Haruna Kurosawa is the last to sometimes hear rumors. Espcially when they pertain to her girlfriend. She doesn't know if this is on purpose or not. At least this isn't 'I may have held a bank hostage robbed it' levels of rumor.
Yeah, Haruna hasn't heard about the beating people up yet. Which is why she's wearing a look of concern and worry rather than one of upset and peck your eyes out gull-like.
Knock Knock. She's coming in and then she opens the door because of course she's always welcome in Hannah's apartment. The door was unlocked, so, that means Hannah's here. Right?
"Hannah-chan?" she calls out.
"Hi are you here? Are you awake?" she asks as she tip toes into the living room. Tip toe tip toe.
This is more a 'if she really is sick, I don't wanna be loud' sort of tip toe than a 'Gull-chan is being a Ninja' tip toe.
The apartment is pretty dark! Which...isn't exactly unusual if Boris isn't around. Judging by the lack of husky bounding up to tackle-lick-paw Haruna, he must be at work! So, as she sneaks in, she'll probably have to flick a light or two given how dark it gets in these months in Japan.
A voice calls out. "H...Haruna?" Comes out an utterly exhausted, strangely week voice from the direction of the bedroom. Should she walk inside? Hannah's in a light robe, and sweating. Her skin even seems a bit paler than usual. No enthusiastic greetings. Sure, she's had colds before, but even then she's at least tried to crack a joke or toss an audible grin for the sake of a worried Gull. No, her voice sounds terrified of something, and the surprise of her beloved gull showing up so soon means she can't hide it. Teeth grit, and she heaves another gasp. Arms clutch her chest.
Haruna Kurosawa does indeed flick some lights on and she hears a voice from the bedroom. Okay. Good. She's here. Bad? That is not the loud and boisterous Hannah voice she knows. She frowns and begins walking into the bedroom and turns the light on by the dimmer- she isn't sure if blind means 'she can't sense light' or not or she can't see it all. She's never asked about the extent of Hannah-chan's blindness.
She frowns heavily and walks towards Hannah.
"Hannah-chan." she frowns. "You look really bad." she says. "What's wrong?" she asks.
A pause. She didn't bring Corvus with her. Else. She'd use him to do the dark detection thing. Because. Her first thought is 'I am going to be upset as HELL if this is another Lost Lougie or whatever they're called.'.
She sits down besides Hannah and looks with wide worried eyes. "Did something happen?" she asks. "Tell me."
Even so, Hannah manages a smile. She considers deflecting. But Haruna has her almost literally cornered. And with the cat largely out of the bag between Mamoru and Kunzite, she doesn't have much of a choice.
"What's wrong...is that your girlfriend is a raging idiot." A ghost of a smirk, and then she sucks in a breath. Slowly, she forces herself to a sitting position.
Through sheer stubborn will, she manages to generally look at her beloved bird-cure. "Haruna. How much do you know about mages, spells, and Linker Cores?" She asks. Off on the side-table, Raging Tempest beeps in it's coin form. Softly, slowly, with perhaps what's supposed to be a comforting series of beep towards her Mistress. Somehow, there might be concern in the air coming from that single coin of an AI.
Haruna Kurosawa helps Hannah sit up. Yup. She's getting help. All of it. Hannah can worry about her big dumb ego later when there's an actual audience to worry about. She'll feed it later in the year anyways. White('s) Day is coming. Just you watch. Hannah might had been a crazed fitebeast last year- but lord if she isn't going to let anything ruin it this year. >:I
"I know a little. Virtue has a lot of those, with the TSAB and all." she says. "I know the Linker Core is what 'powers' a mage. Like. My Love Seed. Or Corvus's big fat dark butt when I was Scorn." she says softly.
"But that's all I know." a pause.
"What happened?" she finally asks.
Hannah doesn't even protest. That should be a telling sign of just how bad off she is. Between the emotional stress of fighting with Mamoru over text, and the magical stress of her accidental attack, it's taken a lot out of her.
She also scowls at the mere mention of the TSAB. Likely not surprising. She's had plenty of anti-TSAB rants after all. "...And they didn't even bother to educate you on how they...bah, nevermind, I can't afford any more stress right now." A breath through her teeth.
Her high priority targets just became almost entirely TSAB-based with a few sentences from Gull. "It's basically what we use to tap into magic. But unlike most magical girls, we're born with them, and quality of our Linker Cores determines our magical potential. The TSAB punks use a scale. Highest is SS. Lowest is...E rank I think? I don't care about trash like that. Similarly spells fall on that same scale. The lowest kind of mage could know and cast the highest rank of spell theoretically." Explains the woman.
"But. The kind of physical stress that would cause...it's a bit like a pipe. The higher the spell, the more the water pressure. If the pipe's too weak, it bursts, and boom! Knocked out if you're reaching. Too big a difference? You end up in a coma. Or dead."
Silence falls. Her pride wells up, and to someone she's tried to show so much strength to...it hurts. But not. She can't lie to Haruna, of all people, right here. She'd rather die on the spot and give up her dreams.
"Hey. Haruna. Pop quiz. Circle A and B. What's my Linker Core quality? And what level of spells have I had to use in order to keep fighting strong Phantom Generals, Senshi, Pretty Cure, Princes of Earth...you name 'em?" Her voice, it should be noted, is grim.
Haruna Kurosawa thinks on this. "Well that makes sense. I mean. I imagine trying to run a 100 watt light bulb over like a Double A would just drain it immediatly." she says softly. She head tilts as she purses her lips.
"Well. If E is like the weakest. And SS is the strongest I would say you're totally an A." she insists. "But you also fight a lot so many spells are like ... D?..." a pause. "Wait. Is D bad or good? Wait. Is higher letters bad or worse?" she scratches her head.
Yeah she doesn't know the ranking system. At all. "A is even before E huff! SO THAT CINCHES IT."
"You gotta be a Q!" she says. That's like. Somewhere before 'S'. Right?
Cue all of the tension in the room utterly evaporating. There's utter silence.
Followed swiftly by arms using all of their strength to pull in Haruna right on top of her. Then she tries to fall backwards. Given her usual reckless strength, it's all but a love tap. But she puts superior weight into it.
And then, for glorious minutes, she laughs. Half way through she coughs and sputters, but then relaxes again. Soon, she's a boneless, exhausted pile of Hannah. Physically and emotionally, she looks /done/ for the moment.
"Haruna. I love you."
Another minute of silence, and she calms down. She just looks tired. "Normally, the highest rank spells I've been using to finish off strong opponents are on the lower A-rank to normal A. When I use Cartridges, it gets up to just below S levels. And that time I tried to match Madoka in her God-form by using multiples? I almost reached Double-S." There's pride flowing through her voice. But then, she deflates.
"Haruna. My Linker Core on average is a C-minus."
Haruna Kurosawa is tugged ontop of Hannah and she naturally settles into this because Hannah snuggles, of course, come naturally. She does eventually slip to her side, laying beside her, because she doesn't want to physically tax Hannah by using her like the most loving bed~
She does head tilt a bit. She listens.
Okay. So Hannah can use a lot of high level spells! She knows Hannah-chan is powerful!
Then Hannah goes on about her linker core. So low it's below the lowest level!? ... C is.. Before. E? Right?
Someone will correct her later and she'll be so embarrased.
She thinks on this for a bit and then-- Hannah did talk to her about the speifics before that with a frown. "So you've been trying to run a 100 watt bulb with a double A." she frowns.
Yes she frowns. It's not dissapointment but worry.
"So...? What does. That mean? IS that why you're sick?" she asks.
Warm Haruna snuggles is exactly what she needs right now! Even at her side, just Haruna's presence is a pure comfort. Still, the worry remains, and she turns to the other girl.
"Yeah, something like that. It's the large part of it. Basically the only reason I've gotten this far is because I'm in good shape."
Hannah hesitates to explain the rest. And that's when a robotic voice fills the air.
"What Mistress Sharpe is trying to say is this: she has repeatedly used spells beyond her capacity to handle. Despite my consistant warnings."
Teeth grind. "LIKE WE HAD A CHOICE, R.T.!"
The Device's tone lowers in vague agreement. "Even so. Mistress should be less reckless." There's an audible huff. And then pretty much a Device Glare.
A sigh. "Fine, FINE! Get off my case, R.T.!" Tch.
"Haruna. The Grief Seed experiment left...corruption in my linker core. It's gotten worse. Not just discoloration like it was. It's...seeping out, too. I won't lie to you. Things are looking bad. If I don't get rid of that corruption, and if I don't strengthen my Core...everything I've worked for...it..." She clams up, and not out of shame. The simple thought of giving up on her dreams has her sobbing not for the first time in several nights.
Haruna Kurosawa remembers the grief seed experiment. She was there when things went south and this jerk tried to off Hannah. She didn't see Euphy off the jerk. He's pretty sure he got shipped to Aubu Dahbi though. Or something like that.
She does frown at that. Stress and Taxation is one thing. She's taxed herself before fighting Phantom and her Love Seed always recharges. She's seen mages do the same.
But then there is talk of corruption. And she is sure that bit with the stupid sword didn't help matters either.
She's not even a little sorry that thing is probably being subjected to Riventon's experimentation weekly because she knows it's probably god awful.
She frowns and just--- she wants to say things like. 'Gee you think shoving the husk of a defiled magical soul into you was a bad idea?' and things like that- but that won't fix things.
She's already thinking of ways she might be able to help. Maybe she can beg Blue? Maybe Corvus knows some two hundred year old secret from his old times as Demi-God of Truth? Maybe she could purify?
Nrg. She'll need to ask Blue. He's a god for crying outloud.
Gods do miracles. Right?
She just holds. and hugs Hannah.
"Do you have any idea how we can fix it?" she asks. "At all?" she says. She kinda knows about Hannah. and Power. And Why She wanted that Power.
She doesn't think Blue is going to give her a Love Seed to give to Hannah to replace a potential lost Linker Core. Like seriously.
'Cure Ambition'?
There's a long silence. Finally, Hannah smiles. "Yes, Haruna. I do have an idea." Then, her smile fades. She pushes away, almost sharply, and once more tries to push herself to her rump. Then, further, to try to stand. It's a shakey thing, and she'll need to at least grab onto first her nightstand, then her cane if not Haruna herself to keep upright. Her legs shake, and she breathes heavily, enough so that she needs a few minutes just to continue her thoughts.
"And this...is where you're not going to like things. It'll take someone very specific, but the Witch corruption is something I think isn't too tough to solve. Between Puella, people like you, Usagi...I'd hate to involve them, but the cat's already half way out of the bag by now." A guilty, guilty little smile. It's a Hannah's Done A Bad smile.
Eyes close. "Haruna. A Linker Core is a renewable resource. I've proven that myself. It takes some rest, but it regrows. Even if you entirely get it hurt, or even stolen, you'll recover with some down time. I've done research. There's no documented case of Linker Core theft resulting in someone ending up dead."
Another long, hard pause. It shouldn't take a genius to know where this is going.
Both eyes open, and she turns them to Haruna. "I have no intention of giving up on the people in this world, Haruna, or my ambitions. So I need a Linker Core with exceptional quality. Improving a Linker Core is unbroken ground. Definitely in our world. Maybe even on any other. But first I'll need to study other people's Cores."
There's no hesitation as her resolve hardens. "So I'll just find the strongest mages in this city, and take their Linker Cores by force. With enough in my hands, I'll be able to unlock their secrets, and find the path I've always meant to walk towards rulership of this world, my love."
Haruna Kurosawa listens to Hannah intently. Oh? So. They grow back? They grow back! So that relives Haruna big time. Hannah isn't going to loose her linker core and if she does it grows back! Like. A toenail! A magical powerful toenail! Wait. Did she seriously just compare a linker core to a magical toenail? EVEN SHE goes 'wtf brain' for a moment and she makes this scrunched up face. Couldn't it had been like a haircut instead?
So Hannah basically lays out her plan. She basically can picture it already. She's gonna go around and beat up people for Linker Cores. But really it's also the whole 'world domination' bit at the end that makes her teeth clench.
She's trying hard to keep this inside, because. As Hannah just described it. These things grow back. So at most she's just inconviencing people while beating them up. This a thing that Haruna is used to.
But she's also used to it being 'in the line of work for bosses' and this is less that. and more personal choice. AND that's where Haruna is getting angry about.
"WHAT!?" she calls out. "Y..you will DO NO SUCH THING!" she huffs. "CAN'T YOU ASK THEM, IF IT GROWS BACK!? YOU NEED TO BEAT PEOPLE UP BECAUSE OF YOUR STUPID EGO!?" she says as she crosses her arms and smoulders. Oh yeah.
The girlfriend is upset. She isn't, at least storming out. She is being indignant.
"You're lucky I love you so much." she huffs as she keeps her arms crossed.
Haruna is just a bit terrifying. Even for Hannah. Witches, Evil Dark Energy Vengeful Queens...she's faced a lot of crazy things. But a girlfriend in Angry Mode combined with Actual Ground To Stand On is truly a thing that daunts her more than any prospect of ruling the world.
That might well explain the sweat dripping down her chin, and how she very well once more collapes into bed. As it is, both hands end on her knees, and she has to put undue pressure on them just to keep on her feet. The physical pain is nothing compared to what she feels inside. The fact Haruna is /yelling/ only makes it all point to how serious this is.
And yet, Hannah smiles. "...Darn right I am. And that's not flattery. Don't get me wrong. I love picking fights. Heck, an honest /war/ makes me giggle! I get it. I do. What I intend to do is nothing more than attacking people like some kind of pathetic youma low on energy. Yeah, I could /ASK/. I can think of maybe one person who might say 'Yeah, sure, I'll let Miss White-san Untrustworthy Jerk see my most Inner Core of Magic'. And that's if I'm not giving that kid way too little credit. I don't think she's that stupid. I don't have any moral ground to stand on, but I haven't used that as my foundation, and I won't start now, Haruna. Go ahead. Do what you want to me, but I'm kind of backed into a corner here." A sigh. An almost hopeless one.
"This is do or die. I love you too. But if I back down here, against anybody, I might as well throw away everything I've ever worked towards. I have no interest in being that weak, helpless person ever again." Teeth grit, and the young mahou looks absolute.
Haruna Kurosawa is debating between leaving in a huff- or staying right now because she's that upset. But she sighs a bit-- and she just sort of collapses. And she snuggles against Hannah. Because. She knows Hannah. And Ao-chan. And that story. And it's the same story she wants Alexis to hear because she knows Alexis feels the damn way about how powerless he feels right now and---
Ugh.
"People are probably gonna yell at me over this." she mutters. "And I can already know what Blue-sama is going to say." she says. "And it's the same stupid thing he told me when I was kicked out of Virtue and the stupid Cures can't fall in love and stuff." she mutters.
"Can you at least take a small rest to feel a bit better?" she asks. "Because you look like you're on your deathbed here and even if grows back it's /scary/." she mutters.
"Did you try... going to. Mamoru? Can his stuff heal it?.. Even a little?..." she asks with wide eyes.
Arms wrap...not tightly. But close. Tears shed without pride. She's still here. Right beside her. Truly, Hannah doesn't deserve such a young woman. Such a true /Queen/ as Haruna Kurosawa.
"Sorry. This is the kind of thing you signed up for. Congratulations. Your girlfriend is a weak, evil jerk, and even she knows it. In a better world, it would be people like you that would be at the top. But...heh. I've said it to you enough times by now." Smirk. Power is everything, morality means nothing to the world. A cold, hard mistress to so many loving, good, innocent people.
A shrug. "I'll go to my grave saying Pretty Cure should be able to love. Maybe if that wimp Blue had just restricted it to people like me, you'd be in less pain. I'm..." She holds her breath.
"Jerk. You couldn't just have smacked me one, could you?" Because that would have hurt, and meant less. She buries her shoulder in Gull's own.
"Like I have a choice anyway. And you'd suplex me back into bed if I tried anything else. Congrats. I'm all yours. Oh give me some credit! Like I didn't think of it."
Sigh. "He'd just end up wasting all that delicious healing energy...which by the way I would suck down to the bone if he'd let me. No, I can't help it, so sue me! ...And that would leave pretty much nothing for a multitude of people on his side that I love for. Yes, that includes Kyouko. And not just because I'm interested in an ill considered experiment." Huff. That job offer's still open, it should be noted. Even after a few homicide attempts on Kyouko's part.
"Also I kinda mistargeted already and he kinda wants to yell-and-or-kick my butt already."
Eyes close, and she sighs.
"So what I'm saying is that I'm going to lay here, get some rest, and try not to have my heart give out through the stupid amount of stress and magical forces I'm lumped over. If you change your mind and want to strangle this stupid Mage in her sleep, go ahead. If there's anyone I'd have kill me, it'd be you Haruna." Pause. Then...
Gull-cheek smooch! "Sorry I'm this way." And then, she's pretty much out like a light.