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 Posted: Tue Aug 09, 2022 10:32 pm
(( for reference sakes: this rp takes place right after this and this ))(( Copied from Gdocs )) She waited.
At first Lacerta tried to ignore the rising panic. Why hadn't the upgrade taken? What was wrong with her? Had her corruption into the dark mirror court been the wrong move? Where was Acubens?
The final mental query was the most important one that needed answering. Lacerta looked up to Acubens and she knew that the senshi of velociraptors would never desert her, and yet, it seemed like she was purposely not answering the dual calls that she had sent out via her compact. Had something nefarious happened? Was Acubens just too busy to get away at the moment? What? what? what? Lacerta glanced around at the small rooftop that she had sat down on. She had chosen this place as a meeting site only because of the memories it held when she was still a newly made super white moon senshi. In that moment when Lacerta had needed her the most, Acubens had come to her. It had started the discussion of what would be the first step taken in her long, and often, painful journey to become part of the dark mirror court. Some choices had been taken out of her hands when her parents had died but perhaps it made it easier as well. She hadn't really had to fake her own death for the sake of family but to the world it seemed as if Izobel Beckett had mysteriously disappeared. Articles had been printed once or twice but after a few weeks it seemed as if her 'disappearance' had become just one more statistic of Destiny City.
Now as she swallowed down a sob that wanted to tear free from her throat she once more pulled out her means of communicating with any dark mirror that she chose and gave a soft sound of frustration, "Why aren't you coming when I need you? Please Acubens. Look, I'm sorry if I'm pulling you away from something important, but I need you. Something happened tonight."
Lacerta had a feeling that Acubens would be able to find her but just in case that wasn't the case she spoke clearly into her compact, "remember where you once met me as a distraught white moon senshi? I'm here again...needing reassurances."
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 8:10 pm
Acubens hadn’t been terribly busy, but just busy enough. It had been a simple enough task, dispatching a small youma who had bothered her and another basic senshi with whom she had been talking, but enough that she had to ignore the feeling of someone calling her for the time being. She’d been injured enough to know better than to underestimate even the smallest of youma. Especially when there was someone else around. Only when that threat was a pile of glittering dust did Acubens pull her compact from subspace, her breathing only marginally changed from resting pace from her minor exertion.
Why aren't you coming when I need you? Please Acubens. Look, I'm sorry if I'm pulling you away from something important, but I need you. Something happened tonight.
Acubens’ blood ran cold. Her mind screeched to a halt. Everything around her stopped as Lacerta’s voice filtered in through the compact. A million things flew through Acubens mind at once as she listened. Lacerta was in danger. She was captured. She was running. And Acubens wasn’t there.
“She sounds upset,” the basic senshi offered from beside Acubens. “You better go help. I can get home from here.”
Upset. Yes. Upset. And while that still twisted something in Acubens stomach, it quelled the rising panic. Upset, but not in danger. Not out of breath. Upset.
She nodded to the senshi next to her and left the area first, following the given directions to the rooftop where Acubens had first offered Lacerta a home and a family.
She signaled her arrival as much as she could, taking heavier steps than her frame warranted and scraping her shoes as she moved. She didn’t want to spook the other senshi, knowing what a delicate state she was in. She even rapped her knuckles on the side of the shelter housing the steps down into the building, the hollow ringing of the knocking echoing out into the night.
“And of course, you will have whatever you need, Lacerta,” she cooed, coming to sit next to her cousin close enough that their shoulders brushed. “My apologies for the wait. I was a bit tied up, and it’s quite a ways from the mirror nearest here, even with our speed.”
She swayed, pressing her shoulder even further into Lacerta’s in an attempt to reassure her.
“What’s on your mind, Sweetling?”
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 8:13 pm
Lacerta almost jumped at the sound of heavy footsteps before refocusing her attention on the aura of the approaching stranger. She only knew of two eternal ranked Dark Mirror senshi and while it could have been Remarque, she hadn’t asked to meet with him so that meant that Acubens had come after all. Wiping her gloved hand over eyes that had refused to stop leaking since leaving her encounter with Tama did Lacerta clear her vision enough that she felt comfortable in facing her cousin. Of course it was only the odd tear that fell; just enough of them to remind her that something was wrong. Absently did Lacerta turn away from Acubens for one more moment before digging deep into her reserves of courage before sniffling softly. The feeling of having her shoulder brushed as Acubens sat down next to her bolstered her convictions even further that she had been acting irrational to even think that Acubens would desert her. At the further pressure of a friendly shoulder that she could lean into, the redhead accepted the offer and rested a portion of her slight weight onto Acubens. She needed to explain what had happened so that Acubens understood.
“Let’s just say that there are nights when I wish I didn’t wander around by myself. I meet the strangest people every single time and I really should just stop doing so,”
Lacerta sighed before calling up her transformed pen from her subspace pocket before offering it to Acubens to look over before she continued to speak, “I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’ve been feeling restless of as late and so I usually go out and use the restlessness as a means to collect energy for our court. I know it’s not always the wisest thing to do but at least I feel like I’m helping by putting this restlessness to good use. Anyways, to make this story shorter, I ran into someone tonight. Or being more specific, he ran into me. It was another Mauvian except the star on his head was dark. He and I chatted for a bit before I admitted why I was out on my own.”
Taking a breath Lacerta glanced down at her pen again before she continued, “Tama requested to see an example of my strongest magic and so I let him scratch me before healing it. But afterwards he said that it wasn’t my strongest attack anymore. He told me I was ready to become an eternal senshi. I let him handle my pen and it changed … but I didn’t,” and here was the doubt again, rearing its ugly head. Lacerta’s vision blurred for a moment before she tried to grip her fluctuating fears, “was he wrong? Am I not ready yet? Is there something else I’ve missed doing that needs to be done first?”
Lacerta’s gaze wavered before she glanced down and away from the changed pen. Her voice was suddenly very timid as she forced out the most painful question, “why didn’t I change too?”
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 8:16 pm
As Lacerta leaned against the older senshi, Acubens slipped her arm around the other’s shoulders, holding her close as she spoke. Her heart kicked up again at the mention of “strange people.” Who had Lacerta met? What had they done to her? What had they said? She took the pen produced for her while she turned the wondering over in her head, adding the new pen to the puzzle. And then she described the cat and another piece of the puzzle fell into place. Lacerta had been powered up by an unfamiliar cat, and Acubens heaved a sigh. It should have been Katya. At least then Acubens would have been told about the power up and Lacerta would have been guided through the process.
But I didn’t.
Acubens was opening her mouth to ask why Lacerta hadn’t made the transition. Whether she was frightened to do it alone or simply unsure of her deservedness. Another reason Acubens had wished it had been Katya. She would have found another eternal to help as well. Fill in gaps that the cat didn’t have.
But then she saw the tears in Lacerta’s eyes. And wasn’t that just a confusing thing? Was Lacerta so afraid of the transition that she flustered herself into tears? Acubens reached up and cleaned away the few that fell with gentle fingertips. Well if that was all, Acubens would be happy to help her through the transformation. It could be jarring, going in one way and coming out another…
Why didn’t I change too?
Oh…
Oh…
That was why Lacerta was so upset. One more reason Acubens had wished Katya had been the one to upgrade her cousin. Katya would have known the last piece of the puzzle necessary to finish the process. Acubens made a mental note to talk to Beni about making sure all chaos cats were clear on what went into upgrading Dark Mirror Senshi. And if they weren’t, that they should find an older one to help with information.
But that was for later. Right now, Lacerta needed her undivided attention.
“Lacerta, if the Mirror says that you are ready for more power, then you are ready. Never doubt that. And never doubt yourself. This… Tama must not be familiar with what we need,” Acubens sighed, pressing a kiss into the side of Lacerta’s head. “It’s not just about changing the pen like it is with white moon senshi. We need something else to finish the process. And lucky for you,” she poked a gentle finger against the tip of Lacerta’s nose, “it’s a simple thing.”
Acubens stood then, offering her hand as she went.
“Let’s walk. We’ll get you squared away in no time.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 8:17 pm
Lacerta truly had been beside herself with worry. First about what she perceived as a failed upgrade and then with how long it had taken for Acubens to reach out and find her. The kernels of doubt that she wasn’t truly meant to go any further was still floating about absently in her mind but she found she was able to push the largest ones aside in order to pay attention to what Acubens had begun to explain to her.
Hadn’t there been something else that she had missed in her meeting with Tama? There had been a bit of confusion on both their parts it seemed. Tama wasn’t sure what needed to be done but there had been a hastily added something about mirrorspace and maybe that’s what she had glossed over.
Was she a fool for overreacting? Maybe, but also maybe not.
Even as Acubens explained that Tama probably hadn’t known what needed to be done, and then the parallel about how it was done in the White Moon came up and Lacerta sighed, “I think I’ve experienced that most obvious distinction tonight. Why isn’t it the same?” The kiss that was pressed to the side of her head followed by the gentle poking of her nose had Lacerta giving Acubens a retaliatory pinch in her side. Revenge. Small but sweet. Even as her pen was handed back to her, Lacerta gave the smallest sounds of protest before taking the hand that Acubens offered to her in order to get to her feet.
“Wherever you lead, I will follow,” and here was a thoughtful pause, “so was I in the midst of making the biggest mountain out of a molehill with all my worrying? What else do I need to do? What step was I missing?”
If Lacerta was going to be soon the same rank as Acubens then this was knowledge that needed to be learned and retained. She wanted to be able to serve the Court in all the best ways possible.
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 8:18 pm
Acubens made a choked off sound as Lacerta pinched her, her nose wrinkling in mirth as she allowed the retaliation. That mirth reached her voice as she gently chastised, “no. Never be ashamed or embarrassed by your emotions. You didn’t upgrade as you expected, and it only makes sense that you’d be anxious. But instead of letting yourself sit and spiral, you called out for help. Thank you. That’s hard, and I’m proud of you for doing that.” As Lacerta rose, Acubens kept her hand in hers, leading the way towards the mirror she kept stashed in this part of town as quickly as possible.
“As for why there is a difference, I have a theory. The White Moon’s magic comes from their planets, their stars, and their asteroids. The magic is unobstructed as it finds its way from source to senshi. We, however, draw our power from the Mirror. And as such, we need to draw close to her in order to reap her full benefits.”
And then she shrugged dismissively, as though to add an non-verbal but what do I know? To the end of her statement.
“But this means that when someone upgrades, they need to pass through mirrorspace. When we get to the mirror, you will pass through, linger in mirrorspace for a moment, and then when you pop out of the otherside, the Mirror will have finished upgrading you. The cat was only a key. You need to walk through the door yourself, however.”
When they arrived at the mirror, hidden within a nearby alley, Acubens nudged Lacerta towards it.
“When you emerge again, we’ll celebrate,” she promised with a smile that nearly closed her eyes.
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 8:21 pm
Lacerta felt something akin to relief in knowing that her reaction wasn’t all pure histrionics. She had every right to be upset with the situation at hand. Fear of the unknown and all that jazz. Even better was knowing that Acubens was proud of how she had handled things after finding herself in an unknown situation. Heck, Lacerta would have called out to Acubens even if she had known what was going on but that hadn’t exactly been the case this time. But the time to dwell on what had happened and what hadn’t seemed to be over. In knowing what needed to be done now did Lacerta glance at the reflection of herself in the mirror, committing to memory what she looked like now. In a few minutes the look would be erased by something new and it would mark the next stage in her journey. Glancing back over her shoulder she wanted to tease Acubens one more time but instead gave her cousin a small, yet tremulous smile as she stepped into the mirror’s surface as it rippled before her. Finding the smallest amount of courage did she step through the mirror with a small quip to her cousin, “be back in a minute or two I guess. Gotta put on a new outfit and all.”
Almost immediately did Lacerta feel the comfort of being enveloped by mirrorspace as she lingered for a few moments. If she dallied any longer Acubens would probably start to worry about what was taking so long. There was a lightness in her chest and the strangest sensation of warmth that flooded through her at being able to share this moment with family. As she counted backwards from ten, Lacerta gave a great sigh of relief before moving back towards the mirror that promised a new path that was going to be opening up in mere moments. No longer was she going to be Super Lacerta, Dark Mirror senshi of Bandages … but instead, and she spoke this aloud even as she popped out of the mirror, “Eternal Lacerta, Dark Mirror Senshi of Bandages … checking in.”
And even as she was checking in, was she also checking out her new appearance because goodness gracious … it was most certainly a new look for her.
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 8:22 pm
Upon seeing her cousin, Acubens didn’t bother to stifle the excited squeal that pressed between her grinning teeth. She bounced on the balls of her feet and then gathered Lacerta in her arms. It would never get old, of that Acubens was certain. She’d never get tired of watching the senshi in her care grow and develop. Never tire of the swell of pride and the sting of longing that she had never had such an experience herself. And maybe later, when everything was done and settled and her wife lay in her arms, Acubens would wonder if maybe that longing wasn’t why she loved watching these milestones so much. But whatever the reason, it had always and would always be that way. It had been that way with Kiuchi, and then with Crocus. It was that way with Lacerta now. And later, when he was ready, it would be that way with Tegmine.
“Oh, look at you, look at you,” she gushed, running her hands over arms and shoulders and ribs to ensure that nothing had happened between the moment Acubens lost sight of Lacerta the moment they reunited. The odds were low of things going sideways in mirrorspace, but never zero.
“You look stunning, but how do you feel, now,” she asked, standing behind the other senshi, her hands resting solidly on her shoulders. An anchor, should Lacerta need it, but easily shrugged off if she did not. “More centered? More certain?” She certainly looked it, of Acubens eyes were to be trusted.
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Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2023 8:24 pm
For a moment she had been able to block out Acubens’s excited squeal. For Lacerta had been discreetly checking out the black wings that were now a part of her outfit change before experimentally flexing things. The wings themselves didn’t move and for a moment she was disappointed before laughing silently at her folly. That laughter sputtered into real laughter at Acubens reaction, one she had braced herself for, and the excited air that rolled off of the older senshi. Lacerta couldn’t help but grin in return and almost made a game of swatting away Acubens’ questioning digits as she searched for any sign that something was wrong.
“Hey, hey. Stop that. Wouldn’t you know if something was wrong? Wouldn’t I be hunched over or something like that?” Lacerta breathed out a sigh of relief before once more eyeing the new look she sported as she turned to stare at her reflection in the mirror. Wow, just wow. “I think I have to agree with the earlier statement of look at me, I mean … wow.”
Feeling Acubens’ hands rest on her shoulders, a solid bulwark if she ever needed one, Lacerta gave herself a moment to truly think of how she wanted to answer. Closing her eyes she reached deep inside, questing to see if anything felt wrong, felt abnormal. Realizing that the sense of restlessness had disappeared had Lacerta opening her eyes to turn her head to stare at her cousin. “The sense of restlessness I had is gone. I feel, I guess, like I was missing this all along. Like it was a missing part of me that I just found once more when I walked into the mirror. I hope I’m making some sort of sense and not talking like a crazy person.”
Lacerta chuckled as she moved back to lean into her cousin’s sturdy frame, “so you mentioned a celebration. Can it involve ice cream of some sort?”
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