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 Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 2:04 pm
Malus and Adria were in, reluctantly in but…in. And Talia had been having a tough time trying to figure out who else to bring. It wasn’t that she didn’t think that someone who was only Super level wouldn’t be strong enough…but she worried that maybe something might go wrong and that they would end up getting hurt. Monoceros had gone through enough, and Daphne…honestly Daphne seemed as though she had gone through enough too.
Faustite has asked specifically for no Ilse so…that left Varuna. And if there was any super level Senshi who Lysithea thought could handle if something went wrong…it was Varuna. She had been up on Alastor with them and she was good at all of this but. Still.
…The idea of Varuna getting hurt made Lysithea feel more than a little queasy.
It was no matter though, she had sent a message to her friend to meet her for a patrol, and the smile that lit up her face when she saw Varuna was almost, but not quite as bright as her friend's new outfit.
“Look at you! Wings! You’ve grown!! Varuna you look so beautiful!”
She really did, and Lysithea’s heart was pounding because of it and without thinking about it she threw herself at the other woman and hugged her tightly, pressing a barrage of kisses to her cheeks.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 7:06 pm
The intention of meeting up had been to tell Lysithea that she’d grown in power. She wanted her to see, and of course she wanted Adria to see as well.
She lifted her arms to hug Lysithea back when she threw herself on her, smiling softly at her antics.
“Thank you. It is nice to see you as well. This only just happened,” she explained, glancing down at herself as she placed her hands on Lysithea’s hips to keep her balanced and not toppling over.
“There was a Captain… she was clearly trained in fighting and relentless. She’d killed a Senshi before I arrived,” she said quietly, still a bit shaken by what happened, if only because there had been nothing she could have done. She was glad the two Moon Knights were okay, though.
“Are you well? What’s wrong? You look tired,” Varuna murmured as she lifted a hand to gently place her fingers on Lysithea’s cheek below the circles that were darker than usual around her eyes.
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 7:11 pm
“I’m fine, I’m so happy that you’re here, I’ve missed you number one, and oh god, I am so sorry that you had to deal with that…” The poor Senshi…
“I’m very glad that you weren’t hurt, can I do anything to help? Did you know the Senshi?” There was concern in her voice and on her face and she raised a hand, gently playing in Varuna’s hair to try and offer some comfort.
“I’m fine. I am a little tired, but…” Lysithea managed a smile, and she rested her cheek against Varuna’s cool fingers, nodding. “...I’m going to be helping someone leave the Negaverse in a few days, and then…Faustite has asked for help as well. From the whole court. I was hoping that you’d be a part of the court for that, since you’re…well. You were the only one at your level that I know can handle yourself…but. That’s besides the point since…well, you’re an Eternal now. But he asked for Ilse not to come, and that’s fine, they have some bad blood. But. I just. Hope that you’ll help?”
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 7:30 pm
Varuna shook her head to let Lysithea know she didn’t know them and that there was nothing she could do to help, but hopefully she knew that the offer was appreciated. “Took them to the hospital. Maybe they’ll have family looking for them. Didn’t recognize them powered down, either,” she shared, because Lucasta helped remove the Senshi’s glamour and take the pen to keep anyone in the Negaverse from trying to identify them later. There were too many who ended up in the hospital with mysterious comas.
She looked up at the young woman, clearly concerned by the announcement. It wasn’t that Varuna doubted Lysithea’s powers, nor did she doubt her willingness and desire to help others, but there was always a risk that came with the Negaverse.
“Do you need anyone around to help keep an eye out?” she asked first, but then frowned when Faustite was mentioned. She’d never come face to face with Faustite on her own, but she’d heard of him. Read about him in the information that others left about him in their database.
“He asked for help…? Why?” she frowned, fear clear on her face because she knew there was so much at stake.
She could refuse to help, but then Lysithea might find someone else who was untrustworthy. She could help and it be a trap. So many things could go wrong for the small chance of it going right.
“You’re sure about this? Can you trust him? What did he say? What does he want? Why is he asking for help now?”
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 7:36 pm
“I hope they do…I hope that the family looks and get some closure…and, no I’m not worried about the first one, I’m just going to take them both up to my homeworld and do it quickly, I don’t want everyone and their mother know know I’m…that I have the ability to do it myself, so. Everyone who needs help will get it but they’ll go to my homewold, and hopefully that should keep things more on the downlow…well. At least until the Lysithea Knights keep cropping up more and more…”
She sighed and drew away finally. “Saw one last awaken last night and that was a sight…He’s adorable though…and.”
Of course she’d be concerned about Faustite. She was concerned too. “He’s dying? Or the Youma part of him is taking over I guess. I would much rather whisk him away to my homeworld too but…that would involve me showing all of my cards to take him and the Court too, so…I don’t know. I want to trust him…he’s still my Brother…I still consider him a brother. I want to help him…I want him to be okay…Desperately.”
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 8:05 pm
Varuna pressed her lips together as she looked Lysithea over. For… injuries? Anything that indicated that her body language gave her more to work with.
She was silent for a few moments, and then reached out to take Lysithea’s hands into her own.
“I’m going to say this as kindly as possible, and I know you’re not going to like it. But… maybe it’s for the best.”
Lysithea wouldn’t like it, of course. She was convinced that she could help, but some people weren’t worth helping.
“No, listen,” she said quickly, holding tighter to Lysithea’s hands before she could yank them away or counter her or talk over her. “There are a lot of people that Faustite has hurt. Killed. Or been involved with their death. It might be time to just… let him go.”
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Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2023 8:11 pm
Lysithea was quiet as she let the words wash over her, and after a moment she moved her hands to lace her fingers with Varuna’s. “...I know. But. He asked for help…and we can give him that help…and…everyone deserves to have a chance…he’s so sick, Ru…I know that he’s bad. I know that he’s trash and dangerous but…”
He had tried so hard to make life…okay when she was Corrupted. He had done so much to make her feel welcome. Make her comfortable…make her feel as though she had a home…but. Then his temper had tipped her off…he was dangerous. Was a murderer. Someone who hurt without thinking, be it with words, fire or by other means but.
“...Chaos is an infection…he’s so badly poisoned, Ru…I’ve already brought Monoceros back from it, I’m going to bring this other Captain in a few days…do you know, that when I finally realized what happened to me on my homeworld…my first thought was that I would be able to save Faustite? That I would be able to save him…I…” She closed her eyes for a moment and leaned forwards again, burying her face in the crook of Varuna’s neck. “...I need to try. I won’t be able to live with myself if he dies and I could have prevented it but didn’t…Ru…that would kill me.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 9:39 am
She frowned, because she didn’t want to upset Lysithea. She knew the other woman was kind of naive but she wanted so much to see the good in everyone. Even if she was making up the good she saw for them.
“Okay… then what about bringing him to Lysithea? It could just be the four of us. We can figure things out. But it wouldn’t kill you if he died,” Varuna insisted, her voice gentle as she said it because she knew what Lysithea meant.
Carefully, she unlaced her fingers from Lysithea’s so she could place both palms on Lysithea’s cheeks instead, long fingers brushing her dark hair back and behind her ears as she looked at her face.
“There are too many people who need you. If he died, it would hurt like hell… but you would survive because you have to. You weren’t given the power you have only to let it cripple you after one loss. You’re being dramatic,” she added the last bit with a soft teasing note, but only because she knew how much it probably already hurt for Lysithea to want to help and not know if she could.
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 11:34 am
“I’d love to do that, but I don’t want to let him know that I’m a princess. There is a part of me that…I guess doubts things. I don’t think I can handle bringing up four, and he’s not comfortable up on homeworlds…you know that Michel kidnapped him while I was gone, so…” Lysithea sighed and rubbed her face against Varuna’s neck again, though pouted slightly when she was pulled away, even if the hands on her cheeks did feel nice.
“I am being dramatic…but. Ru. That’s the only thing I have from before. The only…the only relationship that I remember from before. Even if it wasn’t real. Even if it was just a lie…it was a lie out of what I really do think is love.” Honestly, she didn’t know. She knew that Varuna had reasons for what she was saying, she knew that what she was saying made sense. They were concerns that Lysithea shared but.
“...If I can manage to bring him up to Lysithea, that’s still the most ideal situation, but I haven’t been able to convince him of it. I can try again, if I see him again…If you’re not comfortable, that’s okay, I can ask someone else…I just. Well, I didn’t realize you had become an Eternal or I wouldn’t have dallied over asking you, but I don’t want to risk any of the supers. ‘Ceros is still…processing everything and Daphne is a doll but. I’m afraid of her getting hurt. I don’t know. I could bring Ilse regardless of what he said, I guess.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 12:48 pm
Varuna frowned again. She was hoping for a better answer and asked directly about it instead of the quick almost rambling from before. But it still didn’t make sense to her. How was she supposed to help him…?
“You haven’t mentioned purifying him,” she pointed out. “You’ve only said you want to help him. You don’t want to let him know you’re a Princess, but you won’t bring him to Lysithea… How do you expect to help him without purifying him…? I don’t want you to have a target on your back, but how will people know to ask for your help if they don’t know you can help them? And we talked about this before,” Varuna sighed, taking a moment to pull back a little and look at Lysithea’s face again.
“You don’t get to decide what I want to do or what I don’t want to do. Please stop assuming my concerns and questions mean I don’t want to help. Of course I’m not comfortable, but like hell I’m going to let you get yourself killed because you ended up putting your trust in the wrong people.”
She didn’t like this. There was a sickening feeling in her gut, but she didn’t know what to do about it. Not with the vague information she had.
“Tell me what you’re planning. I need to know. We all do. Do Malus and Adria know? How was Malus changed from a youma? What precautions are there in case he’s not being sincere?”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 2:54 pm
“Honestly? I was going to try to rely on Cosmos if it came to it, or to shift after we have everything started. I’m going to purify him, and Malus and Adria do know, he’s spoken to Malus himself but. Yeah they’re both aware. And I’m not deciding what you do or don’t want to do, I’m giving you an out from something that you’re obviously uncomfortable with. I know that Faustite is a touchy subject, and this has set you off, and I don’t enjoy setting you off, so please stop reprimanding me when I am doing nothing more than offering other suggestions. I love you but. You make me feel like I can’t speak sometimes. All that you’ve done is tell me why this is a bad idea.”
Lysithea glanced away and took a half step backwards, worry in her eyes. “I don’t have any precautions. He is sincere, he’s dying. He needs this. It’s not ideal for him, and I get that but. He needs it. And I don’t remember, that was way back in the time before I got corrupted but. The court did it. I’m sure it’ll be something that will just…be muscle memory, I hope. I’m planning on getting to him, making sure he’s okay, summoning the court wand, calling Cosmos or just…going Princess myself and bringing him home again. It’s. That’s all there is to the plan.”
She knew that Encke wanted to know what was going on too but. “There’s another Senshi named Encke who seems like he wants to be involved but. I don’t want a big crowd. I don’t want to spook Faustite. He knows me. He knows Malus. I haven’t told him who else is coming other than the Court, and not Ilse. I didn’t give out any names. I’m emotionally involved. But I know he’s a snake.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 5:15 pm
Varuna let Lysithea pull away, but she tilted her head in confusion and concern. Lysithea wanted to give her an out, but it was more than just that. Varuna knew it was more than just wanting to let Varuna back out of the request.
It wasn’t so long ago that Lysithea was telling her how much she wanted to do things without having to rely on Cosmos. How much she wanted to help others when Cosmos couldn’t.
So before Lysithea could back away too much, Varuna stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around Lysithea and held her tight. She pressed a kiss to her cheek and smoothed her hair. Varuna said nothing to correct her. She knew that Lysithea would interpret what she wanted about Varuna’s words…
And that was why Varuna preferred not to speak at all if she could help it.
“I am not good with words,” she admitted, mumbling into Lysithea’s dark hair. She knew she was changing topics for a moment, away from Faustite, but she hoped Lysithea would understand why. “My father left me and my mother when I was young. My mother was a drunk and got annoyed easily. She hated my voice. Told me every chance she got. I would say something -- she would tell me to shut up. That no one cared what I had to say. So I did. I stopped talking unless absolutely necessary. For years.
“I do not want that for you. I do not want to become my mother. I do not want you to feel like you can’t speak, when you’ve let me feel like I can.”
Varuna took a moment to breathe, to blink away the tears. She didn’t know if Lysithea would just resent her or try to push her away, but it was more about her personal life than she’d told anyone before. Maybe she wouldn’t care. Maybe her mother was right--
No… she had to believe that Lysithea was different. And that was why she wanted to stay by her side for as long as she was allowed.
Maybe that would only be a little while longer, but she couldn’t let Lysithea walk away without her knowing…
“You don’t need Cosmos. You don’t need to rely on someone who you haven’t been able to rely on before. You are strong. You are brave. You are kind and believe in the impossible. And hopelessly optimistic. I’m scared to death that it will end up getting you hurt or worse. Or Adria. Or Malus. Or anyone else. Please try to understand… But you’re wrong, Lysi,” she said with confidence, finally pulling back to look at Lysithea again.
“You’re more than Cosmos because you understand what it’s like to live. And that’s what you want for Faustite, right? You don't need her. I believe that. I've seen what you can do.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 5:30 pm
Lysithea fell quiet, but almost melted into the embrace, once more burying her face against Varuna’s neck, her own arms wrapping around the other Senshi, holding her almost desperately tightly. “...I love your words. I love hearing you talk. But I always feel like I’m pushing you, like I”m pushing everyone and I hate it…I’m still…I’m still not. Well. I don’t know what I was like before, but I’m trying to be more confident with my own decisions, and I’m bullheaded, I know that for certain, but Ru, I love your words. I am just so scared that you’ll start to resent me.”
The comment that she didn’t need Cosmos drew a somewhat bitter laugh from Lysithea and she buried her head deeper against Varuna. “...I don’t. I mean. I know I don’t need her. But I’m scared. I saw what happened to Ganymede…and I guess. It just seems so much safer to hide what I’ve become. To just whisk people away to my homeworld…talk them into purifying and whisk them away where nothing bad can happen…I do want him to live. Desperately. But.”
If this did turn into a mistake, if the small niggling doubt in the back of her mind proved to be true…if something went wrong...she didn’t want him to know. Not until it was too late for him to become bitter about it. Too late for him to retaliate with fire.
“I’m scared, Ru…And I’m scared for anyone that I bring. I don’t want anything to happen to you. To any of you. I want to believe the best of him, but…he’s a piece of s**t most of the time…I know that but…”
The burst of air that came from Lysithea ended up blowing a raspberry on Varuna’s neck, and Lysithea drew away with a slight yelp. “...That was…an accident.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 5:54 pm
Varuna jumped a little when Lysithea blew against her neck, but quickly patted her back to try and reassure her that it was okay. She even laughed softly, but kept her arms around Lysithea to keep her from pulling away too quickly.
“I hope that you can learn to trust me when you tell me how you feel. That I won’t start to resent you. That I’m not reprimanding you because I think you’re a child, but because I care about you and think highly of you,” she tried to reassure. “Because I think you’re worth more than what I believe you think of yourself right now. I love you too,” she clarified, just in case Lysithea had doubts.
“We won’t let anything happen to you. We won’t let anything happen to each other. We found each other on Alastor. We were able to help then. We can help now. You just have to believe in us like we believe in you,” she said as she pet her hair some more.
“I’m scared too,” she admitted. “That’s why I asked so many questions. I don’t know Faustite, just what I’ve read and heard about him. But if we don’t try to do something to help, then we’re just as bad as the Negaverse.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 02, 2023 6:06 pm
Lysithea gave a soft laugh in return, moving back towards Varuna, and giving a soft, almost relaxed sigh. “I’m trying. I really am trying, Ru. I promise. I know you care about me. I’m so glad that you love me. That makes me feel very warm inside, and I hope that you know it.”
She wanted to say something about the other things that Varuna had told her, the part of her past that she had opened up with. “I love you, as well as your words. I love your strength, and your bravery…I’m so glad to have you by my side, Ru. I love having you here.”
She was quiet, chewing over the last few things that Varuna had said and nodded. “...That is true. He. I just want to be able to save him. We’re the only ones I know who can…and I really do think that everyone deserves the chance to…have a chance…but. What.” Drawing in a breath she tilted her head up slightly to look into the other woman’s eyes. “...What precautions would you take?”
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