[IC] Arcana et Anathema [Urban Fantasy][Dark]

[Ariamis]

Akibahara: the city of hope and despair. Both blessed and cursed, the city has the highest average in educational prowess, and the highest rate of committed suicides in Japan. The shining skyscrapers and the dark alleys beneath them share the same sky and people, coexisting and joined together like a spiral helix of life. It is here where our story begins, and where the stage is set for the destiny of the chosen to unfold.

A lone girl was watching the setting sun from the rooftop of a white, majestic school building, and saw how the city was cast in a sombre shine of gold.
Her long, black hair weaved in the light breeze as her purple eyes looked down on the city like a pair of glittering jewels. The girl's clothing was compact, yet stylish: Her black tights were sided by purple diamond-shaped patterns. Her skirt-and-shirt combination also had triangular designs and decorated with a purple bow on the chest, but was not very complex otherwise. It resembled the style of the local school's school uniforms, but it had a dark, mystical quality to it.

She saw how certain kids of this school came down the streets in groups or alone, smiling and laughing as they passed through the open door of the school. She sighed quietly, and continued looking at the sunset, a look of unyielding determination in her eyes.

A short moment later, she heard the group behind her, and turned around to see a group of kids coming up the stairs. Among them were Nora Kiddo, Yami Ishida, Kaede Imori, Hotaru Mitsuho and a blue-haired girl that just arrived. The kids did not expect to meet this girl who was the same age as they were, and the blue-haired girl asked: "Are you Qubus?"

A moment of silence passed when the mysterious girl looked at the group, until she finally said in a cold, emotionless voice: "So, it seems that you have decided to become Magic Knights then." You could see a purple jewel embedded on the backside of her hand, and understood that she was not the white ferret that summoned you here. She flipped her hair.

"Fools."

[RainDash]

As Nora climbed up the steps, she was trying to figure out the downside of being a Magic Knight. Magic powers, she could wish to never die -but word the wish way more carefully, if she said that, she'd stay thirteen forever, and that would be a bummer- and fight monsters. There really wasn't any better offer. Nora tried to imagine her Magic Knight armor as she walked, and wondered if it would be black. She liked black.

Then they reached the roof. The girl there was decked out in dark colors and a fancy school uniform. Nora noticed the jewel on her hand just as the blue haired girl next to her stupidly asked if she was Qubus. Yes, that is exactly what a magical white ferret would look like if it was human. Nora silently replied to the dumb question. The girl was obviously a Magic Knight, which they would be when they made their wishes. She wondered if she should be concerned about what the others were going to wish for. Nora decided that it didn't matter to her.

Nora was straight faced until the girl called them fools. When she did, Nora smiled. She was calling them fools when she made the same choice they did. To escape the bland dumbness that was living and dying. Nora had no assumptions that she'd be tough, but she had every intention to survive. She always survived, and now she had the chance to live and she wasn't about to let this slip away from her. Nora started to laugh, at first trying to muffle it with her hand, then just giving in and laughing until she fell to her knees.

"If we're fools, then you must be the jester of the whole darned thing! I mean, you chose this like us and now you're just scared to be out of a job now that we're on the scene!" Nora laughed and laughed, until she regained her mask. "Don't worry, I'll try not to fight side by side with you. Wouldn't want to show my seniors up."

Nora hoped that her outburst wouldn't be answered by a magic blast that would kill her. It was just… this girl was so serious, but the situation was ironic. A Magic Knight telling them that they were fools for making the same choice as her. Nora wondered what the other girl had wished for, if she was calling them fools and whatnot.

[Englandlied]

Whilst ascending the stairs, Kaede grinned in amazement of the group. There was Nora, a rather quiet person that Kaede recognized by her green hair. Kaede had never actually met the young girl and only knew she was a source of entertainment in the classroom. Yami was also present, which Kaede chuckled at: The class clown and the bluntest man on earth? This could be TV-show-comical... The chuckle was short lived as Kaede took notice of Hotaru, a small girl almost frightfully gaunt. She's going to be a Magic Knight? I think I could crush her just by leaning on her! Whatever Qubus had seen in Hotaru, Kaede was quite ignorant to it. Finally, there was a blue-haired girl Kaede couldn’t recognize. These are the people I'm going to be fighting with. That wish doesn't seem worth it anymore... It was then that she recalled how badly she wanted the wish, the wish to be free from guilt. Happiness and glee would be hers at last!

When the group reached the rooftop, the ambush of a falling sun struck Kaede in the eye and forced a wince from her. There was, of course, the awful smell of gasoline, released in small plumes from the cars below that many of them had come to know so well, as if it were a gassy nostalgia. When she adjusted to the sudden gleam, Kaede made out a young girl at the edge, a purple jewel engraved into her hand. Kaede gave an awkward look before the blue-haired girl spoke up and asked if she was Qubus. The girl on the edge, ordained with purple, was less than friendly to the bunch of them. A sudden scowl overtook Kaede, and she was prepared to bark back until Nora spoke up first. Then, silence. A short gust of wind flew by, sweeping Kaede’s hair as she stood in surprise of the class clown’s outburst.

Kaede’s scowl turned into a grin as she stepped forward and laughed, “She’s got a point! You even dress like a jester!” She stayed erect, confident that wherever she was, Qubus wasn't going to allow this purple-clad woman lay a finger (or spell?) on any of them. It may have been the promise that she would receive her wish today, but she felt outright cocky. When Kaede looked deeper into the purple-clad girl’s eyes, however, a shiver went up her spine for a quick moment until she quickly regained her composure and continued, “Now, where’s that wish-granting ferret?” Despite her facial expression, Kaede's fists were clenched in her pockets, embarrassed that the purple-clad girl had startled her with a gaze.

[TaliPaendrag]

Finding out that others had been approached by the white ferret-like creature named Qubus had been a bit of a surprise to Hotaru. And not so much because it was improbable as it was the fact that she knew of them from school, though she had never really personally interacted with any of them. Regardless, there wasn't much conversation on the way up the staircase to the roof of the building; everyone seemed to be focused on having their wish granted and what it would all entail.

When the group stepped onto the roof, the first thing each of them noticed was the girl with long black hair and wearing a strange school uniform sitting on the edge of the roof, apparently having been staring out over the city before she turned to the group. The purple gem in her hand glittered softly in the light, which made it rather easy to notice. The blue-haired girl with them asked if she was Qubus, which, while Hotaru doubted it, could theoretically be possible. If the ferret could grant wishes, who was to say that he couldn't shapeshift as well?

Any possibility of the girl being Qubus in a different form was struck down as she called them all fools, causing Hotaru to frown. The girl with the green hair, Nora if Hotaru remembered correctly, seemed to find it rather amusing, falling to her knees in a fit of laughter before turning the comment back onto the girl wearing the purple clothes. Kaede, the other girl in their group, seemed to take courage from Nora's response, adding onto it before asking where Qubus was. Yami, the only boy in their group, had so far remained quiet, which honestly wasn't all that unusual of him according to what Hotaru had heard of him.

While Hotaru didn't support the comments or reactions of the taller girls in the group, she also understood that they weren't unwarranted. The girl in purple had started it after all, with her less than friendly demeanor and calling them fools. “Are you going to explain why we're fools, or are you just going to leave us wondering?” she asked, stepping forward so as to draw the girl's attention. “If not, then you might as well leave. There's no point in trying to convince us to give up our wishes when you have no reason for us to do so.”

[Ariamis]

RainDash said "If we're fools, then you must be the jester of the whole darned thing! I mean, you chose this like us and now you're just scared to be out of a job now that we're on the scene!" Nora laughed and laughed, until she regained her mask. "Don't worry, I'll try not to fight side by side with you. Wouldn't want to show my seniors up."

Englandlied said “She’s got a point! You even dress like a jester!”

The girl did not react to what the two of you said. In fact, it seemed as if she expected every word. It was impossible to gauge what she was thinking by the look of her face, but it was clear that she did not act like your average 14-year-old.

"The work of a Magic Knight is never done," the girl said, her stoic demeanour continuing to exude an air of uneasiness in your group. "In that regard, I have no fear. However, I am grateful for your consideration. It is an admirable quality about you; one I hope you will keep to in your coming hardships." The girl turned away.

"However, if you wish to mock me, then so be it. After all, I am also a fool who won't abandon her hope."

TaliPaendrag said “Are you going to explain why we're fools, or are you just going to leave us wondering?” she asked, stepping forward so as to draw the girl's attention. “If not, then you might as well leave. There's no point in trying to convince us to give up our wishes when you have no reason for us to do so.”

The girl turned back to Hotaru. Her expression didn't change when she talked to the shortest member of the group.

"You are right; I am not going to interfere with any of your contracts. The only reason I am here is because I am expecting someone..."

It was then that another girl's voice could be heard from the stairs. The girl with the tomboyishly short blue hair that was with your group turned back to the stairs and said: "Oh there you are, Sakura. What took you so long?"

"Sorry, Tomoyo. I dropped my bag and had to retrieve it." A pink-haired, shorter than average girl wearing red ribbons appeared from the stairs.

"This time, huh..." The black-haired girl whispered under her breath.

"Wha-Nagako? What are you doing here? And what's with that costume?" Sakura asked.

"Wait, Sakura, you know who this creep is?" Tomoyo asked in a befuddled manner.

"Sure. She's in the same class as we are."

"Oh yeah, now that I think about it...you're the new exchange student from yesterday." She pointed at at the Magic Knight.

"That is correct," Nagako said, and then turned towards Sakura. She stared at her intensely.

"Sakura Maizono, do you value your life?"

"Wha-"

"Do you value the life of your family, or your friends?"

"I...Uh..."

"Because if you do...you will never become a Magic Knight."

[TaliPaendrag]

The girl didn't seem to be affected much by Nora and Kaede's insults, seeming to consider their insults unimportant. In fact, she seemed to compliment Nora, which made her even stranger. It was one thing to ignore name-calling, and quite another to compliment the person who was calling you names. Then she turned her gaze on Hotaru, who fidgeted despite herself, and explained the real reason she was there on the rooftop of the school. It was a bit of a strange coincidence that she was waiting for someone on the same rooftop where they were to meet Qubus, so Hotaru wasn't sure how much she bought of that story.

She didn't have time to dwell on it, however, as a girl with pink hair emerged on the stairs. The blue-haired girl seemed to know her, calling her Sakura and asking what had taken her so long. Sakura responded by calling the blue-haired girl Tomoyo and explained that she had forgotten her bag and had had to go back to get it. Before anything else happened, Sakura looked to the girl with black hair in surprise, calling her Nagako. From her and Tomoyo's testimony, Nagako was a transfer student that had just come to the school.

So, now everyone knows each other, Hotaru thought, a bit overwhelmed by just how strange everything that was occurring was. Especially as Nagako began grilling Sakura about if she valued the lives of herself, her friends, and her family. It seemed as though she was also speaking to Hotaru with those questions, and Hotaru couldn't help but find herself curious into what the point of it all was. When it became clear what that point was, Hotaru couldn't keep quiet.

“Isn't the point of becoming a Magic Knight to protect those around you from the evil that Qubus spoke of,” she asked, a tad bit of indignation coloring her voice. “To me it sounds like valuing the lives of those you are close to would be the perfect motivation for becoming a Magic Knight.” So far, it seemed like nothing Nagako had said had many any sense. She gave no explanation for the statements she made, but tried to sound like the group should agree with her anyway. Hotaru wondered if the others thought the same way; they had been pretty quiet apart from Nora and Kaede's initial response. But she didn't think that they were honestly considering what Nagako had said.

[RainDash]

"Tch. Being a Magic Knight ain't for the weak hearted. There's a reason they're called magic KNIGHTS after all. I mean, if you've got nothing to lose, might as well go for the wish. Don't have any stupid ideas about 'saving people' though. I mean, wishes are nice an' all, but don't get any stupid ideas. Stupid ideas will get you killed, right?" Nora looked at the veteran before her, Nagako, she figured from what Sakura said. "I mean, you're callin' us all fools for unlimited power, but let's face it. Reality's a pretty awful and cold mistress who doesn't give two craps about us living or dying. So, if you all are done worrying about this crap, let's get on with the wishing."

Nora wasn't an idiot. She could tell that this girl... this Magic Knight was up to something. To not care about the rest of them, but to suddenly swap over to protective caring mother mode when this Sakura girl showed up, then something was at foot. Then again, did Nora particularly care? The answer was a resounding no. This girl was, quite frankly, quite rude and standoffish. For all Nora cared, this girl could just jump off the roof and vanish into thin air. Didn't mean Nora wasn't going to see if she would be alright, but she wouldn't be unhappy to see a splat on the ground either.

"Now, where's that fluffy weasel? I don't have time to spend on a stupid jester with a dumb hero complex." Nora looked around for the white weasle. While it escaped her sight for now, she wanted to find it soon. She'd have to explain to the dumb creature that she did not want to look like a dumb jester with an outfit like Nagako's. She just looked ridiculous with her gem on her hand and her empty eyes. What had she seen to make her so hollow anyway? Qubus never said exactly what they were going to fight or do, and now that Nora could see a Magic Knight up close and personal, she was suddenly bursting with questions. Not nearly bursting enough to blurt them out like a elementary student, but the questions piled up inside her all the same.

[Ariamis]

TaliPaendrag said
“Isn't the point of becoming a Magic Knight to protect those around you from the evil that Qubus spoke of,” she asked, a tad bit of indignation coloring her voice. “To me it sounds like valuing the lives of those you are close to would be the perfect motivation for becoming a Magic Knight.”

Tomoyo stepped forward. "Hey, what's the big idea? She hasn't done anything to you. Why are you threatening her like this?" She was visibly infuriated with the mysterious girl.

Nagako was about to speak again when a voice rang out in the distance.

"Hold it right there!"

An older girl wearing a yellow costume swung from a nearby rooftop and jumped between Nagato and Sakura. She wore a very stylish costume consisting of a short, yellow skirt lined with brown, brown corset, white shirt and a beret with a tuft of fur and a bright jewel as an accessory. The girl's blond hair was styled into a pair of spirals that came out as looking very regal, yet also carefree due to their short length. Qubus was riding on her shoulder.

"No..." Nagako quickly whispered.

"Well, I've never seen you before. You aren't from round these parts?"

"You could say that," Nagako responded with her usual cold tone. She obviously tensed up by the older girl's presence.

She took a quick look at the group.

"I'm going to leave now."

"Just like that? And we were just getting to start to know each other," the girl in yellow said.

Nagako turned around. She took one last look at Sakura, and then she jumped.

You looked down into the street, but found no signs of her.

"Sorry about that, I was worried that she was about to attack you for a second there," The girl said as a bright light suddenly consumed her and she was suddenly wearing regular clothes.

"What just happened?" Sakura said, still trying to grasp at the events that just unfolded.

"Well, for starters, she made some very mean threats to you, that's for sure." Tomoyo said, obviously missing the point.

"You're safe now, so no worries. I'm Mimi Ikusaba, a Magic Knight. Pleased to meet you."