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Setsuna was laying awake on her bed. Her bed, wasn’t that a thought? She was brought into the fold of the Momozono family with nary a thought. They loved her. But doubts couldn’t help but worm their way into Setsuna’s mind. Turning over again, she lay face to face with a box.
The box was of Eas’ possessions. Soular tossed them onto the front step. Westar at least had the courtesy to put them in a box. She had watched them do it, observing from the forest, unsure of herself. She was a human, a Pretty Cure, now. But Eas was what she had been her whole life. When she saw her brothers return inside, she dashed to grab the box.
When she returned home with it, Love had looked at the box with curiosity. And Setsuna was helpless to deny her desire to look inside.
Sat on the floor of Love’s bedroom, Love and Setsuna had gone through the contents of the box.
“Depression and Misfortune: A Guide to Managing Difficult Times?” Love held the book curiously.
“Soular believed we should know what makes the humans despair in order to maximize on it.”
Love lifted up another object. “Oh, hand weights?”
“Westar believed we needed to be physically strong to defeat you.”
Love hummed and set the weights aside with the book. Most of the rest of the objects were the same; reading materials from Soular, activity supplies from Westar.
“You three cared about each other, didn’t you?”
Setsune froze up at that. Caring wasn’t something they did. Or, Eas certainly didn’t.
But maybe…
Setsuna hung her head to avoid looking at Love. “Yes. I did care about them. And I still do. They…they are cruel to humans, they wish only for their misfortune to serve Moebius…but they were my family. The only family I was allowed to have.”
Love brought Setsuna into a hug, startling the girl. However, Setsuna gently returned the hug after a few moments.
“You have a new family to care about you. And, I don’t doubt we can bring your family to our side.”
“…do you mean that, Love?” Setsuna couldn’t help the waver in her voice.
“I mean it. We’ll get your happiness together, yeah?”
Setsuna held Love tighter. Love let it happen.
It had been weeks since that night, and they were no closer to saving her brothers from Moebius. She looked at her box yet again. There had been one more item in it, stashed away under everything else. Her tarot cards.
Setsuna sat up.
Eas never believed in fortune-telling. But maybe Setsuna could.
She cleared off her desk, and opened the pack again. She spread the card out, and gently ran her finger along them. She stared at the cards for a long time, but none spoke to her. Maybe fortune-telling really was bunk.
Setsuna jerked in surprise when her light turned on. Turning, she saw a sleepy Love in her doorway.
“Love?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” Love offered, coming into Setsuna’s room proper. And it looks like you couldn’t either…” Love paused as she saw the cards laid out on the table. “You reading your fortune?”
Setsuna paused, before shaking her head. “No. I’m…reading my brothers’.”
Love blinked, before a soft smile came across her face. “We’ll save them. Doesn’t matter what fate says. We’ve defied it before, yeah?”
Setsuna sighed deeply. “Yes. I suppose there’s no reason to make myself feel worse.” She started to sweep up the cards, but one turned out of the pile. Love and Setsuna both reached for the card, and they stopped as they touched it.
“…it can’t hurt to see, can it?” Love asked, looking at the card intently.
Setsuna hummed in agreement. She turned to Love, and met her eyes as Love looked up. “Could you flip it?”
Love smiled, and ran her finger under the card to hold it. “Ready?”
Setsuna nodded, and Love flipped the card.
They both blinked.
The 13th card of the Major Arcana. Death.
Setsuna looked at the card critically, but then her face softened. “The only way out from Moebius’ rule is to die.”
Love tried to take the card. “It’s okay Setsuna, we can chan-”
Setsuna looked into Love’s eyes with such an intensity that it nearly hurt, and Love stopped.
“Eas died. And Setsuna came back from her. Whose to say it can’t go the same for them?”
Love blinked, and then a smile broke out across her face. “I told you we’ll save them! And now even fate agrees!”
Setsuna couldn’t help a small chuckle. “It sure does. Let’s save them, together.”
Love hugged Setsuna, and Setsuna returned the affection, the card falling from their grasp back to the table. Yeah, they’ll save them. Even if they have to defy fate for it. Though fate may just be on their side.