Prompt 5 (Ice Bath): Rainfall is rare in Destiny City during Winter; there have been a few light showers between the occasional snow but it’s never been enough to be significant. In some places, it’s just enough for a thin layer of ice to cover the ground and make it a little slippery, but ultimately it’s not enough to worry about. In an inconspicuous place in town, you step into one of these icy puddles and the thin layer of ice shatters. The hole itself seems maybe three feet wide and if you’ve ever been in the area before you know it’s just a pothole a few inches deep at most. Except, when the ice shatters, you fall, plummeting into it as if it were a lake of icy water. It’s pitch black around you and only pale blue lights shimmer above you. The darkness is never ending and you can’t make out the details of anything except the shrinking hole above you. Maybe you remember how to swim and pull yourself out, maybe you black out and feel someone else pulling you out--either way, your frozen, soaking body is pulled from the puddle. The chill is immense, but if you look at the hole after being pulled out, all you can see is the ground below. There’s no sign that what you just experienced is real--except for the fact that you’re still soaking wet.
There was a sense of year end shenanigans winding down in Destiny City and for that Lacerta was beyond grateful. Christmas was nearing and after that it would be New Years. It was almost too much for her to realize that this would be the first full year that she had been a member of the dark mirror court. Her heart had never wavered on the decision to join Acubens family and even now as she took in the lights of the city below did she feel a returning fondness for the city that she had come to love, whether she was a white moon senshi or not. Oh of course there were changes to her civilian life that had made the adjustments harder but for the most part things had seemed to work out. The job offer that she had been given to work at the auction house was paying off dividends. She was earning a wage and, surprisingly enough, enjoying herself as she did.
Reminiscing was a little dangerous and it was with a resigned glance across the roofline that saw Lacerta move to street level. The night air was crisp and she breathed in the crispness before eyeing the deserted street. Would it be so wrong to just walk a little distance dressed as she was? Hardly anyone was out now and the empty street looked inviting enough. A late winter's season rain had driven everyone inside and it was with a sense of wistfulness that Lacerta began testing the iced over puddles. As a kid it had been a fun game to see just how much pressure was needed to cause the ice to break. There was no inherent danger in the activity and if she got interrupted well, that was a thought for another time.
With a sound of laughter bubbling up from within Lacerta moved to the first puddle on the street and gently applied pressure to the ice. Within moments the ice shattered and water flooded over the broken pieces. Her boots kept out the wet and she moved towards another puddle further down the way. She knew in the back of her mind that this puddle would be a bit deeper seeing it was a pothole in which water pooled and she tapped the ice gently with a boot before noticing it wasn't reacting as much. A much harder application of pressure yielded no results and so figuring it was worth a possible splashing to at least see the ice shatter Lacerta stood on the ice proper and jumped - bringing both her feet down in a landing that would have seen her stick the landing - had the ice not completely given way beneath her. With barely more than a short yelp of surprise - the senshi of bandages sunk deeper into a hole that shouldn't have been this deep, ever.
noir songbird
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 9:28 pm
Ever since her talk with Encke, Ariadne had been full of thoughts and questions. But being in Mirrorspace, and having ti save them when all seemed lost--that had been enough to restore her certainty. She belonged here, in the Dark Mirror Court. This was where Ava had stayed, for all these years, and it was clearly for a reason. The Court had worked together to overcome the dangers they'd stumbled into, and while Ariadne still had no idea what the lovely crystal she'd found would do for her, she was holding onto it, assuming it was probably something precious.
It was also a nice night to be out powered, even if she'd tossed a hoodie on over her uniform. The cold resistance being a Senshi provided meant that she was having an easier time taking a late evening's walk, and the whole being-magical thing meant that anything that wanted to ******** with her seemed to choose not to, which was always a bonus. Sure,t he weather wasn't perfect, but that just meant quiet and privacy--
Quiet and privacy that was shattered by a shriek and a loud sound of ice cracking from what sounded like a street over, echoing in the cold, empty night. Ariadne gasped, and ran--the sound was foreign and alien, and shouldn't have been happening here. Even if all that happened was someone falling, that was bad enough--but when she got to the source of the sounds, there seemed to be....a hole? In the sidewalk? And someone falling into it?
A fellow Dark Mirror, even--from the battle in the park!
She darted forward, kneeling down and reacihng out to try to grab the other woman's hand.
"I've got you," she gasped, even if she wasn't sure at all that she did.
There was nothing to prepare Lacerta for the shock of hitting icy cold water. As the ice gave way beneath her feet though that was what she was submerged in. There had been years before when she had heard about the traditional swim that people partook in on New Years Day but Arianna had never given much thought to actually partaking in such an activity. It had been a mere wistful fantasy that she would have the courage to do something so daring. No she wasn't the one that would take a trip into frigid waters on purpose. Perhaps though - if she had - she would have been prepared for the shock of the freezing cold water as it surrounded her form. It was strange that even as she floundered around in the water that she could still make out what appeared to be the surface. Fluttering kicks of her feet made it seem like the hole was getting closer but the distance didn't seem to decrease at all. Was she even really moving in the right direction? Icy cold tendrils almost seemed to tangibly wrap around her form to still her thrashing limbs. The silence that permeated the water was ensnaring her mind. Her eyes drifted close for seconds before she gasped. No!
With a herculean effort the dark mirror senshi gave a mighty kick of her feet in order to try and reach the blue lights that glittered near the surface. Hopefully it was the surface and she hadn't gotten all turned around. The last of her strength used Lacerta thrust a hand out of the water and felt something latch onto it. Dare she even begin to think that she had been rescued in the nick of time? Her gaze took in a blurry shape before she felt herself sinking a bit before being dragged further out of the hole. Who had gotten her: friend or foe? Civilian or fellow superhero? Only time would tell.
noir songbird
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 10:55 pm
There was a hand. Ariadne wrapped both of hers around it, and began to pull, as hard as she could. The darkness and the ice-cold water sent chills through her, as she hauled the person under the water up and out. Even just the little of it she touched was enough to tell her that it was terribly dangerous.
She hoped she was fast enough. That the person under the water wasn't panicking or inhaling. That the cold wouldn't be as deadly as she feared it would be.
But with a solid pull, she was able to draw the other Dark Mirror out, and her heart pounded as she did so.
"Are you alright?" She asked, voice panicked. Her first impression was right; this was one of the Senshi from the battle in the park, a fellow Dark Mirror. The poor woman looked utterly soaked, and strangest of all, there seemed to be no evidence of the hole in the ground that Ariadne was sure had just been there. It had to have existed; she had pulled the other Dark Mirror out of it; but there was nothing there.
Ugh, Ariadne hated this.
"Here," she let go of the other woman to pull off her sweater, and offered it over. "That water was....cold..."
Okay, so her rescuer was definitely a friend. One that was recognisable at that too. Her teeth chattered fiercely as the cold night air hit her soaked skin and clothes and she felt herself shivering. Despite that though she was only taking in the appearance of her rescuer. The offer of a warm, dry layer of clothing was gratefully accepted and she could only nod for a moment before gazing back at the hole that had nearly swallowed her up. She shrugged the sweater over her shoulders and got her arms into the sleeves which cut down the amount of exposed skin to the elements and sighed softly. Her teeth still continued to chatter a bit as shivers continued to course through her. She knew it was the body's way to cope with the cold and thus she did nothing to stop the tremors.
"J-j-just feeling a little c-c-cold and a little surprised by whatever happened."
But where her eyes playing tricks on her? The deep crater that she had sunk into was no longer there. Blinking quickly she stared at the hole before scooting away from it. The warmth from the dry sweater was definitely helping. She plucked at it before glancing to her rescuer and held out a hand, "we never been formally introduced, but I recognize you from the park. I'm Lacerta of Bandages. Thanks for the timely save."
She felt another tremor go through her body and she winced before sneezing. "I think we need to get someplace warmer. I'm stealing your warm sweater and it's still a little cold after that dip."
noir songbird
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Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2021 11:51 pm
Ariadne nodded. Cold and surprised sounded about like what was to be expected, considering the situation.
"Yeah, I remember you, too. I'm Ariadne of Mourningbrides." She flashed a smile. "Glad I was around to help. Come on, let's find somewhere warm. There's a coffee shop not far from here that's open late, and they don't ask any questions about what you're wearing."
Get inside, get hot drinks, get poor Lacerta warmed up. That was the way to go.
Grateful couldn't begin to express how Lacerta felt as they headed off in the direction of the promised coffee shop. Warmth awaited - and possibly a new friendship fostered. But Lacerta turned to glance back at the place that had mysteriously returned to normal. She glared at it before sneezing again.
One thing was for certain - she had gained some valuable insight - she'd never partake in a New Years Day plunge if she could help it.
