3.29 – Resolve

They were toweling off after their nice, hot shower when Denise casually brought up Sarah. “I couldn’t say why, but I’m suddenly curious, tell me more about this other girl you’ve been seeing on the side. Did you also trap her in your forcefield and finger—”

Aurora yelped and bounced, sending droplets flying. “You know I don’t have my powers in my normal form, and she was oh so insistent when we first had sex.” Her face burned with embarrassment.

Denise smirked. “I didn’t think someone with her upbringing would go so wild. Did you use your Leona stick on her?”

Aurora gaped, her blush intensifying. “A little… she wanted to do everything in the little time we had together that day. Like I’ve told you, we haven’t done it since the day she was rescued from Padua. She was raised really repressed by a couple of stern parents who seem hellbent on hating me and, because she’s under influence, I don’t feel right exploiting that. Oh sure her current attitude helps me, but I’m not sure that it comes from deep in her heart. At least her parents seem to have some respect for Aurora, probably for my angelic appearance.”

Denise considered that, rubbing her hair dry. “Maybe her mom’s under pressure from Sarah’s dad.” She shrugged.

Aurora’s expression turned impish. “Since you’re so curious about what it was like with Sarah, I’ll just have to give you all the juicy details…”

Denise was blushing by the time Aurora had finished laying out every single one of the aforementioned juicy details. She chewed her lip for a moment before impulsively pulling Aurora into a deep, heated kiss, pressing her up against the closest wall.

"Shut up…" Denise murmured against her lips. "We just finished… are you trying for a bit more?"

Aurora flushed. She hadn't intended to start something again—just to tease Denise a little—but apparently, she'd been too successful. Denise pressed firmly against her, their bare skin still warm from the shower, chest to chest, heat building between them again. Her leg slid up between Aurora’s thighs, teasing.

"Maybe not the best time, but I have a serious question for you," Denise said, her tone sultry. Aurora’s heart thudded in her chest. "Do you like that I call you Aurora, or would it help that need of yours if I called you Leona?"

Aurora squirmed at the thought, caught off guard. Not what I was expecting. More like, which of the things that we do do you like the most?

Denise kissed her again, soft but insistent. Her cheeks were still flushed, her body still needy.

Aurora nuzzled against her afterward, rubbing against her in an affectionate, cuddly way. "That’s a tough one," she admitted. "If you call me by my normal name too often, you might get in the habit, and in a clutch situation, someone could overhear it. Then they’d start looking into who this mysterious Leona is, and that… would be bad." She met Denise’s gaze, her fingers trailing lightly down her girlfriend’s back.

"Aurora is as much a part of who I am as my birth name," she said, pressing a hand over her own chest. "I am her. It’s not just some mask I put on. But…" she hesitated, then grinned shyly, "if you wanted to call me Leona every once in a blue moon, I wouldn’t say no." Her blush deepened, her voice softening. "Inside, there’s still a little girl who idolizes you."

Denise smirked at that, her hands drifting lower. "Mmm, cute," she murmured, but before anything else could happen, she pulled back with a little huff, finally reaching for her towel.

After she’d dried herself off enough, Denise made a simple gesture, and in a swirl of faint mist, she transformed back into her heroic self. She turned to Aurora, grabbed her by the waist, and looked deeply into her eyes. "That was the best shower I’ve had in my life," she murmured, kissing her once more. "You’re my hero."

Aurora melted into the kiss, her body instinctively pressing into Mistral’s warmth.

Afterward, she caught sight of herself in the mirror, her perky breasts still damp, her silver-blonde hair clinging to her skin. She shook herself off somewhat, letting her hair settle naturally before concentrating. In a soft flash, a silvery nightdress fluttered into place, the hem grazing the tops of her thighs.

Behind her, Mistral hummed appreciatively. Aurora smirked and grew out a pair of tiny, chibi wings just for fun.

Mistral arched a brow. "That’s really nice," she mused, her voice thick with amusement. "I’m a little jealous of how easy it seems to be for you to customize yourself…"

Aurora twirled slightly, the soft fabric of her gown brushing against her legs.

Mistral shook her head with a chuckle and finally turned, heading to the kitchen. As Aurora followed, she sniffed the air, inhaling the scent of something simple but satisfying.

"Instant ramen?" Aurora teased, stepping up behind Mistral and wrapping her arms around her waist. "Starving college student stereotype confirmed."

Mistral rolled her eyes but leaned into the embrace. "Hey, it’s what I have."

Aurora rested her chin on Mistral’s shoulder, smiling. "Want any help? When I make ramen, I boil the noodles just until they’re firm, drain them, and prepare the broth separately. Then I pour it over the noodles in a bowl and garnish with vegetables—green onions, minced garlic, ginger… anything, really. Goonie makes sure we’re always stocked up on herbs and veggies. Just a little effort makes instant stuff so much better."

Mistral tapped the wooden spoon against the pot with a thoughtful hum. "That sounds legitimately tasty… but I haven’t been shopping lately, so you’ll have to make do with me following the instructions on the back of the bag."

Aurora chuckled and hugged her a little tighter. "That’s fine. Just getting to have dinner with you is enough for me."

She meant it, too. The warmth of Mistral’s body, the cozy atmosphere, the quiet, easy comfort between them—it was exactly what she wanted.

“Mmmm… it’ll still be good. Maybe on Friday, I’ll show you Chef Ramses-style instant ramen.” Aurora winked. “Maybe we could sneak in some good chashu or at least a strip of bacon if Goonie isn’t there.” She laughed.

Mistral chuckled as she poured the ramen into two waiting bowls, each with a spoon and fork resting inside. The steam carried the rich, savory scent through the air, making the apartment feel even cozier.

Aurora leaned against the counter, watching the broth swirl. “Sometimes I wish I could disguise other people. I don’t think I can, but I haven’t tried. I like playing with my powers now and then, teasing out my limits. That might be a problem some heroes have—they get comfortable with what they can do and stop looking for new ways to use their abilities. You might call my way dreaming big while thinking small.”

“I seriously doubt you’re thinking small,” Mistral laughed. “The way you fight shows you consider a situation from so many different angles. It’s a great way to be—so long as you can be decisive when the time comes.” She handed Aurora her bowl with a wink. “After we’re done, we should figure out where Snow Witch is hiding. And we need to work out a strategy for when we find her.”

The moment they walked to the table, Mr. Plow trotted across the floor and started rubbing against their legs, his fluffy tail tickling Aurora’s ankles.

“I wondered where he was!” Aurora set her bowl on the table and knelt down to scratch behind his ears. Mr. Plow purred and licked his chops, clearly hoping for a taste of whatever was on the menu. Looking up at Mistral from her crouched position, she grinned. “Does he like ramen?”

Mistral laughed as she took a seat. “He’ll eat anything.”

Aurora giggled and gently patted the cat’s head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Plow, I don’t think noodles are very nutritious for a cat.”

Mr. Plow meowed in mild protest but continued rubbing against her chair as Aurora settled in and started on her soup.

“Well,” Aurora said after a few forkfuls of noodles, “do we have a way to track the Witch? Anything in your arsenal that could give us an advantage? If not, we’ll have to fight reactively, which you know is never a great idea when we can help it. There’s also the possibility of her ambushing us while we’re covering the area. It’d be even worse if we got separated and she only had to deal with one of us.”

Mistral sipped her broth, her expression thoughtful. “Normally, I’d say I could sense her in the breeze, but she’s able to overpower me in a straight head-to-head. I’m not sure going after her won’t just lead us into a trap, no matter what we do.”

Aurora nodded, considering that. It’s a delicate situation. If Snow Witch had the ability to negate Mistral’s powers in some way, this wasn’t just about tracking her—it was about finding a way to win.

“Oddly, I get the sense she’s not very far away from us,” Mistral continued. “But there’s nothing definite I can point to.” She frowned. “I wonder if she has a tether to the land, like some of the spirits I’ve encountered. She didn’t look Indigenous, but looks can always be deceiving…”

“No, I’d say she was definitely Asian,” Aurora mused. “But you never know. Indians probably aren’t the only ones capable of connecting to spirits. They might just be some of the most attuned or enlightened around here.” She twirled her fork in her noodles, thinking. “Her powers might seem similar to yours, but then again… who knows? There are times when I look at myself and think that girl in the reflection is Black Angel.” She smirked faintly. “Maybe this Snow Witch is some kind of spiritual crisis you’re having. Like, she’s your bad side.”

Mistral tilted her head in thought before nodding. “You were an unexpected element, for sure. But I don’t think I should dwell too much. Wallowing in self-reflection doesn’t seem right to me.” She set her bowl down and stretched. “I think I’ll go to my lodge and commune with the spirits tonight—walk among them and see if there are any answers to be found.”

Aurora grinned broadly, slurping up more noodles. “I knew it! You do have some amazing skills.” She rested her chin on her hand, eyes twinkling. “I’m sure that’s exactly what you need to do. Is that little community gathering you’re talking about private? I’ve always wanted to see you working among the spirits.”

She tapped her chin, licking the salty broth from her lips. “Short of that, I think all I can do is patrol around the city. Maybe I can find a way to draw her out into the open. She’s definitely the type that holds grudges, so she might come out if she sees me.”

Mistral pursed her lips. “That could work, but it also puts you in a lot of danger.”

Aurora grinned, eyes alight with challenge. “Yeah, but I’ve never been one to back down from a fight.”

Aurora crossed her arms with a playful smirk. “You know me better than that. I’m not backing out.”

Mistral nodded, then began changing into ceremonial garb, the flowing fabric a striking contrast to the usual practicality of her hero attire, although it was always quick to undress. Although she could have copied the look of what Mistral gave her, she decided that going clad in light might not be appropriate. 

Once dressed, she knelt beside the fire pit, setting down the herbs and trinkets she had gathered. Moving with quiet purpose, she tossed handfuls of crumbled herbs into the fire. A pungent, sweet-scented cloud of smoke and steam spiraled through the lodge, curling around the wooden beams like unseen spirits gathering to watch. The dim glow of the flames cast flickering shadows along the wooden walls of the cabin, giving the place an even more mystical air.

Aurora settled in across from her, watching as Mistral arranged the items with methodical care. There was something deeply personal in the way she moved, an unspoken reverence in each gesture.

This is important to her.

Mistral took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, centering herself. “Remember—no noise, no fidgeting. Just observe.”

Aurora nodded solemnly. “I promise.”

She meant it too. Even if it did end up feeling long and boring, she wanted to respect Mistral’s tradition. If she wanted to be a part of her world, that meant taking her beliefs seriously.

Mistral reached into a small pouch, retrieving a pinch of powder that shimmered in the firelight. She scattered it into the flames, and instantly the fire roared higher, changing color to a deep, ethereal blue. The air inside the cabin shifted, growing heavy with a strange energy that sent a tingle down Aurora’s spine.

Whoa… what was that?

Aurora? Holly’s voice murmured in her mind, unusually subdued. I detected a sudden atmospheric shift. Something about this place just changed. It’s kind of frightening…

Yeah, no kidding. This is next-level mystic stuff. Aurora resisted the urge to shift where she sat. Just watch and wait, Holly. We’re learning. Although her skin crawled, she trusted Mistral.

Under the strange light of the fire, Mistral closed her eyes, murmuring something too soft for Aurora to make out. The trinkets around the room rattled lightly, and the herbs in her hands began to smolder, releasing a thin, fragrant smoke that coiled unnaturally, like it had a mind of its own.

Aurora wasn’t sure if it was the smoke or the sheer energy filling the cabin, but something about the space seemed to shift again, like the boundaries of reality were stretching—no, thinning.

Then, just beyond the fire, shadowy figures began to emerge.

They didn’t step forward so much as they coalesced, forming out of the air itself. Vague humanoid shapes, tall and imposing, their features obscured in shifting wisps of darkness and light.

Aurora’s breath caught in her throat.

Mistral remained perfectly still, her breathing slow and steady.

The spirits had arrived.