2384/Ritual Gateway

Ritual Gateway
Date of Scene:	05 March 2025
Location:	Penguin Park - Island Shrine
Synopsis:	The fake Mars tells everyone where to go to put an end to Veronica's curse once and for all, and she comes along, fully prepared for her and the fake Sunbreaker to disappear with the curse. In the end, a miracle occurs and the two are saved, allowing them to start new lives as Hinoka and Himari Saito.
Cast of Characters:	Veronica Perenna, Hinoiri Kirara, Ikiko Hisakata, Amanda Faust
Tinyplot:	Flameborn Façade

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Veronica Perenna has posed:
"You sure took your sweet time", Sunbreaker scowls at Mars when she finally has the dignity to show herself. What have you even been doing?" she clicks her tongue. They are this close to freeing their masters, and now she starts dallying!?

"The same thing as you, making sure that everything was in order", Hinoka replies, looking at the Island Shrine. The atmosphere is very different now, the shrine's usual serenity and tranquility gone, and the torii gate at the entrance now looks cracked, scarred with many unnatural shapes that pulse with dark energy.

The flowers of the pond have likewise wizened and its water and that of the stone basin has turned stagnant. But the most important detail is she can feel their masters' eyes, peering at them from beyond the ward, waiting to be let through, promising to let them guide humanity at their side with anything she might ever desire.

Right over the offering box she can see it, Sunbreaker's half of the ring, floating in the air and contourned by energy that releases wisps in the air, forming vague contourns. Hinoka really has to give it to Sunbreaker, she has prepared things well.

Well, so has she. Everyone that had previously been at the Arcade when she was talked down has been informed of where Sunbreaker had planned the big thing as soon as she got to know it. See how you like the surprise, you dolt.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Cure La Licorne was, admittedly... unsure as she ran through the city towards the threat.

Sunbreaker. Something... like her. Sure, it wasn't REALLY her, it was a kind of a copy of her, but well... if Hinoka was going through these motions... She'd been Sunbreaker. She knew what it was like. The desperation. The mistakes.

She knew just how much Sunbreaker WOULD push in order to prove she was right. To do what she felt she had to do. To earn what was her.

And she knew just how much she'd hate it, and herself, every step of the way. How much a part of her would want to be stopped.

And as much fun as it had been to punch herself, if there was something else there, more than just the echoes of a student abandoned by her mentor? Then she, desperately, wanted to see if she could help those embers rise up to a burning flame.

Cure La Licorne landed on the torii gate, looking down at the two of them. "Hey," she called out. "Hinoka, right? That's the name you've started to go by?" she asked, glancing to Hinoka before turning her gaze to Sunbreaker. "And... Sunbreaker." Deep breath. "Listen. I'm not the best at this. But I *do* know how you feel. I know all about that passion, that drive. That desire to prove your worth. I know that rush of dark energy... and I also know it hurts. I also know that fear, that desperate need to find a reason, a purpose."

"... And there can be a reason and a purpose for you. But I can tell you, for certain, that hurting others can't be what it is. There's a different world here, and you can be a part of it. Your origins might be different from a lot of ours, but it doesn't have to define you or the person you you have to be. Only you can do that... And there are a lot of people in this world who want to help you. Both of you."

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Tipped off by relayed messages, Cute Wolf Tsukiko arrives at the bridge about the same time Cure La Licorne lands on the torii gate. The wolfgirl quietly walks across the bridge while La Licorne talks to Hinoka and the fake Sunbreaker, not wanting to interrupt the message.

She's still a bit annoyed at what Sunbreaker did at Zen Paws, but if the clone is willing to give up on her dark plans, well... Tsukiko's fine with a peaceful, positive resolution, especially if it restores Veronica.

But she's still going to be cautious at the moment.

Amanda Faust has posed:
Amy, making her way to and through the park in civilian guise, is not worried about Sunfaker echoing the original in any way. Her assumption -- admittedly, never explicitly stated by Veronica or the two demon's-servants -- is that they somehow took the disguises, which are appearance only because that's how Veronica's disguises work, as appearances to inhabit and nothing more.

    Amy just sort of assumes everyone else drew the same conclusion.

    Bang.

    The first sign of Magical Rocket Girl Red's presense is an explosion, some distance away, as she rocket-jumps to also land on the torii gate, launcher momentarily dismissed, cloak pulled around her, and she looks at the two of them, Hinoka almost unperceptibly more softly than Sunfaker.

    But she seems... a little off. She's never been good at subterfuge. Is she really gonna have to kill this girl?

    It wouldn't be the first time, though...

    "Last chance. We can't let your master run loose and corrupt the world with greed -- there's enough of that as it is. Please, stand down and let us look for a solution. There's so much magical craziness out there, who knows what we can achieve if we put everyone's heads together?"

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica and Hinoka still aren't seeing eye to eye, and it is clear the latter still holds against her the circumstances of how she came to be. Unlike Usagi, Veronica and Amy, she doesn't have much trust she is going to survive today. Why might be why she sometimes picks on her, Veronica thinks.

The russian blue cat has still been warned about the place, and has been assured that Hinoka would protect her in the likely eventuality Sunbreaker would target her. Comforting, but it made Veronica feel all the worse about Hinoka's convinction of walking to her demise.

She arrives to see Cure La Licorne confront the two clones, both of them standing away from each up until they turn towards the Pretty Cure.

"Hinoka?" Sunbreaker speaks derisively. "Did you actually choose a new name for yourself? Have you been playing at being normal? Is that why you have been so late? Feel free to give me your share. I promise I will think of you when I have gotten what's mine." Not a thought of suspicion has arisen into her mind yet.

She doesn't take well to La Licorne trying to prod into her mind. "Yeah, big whoop. I beat you go around spouting the most generic stuff so the pieces always fit, don't you? Well, those parlour tricks don't work on me", Sunfaker glares irritably.

"I don't even have any reason to believe a word you say, so spare your dumb breath. You are just trying to get at the relic so you can spare yourself some hard work and get to me and Mars without a fight."

Her eyes fall on Veronica when she ends that sentence, and she instantly throws a spear of fire at her. Veronica's fur stands up while she tries to rush away from it, but the attack points at her. "We won't be so easily fooled, and that thief will pay." However, a wall of fire appears and absorbs the spear, then vanishes.

"Mars?!" Sunbreaker shouts shocked at the same time Veronica says "Hinoka!" relieved. "What are you supposed to be doing?" the fire clone questions her angrily.

"It's Hinoka, and you should listen to them. These people care, they are not just saying things out of convenience. It would not be fair to make them suffer for something they have not had any control over."

The fake Mars takes a deep breath. "I know you want to live, and so do I, but I don't want to hurt them, and I know that deep down you don't either. Perhaps enjoying this month and disappearing is enough", Hinoka tries to appeal to her.

"Hi...", Sunfaker grimaces, hesitating, her hand dropping at her side. What is right here?

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Cure La Licorne sighed, before glancing to Veronicat. For a moment, she was silent and then... "Okay. Kitty? I need you to *not* mention this to Norie. Ever. If she finds out who I am, it'll cause us both a lot of trouble."

"I know, because I have stood *exactly* where you stood, Sunbreaker. Because you're a copy of who I *was*. And who I thought I had to be!" she yelled. "I'm Hinoiri Kirara, formerly Sunbreaker. And I know exactly how it feels to be where you are. To do what I think is right. To tell myself, over and over, it's the way it HAS to be. That I have to be that way. Tha nothing will be right, will be good, will be fixed, unless I prove I can do it."

"And I know exactly how it feels to be stopped, every time. I know how it feels to have a hand offered to me and to desperately want to take it, but to feel I have to knock it away. I know how it hurts to want to believe those words, but to be afraid it'll all disappear and you'll be left with nothing." She leaped down and walked towards her.

"I know you didn't ask for this. But that doesn't mean we have to be enemies. There has to be a way to save you and Veronica. Because the magic of this world is amazing and ridiculous. And if someone like me can be saved and end up here, then I know someone like you can, too." She held out her hand to the other girl.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Tsukiko darts over to Veronica to protect her, but Hinoka's barrier beats her to the punch. Still, the wolfgirl stays near the cursed cat, ready to get them both to safety if needed.

She blinks a bit at Hinoiri's speech, but doesn't add to it, or at least not verbally. Someone who's been where the clones have been is the better choice to reach them, especially when it's the original saying 'been there, done that, the t-shirt is better over here.'

What Tsukiko can contribute is a warm, friendly, and -- most importantly -- welcoming and sincere smile. ^_^

Amanda Faust has posed:
    "I don't think she's actually an echo of you, she just stole your appearance from one of Princess of Sarek's disguises." Amy asides to Cure La Licorne.

    Just trying to skip the fight... Amy sighs. "See, I knew we'd be more convincing if we made the offer after getting the rings..."

    And then Veronica is attacked, and Amy has her launcher out and her finger on the trigger.

    Thank goodness Hinoka stopped it in time.

    Amy takes her finger off the trigger again. "A month? You're happy with a month?! Geeze, is this how little I thought of myself when I assumed I was gonna die protecting the others?!"

    "Hinoka, in that month you've shown more care and consideration for others than a lot of humans have in their entire lives, even with your life riding on it rather than money or status. You deserve a lot more than a month!"

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Veronica nods at La Licorne's request. She has already been told that there is not good blood between her and Norie, but this is clearly and important moment, so she is willing to let Laura Licorne talk for now. She admittedly does a double take when Hinoiri reveals her identity, but keeps her promise and stays silent.

The fake Sunbreaker winces at Hinoiri's words. They were a lot more precise than she actually wanted them to be, and actually felt like Hinoiri had tailored them for her. She both hates and embraces that.

Those fears... The thoughts that the demons' promise of greatness is the only thing that is there for her, and actually relishing in the accomplishments. Is it right to turn it all down now? Without Hinoka's cooperation, she can't actually bring the ward down, but she can still deal a tough blow to it.

While she is stuck with her thoughts, Hinoka shakes her head at Amy. "I thought you would have wanted to turn your friend back, and well... after you happened to me, I can't condemn her to that, even without the consequences of the demons' plans." She gives Amy a smile. "Thank you, though."

The fake Sunbreaker meanwhile takes a few steps towards them, and looks at each and every one of them. "Ugh, fine. I... will try, ok? But don't expect me to be all that good at this thing. Let's try your thing."

The ring half behind her glows darker, and instantly the malevolent energy attacks her. "You will do no such, Sunbreaker. This is not what we made you for", a warped voice speaks, like someone is speaking from a distant place, and yet it is both loud and clear.

The dark aura spreads all over Sunbreaker, and violet glows look at everyone from her eyes. "Impudent creatures governed by greed, why do you insist on opposing us? The times have changed, it is time for humans to get a new guide with us as their gods, and dare to want and desire without limit."

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Cure La Licorne grinned at the other Sunbreaker. Yeah. That was right. "Don't worry. Nobody ever expects you to be good at it right away. Trying is often enough. Now let's--"

Then... then the darkness took over. And oh. Ohhhh those words. Those words made her blaze as her fists clenched.

"What YOU made her for?" Cure La Licorne asked before punching her fists together and causing flame to burst out from her for a moment. "You think you get to *decide* what she does with her life just because you made her like this? She's a person. They're both *people*. The moment they were able to make choices, you lost any right to decide what they had to do. And I sure as buck never listened to authority telling me what I *had* to do. I'm not about to let you do that to my... I don't know. Sister? Would she be like my little... sister at this point? Like... I'd say copy, but that seems a bit impersonal cause she's obviously more... Cousin?" she asked, glancing to the others. Before shrugging. "Hey. Hinoka! What stuff here is connected to that 'dark master' of yours, what is keeping our kitty cat all fuzzy and what stuff helped make you? Because you know what, mister dark and looming 'gods'? I'm the original Sunbreaker and I've never had *any* qualms about punching gods who think they can boss me around!" She then leaped forward, leaping at 'Sunbreaker'... And then dashing to the left at the right moment, to try and leap past her towards the ring, to try and grab it. It was hovering there, nice and useful.

Disperse the ominous, first, then cure the cat, then save the girls. That was a good priority list, right?

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Tsukiko is relaxing slightly as diplomacy and heartfelt feelings seem to be making progress...

    ...aaand that's when the dark energy attacks.

The wolfgirl steps in front of Veronica defensively, glaring at the dark aura. Cure La Licorne's query gets a thumbs-up shrug of 'eh, that works', and then the fiery-fisted fighter makes her move, feinting an attack to head for the real objective!

Taking advantage of the distraction this provides, Tsukiko darts forward as soon as the aura-infested Sunfaker looks away, aiming for a bearhug of an entangling glomp. Sure, it might not be the most effective combat style, but she's trying to hinder the dark aura's efforts without hurting Hinoiri's 'cousin'.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy gives Hinoka a sad look. "We seldom get what we deserve. But we can at least analyze this magic and look for another solution, instead of assuming it's you or her!"

    And fake Sunbreaker... listens? Amy is pleasantly surprised! "Alright, let's--"

    And then it goes wrong. She aims at the half-ring when it attacks, but stops before pulling the trigger because that would kill the person who just decided to try.

    And now the greed demon is speaking through Sunbreaker and uh. Is about as threatening as a demon of pestilence and death promising to shorten the average human lifespan to under a century! Mwa ha ha! Or a demon of hunger promising that as a show of its power, from now on people will need to eat food regularly or else they'll starve to death, ahahahaha!

    What can she even say to that? Amy slumps her shoulders. "You're uh. Centuries late to your own party, dude. A world run by the greedy is part of the status quo we're fighting against. You sure you're invading the right world?"

    Beat.

    "I mean, if you're gonna make it even worse than obviously we're stopping you. I don't have a spraybottle" or purification abilities, "so... No! bad!" BANG

    Amy fires a spray of cold mist at Fake Sunbreaker. It's mist going really fast, at least for a short distance! It might actually harm a nonmagical human! It probably stings and disorients! Buy the purifiers a moment to do their work!

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"We are disappointed in both of you, fake Sailor Mars", the demon's voice screeches. "We made you to share our vision, and a step away from realising it, you give it all up for people who only care about their friend. They are using you, child", the creature's violet eyes try to reach at her with the same attack that took Sunfaker over.

"Too late for convincing me of that. Maybe I would have believed it, if you tried right away, but I have seen their spirit, and your words ring hollow!", a fire bow forms in her hands for the first time, and a powerful arrow crashes against the attack, burning it all away.

"It's the energy Sunfaker has been gathering all this while that is allowing the demon to appear despite the Ward", Hinoka replies to Hinoiri. "We just need to break it off. It has the same weakness as the curse."

The presence speaking through Sunbreaker squints the clone's eyes, expression of pain sometimes briefly appearing on the possessed clone's face while the demon speaks. "Foolish and useless", Sunfaker's body turns around at Cure La Licorne's maneuver, a snap of her fingers bringing a dark mace down on her.

"You all have much to learn. If we get free, everyone will dare to claim what is theirs. Nobody will be the exception. It will be a greater place when the flaws that makes humans reluctant to seize what they want from others will be broken down. Everyone will be finally looking out for themselves only", the demon scowls at Amy, a slash of dark energy sent against the mist, disrupting it.

And yet it is enough to make them miss Cute Wolf Tsukiko's bearhug, sending them crashing against the ground, and pinned under Ikiko. "What are you?" the demon grimaces, Sunfaker's body glowing darker as it tries to get more of its power on this side to throw Tsukiko away from it. There is something unsettling to it there.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Cure La Licorne fell to her knees as a dark mace fell on her, dropping from the sudden, harsh assault. However, she dug her hands into the ground, not allowing herself to fall fully. She growled, gritting her teeth. "It's NEVER useless. I should know. I fought it for so, so long. I bucking devoured the sun. I did EVERYTHING wrong and they STILL came for me. If you think kindness, compassion, forgiveness is USELESS, then you have NO IDEA just how powerful what you're fighting IS!" she snapped.

And then? Then there was a bear hug. And with that distraction, she shoved off the dark mace and ran. She leaped forward, pulling out her heart rouge rod.

And the rings... they were what kept the girls here, right? But all that dark energy, it needed to go...

She dawned her lipstick, blowing out the bubble as the rays of the sunlight rained down around her and...

"Scorching ray redemption!"

Rather than turning into blades, this time? Wings of sunbeams formed, wrapping around the ring and the aura of darkness...

"We're magical girls. And no matter how many mistakes a person makes... so long as someone is willing to take the hand, we'll always reach out to offer ours."

... They forgave her, and after all the harm she did? She refused to believe these clones deserved any less. Instead, enveloping them all in purifying magic. No swords this time.... as she didn't want to hurt them.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"A dilute werewolf!" Tsukiko retorts to the demon with matter-of-fact bluntness, grimacing a bit herself at the close contact with the roiling dark energy but not letting go. She takes a deep breath--

    --and begins to howl.

The wolfgirl wordlessly sings a song of encouragement to Hinoka and Sunfaker, thanking them for the courage to stand up to the demon that created them, and giving plenty of well-wishes for their lives beyond the reach of the relic and the demon. The purifying energy of the also grates dissonantly on the essence of the demon, very pointedly informing it that it is not welcome in this world, much less in Hinoiri's 'cousin'.

The sound of a warm hug for those seeking redemption, and the noise of a full-nelson noogie for those refusing it.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    "No! We're not using her!" Amy protests. "We're going to try to save her!"

    The demon describes the horror that awaits them. Amy is thinking about that one meme with the sinister shopkeeper.

    She hops aside as the mist is defended against, even if the slash doesn't actually reach her. And then Sunfaker's tackled! "Guess I won that trade."

    But after everything the demon said, she can't keep her mouth shut: "You do realize the blocking issue is people can't take what is theirs because they lack means, right? The greedy people already took their resources away."

    "That's... kind of the endgame of greed. You don't have everyone squabbling on equal footing, you have winners and losers emerge, and people can only prey on the people below them. Eventually, you'll have one person with everything, and no more to take, and everyone else with nothing, and no way to take what the one has, so no one will be able to do any more taking! Only seething in impotent greed."

    "Besides offending my moral sensibilities, is it really what you want? Fewer and fewer will be able to engage in greed, until none will." Amy scratches her head. "What will you do then?"

    Amy can't purify the rings, so let the demon puzzle over THAT as it's assailed by magic!

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"When everyone is consumed by greed, humans will have obeyed their true calling, and our purpose will finally be satisfied", Sunbreaker's face smirks at Amy. "You too are no different", the demon's violet eyes intensify.

"Shut up! Burn away, and leave us alone forever", Hinoka orders, fire gathering again in her bow, creating another arrow that flies with immense speed when the raven-haired girl sets it free, burning through the dark energy covering Sunfaker.

"Arghhhhh", the demon screams, feeling the pain of the purification on its essence, and at the same time, it can feel the hooks pulling it back with lacerating force thanks to the Scorching ray redemption and Cute Wolf Tsukiko's howl disposing of all the energy Sunfaker has gathered.

"I will find another way... We can still get free yet... Your values won't matter in the end... and the thief will face her last judgement", it struggles to say, and then disappears like fading mist, leaving the fake Sunbreaker coughing and shaking with the regained control over her own body.

With the dark energy gone, the relic halves' shimmer, free of the curse's taint, and Veronica is suddenly surrounded by fire, which changes her steadily growing form, leaving her back to a human.

"Guess who is back?", Veronica bows towards the other with a wink, before realising the addition of a choker at her neck. "Uh, why is this here?", she touches it perplexed.

Hinoka smiles at seeing the Princess of Sarek back in her human form, and throws her the ring halves. "Guess it's time for us to go now", she smiles at everyone. "Thank you, I have had a great time", she wait out for her to cease existing. Any second now. Any second now.

Understanding dawns on her face, and she touches her face, still feeling herself, and looking down at Sunfaker, who shows no signs of disappearing either.

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Cure La Licorne shook her head. She'd say more, but it sounded like Hinoka had the right idea. And... more importantly... they had the rings.

"You'll never come back. You'll never be free. Because this world isn't yours. It's theirs. And you have no place here so long as all you want to do is hurt people."

She then glanced back in time to see Veronica... human again. She couldn't help but snicker at the mention of the choker.

She then glanced to the purified ring, before nodding.

"So... Princess of Sarek. Not... going to lie. I'm not sure what those things do, entirely. But... do you think they're stable, now? Because if not? I'd probably better get to studying them. Maybe with.... some help from some, uhhhh, other girls who like that stuff." Rashmi. Entrapta. "Just to make sure they stay stable."

"... Cause... well... you two made the right choices. A lot of hands reaching out to help... but it's not always easy to reach out and take that help."

Amanda Faust has posed:
    The thief will face her last judgement... Amy leans over. "Dude! We wanted victory and we took it from you! We did exactly what you said, you should be happy!" She snarks.

    And then... Veronica is surrounded by fire, and grows...

    "VERONICA!" Smiling wide, she dismisses her launcher and leaps down from the Torii gate to hug her friend of approximately the same size for the first time in a month!

    But, Veronica's having a little trouble with-- "Oh, shit! We forgot to take off the collar first... at least the magic made it fit..." She moves around behind Veronica to undo the clasp and take it off.

    'Time for us to stop existing!' Amy turns and runs over to hug Hinoka, "No!" She steps back and holds her shoulders. "No. Nonono. We'll figure something... uh..." She looks over at the ring. Picks up what's left of it, hands the halves to the clones. "Maybe... we can have someone study them? Shoot, there's no time, uh..." She starts pacing around the two in a circle, muttering to herself.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
"That tends to happen with henshin-related necklaces," Tsukiko grins to Veronica, tapping her own choker with the Lycan Locket hanging from it as she stands up and helps Sunfaker to her feet. "Uh, sorry about the battle-glomp," the wolfgirl adds to the former clone.

She takes a moment to catch her breath, then grins at Hinoka. "Looks like that worked!" Tsukiko beams, bounding over to give Hinoka an energetic congratulatory hug, then giving Cure La Licorne a more sedate 'yay, sharing your hard-learned lessons!' hug.

And then hugging Amy and Veronica as well, because it doesn't seem right to leave them out of the wolfgirl hug distribution. ^_^

Veronica Perenna has posed:
"Thank you for the interpreting and the language lessons", she smiles to Tsukiko and hugs her back when she approaches Veronica.

"This is a good question", Veronica tells La Licorne and looks at the two clones, then back at the ring. She takes her hat off her head, and places the ring inside, tapping it once to let it go back to formless energy. "Hmm, got it", she swirls it around for a bit, before letting it become a ring again.

"There is nothing that connects the ring to them now, but there is still some fire magic attached to it. Can you two use your powers?" she asks Hinoka and Sunfaker, while the former was in the midst of hugging Tsukiko back.

Hinoka snaps her fingers, trying to conjure it as she always does, while Sunfaker is keeping a hand to her forehead, eyes closed. "Give me a moment, that possession did a number on me", she groans.

"I cannot", Hinoka brings up after multiple attempts. "I think the same may be true with Sunbreaker. Who needs her own name, though, now", she notes.

The redhead shakes her head, before regretting it. "Ow. I have no idea where to start with that." Hinoka crosses her arms, chin to her chest. "Hmm, Himari, maybe? It makes sense to me." Sunfaker nods slowly. "Yeah, I think it works."

"Hi, Red!", she hugs back her friend with a wide smile, but stopping her when she tries to take off the choker. "It's ok, with Tsukiko's teachings, I may just decide to lean into the image", Veronica tells her, at the same using her powers to form the same ears and tail from the fight against Petz. She sticks her tongue out playfully to Amy.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Yay, group hug! She looks over at the two new people as they discuss names, then back to Veronica. Smiling back. "Okay, but do you want me to at least take off the GPS tracker?" And then Veronica is a catgirl and Amy smiles a little more, with just a hint of mischief, reaching up to scratch behind an ear.

    With eyes almost sparkling, she asks, "So, what are you gonna do first now that you're human-shaped again?"

Hinoiri Kirara has posed:
Cure La Licorne gave a light chuckle, walking towards the others and, well, ending her henshin and... Oh. That was... weird. Looking at Himari.

"Well.... Himari, Hinoka, don't you two worry. The school should definitely help get both of you sorted. And uhhhh... make sure there's no... unpleasant... surprises."

Huh. If they were non-magic... well...

... Well, they'd at least have some magic people who'd keep an eye on them from time to time. To make sure they were okay.

"... And ummmm... I don't know how much you're going to be like me... but... trust me. The hay cravings? They go away. Do NOT indulge them. Trust me. The hay here... is not like Kirakirafantastica hay. Not. In. The. Slightest."

She shuddered.

Ikiko Hisakata has posed:
Tsukiko giggles at Veronica's playful impishness toward Amy, then twirls just for the heck of it (the cheerful mood and being caught point-blank in a purifcation field might both be contributing to the surplus energy she was feeling, though).

"Speaking of food, getting a celebratory snack sounds like an excellent idea," she remarks, taking a moment to drop out of henshin herself.

Veronica Perenna has posed:
Himari blinks at the warning about the hay. What was that about? "I will remember that", she says slowly.

Veronica giggles when Amy reaches up to scritch her ear, but also checks that the gps tracker is gone. Looks like the magic took care of that too when it turned the collar into a choker.

"Hmm, first I got to let everyone know I am back to normal, and I got to see Emery again. Oh, and I have a laptop to pick up too, so I will be putting the fact I am human again to good use", she smirks.

"Food is definitely a good way to celebrate being back to normal", she addresses Ikiko's suggestion, before untransforming herself. "It's my treat, and you two are included", she tells Himari and Hinoka with a smile.