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 Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2022 4:53 pm
Quote: The Silent Firework (9) : Fireworks are aplenty this time of year, and there’s always something going off somewhere in the city. Little pops and noises are common, but something about this firework is completely abnormal–it makes absolutely no sound. Instead, light and color splashes across the night sky and leaves a lingering glow behind. No one knows where it came from, but it lit up the sky like a midnight sun, and was gone after about a moment. Anyone who managed to see it in person may find that when they blink, there is a residual glow before them. Strangely, it even seems like there’s a trail of faded, glowing light guiding them somewhere. Maybe you’re led to some special place, or some special person, or–maybe the trail ends before you ever find out where you were supposed to go.
Meninx didn’t really know what was going on these days.
Work, mostly. So much work. But what else was there to do? Everyone was busy.
And strangers were breaking into his office. He’d thought it was the Negaverse. It seemed like the Negaverse.
But it was nagging at him.
He’d been neglecting his Knighthood, so it was the sort of thing that jostled him back into it. He didn’t understand the promotion, only that he felt stronger. That he seemed to understand something. Sort of.
(Why was he still trying to lie? Who was he kidding? He didn’t have the answers. Didn’t know anyone who did. Didn’t know where to look.)
He needed to find out. Needed to know.
Meninx looked up at the sky just in time to see a falling star, and there was a brief second where someone else’s voice whispered in the back of his mind to make a wish–and then, the firework. It was beautiful, but it was so bright that it temporarily stole his vision from him. He took a moment to blink away the blackness, and another to blink away the strange sparkles hovering in the air.
But, they wouldn’t leave. He turned away to try and focus somewhere else, and then left–but when he turned back around, they were there again.
Calling for him.
It seemed like a trick, but he couldn’t help but wonder, what if–
He followed it.
Desperately, almost.
He wasn’t quite oblivious to the energy signature growing closer and closer on his radar but he couldn't help himself.
He needed to know what was at the end of this path–and why he was being led there.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 6:07 pm
Leona had come out of a mirror just after the firework had exploded, and while the strange sparkles still hovered, she…she didn’t like them.
Didn’t like them and didn’t trust them and as she felt the order aura–that had to be what it was. It felt wrong and uncomfortable and…too bright all at the same time. But…she followed it regardless.
As the strangely dressed man came into view…she was strangely glad that she had. It looked as though the dude was about to walk off of the small bridge that went over one of the busier roads through the city. “Ah! Hey! Yo dude! Trembling Cold!”
Casting her magic would surely wake him up from whatever stupid trance he was in…even if he was supposed to be an enemy, she couldn’t very well just…watch someone get run over by a dozen cars if she could stop it, now could she?Kyuseisha no Hikari Trembling Cold Leona says her attack and holds her hands out towards an opponent, and a blast of cold air comes from her hands. When the attack hits an opponent, they feel very cold, and the ground beneath them shakes and may crack slightly, throwing them off balance. The cold lasts for thirty seconds, and the shaking for fifteen. She can hit one opponent, at a range of ten feet. The attack can be used twice.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 6:30 pm
Meninx didn’t even realize where he’d been walking, he’d just been so sure he’d find what he was looking for, and then–
Cold. Cold, and the ground started to tremble beneath him, and he almost dropped to one knee. He caught himself by gripping the railing next to him, but turned to face the source of the magic when he realized that she was full of Chaos.
…Except, he couldn’t help but notice where he was. Where he’d almost been.
He’d rather be cold than dead, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d just lost something. And his pride was a little hurt.
“What was that?” he asked, and allowed himself a moment of weakness as he gripped the railing and rubbed at his eyes.
…In this heat, the cold wasn’t even unpleasant.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 6:45 pm
“How am I supposed to know? All I know is that you were just walking like you were about to jump off of the bridge and…are you good?”
Leona hesitated and shuffled on her feet for a moment. “If you’re not good, I think you should maybe move away from the bridge just a little bit? You’re really freaking me out, and I swear if you still want to jump, I will attack you again and then I’ll knock you out and bring you with me through a mirror and take you as far away from this damn bridge as I can. You won’t be offing yourself if I can help it.”
Not that she thought she would actually be able to drag him through a mirror. She was hardly accomplished at it herself but…it sounded like an impressive threat.
“So…what happened? If you’re hearing voices or something, I’d just go to the hospital, if I were you.”
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:10 pm
Meninx clenched his teeth together briefly because he felt so–weak. He hadn’t just been about to walk off the bridge. He wasn’t–
It wasn’t like that.
“I don’t want to jump,” he said, a little sharply. “That’s not–don’t make me sound like that. I saw something. I was just following it. And then I blinked and I was here. I was looking at the fireworks, and then–”
This was just sounding worse and worse.
He pushed himself away from the bridge a little aggressively, even if he still felt a bit dizzy.
“I wasn’t going to jump. I was just following the path. I guess I got carried away, that’s all.”
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:18 pm
Leona watched him for a long moment and then just sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “It’s really none of my business, I just…was worried. I’m glad that you’re not going to jump, but…maybe I don’t know. Don’t look at strange fireworks or you know…get super lost in your thoughts for a while, yeah? Just…be more careful next time.”
Clearly this wasn’t supposed to be how things were with those on the other side of the war. They should have been fighting. Arguing at the very least but…here she had gone and saved this guy’s a**…had she done the right thing or…
Would this bite her in the a** down the road?
“I’m Leona, by the way…Dark Mirror Senshi of Cryoseism…which is why the magic does the cold and the shaking…ice quakes! Perfect for those hot summer nights where you just wanna fling yourself into traffic…am I right?”
No, not really...and her timing was terribly poor but. The mood had just become so awkward.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:00 pm
Meninx bristled and seemed reluctant, but only because opening up or talking wasn’t really easy for him in the first place. He’d had such rapid emotional whiplash that he was still reeling, and now he was embarrassed on top of everything else.
He wanted to bite back that he was careful, that this was just a fluke, but he got the impression that the damage had already been done.
“Meninx,” he introduced, and tried to recover whatever dignity he could.
“I appreciate you stepping in. The ice was sort of nice, even. So. Thank you. I’m sorry for giving you any trouble. And, ah.” He looked at the cars below the bridge. "...For worrying you."
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:04 pm
“Of course! I’d step in for anyone. I…I’m not heartless. I’m glad that I was able to help, and I hope that you have a better night than you’ve been having, Meninx. You deserve it. Go get yourself some ice cream or something and call a friend? It could be good for you.” Leona wrinkled her nose. “I’m going to head home now though, this…has kind of put me off the idea of patrolling for the rest of the evening which is fine, but.”
She shrugged and then gave a little wave. “I’m glad you liked the ice, and I’m glad I got to meet you and even more glad that you didn’t try to kill me!”
The words were said quickly and Leona made a hasty retreat waving again. “Now, I leave before you decide to change your mind about that!”
A waggle of her eyebrows and she was off again, darting back into the mirror that had spat her out just a few moments before.
…That had been a good deed though. And hopefully karma was watching.
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Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2022 8:08 pm
...It kind of sounded like a good idea. Maybe not getting ice cream alone, but…
He was in a worse mood than when he’d started. Not just because this was embarrassing, not just because he realized he could have gotten himself hurt, but…
He’d been so hopeful. He’d been so sure.
And now there was only emptiness.
She was gone, too. Almost before he even realized it, and–
Meninx was alone.
He didn’t think going home was going to fix that.
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