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It's a peaceful day at Leblanc. Sojiro has a couple customers in his shop, both sipping coffee, one eating a curry. Mellow music is playing, the lighting is cozy, and the coffee is as good as ever.
He nods a greeting as Akira enters the shop on her way home from school.
Joker pulls the paperwork out of the slot at the end of Pixie's bed, places a small crystal from her pocket on it, and stabs both the crystal and the paperwork with her bloody dagger.
The crystal shatters, the paperwork tears, and with a snap of energy —
A burst of light erupts from the torn paperwork and the shattered crystal, the two dissolving into the swirling glow. It pulses for a moment, then stretches out into limbs, wings, and the slender curves of a feminine torso and head, before finally solidifying into the familiar form of Pixie. She shakes herself all over, a few sparkles falling away as she does, then looks up.
"That was intense."
Akira exhales and hugs Julie tightly.
"... Okay," she says a moment later. "You've proven it's safe. If... grisly."
She nods. "Wild ride. I'd do it again, if you needed it enough. I want a kiss first next time though."
"I want rather more than a kiss before my first time on that altar. And perhaps during."
Julie squeezes Akira tighter and grins at Pixie and Joker.
Akira gives Julie the side-eye from where she is pressed up against her. "I... see..."
"You don't have to be comfortable with it just yet," Joker says. "But, like. Both your alternate selves are on board with this. Might be a good idea to do some soul searching here."
"I'm done for now," Akira states flatly. "That was awful. Even if it gave me more power or what have you, I don't care. I'm not doing that again anytime soon."
"Alright," Joker says softly.
"Julie, care to bring her back to the pillows in the living room...?"
Julie stands, slips a hand behind Akira's shoulders and the other behind her knees, and scoops her up into her arms. "Gladly, chérie."
Julie sits down in the pillow pit in the living room with Akira held snugly in her lap. She presses a soft kiss to her forehead.
"Good girl. Brave girl. You got through it. I'm proud of you, mon cœur."
She nestles in and closes her eyes, trying to dismiss the images dancing behind her eyelids.
Julie's not wrong, she is into it. But there's also a part of her that feels sickened and hurt by that want.
They clash, for a long moment, but in the end the feeling of disgust wins out.
"I can't believe I let you do that..."
Julie strokes Akira's hair. "Unpack that feeling for me, please, chérie. What feels wrong about having done this?"
Akira makes a little annoyed noise in the back of her throat.
"Of course you can read me and I can't read you."
She sighs.
"Don't want to explain."
Julie kisses the top of Akira's head and squeezes her tighter.
"You don't have to do this now. I recommend not letting it linger for too long — being in conflict with your own wants harms you — but we do not have to discuss this today."
She keeps stroking her hair.
"And I suspect you'll be able to learn to read me soon. You're just louder, naturally, as our host."
"Thank you."
Akira curls up in the pillows and tries her best to stop thinking.
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