[video - canon update - episode 23 2/2]

[symbolofhappiness]

About a day has passed since the previous video involving Setsuna, but it looks like no time has passed at all in the world itself. It resumes right where the previous one left of, with Cure Peach shaking Eas' body.

But this time the video continues. The plushie looking thing that only appeared in the background of the last video, takes the center stage this time. The crest on her forehead has started to glow. She floats up into the air, calls out and the crest glows even brighter.

A red light swiftly flies into the forest, straight into Eas. The light grows even brighter, to the point of engulfing the whole video.

The light stays like that for a little while. Eventually, though, it does fade. At the same time, the sun is finally breaking through the clouds.

Eas has vanished. Where her body lay before, there now stands a girl dressed in red. She stares at herself, both confused and amazed.

"I'm... a Pretty Cure?" She looks up. "Cure Passion!"

"Setsuna is the fourth...?"

"The fourth Precure!"

Cure Peach smiles widely. "Cure Passion!"

The video cuts off again, this time finished for real.

[OOC note: Red is Setsuna, pink is Love/Cure Peach, blue is Miki and yellow is Inori.

Setsuna will be responding this time, although it will icly be several hours later.]

Comments

[symbolofhappiness]

I see...

[She does, especially since she just did the same thing.

A little guiltily, she looked down at the ground.] But you stopped running eventually, didn't you? Why? [The question is less 'why did you stop running' and more 'how did you stop'. She doesn't think she can ever face Love again.]

[juicy_egotist]

Yes. You know, those who look out for you. [Like he even knows.]

I was worried.

[former_endboss]

Well, there is a first time for everything. They may also have their hands full, now that they are down one agent and still face an identical force of Precure.

I did try to warn you that this would come to pass. What about this one you called lord inspired such misguided loyalty?

[goddesstune]

After everything you went through...

I'm happy for you, Setsuna-san. I also know someone who got through the same thing. Gotta beat some sense to her, though. [pun unintended]

[yes_im_kawaii]

Wait a minute. You came back to life?

[icantbelievethis]

Setsuna...!

[hearts_beat]

It's a funny thing: it doesn't matter how much evil you've done, if you're willing to change for the better, they'll give you a chance. Hummy saw that in me and I almost tossed it away. Literally.

My old minions, the Trio the Minor, attacked while we were reuniting a young boy with his father. A kid I had convinced that it was better to be alone until he realized his mistake. I watched as they unleashed a Negatone and used its sorrow-inducing effects on them. For once, I got to see what I had done so many times and I felt that I didn't deserve to be a Precure. Hibiki and Kanade were getting overwhelmed and I was ready to run again when Hummy asked me what I really wanted to do.

...and I wanted to protect people. I wanted to make up for that the harm I did. And that's what they wanted to hear. And that's what I needed to hear.

In some ways, I think your "Love" is like Hummy: you did all of these bad things, but she saw through all of that and saw the real you.

[symbolofhappiness]

I don't really deserve anyone like that.

[Okay, that makes her pause for a moment.] ...I'm sorry I worried you. You still shouldn't shoot at someone, though.

[symbolofhappiness]

Hm, that's right, I did. I'm... not really sure how.

[symbolofhappiness]

[She really doesn't want to talk to anyone right now, let alone other Precure. But the community isn't giving her much of a choice.]

I'm...

...

I'm sorry.

[symbolofhappiness]

...Thank you... I guess. [She wishes she could feel happy about this. She's not really sure what she should be feeling.]

Are you a new member of the community?

[goddesstune]

Yes. I can't tell you everything now, but I will, eventually. You might be confused now, but I hope one day you can understand why all this is happening to you.

[juicy_egotist]

I think you do.

[J is just silent for a moment before replying.] I won't later then.

[symbolofhappiness]

They have plenty of other agents left. Some of them much stronger than myself. If losing me mattered any, they wouldn't have discarded me like that.

It was simply all I had ever known. "Everything for Lord Moebius"... That's the way I've been told to think since I was born. The same goes for everyone else from my homeworld.

[symbolofhappiness]

[Setsuna stares at the grass while she listens, unsure of what to say. She has no idea of how to handle situations like these. Mostly because she's not used to having to decide anything for herself, not to this extent.

The guilt she felt wasn't helping matters. But hearing Ellen talk made her feel... well, better wasn't quite the right word for it. Less alone, maybe.]

'The real me', huh? I'm not sure if I even know what she's like. [She pauses again and takes a deep breath.] I've... been doing this for my entire life, you know. Working for Lord Moebius... [The 'lord' slips out easily. She's not sure if she'll ever stop saying it like that. Old habits die hard.] Doing horrible things... Deceiving everyone... All to please someone who it turns out couldn't care less about me.

So... I'm not sure if I'm regretting my actions... Or just that they didn't work out for me. [It's mostly the former, but she's too confused to really narrow it down right now. She puts her arms around her knees.] Someone selfish like that shouldn't be a Precure.

[symbolofhappiness]

...I don't think I can face them again, anyway. [She looks away for a moment, slightly uncomfortable.] I ran off on them.

Good. And you should probably stop drinking now.

[juicy_egotist]

Maybe not now, but you may have to face up to your fears eventually.

Hmm... I think that might be wise...

[symbolofhappiness]

I see. I hope so too. Right now I just feel lost.

...What's your name?

[symbolofhappiness]

I don't know if I can. I don't... I don't really know what I should do at all now, to be honest.

Yeah. Too much of a good thing and all...

[juicy_egotist]

Take your time, one foot in front of the other. [J being sage? The world is ending.]

Yes.

[symbolofhappiness]

I don't even know where to start, though...

Hopefully Jin wasn't too annoyed with you.

[juicy_egotist]

You'll find the pace you need.

I do not believe so.

[symbolofhappiness]

...I hope so. I'm... a little lost. I've never really had to decide for myself what to do. [Not to this extent, at least.]

That's good. You can be kind of a pain. [She doesn't sound annoyed, though, she's just stating a fact.]

[hearts_beat]

[Ellen shook her head at what Setsuna said.]

No, if there is someone selfish enough not to be a Precure, it's me. I mean... I did what I did because I was jealous. Jealous because Hummy got to sing the Melody of Happiness, not me. And yet, here I am...

[she chuckled a bit before looking at Setsuna.]

It's hard, I'll admit. It's hard to accept that you now have the ability to do good after doing so many bad things, but... It's worth it. There's a lot of things you gain from it.

[juicy_egotist]

Today is a good time to start learning.

Indeed. [That's just how J is honestly.]