[hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/7UxgEHd.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/183DKCg.png[/img][/center] [hr] The past few months were, for the least, rather trying for Jill Breicen. After she collapsed in Antarctica, she spent the next three months in a coma. Despite everyone’s best efforts, she didn’t move a muscle the entire time, simply remaining hooked up to the best life support systems SHINING could buy and Horizon Frontiers could provide as she clung onto life. It was weird waking up again, getting immediately caught in a bear hug by her sister, tears streaming down her face. It didn’t exactly feel like she’d just instantly woken up in a hospital room, but more like everything before that felt hazy. She’d woken up feeling so weak. And the black roots in her hair were easily visible. Both of these would need to be fixed. Jasmine and Isabella had filled her in on most of what happened since she defeated Oh-One. She had even received a surprise visit from SHINING CEO Ryuuna Raiden. But, really, she was essentially locked away from the outside world. She was not allowed, under any circumstance, to have any contact with the press, and received a diet and training regimen even more carefully curated than before. Her luxury suite in Gold City’s finest hotel was something more akin to a gilded cage. Not that she minded. Gave her a chance to reconnect with her sister, for one. [hr] Jasmine lazily inserted another potato chip into her mouth as she shifted around on the couch, legs hanging off the armrest. Jill had dibs on three quarters of the couch, obviously. It was really weird, seeing her curled up under a blanket, watching anime. She’d been so good at projecting this larger-than life image since she became a Justice Rider that it was weird seeing her do something so mundane and human again. It was actually pretty cool. Jasmine’s train of thought was interrupted as a large black bat swooped down and scooped the bag of potato chips off the table. Wayward crumbs scattered to the floor as the snacks disappeared into its maw, plastic bag and all. Pit Stop quickly flew down and began cleaning up the mess. “Beez!” Jasmine groaned. “You little shit, that was my last bag!” The bat responded with a grin that stretched across its bulbous body. “Sorry, kid!” The demon let out a hearty laugh. “Guess I got hungry.” Jasmine rolled her eyes. He was [i]always[/i] hungry. She got up to see what room service could get her, but quickly stopped when the TV changed channels seemingly on its own. [quote]"Citizens of Gold City. You know who I am so I'll skip the pleasantries, it has come to the attention of MIRAGE that there is a Power Stone located here. You have thirty minutes to place that Power Stone in my hand or I will burn this city to ash. I'm waiting."[/quote] The screen promptly switched to a countdown timer. “You need to get out of here.” Jill said, throwing off the blanket and standing off the couch. “Are you kidding?!” Jasmine huffed. “[i]You[/i] need to get out of here!” “I-I can’t just let this happen, Jazzy-” “You’re not even finished with all your physical therapy shit yet, what the fuck do you expect to [i]do?!”[/i] Jasmine could hear her heart pounding as the stress hit her like a wall. “The best I can.” Jill said as she disappeared into the bathroom. Jasmine took a deep breath as she waited for Jill to finish changing. She heard an odd buzzing sound, and looked down at the coffee table. It was her sister’s phone. Izzy was calling. She picked it up and answered the call. “It’s Jasmine.” She said curtly. “Jill’s getting ready to head out right now.” “What?!” It was less a word and more a startled reaction. “Whatever. Just tell her I’ve got it covered.” Jill promptly burst through the door, wearing her usual outfit, and adjusting her hat. She quickly snatched up her phone. “What was that, now?” Jill asked. “I’ll handle it.” He promptly hung up. The sisters nodded at each other as they left the building. [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ZohkpEb.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/DhO9jwL.png[/img][/center] [hr] Lo-fi music drifted throughout the room while sunlight poured in through the window. Rosie let out a sigh as warm water fell down her back. She had slept in today, because she was beholden to no one’s schedule but her own, and more importantly, because she liked sleeping. An afternoon shower was just icing on the cake, so to speak. The Antarctica job was a massive success, all things considered. Her son didn’t die, she managed to negotiate her way into a satisfactory amount of cash for all the work she [i]obviously[/i] did, and her friends downstairs weren’t displeased, either. She’d gotten enough to take a long, well-deserved vacation to Gold City. Though, now that she was here, she did find something particularly inspiring about the place that she felt the need to capture. The sense of glitz and glamour and undertones of vice were particularly strong, here. It would be art for art’s sake, rather than profit. Oh, and she managed to walk away with a Stone of Power, too. Can’t forget that. She’d briefly considered pawning the thing off, though experience had taught her that the second you revealed you had something so desirable, mortals went straight to thievery and bloodshed. It was best to keep such things a secret. Even though that rock was far more trouble than it was worth, in her eyes. As if on cue, the speakers cut out and immediately switched over to a city-wide message from none other than Abel himself. Someone she’d been keeping tabs on, though she had little interest in aside from a potential source of income. And he was only giving her thirty minutes to get out of the shower, too. Did he have any idea how long it takes when you have this much hair? Let alone the amount of conditioner… Well, technically, as an immortal, eternally beautiful, shapeshifting demoness, Rosie didn’t need to sleep, or take a shower, or use conditioner. But she did it anyway. Still, though, he had to be bluffing about destroying the city, right? He wouldn’t seriously risk destroying the stone. Though he could be a moron. That was a definite possibility. She began rinsing her hair out as she heard the front door open. “Isabella?” Rosie called out. “Is that you?” “Just grabbing something.” Isabella said back. Rosie had to strain to hear him over the sound of the shower. He only rarely raised his voice. “Alright,” Rosie rinsed out her hair. “Just be careful out there, okay? And stay sober until eight!” “... Yeah.” Isabella said back. Rosie heard the door close again as he left. He couldn’t have come here for the stone, could he? Well, obviously he could have. He was prone to these kinds of dramatic episodes. She shut the water off and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her body before drying out her hair. She stepped out into the living room and peeked out the window, watching Isabella walk to his motorcycle with a familiar glowing object in his hand. She checked on the enchanted safe she’d procured for the artifact, and saw it was sitting wide open. Rosie sighed.