Valeria knew how important a speedy response would be in this situation. Regardless, she felt there was one last thing Ozma was neglecting that set the German off. She knew her old friend better than anyone else currently here. Stuffing down her heated emotions she'd focus on directing the teammembers remaining at the mall to her volkswagen. She quickly has it decked out in armor platings and thick treads to make for a agile and defensive vehicle that could make it towards the imperiled school. Once the last of the students have gotten into the car, Val turns around instead of joining them.
"Ozma wait! You can't just leave Maria alone! You should know damn well better than that you idiot!"
If Val could reach Ozma on her broom, she'd probably smack her across the cheek.
"I'm not leaving Maria behind here! Even if those weird little clones are staying, I don't care! I'm not leaving this fight and Roma challenged me directly! You have to go and play your Ministry role and help! Do your damn job!"
Valeria wasn't thinking rationally, caught up in anger at being deceived and lashing out on Ozma whom she felt was always distant. She didn't blame her for falling for Roma's deception as Valeria had fallen for it herself but found it greatly upsetting to be told to abandon her new friend behind to the whims of the pageless.
"You know what happens when you leave people behind!" She spat.
Ozma spared a glance down at the Oros clone, just a tad puzzled by its words. Played by her own tune? Alter or not, it was clear Roma's insanity cared little for what type of Grimoire aligned a Magical Girl. All were to be subjugated to her methods so every girl had their part to play. The comment remained puzzling and it seemed almost mirrored with Valeria bringing up her words too. By now the students were expected to have made haste back to the school, Ozma lowering her broom to Valeria's level.
"What are you talking about? You know how strong Maria's Grimoire is. She can handle herself and it's more dangerous if the students are around," she pointed out, ignoring the Oros clone staying behind. Evidently, it could handle itself too. She paused at Valeria. "This isn't like before. She can handle herself," Ozma reiterated.
"Strength has nothing to do with this. She's alone out there and facing monsters we don't fully understand. Roma's grimoire isn't even the most powerful book out there but you can clearly see the damage she's done tonight. You're not stopping me. Just because you changed thanks to that awful ministry and you abandon your friends now, doesn't mean I'm going to follow along with it!"
Val turned away and gave her back to Ozma, already stomping off with her metal arms changing into fireshooting cannons. She was determined to bring the war to Roma's minions and protect all she could within her reach in the mall.
For the first time Ozma's melancholic grin cracked as something differed in her gaze. It twisted into a frown and as Valeria turned her back to her, she reached out and grasped the other Magical Girl's shoulder. She turned, almost a little too viciously, Valeria around to face her with a glare that pierced through lit up Ozma's face. "The Ministry never changed me. I don't abandon my friends," she said. A rumble of fire and wind exploded behind her as Maria transformed into Morning Star. Maybe it was the flames, but it looked as if embers danced in Ozma's eyes as she stared down the German.
"There's no need for me here and you know it. The students come first and there's a job to do. That job is catching Moolight Tsubasa. Do you understand, Waffenhändler?"
"There's no need for you!? Bist du dumm!? Are you stupid!"
Valeria yanked Ozma's broom handle, dragging the redhead forward to finally meet face to face in a long time. She'd ignore the explosion behind her, causing her ponytail to ruffle up behind her.
"The job isn't catching the bad guys! You never understood that! It's protecting people and making sure they come back home! If the students come first then put them first! Don't leave others behind!"
Although her tone is anger, Val's voice is shaky and carrying other emotions. She felt she could scream and cry, only kept together by the reality if they didn't come to a decision soon they'd be too late to intervene in the ongoing disaster. Val knew the risks, but her heart and story had to be told.
Never understood? Never understood?
"Of course I understand that. I've understood that longer than you were alive," Ozma said with an unnatural ferocity in her tone. It cut deeper now that they were so close together, Ozma's gaze brightened by the fire around them. She grasped the front of Valeria's shirt, yanking her forward just the same and staring down. "Of course I know that! I've known that since-" Another explosion shook the mall around them and Ozma retracted her words, something akin to pain briefly crossing her features.
"That's why you're going with them. The students need you more than they need me. I was never cut out for teaching and look what happened here? Clearly I'm no good at it," she said, letting Valeria go and cracking a smile that seemed forced. "Maybe I wanted this to happen, I'm not sure....why are you trying to make me stay so badly."
"Maybe you wanted this?"
Valeria is more stunned by the words than the fact she's been grabbed by the collar. She'd push that arm aside and remained very tempted to go on a tirade before stopped by another explosion. It was easy to just blame Ozma for all of this, to get mad at her and fight and yell. The magical girl realized that something needed to be done. Luckily for everyone the more rational side of Valeria's mind managed to win out.
"Clearly...you're not in the state of mind to be helping the students. That's why you need to stay Ozma. Maria's grimoire is powerful but she needs help to wield it, and that's something I can't do. More important than all of this...you need to let go." Valeria placed a metal hand on Ozma's shoulder. "It's alright, to admit you failed here. Okay? We're going to get through this. You don't mean what you said, that you wanted this. We're going to prove that here tonight, together!"
"This isn't about failing here. This isn't about...."
Ozma stopped lest she start to sound like Roma. Maybe it was true their minds declined with age as a Magical Girl went on. Or maybe Valeria's words hit deeper than the German realized. Regardless, she finally offered a piece of logic that Ozma could latch onto and agree. She glanced back at the fire and flames behind them. Indeed, there would need to be someone to keep an eye on Morning Star despite one Oros clone in present. "I'll stay," she finally announced, knowing just as well Maria's struggles with her Grimoire than anyone else.
"But you need to promise me you'll catch Tsubasa and keep the students safe. You can do that while I can't. This will help." Before Valeria could reply a pair of soft lips pecked at her cheek, Ozma tipping forward on her boots. A light warmth spread out over Valeria's body, magic passed down from the Crimson Comet to her. "Protect Thee My Kind. This charm won't last long but it'll add to your protection as much as it can," Ozma said. Her broomstick levitated back to her and she balanced along its length again.
The kiss sent hot warmth from Valeria's head all the way down to her toes. She felt rejuvenated, full of energy and invincible. It would help calm her frayed nerves and focus ahead on the task at hand rather than the chaos around her. She's strongly tempted to return it, but a sudden shyness comes over her when she stepped forward and she couldn't bring herself to kiss back. Only in her dreams...
"I can. Yes. Hah...I was arguing to stay not just a second ago. Okay, okay. Enough. I agree to this plan! I'm glad you're back in the game!"
Val began to rush for the exit, parting from Ozma and glancing one last time at her. So much had transpired in these seconds and she was feeling whiplash from the back and forth of emotions. Deciding that one last something had to be said, she'd scavenge around in her heart for how she felt about the Crimson Comet.
"You're still the best, the golden girl! Never forget that!"
Ozma wouldn't reply. She was already heading back to Maria's position, keeping her distance to watch. She'd make sure nothing happened to the teacher but wouldn't interfere when she was locked in combat with the Apex Pageless. But, unseen from Valeria, her signature grin returned to her features as she sped off on her broom.
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