Akane's eyes brimmed with fresh, hot tears. This time, however, the pain that stirred them was warm and bittersweet. They truly did need each other. And they probably always would, even if they both married the loves of their lives and dwelled on separate worlds. She uttered another Cure spell as she nestled her head into Aoi's shoulder, holding onto him as gently as she dared.

"I'm not...not a good person. But I know I'm the only one who can do what needs to be done...to save the lives of six billion people, I have to accept my role. That girl is me, and there are a lot of scars from the past that might never go away. Cure." More magic washed over Aoi as she waited for her mana to swell again for another shot.

"But we're not broken." Akane drew back with a little smile, and brushed the back of her fingers affectionately over her brother's face. "A little beat up, maybe. And we've definitely endured a lot together. It doesn't mean we're ruined. We still have people that care about us...and people we care about too. We just...have to give them a chance, and let them in, don't we?"

At this, she looked at Duster, and her expression warmed. "I'm sorry. The things she said...what I felt...they're not fair to you. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings."