Amaranthine

Kennedy had hoped to get a little one on one time with her mom once they returned home, but it wasn’t to be. Tensions with ARMOR remained high even back in the city, and the Director was in full diplomacy mode, only really able to spare a quick hug and a peck on the cheek for her adopted daughter. To be fair, it was more than Kennedy had expected, but less than she wanted.

She was arguably more stressed out now than she’d been during the fight. She’d wanted that fight. Now, the hostility with ARMOR, rumors that the DC was taking advantage of the thinning of their forces down south, and…

Fuck. Probably what it felt like to lose Hotglue, she thought, remembering how Rodeo Squad had talked about their fallen member. Like B-Man, quiet, but in a companionable way. Steady, funny, and loyal to a fault. C’mon Kenn. Stop thinking about him like he’s dead, or that you’ve known him more than a month.

Gwyn’s cage hadn’t looked like much. Her stuff usually didn’t until it was all the sudden killing your ass, but this had just been a clear sided cube, the sliver clad effigy of their friend floating within. Kennedy doubted the girl would be leaving that lab until they had a way to be certain they could bring her man safely back. And if they couldn’t, she just might be the one breaking him out anyway.

Kennedy shuddered at the thought of a villain Nanosmith. She’d been resting on Cait’s lap while her girl replayed Horizon over the last few days before the battle, and fuck, yeah, terrifyingly plausible apocalypse scenario.

The next experience should, hopefully, be a little easier.

Yeah, having a friend tell you your ex’s ghost said they loved you will be super easy, said the voice in her head, which she shushed. Easy or not, Dawn had to know. She waited on the couch, having decided this would be taken best in a familiar space. Lira was keeping Qi busy, and Cait was quiet in her room, so they should have a bit of privacy.

The door clicked open, and the door strode open. Dawn's movement was odd now. She still didn’t have full control of the right side of her body through traditional means, instead moving it through the latticework of glowing vines that covered. It gave her movements a sinuous quality, like grass gently waving in the wind.

Not that a regular person would notice. No, the only thing someone meeting Dawn for the first time would be able to comprehend was the Divine aura she emitted. It felt like a mother’s embrace with a protective edge, a kind of sharpness that you knew was only for those that would bring you harm. It made Kennedy smile.

Wonder what that feels like for the bad guys.

Dawn returned her own beatific smile, walking over to take the seat next to Kennedy when she patted it. Her big doe eyes met Kennedy’s, and without exchanging a word, they each wrapped each other in a tight hug. Dawn’s fur was soft and warm, and her long neck felt like it wrapped around far enough to envelop Kennedy. The embrace mirrored her aura a thousand-fold, except for the quaver of her shoulders.

Kennedy couldn’t link to Dawn anymore. Her power was to big, too primal. It burned her. She knew she needed to try and overcome that. Two nature goddesses were better than one, and she knew better than anyone how much Dawn could use the empathic support. For now, though, all she could do was hug her, and, hopefully, bring her some closure.

Both of them sniffed, and wiped at glimmering eyes as the pulled back to speaking distance.

“So, Kennedy, you said you needed to speak to me? Something happened during the fight?” Dawn asked, the shake in her voice telling Kennedy she probably knew at least what the subject would be.

“Yeah, don’t worry, it’s…. Well, I don’t think it’s bad, but it might not be easy. Are you ok—”

“Kennedy please,” Dawn said, already enormous eyes going wider, trembling with manic anticipation.

Fuck here goes. Kennedy took a deep breath.

“I think I linked to Chance’s soul. He lent me his power, more deeply than I’ve ever had from anyone, and it let me kill Bookkeeper,” she said. Dawn’s eyes were filled with a kind of sad pride, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Kennedy raised a hand to stop her. “Wait, there’s more. I don’t know why, or how, but he spoke to me. He didn’t have much time, but he made sure to tell me he loved you, Dawn.”

Dawn’s mouth opened and closed slowly, the quiver of her lips leaving her unable to form words. Her inhuman features had always been difficult to read, but even without them, the mixture of shock, sadness, loss, elation and love would have been an impenetrable mask regardless. That mask broke, incongruously, into wild weeping and the most broad, open smile Kennedy had ever seen from her friend.

Dawn shot forward, wrapping a surprised Kennedy back into another hug, tighter, less controlled. Emotion flowed from her in sobbing laughs as she vented herself on Kennedy’s shoulder. For her part, Kennedy just kept whispering ‘it’s okay’ and stroking at the deer’s soft fur. When she could speak again, Dawn finally whispered ‘thank you’ and pulled back to give Kennedy a radiant smile. Kennedy used her sleeve to wipe at the matted fur beneath her eyes.

“Of course. Just wish I could have given you more time with him, instead of just giving you a goodbye,” Kennedy consoled, her own smile as bright as she could make it.

“Loss has been a constant in my life, Kennedy. It has been rare that I’ve had someone who brought so much good into my life before they left it,” Dawn stated, patting Kennedy’s cheek like a caring mother. “Without Chance, I would have none of this. Yes, it makes losing him hurt all the more, but if I never had, the next crisis would have been one I had to deal with alone, instead of surrounded by friends.”

Kennedy smiled for real then, once again hugging the deer, who laughed and stroked her hair.

“Phew,” Kennedy said, breathing out hard, but finally feeling this source of tension leave her. “Okay. Wow. You have an inspiring outlook on life Dawn.”

“Bah, it’s mostly just a refusal to involve myself in the process of grief,” the deer said, waving a hand with a twinkle in her eye. “but truly thank you. Few people get the kind of gift you have given me.”

“Yeah, well, few people have their cities get saved by nature godesses, so we’ll call it even,” Kennedy said, playfully pushing at Dawn’s shoulder.

“Mmmm, I suppose that’s only fair,” Dawn agreed, her smile turning wry. “Now, what are you going to do about that distracting door over my right shoulder?”

Kennedy blushed, glaring a bit at Dawn’s lasciviously raised eyebrow. In truth, Kennedy hadn’t had Lira distract Qi for this conversation. At least not this conversation alone. Her eyes flicked, as they had apparently been doing unconsciously for the entire conversation, to Cait’s door.

“Go on,” Dawn prodded, giving her shoulder a supportive pat as she rose. “I’ll draw myself a bath and put on some music. It’s worked for Lira, and I highly doubt you’ll be quite as loud as Miss Light.”

Kennedy swatted at Dawn’s tufted white tail as she pranced away, giggling. After a moment, she rose, walking quickly over to the door.