742/Open Hearted

Open Hearted
Date of Scene:	23 December 2015
Location:	Mitakihara/Pikarigaoka - Botanical Gardens
Synopsis:	'Tis the shortest day of the year, and Ayana is out to make her very own pet. Ikiko, Reiko, and Mikoto, however, have other ideas. Featuring: Space-shuttle sized Koifish, Girl Kissing, and the Power of Purification!
Cast of Characters:	Reiko Touyama, Ikiko Hisakata, Ayana, Mikoto Nakajima

---

Ayana has posed:
The Winter Solstice. The shortest day of the year. It's the day that marks the passage from Autum to Winter, from dying to death, and from the old to the new. In many cultures, this day marks the beginning of the end; it is a day that has been shrouded in ceremony since the dawn of recorded history, spawning more religious Holy days than any other day in the year.

In Japan, it is the turning point from Yin to Yang. On this night, people all throughout the city tie cloth bags around slices of or a whole "yuzu"--a kind of citrus. It is said that if you take a yuzu bath on the winter solstice, that you will never catch a cold during the coming winter. It is said that the strong smell of yuzu can remove evil from the body and purify it. And indeed, the smell of citrus is strong in the air, as people visit the botanical gardens and pick their fruits.

But Evil--it seems--does not particularly want to be purified. Just an hour past sunset, with men and women and teens still playfully entering the garden, everything seems to stop. A glimmering blue-green barrier shimmers over the Botanical Gardens: the work of an intelligent device, no doubt, by the looks of things.

And there is a sense at its center; something nefarious and dark lurks there, in the center of the maze. Something that sets Ikiko's hair on edge; something that grips Reiko's shadesense in icy claws. Even Mikoto's device can sense it: that malevolent presence at the center of the barrier. And there's a hole in the barrier, too, right at ground level; inviting magical girls to come inside and stop this evil feeling, whatever it may be.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
At the center of folklore is a kernel of truth, even if the accurate specifics have been lost to time. Certain types of anti-curse restoratives work better with yuzu, for example, especially when the yuzu has been gathered at significant times of the year -- like an equinox or a solstice.

Ikiko walks through the park on her way to the gardens. While her family might not specialize in illness-related curses, yuzu-based salve is simple enough for those that know the lore, and it comes in handy at times. Besides, the shortness of the day makes her appreciate the daylight even more, and the yuzu always makes her think about how the world slowly but surely turns its way back towards the light and warmth of spring.

A familiar splash of color catches her attention. "Reiko?" Ikiko says to herself, blinking to make sure she's not mistaken, then smiling. "Reiko-chan~! Happy Solstice!" she calls, waving and heading towards the younger girl. "How are--"

The shimmering arrival of the barrier interrupts her. The sight of the people stopping worries her, but not as much as the two things she senses: the malignant darkness powering the barrier...

And the presence of Ayana at the center of it.

Reiko Touyama has posed:
Reiko Touyama loved festivals, and Grandpa always suggested she go to them, as Grandpa was a staunch traditionalist. That's okay, because it usually meant she also got a /super cute/ festival kimono for these things and she was wearing just that- it had a clip with an orange fish on the front even!

She mostly just enjoyed having a night of nice smells.

She's overall, running around like a silly girl having a ball in the nightime for a change instead of trying to worry about anything particular- such as Ayana-chan or Misa-chan or Creepy Bad Luck Jealousy Dolls. Now is the time to try to have a good time.

"Oh! Hello Ikiko!~" she says---but before Ikiko can finish her next sentence something awful feeling causes her to shiver and she huffs. "Brrrr---! I don't like that--- and---neither does..my Crystal..." she mutters.

"Wait--how is that even happening, isn't this supposed to be a special night that coutner-acts this stuff!?" she says. She whispers.

"Shouldn't we transform and go in? Something's bad in there, right?" she asks to Ikiko.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Festivals are a time for everyone to try and have some fun. Fun has been sparse and rare for Mikoto, the past couple of weeks, between her obsessing over the PreCure situation, her issues with Ikuto, the nightmares, and the dark energy infection Riventon left her dealing with. Fortunately she was able to overcome that last, at least, and a good long talk with Cure Gull helped her relax about that part of things. So she's really looking forward to an evening of a nice dinner out, maybe shopping for a special little something to wear for her next date, and picking out a few presents for the people she actually cares about.

Of course, it's not to be. ((Barrier formation detected, Meister.))

"Thank you, Carnwennan," Mikoto murmurs, slipping out of the shop she was checking out. It's too bad, really, she'd just found a really cute little - but a barrier in the middle of the city generally means trouble. She ducks into a nearby alley, donning Tessen's Barrier Jacket, and heads towards it.

"This is just going to be one of those weeks, isn't it?" she mutters to herself, as she trudges on towards it. Eventually she hears a familiar voice or two, and picks up speed to head towards them. "Alright," she calls out, "Who's to get decked fo spoiling a lovely night out?"

Ayana has posed:
That feeling of darkness only grows--slowly, but inexorably--as the trio stand, the only ones moving anywhere near the garden. Everyone else stands eerily still, frozen in the moment, as the magical girls try to decide what to do.

Ayana is in there, somewhere; Ikiko can feel it as certainly as she can feel the lycan locket against her chest, inspiring her to take action against evil.

But for Reiko and for Mikoto, it is just a sense of darkness slowly spreading; as a youma building power, or a bomb preparing to blow. Whatever's in there, it is evil, and it is growing.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata shakes her head. "It's a night of power," she explains. "Used correctly, a yuzu will help guard against magic of illness, but there's no specific guard against evil."

She touches the locket, calling out "Lycan Locket!" There's a flash of silver as she transforms into Tsukiko, then the wolfgirl looks towards the new arrival and then back towards Reiko.

"Ayana's in there," she states grimly, then starts striding towards the opening in the barrier. It won't be hard for the other two to catch up, but they should probably get moving if they want to do so!

Reiko Touyama has posed:
Reiko Touyama looks shocked! "Ayana-chan's in there!?" she sputters. "Chroma Prism Orange, Transform!" she calls out, there's a bright orange flash and she's Prism Keeper Orange now!

"Stupid...silly festivals that only guard against specific things." she mutters as she grips her Chroma Wand peeking towards the arriving Mikoto as she looks forward to the portal and jogs after the Cute Wolf- she doesn't start flying on her little wings yet- for all she knows- there's a ceiling in wherever they're going! She's kind of already an awkward butterfly without worrying to crash into a ceiling.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Mikoto nods. "We' could use all the wards against illness and such we can get, right now. I haven't had a good night's sleep in over a week." She looks briefly away as Ikiko transforms, out of simple politeness - and to avoid the bright flash.

Ayana... That's the girl that was with Riventon. The one Ikiko was so concerned about. The familiar.

The abused familiar, to judge from what the wolf-girl told her.

"Festivals do tend to be annoyingly specific, yes. It's one of those things..." She shrugs. "Once you get that out of the way, you can get on with having fun."

Once the others have transformed, she follows them towards the barrier, letting Ikiko take the lead. She knows more about what's going on, after all.

Ayana has posed:
Inside the barrier, the entire garden has taken on a primal feel; as if the whole thing has grown wild and untamed. More natural, certainly, but more also more wild. Snapdragons snap at the Magical Girls' feet, and the hedges stand tall and wicked with thorns. The only plants that seem untouched are the Yuzu Trees, though here their prsence seems diminished, somehow, as if the barrier's creator--Ayana, it must be--tried to hide them from view.

But none of the wild overgrowth is truly a barrier, even if it might be intimidating. The shape of it all remains familiar, and finding the center--just over a little red bridge and down a path--the foxgirl can be found.

But she isn't alone.

Fully decked out in her white leather barrier jacket, a too-short dress, and dark shorts and stockings, Ayana sits with arms and legs wrapped around the figure of some poor schoolboy roughly Ikiko's age.

In her hand, Ayana clutches the glimmering black hammer that Still Night has become since Takashi infused her with darkness. This is laid over her victim's chest, but that isn't really what's frightening about this whole scene. No, it is the slim tendril of darkness that slowly leaks out of the black gem in Ayana's forehead, pulsing with Dark Energy as it touches the boy in the same place. Filling him. Changing him.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata narrows her eyes. She's not sure what the familiar is doing to that boy, but it can't be good -- especially with the solstice going on. With the other magical girls here, she's confident that they can reverse whatever the darkness is causing to the victim...

But first they'll have to rescue him.

The wolfgirl dashes forward, aiming to bodycheck the kitsune. The hammer is a concern, as is Ayana's ability to create an aura of gloom, but right now they need to get the boy away from the dark tendril.

Reiko Touyama has posed:
Reiko Touyama looks to Ikiko, then frowns heavily as she takes to the sky a little to avoid snappy plants---since there's no apparent ceiling here and it's just a freaky zone-like area. She follows along and then stops as she peers overhead. She blinks over at the sight and frowns even harder!

"Tsukiko-chan, be careful..." she murmrus as the wolf dashes forwad---should Ikiko be getting in so close!? Well. It is a dire situation- at least. It looks like. What is she doing anyways?....

Nrg...

Reiko raises her Chroma Wand and calls out an attack. "Orange Rush!" she calls out- and a beam of energy expels from the tip of the wand. She seems to be aiming to get Ayana's attention on her- and possibly away from the boy and Ikiko- which she is hoping to do from above- but Ayana is clever. Like a fox.

Well. That makes sense- doesn't it?

She can still try. She fires off a few more similar shots-- aiming for Ayana's 'general area' than her directly.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
The primal-ness of the area actually piques Mikoto's interest. It's intriguing, something to be appreciated, the wild nature of it. What the trio finds at its center, however, is less appealing. She's no more sure than Ikiko of what Ayana is doing to the boy... but she doesn't like it any more than the wolf-girl does.

After what Ikiko revealed to her, she doesn't really want to hurt Ayana. So it's time for Plan B (for Barrier). The 'barrier maiden' ploy worked for her once before, when the Seiyou Guardians faced off against the PreCure Phantom. It ought to work again. She hurries forward after Ikiko, a Belkan rune-glyph forming briefly beneath her.

(("Protection: Remote!"))

Another one forms in the air in front of her, and then a pair more, one in front of Ikiko, the other by Reiko, before both expand outwards and fade into near-invisibility. Escort Missions happen.

Ayana has posed:
It's not exactly surprise that crosses the familiar's face when Ayana spots the trio approaching. Her eyes narrow, and her nose turns up, but no, she isn't surprised at all. "Stay back," she wanrs Ikiko, but the wolf-girl is already moving; already charging.

Ayana snarls in irritation, but she's forced by the bold action to leap away from her victim. The boy falls almost lifelessly to the ground, but that thin tendril of darkness continues pulsing dark energy towards him.

Ayana alights on a tree and glowers at the trio. "I should have known. The thief and her flunkies would be the ones that show up to stop me. Ken kennnn, Riventon will still appreciate the data," Ayana says with a sneer.

But then Reiko's Orange Rush streaks towards her, and Ayana is forced to dodge--or at least she thinks she is. She bounds to a higher branch, then leaps off, summersaults, and lands on the ground. "Pesky," she grumbles, then points the fox-eared wand at Orange. "FOXFIRE!" she declares loudly, and a rush of dark energy streaks forward towards the Prism Keeper, flickering about the edges with dark hues, like the antithesis of a flame.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Ikiko Hisakata corners as Ayana leaps away. She slows the fall of the boy, then gives Mikoto a thankful smile. The tendril might still be pulsing, but the increased distance might help slow it down.

Well, she might as well try doing something about that persistent strand. The wolfgirl does her best to grab the tendril, taking a deep breath to focus herself. Opening her mouth wide, she channels some energy into her teeth, lengthening her fanglies into magically-sharpened fangs, then tries to bite the tendril in two, gnawing as hard as she can.

Reiko Touyama has posed:
Reiko Touyama raises her Chroma Wand. "S-sheild...." she sputters out, the koi-shaped glow of orange appearing in front of her. She hopes it's enough---the shield absorbs some of the darkness---but ultimately shatters--- she's using it to protect herself after all- not someone else. It's weaker. Luckily, Miko's is there to pickup the slack, suddenly. She takes a deep breath of relief and waves to Miko with a polite thankful smile!

She huffs and raises her wand skyward and charges up her Chroma Crystal again as she bites her lip. "Pesky!? Yeah---you're the one hurting others right now, Fox-chan!" she huffs loudly and defiantly---throwing another common beam of orange energy at the fox.

"Tsukiko-chan, lemme know if you need something special done!" she huffs.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
There's something to be said for teamwork. Mikoto doesn't bother saying it, because Ayana and Reiko have just made it plainly obvious. She isn't as fast a runner as Ikiko, but she doesn't need to be to play shieldmaiden, so she gets in between Ayana and the boy and widens her own shield.

"She's got a point, you know. You don't want to hurt anyone, do you?" A pair of search-spheres split off from her shield, spiralling around the tendril of dark energy, trying to analyze it and find a way to break it if what Ikiko's doing doesn't work. It won't be easy, this sort of thing is well outside her normal specialty. But she's got to try. She couldn't call herself a Knight if she didn't.

Ayana has posed:
Just touching the tendril not only draws Ayana's attention very sharply and very suddnely, but it also feels so incredibly wrong. The darkness burns and freezes at once, seeking to warp and manipulate Ikiko just from a touch, although Mikoto's shield protects her from the worst of it. Dark energy corrupts, though, and although biting down on the tendril gives a satisfying snap as the tendril is broken, some of the dark energy backlashes into Ikiko, filing her mouth and with its vile evilness.

"NO!" Ayana screams, full of fury and rage at Ikiko. "HE WAS GOING TO BE MY PET!" Then she rushes towards Ikiko, grasping the hammer in both hands as she charges towards the Curse Hunter. She doesn't quite make it before a beam of orange energy clips Ayana's shoulder. The energy spins her aside, and for a brief moment the black fox looks more like her more common red cousins. Ayana falls to the ground and hisses in pain, then pushes back to her feet and glowers at Reiko. "Idiots!" she yells at them. "Evil, manipulative, twisted idiots. How dare you stop my experiment! I'll kill all of you!" And then she levels her wand at Ikiko and declares, "Foxfire Barrage!" Dozens of tiny little motes of foxfire form at the tip of the wand, then streak out towards the dark-energy infused Ikiko, as Ayana seeks to vent her rage on the werewolf.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"Yuck!" Tsukiko sputters as the dark energy splashes in her mouth. The vileness doesn't quite translate into taste, since it's felt more on the soul than on the tongue... but 'oily putridness' is a close start.

There's no time to dwell on it, though -- there's foxfire heading her way! The wolfgirl snarls slightly, but tamps down a surge of anger -- that's the darkness speaking; she can outvote it if she tries.

Dashing forward, she dives through the approaching motes, getting slightly singed but dodging most of them. With a somersault and a leap, Tsukiko wraps the kitsune up in a big hug. "That's the darkness speaking, Aya-chan!" the wolfgirl shouts. "I know that there's still kindness within you!"

Reiko Touyama has posed:
Reiko Touyama sort of blinks. "Your pet...!?"

"YOUR PET??!"

"AYANA-CHAN! FISH ARE PETS! HUMANS ARE NOT!" she screams out, "AYANA-CHAN! YOU ARE A FRIEND BUT WHEN YOU HURT OTHERS WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO FIGHT!" she calls out. "I'M GOING TO FEEL REALLY BAD FOR THIS LATER!" she calls out as she raises her wand--- feeling something surging inside.

She's trying to gather energy for an Orange Ourburst.

This is something way different.

All those orange citrus fruits Ayana was trying to hide earlier all glow like tiny orange christmas lights as some sort of powerful energy is built up on the tip of the Chroma Wand- as she draws power from the color and enviroment around her---- little wisps escaping towards the energy ball.

"PRISM AEGIS POWER.....!" she calls out. "ORANGE CHROMA OVERFLOW!" she finishes, as she closes her eyes and then suddenly throws the ball---

What's actually thrown is a koi the size of a small house, aiming to crash into Ayana with the purification energy of a small truck behind it.

This might hurt if it collides.

Prism Keeper Orange blinks rapidly. "Eh...?" she says with a blush.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Any energy blast Tessen could gather at this point would be extraneous and wasteful compared to what Orange has just launched. And she's busy maintaining the shield. Still, she can let Ikiko get into the fight. She sprints up towards the boy, where he lies unconscious. "Full scan," she mutters to Carnwennan, "Medical priority." A sensor-sphere detaches from her shield to hover over the boy as the Device begins.

"Ayana!" she calls out as she stands. "I know you feel you need to be loyal to him. I know what it's like." A Belkan Knight's perspective surely knows more about Familiars than someone who's never studied it, perhaps she can lend weight to the others' arguments. "But what he's done to you is wrong! This isn't the way a proper Knight treats anyone!"

Ayana has posed:
Carnwennan's analysis of the boy isn't promising. He's been drained of his own vital energy, nearly to the last drop, and he's now suffused with dark energy. If Ayana had been allowed to keep filling him up, the poor boy likely would have been overwhelmed by the dark energy, until all that remained was that darkness. A youma would have been born, for certain, but the boy would never have survived. As is, he's lingering on the brink, just a few short breaths away from life or death.

Ayana is bowled over by Ikiko's assault. She didn't expect it, though she should have. The pair go tumbling back to the ground, and Ayana snarls in frustration. "Of course there's kindness! I am kind to those who give me what I wish! I am generous to those who give me what I wish! But you are an evil thief, stealing me from my master and seeking to hurt me with your lies and your howl! Suffer, you jerk! Suffer in my GLOOM." As ever, the dark energy roils out from Ayana, sapping Ikiko of strength and power, for being so close. "Suffer, and die, th--"

Ayana's tirade is cut off as a massive weight of purification energy drops on her from above. She screams, as the dark energy within her roils and wars against the energy. Her gloom absorbs some of it, but not nearly enough. The gem in her forehead vanishes, and the girl writhes in pain and torment as the conflicting energies within her war against one another. She's in pain. Ikiko can feel it--not just hear it, but feel it, through the bond they once shared.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko had expected the Gloom; it's normal for being this close to Ayana when the foxgirl's upset. She had even somewhat expected the blast of orange energy because of her proximity to Ayana, although she hadn't anticipated the magnitude of it.

Still, the lingering darkness in the wolfgirl washes away with a scent of fresh yuzu and the smell of a koi pond after the rains, and the darkness in and around Ayana is vastly reduced as well. Tsukiko winces, feeling Ayana's pain through the remnants of the emotional bond they once had.

Feeling it through the bond...

The wolfgirl's eyes widen. It's a long shot, but it might work--!

Tsukiko, still holding the kitsune close, presses her forehead against Ayana's and howls. No deep breath, no preparation; just a torrent of feelings sent from the heart, channeled through the old bond.

There is friendship,
    there is caring,
        there are the shared emotions,
            there is hope...

...and above all else, there is love.

Calm as a lullaby, Tsukiko wordlessly sings her feelings to Ayana, from the wolfgirl's heart to the foxgirl's heart. Breath seems to not be an issue; the werewolf just keeps on singing until the kitsune is no longer in pain.

Reiko Touyama has posed:
Prism Keeper Orange is sort of floatin there like an idiot---

And a little shamed. She didn't want to... /hurt/ Ayana- it's why she didn't blast her over a koi- after all. But this is different! That was a boy! And one that is hurt incredibly badly. Luckily, Mikoto is over there seeing to that- Prism Keeper Orange can't heal like that.

Then she turns back to Tsukiko--who is howling her little heart off and she urges on.

"Come on!~ Let it go! Be Prepared!---um... I don't know many songs!~ o/~" she calls out with soft sing tones, throwing a finger skywards and pointing!

It's also possible she has no more energy left in her for a proper blast after fielding something she didn't expect or was able to control.

She'll have to wonder about that later.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
"Listen to her!" Mikoto yells, dropping to one knee and placing both hands on the boy's chest. She doesn't have the attention to say much, at the moment. She's building her own energy around her hands, trying to ever so carefully channel it into the poor kid, to push the darkness out of him. Or at least keep him alive and human until someone else can. It's far, far from her normal oeuvre. But once again, she can't not try.

"All he wants you to be is a tool! You're more than that! Choose to be more than that!"

Ayana has posed:
For a moment, Ayana lives in a place where there is only pain. And then Tsukiko's howl reaches into her pain and surrounds her. By itself, unaided, that howl could only slow the kitsune down. But combined with power of Orange Chroma Overflow, bolstered by the purification of dozens of Yuzu, and empowered by the sheer mystique of the Winter Solstice, the Heartfelt Howl reaches so much deeper.

It enters into the place where Ayana's linker core should be, and gently washes away all the darkness there. It's a slow process--an imminently painful process. But it happens, slowly, as Tsukiko's love, and Prism Keeper Orange's friendship, and the Yuzu's purity wins through.

When finally the darkness is gone, Ayana is left shaking in Tsukiko's arms. Tears well in the kitsune's eyes, streaming down her face from the pain and torment of the whole experience. "Iki-chan," she whimpers, and wraps her arms around Tsukiko, clinging to her tightly. The gloom recedes. The darkness fades. And so, too, does the barrier. "Help me," she begs.

She's not the only one in need of help, though. Meanwhile, not far away, a slim tendril of pure energy enters into the boy. The darkness within him wars against Mikoto's attempts to save his life, rearing up like an ugly virus that attacks every ounce of her power. It threatens to spread from the boy into Mikoto, seeking to destroy not only him, but her as well!

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko holds Ayana close, her own eyes damp with tears of happiness at the return of the foxgirl's old personality. "Always, my love," she whispers, stroking the kitsune's hair and gently kissing her -- on the lips, even!

The surge of the dark energy infesting the boy catches her attention and breaks the mood. She's tired, Ayana's weak from the ordeal, Mikoto's in danger, and Orange seems to be low on power...

But some things don't need external magic.

"Orange! Grab a yuzu!" she calls to her friend. "Pour the juice of it down his throat -- carefully!" The purifying power of the citrus already helped them tonight; can it help once again?

Reiko Touyama has posed:
Prism Keeper Orange beams at Ayana and Ikiko! That's a wide smile on the girl's face. "Yessss! Make sure she's okay Ik----Tsukiko-chan!" she says. But then her Chroma Crystal sparks and the wand sort of jerks her arm back down at Mikoto's direction- as if to bring attention to the going ons. "Ack!----I don't have enough in me for any more!" she says worriedly!

But then Ikiko calls something out. She darts into a try and picks three---randomly, and then sort of darts downwards toward's the boy and does as Ikiko ask.

She's probably not as gentle as she should be trying to do this, but it shouldn't mess things up.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
Mikoto has no more focus to spare for anything other than the struggle for the boy's life, and her own, now. She falls silent, letting Ikiko deal with Ayana for now. Everything she has goes into that tendril of energy. The spell-glyph rotates around them on the ground, glowing a vibrant blue, that flickers - grey, then silver, then blue, then silver again - as the darkness pushes back against her.

She's fought off that energy once before. But only once. She struggles. Pushes. For a single awful moment, the spell-glyph glows black.

And then the first drop of yuzu-juice passes the boy's lips, and then another, and more, in a steady stream. And color begins to edge back into the runes. Silver, at first, then the familiar blue. As if the fruit's cleansing influence reached right through the boy and into her, she rallies, fighting back against the darkness, slowly, it seems, starting to win ground.

Ayana has posed:
Ayana's eyes widen at that kiss. Unexpected, but not unwanted. She doesn't reciprocate, not for lack of desire but for the shock of its suddeness. "Iki-chan," she murmurs, a quiet, loving tone in her voice, when that kiss parts. She blushes, not with embarassment, but with excitement, and her tears of pain become tears of happiness. She squeezes Cute Wolf Tsukiko again, then takes a deep breath. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I hurt you. And Reiko. I love you. I've always loved you."

It's the scent, not the flavor, of the Yuzu that purifies. As Reiko squeezes the small citrus, its zest spreads into the air, filling Mikoto's nose, and the boy's. That drop of juice amplifies the scent, entering the boy's olfactory glands through his mouth and nose both.

The darkness doesn't stand a chance.

In a sudden explosive burst, the darkness recedes, fleeing out of the boy into the air around him, where it dissipates harmlessly to nothingness. Mikoto's energy slowly fills the void that Ayana created, and soon the boy's eyes begin to flutter as consciousness starts to return.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"Not your fault," Tsukiko murmurs back, giving Ayana another hug. She knows exactly whose fault it is... but she respects Ayana's feelings as Riventon's familiar enough to not badmouth him around her.

As the darkness flees the boy, the wolfgirl grins. Ayana is no longer ruled by darkness, the boy's life has been saved, and the two canine-girls have confessed their love for each other! Even though Tsukiko's tail isn't as expressive as that of a normal dog, she's happy enough right now that her tail has started to wag energetically!

Reiko Touyama has posed:
Prism Keeper Orange whews and wipes her brow and then flutters tiredly over towards Ikiko and Ayana as things seem to be settling down- Mikoto can handle it from here. Prism Keeper Orange beams with a smile. "Ayana-chan! You're yourself again~!" she says. "Erm--s-sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you just then..." she mutters---wait. Wha!?

"Hurt me!? H-hey! I just blasted you like a jerk! You didn't hurt me! You were just a jerk for a while!" she huffs! Well it's true!

She doesn't begin to lean into badmouthing anyone. Reiko doesn't have a tail to wag.

Though two koi appear to either side of her and seem to do some sort of fin wiggling victory dance. They have orange and white pom-poms. They spin every so often.

There's no music. You can almost hear it anyways.

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
The sweet, sharp scent of the fruit overcomes the darkness of the air, and Mikoto smiles, wide and warm, as she looks down at the boy. The last of the dark energy is pushed out of both of them, and she reaches down to squeeze his hand. "Don't worry, lad. You're going to be alright."

Her eyes flutter, and she looks down. "You're going to be... just... fi - " and her eyes roll back in her head as she slumps to the ground, her own energy drained dangerously by the struggle. Only the slow rise and fall of her chest reveals that she still breathes.

Ayana has posed:
Ayana closes her reyes, and for a moment she just smiles, content in Tsukiko's arms. Orange's words earn a smile from the Kitsune, and she opens one eye again to peer at the prism keeper. "I did hurt you, though," she notes. "I ate one of your fishes. And I mean, I always tried to, but I didn't understand what they meant to you. I do now. I'm sorry."

She licks her lips, and then pauses as a thought strikes her. "Oh ... oh no," Ayana's eyes widen a little, and she clings to Tsukiko all the tighter. "Iki-chan this isn't over. I mean, I'm me again. But he's not stupid. Maybe I can hide it, but only if I keep doing mean things for him. And I can't do that for long without him figuring out I don't want to. A few weeks, maybe. Maybe. If I have help. But if he figures out what you've done, he's going to kill me. Like not just back to fox, but forever kill me."

Ayana swallows nervously, then admits, "I don't wanna die. I don't want to lose you again. I don't know what to do. I love him as much as you, but he's not going to forgive me for this."

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko hugs Ayana, patting her back comfortingly. "We'll figure something out, Aya-chan," she promises. "All of us will -- and we'll make sure that he can't hurt you ever again."

Of course, rescuing Ayana from Riventon isn't going to be easy... but with people the wolfgirl can ask for insight and assistance, as well as her family's books of lore, it might be do-able.

For Aya-chan's sake, it must be.

Reiko Touyama has posed:
Prism Keeper Orange huffs. "Koi mean a lot to me, but I'm not gonna hurt you over them!" she says with a huff! "--but I will totally yell at you over it! And be angry for a bit!" she huffs. She frowns and crosses her arms. Then she blinks blinks.

"Nrg---right..."

"Riventon..." she mutters.

"Mister Black..." she huffs!

"Well-- We're gonna figure it out, Ayana-chan!" she mutters.

"There has to be SOMETHING we can do!"

Ayana has posed:
Ayana reaches up to wipe at her eyes, and finds Still Night still clutched in her grasp. She swallows and mumbles, "Still Night, stand down."

"Jawohl, Herrin," the device replies in its effeminate voice. It shrinks back to a pendant around her neck, glimmering faintly.

"Still Night, erase the log since I started draining that boy. We'll ... we'll have to give Riventon something else, for tonight." She sniffles a bit, but the device compiles once more.

"I can't stay, Iki-chan," Ayana explains. "I have to figure out how to get him the data he asked me to get tonight. Don't worry about that, though. I'll be okay. And I'll find a way to see you again." She squeezes the wolfgirl briefly, then says, "I'll find you both."

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko hugs the kitsune, then gives her another tender kiss. "Stay safe, my love," the wolfgirl whispers, reluctantly letting her go. There's concern in her eyes, but at the moment the best thing she can do to keep Ayana safe is to trust in the foxgirl's cleverness and let her go.

That doesn't mean that she's not going to feel sad when Aya-chan does leave, though, but she'll stay and watch until the kitsune is no longer in sight.

Reiko Touyama has posed:
Prism Keeper Orange huffs! "Wait--w-what is it you needed!?" she asks. "Nrg--well if you need help you better come find Ikiko and Me!" she says, a little huffily.

She let's Ayana go when she's ready to leave, otherwise, and looks over to Ikiko and gives her a tight hug. "Ikiko-chan~ She's back to normal at least!" she says. Well, what qualifies as 'normalish'.

"We'll figure something out--and--and I'll help okay!?" she says. "So no worries!" she says softly.

Ayana has posed:
Ayana returns the kiss this time, though she blushes again. Then she slips out from under Ikiko and smoothes out her outfit. "I can't ... tell you everything," Ayana tells Reiko. "But I was supposed to gather data on magical girls, and energy. I'll get both, or at least make Still Night think I got both. Don't worry about that, for tonight." She smiles at them both, then promises, "Next time I find you both, I'll try to explain what I can." And then she's off, flitting away into the treetops, and leaping to the rooftops. Off to figure out how to deceive a boy ten times smarter than her, and nearly as clever.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Cute Wolf Tsukiko waves as Ayana bounds away, not stopping until the foxgirl is no longer in view... then slumping slightly. "Thanks, Reiko-chan," she smiles gently, hugging the younger girl in return.

Knowing that she has friends and allies helping out does make the wolfgirl feel more confident, and the hug helps encourage her. "Let's get out of here and out of our henshins," she says to Reiko. "I'm pretty sure people are going to start coming by sooner or later."

Mikoto Nakajima has posed:
And then, Mikoto finally stirs, and lifts her head. The strain has left her exhausted, but at least she's able to move again. And the boy is alright. That's what matters to her. And it looks like Ayana is alright, too. That's important.

"Hey," she croaks, "Good going..." She hears Ayana's mention of gathering data, and blinks. "Hey!" she manages to call out, hoping her voice will reach Ayana's ears as she departs. "Need some help faking the data? Be glad to... wanna apologize for not seeing you were in trouble sooner..."