039 ♦ mostly open

[peacefulwinter]

[A | action: open ocean off America's west coast | closed: Lily, Jasmine, Rakka, Marina, doppels to taste | 7/25, morning (NZST)]

She'd thought it would be like any other day. When she'd seen the story about the cruise ship burning for no apparent reason in the middle of the ocean, she'd figured they could go and help, and she could go home and sleep with another successful rescue mission under her belt. So she'd assembled her team, transformed, given everyone their wings, and they'd opened a portal into what sounded right. Really, the smoke was easy enough a marker. And there was even another ship already there.

In her best official tone, Winter clicks a button on a headset she'd put on before they left, connected to a radio attached... somewhere. She's trying not to think about how belt clips work with her costume. "Attention, vessel near the accident site," she starts into the headset. "My name is Winter Tsukuyomi, alias Cure Diamond; my team and I are here to assist in whatever capacity we're able. I expect that will be via flying victims off the wreck, since we have wings. I'll stay on this frequency; designate me-"

She's cut off as something dark blue and fast jets past her, taking time to stick out a tongue on the way. "Less blabbing, more work, honey. Daylight's wasting!" The voice - her voice - comes over the earpiece. Summer's flight continues as she reaches the cruise ship, before she disappears from sight into a doorway. Winter is silent for a long moment as she watches the girl disappear, her hand falling to her side, before she starts to squawk. "How dare she!? Come on, let's go!" All thought of introducing herself to the other ship present falls to the wayside, as she jets off in a streak of blue, and possibly cursing.

((Mostly just a set piece for the slime to be discovered, and for shenanigans. Jump in and do whatever~))

[B | network: video | open | 7/25, late morning (NZST)]
[At the conclusion of the mission, Winter returns to Shepherd's Haven, thoroughly annoyed, but also concerned. She absently slams the door shut as she pops her laptop open and kicks the network on. She looks a little disheveled, but not particularly worse for wear, if hastily dressed in a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Although... there's a worried look in her eyes.]

What's going on? There's... something's happened. This... weird green stuff... it's almost sticky. And it changes. [She holds up a pink plushie, kind of like Raquel, except with a heart motif, and looking mildly like a bunny.] This shouldn't exist. Not in this world, not without a certain person that isn't here. I-

[She looks lost for a moment, staring into the plushie's eyes, torn. After a second, she looks back up at the camera, a helpless expression on her face.] I don't know what to do. This hasn't happened before.

[C | action: Gateway City | open | 7/24, early evening (local)]

At some point, Winter decides that getting out of the house and doing a little walking might be a good thing. That brings her to take the teleporter - which is, itself, a surprisingly novel experience; when one can teleport at will, using a device with restrictions feels different - to Gateway City, and just walk around the city a little bit. She's changed out of the things she'd thrown on this morning, into a dark top, a light jacket over it, and her usual long skirt. As she roams, she keeps looking back at the odd pink plushie - Cheryl, her mind supplies; Raquel wouldn't like being called hey, plushie all the time - and wondering why it's here. If her being here means Mana is here somewhere. And that's enough to throw her seriously out of whack. Enough to probably run into someone or something, with a brief and stammered apology, before she ends up in much the same state a few minutes later.

Eventually, she ends up sitting on a high ledge, looking up at the night sky. The stars are hard to make out from here, but... it's still kind of comforting. Even when everything else changes, there are certain things that stay the same... and she has to cling to that fact to keep herself steady as the waters of life get rough.

This is about the time Cheryl returns to slime once more, and Winter lets out a loud shriek in shock. Oops.

Comments

A

[jasminebloominginshadow]

[at this point, Jasmine is feeling rather tired. Even with superhuman endurance, thanks to the time difference in Gateway, she'd been keeping completely different hours in the last 24, and her trip there earlier had meant staying awake when everyone else she knew was sleeping.

She was also carrying Marina as they head onto the ship, which added to all of that.

But they had a job to do, people were in danger, and she couldn't think about how good going to bed sounded. And now, it seemed they had another problem.]

Oh wonderful, they're back. Please tell me this isn't going to turn even more exhausting...

[dragon_blossom]

...well it looks like it's just the one for now, right?

[ Not that 'Umi' was very threatening anyways, compared to some of them - and the worst of them had suffered a pretty terrible fate anyways.

Still, she gives Jas a bit of a squeeze. ]

I can always get a ride back on Celes if you get too worn out you know.

[jasminebloominginshadow]

... When this is over, I'll probably take you up on that. Besides, Celes can probably help us get people off the boat, right?

[Those were Jasmine's words as she set down on the ship. Summer and Lily's doppelganger would have to wait.]

Yeah, that's a brilliant plan, self! Let's tell the frightened people to get on the robot belonging to the people they might not fully trust!

[dragon_blossom]

Celes won't mind.

[ It's the middle of a disaster and she's trying not to snicker. They're the worst. ]

Hey, what about his dragon form? That's totally chill right?

C

[scarlet_devil]

Well, that was a familiar sounding shriek. And one that warrants investigation since it came from above the vampire. While staying close to the ground, Emilia was still hovering about a foot in the air so to avoid stepping in one of those disgusting piles of green sludge. These shoes are expensive, after all!

Emi immediately begins to fly high up into the night sky, the sound of her beating, leathery wings filling the air as she homes in on Winter as quickly as she could.

[peacefulwinter]

Winter isn't hard to find, really; just follow the dripping slime falling from a high place, as she stares at her hands, covered in the goop. It's on her skirt, too. How unfortunate.

It's similarly not hard to see Emi, given... well... how many things that aren't Precure can fly, these days? And she's just a little familiar with her form, after the disastrous mission to Lapland, what feels like forever ago. "Emi? Hi. Is everything... okay?" She doesn't even register that Emi might have been looking for her.

[scarlet_devil]

"I was about to ask you the same thing... Oh, ew! Don't tell me you actually touched one of those blobs of snot?"

Remilia was very careful to avoid the dripping slime on the way up, she really doesn't want to touch it if she could help it! Well, it's nice to see her around, at least.

[sparklingscarlet]

As Blaise was on his way home, he heard a shriek not too far off. Curiously, he headed the direction of it, wondering what was going on. Could she be getting mugged or harassed? Blaise took off into a run, just in case she needed help. As he got there, he saw a girl freaking out over a ball of slime. Wait, had he seen this girl somewhere before?

"SUMMER!" he yells as he glomps her. "I missed you!"

[peacefulwinter]

The slime dripping from her fingers probably should worry her more than it does, considering it was pink and fuzzy and looked a hell of a lot like Raquel a second ago. But really, she's just more overwhelmed by the sudden sense of loss.

Which is largely why she doesn't notice the approaching boy until he's already more or less there. Before she gets a chance to ward him off, though, she realizes the name he's shouting... and she becomes extremely confused, enough that she doesn't bother to push him off right away. "Summer-? I'm not Summer! Who are you?" That miiiight be enough to set her on edge. Because knowing Summer and not knowing her is a big, huge red flag. A new doppelganger...?

[sparklingscarlet]

Huh???

"Summer? But, you look just like her." He peels himself off of her a little to examine her. The long skirt was different than the last attire he saw her in. But, can't girls' wardrobes vary? "I'm Blaise, remember? Err, or, maybe not, if you're not really Summer. Split personalities, maybe?"

He completely let her go, wondering what to think or do at this point. If it's not Summer, then who?

A

[alilyinthemoonslight]

At its core, this was definitely a good idea. The best idea! This is what they were for, after all. Even with the invaders gone, their power remained - the Precure were meant to be a force of good, and it's something even over a year later, Lily takes with utmost seriousness and consideration.

Adding to that of course, was the fact that she had thrust herself into the public spotlight with her book. While there were certainly many tearing it apart page by page once it had reached the light of day, it still put her - and the Numbered's story - out there. Of course, she was considerate of how she put things - while never lying, there were some things that needed to remain secrets.

Not that she could have left these two as secrets. Another flash joins the first one that zooms past them, and this one is just deriding laughter.

Cure Moonlight hangs in the air, a sour look plastered over it.

Beyond the altruistic goal of helping people, which Lily fully embraced, she also had figured this would be good exposure for them. Better PR for an interview she had in the next few days.

Suddenly, she sees that all swirling down a proverbial toilet.

"Somehow dear, I don't expect they were on the speed dial list when you called everyone," Moonlight mutters a bit to herself. "Let's move. Whatever they're playing at, we can't exactly afford to let them run off on their own."

[peacefulwinter]

"Like hell they were," she confirms in something like a snarl, half to Lily and half to herself. This could be a problem. "I'm not letting them get in the way, or make this any harder than it used to be. Summer knows I can put her on ice if she tries!"

With barely more than a signal, she jets in, trying to figure out what the hell Summer's playing at. It's not much of a concern, of course, but havoc is havoc. Once she clears the door, she understands a little bit of what's going on: Summer is simply freezing empty doors shut, as people start to come toward her in a panic. And anything she couldn't open, with the ship buckling and groaning...

"She's going to hurt someone." That's the initial response when she finds the first stateroom door roughly but efficiently kicked in. "We need a plan, and we need our doubles to stick with it. Any ideas?"

[alilyinthemoonslight]

"Oh, for the love of...!"

Lily bites her lip, and a curse, as she trails at Winter's heels, mind racing. "The better question is, is she trying to or not? I can't always tell with those two, but with Rose..."

Lily is fairly certain her double probably didn't mind, maybe even liked the whole 'hurting people' thing. She draws in a breath, observing everything, before her brow furrows. "...the one thing I am more certain of is, Rose hesitates around you." She saw that when they'd fought Jasmine's doppelganger, well over a year before. And... it made sense, if she sat and thought about it, though she tried not to. "Let's find them - if we have to divert them, you're the one most likely to be able to poke holes in her defenses."

She sweeps by, pushing her hair back as she peers around. "With me, she seems more likely to just lose it and make matters even worse."

C

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

Well, Winter's not the only one out there tonight, enjoying the night sky. At least one other person is out on the rooftops though a bit less... contemplative in her activities.

The shriek catches her attention and she stops, looking around for the source but... well, it doesn't sound like there's any followup screaming. Ah, probably no big deal.

As she carries on, there's... a very definite, very noticeable flash of movement. A silhouette moving across the night sky. One that very much looks like a sight that most people would find laughable.

A person in a frilly outfit bounding effortlessly across the rooftops.

[peacefulwinter]

The roof Winter's found is a bit lower of one, but still not exactly ground-level. So when she catches the flicker of motion above her in the corner of her eye, she looks up from where she's trying to make heads or tails of the newly-disassembled slime.

And her heart stops for a second. Because another dress like that shouldn't exist. She knows what the half-dozen that are hers, for lack of a better term, looks like, and this doesn't quite match any of those patterns. So - who is that?

She has to know. Something in her heart won't let her just ignore it, and she stands up onto the roof herself. "Raquel... we're going after her." With her hand held in front of her, Raquel obligingly pops into Commune form, and one bright blue flash that lights up the night (and one clear shout of, "Precure Love Link!") later, Cure Diamond is in hot pursuit of the mysterious, unknown frills.

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

From all the way up here, it's easy to miss one light from down below. Just as easy as it is to miss one more shout from among dozens. Cure Twinkle's attention isn't focused downward right now anyway, rather her eyes are on the lights hanging in the sky up above. Whatever's obscured by the city lights or the clouds is clear as day in her minds eye as she takes each leap as if trying to take her place among them.

It was just such a rush. The power, the speed, the way she practically floated through the air weightlessly. Who could blame her for losing herself a little bit?

By the time Cure Diamond makes it up, she's got a bit of headstart. On the bright side, she's not exactly difficult to spot as a powerful leap carries her up and over the rooftops, accompanied by an echoing WHOOP of excitement.

[Audio]

[numberedshepherd]

This hasn't happened before. From what I understand of the situation the slime does different things for different Numbered, but regardless of the type of pattern it is, it's immensely annoying.

I thought we were past this kind of thing. Too much to hope for, I suppose.

[peacefulwinter]

Could it be like our pulses? Pulling things from our others' lives? Cheryl is certainly something Rikka knew intimately... but she wasn't hers. Is that important?

Ugh. I'd also hoped we were done with this, but... no rest for the wicked, I suppose.

[numberedshepherd]

You're asking me like I'd know, and as much as I wish I could infer more at this time, I don't want to jump to any conclusions.

I know that my Other had a tremendous sweet tooth, and every piece of slime I touch is turning into the kind of pastry that you would pay way too much for in a trendy city bakery.

A

[charcoalfeather]

[Adapting to the spotlight had always been difficult for Rakka. It was a new life for her! She had friends, a girlfriend, a new place to live even! And she was now a member of a team of magical girls that worked to help the world wherever they could.

A couple of years ago, Rakka would have written off such an idea as a weird dream. But... here she was! Living the life any anime fan might have wished for. And it was harder to keep up with then she thought.

Especially when there were others that might toss a proverbial wrench into an already unstable machine.]

Oh no... [She scans the horizon, already expecting a third face..] Why do they have to be here?

[peacefulwinter]

Because we can't have nice things! [Winter growls out a complaint as she moves; really, couldn't anything ever go smoothly anymore?] Them being here doesn't change the mission. There are people here that need our help! [And, of course, that means they need to beat the doppelgangers to the breach.]

[charcoalfeather]

...Right! We can't let them make us lose focus! [A bit of a reminder not just to the rest of the girls, but her as well. Rakka lets herself pick up speed, cape billowing behind her as she soars towards the ship.]

Why are they even here in the first place? Do you think they saw the disaster on TV and wanted to check it out?

[And if so... why?]

C

[icy_heavens]

[Toushirou has taken rather a liking to high places anymore. He always kind of liked them to begin with, but now he has the ability to get to them with impunity. Hell, he could stand in midair if he wanted. And he's actually doing that, now. It's no longer a secret that he's Numbered, so he doesn't worry much if somebody sees him using his powers.

[It's the shriek that draws his attention. The shriek from a very familiar voice. Winter can take care of herself, yeah, but she's his friend and if she's in trouble . . .

[He's there as fast as he can be, which is quite so, considering that to most eyes he would be thought to be teleporting. Winter seems . . . fine? Maybe. But he still needs to ask.] Hey. What happened?

[peacefulwinter]

Wh-? [One moment she's alone on the roof staring at what was a pink plushie a moment ago, the next Toushirou's there. Sheesh, he got fast when she wasn't looking!]

I'm fine... the slime surprised me. [Her hands are covered in the stuff, though it's starting to form back together already, peeling from her fingers, if slowly.] Sorry if I worried you, Toushirou.

[icy_heavens]

[Oh, he's been fast for a while. But he's more experienced with the ability now and when it sounds like a friend might be in trouble . . . yeah.]

Quit apologizing for everything. [Said with no bite. It's just a standard thing with them.]

[He watches the slime re-form itself, brow furrowing mildly in disgust.] It's really showing up everywhere, isn't it?