, but. I’ll do whatever I can to look out for the Court. I’ve got a good few positions I might be able to squeeze you into. Retail, research. Reception, even. Have you ever been to an auction house? I’m renovating the one I’ve been using for the past year. Going to make it a lot nicer, but it means we’ll need more people helping out. If you’ve got any skills you can put to use, let me know. Otherwise, I’ll get you whatever training you need. And don’t think you’re obligated to stick around if you want a job, I won’t be offended if you find something better. I write good letters of recommendation. I can work with you and Rhona, we won’t work you to the bone.”
He planted his hands on his hips and just enjoyed the gentle nighttime breeze. “Do you have anything in mind that you want to do, or are you just trying to piece together the details of your new life, first?”
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Posted: Thu Oct 07, 2021 2:48 pm
To learn that it would have to be a Mauvian aligned with the Negaverse that would create her new ID had Arianna pause. Hadn't Acubens once said that they couldn't be trusted? She would just have to get her ID done then and stay out of their way. It would be the best solution to follow. As Remarque started talking about budgets - Lacerta coughed at the one word that managed to catch her attention. Oooh...
Ferraris. Oh gods no. She didn't even have a driver's license or one that would allow her to at least practice driving skills. Lacerta had paused just long enough to bite down on the thought that wanted to make itself known before mutely seating herself on a stump. The idea was that she didn't want to be frugal with spending. She'd get want she needed to live on; but she didn't care to splurge on things that would be considered fripperies. A balance would have to be struck down the road and already it was looking like even though she'd sorted out the massive need that was the more important - personal documents - there'd be a budget that would need ironing out.
A deep sigh worked its way free and Lacerta glanced to Remarque before giving a small grin, "cars are definitely not on my list of things to acquire at the moment. A bicycle and transit pass would be all I need to get around as a civilian. I mean I think I still have some of my own funds left but that would be running out soon. And I guess I'd need a place to perhaps rent. I'm sure that I'm welcome to stay where I am - but soon I may need some time away."
The idea of working in an auction house appealed to the young woman and while parts of it sounded like it would involve interaction - the idea of just holding down a steady paying job sounded marvelous. She'd be actively participating in her new life, acclimating, and helping Remarque out at the same time. Absently she caught a lock of her hair and gave it a slight twirl. To hold a job would allow her also the sense of responsibility.
"I'm pretty good with learning things. I love to find answers about things and I am usually pretty good with people and being someone that could be relied on. If you think that would be a good fit for your auction house, I'd not turn down an offer of employment there."
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Posted: Fri Oct 08, 2021 8:06 pm
Remarque nodded approvingly. “Sounds good to me,” he said easily. “I’ll get you the address, we’ll set up some times. I’ll give you the opportunity to see how the place operates and settle in some, then you can tell me where you want to work and we’ll make sure you get full training. Lot of flexibility, I want you to be happy and taken care of. If something isn’t working out for you, we’ll find something that does,” he promised.
He couldn’t help but be amused that she didn’t even need a car--that definitely cut out a lot of the expenses.
“I’m glad you’ve got somewhere to stay for the time being, but look around some. If you find a place you like, I can help you get the paperwork in and cover rent costs while you’re settling in. I can even throw in a bike, just text me the one you want. And,” he sucked in a breath. “I’ll find a Mauvian to help out, since that seems like the most pressing thing to get taken care of.”
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Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 7:26 pm
It seemed like everything was settled for now then. Arianna would have official ID, or as official as a Mauvian could make it. Her need for a job to possibly hold down for as long as possible was taken care of as were her immediate needs to keep a roof over her head. Although sometimes that roof came with a lot of commotion. For now though the thought was that her place at Rhona's was a safe harbor. It was a place that she could just be herself and try to learn what changes would have to be made in order to keep thriving as Arianna. There had been a bit of passage of time since she had walked through a mirror and although acclimating as best as she could there were still times when the hole in her heart still felt too raw to deal with.
Instead of dwelling though on the negative thoughts Lacerta glanced to the clearing before letting out a sigh, "thank you for allowing this meeting to happen. It's been bothering me that although technically my old identity is no more there are times when it seems like it's the only thing I can still cling to, does that make sense? I figured that the sooner I could get used to being Arianna that it'd help make transitioning over easier to deal with. I'm not one hundred percent sure that I'm making a strong point though."
She hoped that she was making sense. Otherwise what would Remarque think of her odd statement. She flipped to a new page in her notebook and quickly wrote down the various departments of the auction house and the instructions to find a bike and text the information to Remarque. She glanced up from the page after scribbling down everything - even the idea of finding a place of her own.
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Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 8:04 pm
“Oh, you don’t have to thank me for any of it. I’m glad I could help. You call me if you ever need anything,” he said, and managed to sound like he meant it rather than just being polite.
“I can’t say I know exactly what you’re going through,” he admitted. “I never had to give up my identity. I never had to start fresh. But, I’ve been with people who have, and I know it’s hard to get started. You remember the life you left behind. I can imagine it’s rough, trying to hold onto who you were, who you are, and who you’re going to be. This is a good step to coming into yourself. We’ll get you settled in. And if you need help, or things don’t feel right, just tell me. I might not understand exactly what you’re going through, but I can listen. And, I’m going to support you through it. You sacrificed a lot to be a part of our Court. You don’t have to figure all this out on your own. We owe you, and we look after our own. So I mean it when I tell you not to hesitate if you need something.”
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Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2021 12:55 am
The words that she once heard as a white moon senshi resonated through her mind briefly once more at Remarque's words. It was just as Acubens had once described the Court.
They looked out after their own ... like a true family would.
What Lacerta had been searching for before - she had found here.
She turned her attention to her notebook to jot down one more thing before clicking her pen closed. Her gaze was thoughtful.
"It's definitely not the easiest thing to do - that's for sure. But this," and she indicated her notebook, "helps take the pressure off. As does hopefully making a good impression on my new boss." She gave a crooked smile to Remarque before making the notebook and pen disappear back into subspace. "I think I should head back though. Please - if you can keep my new identity a secret from Rhona, I'd appreciate it. I really want to surprise her."
Lacerta had an inkling of the reaction that she'd receive but the whole reveal would be worth it. With one simple gesture, she would have accepted an offer that was extended to her on the night that she had been upgraded to a super senshi. She turned to gaze at the glow from Destiny City before glancing back to Remarque over her shoulder, "the city sure seems to look different from all the way out here."
Kyuseisha no Hikari Think we could call this finished?
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