Maria had said her piece and there was nothing to add. Valeria or the students may add as they pleased, but Maria was done. Just like Roma mentioned how there was no convincing them, Maria so too noticed there was no getting to her. Instead, the teacher was fully focused on being ready to react should anything happen.

However, she failed to predict what would actually happen. In a grand show of theatrics, Roma took her true form and attempted to trap them in the mall in some twisted game of hers while she herself, or the image of her rather, disappeared. When all was done, Maria had not the time to speak before Ozma took over the leading role. The teacher was none too pleased since Ozma was the one to put them in this situation, but nonetheless recognized the necessity. She was right. Ging back to the school was a priority especially fi it was under attack. As Ozma and Oros attempted to breach the barrier Maria, like the others, was readying to leave when they all heard a bestial sound coming from behind them.

Maria looked back at Ozma as she addressed her; "Are you certain? The safety of the student..." she stopped mid sentence, looked to Valeria before taking a step back towards the creature. "They are in good hands. So be it. Be safe." Maria then politely bowed to them and gestured a farewell before turning back to the Apex as everyone was leaving, thanks to Ozma's magic. She especially gave a rather warm smile at Nessy, the kind that said 'You'll be fine'.

The air around Maria grew hotter and hotter as the Apex approached her. She gave it back the same emotionless stare before having one last look back and making sure everyone was gone. Only then was she completely engulfed in a torrent of flames that seemed to burn her from the bottom up. When the flames disappeared from her body, she was changed into her alter ego boasting a completely new form; looks, hair and , seemingly, slightly different personality.

"Alright - now we can go." her usual mask of controlled emotion was gone, replaced by a smirk of anticipation for the action to come. Her fists suddenly caught fire as she herself adjusted her pose as if she was about to begin running, molten cracks appearing on the floor.

"It's been long since I got to cut loose. Let's see what you..." out of her back sprouted two great bat-like wings made of fire and, with one large flap, she launched herself forward with such force it left behind a small charred crater where she once stood "...GOT!"

She aimed directly at the Pageless, a wall of flames following her dash and incinerating anything around her be it would be ambushed pageless that remained behind or the Mall's floors and walls.

I need to end this quick.

Stripes wasn't expecting anything interesting out of Moonlight Tsubasa. Her only weapon in this "debate" was a series of arguments that leaned heavily on fallacies and half truths. Furthermore, she had made it clear she wouldn't be reasoned with long before Stripes decided to join the conversation. But the goal wasn't to get her to change her mind. In true bad guy fashion, Moonlight Tsubasa had revealed her intentions and why she was this way. They call that a "slam dunk" for those in the business of solving mysteries.

"Yeesh..."

Moonlight Tsubasa may be a lunatic, but her own plan worked without a hitch. She anticipated Ozma would come after her, lured her and the students here, and locked them inside a barrier while the real one attacked the school. Even stripes had to admit that was impressive. Anyone who could reliably predict Ozma's antics was a force to be reckoned with. She was far better at strategy than orating, at least.

Ozma declared that Moonlight Tsubasa was elsewhere, which cause her to raise an eyebrow. "She did say something like that." Stripes was unsure why Ozma would state something so obvious, but figured she was just nervous over what happened. When your plan backfires so hard it ends up helping the enemy, when you're refrain from telling anyone what you're doing and still get figured out, you have to do something to maintain control. Perhaps stating the obvious did that for Ozma. The rest of what Ozma said was directed to those above her station; her teachers and assistants. It was clear that catching Moonlight Tsubasa was a priority.

"Oros the Wise is not here." One of the clones called back. "She is still at the academy and knows what's going on. Probably." It was easy to assume that just because a magical girl held a mythic grimoire they had boundless power. And while that was a safe assumption for the most part there were a few small limitations. While the clones were strong enough to punch through a barrier with their fists, Mika was the only one who ever held the katana that let her partake in the world's knowledge. That meant that while Mika knew exactly what was happening here, she could not relay anything to the others. The state of Marrywell academy was a mystery for the moment.

"That's just adorable, Orzo!" The other clone grinned. "Maybe you can get some teachers to go along with your schemes, but I dance to my own tune." Faculty member or not, Mika was an alter magical girl. She had her own way of doing things and wasn't about to be swayed by the likes of Ozma. "They likely have reinforcements somewhere. One of us will stay with Morning Star, and the other will scout for more pageless."

Stripes looked to Maria. She might have been a myth, but she was their teacher and figured she had their best interests at heart. But it seemed like she was fine having them turned over to the arguably cooler German lady. It seemed they would have to continue to kick more butt elsewhere.

"Very well." With a hop, Stripes landed in Lupin's arms. "Lets join the others."

One of Oros the Wise's clones had already sped off. This left the remaining one with Morning Star. "I'm sure you've got this my horny friend! I'll just keep an eye out for any potential ambushers and- OH GOD THE FIRE'S COMING!" She dove behind some rubble as the flames washed past her like a burning tide.

“Opposition…?” Olivia echoed, a frown once more marring her otherwise lovely visage.

Now that she was paying attention, it seemed as though Tsubasa wanted them to surrender their Grimoires to the Pageless, at least if what the wolf-girl was saying was anything to go by. This was more than a little distressing to Olivia, as it would essentially mean throwing away the only thing connecting her to her darling Xolys! No, it was absolutely unthinkable! However, when Lupin went on to suggest that Tsubasa feed the Pageless her own Grimoire, the masked maiden gave a very surprising response…

Manifesting her Grimoire for all to see, Tsubasa revealed that, instead of feeding it to the Pageless, she had somehow fused a Pageless to the enchanted tome itself, thus creating a strange hybrid. Indeed, even as she displayed the increasingly dark, twisted, _{and admittedly rather cool} pages of her now-expanded Grimoire, the masked maiden explained that this was the path to domesticating the Pageless, to making them docile and controllable, like the swarm arrayed behind her.

But… Is that really safe…? Olivia found herself wondering.

The Pageless were fascinating, cute, and, in more than a few cases, utterly adorable, but they were still fearsome monsters who both preyed upon innocent people and consumed their stories. Even if this new technique Tsubasa had developed would provide the Pageless with an alternate food source, the source in question seemed to be none other than the soul of whoever was bound to the Grimoire they had been fused to. Or, perhaps more precisely, the bond that soul shared with it. Tsubasa might have been more than willing to make such a sacrifice, but Olivia was far less eager to do so. While she had often pondered how enjoyable it might be to have a Pageless for a pet, having one feed on, and more than likely corrupt, the bond she shared with her beloved Xolys was an entirely different matter. It was perfectly fine to let a pet cuddle with you in bed, for instance, but only if you knew it was housebroken. Otherwise, you’d have quite the messy situation on your hands, to say nothing of what might happen if said “pet” was actually a wild animal who wanted to kill and eat you…

As it transpired, such questions would have to remain unanswered, at least for the time being. With a sudden, dramatic darkening of their surroundings, Tsubasa revealed that Ozma had indeed been correct. The figure before them was simply one of the masked maiden’s celestial attendants, through whom she was projecting her voice, a voice which now noted that she would be providing a similar “sales pitch” to the students at Marrywell.

And that there was a murderer among them…

This revelation definitely got Olivia’s attention. It was just like something out of a murder mystery, and she had always enjoyed a good murder mystery. Edgar Allen Poe, one of her favorite writers, was considered to be the father of the modern detective story, after all, and so it wasn’t particularly surprising that Olivia found the prospect of taking part in a real life mystery to be quite exciting. Of course, all those hopes were dashed a moment later when Tsubasa revealed that the alluded to murderer was, in fact, none other than Ozma…

Ozma…? A murderer?

It was a shocking revelation, to be sure, but then, perhaps Tsubasa was equating the slaying of Pageless to murder? Although, if that was the case, then every Magical Girl would be a murderer, if not a full-fledged serial killer. Regardless, there were obviously far more immediate concerns to worry about, namely the impenetrable cloak of darkness which now thoroughly blanketed the mall. Xolys had just begun to kindle his eldritch flames in an effort to provide some illumination, when Suzuya rendered such action moot. Firing a flaming bolt at the art supply shop in front of which Tsubasa’s attendant had just been standing, the fox girl’s projectile swiftly ignited the flammable contents within, creating a rather impressive blaze. The conflagration’s warm glow revealed that the attendant had vanished, along with seemingly every last one of the gathered Pageless…

S-She couldn’t have taken them all to Marrywell… Could she…? Olivia wondered as she peeked over Xolys’s enormous shielding hand, the heat of the blaze so intense she could feel it on her fair skin.

While it was becoming increasingly hard to justify Tsubasa’s actions, the azure-clad beauty still found it hard to believe the masked maiden would go so far as to purposefully endanger innocent students. And yet, that seemed to be what she was doing now, as a dark power made its presence felt. Growing steadily stronger with each passing second, its source was obvious to everyone present, even Olivia. An Apex Pageless was drawing nearer and would soon be in their midst.

As the de facto leader of their “strike force”, Ozma wasted no time in giving orders, even as she worked to dispel Tsubasa’s dark barrier. All the students were to follow Valeria back to the school, while Maria dealt with the Apex Pageless, a foe who was just now coming into view…

“Goodness!” Olivia gasped, her eyes going wide. “He’s so very imposing, especially with those menacing horns! And I just love his big, spiky lantern!” the Ethereal Rose added, her eyes sparkling with wonder, before sobering slightly and turning to look up at her eldritch consort. “Oh, but don’t worry darling,” she hastened to reassure the monstrous beast. “You’re far more menacing than he could ever be! In fact, I’m sure you could defeat him with twelve tendrils tied behind your back!”

“Your high opinion of my prowess in combat is most gratifying to hear, my sweet Rose,” the Master of Xhar’doth replied fondly. “But I believe it would not be prudent to put it to the test at the present juncture. Come, my dearest,” Xolys added as he hurried along after Valeria’s limo. “I fear our fellow students at Marrywell have far more urgent need of our abilities…”

Indeed, the Master of Xhar’doth had a dreadful feeling he knew exactly what Moonlight Tsubasa was planning, and he only hoped they would arrive in time to stop it, before it came to frightening fruition…

The battle had started in earnest and the plan immediately crumbled. Oh well. Tesni was no dictator and as long as someone was willing to deal with the consequences of their own actions and their desires didn’t directly conflict with hers who was she to force her will upon others? Bon bon could do her own heroics, Tesni would simply... adapt. The large sweeping motions forcing the pageless into a group quickly ceased. A sharp staccato of blows rang out replacing the sweeps, staff twirling around Tesni in an impenetrable whirlwind of strikes carving a swathe through the inky monsters until she was before the mastermind herself.

“Fancy seeing you here! We just keep meeting on battlefields where you command mighty hordes, don’t we?” A casual swat to her left spiked a Pageless pouncing towards her into the ground.

“When did I ever say I was Wukong? I’m Tesni. Did I never introduce myself? I’m just giving the power associated with Journey to the West a test drive~” the wafting smoke from Roma stung her eyes, and made her cough, she felt a primal rhythm of battle swell in her chest, sending her heartbeat racing! Her enemy was before her, one blow could obliterate- then the golden crown around Tesni’s head briefly glowed and started constricting.

“Aagh!” clenching her teeth the pain brought her back to reality, getting lost in the throes of battle is fine if you’re overwhelmingly stronger than your enemy… but Tesni was not that yet, definitely not. Panting her eyes flashed red and roamed the battlefield searching for what should be there but was hidden still… where the hell were the teachers?! Tesni was just in a meeting with one… where the hell is she?!


“DAMN IT! FINE! IF NONE OF YOU WILL GET OUT HERE AND FIGHT, YOU FORFEIT THE RIGHT TO BITCH AT ME AFTERWARDS!” Wiping the grimace from her face Tesni put her best smile back on for Roma.

“Sorry, it looks like the responsible ones have their thumbs up their asses. So, all you have to play with is me. I know, I know, I’m disappointed too. But I know myself very well. I’m not strong enough to be able to fight you and worry about everyone else around us, but it would be very IRRESPONSIBLE for you to be left alone, right? So, at the very least, I’ll be your loving dance partner this evening, okay? Don’t worry about the collateral damage… I won’t be~” with a flick of her wrist, the golden staff suddenly vanished into her hands, smaller than a toothpick, like a sleight of hand magician. Getting into a crouching one-legged stance with hands before her like claws, Tesni launched herself at Roma. Twirling in the air, her fingers clawed at Roma’s face before letting the momentum carry her and tumble to the ground behind the seemingly dispassionate magical mistress and go into a leg sweep. Regardless of the outcome of these attacks Tesni pointed her finger at Roma’s torso before saying,

“Bang~!” a tiny twinkle on the tip of her finger sparkled before the golden staff instantly growing as large as Tesni could manage and slamming into Roma from point blank range.

"I'm right here, Teeny!" The clone waved. "And you shattered a window earlier while I was there, so, you know~"

Dynasty Queen didn't seem to notice Mika's clone, who was bodying pageless left and right in an attempt to secure a safe zone inside the cafeteria, and had been doing so since before she arrived. Or maybe that was the problem. That the only teacher present was a clone and not the genuine article. As explained earlier, only the real Oros the Mad ever held the dark steel Katana. It was possible she noticed this. Maybe Dynasty Queen was upset with the clone's choice to not deal with the main threat herself.

Regardless, Mika at least knew what was happening moment to moment inside the cafeteria. But that was not her concern right now. There might be a "dark" magical girl urging the pageless on in one spot, but the rest of the school could be under attack as well. Surely Roma Bhakti hadn't expected to exact her revenge with a few pageless. It wasn't like it was even lunch hour yet. She had managed to get Ozma and that one class away from the school, but she couldn't be so depraved as to expect a single assault of this scale to do anything. Then again, she did hotlink to gelbooru.

But it seemed that there were no more attacks inside the school. One of her clones was with Morning Star, and another was returning to check the perimeter for approaching pageless. It seemed like the only immediate threat really was in the cafeteria. This could be problematic. She doubted Roma was the main baddy in all this. If she was brainwashed, she could be rigged with a bomb or have an equally devastating enchantment cast on her by a third party. This was assuming the attack itself wasn't an attempt to draw eyes away from other sensitive areas of Brittan. If there were, Mika wasn't going to waste her time scouting for them. There was only one threat to the students presently, and it was in the cafeteria. That was where she was going to pool the rest of her resources.

A second clone showed up to help carry wounded students out. Only it didn't look like a clone. This one had shape shifted into a bison covered in monkey arms. Just to ensure it didn't get confused with a pageless, the clone chose to retain Mika's face for is head. A horrific sight to be sure, but not unexpected coming from an alter magical girl. You could have the strongest hands in the world, but it didn't matter if you couldn't hold all of your cargo. The "handy ox" overcame this by having more than enough hands to lift a swath of injured and retreating magical girls in a single go. There must have been at least eight girls held to the side of the strange creature, and a few more rode on its back.

Lilac Shimmer would come face to face with this abomination as it trotted down the hall. "Bon-bon!" The clone's head was just inches away from hers. Yellow eyes half the size of Lilac's face gazed directly into her soul. "You didn't put in that practice to work apart from Dynasty Queen. Let me handle the evacuation. Team up with your friend before she brings down the school!"

The last to arrive would be a strange addition. A *miko with rebellious pink hair brandished her sword and placed herself between a pageless and a retreating magical girl. "You're doing fine, Teeny! You can fix a wall with spackle and mortar, but magical girls are a lot harder to put back together." She joined her clone and organized the wounded for the handy bison's next trip to the cafeteria.

*_{Ignore the second sword hue hue hue.}

"Gyah!" Lilac recoiled like she was about to execute some ill-advised panic karate when she encountered the Mika-Bison clone and had it stared into her soul. Given the scenario of Pageless wanting to suck up and like merge with Magical Girls or something at Roma's behest, practically a dozen of them fused onto a single beast was a body horror story gone wrong. After a moment, she regained her calm, mostly upon realizing she was not facing a amalgman monster with a dozen magical girls including a teacher fused into a single death golem.

At the request to join Tesni's fight against Roma however... Lilac's eyes went wide. She glanced over to the battle of epic proportions that could be straight out of the Monkey King's greatest feats, back to the Mika clone, and meaningfully down to herself, and finally back to the Mika clone with a tilt of the head. -Are you fucking kidding me? What the hell do you think I'm gonna do in that?- Was written on her face. But she didn't say it.

She turned again towards the fray, and steeled herself to charge towards that battle that she felt woefully inadequate for.

Now was the first time Lilac found herself in the full force of Roma's smoke. Before she had managed to avoid it with various shenanigans, but this time there was no escape as she headed into the heart of the battle. Coughing and choking, her steps slowed quickly, only halfway the journey between Roma and Mika, before Lilac was practically stopped.

Desires swirled in her head.

Tesni had called for her, wanted her to be her friend, why hadn't she answered? Friends where what she wanted.

Why couldn't she just give up and support somewhere else. If she didn't try to make friends with Tesni, she couldn't be hurt when it all collapsed again?

She didn't want to fight another magical girl. How could she fight Moonlight Tsubasa with a sword and not hurt her?

She didn't want to fight someone that strong. How could she possibly fight Moonlight Tsubasa with just a sword? Tesni and her great staff would be held back just by Lilac being close.

Why couldn't a teacher do it? Mika was here, Lilac could keep rescuing people.

There were so many good reasons to do something else.

Her heart so clouded, there was no way Lilac could even stand face to face with Moonlight Tsubasa, and Lilac stumbled to her knees. Pageless circled close. Their mission was to create Altered Grimoires, not face off with Magical Girls at the peak of their power. Thus, to prey on the weak was the most effective strategy.

"I... I just want..." Lilac cried into the floor, balling her right hand into a fist, as the Pageless prepared to strike.

"I WANT TO BE A COOL MAGICAL GIRL! WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP CALLING ME BON-BON?" A true longing of her heart, supercharged by Roma's smoke, burned through the fog of her twisted desires, perhaps because it was such a simple desire that it had no desires in opposition, and Lilac rose to her feet in a single leap, fist high to the sky to declare her passion to the sun and stars and... why was chalk falling on her head?

"EH?" Lilac jumped back as a ceiling tile dropped to the floor. Looking up, she noticed the Pageless she had just Rising Uppercut through the ceiling.

Her moment to herself was quickly cut short as other Pageless attacked. This was a serious battle, after all.

"O-on my way, Tesni!" Lilac began to fight her way though closer, though it would take her sometime to clear a path through.

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.

Roma's blow to Merrywell had been struck, and though the shortsighted may balk at wasting such a golden opportunity only to isolate it to the cafeteria was folly, Roma had no intention to do more that day. Even as girls fled or were carried off, Dozens did so the ichor of Pageless staining their books. Too many and too publically for this to be swept under the rug and buried beneath the insidious weight of history. As space opened around her and the pageless numbers thinned, either being struck down or having siphoned themselves fully into Grimoires, it gave her a rare opportunity to find herself mono a mono with a Magical Girl of some considerable power.

The smoke of Tsubasa's pipe wafted around Dynasty Queen, and for a moment she saw a lust for battle threaten to overwhelm and send the ape-themed girl into a frenzy that would have been worthy of Ozaru, but the circlet upon her crown constricted the errant rampage in the cradle and left cool eyes facing enraged but still controlled mirrors to her own.

"You say those words and you do believe them, but I would have them proven first." Came her airy reply to a Magical Girl's claim to division from their story, a distinction some held and some wished they had. But words were so petty, flimsy and flickering like embers from a candle, and could hold no more weight then air that carried them without the strength of arms to back them.

The Monkey King lunged. All feral grace and slashing nails but her muscles betrayed her intentions, the intention of her landing conveyed as clear as film to Moonlight Tsubasa's Eyes. The statuesque Magical Girl whirled to the side, hands passing harmlessly through her hair as she snapped her fan out and held the fullness of it between herself and the raised finger gun. At Tsubasa's side appeared the eldest of her Celestial Hosts, called from the trap at the mall with a thought and laying one hand upon the back of a metal fan.

Smooth gold shined brilliantly, a mirrored surface that flashed Tesni's face at her before the surface changed. The view changed in an instant as the mighty measuring stick shot forward and disappaered through the fan, only to emerge through one of the few relatively intact windows in the cafeteria.

The pillar went clean over everyone's heads, smashing into an opposite wall like a rafter was installed far too low in the lofty room.

"You have a fondness for trying to give me the most generous of gifts, but I can not accept your staff. Please, accept these tokens of my esteem as an apology." Leaving the fan to her Host to hold she launched herself atop the pillar then sprang forward, her pipe coming in a downward side slash at the crouched Dynasty Queen just as the first of her gifts came. Gold rained unseen and unasked for, hair clips running through her auburn locks as pins stabbed though lapels and crisp white fabric. Dynasty Queen's feet were prickled, toothpicks carved in loving detail to emulate her spear struck between boot and toe to comprimise her footing.

"My generosity knows neither distance nor obstruction."

---

Okay, let's take this from the top.

For the moment, whatever response Roma had after her was admittedly tuned out by Lupin. Maybe someone should've run what they could about Moonlight Tsubasa to the new girl before dragging her into this hunt. Frankly? This was begining to bore the wolf girl. This wasn't even the genuine article, why the hell are they bothering with idle talk? But, as Lupin eyed Roma's Grimore, and the darkness that gradually became hard to ignore, it seemed she took her suggestion to lay down and die another way.

"What the hell?"

The wolf in red visibly tensed up at the rewritten ending to Roma's story. The corroded shades of black and violet, she was willingly letting the Pageless corrupt her, no doubt gradually eating away at her psyche. And perhaps more, but would Lupin know? "That explains a bit." And the damn rabbit wanted everyone else to follow her example? To fall back to the same creatures that nearly killed Helena?

Celina let a dry chuckle slip out, quietly as to not draw attention to herself. This rabbit was no better than the Pageless. A mindless creature, nothing more than prey. And one she'll enjoy tearing apart.

But for now it looks like she was pulling a reversal on the group. A second barrier darkened the area, only illuminated by the subtle things. And the not so subtle blaze Olivia's friend ignited. Roma was gone, and in her place was a walking mouthpiece. She was going to attack the school. Something hidden in darkness was being made, something most foul. Celina had only fought an Apex Pageless once or twice, but even she knew how much of a pain they are to deal with.

Forget the obvious jab at Ozma, they had to get the hell out of there.

Maria and someone (one of the someones?) Lupin hadn't met yet were staying behind to fight off the Apex, Valeria was getting everyine else out, and Lupin was actually prepared to catch Stripes in her arms this time. She didn't bother joining the rest in the metalmancer's vehicle. The wolf girl sprinted off back to Marywell, passing the...argument? Between Ozma and Valeria?

Okay then. Nope. Not gonna waste time there.

This was the worst, simply the worst. After waiting for a week for some of the students to come to visit her at the library, Eins was utterly disappointed that no one of the newbies came even to ask about her offer —or visit her at all.

Now, on top of that, she was rudely shaken awake by the sound of chaos coming from the cafeteria. As one of the primary supporting magical girls around, she rarely went on night missions and patrols, so Eins could still enjoy a proper sleep schedule However, tonight she was quite literally thrown out of her bed by the impacts of Tesni's strikes, only to find that the school —or at least the dining hall— had turned into Hell on Earth.

In times of crisis, the first response was crucial, and it seems like Eins had already failed on that. She couldn't shake the guilt from that, but at least she could try and do her best to hold the fort while most of the other teachers were out.

Catching the identity of the assailant, and her mode of attack wasn't a hard task. All Eins had to do was run into one of the magical girls who were fleeing the cafeteria in pain. A cursory look at her grimoire —as well as the girl's report— was enough for Eins to understand the situation.

"This is terrible, horrific. How can someone do such a thing to anyone else?" Altering, tuning, revising... The words might vary but ultimately were all the same. Changing a Grimoire was a delicate process, these weren't just pages on a book, they were pretty much an expression of the souls of the magical girls they were bonded with. Forcing such a change on them was... cruel. She saw what could happen to someone with a corrupted grimoire before, she wasn't gonna let that happen to anyone again, even if Eins had to risk her life for it.

"At least, I came here on time. Hold on a little, I'll help you right away." Eins wasn't happy with the idea of applying her tuning in such a harsh way, but if she didn't do anything to patch the damaged girls up, they could very well be beyond help by the time she got to them. With certain reluctance, she pulled a pen from her coat and scribbled something on the girl's rapidly-corrupting grimoire, stopping the spread for the time being. However, that also forced the victims she helped out of their magical girl state. It was only a stopgap —and one Eins hated— but it was necessary all the same. If she could avoid the spread of the corruption, she was certain that she could save them later.

"But first, we must stop this," Eins said as she left many of her nutcracker soldiers taking care of the girls she helped so far and rushed to the ground zero of this invasion — Merrywell's dining hall.

"I don't know who you are, or why you are doing this. But you have to stop it now! What you are doing isn't right. If you insist on it, I'll not hold anything back!" Eins demanded of Roma as she barreled into the half-demolished cafeteria. True to her words, she was holding what looked like a feathery, almost Valkyrian-looking —albeit still Christmas-themed— lance in a hand and the other was pointing right at Roma's feet, atop Tesni's staff. With a command from their creator, her nutcracker soldiers shot a volley of warning shots at the invader, hoping to stop her right in her tracks.

---

After a certain point Roma's words were lost on Nessie, her fiery temper and impatience growing sick and tired of the ramblings of this madwoman. She could appreciate the fact that she was ignorant to years of context that built towards the situation she and her fellow Magical Girls were currently subject to, but as of right now she wasn't going to bother trying to empathise with a philosophy that she could feel stunk to its very core. There was palpable uncertainty and tension within the derelict mall as the group's enemy materialised her Grimoire before her, taking her time to go through its numerous pages at a moderate tempo, almost like she was showing off the countless dark secrets it held behind its ornate cover. Nessie gripped her broomstick tightly, getting progressively more nervous. Sure, she was ready for whatever Roma could throw at her or the group as a whole. But whether she was prepared for it was an entirely different matter here.

Of course, ultimately what really happened was far worse to Nessie than any attack that could've been directed towards her, and Tsubasa's deception of the group to leave Marrywell short-staffed had the girl exclaiming in panic as the gravity of the situation immediately dawned on her.

"Shit, shit, shit!"

Primed and ready to start zipping back the way the group had come with almost the exact opposite energy as the departing trip, she found herself wavering as an observation made by Roma left Nessie bewildered and conflicted. She almost had to do a double take to make sure she heard correctly. Her eyes immediately flickered to Ozma as the other redhead floated overhead on her own broomstick, for a moment unsure of what to say or how to feel. After all, Roma could easily have lied through her teeth or even just bent the truth in order to plant seeds of distrust within the companions of her enemy. But, then again, after everything that had happened thus far today, Nessie was beginning to realise just how little she knew about Ozma. The Crimson Comet remained, and became even more of, a mystery that eluded her above her head, both literally and figuratively. But now wasn't the time for doubts, nor confrontation within the team. Now was the time for everyone to do their part. Far more was at stake than the past.

As Ozma now went to go break the barrier, Nessie checked that her classmates all had a way to escape themselves in the meantime. An increasingly present rumbling and low groaning was more than enough of an indicator to show that Roma hadn't left them without a host, and with the mall now beginning to fall to pieces even more than it had before she was keen to get everyone out.

By the time the massive Pageless had risen to greet the group the barrier locking them in had been broken, and Nessie was ready on her broomstick to move towards the exit with the others. All except one. Her head snapped back towards Maria as she realised the teacher now stood alone, face to face with a behemoth of darkness wielding what could only be described as a weapon straight from the pits of hell. Her heart racing as she realised the imminent danger, Nessie desperately gestured to the senior Magical Girl to join her on the broomstick to escape.

"Miss! Come quickly, we have to get out! We-!"

She stopped right in her tracks, abrupt as anything, as a single warm smile from her teacher back towards her told her all she needed to know. And all that she was willing to find out. Nessie was nervous, fearing for her teacher's safety, but that smile. It was one you couldn't say no to, one that possessed the strength and resolve to see things through. And so, Nessie returned that smile with a nod to boot, silently wishing Maria the best of luck before turning right around and shooting off to join her classmates.

"Fuckin' hurry up lads, we gotta get back!"

Next stop: Marrywell Academy.

Morning Star's attack was powerful - but it was not maxed out. The Apex managed to actually block it with both it's arms as the wall of flames following her came crashing on it like a Tsunami, sending the beast back with a wail of pain. Maria landed back on the ground, but the Pageless was not quite gone yet.

All the while, she had been thinking of the students and how quickly they parted, wondering if maybe she seemed too cold. If she had been, Maria imagined Valeria would tell her when next they'd meet. For now, she had to get rid of this nuisance so she could quickly get back to the Academy and help if help was still needed by that time. Roma truly was despicable. TO do such a thing as target innocent Magical Girls...and yet, Maria felt some sadness for her. In a way, it felt to the blonde teacher like Roma was more lost than evil.

The Apex Pageless next cry brought the fiery Magical girl out of her thoughts. As it charged at her, Maria gave it one last good look - but it changed nothing. She truly could not see in them whatever the twisted Tsubasa did.

"Right."

She stood face to the immense Pageless coming towards her, seemingly gauging it. The two great fiery bat-like wings sprouted from her back once more as Maria crouched, ready to jump. "No holding back..." she whispered to herself taking a breathe in before finally jumping up. She would come crashing through the roof in a fiery display not unlike the eruption of a Volcano, her hell flames following in her wake. If Ozma was anywhere close yet, she would probably know better than to get any closer and move back.

Maria came crashing back down exactly like a comet, stealing Ozma's moniker for a second. The Apex looked up just as Morning Star's fist came in contact with the monster's face and the air around them both caught fire. They both came crashing down to the floor, the impact causing a gigantic explosion of Hellfire all around that reduced everything in the immediate vicinity to ashes - Pageless included.

When Maria stood back up, the whole wing of the mall where they once had been discussing with Roma was reduced to one gigantic charred crater with nothing left in it except for Maria, dead center of it. She caught fire, this time a softer flame, as her clothing melted away and revealed her normal form once more, dressed in her normal 20th century dress and long, blonde hair.

She replaced said hair before turning to an arriving Ozma, whom descended towards her on her broom.
"I hope this will not cause the academy any issues. I only wished to end it quickly so that we can head back to the students. Speaking of which...Miss Clementine, why did you come back? Are the students safe?"

Fortunately, finding out exactly where on the campus Tsubasa and her army of Pageless were attacking wasn’t particularly difficult. You simply had to head towards the source of the terrified screams…

Arriving at the cafeteria, Olivia, Xolys, and (presumably) Suzuya were greeted with the distressing sight of dozens of students fleeing from the building with a tide of Pageless hard on their heels. At least one pair hadn’t been fast enough, and now a cluster of Pageless was dragging them to the ground. With an inhuman roar, Xolys opened his lamprey-like maw and unleashed a swirling blast of unreality at the Pageless, while simultaneously sending two tentacles darting out to wrap tightly around both students and pull them to safety.

“O-Oh, darling…!” Olivia gasped, elegant hands covering her mouth and azure eyes wide with stunned horror as she noticed the dark auras emanating from several of the rescued girls’ Grimoires. “T-This is absolutely awful!”

If the masked maiden herself wished to risk whatever corrupting influence such an invasive process as combining Pageless and Grimoire would engender, that was one thing, but forcing it upon others against their will? That was simply intolerable. It went against everything Olivia believed. Indeed, it was no less dreadful to the azure-clad beauty than when her own family had attempted to forbid her from pursuing her myriad interests just because they thought their preferences were the correct ones. It made her sick.

“Attacking innocent students… Forcibly fusing Pageless with their Grimoires… W-Why would Miss Tsubasa do something like this?!” the fairest of maidens asked her eldritch consort, tears streaming down her lovely face.

“I believe we are seeing the effects of her single-minded fanaticism,” Xolys replied. “If one’s conviction in their own righteousness is strong enough, then they can rationalize virtually any course of action. I fear Miss Tsubasa is not acting out of any malice or ill-will towards these students, but rather a genuine belief that she is actually helping them. Which makes dealing with her all the more difficult,” he added grimly. “If not impossible…”

As he spoke, the Master of Xhar’doth waded into the flood of Pageless and began the process of eliminating them as swiftly as possible. Some were impaled upon spiked tendrils. Others were rent asunder by eldritch energies, or massive, clawed hands, while yet more were sliced apart in a whirlwind of scythed appendages, like vegetables in a blender. Yet on they came, heedless of the eldritch beast’s carnage, as if there truly was no end to them.

Some might have found this troubling, but not Olivia. No, her attention was firmly fixed on where Tsubasa was engaging Tesni in a duel. The masked maiden seemed entirely unconcerned by anything, neither the horrors occurring around her, nor even the vicious attacks of Dynasty Queen upon her person. Perhaps her bond with the Pageless had stripped her of her emotions, or perhaps she simply didn’t care. Either way, Olivia knew she couldn’t remain silent. She had to at least try to get through to her. It was really all she could do…

“Miss Tsubasa!” the blonde beauty called, her anguished, yet still melodious voice ringing out through the clamorous chaos surrounding them. “Please stop this! Can you not see that you’re hurting them?!”, she added, gesturing to where several students writhed on the ground, their bodies enveloped by dark auras. “I thought you wanted to help Magical Girls, not harm them!”

"I WANT TO BE A COOL MAGICAL GIRL! WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP CALLING ME BON-BON?" the prideful roar of Lilac reached Tesni’s ears which couldn’t help bring a grin to her face… even if it was quickly wiped away by Roma’s casual dismissal of her attack.

“I CALL YOU BON-BON BECAUSE I HAVE A HARD TIME REMEMBERING ALL THE SILLY SUPERHERO NAMES WE GET GIVEN AND I THINK BON-BON IS A CUTE NICKNAME I WON'T FORGET! YA EVER HEAR ME CALL MYSELF ‘DYNASTY QUEEN’?! IT UNIRONICALLY MAKES ME CRINGE SO HARD I WANT TO TURN INSIDE OUT! I'LL TRY AND BE BETTER ABOUT IT, OKAY?!” The volume of her voice was less trying to communicate with Lilac, and more trying to vent the frustration.

Every time. Every time this arrogant magical lady kept just diffusing her attacks. This wasn’t working and to make matters worse a shower of trinkets and petty treasures rained upon her restricting Tesni’s movements. Tiny cuts sprouted over her flesh, tiny trickles of blood bubbling to the surface. Each cut sending a spike of rage through her. Tesni’s jaw clicked as she tilted her head. A slow, stuttering, exhale showing how hard she was trying to not just go into a mindless rampage… with no physical outlet instead dark thoughts rose to the surface, cruel thoughts that she wished she could inflict upon this arrogant woman! Method after method running through her mind, until she realised she had to know what Roma wanted if she truly wanted to hurt her, so eyes darting around Tesni tried to piece together what Roma’s goal even was.

It isn’t just destruction. She had been able to get into the school undetected, but the cafeteria isn’t a valuable tactical target. At the very least damaging it won’t hinder overall operations. If it was to inflict fear on the student body, she would have targeted something more prominent on the school ground. More than that, she could have redirected my attack into the crowd, causing a massacre, why didn’t she do that? Her golden staff rapidly shrunk retreating from the Attendant's portal and was back in her hands at a reasonable size, around that of a baseball bat. Vigorous swings sending the ‘gifts’ she was given scattering along the ground even as they continually piled up just in time to meet Roma's attack. Tesni was more than a little shocked that her attack didn't instantly obliterate the pipe Roma was using. The ringing of her staff met clanking pipe over and over again, the rain of trinkets stopping Tesni from simply trying to blow Roma back with overwhelming physical force.

So what does the cafeteria have? Food, but the cafeteria isn’t the source of resources. This is a hub area of student activity regardless of a student’s personal interests… this feels like a dead end… but when is a dead end, not a dead end? When it’s the destination! If the students themselves are the target, then they are somehow important to her… a wicked grin appeared on Tesni’s face… definitely not the grin of a hero. She stabbed her staff behind her at and angle and stamped her foot on the end driving it further in.

“You have a trouble accepting material gifts, but how about 'loving gestures'? Don’t get distracted now!” stubbornly trying to ignore the treasures she was still being peppered with, a cracking sound erupted from the ground. Tesni didn’t simply push off the ground, her staff propelled her forward and rocketing her out of the golden hailstorm. If her weapon had no effect, then she simply wouldn’t attack with her weapon directly. Letting the staff extend faster at the last moment, Tesni’s foot ‘lost’ its grip as she was about to barrel past the invading lady. As it extended past them both, Tesni kicked off the golden pillar and spun, using the still extending staff like a horizontal treadmill to accelerate the mid-air rotation into a blindingly fast roundhouse kick towards Roma’s temple. The staff continuing to grow and carve a gorge in the concrete floor of the cafeteria towards one infected magical girl lying in its path, a consequence of Tesni attacking for speed and power over all else.

Between the clashing of an oversized pipe and the legendary measuring stick of the oceans, Tsubasa's attentions flickered to a new presence that was simply impossible to ignore. The eldritch nightmare that was Olivia's paramour was rather eye catching, but in truth, it was the purity of Olivia herself that the rabbit eared Magical Girl could never ignore. Utterly unguarded in her bearings and words, she highly doubted the girl had ever once seen reason to fib over even something as minor as a second helping of dessert. Before Tsubasa's eyes was a being of love almost but not quite to the point of irrationality, and were there only more of her she'd have never needed to resort to her plan in the first place.

Her plea wrenched at Roma's soul yet her face was locked in a visage of stone, unmoving even in the most turbulent of moments. To know the wrongness of one's own actions even if they were deemed a neccesity didn't not lessen the weight of her sins, and so innocent a cry for mercy seemed to double that burden on her shoulders. Tsubasa exhaled, sparing a glance around herself and determining that she had done enough for now and that she was unlikely to Revise anymore Grimoires before reinforcements arrived.

A rose of scultped gold and lacking any thorns, it's petals open as though frozen at the moment they should fall from the stem, fell into Olivia's hands with non of the menace of what was falling upon Dynasty Queen. It was not worth that which Roma had taken that day but it made a flicker of warmth bloom in her chest to use that power as it was always intended.

Then her Celestial Eyes fell back onto Dynasty Queen after the girl had finished her internal scheming and Tsubasa tensed with horror at the recklessness of the Monkey King. Her intentions were painted with crystal clarity, muscles and movements betrayed even at their most random to one with eyes beyond mortal comprehension, and she needn't turn away to remind herself of who still laid fallen, whimpering and thrashing upon the ground as the Revision put them through pain without comparison.

"You utter fool." Oh how Tsubasa wished to instill the venom she felt into her voice, but it rose not an octave above her flat monotone. She was angry enough to consider serious retalliation but there wasn't the time any longer to play about. Appearing at her side was the Celestial Attendent clad in purple, her green hair already blurring as she moved at the speed of light to answer the reason for her summons. Nary an after image left behind as she scooped up the fallen Magical Girl in Tesni's war path and carried her out to wary the girls already recovered waited in fear outside the shattered cafeteria walls.

The Light of the Mooon was a rather difficult foe to face in a race, of that Tsubasa knew with certainty. Without the fear of a victim behind she fell back, letting both staff and kick sail clean over head as she flattened herself to the ground. A position lacking dignity but affording Dynasty Queen the respect she thought due. Which was to say very little.

"The time for battle draws to an end and it has left as poor a taste as Merrywell's defenses have. Had I not the intent to take everyone alive then I would have robbed you all of an entire generation of Magical Girls in the blink of an eye."

All at once her attendents were at her side, a trio of masked figures helping her to her feet and brushing off the debris stubbornly clinging to her robes. The Reflection of the Moon flashed with moonlight slipping from beneath her mask and Roma stilled, soaking in the atmosphere of Merrywell before her departure. The Pageless broke from their battles even at the cost of their lives, flowing like ink upon a river to clamor upon Tsubasa, a tide of darkness rushing under her robes and swelling her presence with an aura of darkness tinged with forlorn sadness.

"I can never be forgiven for my actions today, and when peace comes upon our unified I will submit to whatever judgement you all may carry out, but from this point forward, the only crimes shall be your own. Choose well."

In a flash of light the raid upon Merrywell ended with the sole aggressor vanishing without a trace and the crash of Dynasty Queen's staff ruining yet another wall.

"Oh, huh, guess we scared her off."

Again, Roma gave into her love for flowery speech before departing. Sensible move on her part. To give her credit, she put them on that wild goose chase so that she could do something like this without Ozma or the class interfering. Her retreating as soon as the students came back was the sensible thing to do. With the Pageless and Roma gone, all Stripes could do was look over the aftermath.

Lupin set her down on some broken tiles, which more than likely were a result of monkey brain's wild swinging than anything else. Actually, Stripes was pretty sure all the damage done to the cafeteria was inflicted by Tesni. It figured, of course. It seemed like everyone holding a grimoire above "Fable" rank believed that it was their job to eliminate Pageless and everyone else's job to clean up after them. Though this rang especially true for ape brain. At least Lilac Shimmer was here. Given her proximity to the fight, she was probably helping people avoid Tesni's wild staff swipes. Maybe if she spent just a bit more time thinking about what she was doing, she'd have hit Roma more than the cafeteria. Did she even hit her target? Stripes didn't really care either way. She knew they weren't going to catch her. But what they had learned was almost more worthwhile.

In a perfect world, Stripes would have been mortified that any of the students had their grimoires amended by Pageless. But given how badly the ministry screwed up today, this was probably the best case scenario. Nobody died, and at worst they'd have to pack their own lunches or find somewhere else to eat.

And Drossel "Christmas Goodhope" The Tuner was here as well, flexing her arcane might. Well, at least some of the faculty had bothered to show up. She kind of looked like she needed a hug. Unfortunate that Stripes wasn't really into that sort of thing.

"So here's the thing, Lupin. The fight is over, but a magical girl isn't done until the scene is normal." Stripes didn't look at her team mate as she surveyed the the area. "We're not carpenters, but we can make sure everyone else is alright." Stripes stepped over rubble and pools of tar to get to Bonnie's position. "Yo." She waved to the lavender magical girl as she approached. "Are you okay?"

Disappearing in a flash of light was both a genuine escape and a parlor trick. Tesni had already tasted the Reflection of the Moon's power to commute between reflective surfaces, and amidst the glass paned metropolis of London that in and of itself was enough to rapidly move without difficulty. But to escape the walled academy required a surface of their own already in place, far from the reach of pesky monkeys.

Tsubasa stood atop a disc of shimmering silver, the UFO gliding with ease along the london sky on a rare sunny day. She cast a look back at Merrywell, seeing where she stood through the myriad holes Dynasty Queen had made, though the spectacle of a striken Merrywell was eclipsed by the monstrous fire she saw at her mall hideout. "What a shame. I had been enjoying that art supply store."

The Light of the Moon perked it's head up, reaching into her sleeve and pulling free several tubes of oil pants she waved like a child presenting their haul of candybars. Her peers tittered, soft sounds of amusement filtering through the air while Tsubasa felt her tense muscles relax and settle in to enjoy a tranquil ride over the horizon before looking for a new hideout.

Her pleasant stop at the shop comes to a violent end when a large explosion is heard above. Below Tsubasa a smoldering hole appeared in her flying saucer, which was beginning to teeter off and drift into a building.

A crafted howitzer had fired from below, launching mortar and destroying any plans of a tranquil ride. A large tank crawled across the road like a beetle with rapid speed, large headlights glaring down the villainous Magical Girl as there was one force she had not yet been able to elude or outwit.

"Ze American is here!" Valeria hissed, on the top of her tank as she aimed down her golden revolver towards the girl. "By order of the Academy, I'm taking you in! Dead or alive, it's going to end here for me or you!"

Valeria knew how to make an introduction. She had spotted Tsubasa just as she had left Merrywell, her saucer not the easiest thing to hide as it trailed through the sky. The emboldened magical gunslinger armed with the protective spell Ozma had given to her took it upon herself to challenge the villain alone. The least she could do for the students she was not able to protect.

She'd kick herself for fighting for the Academy, but she'd tell herself she's doing it for Ozma.

The four passengers jolted upwards and the Attendants clung to each other, pantomiming desperate prayer as they felt the saucer teeter down to the earth with increasing speed. Given Roma's lacadasical reaction to sudden artillery fire they weren't begrudged their theater and she peered down at a Magical Teacher who seemed just as destructive as Dynasty Queen. "At least she admits it."

"You three can enjoy a rest while I deal with this. Consider this your vacation." The Celestial Rabbit gave them a nod before stepping off the side of the plummeting craft as it hobbled on towards the Thames. In free fall, a streak of color robes flapping in the breeze as she angled towards the tank and the revolver toting Magical Girl, her fan snapping out to the side and opening. The fin caught the wind and began to spin, accelerating into a drill that came crashing down till the precise moment she snapped the fan closed and choped down directly onto the barrel of Val's tank.

"As the only teacher who has deigned to try and stop me, I accept this challenge."

All the while as Tsubasa approached down to confront the teacher she is being fired on by a machine gun placement on the rim of the tank's hatch. Her fan turned drill saw cracked off the end of the gun but Valeria had plenty of explosives toys to bring to bear against her dangerous opponent.

Several bursts of shotgun fire launched off to the magical girl's chest as the German refused to hold back. Her arms working themselves up a hot steam as she simply salvages metal from the tank to be compressed into guns and ammo. Explosive shells cast forward and Valeria jumped off the hull to continue her pursuit.

"This is for all the girls you've terrorized!" Another shot. "This one is for calling me an American!" She'd empty the magazine and discharge the last canister.

The ceaseless firing in the truest American spirit was a hinderance that had the Eel's tense, body moving constantly as she tracked the trajectories of of the many barrels and found even with presience there was precious little to be done with so many vectors and further spreads of shotgun pellets. The racket of shot pinging off her splayed fan was defeaning, guarding her head while her body felt tenderized beneath her robes.

"I may have terrorized them but I've killed far fewer then you lot ever shall." The rabbit let her gifts fall upon Val, and unlike Dynasty Queen there are ample opening that did not due well when being blocked with golden obstructions. Jamming barrels and sticking pins in the exposed joints of Val's limbs, Tsubasa chose to endure the pummeling till she knew the guns would draw silent and rush in to introduce her fan to Val's face.

Valeria doesn't go unscathed. She'd take Tsubasa's cheeky assault and even as her weapon fell from a jammed left arm, she wouldn't stop using her own body as a weapon. Jettisoning forward with rocket powered boots she'd slam into Tsubasa, a free right arm crushing her fan with powerful metal hands that shred the fabric. There is no need for guns where rocket powered fists that pummel into the Light of the Moon.

"Enough tricks and bullshit!" Valeria said, face to face with the villain. "I've not killed a single girl! I've held myself back! I know full damn well what magical girls can be capable of and what myself as a German is capable of! I'll never stoop to that low, I'll never force violence upon others or make them do something against their will! I'm not a psycho like you are!"

With that said, the girl attempted to pin the witch against the pavement. All the while her tank still rolling forward on its treads without a pilot and threatening to crush them both underneath...

"You surrender now. I'm not budging. We'll go together, I'll make sure of it..." The girl snarled in a bitter tongue, prepared to go as far as needed to fullfill her promise.

Tackled to the pavement in the most brutish of fashions, Tsubasa considered the resolve of the girl astride her and didn't find it wanting. The rain of gold obstructions ceased and hear ears quirked curiously as she settled beneath the teacher.

"Hmm, perhaps you are one of the better ones. Though abandoning your duties just to kill little old me may say otherwise, I will assume you are incensed by my slanderous remarks to your nationality." The rabbit deflated, admiting defeat with grace and far too much ease. But it wasn't like Val knew what she had kept up her robe and she saw no great loss in yielding one worth at least a modicum of respect.

"I yield, Krieger."

Valeria stared down her prey. The fire in her eyes and that inflamed her heart still burning, demanding for a bloody catharsis. Reason finally cooled her off, and with her remaining arm she'd have the tank dissassembled and returned to her living grimoire before it could crush the pair. Quick metal cuffs are latched around Tsubasa's wrists and ankles to prevent an immediate escape. She'd force the villain to her feet while shaking out the golden bits in her arm to restore its functionality.

"Yeah and maybe there's something still good inside of that wicked heart of yours. We'll find out about both of us won't we?"

Valeria would make sure none of her attendants interferred as she kept a weapon trained on the villain's back, forcing her to march back into the tank to be returned to the academy she had just ransacked.

Lilac herself cringed when her declaration made under Roma's influence was answered to, but she couldn't help but frown too. Silly superhero names? That was what Tesni thought of magical girl names? Names were important.. She got decked in the face by some tentacled pageless- Ok, but not important right now, as she threw the pageless over her shoulder.

Ethereal Rose's words stirred more than a few hearts, Lilac's not the least among them. They gave her hope. Maybe Rose would be the one to shine today like Nessie had before. Lilac steeled herself, readying to call Joyouse. She'd have to do her part to set the stage for the Magical Girl's triumph!

And then she saw Tesni and Moonlight Tsubasa's last clash. Tesni had just forced the bad guy to save innocents? Was she just careless? Or was this...

Camelot had been right. There was something wrong about Tesni. She didn't need to be an Alter or have an Altered Grimoire. Surpassed by her roommate even still, Camelot had been able to see what lurked in Tesni in minutes while Lilac had closed her eyes for a whole week.

"I suppose that's it then.." Lilac took a breather, leaning over, as finally the situation calmed down in the cafeteria. Grimoires were altered, people were hurt, but those things were now static rather than a disaster in progress. Teachers seemed to be attending those affected by Roma's attack, Drossel could surely do something. There was still more to be done but... Maybe... Maybe she could be forgiven for letting herself be overcome now. Lilac felt so desperately spent. Moonlight Tsubasa was an evil monster, yes. But the school harbored plenty who didn't need any help from the Pageless.

It took Lilac a minute to realize Stripes was talking to her, the sound not quite doing the trick and only once Stripes came closer did Lilac recognize. Someone was even asking if she was ok. "I'm... Ok. I just need a minute. Thanks." Lilac ran a hand through her hair, just to make sure everything was alright. Yeah. If someone was asking how she felt, as someone who was still standing, then things had to be ok now. Just for a bit.

And so Lilac left the scene, in slow, broken steps, exhausted more from the heart than the battle with the Pageless.

Lilac made it back to her dorm, though so close to the cafeteria, it felt so distant. Nothing was amiss here, and she felt safe to end her transformation, no matter how foolish it might have been. Bonnie plopped down on her bed, and turned to face Camelot's. So many things she had done wrong. So many things she wished she could say. Had said. Her fingers gripped tight on the sheets.

Why was the story playing out like this? There had to be some way to turn this around.

"Olivia..." Lilac's mind latched onto to that one bright moment of hope. After a while, she pulled herself out of bed and began to write a letter.

Dear Olivia

I wanted to thank you for your words during the battle with Moonlight Tsubasa. It's been a dark day for all of us today, but, your shining heart as you spoke those words provided something to believe in. You spoke like a Magical Girl when I felt like an exhausted girl who just happened to have magical powers. Thank you. And Xolys too!

We've never been on the same team together, so I don't know you very well. But I'd like to know you better! You and lots of the other girls. I know it sounds weird to invite people to a party after everything that's happened but, I just can't let it end like this, in darkness and despair. Would you be open to a sleepover after we've got this all straightened out?

Putting her thoughts into ink somehow lifted a weight from Bonnie's shoulders, and she rose to slip her letter into Olivia's room, before returning to the scene of the disaster to continue lending what aid she could.

The mall became a smoldering wreck, more so than it already was. That much was to be expected with Maria finally transforming in who knew how long. Still, the place was already abandoned. From a tactical standpoint it wiped out Roma’s potential hiding spot, Ozma reasoned in her head. If she wanted to come back, she’d have to find a new base of operations. Maybe their faux mission wasn’t so fruitless after all? Of course, none of that mattered if any of the students were hurt. The Crimson Comet appeared in the lingering embers of Maria’s flames.

Still on her broom and having kept her distance from the teacher’s fight, she weaved her hands in motions as red runes and cast spells came forth to put out any remaining fires Maria started as well as fix any damage that seemed too obvious. It would be just their luck humans discovered the existence of Magical Girls. “I came back because Valeria asked me to. And to make sure you were alright,” Ozma finally said. Mentally of course. Maria could handle herself.

“The students are protected. I trust Valeria to keep them safe.” A pause. “You can yell at me all you like about all this. After we finish our work. I suspect we’ll have our hands busy for a while now.” Her trademark smirk returned, more so to save face than anything else but it grew wider and genuine as she heard the rumbling shot of a boom in the distance. It sounded like one of Valeria’s tanks. “Besides, I think you’ll want to have a word with the culprit more than me anyway. Let’s head back to the school.” And head back they would.

The scenery that greeted them on Marrywell’s grounds was to be expected. It was bittersweet. On one hand, there in lay the destruction and damage, the many Magical Girls afflicted with a poison to their Grimoires no doubt by Roma’s hand. Ozma’s expression steeled momentarily at the sight. Whether it was distress or rage or perhaps even familiarity; it was difficult to say but her gaze remained vigilant. But the closer she observed, the more positives she found.

As it would turn out, Roma truly was crazy enough to attack the Grand Ministry on her own. The end result showed there wasn’t actually that much damage, at least any caused by her own hand. Ozma suspected Tesni was probably involved in some way; the Dynasty Queen could hold a terrible grudge. Whatever Pageless Roma summoned were since left slain by older Magical Girls and even those touched by her perverse Grimoire altering were tended to by Drossel the Tuner. Those first victims were already making a slow but steady recovery, their stories maintained under the librarian’s careful hand and tutelage in skill.

What was perhaps the most uplifting sight was Roma herself, carted and brought in by Valeria. The German easily made it back to the school before Ozma and Maria, as if to bring swift judgement for the sins Roma committed just an hour or so ago. Still, the entire scene, as hopeful as it was, remained off putting. “Go and help the students,” she told Maria, already moving to apprehend Roma with Valeria. Did Marrywell even have a holding center for the insane Magical Girl? It had been so long, Ozma almost forgot if they did.

Still, even this close to the out of touch girl, it wasn’t Roma’s presence that unnerved her. No, it was rather the lack of one. Where was she? Of all times to answer her school’s calls and actually do something for once…where was the Grand Minister? A familiar annoyance furrowed Ozma’s features. Now, more than ever, Marrywell, no, every Magical Girl present needed their forthcoming leader in these trying times-

“Have no fear my dear wizard. I am here.”

The Crimson Comet glanced to the school’s main officer where the Grand Minister usually made her residence. There, stepping down from the steps; there she was. Her presence was enough to make other Magical Girls pause, some outright puzzled and others jabbing each other in collecting bets that their leader was, in fact, actually real. Ozma swore the sun shined just a little brighter with each word she spoke.

“Ahhh….what’s become of my school?" the Grand Minister said with a smile. Clearly, she already knew the answer.

---

"Oh."

Yikes. That rough huh? Stripes wasn't close to Lilac, but that had to be one of the least convincing attempts to look strong Stripes had ever seen. Not that she really blamed her. Dynasty Queen was quite the handful when a fight broke out, and Roma likely wasn't too fun to fight. The right ally could make a fight easier and harder. Stripes was blessed and cursed with a grimoire that made teamwork less than ideal, but she could relate to being stuck in a fight with unreliable team mates. Then there was just the horror of the situation. Had any of them seen a magical girl get her grimoire corrupted by a pageless before? Unlikely.

She supposed it would be best to start cleaning up. But before she did...

_@McFazzer

Stripes dragged her feet over to Dynasty Queen.

"Wow." The lethargy in her voice was only matched by her tired steps. "You did this?" She looked around, not once making eye contact with Dynasty Queen. "It doesn't matter how hard you strike unless you hit them. You know that, right?" With a shrug of her shoulders, Stripes started to pile up the rubble. "Might wanna practice that hand eye coordination."



It all happened so fast...

One minute, Lilac was charging into the fray while Dynasty Queen was fighting Roma. Then in what felt like a few seconds Drossel showed up to start stabilizing the infected girl's grimoires. It seemed like the missing class teleported back to Marrywell Academy. And then as soon as Xol attacked, Roma teleported away, only to be intercepted by Val. And then Ozzy ran into Val, what were the odds!? During all this the Apex Pageless was sundered in a single burning attack by Mar-Star! It was so much to take in, and while Mika's sword may know and see almost everything, she was still only a human that needed time to process the information. She let her sword slide into its sheath before sticking the tip of her thumb in her mouth. It was just a tick of hers, something she tended to do when she was thinking.

But the sort version of all this was that everything worked out fine without any long term problems for Marrywell.

"Guess that's over... For now!" Mika sheathed her sword. With a snap of her fingers, her clones all dove into portals. With everyone back at the academy it felt silly to keep her clones on the lookout, especially with the "mastermind" apprehended. She also reverted back to her original form. It was a little disappointing that Roma hadn't realized she was making fun of her by turning into a Japanese pink-haired bunny person. But even when she laid waste to the pageless, she didn't seem to care very much about it. If Mika had to guess, Roma wasn't crazy and had a real motive behind all this. She certainly didn't care that much about the pageless once the fighting broke out. It was almost like the real motive was just to infect as many grimoires as she could before departing. But there was no reason to speculate. They had apprehended Roma, so getting the truth out of her wouldn't be too hard.

Well, she had other people to pester.

_@KoL

"Strudel!" Mika ran up to Drossel and hugged her. "We were able to scare away the bad guy, and then Val and Ozzy caught her!" The horrorling might have helped contribute to that too, as well as the rest of the class showing up. "It's out of season, but we should have some nog to celebrate!" And with that, she released Drossel and moved closer to one of the students.

_@McFazzer

"Sorry about earlier." She placed a hand on Dynasty Queen's shoulder. Her tone was hushed, barely more than a whisper. With everyone talking amongst themselves or zoning out, it was unlikely anyone but Tesni could hear Mika's words. "You said you could solve all of your problems with brute force, so I was interested in seeing what would happen if I left you to your own devices. I would have stepped in if things got bad, but you handled yourself well enough. I'd like to talk to you later about how this fight made you feel. That is, if you want to."

Many of the students and faculty reacted to the Grand Minister's presence the way a flower would react to sunlight. They stood up a bit straighter and leaned towards their leader's invisible radiance. Whatever sort of plant Mika seemed to be was more suited to shade however, as she scoffed at her timely appearance.

"Of course you do." Mika folded her arms behind her back. "Don't hold us in suspense, Miss Marywell. We may live forever but time is of the essence."

While Mika had cute pet names for everyone, she had only ever cared to call Merlin by her last name in the most formal manner possible.