2022-12-20: Her Own Sea

• Cast: Rita Bernal, Lucine Azul
• Where: ???
• Date: U.C. 0096 12 20
• Summary: After a wrong turn last time, Rita's determined to reach Lucine! For better and for worse, she's successful.

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<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Who would have thought work for Nergal would have potential perks like this? A luxurious resort island, beautiful weather, amenities paid, and a behind the scenes role in an upcoming film! What's there to not like?

        But, after a day of extensive work in that tropical climate (which is, indeed, humid and hot), Lucine's spirits aren't as high as she'd like, after finding out that travel into the less developed areas of the island was discouraged due to reports of recent animal attacks. It's not that she would necessarily find herself in her element, anyway; Mars didn't really have a lush tropical zone (at least, not that Lucine had ever encountered), so idle wandering on her own would be a potentially dangerous prospect.

        Her thoughts are also elsewhere, even if she's told herself that it was perfectly fine to hope that everything was fine in Tsutsujidai, whereever it is now. It'll come back, right?

        Laying on her bed in the quarters that were rented to the female pilots, she listens to the sound of the ocean drifting in from the open window, and begins to drift off.

        It reminds her of a different sea.

        Newtypes who have chanced across this memory of Lucine's have sometimes misidentified it as a purely sad one: a bounding field, covered in white flowers, which still haven't quite succumbed to the cold despite the frost that threatens to form. The dome's sky is during its nighttime setting, allowing it to sync more or less with the open gaps displaying the true night sky of Mars, nearly indistinguishable from the simulated Earth one projected in the fake sky. Glitches would erupt, in reds and blues, on some of the screens, but the distance ensured their effect wasn't readily noticed at night. Daytime would be a different matter.

        The Dianthus kneels on one knee in the distance of this startlingly quiet field. Here, you could be excused for thinking nothing had happened, save for the inorganic debris that dotted in piles around the area. There are still some piles of worn clothing and metal, arranged as if someone had fallen asleep in the grass and let themselves sink in, leaving only the parts of them that had no place in the soil.

        Faux log cabins number in a pleasant scatter here and there; this one is her own. It had escaped the beating other parts had by not being as close to the entryway to the underground labs and the farm, where more people congregated. Inside the cabin is a bed with a quilt, and stuffed toys covered in fine frost.

        Lucine is outside, laying among the sea of flowers, still wearing her old flightsuit, but no helmet; this was a change from what happened before. Also, there is a pleasant nighttime breeze, and the air is comfortably crisp, unlike the conditions in Nemi at that time.

        Her own sea.

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

Knock, knock knock.

There's a little pattern to the knock, a musical sort of thing. Knock, knock knock.

That would all be normal... Except it's coming from the /inside/ of the cabin. Someone is asking for permission to come out. It's only polite, really! This isn't her dream, so she's going to take great care to not intrude, should she not be wanted.

...though, she did take a moment to play with the little stuffed toys. Her touch was enough to warm the frost away, should it be of the non-supernatural sort. Adults aren't really supposed to care about things like this, but she hasn't gotten to play with toys since she was so small. And it was just as fun as she remembered, especially being able to make them fly around the room with her powers.

But. Enough is enough! She's here for a reason, after all. Putting each and every toy back in its place, she leans down and pats each one. "Thank you," is said, softly, accompanied by a smile that stretches so wide it squishes her eyes closed.

Should the door be opened to her...

"Hello, Lucine!" A beautiful blonde woman in her early twenties says. A gentle smile is on her face, and blonde hair trails down to her waist in cloud-like waves. She's wearing a simple white dress. "I've been wanting to meet you for a while, now. I've heard so much about you! Is it okay if we talk for a little while? My name is Rita."

Each word is spoken in a sweet, breathy voice.

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        The stuffed toys are well-loved, clearly leftovers from a childhood not too far away. The sorts of soft things a young teen might keep in her room, as long as no one saw. And here, there were no fellow teenagers to judge her for it. There's a unicorn, a teddy bear with button eyes, a lion with a fuzzy mane, a patchwork owl, a round cat with a simplified cartoon face.

        They're simple enough to fly around the room, as long as the lamp and the desk are navigated around, stirring the curtains that hang over the window.

        There's curling posters on the walls, one of which is one of Sheryl Nome from around the time of her first foray into mainstream music, when it would be easy for a teenage Martian to get one.

        "..." Outside, Lucine sits halfway up, heart racing as she hears someone(something) knocking on the door to her living quarters.

        A Jovian lizard. Can she take one out herself? What if there's more? She'll have to flee.

        Or maybe... a survivor?! White petals flit through the air as she runs to the door, throwing it open to see--

        Lucine stands there, petals in her hair, mouth open. "..... ah...." She stands on the precipice of curiosity and alarm, remembering the black wax markings on the inside of the Dianthus when it was recovered, as well as Leina's warning. ".... You.... know my name?" The people who killed the clerk at the station and took the Dianthus away also knew her name. "... Are you here to kill me?"

        Are you a good witch or a bad witch?

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

Of course, the Lion and the Unicorn are given special attention. Rita wishes there was a phoenix as well, but she's not really surprised one isn't here. She's never quite been a neat match to her sisters, after all.

Sheryl Nome's poster is given an extra long look. "A concert?" Rita wonders aloud. "Or maybe just a promotion." It's difficult to know which. But it sure does look exciting! So many colors and lights, and Sheryl herself is so pretty!

Lucine really looks pretty with the white petals in her hair. Rita giggles at her surprise -- reaching a hand up to her own blonde locks and making a scattering motion. White petals flutter down, tangling among her hair as well. Now they match!

"Yes! I met with Liam just like this, once!" Rita says, eagerly nodding. "He told me a lot about you!"

Oh dear.

"No, no!" Rita tries to reassure the other woman. "I just wanted to meet you, I promise! I don't have any weapons. You can check!"

Spinning in place, Rita shows off she does, indeed, have no weapons.

A witch? No, no. She's planned it all out! In this life, she's a bird!

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        It's hard for Lucine to turn off the caution bells in her head, still unaware of it all being a dream, but, at the same time, rationalizing everything else in that hazy, dream way.

        Lucine tilts her head, looking not too different from that stuffed toy owl on her former bed, as white petals now litter both their heads.

        ".... You met Liam, here?" she asks, obliviously. ".... He's been here, before...?"

        In her dreams, yes, but those were.... dreams, where his presence was explained away as being a part of the colony. Or, he was visiting. And they'd go into the gentle hills and laugh as they fell onto the sweet grass, holding each other, and petals were stirred up--

        Now, Lucine's face is red. "I mean, you... don't... seem to have weapons, I don't think... but... this atmosphere has been compromised. You'll freeze if you're not bundled up, ah..." She passes by Rita, quickly, stepping into her own room, nonethewiser as to Rita's previous playtime there. She quietly pulls off the quilt, pushing the stuffed toys on it to rest on the white sheets and pillow underneath, and quickly moves back into the small common room where they stand. "Ah, here," she says, trying to drape the quilt around Rita's shoulders. "... Now you won't be cold."

        A blanket wouldn't be enough to counteract this cold, but neither would Lucine be able to walk around for very long without a helmet. Such are dreams.

        "... You... wanted to meet me, then? If you met Liam, then..." Her face grows sad again, her remembering how much she missed him already. "... He's... someplace where I can't ask him, so... I'll take your word for it. .... I miss him."

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

"It wasn't here, but in another dream. The truth is..." Rita looks a touch embarrassed, though her smile never fades. "I was trying to come and visit you, but you were dreaming of Liam, and I accidentally wound up with him! It was really very sweet!"

Rita giggles, feeling Lucine's feelings echo from her. "Ooh, you're so in love with him! That's wonderful!" And Lucine looks so cute with that red blush! Both hands come up to the blonde's cheeks, and she beams. "It's adorable..!"

Quite happily, Rita follows along after Lucine, seemingly thrilled by the entire interaction. Her fingers twitch at her side, and the plushies seem to all land properly, sitting up nicely. So they'll be comfortable, of course.

"Oh!" Rita looks even more thrilled. "A cape! Like a princess!" Holding the corners of the quilt around her shoulders, she spins again. "Thank you, Lucine, you're so kind. Even in a dream, your first thought is to take care of me!"

As Lucine grows sad, Rita rushes up to her. Letting go of her cape (though it stays nicely on her shoulders), Rita takes Lucine's hands in her own. "I promise. Liam's going to come back to you. It won't be too long, now. I just know he's thinking of you every single day, just like you're thinking of him."

"As for you..." Rita says, squeezing Lucine's hands. "I wanted to see what kind of person you are. Who could capture Liam's heart so completely? He's a very good man, from what I've seen. So tell me about yourself, Lucine! What are your favorite things? What do you not like?"

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        "I was...?!" It's a good thing Lucine's helmet isn't on, because it makes her blush so much more visible than it was viewed through the tinted lens. "I mean, I was, but... ah...." She claps her hands over her cheeks. "Ah, yes, I guess... I can't hide it, can I... We... shared our first kiss not too long ago." She tilts her head downwards, bashful at even admitting this as a milestone for her, but proud enough to present it.

        At least, in a dream. "But... if you're here... that must mean.... this is a dream...?"

        It is. The realization hits Lucine, as watches Rita twirl around with the quilted 'cape' around her shoulders.

        ".... This is... their memorial, even if it's a dream here." She looks through the open door to the moonlit fields, and the silhouette of the Dianthus, casting a shadow against the white meadows. ".... There are crueler places to die than here. The ground carries them forever, where they'll always be, in this sea of flowers. A world, where flowers bloom."

        The most concise version of it, as painful as a paperclip or a brief slip of a finger against heated metal, but easily healed with time.

        It's a dream, and someone named Rita is here. But how can someone be here that isn't Lucine herself? And also...
        
        "But.... how do you know it won't be long...?" Lucine's gloved hands grasp Rita's own, lightly. Her caution is waning, slowly, but still there. It wasn't enough to keep her from caring for Rita's health, though. .... Which may be an indicator of what sort of person Lucine is. But what sort of person is Rita?
        
        "..... His heart...." Lucine smiles, closing her eyes, remembering the warmth of his chest, the sound of his voice, the soft touch of his kisses. ".... No, it's both ways... he has my heart, too." And then, the moon outside is replaced by the sun, warm light spilling in through the doorway. A white sundress, like Rita is wearing, stirs in a breeze of petals, the hands in Rita's own, now as bare as her own. Her pale gold eyes open, a little embarrassed at the display her affection has made.

        ".... My favorite things.... ah.... gardening, I suppose... and... things I don't like..." A cold wind stirs through. ".... I don't want to think about those things, right now..." She takes Rita's hands, leading her gently outside. "... What about you, Rita?" Pause. "... If it's not too familiar of me to say that..."

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

A first kiss! "That's so magical!" Rita chirps, entirely genuine. Her eyes are alight with wonder. "I'm sure it was a wonderful experience. A first kiss is something you'll always remember."

That's how it was in the movies she watched with her parents, anyway!

"It is a dream. And if you don't want me here, I'll go." Rita reassures Lucine, smiling still. She listens carefully as Lucine describes the memorial. "I don't want to intrude on a sacred place to you."

Eternal flowers to remember them by... Something sad comes to Rita's eyes, though again, her smile never wavers. "There are far crueller places. This is beautiful, Lucine. And it's beautiful that you still remember them."

Rita doesn't ask who they are. They're important. That's all that matters.

"I can see things before they happen. I have, ever since I was a child." A simple explanation, just as Lucine had offered her about the flowers. "I came out from hiding early, because of the disappearance of so many heroes of the living. I'm here to do what I can to help, until they return. And after that, too!" A little laugh. "And that's why I know he'll come back. And why I know he's safe. Liam is with people who care about him, and all they'll take good care of each other."

A dreamy sigh as Lucine's feelings fill the dream. Rita can't see the other woman's thoughts, but the way she thinks about Liam is enough to fill Rita with the kind of sugar-spun emotions normally brought on by romantic movies. "You two are so wonderful for each other, Lucine! It really makes me happy. I never knew stories like this existed in real life!"

Rita turns to watch the light spill in the doorway, and smiles at Lucine's transformation. She's a natural to dream logic, it seems. That'll make things easier! "You look beautiful." Standing on her tiptoes, Rita holds one hand high, still twinned with Lucine's. "Do a spin!"

"Gardening!" Rita giggles, again. A private joke seems to ripple in the otherworldy green of her eyes. "It's okay. We can stay with happy things. That's way more fun anyway, right? As for me..."

There's a long moment where Rita has to actually /think/. What did she like? The past tense is purposeful. Now, her likes don't matter. But Lucine doesn't want to hear that. They're going to have fun, things like that don't need to be said!

"I like birds." Rita decides on, with a smile so wide her eyes squish closed. "And... I've always wanted to see a concert! I've never seen any live music before. It seems like..." Rita's free hand waves high into the air in excitement. "Connection! Between the artists and their audience. Everyone's hearts beating as one, transcending their physical forms!"

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        ".... Is it... usually? I thought maybe it was... because we were so scared we had almost lost each other, so...." Lucine dips her head down again, blushing slightly.

        Rita reassures her, and Lucine nods. ".... That tells me enough to know that I don't mind if you stay. You're not intruding, at all, now that I know that... you're not a threat. .... Weird things have happened lately, so..." Her head hangs, her shoulder length hair hanging down. "I have to be vigiliant... even in my dreams, I suppose."

        One look in Rita's eyes, and the teal-blue-haired young woman nods. "This was my last memory, of my home. This is Colony Nemi, on Mars." She points with her chin around the abandoned cabin, and beyond. "This was my parents' house. The quilt is from my bed. The colony was to simulate an environment to test ways of incorporating Earth agriculture with Mars' ecosystem... or, what we already had, from the terraforming that had already been done. Everything was self-contained in here, but... the Jovian lizards attacked. My mom and I were the ones who escaped, with me piloting the Dianthus."

        Someone who can see things, before they happen. "You're... a Newtype," Lucine realizes with widened eyes, feeling a little foolish she hadn't clued in sooner. "I know that we can get flashes of insight, but... I've never looked into the future. But... you came, because Tsutsujidai disappeared?" Could she be related? Not as the cause, but a symptom? ".... I felt things too, when I was little. I hated it when people were sad, or when someone died. I'd cry all of the time, but... my mom... she knew what I was going through."

        Flashes of memory begin, of Lucine's hands manning the controls of the Dianthus, the faint psychic pulse of her mother, behind her, like a faint candle. And all around them, the fierce winds of death blew, as she sheltered their flames in her craft, as the smoke of countless Martians died in the turmoil.

        And then, the journey back, months later, to silence.

        Rita is flying high as a bird on the wings of Lucine's feelings of love, and Lucine can't help but be swept up with it, spinning as Rita raises a hand. "... A-ah, well, I think... we kind of... are fed by those stories... I don't really know what I'm doing, and Liam is likely in the same boat... But, he's cute when he's that way, you know? He's so used to being seen as scary or threatening, but... he's so gentle."

        "You like birds?" Lucine's cheer deepens. "... There were chickens, ducks, and geese on the farm, ah, I don't think there were any other birds. Not really the sort of birds people think about, but... they're so cute sometimes..."

        A soul that likes birds must like song as well, it seems. "... Perhaps... I could take you to one?" She straightens slightly, excited. "Maybe a Sheryl Nome concert! Have you ever been to one of those? We'd just have to meet each other, somehow."

        But if Rita needs to meet them in dreams, does that mean she can't meet them in real life?

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

"I'm sure that made it /extra/ magical." Rita nods eagerly. "I'm an expert on these things. Connecting with each other is always beautiful, and I think romance is the sweetest kind of connection of all."

At the news she can stay, Rita offers another extra-bright smile. "Thank you so much, Lucine! I promise, I'll help keep you safe while I'm here. Nothing will hurt us." There's a vow in her words. "You can relax, if you want to. We can play, and talk -- and have fun! That's all that matters!"

Rita listens quietly to Lucine's story. "Your home was beautiful. Mars, so far away!" Those wide green eyes turn sad as Lucine describes the Jovian lizard attack. Only two survivors, of a whole colony..? "How terrible, Lucine, I'm so sorry. I'm thankful you and your mother made it away, safely. You must love the Dianthus so much for saving you."

"You got me!" Rita laughs. "We're both Newtypes! Isn't it wonderful? We can connect and share things so easily. Not everyone can see the future, I'm a little bit of a unique case." A wink -- it's an echoed gesture. Rita picked it up, from a friend! "Yes. I knew you'd all need help. It's not fair to try and face the same problems with only half your strength, right? So maybe I can change things, just a bit."

Gently, slowly, Rita reaches out, brushing a hand through Lucine's hair. "It must've been hard for you, Awakening so young. I'm glad you had your mother."

Memories wash over Rita. She gasps at the gale of death surrounding the Dianthus, tears welling up in Rita's eyes from the sheer strength of Lucine's emotion. "You came back... And it was so quiet. Oh, Lucine. I'm so sorry..."

Recovering quickly, Rita cheers softly as Lucine spins. "Yes! Liam definitely has a cute side. I think it's all the more powerful for him being so big and strong! People like you two, who have been through so much pain, you deserve to have sweetness in your life. And bringing it to each other is the sweetest of all!"

"Wow!" Rita giggles at all the birds. "I've never seen birds like that. My home had... seagulls! And, if you promise not to laugh... I've made my own version of a bird, too." Raising a hand, Rita gathers energy in her palm. It's beautiful -- as transient and incandescent as an aurora. Slowly, the shifting colors turn to gold, and they form into a tiny little bird. It looks much like a canary, though larger, with big eyes and a sweet demeanor. Its image rotates gently above Rita's hand, showing off two beautifully long tailfeathers. "What do you think? I'm proud of it!"

Lucine invites Rita to a Sheryl Nome concert! She gasps in delight, and the little bird flutters from above her palm, going to perch with the rest of the plushies. "O--oh! Oh Lucine!" Rita jumps in place, laughing in delight. "Oh I would love that, so much! But you see... I might scare people! I don't look like this anymore, in the waking world. I can only exist inside my partner."

"Here, let me show you." Once more, energy gathers, turns gold, and swirls into a new form. A golden Gundam, with shields upon its back bearing long kite-tails. "You might have seen my sister by now, right? My partner, the Phenex, is like her. I'd have to buy like... a thousand seats!"

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        Rita vows she will keep them safe, the world suddenly grows a little brighter, as if something that was held back was allowed to be expressed, more fully. ".... Ah, thank goodness..." She's tearing up, letting that last bit of anxiety unspool away in her chest. The flowers around them grow just that much more vibrant in response, like a gentle sun had come down to rest upon them, with no scorching flames to burn those fronds or petals to crisp.

        Sitting down in the field and inviting Rita to sit with her, Lucine says, ".... There's someone horrible that's been going after me and possibly Liam, and I think another person, named Leina Ashta... she's a Newtype too, far more powerful. When I told her about what happened, when the Dianthus was taken from me and then, mysteriously, came back being piloted by something trying to kill me, it reminded her of things, terrible things, that she couldn't talk about. She was so scared. To think, that someone like her would be scared in that way..." She pauses, looking at Rita again. ".... Please, be careful, whenever you meet people. There's things out there I don't understand, and...." The plants look a little more grey around her; not like she had sapped the energy from them, but that they have closed themselves away, in this more intimate dreamscape. But, this is a place that is reflective of her mind, not reality.

        Lucine closes her eyes as Rita reaches out to brush a hand through her hair. ".... Ah, no, it wasn't terrible, at all, when it came down to it... Nemi was sparsely populated, since there wasn't very many things to do outside of research. It's a ways away from major suppliers like Alba City, so... it was so quiet. It was scary when I was little, but... not for very long. It's about opening your mind, and your heart... if Ikeep them closed, it's no different than a seed that refuses to germinate, because it's scared of the world outside its hull.... or something like that. That's... what I try to remember. This is a world where flowers bloom."

        A world where colonies fall and death happens. ".... The Dianthus is precious to me." Her eyes open, slightly, tears making them a glittering pale gold. "My dad made it for me. He helped me chart the way to Alba City, using what fuel was in the tank. He stayed behind in his own, the Orion. I've looked for survivors, but... I doubt there are any." There is more to the story, but, Lucine realizes she's already said so much. All Rita had to do was convince her, and she babbled it all away.

        It's easier, when you feel like they're a friend you've simply just realized exists. Or is that the power of connection, like how shaking Leina's hand made her feel like she was in a field of stars?

        "... I saved my mom." Lucine's eyes lid. "... she's saving more lives, helping Alba City with her knowledge. I miss her, but... I have her. Liam lost his parents so young." Leina felt conflicted, when the memory of Lucine's mother managed to escape her like a bubble on the wind. And what of Rita? Does she have family? She looks slightly older than Lucine, but not by much. Her spirit seems younger, though... but.... older?

        "Ahh, seagulls? They're so funny! I never got to see them up close until I came here." Lucine laughs. "Your own version of a bird? Could you show me?"

        Lucine stares at the long-tailed canary creation that Rita conjures. "Ah, those feathers...." She watches as it goes to rest with the plushies on the bed inside, slightly saddened, but turns to Rita. "But, ah, who would be scared of you, Rita--"

        Ah. "Oh.... Rita..." But what is this partner? Lucine doesn't have to wait long, as it manifests as a golden Gundam. Lucine stands, going over timidly to try to touch her hand against it, gently. "The.... Phenex, like the bird..."

        "She's so beautiful," Lucine breathes.

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

As the world around the pair grows brighter, Rita smiles extra-sweetly. Picking up a beautiful flower, she tucks it behind Lucine's ear. "Everything's going to be just fine. The Phenex will protect you in the waking world, and I'll protect you here. We're both very strong!"

Rita settles down in the flowers, somehow not seeming to crush a single stem beneath her. Leina is mentioned! Gasping in delight, she claps her hands together. "Leina! She's my friend! But... someone's trying to hurt you and Liam, and Leina too?" A tilt of her head. "Maybe they really don't like the letter "L". A really powerful Newtype..."

Mystical fire ignites at the tips of Rita's hair when Lucine mentions how terrified Leina was. "I don't want Leina to be scared. I don't like that. Who was it, Lucine? Maybe I can do something." But she nods, seriously. "I promise, I'll be careful. The Phenex is very fast, so whenever we're in trouble, we can fly away."

"This is a world where flowers bloom." Rita repeats, gently placing her hand on Lucine's shoulder, then bringing it back to rest in her own lap. "It's important to protect them, but it's every bit as important to make sure they keep blooming. If all we can do is fight, we'll only come home to muddy fields!"

Unreal-green eyes look seriously at Lucine's of gold. "If you want me to help, I will. I can sense people -- most of the time -- and find them, if I'm in their same area. But I understand if this is something you need to put behind you. I'm here for you, Lucine! I can't do everything, but I'm happy to do what I can."

"I'm so thankful you still have your mother. She sounds amazing! Liam's very brave. He's fighting for his heritage and his family history, despite everything." Rita holds a hand out, gathering incandescent color above her palm. It coalesces, forming a spear of legend. "I lost my parents in the One Year War. But I hold on to their memories, so they're never really gone. They both loved space and believed in humanity, more than anything! I want to honor their dreams."

Glimmering tears gather in Rita's eyes for just a moment, when Lucine calls the Phenex beautiful. It's quite solid to the touch. Warm, too! If Lucine presses her hand to it, she can feel a tiny heartbeat. Rita wiggles her fingers, and the Phenex soars through the air, twiling just above Lucine's hand before settling again.

"Her appearance is very important to her. Thank you." Rita smiles, so widely her eyes squish closed. "I'll tell her you said that! She doesn't look as much like her sisters, you see, so she's always a little worried... But I think she's perfect just the way she is."

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        As Rita picks a flower and moves to put it behind Lucine's ear, Lucine bows her head forward, giving Rita easier access. "You are... very confident. If I couldn't feel it displayed here, I would have questioned it... but still. For your own sake, please be careful. I don't know how to estimate this person's power.... if, that is, it is a person..."
That's how little I know. Leina didn't want to say any details, and I didn't want to possibly endanger herself by asking further questions." This may have been a mistake, but it was a grim feeling, being able to feel the outlines of Leina's emotions over the topic. "It's what I've read into it. She said something to me about 'if it's not too late for you, stay away'. That was what made me more anxious than anything else, really...."

        Plucking some flowers, Lucine begins weaving the stems together with a speed that suggests experience. "So... I don't know, Rita. Maybe... it's the idea of it that is the danger? That,ah, perhaps, knowing about this being increases the chance for danger. If it's related to Newtype phenomenons, maybe...."

        There's something very innocent in how Rita holds up the Phenex's speed as a way to get away from danger. But, is it any more innocent than Lucine's own ideas? She thought the Dianthus was her refuge. Now... it feels like it had been violated. What if the same happens to Rita? Lucine chuckles, when Rita points out an obvious similarity. "Perhaps that's all it is!" Wouldn't that be l-ovely?

        ".... It's... a concept, from my mother. That change and chaos is not something that should be always feared, and that order and stillness is not always good. In nature, nothing is truly still; even still waters can become a swamp, or a bog. It was... simplified down, when I was little, but..." The crown is completed, and presented for Rita to drape over her head. ".... No matter how terrible the world may be, or how hard things are, this is still a world where flowers bloom. Leaves grow, and flowers happen, whether or not we appreciate it."

        Rita offers to help her, and Lucine's eyes lid, pouring through her thoughts. "... I'll consider it. But... you may need to speak to Leina herself. She might... appreciate the company, either way."
        
        It's too easy to trust this person, Lucine realizes. What if Rita is the deadly thought Leina warned of, all along? If she is... perhaps, it's not as terrible as Lucine initially thought.

        Rita mentions Liam, and Lucine briefly smiles fondly again, until Rita manifests a spear of legend in her palm. "... A spear..." She thinks, as Rita mentions Liam's heritage. ".... Then, this is.... the, ah, 'Gale Bolg'? My Irish mythology isn't as good as my Greek, Roman, and Norse, I'm afraid..."

        The Phenex is warm to Lucine's touch. On a whim, she gently presses her cheek to it, feeling the Phenex's warmth against her skin. And there is... a heartbeat? ".... She's... alive...?" She then smiles, and nods. ".... I see. How wonderful... to have someone like that as a partner..."

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

"Well..." Rita giggles, hiding it behind a hand. "It's easy to be confident when you know what's coming, isn't it? But I promise. I'll be very careful! I walk a fine line. Knowing what the future holds means it's really, really easy for me to change it on accident."

There's some things that need to be changed, though. It's why Rita's here.

A furrowing of Rita's blonde eyebrows, as Lucine goes on. "What could've scared Leina so badly? She's a really brave young lady! I'll find her again, and ask. She and I met when she was accidentally trapped in the Denver Colony! I sent one of my birds to help her find a safe place. And then we talked, for a very long time!"

"Hmm, a dangerous idea. Could it be like the orange stuff? I can never remember what it's called. That's the only thing I need to run away from. I can't let it hurt me or the Phenex." Rita tilts her head one way, then the other, considering. "But if Leina's in need, I'll get her away from that stuff. I'm sure it could never catch us."

An eager nod! "Yes! Your mother is so smart. Change is the fate of the living. It's a good thing! Someday... Everyone will be a Newtype like us! We'll all ascend to the soul's original form, and live free of all pain and misunderstanding!" Rita's arms fly into the air as she says this, in pure excitement. "Oh--! Oh!" The flower crown is presented, and Rita lowers her head, allowing Lucine to place it atop. "Oh, Lucine, I love this so much! I didn't know flowers could move this way... I love it, thank you!"

"We'll get there. We'll all get there, together." Rita smiles, squeezing her eyes shut. It's a beautiful image, with the white flowers crowning her golden hair. "It's what I believe in the very most."

"I'll find Leina again and ask her. Don't worry. I really want to see my friend, anyway!" Rita brings a finger to her lips, with a wink. It's a learned gesture, a little clumsy. "But I can't get too close to my sisters. They're not ready, yet. And I know Leina is dating my sister! Oh, ah-- her /pilot/. It's different for him. So I've got to be careful when I visit her."

Rita looks at the spear in her palm. "I think so. It felt very mythical! I don't know anything about history or myths or anything, to be honest." Rita shrugs helplessly. "But it was really amazing. Do you want to see? Liam was so cool!"

"She's not alive like you are. Neither of us are." Rita says, softly, watching Lucine speak with such awe to the Phenex. The Gundam even presses a hand to Lucine's cheek as she moves in closer, a friendly gesture. "But we're both still here. She woke up when I ascended, and we've been together every moment since then."

Bits of Lucine's feelings about the Dianthus echo to Rita, who looks a little sad. Her smile never fades, but its something in those green eyes... How terrible it must be to have your own partner taken from you. Rita would certainly never recover. Maybe...

"My parents said, once." Rita begins, a certain longing note in her voice. "Space cleans away all the worst of humanity from us. They only came back to Earth because of the threat of war. And... maybe this is like the myths?" A giggle. "But I think, if you can bathe in the beauty of space, it washes away all the bad things you've been through. It's why the Phenex and I stay there, most of the time. Maybe it'd help, with the way you feel about the Dianthus?"

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        "I'm glad you were there to help Leina," Lucine says, smiling, as she works on another flower crown. "So, it's not just in dreams you can help..." At the mention of 'the orange stuff' Lucine's fingers stop. ".... Thankfully, no. But you're correct; that's the sort of force I was wondering it being similar to. However, so far, it seems disconnected to the Triple 0 phenomena." She calls it this for now, for lack of a better choice of words. "But yes. That manifests as a source of corruption, as far as I can tell. It wouldn't matter how far you flew away, with something like that..."
        
        'Someday...' Something in Lucine's gut twists at the thought. Everyone, a Newtype? "I wonder.... if that's truly the sort of change that humanity is fated to have. Or would want." She closes her eyes. ".... Change can only lead to more change. To ascend to a stable condition... That would be comforting, as a sort of place where we go after life, but... not life itself, I suppose." That must be the Azul part of her soul speaking- the one that desired freedom to choose and fly above all else. ".... But.. it's a beautiful belief, Rita."

        "Sister--" Mineva? No, her... pilot... "The Unicorn Gundam?" She slowly considers, resuming work on her flower crown. ".... I can see why. The Unicorn Gundam.... is very powerful. But it doesn't feel the same way as yours. I wonder if it, er, ah, her, sorry...--" She lightly baps her head. "--if she would see the Phenex as a threat, instead of family."
        
        "I would love to see!" Lucine perks up. "... I wonder... if you can meet people through dreams, could you... meet someone who is in Tsutsujidai? Maybe someone there is a Newtype." She clasps her fingers in her lap. "I know it's... not as if it can be used as a way to relay information back and forth, but just knowing they are out there, somewhere..." Her head lowers, her windows twisting in the fabric of her dress. ".... It's a little bit of selfishness on my part, too. To take things on faith... perhaps, that part of me's been in hibernation for a while now. But I know that I am not the only one interested in something like that, if it's possible. .... If it won't change something, on accident."

        Rita's thoughts about space make a sort of sense to Lucine, who nods. ".... I love flying in the Dianthus. I don't consider it as a partner, but... as a shield, almost. An armor. Safety. When it was taken from me, it was like a part of me, taken away...." Completing her crown, she drops it on her own head, and, gently, offers a small bud for the manifestation of the Phenex. ".... If space will clean the contamination, then... perhaps, that would be the solution."

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

"I can manifest around the Phenex, but not very far. It's like... stretching your arm out!" Rita demonstrates, brushing her fingers over the most distant flowers she can. "There's only so much arm you can stretch!" Pulling her arm back, Rita goes on. "I'm so glad it isn't that orange stuff. I tried to reach out to a man, recently, and instead, he grabbed me and started glowing like that. It was scary! I left him behind." Despite the simplistic words, there's a heaviness to them. They carry the weight of a sealed fate.

"Triple Zero. I'll remember it's called that now. Thank you, Lucine!"

Rita raises a hand, looking at it. "If I had to choose between the way I am now, and the way I was when I was alive... I like this, better! It's so fun. I can fly, and create whatever I want, and sometimes I even get to meet people nobody else can! Once... I saw, far away, a great battle between a scary man in black armor, and a good man in silver armor. The scary man won, with a huge spear. Nobody else could see it but me!" Rita looks proud at this. It's not a story she could tell until now, but it's really fun to share it! "Then the good man fell down into another world."

"Wouldn't it be nice if everyone could be like this?" Rita says, wistfully. "It's not my job to choose for humanity. I just need to make sure they have the chance to get there. So all the flowers can keep blooming."

A nod, and anoter gentle smile. "Unicorn and Banshee are my sisters. Phenex's sisters, but... We're one, right now. So they're my sisters too. Right now... Unicorn and Banshee haven't learned to love each other yet. They're both too scared and angry. Unicorn is so worried about protecting her pilot, and Banshee... She's complicated. I'm not exactly sure, but she's very angry." Suddenly, Rita's gaze turns serious. "Lucine, if you're around when they meet, please get far away. Their anger will resonate and cause great destruction. It'd be the same if the Phenex met one of her sisters. She can control herself, but her sisters can't yet, so it'd be the same thing. I don't want to hurt anyone... So for now, I need to stay away."

Beckoning Lucine close, Rita leans in to her ear. "The Phenex is stroner than her sisters. Since she's the youngest, she's the most advanced. She wants to be equal to them, but the truth is... She's the strongest. Especially with the way I am now. Don't tell, okay?"

Rita claps her hands together as Lucine decides she wants to see. "Then let's have fun with it! Like a movie night!"

Lowering her hand again, the miniature Gae Bolg spins, then points tip-forward the same way the two girls are facing. Like an old-timey projector, it beams light forward, and an image appears! Rita scoots close to Lucine, brushing their shoulders together. This is going to be great.

Rita and Liam sit in a forest clearing. They talk -- Liam seems a little reticent, but Rita is doing her best to put him at ease. Everything is fine... until an enormous monster appears! It's like a dragon, with gossamer wings. Lucine knows its name. Liam trembles, and Rita's brow furrows. A decision is made, and Rita takes his hand.

Liam... glows. Incandescent with shared power, he and Rita stand and run, preparing to face the monster. Liam changes their surroundings, summoning a rushing river. Bravely, he forges in, Rita never letting go of his hand. With a swirl of transient light and color, a spear is summoned -- the very same one projecting the "movie" before them. Gae Bolg!

Cutting a dashing figure, Liam hefts the spear one-handed. Luminous as the dawn, brave as the river beneath his feet, he takes aim and launches the spear. With a great rush of wind, it strikes the monster, slaying it in a single blow.

The movie-Rita and the real-Rita cheer in unison. "Isn't he so cool? Wow!"

As the kaiju goes still, the "projector" sputters out, and the movie vanishes. Rita beams. "What do you think? Wasn't that amazing? I was so proud of him! Liam was so kind to me. He never tried to take too much of my power, and he asked me to take care of myself. Just like you have, Lucine." A sweet smile. "You really do make a perfect match."

Then... Rita's face falls a bit. Her smile never wavers, but there's that sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I've tried to reach Tsutsujidai before, but it's cut off. Not even the resonant plane of the Newtypes can reach them now. But I promise, Lucine. He will come back to you. And right now, he's exactly where he needs to be. Everyone there is very scared. They need his bravery!"

"A shield... armor. I see!" Rita listens carefully, cooing as Lucine crowns herself, and then the miniature Phenex. "She loves it, thank you!"

"Lucine," Green eyes meet gold. They're careful, but trusting. "I'm going to offer you the same thing I offered Liam. If I take your hand, you can access my power in this realm. You can create anything. You can bring us anywhere you can imagine. I think this cleansing will be the most effective if its done by your hand." Rita holds her hand out. The miniature Gae Bolg vanishes into light and color. "It's okay to say no. But if you want to, I'm ready."

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        "Someone who was fighting with us had one of their dear friends taken by it... it was the same friend, but their thinking had changed. And... someone else, was taken by it." Lucine's eyes grow sad. "... Amuro Ray. At least, *an* Amuro Ray. I don't know if I want to consider it being the one we know, from history, or some projection from Triple Zero to try to break our spirits. If you want to take a banner of hope, protect yourself, at all costs, because those are the people I imagine Triple Zero would like to infect the most, if... it's something with a will." The possibility of it not being that is almost more frightening.

        Rita tells her a story only she could see, and for a moment, Lucine considers. The only person she knows from another world is Zero, but there's more than one Ultraman, as Kaworu once said. There's undoubtedly other people from other 'worlds', unless Rita meant it literally.

        Then, there's the story behind the Unicorn and another name Lucine wasn't aware of: Banshee. "... Ah... So, my suspicion was correct..." She nods once. ".... I promise, I'll get as far away as I can." She lifts up her pinkie, hooking it to offer a pinkie promise. "And.... I won't tell anyone, either."

        The next and final display is one that makes Lucine's gold eyes widen.

        It's Liam. If she and Rita weren't shoulder to shoulder, Lucine would have stood up and walked to the projection, as if trying to will it into reality. "So he was reluctant too," she notes, with some amusement, before... ".... That's... Bujack?!" When was this? Was this when he was being freed, or after?

        He takes Rita's hand, and Lucine lets out a small gasp. ".... He looks so, ah, so...." It's hard for Lucine to find the right word, as she stammers. She doesn't have the proper vocabulary for this!!

        'Cool,' Rita says. "Cool," Lucine parrots, helplessly, even if it doesn't quite fit either. "A-ah, yes, he certainly is... I suppose it's no surprise that I fell for him. I was being so careful at first, but... I guess, at heart, it's a little hard for me to ignore a cute-looking person who is so gentle, but also, so... ah, cute." She doesn't know the right words!!
        
        While Rita can't reach where he or the others are, there is something she can do, for Lucine, if within the confines of this dream.

        Where would she want to be? What would she want to create? Where would she go? "..... Alright," Lucine says, after a thought, gently slipping her hand into Rita's.

        Flowers fly up to the sky, which darkens to the dark violet of a crisp starry Martian midnight.

        It's the Dianthus, flying in the air, but this time, it's not piloted, but Lucine herself, inhabiting it the same way Rita inhabits her 'sister'. It stands, a dark pink firefly in the world, almost impossibly graceful in a way the real Dianthus can't manage.

        ".... Let's fly, Rita." There's excitement in her voice, as the head of the Dianthus dips slightly.

        It's so simple, but something that no one has been able to do since the Jovian lizards had invaded:

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

"Amuro Ray..." Rita repeats, softly. There's so much she could say about him. The hero of the One Year War, back again. But it's too soon. Any knowledge she gives Lucine could change the future. And this is one future that shouldn't be changed. "I hope he can find peace. He deserves it."

With another gentle nod, Rita speaks again. "I promise. I'll stay far away from all the Triple Zero things. You won't have to worry about that for me, at least. You stay far away too, okay?"

"Oh!" Rita raises her pinkie as well, knitting it with Lucine's. "Thank you, Lucine! I trust you. My sisters have a very important path before them. I don't want to do anything to interfere. All I can do is believe they'll get to the point where we can all be a family, together."

"Yes, he was worried I was here to hurt you, or drag him into a dream like what happened in Tsutsujidai." A very serious tone, though Rita's smile is ever-present. "Bujack. It was hurting Liam so much, he accidentally brought its shadow into our dream. It happens, sometimes. You can't always control what happens in a realm like this one."

A bright, almost childish giggle. Wow, Lucine is so in love..! Rita can't help but let out a little squeal of delight. "Yes! Liam is definitely cute! Forget being careful... You make each other's hearts sing!" Rita throws her free arm into the air. "You should do what feels right to you. What makes you both happy!"

These are less the words of a Newtype Prophetess and more the words of a young woman, enamored with the love story in front of her.

As the flowers soar to become stars, Rita gasps in wonder. Such a beautiful way to begin her creation... Rita was right to trust Lucine with this. Miraculous green eyes slip closed for a moment...

And open again, the Phenex raising her head. Her hand is knitted with the Dianthus', just as Rita's had been with Lucine's. Strength, power, connection -- it all courses from the Gundam, an endless font of love and belief to fuel whatever Lucine desires.

"Let's fly!" Rita's voice echoes from the Phenex. With a breath out, the Phenex ignites in blue fire -- Lucine knows, in that moment, Rita is moving the Gundam with nothing but her own power. No thrusters, no engines, only Rita's spiritual might, propelling a golden bird through the cosmos.

As it stretches before them... Space has never looked so beautiful. Stars glimmer in every color, pastel incandescence, as though the light of the vast emptiness is echoing the Dianthus' glory. Before them, a nebula stretches across the visible sky. It shifts and entwines into itself, an aurora of the Earthsphere's potential. Should the two mobile suits wish, they may fly straight into it, and it will swirl around them. Embracing them like mist on an early autumn morning.

Rita laughs with delight. The Phenex's kite-tails trail behind her, dancing in the radiance surrounding them both. It really does feel cleansing. A baptism of possibility.

"This is wonderful, Lucine!"

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        "... Whoever this man is, he's walking in a future he built, among people inspired by him. But.... until the Triple Zero's hold on him is undone, he'll always be blind to it." It's a sad truth, but it's one that acknowledges that there is still hope. "... Even if you are tempted to, Rita, don't try to contact him. The force inside him will pull you in, and then, there'd be two powerful Newtypes we'd have to face."

        Lucine doesn't ask questions; the concept of a future being set in stone just doesn't quite filter into her brain. What does, however, is the need to protect Rita, for exactly the reason that she is so powerful. "I don't intend to get too close, myself." A shudder runs through her, as she remembers the office equipment that tried to infect her when she grabbed a piece as a weapon. No even objects can be trusted.

        "... I hope that day comes soon for all of you..." The two pinkie swear, and Lucine giggles. "Beliebe it or not, I've never pinkie swore with anyone before... There weren't any children at the colony, believe it or not. Most of the people there were past that stage in their lives, or just weren't interested in kids of their own..."

        Liam. Affection colors her cheeks a soft pink. "... That sounds like him... I get protective of him as well, when the need rises." She looks on the dying form of Bujack, some element of sympathy in her heart. "... It's sad, in some ways... Bujack itself wasn't a violent creature, but he was one of oblivion. A reflection of Akane herself..." Guilt and sympathy grips her chest, pain reflecting in her eyes. "... In order to protect our dreams, we had to kill hers... It's rather cruel. I hope... someday, I get the chance to talk to her again." To apologize, and start anew.

        Love can make you do dumb things, like punch a god in their own domain. How strange, that it can do that much?

        Just as the will of a young girl can empower others.

        The cosmos unfurls like the petals of the flower that shares its name, as two hearts beat in harmony through Rita's power, shared with Lucine. The Dianthus is smaller than the Phenex, almost like a robin or large magpie escorting a magical phoenix through the stars. ".... This is where I learned to love flying." The landscape of Mars is clay and bluffs, valleys and hills, full of interesting formations to sort and skip through. A jaunt into the stars, and the asteroid belt is there, full of ancient rock and small settlements for any space cowboy to find themselves in. A Newtype has their advanatages here, but experience has helped Lucine as well, reflectively weaving through the rock like fish through a stream.

        They could go anywhere. Anyplace.

        Space is not a cold void, but a space where stars and suns twinkle, colors bloom, and showers of comets dance in like rain around them, impossible but possible in this realm.

        ".... No one can touch me here. I'm too fast for them," Lucine says with open flee, echoing Rita's earlier confidence. "Just like you and your partner, Rita!"

        It's Dianthus face, but overimposed is Lucine's own, weeping tears of joy. "We're free, finally free! No one can hurt us!"

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

"Yes. For all our strength, the Phenex and I can't help Triple Zero victims. That's up to the heroes of the living. Amuro will have to depend on them, like they depended on him for so long. They won't let him down, I'm sure of it." Rita's voice is soft, but certain. Perhaps this is a prophecy. "Just do what you can, while keeping yourself safe. That'll be enough."

Rita laughs along with Lucine. "It's my first one in decades. It must've been lonely, not having any other children with you. I wasn't able to have much of a childhood either. It's one reason I have so much fun in these dreams!"

"Sometimes, the people who protect everyone need to be protected more than anyone else." Her voice is soft. "Akane Shinjo is someone I'm very curious about. Bujack was kind of beautiful in a way, wasn't it? Like a fairytale dragon, with such pretty wings. It's a sign of how kind you are that you can feel sorry for it even after it hurt Liam."

Akane Shinjo... Rita hasn't seem much of the girl in her visions. She's certainly someone who has a part in shaping the future, but in such different places than Rita herself. "I believe in her. I don't think I'll ever be able to meet her, but if you do... Please tell her I'm wishing her the best!"

Despite the Phenex's larger size, she's every bit as nimble as the Dianthus, floating and soaring through the cliffs and wondrous rock formations of the alien landscape. "I never, never dreamed I'd see Mars. See anything like this!" Delight, in the challenge of flying hand-in-hand through such complicated terrain.

"We're free!" Rita cries, the Phenex pulsing with blue flame. "No one will ever catch us!"

Rita breathes, and the fire flickers, rising higher, falling back. A heartbeat, expressed in azure radiance. "This is the Dianthus, Lucine. This is who it is for you. No one can take it this from you, or change it. You're connected, just like a knight and their armor. An unbreakable bond!"

Raising a hand, the Phenex's fire shines all the more brightly, bursting into a conflagration of the wondrous color of the resonant plane. White flowers burst through the stones beneath them, around them, until the texture of the aesteroid belt is as vibrant and bountiful as the fields Lucine dreamed of.

<Pose Tracker> Lucine Azul has posed.

        This is who they are. Nothing can stop them. Nothing can control them. And--

        The gas giant Jupiter looms ahead.

        Fear, like ice, cracks through Lucine's heart, and--

        They're falling--

        It's the field of icey flowers again, but a memory instead of the semi-realistic recreation Lucine rested on before. Glancing down at the synthetic and inorganic scraps left behind by one of the scientists, Lucine turned her helmeted head at the sound of the Dianthus, beeping a warning signal. "... They're here...?"

        By the time the Dianthus had escaped the grounds of Nemi, more than enough insectoid craft had dotted the sky, all in a blind reaction to something daring to exist on Martian soil. What was a relatively safe playground for flying had become a a gauntlet with little to no room for error.

        Why did everything want her dead? Why? Why could so many things want to harm her, and yet she couldn't feel anything from them? How could unmanned units be so bent on destroying everything?

        Her heart feels like it's going to burst. She needs to get awanoNoNO she's getting away, in the Dianthus.

        She can't keep this up forever, she wants to get awaydisappear foreverFly awayshe can't leave the Dianthus

        There's a white ship, up ahead, a ship she's never seen before, it's being attacked too, but if she can get to it

        Safety, inside, falling out, breath, faces, people, pain, pain, pain, screams, death, people dying, floor, go to black
        
        And suddenly they're back in the safety of the flower fields again, Lucine protectively holding Rita, shielding her from a blast that's not here, because this nighttime field is one that exists outside the bounds of reality and memory.

        ".... I... I'm sorry, Rita..."

        Like Liam, Lucine has her own scars. While the field has helped heal her loss, there's some she's not dared touch.

        A gentle rain of flower petals comes from the sky as the sun peeks through, mimicked by the simulation of a Earth sunrise on the screens. ".... This is... a world... where flowers bloom..."

        She says it, like a mantra, to remind herself, as frost begins to melt from the white petals around them.

<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.

Everything is so wonderful. They soar together, laughing with joy, until... Jupiter comes into view, and things change. Rita doesn't understand what's happening, but she holds tight to Lucine. Ending their connection now would only make it more traumatic.

A white ship. It's under attack. Does Lucine need to experience saving it? Rita's about to guide Lucine through using the miracle light to destroy enemies, when--

"Ah." Rita finds herself in Lucine's embrace, blinking a few times. Lucine's emotions echo so powerfully, Rita can't help but feel her eyes filling up with tears. "We're okay, Lucine. It's okay, we're safe." It's a whisper, as Rita brings her hands up and around Lucine, hugging her tightly.

Dreams can't heal eveything. Even if Lucine experienced saving that ship... The screams and the death she experienced would still haunt her. This is a pain that goes so deeply.

"This is a world where flowers bloom." Rita says, quietly. Starlight-filled tears drip from her eyes, falling down onto Lucine's shoulder.

But -- the sign of the sunrise may as well be the crowing of a rooster. The night is ending. Rita doesn't want to leave Lucine in this state, but there's nothing she can do. She has to break the connection before Lucine wakes up, or risk pulling her waking self into the resonant plane.

Rita pulls back, softly, running her hand through Lucine's hair. "Lucine. I'm so sorry, but I have to go. You're waking up. But I promise, it's going to be okay. Liam's going to come back to you. Hold onto him. Hold onto the dreams you have for the future. We'll meet again. Maybe you, and he, and I can all play together, once he's back."

A sweet smile. Rita's eyes are sad, but she's trying to put on a brave face for Lucine. "You're amazing. I'm so thankful we could talk."

Reluctantly, Rita pulls away from Lucine and stands, taking a few backwards steps through the petals. Behind her looms the Phenex, standing tall in the fields of flowers. Petals rain down upon her golden armor as she lowers a hand. Rita climbs onto it daintily, then turns to face Lucine again.

"I'll see you again, Lucine! I believe in you!"

She waves, until the Phenex raises her halfway, and Rita's image... disappears. Igniting with azure radiance once more, the Phenex looks down on Lucine for a long moment. With unreal speed, she soars up and out of the dream.