Ariamis

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

@Majoras End
Next post will start the timeskip period for a week IC, during which collabs set in ambiguous time may be posted.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

Lily looked back, and her eyes widened in shock upon realizing what she had done in her panic attack: leaving Alex behind as she rushed forward with treating Mika in the Overcity, having nearly done the same to Su.
”Ah! Alex!” She shouted, struggling to wave to him while carrying Mika. She saw how he had taken more bestial features with his magic, and then facepalmed; she felt like crying right then and there from how idiotic she felt.
”I’m sorry, Alex! I thought you were running out of mana after the big fight so I panicked and didn’t think things through and you had to use more mana just to catch up and-Oh, here! Please help her!” She went into an anxiety-induced rambling, only to stop by offering Mika to Alex, allowing him to work his Reinforcement spells.

Fortunately, Alex still had enough mana to mend Mika's injuries, though thanks to Lily’s blunder he was now running low. Lily was fully aware of this, and was quiet as Tetrad and Silhouette guided the group towards the magical district, looking miserable. The group did not see any Ascendancy agents on their way, though they did eyes on them, watching from the crowds and alleys. Eventually, they found the Winged Monarch Artificing, a shop specialized in selling magical products. Just as Veronica promised the two Cradle agents, the owner held up on her word and allowed them to use the portal hidden beyond the back room, granting them passage back to Penrose.

”So, I guess this is where we’ll part ways” Lily spoke, though it came out more as a half-hearted mumble more than actual words. She looked at Mika.
”Sorry for not letting Alex heal you right away, Mika. I assumed things in a rush, and now I feel really bad for messing up. I’ll buy you ice cream once things have calmed down, I promise.”
She addressed Su and Tetrad next.
”And I was so caught up in trying to help, I caused more trouble for you as well. I’m sorry, Su.” She took Tetrad’s wrinkly hand.
”Grandma Tetrad, I should have listened to you. But I was, how do you say it, ‘ok boomer’ about it, and ignored you. I’m sorry for it.”

Finally, she turned to Alex, looking embarrassed.
”Alex, If I’m ever gonna do something stupid like this, please stop me.”
She averted her eyes, her face having turned a beet red.
”Sometimes, I act before thinking, and it causes more problems than it solves.”

---

Violet ignored Sophia’s initial hostility, having only given her a dismissive glance, perhaps because she didn’t expect the pirate girl to attack based on the calmness of her comrades. However, she did make a heavy sigh as Hilaria initially refused their gracious offer.
”Is that so?” She asked with an evil smile, her arms crossed and nose upturned. But then, when she requested something to eat, she lifted her eyebrow, looking mildly surprised.
”Uhh...Sure? I promise you will have something to eat.” When met with Amaryllis’ response, the rest of the squad seemed surprised, and whispered among each other, only to be stopped by Violet signalling with her hand. She rolled her eyes and added: ”Ok, good food it is then. Maybe FanFan has stashed cookies or something for her tea party.”

She let Hilaria consider her offer as she addressed Sophia.
”First of all, you need to work on your linguistics skills, buccaneer; I can hardly understand a word you say because of that accent. Secondly, this request was only given for the Eternal. If anybody is to be catered to, it is only her.” She stepped closer to Amaryllis with her fists resting on her hips, to the point she was now looking up at the taller, more shapely girl; their appearances were as contrasting as the sun from the moon. Even so, the petite girl exuded complete confidence and assertiveness, without a hint of embarrassment.
”The rest of you are irrelevant.”

Hilaria was surprised to see that Amaryllis made such an interesting (and tempting) offer. But these girls weren’t exactly the accommodating type. She was probably lucky they even bothered to agree to a small demand like her own. “Ah, don’t you worry yourselves about Hilaria~! Things will be okay~” She assured Amaryllis and Sophia. “Hilaria would love to eat with you once she’s done with these guys if you’ll have her~”

Delphi spoke up. “To answer your questions, this world is impure and tainted with darkness. If left to grow, it would consume this world in chaos and destruction. You also carry this corruption within you. Therefore, you must be purified if you are to be free of your curse.”
”As for the Cardinal’s intentions, that is for her and only her to know. But know this: it is a great honor for her to invite a remnant like you.” She looked at Hilaria.
”Do you accept these terms?”

Hilaria recalled many times when people were persecuted for ‘just’ causes because they happened to be different from others. That difference was always ‘evil’ or in some way bad, so people would then claim it was okay that they did what they did. The Ascendancy was a mirror reflection of the Beacon that Hilaria knew back then. They were willing to harass and abuse a DMG on sight. Only back then, there was no ‘cure’, so that left only one option for them.

“Cookies~?” Hilaria seemed ecstatic. “Mmm, as long as there’s lots, then Hilaria will go to meet your mom, or whoever~!”

”Hmph.”
With a lift of her hand, Violet ordered the Ascendancy squad to lower their weapons.
”Delphi, call an extraction. And send a message to FanFan to prepare her tea party ASAP.”
The other girl nodded, but then asked: “What about the other corrupted one?”

”The Cardinal’s order takes priority. Once that is resolved, we shall resume our mission to purify Penrose.” She then gestured for the squad to surround Hilaria, as a Beckoner appeared above them, saluted, and disappeared.
”If you make even a single threatening move, we won’t hesitate to strike you down. Now then, let us leave.” And with that, they were gone in a flash of light, leaving Sophia and Amaryllis to watch as sparkles of light faded away.

---

In a flash, Hilaria felt herself moving through space as the teleportation magic took effect, and she found herself in a clean facility-like environment. Specifically, she was now in the containment area of the Penrose Beacon HQ. She was then led through a door into what looked like a meeting room; there was a round wooden table with a white tablecloth covering it and chairs set around it. On the other side of the table, someone was sitting, her hands clasped together in prayer; Isthar.
”Cardinal Isthar, we have brought the Eternal,” Violet reported with a sharp salute. Isthar, slowly lifted her head up, and opened her shining eyes; as their gaze met, Hilaria felt something buried long ago clawing its way up.

”...Seraph Violet, leave us.“ Violet’s eyes widened.
”But Cardinal, she is-”

”The discussion we shall have is to be private. Understood?” From such a gentle-looking magical girl, her voice carried great resolve, to the point Violet lowered her head in respect.

”Understood. We shall post guards outside the room then.” After the guards left the room, closing the door behind them, only silence pervaded the room; Hilaria could tell the room had been enchanted to be sound-proof. After a moment of looking at Hilaria, Isthar spoke:

”Helewisa...You are still alive, after all these years. Do you remember me?” She asked, her voice sorrowful.

The girl immediately shook her head. "Has Hilaria met you before~?" she asked innocently. "Hilaria has seen lots of people~ So many that she doesn't remember them all~" she then explained. She tried about as hard as she could, but there was only fuzz when she did.

Isthar’s eyes turned wet, resembling setting suns in the horizon.
”You...You don’t remember me? It’s me, Isabella...” Tears formed in her eyes, and slowly drifted down her cheeks, staining the tablecloth.
”I guess...A thousand years would be enough...To forget anyone...Even...Your sister.”

"Isabella~? Sister~? Hilaria doesn't know..."

The onset of a sudden but terrible headache messed with her train of thought briefly. Something was familiar about that name. Well, she doesn't remember them specifically, but she knows that a fair amount of people over the years had used that name. But this feeling wasn't the same.

"Hilaria... doesn't have a sister, does she~?" she seemed a bit unsure of it herself. That made sense given her only clear memories of her life before being a magical girl were essentially when she became one.

Isthar put her hands to her face, covering it as she softly wept.
”No...You’ve forgotten...” For a long time, she cried, her tears streaming like the Nile in the morning sun.
”All those years ago, we were separated. I thought you had perished. But to think...You’ve become like this...”
By the time it was over, she had taken a handkerchief, and blew her nose on it.
”Helewisa...You died that day, didn’t you? And now you’re...not Helewisa. Not anymore.”

"...No, Helewisa isn--"

The headache only seemed to be getting more severe, and thus it was harder to speak how she wanted to. She just called herself by the wrong name! ...It was wrong, wasn't it?

Hilaria wasn't crying like Isabella was, but by now she was certainly not happy. She grimaced as she rubbed her temple, not exactly in the state to feign a happy demeanor. "Hele..." she caught herself again. "...I'm not dead. I've never died, I don't know... what you're talking about...!"

At that point, the sound of a door buzzer could be heard, followed by FanFan’s voice: “Um, Cardinal Isthar? I’m going to hold a tea party now, with some very delicious cake. Violet mentioned that you and the corrupted girl wanted to join in.”

Isthar closed her eyes, and clasped her hands back in prayer.

”...You may come in.”

FanFan stepped in with a couple of slices of cake; she set a plate for each of them.
”...Uhh...Bon Appetit~”
Then, she left them alone again. Hilaria would notice that Isthar did not touch her plate at all, simply praying in silence.

Hilaria glanced at her plate but surprisingly didn't set upon it. For once, food could wait. She looked at the praying Isabella and took a deep breath. "I grow weary of this jest. Audacious are thy claims. Surely you know of this?" she wasn't going to waste her breath with a guise anymore, she was too confused and in too much pain to bother. "A millennia I have walked this Earth, ever alone. And of this thou has made it known you are aware, yet still you speak with such temerity and familiarity. I shall retire the notion that thy intention be to deceive me, but of thyself? Thy actions beget a single question, and naught more: What is it that imbues one with confidence that myself is who thou are searching for?"

The praying girl looked at Hilaria with grieving eyes.
”...What do you mean?” She took a shallow breath.
”You are...were...Helewisa. Of that there is no doubt. Or was I mistaken?”

She shrugged. She wasn't sure what the case was either.

"While I cannot claim my own memory is without fail, I do find it doubtful I could forget such an important detail relating to my very own life." she explained. "So much so, that thy claims appear as delusions, nothing more. Yet, I do not desire to deem thee as such until it is made sure there is no other explanation. Therefore, I have bidden thee to reveal what it is that causes one to suspect myself as being thy sibling."

She paused. Perhaps it was difficult to provide 'proof' of such a thing. She could easily just say 'because you look like her' or something of that nature, which would get them nowhere. "If preferred, I shall allow an alternative. Namely, I would have thee recount the tale of my supposed 'death'."

Isthar looked shocked, unable to answer at first. But then, after a deep breath, she answered:

”It’s because...I’ve seen you in my dream. I saw you turn and...and...”
She repeated the word to herself as she looked down at the table.

”...I...I can’t remember. But why? Has it been so long, I have forgotten?”

Hilaria narrowed her eyes. "You," she said. "Have you truly lived as long as I? The experience should be natural by this point." she unconsciously picked up her piece of cake and ate it in one bite. It was good, she thought, but now wasn’t the time to think of that.

Clearing her throat, however, she continued. "Does this mean that Isabella, too, has perished? No longer the woman she once claimed to be?"

Isthar’s expression turned blank, as if she had realized something.
”...Isabella...” She repeated the name. But it was in vain.

”She is...” Tears now landed on her cake, subtly softening the spongy sweet sachertorte.

”I can’t remember!” She wailed.
”She had dreams, but they are now stars in the night sky. She had feelings, but they were swept away like the eventide. There is nothing left. She is gone.”

Hilaria didn't seem impressed by the display. "Nay," she said. "A sibling would not elect to persecute they and their own. You couldn't be." she eyed the cardinal with contempt. "A crocodile's tears mean nothing to me."

Isthar gasped.
”Sibling?” At that point, something seemed to glint in her eyes. She froze, and then blinked.
”Now I remember....At the gates of Constantinople...You were tainted that day. And it was because of me. You tried to protect me, but then, you changed.”

Isthar now looked down at the table, struggling to remember as she gripped her knees.
”Back then, we believed you sold your soul to the devil, that you...forsook your oath. But now I know...It was an accident. Magic is like fire; without moderation, it can consume one’s being, twist them into something cruel and evil. And I let it happen to you, to my own sister. I let everything happen!”

She violently shoved the plate of cake aside, causing it to fall to the ground with a crack. The slice of cake spread on the marble stone; Hilaria saw glints from spots where her tears had fallen.

"Pah!" Hilaria threw up an arm. She now remembered clearly. What had transpired, and what she felt. The sense of betrayal, despair, sorrow, and rage all at once, and they renewed inside of her. "The only evil and cruel ones are they who would allow not even a second to run its course before turning on me. Beacon. My 'friends'. And you."

Isthar closed her eyes, her shaky hands clasped in prayer.
”It is true. I had sinned against you. I let you suffer for untold ages. I cannot ask for forgiveness, for I do not deserve any.” She lowered her head.

”...The only thing I can do...Is give you peace.” She stood up from her seat, and walked up to Hilaria.

She gently took hold of her Vulcan.

”...Hele...wisa....”

She lifted the barrel of the gun and pointed it to her heart.

...

”...To atone for my sins...You may take my life.”

Hilaria did not pull the trigger, she merely sat there in silence. A few seconds passed, her expression souring more and more. Eventually, she erupted.

"Such brazen ignorance!" Hilaria pulled her weapon away, causing Ishtar to reel back with a gasp. "I am not wont to entertain such foolish requests. Atonement? Enough with the hollow words. Thy true wish does not escape myself-- Thou seeks only to abandon responsibility!" She got rid of Vulcan entirely by this point. "It is trite and unsightly. Your demise does me no good," she crossed her arms. “I suspect the opposite would be true. Thy peons would set upon me after the fact.”

With the memories she regained, she couldn’t deny she shared blood with this woman. But would she call her ‘sister’? For now, she wasn’t going to bother thinking about it. She found her fury slowly dissipating. "For we who have known an eternity, fleeting emotions such as anger should not and shall not dictate our path -- they are beneath us.” she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down even more. Getting excited like this was strange to her. “This be the wisdom I would impart to thou, as an equal in this regard.” Stranger still, she almost felt like she was scolding a child.

Ishtar leaned against the wall, a hand pressed against it as she averted her eyes. When Hilaria pointed out that she would also die if she were to take her offer, she closed her eyes, and did not answer.

”...”

When Hilaria ended her speech, the praying girl lifted herself off the wall, and turned to Hilaria.

”...They are beneath us.”

Now she approached Hilaria, and clasped her hands with hers.

”It has been a long time since I have been scolded like this. It makes me feel...Young again.” A bittersweet smile subtly formed on her lips, and she sighed.

”...In that case, would you accept a purification? Beacon has learned to remove corruption out of a magical girl, and return them back to how they used to be. I know it won’t remove the pain, but...It’s the least I can do.”

"Had I only been presented such an opportunity in centuries past," Hilaria mused. "Verily, I fail to perceive the benefits of thy offer. Long since I have grown accustomed to what I have become. And faded has my desire become to return, until it decayed to nothing."

Isthar nodded, looking sad. ”I expected that answer. I won’t force you, not only because you are my sister, but because I believe that true change is achieved not by the sword, but by the heart. When you are willing to free yourself of the curse, I will be there.” She turned away.
”...But I want to ask you: what will you do now, Helewisa? Will you continue to wander the earth? Is that where your happiness is found?”

"Helewisa..." she muttered under her breath. The name sounded familiar, yet foreign, making it hard to decide on how she felt about it. Learning about your name after nearly a millennium was a unique experience.

Hi-Hel-... well, the armored girl, at least, questioned Isabella's statement. "They who follow thee fail to share the same sentiment," she spoke. "They'd sooner brandish their weapons than pen and parchment, had they their way." The girl recalled Violet's attitude in particular, her arrogance and general demeanor made it clear she'd have preferred to fight. Not exactly the best way to have a 'heart to heart'.

Isabella's next question brought to attention a rather tense subject. "Nay," she sighed. "I could be only envious of thy fortitude. I find no true happiness traveling the Earth, nor anything, save the satisfaction of a delectable meal and scrumptious sweets. These are the only forms of happiness afforded to me."

The other girl nodded; a genuine, if faint, smile appeared.
”You always were one to enjoy the simpler pleasures in life.” She closed her eyes, and slowly nodded.
”Very well. I will let you return back to the world. But, promise me that you will never forget what you’re fighting for, and to never give up on finding joy in what the future may offer.”

If it weren't for food, she would have to disappoint Isabella. As of the present, she had no hope for the future beyond a good bite to eat. But she seemed pleased, so leaving it at that was the ideal choice. "The cruel irony is that humans constantly progress towards the future, yet they've not changed at all," she said. "Wars waged for the smallest of slights. Vengeance enacted, only to beget more vengeance. Discrimination, desperation, ignorance. Ad infinitum. The tools of war are the only things that see change."

Isabella could hear the remnant of pain lacing her words as she spoke of them. "But," this seemed much lighter in tone. "Delicacies never stagnate. Though many dishes draw from another, they are improved countless times over. Each more delicious than the last." She cast a longing look at the wasted cake. "There be nothing more I presently enjoy than to experience such evolution in recipe." she looked back to Isabella. "This be the reason I roam the lands, serve those that would employ, and continue onwards. Thou needst not remind me to recall mine own purpose, fret not."

Ishtar moved up to Hilaria, and smiled.
”Thank you, Helewisa. I can’t stop the Ascendancy from coming after you from now on, but I will continue working towards a future without war, where nobody needs to go through what you have.” She gave her a small hug, and then looked into her eyes. Hilaria then felt drowzy, as she was drawn in by Ishtar’s golden gaze, and fell asleep.

”Goodbye...Helewisa...”

Later, Hilaria found herself waking in an empty apartment in her human form, not far from the spot where Billy fell. And soon enough, she would go on, as she has done for the past ten centuries.

---

Leena nodded, and took Celia’s hand for a friendly handshake, ignoring the argument the Djinn twins spontaneously had. “Alright, that’s settled then. Thanks for cooperating peacefully with us; it doesn’t happen too often, so we appreciate it.” She then rolled her eyes as FanFan expressed her desire for sweets.
“It’s not like actually wishing for it will cause one to just pop out of nowh-”

At that moment, the Djinn twins carried out with granting the wish with their magic, and Leena’s words froze with awe. FanFan herself gasped as she took a look inside the box, an unusual reaction from a hardened combat veteran, as the fantastic cake appeared before her eyes. Her eyes positively sparkled as she gazed upon the pastry, and she found herself licking her lips.

“Wow...I can’t believe this. It’s the cake of my dreams! You really can grant wishes! ” She made a curtsy with a wide smile.
“Thank you so much~”

Leena took a look at the cake, and then at the twins. “Well I’ll be hexed! I’ve never seen this kind of magic before. We could use that kind of magic, you know.” The Beckoner returned and made an OK sign, to which Leena gave a salute before addressing the twins.
“Would you be willing to work exclusively with Beacon? I’ll need to check in with headquarters first, but given the greenlight we could arrange for future cooperation with some capable magical girls...Even if they look a bit outlandish, heh.” She winked, and handed out a card to the twins. “Here’s the contact info for our public relations. Let’s keep in touch, ok?” She signalled to Dawn. “Teleport ready, rookie. Get in position.”

---

The girl who had come to receive the group blinked with a surprised expression at Ronin’s flustered reaction, though she quickly adjusted to a polite smile.
”That’s correct. I’m Jill of Jill’s Instant Deliveries~” She answered with a smile; it came off as a bit more creepy than friendly due to exposing her elongated canines. She graciously accepted the box offered to her, and nodded as she set it aside on top of a pile of packages.
”Indeed, we were expecting this package from Madam Kauppa. Thank you for delivering it; it will be delivered to its intended recipient.”
She then listened to the rest of Ronin’s story, and her eyes widened at the mention of Penrose.
”Excuse me, but did you mention Penrose?” Ronin felt like Jill’s eyes were examining her.
”...That can be arranged. And to compensate for your assistance, your group may be delivered for free.” She then opened her mouth as if to ask something, but then a strange sound happened in the room to the side. The door opened, and a
The dignified-looking girl appeared. She stepped over to the side counter where the packages were stacked, and upon noticing the group made a curtsy. Jill gestured over to her.
”May I introduce you to Stacy? She is the deliverywoman of Jill’s Instant Deliveries. These customers have requested themselves to be delivered to Penrose,” she then added, emphasizing the word of the city. Stacy’s eyes also widened.
“Oh, is that so? Very well then. Please follow me to the delivery chamber,” she spoke, gesturing to the group to follow her like a disciplined maid. Jill followed after them.
“Um, Mistress-”
”I will be accompanying you, to...personally see that you are delivered safely,” she added, causing Stacy to be silenced, only nodding in response. Ronin could tell it was a thinly-veiled excuse.
“Now then, please hold your hands together in a circle,” Stacy advised, before she took Jill’s and Valkyrie’s hands. She then closed her eyes, and in an instant Ronin and Amanda felt themselves moving through space.

The very next moment, the two girls opened their eyes, and found themselves standing at the snow-covered rooftop of a train station. They saw Penrose in the wintery night, and how desolate it has become since their last visit. They saw how the few civilians still lingering in the nearly-dead city moved briskly through the streets, looking over their shoulders. In the distance, the sound of a siren could be heard, only to be covered by the howling cold winds.

Jill was shocked, as was Stacy, the both of them silent as they gazed across the landscape.
”By Father’s blood...” Jill whispered.
”What happened here?”
“It looks like it has been struck by ferocious monster attacks,” Stacy answered.
Jill’s hands balled into fists, her teeth showing in an expression of anger.
”This is Lily’s home. Did something happen to her? Who-”

She then blinked, as if having realized something.

”Wait...There is one person in Penrose who could have done this.”
Stacy lifted a hand to her mouth in shock. “Do you mean-” Jill stopped her with a lift of her finger to her lips. She glanced towards a distant camera. Stacy nodded, and with a simple spell shifted the camera’s location just enough that the group was no longer in view without causing a noticeable difference in the camera feed.

Jill nodded.
”I’m sure of it. Only she would have the power and resources to accomplish destruction this widespread. The presence of cameras is proof she is still operating in the area; she is the paranoid type...And for good reason.” Her eyes slowly drifted to one person in the group: Ronin.

”You...You’re no longer under her employ, correct? You no longer carry the filthy form your former mistress fancied.” Her eyes glowed red in the dark night, and her lips curved into a sinister smile.

Whether Ronin wanted it or not…

”You will help me find her...Mariette Pedersen...The Reflective Witch.”

The final boss has joined Ronin’s party.

---

The ghost twins giggled at the Casper reference, and circled Eliza.
“I think Casper is Richie Rich’ ghost!” Jillian joked. “And he was killed to pay for her parent’s debts after wasting all their money!”

Helga held the stone for a long time up to her ear as Eliza went to discuss private matters in the hotel’s restaurant, hoping the Friendship Stone’s magic would reach Su. But in the end, her hopes were dashed. The stone slipped from her hands, and hit the carpeted floor of the hotel with a softened thud. “What a piece of crap...” She muttered. “And I paid real coins for it!” She kicked the stone, and 0.001 ms later regretted her decision, hopping up and down holding her foot.
“Ow ow ow ow!”
After she calmed down, she looked over to Emily, a faint smile managing to form in her wincing expression. “One...Bronze coin...please...ow.” After the money was exchanged, she handed the key to Emily.
“Have a pleasant stay at the Golden Trove!” She stated in a polite, friendly tone...And then sighed; she couldn’t suppress her worries over Su’s wellbeing.

---

Brittany had returned back to the shop, looking absolutely devastated. She sighed as she flipped the sign back to “OPEN”, and dragged herself back to behind the counter, her elbows resting on it as she pondered about the events at the Pit Stop.

‘Poor Sammy...I’ll need help in rescuing her. But I can’t post on Glimmr. Hmm...I’ll need to think about a strategy. And while I’m at it, might as well continue running the shop. Who knows, maybe someone comes in who could lend a hand.‘ With higher spirits than when she arrived, she managed a smile.
‘Hang in there, Sammy...I’ll come save you, if it’s the last thing I’ll do!‘

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

@Majoras End By the way, you can post again with Amanda having joined Ronin's quest and having reached the shop if you want to.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

Lily took out her smartphone as she lifted off her motorcycle; it was a yellow one, covered in girly decorations and glitter and with a keychain decorated like a stylish heart. She leaned back, ready to take a selfie with Alex and Tetrad.
”Say cheese!”

But just as the photo snapped, Alex had reacted to the noise coming from the forest, making him frown even more than usual. Lily pouted as she checked the picture.

”Hey Alex, you could smile a bit mo-Eh?” She blinked, and realized Alex spoke about pursuers.
”No way! But how? We didn’t leave any-Oh crap-piola!” She looked behind the motorcycle, and saw the tire mark.
”This is bad! We need to leave!”
She then looked up, and yelped; Silhouette was looking back towards the forest, her weapon drawn, and eyes burning with anticipation; Lily figured that though the stoic girl tried to hide it, she looked forward to fighting their pursuers.

But Lily didn’t have time to remark on it, as Mika made a dive off her nimbus cloud back in the forest, and hit what looked like a mound of mossy rocks with her turtle shell body.
”Mika!” She yelled, and took off at high speed on her motorcycle back to the forest, where the forest troll roared in fury after being rudely woken up. After it managed to rise up to sit, it saw the shell laying at its feet. Instead of picking it up, the troll instead growled and kicked it, causing Mika’s shell to be cracked and her to be struck with a heavy blow as she flew back out of the forest. It was then that more voices of the Ascendancy picked up, now shouting orders to each other.

“Hostile T-type spotted!”
“Careful, don’t share eye contact!”
“Why did it wake up?”

The forest troll now stood up, and, being dumb as a boot, thought that the Ascendancy caused the disturbance. “RUIN BEJUTEH SLEPP! SMASH!”
It then charged right at them, distracting the agents.

“Incoming!”
“Engaging!”
“Watch out! It has a venomous bite!”

”Oh wow, Mika managed to pull it off!” Lily shouted as she made a sharp turn, the motorcycle nearly hugging the dirt as she scooped up Mika’s battered body, hoisting her over her shoulder before turning. She now sped back towards the Crystal Curtain, speeding next to the mountainous structure. She looked back, and saw that the nimbus cloud was dragging behind.

”Faster, faster! You gotta -Oh, maybe this works!”
She pulled out her bow, took aim, and shot an arrow at the cloud; it accelerated, zipping through the sky at great speed, forcing Sil and Katarina to brace themselves lest they fall off.
”It worked! I can enchant my arrows with Time magic! Yay!”

---

Not long after, the group had reached the great gates of the Overcity. As before with Valkyrie and Ronin, the guards crossed their weapons, a hand raised.

“Halt! State your business.”

”Oh geez, can’t you see she’s hurt?” She now held Mika in her arms; she looked roughed up, and unable to stand up on her own from the pain.

”She needs special healing, or she might die! Please, you gotta let us through!”

The guards sighed. “Very well, you may pass. But you are responsible for this group’s actions.”
They opened the gates, and let the group witness the wonders of the Overcity proper.
“There is a hospital at the Overcity’s Central district, but depending on your friend’s condition, you may want to seek out emergency care at the Magical Services district, as it is a shorter distance there. We have spoken.”
Lily nodded as she stared out at the bustling metropolis, her jaw open in awe.
”Wowie wow-wow...” She vocally expressed her surprise at the sight, and looked back at the guards.
”This place is incredible!”

---

As the Ascendancy group came closer, the victors saw how individual members stood out;
At the lead was Violet, now looking upset more than smug as she hopped over the snow, her oversized jacket trailing behind her. She was followed by the priestess girl and the girl dressed in blue. These three have previously been seen by Alicia and Serenity back at the ice rink. However, Juliana was not in this group. Instead, an angelic-looking girl with a black sword, an elegantly dressed fencer girl in glasses, and a girl with a large metal fist were following Violet’s lead.

As the girls came within viewing distance, both Nuncio and Mariette had fled, the former drifting down the river, and the latter disappearing in one of her trademark portals.
”Geez, here you were!” Violet greeted the remaining girls with an exasperated tone.
“Thanks to the local branch, we were left with outdated intelligence, so we had to run all over Penrose to find you!”
“Wait, one of them left,” the fencer girl noted, adjusting her red glasses. “They used a variant of Space magic.” The blue girl next to her gasped. “No way, could it be...The Reflective Witch?”
Violet smirked as she spotted the lich’s remains, and signalled for the angelic girl; she in turn summoned a Beckoner resembling a military doll.
”Well, that explains how we’re late; she must have helped you. Still, this is embarrassing,” she muttered with a finger to her forehead, before she got her smile back.
”Anyway, thank you for your assistance, but we have now have another problem.”
She pointed at Hilaria.
”You have been corrupted by dark forces. But fret not, for we can purify you. Now, assume human form and surrender, or we will be forced to put you down.”
She looked at the others.
”And if any of you jump in to defend her, you will be dealt the same fate.”

The priestess girl stared at Hilaria, but then blinked. “Wait, Violet...Isn’t she the one?”
”Huh?” Violet glanced aside with a raised eyebrow. ”What do you mean, Delphi?”
The priestess bit her lip.
“She matches the description we were given. The one the Cardinal gave when we arrived in Penrose.” The rest of the Ascendancy’s eyes opened, and held their weapons firmly, whispering among one another. Violet herself scoffed.

”That’s impossible. The Eternal is said to have wandered the earth for over a thousand years. But no corrupted girl could survive that long.” She looked back at Hilaria, a gaze of contempt in her eyes.
”But if it is true, then by Cardinal Isthar’s orders we request you to come along with us to meet with her; she wants to personally see you for some reason.”

---

In a dark room, only lit by numerous screens that showed various parts of Penrose, a certain girl was munching on a snack as she fiddled with a smartphone. On the desk before her were other smartphones as well. One of them suddenly rang, and she picked it up. She knew who it was before she heard her voice.

“A lot more than you’d think, Mariette.” The girl pressed a couple of keys on the keyboard, and the screens shifted to recordings. “While we were gone, a power vacuum formed. Some magical girls attempted filling it, but soon monsters came in. These liches seemed like the worst ones though; they managed to cause considerable damage before the Ascendancy came in two weeks ago. The dark magical girls and monster girls have in turn banded together, using the sewers as their way to move around unseen. Glimmr has also exploded in activity thanks to a local internet celebrity with plans for a concert. My hunch is that it’s an attempt to stage a war on Beacon, but I’ll need more information to confirm it.” She sighed. “That’s all you’re gonna get for now. Try to find out more from the local girls. And whatever you do, stay hidden from the Ascendancy; you’re on their hit list thanks to Alicia, and won’t stop hunting you down if they see you.”

---

FanFan graciously accepted the Soul Gem Celia gave to her, and made a curtsy, her ladylike mannerisms visibly contrasting the metallic arms extending above her that carried Anaya. “Oh, thank you ever so much~”

While Dawn conversed with Celia and the Djinn twins, Leena had called in a Beckoner called “Sergeant Snuggles,” and requested an extraction. The Beckoner nodded, and the magical girl turned her attention back to the new arrivals. She nodded at Dawn’s suggestion.
“That’s fine; we could ask a few questions over a cup of coffee.”
FanFan pouted. “But you promised me we’d have a tea party!”
Leena rolled her eyes. “Fine, we’ll grab a cake on our way. But I need my drinks black and bitter.”

It was then that the Djinn twins hinted more about their history with Beacon, causing FanFan to squee. “Really? Oh, we are grateful for the assistance you have provided to the local branch. They seem to be doing really poorly.” Leena on the other hand wasn’t as enthused. “Djinn sisters...” She crossed her arms and closed her eyes, as if thinking deeply. “That sounds familiar, but why? Eh, can’t remember.”
FanFan looked around, looking sad. “You said we could grab a cake, but...All the shops are closed. Waaah!” She cried. “I wish I had a cute cake for my tea party!”

---

Rachel acknowledged Alicia’s retort with an aside glance, bu did not reply back, having made her intent clear for the newly named branch head. However, when she sentenced Serenity to community service, she gave a single, slow nod. “That is...adequate. Personally, I would have had her clean the dining hall with a toothbrush, but that will suffice.” Elora nodded, and the screen opened up to a map with red circles on a few spots; on of them lit up. “These are the areas with confirmed cases of anti-Beacon vandalism. Serenity can handle the K1-B0 area. And yes, if Aurelio joins her, then there will be no problems.” Tsuki now approached Alicia, giving her a salute. “We are counting on you to bring Penny back to the fold, Paladin Seraph. May the light of Beacon guide you.”

---

The Overcity guards acknowledged Amanda’s directions with a brisk nod. “Understood. Hank you for your co-operation, citizen.” “Stop, criminal scum!” They dashed into the alleyway, but Amanda would notice that they turned left, as Ronin had told them. However, before she could correct them, they had already disappeared down the busy streets.

Valkyrie held her head, still a bit dazed from the effects of the hypnotic spell, but made her weapon disappear, greeting Amanda with a quick wave of her hand.
“I’m fine. Thank you for your help, Amanda.“ She offered a handshake to the Illusion specialist.
“My name is Valkyrie. We are seeking a way to Penrose, and were told that a person named Jill is capable of taking us there. The box you saved from the clutches of those thieves is to be delivered to her.“ She noticed that Ronin had already began continuing on her way.
“I would like to repay you for your assistance. Unfortunately, we must be off, for time is of the essence. Goodbye.“ The angelic magical girl then joined up with Ronin, as the went on their way through the Entertainment district without further issue. If Amanda wanted, she could join the two without objections.

Following the directions given by the strange shopkeeper, Ronin and Valkyrie found themselves at the start of a literal highway that floated up without supports, snaking and curving it’s way between buildings like Rainbow Road from Mario Kart. The road was marked with glowing runes, and as they stepped on one, they found themselves moving much faster, accelerating into a speed not unlike a racing car. Thus, they fulfilled the “zoom zoom” part of the directions.

Finally, descending down to street level after an intersection straight ahead, Ronin and Valkyrie had finally reached the Magical Services district; it was also a large and busy collection of streets, though more conventional in it’s appearance compared to the glitzy avenues from before. There was a small clinic that primarily dealt with the removing of curses and hexes, though they also took in regular patients. There was a workshop specializing in the repair and maintenance of magical artifacts, and shops that sold enchantments too irregular to be sold as potions and elixirs. It didn’t take long before they found what they were looking for: a cute little house resembling an atelier, with a bed of blue roses growing on a windowsill, and a modest flower garden growing behind the fence. It’s idyllic appearance contrasted with the more modern and flashier buildings around it, and had a simple wooden sign with a rose decoration. On the sign was written in red cursive: “Jill’s Instant Deliveries.”

When the two entered the shop, a cute ring of a bell attached to the door could be softly heard. Ronin then saw that the simple yet elegant aesthetic was further emphasized in the interior decor; flowery designs were the norm, with sprinkles of cute imagery, but not to an exhaustive or obsessive degree. One might even claim the design was old-fashioned and boring by magical girl standards, but it served its purpose without being distracting. The entrance room was split into a small waiting area with simple yet pleasant wooden chairs, followed by a reception room of sorts, with a wooden front desk currently unattended.

”Just a minute~” The two heard the voice of a girl from the back.

And then, after a short moment, the door to the back opened, and a girl stepped behind the counter.

”Please excuse me for making you wait. How may I help you?” She asked politely.

---

Valerie found an abandoned bicycle that was hit by one of the attacks during the battle, mangling it useless; Valerie could use the metal as material for repairing her sword. Penny on the other hand had begun her “feast”, resulting in Sirkkeli’s broken body disappearing until not a single part remained. Her ShineSpark burned in her chest, warning her a couple of times more that she was consuming corrupted material, before it ended, the magic now recognizing that she was corrupting herself on purpose. The vile magic seeped into her veins like an entire bottle of bubbling coke as it corrupted her, causing a tingling feeling Penny recognized from her time as the Destruction Deity’s chosen one, fulfilling her destiny of remaking with her fists. However, instead of developing an obsession or urge, it instead changed something in her very core, causing her to manifest a Black Soul Mutation.

But there were also positives to consuming an entire body of corrupted metal; Penny’s gut feeling was right: it would take some time for her Metal magic to adjust, but soon, she can turn her armor plates more reactive, turning into small spikes, shells, and even interlocked scales in response to attacks (+1 VIT). She could also form blades below the shoulder, with in-built injection mechanisms that connect to tiny vials she can access via small hatches in her elbows. These vials are slowly filled with a special mold from semi-organic glands located in her shoulders; the mold, while not as durable or deadly as with Sirkkeli, is still capable of rusting and slowly corroding metallic material, spreading over a short period of time. And in her gullet, another gland formed, allowing her to spit a glue-like formula that can immobilize weak targets. These abilities require considerable mana due to their unnatural origins, but provide new tools for the monster girl.

---

Helga graciously accepted the coin Eliza gave her, and happily wrote down her information to the guest register.” She then quickly gave a choice of rooms for Eliza to pick from; the witchy monster girl would notice that there were a lot of vacant rooms. Then, once the room was chosen, Helga gave the room key to Eliza. “Thank you very much. We will be having beans and bacon for breakfast.” She bowed. “We hope you have a pleasant stay here.”
Helga then waited to see if Eliza had any more questions as Emily joined them. The ghosts, having regained their composure, floated down to the lobby, also greeting Eliza.
“Hello there,” Jillian first spoke, followed by a shy wave of a hand from Julia, staying close to Jillian.
“Things have turned pretty bad here in Penrose, huh?” The former continued. “Apparently the three days we spent at the beach turned into months here. Isn’t that crazy or what?”

Meanwhile, Helga spoke to Emily. “Will you be staying the night here as well?” She asked, now looking concerned. ”I've waited long enough. Let’s see if this works.“ She took out her friendship Stone, and used it to contact Su. “Su, are you there?” She asked, hoping she answered.

---

…
…
...

“I never yield.”

— Vermin Killer

Even with most of Penrose put out of commission, there were still places where life seemed to thrive, or at least had the appearance of such. One of these false bastions of life was the Pit Stop, which had long been a hideout for various Mint agents and their leaders. Though on the surface, it just looked like a business struggling to light up a corner of this dark city.

Vermin Killer wandered in, fully transformed. He didn’t walk far before one of the waitresses approached him and wordlessly gave him a look. “What the frick are you doing here looking like that?” was practically written across her face.

“This place has got to be the worst kept secret in Penrose.” His words didn’t give her much reassurance. With a snort, he continued. “I care not for your attitude, I’d like to see the manager.” The waitress gave a small nod in response before storming off. Vermin Killer adjusted his hat before taking a seat at a nearby table. While he waited, he picked up a salt shaker and examined it. Fairly standard, just a glass vial with a metal cap and an “S” on the front.

When Vermin Killer lifted his eyes up from the salt shaker, a figure was sitting across from him, an expensive cigar precariously hanging off the corner of his lip; even with his skills of perception, he couldn’t tell when he had exactly appeared on that spot. The Coin Broker of Ebon Mint looked irritated, and cast his gaze up at him with a look of scorn.
“Ay, V,” Al Scarpe grunted, and lifted the cigar between his index and middle finger. He took a lighter with a ruby embedded in it from his pocket, and one click later smoke poured out from the rolled bundle. “Took your sweet time. Playing around, huh?”

Vermin Slayer placed the salt shaker down ”I encountered Shion not long ago and decided to test her abilities.” He pulled back his collar to reveal several scrapes on his neck.

He took in a lungful of the foul, tarry substance, and blew out a black ring of smoke. “I was right.” He leaned back on his seat, and made a beckoning gesture to one of the waitresses, who went to retrieve a drink from the kitchen. “You better have a good reason for calling me. I got enough shit to deal with the medieval morons making a ruckus.”

”That’s precisely why I’ve decided to show myself.” He let go of his collar and folded his hands together. ”A large quantity of Penrose’s magical girl population was swept away to an alternate dimension, myself included. I wrote up a report to save you the trouble of debriefing me.” Vermin Killer pulled an unmarked manila envelope out of his coat and placed it in front of Al. ”The short version is that some djinn girls granted a wish for a vacation, and it was hijacked by a lesser force.”

Al put the cigar back in his mouth, and picked up the envelope. “Really now? I do remember having received word that some wish magic was spread around. I thought they were con artists selling snakeskin tonics for impressionable girls.” With a single, smooth shake of his hand, the paper dropped from the envelope, and held aloft by black smoke that pushed it up. He took the paper in his hand and skimmed through it as he took a sip of his drink

”It must have been powerful magic, as Cindy Ford and Veronica were present there as well.” He adjusted his hat while Al looked through Vermin Killer’s notes… But Al froze when Vermin Killer mentioned a certain name.

He laughed as he checked the pics of her out. “Hah...So that’s where you were hiding, on some tropical paradise. And now you’re back.” For the briefest moment, as he looked upon the pics of Veronica, seeing her smile, his eyes seemed to turn softer.

”I’ve only been here a few hours, so you’ll have to pardon any typos. Hopefully the pictures make up for it.”

Al’s gaze turned sharp as he remembered the situation. “They did,” he responded coldly, taking his lighter and burning the paper right in front of Vermin Killer’s face, letting the cinders fall on the table. He gnashed his teeth. “And I thought I got rid of her. Phah. But if what you’re saying is true, those wishmakers might be just the solution the Mint would want. Don’t you agree, V?”

Vermin Killer gave a single nod. ”Eliminated or put in our custody. I was able to get a glimpse of them and they are protected by a powerful array of magics. Breaching them will be difficult, but better we get them before anyone else does.” V sat upright and folded his arms. ”I could pursue them, but I’ll need help. A plan at the very least. Something you or those higher up the chain can orchestrate in a more secure location.”

Al puffed out a smoke. “Perhaps. But if there’s a resurgence of magic in Penrose, that’s going to stir the pot. And we’re going to kick it over.”

”What would you like me to do?” He leaned forward, crushing the embers under his elbow. ”You had some problems with medieval morons?”

He made a sweep of his arm, and a newspaper appeared on the table. The news article on it morphed into a black and white map of Penrose, complete with colored pins sticking out of it. ”First off, this Cindy broad. She’s back, which means she’s going to make her move, and rally most of the runners in the city.” It was a term used exclusively by Mint, and referred to people indebted to Mint who have refused to pay. “All we gotta do is make sure the nun squad and Cindy get right at each other’s throats. When the dust settles, we’ll have two birds killed with one stone. But, that’s not all.”
He paused as he placed his finger on the red pin. “Veronica can’t ignore the bait. When she sends her Crimson Crap to meddle, we’ll catch e’m hook, line and sinker.” He then pressed on it with enough strength to bend it.

V looked over the map. ”Cindy and Beacon fighting each other is practically a given. Their fall is practically ensured, as well as anyone who joins them. Ensuring they keep fighting shouldn’t be hard.” He fret his brow. ”Your trap lacks bait.” He waved his hand over the table. ”Veronica is a former coin broker. She’s likely looking at this entire situation the same way you are. Beacon is just as much our enemy as they are hers, and Cindy was one of the few people I never saw her try to get in contact with. The key difference is that unlike her, we have vastly more resources.” Crows started to climb out from his sleeves, and they didn’t stop coming. ”I’m aware you don’t care for her Al, but Mint is still the third biggest organization in Penrose. Let Beacon and Cindy sow discord, let the Cradle and the hundred or so other entities bide their time in the shadows. We’ll use the unrest to sign some contracts, get our numbers up, spread like a murder of crows…” Before long, the entire map was covered in crows. ”…And devour the carrion wherever it hides.” He chuckled. ”Well, that’s what I’d do anyway. But if you think we can remove Veronica from play early, I will assist however you deem fit.” V placed a hand on his shoulder and bowed forward. The crows were quick to race into his coat while he was bent over like this.

Al tapped his cigar, causing black soot to fall down and scattering the crows off the map. “Nah, too early to call a whack in.” He paused for a moment, twirling his cigar.
“We’ll need jobbers. Send Chloe a crow, and Eliza too if you see her on your way.” He smiled menacingly, and produced a letter from the floating smoke, letting it glide to Vermin Killer. “If my gut is right, they’re both planning to jump to the C-team after botching their jobs. But I’ll give them one more chance to redeem themselves...After all, sometimes people need to be reminded of the chips they’ve thrown in after the cards are dealt.” He handed V a couple of mysterious items, hidden in shadow as it passed in a handshake. “And if need be...give them the Ace of Diamonds.”

”Such a thing can be arranged.” V stood up from the table.

Al nodded. “Bene. I also managed to hook a new contract with one of the local awakened ones. That broad was real perceptive; managed to spot me the moment I appeared. I think she’ll be very useful to us...”

”If you have no additional requests, I will return to my previous assignments. Do contact me should something come up.” He was about to back away from the table when he stopped. ”Right.” He turned back towards Al. ”The plucky detective. Where are her current whereabouts? She was useful for spying on the Penrose Outer Alliance.”

Al put a hand to his chin, a realization having hit him. “Oh yeah, the nosy sleuth? Was caught snooping around some hot coals, see? The girls brought her in before she burned herself.” He rubbed his cigar down on the map, putting it out and causing the map to burn up into a quickly-fading puff of smoke. “So now she’s holed up in one of our hideouts, but it’s a real crack in the caboose. Somebody was supposed to interrogate her, but every agent kept throwing it to the next one. Seemed nobody wanted to deal with the loud twerp. Phah! No sense of accountability.”

In the Ebon Mint, one was supposed to complete the job assigned to them. However, because of the indirect and subtle ways of communication the organization uses, certain jobs are passed on, from operative to operative. Usually coin brokers catch these skippers early into the process, but because of the Ascendancy, this particular job has been passed forward long enough for it’s original receiver to have made the run.

He crushed the cigar in his hand. “Viper was the latest one to get it. Send a crow, and tell her she is going to do it, and nobody else: I’m not going to read a report on it from anyone but her. Capische?” Vermin Killer left with a nod, and Al emptied his drink with a single swig. “Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting around these parts soon,” he mused to himself, leaning an arm back on his seat. In that quiet moment, Al turned still.

“...”

“...”

“...Hah. How amusing.”

Then, without saying another word, he disappeared into the shadows.

A couple of seconds later, a cry of fear could be heard, as a certain girl with a pale face remained, shaking even as she pressed against the outer wall of the diner, her legs barely able to keep her steady.

‘No way...Sammy!?‘

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

Cindy smiled, pleased with the asnwer. “Ah, excellent. I look forward to meeting with Divina then. Send her my way, and we shall see if she is up to the task, hm hm~” With that, she waved goodbye to Chloe as she left.

---

Lily smiled widely upon hearing about Mika’s discovery, and giggled as Tetrad was placed on Alex’ lap, finding her quip funny. She also found Silhouette’s exchange with Mika interesting; she expected Sil to refuse entirely, but it seems even her pride had its limits.
”Alright then, let’s go to this Overcity!” She hollered, and off they went, with Lily following the nimbus cloud.
There were a few more wondrous sights to see during the trip, such as ent-like walking trees, fairies that were dancing around a mushroom circle, and even a green dragon with bloodshot red eyes puffing white smoke out of a fat blunt. The unicorn stopped by a clear blue pond to have a drink, while goblins lurked from the shadows, watching its every move. One threw a spear at it; the unicorn immediately turned and deflected the crude weapon with its golden horn, shattering it to pieces and causing the goblins to flee.

Lily did not seem to care too much however, as she was caught up in the conversation.
”I know, right? It’s so unfair! I bet Dan screwed up the magic somehow. He’s a big dummy.” She made a wheelie as she passed by a rocky patch, causing the motorcycle to shake. She seemed to realize this, as she then slowed down, strolling past a rocky cliff from which a waterfall swept down, splitting into two mid-air. She looked at the environment as well upon hearing Alex comment about it; a smile formed on her lips.
”It is really pretty here...” She turned back to look at Alex; she looked excited.
”Alright, once Penrose is safe again we’ll go here on a...a...a date!”
She smiled widely with a big blush, and then returned her attention back on the road, making a swerve to avoid a sleeping forest troll resembling a mossy boulder.
”A date! Yeah!” For the rest of the trip through the forest, she swayed from side to side, humming a little song.

Soon enough, thanks to their speedy transports, the group had reached the edge of the forest that opened up to a grassy plain. Of course, what most drew everyone’s eyes was the vividly colored structure that stretched far and wide; the Crystal Curtain. The blue wall was not far from the forest, but the group’s real goal, the gate, was a bit further ahead along the side of the curtain.

”WOW It’s so beautiful!” Lily exclaimed, and took out her phone to snatch some shots.
”It’s like mountains made from crystal! Come here Alex, let’s take a group photo!”

However, as she was about to pull her photo out, Mika heard something, coming from deep within the forest. It was faint, but she recognized the shouting voices to belong to the Ascendancy:

“...D-types...area...”

“...keep loo...can’t...far...”

“...tire mark...after...”

---

Leena walked briskly past Dawn, her sword lifted to her side. She seemed to ignore Celia’s plea as she approached Anaya, her eyes cold like the bitter winds of winter that howled around them.
Once she was over the barely-living dark magical girl, she lifted her blade, and without any hesitation, swung the blade down.

>BOOM<

The musical instrument that once served as Endsinger’s phylactery made a reverberating blast of sound as it was split vertically in half, right in the gap between the two central strings. Foul magics seeped out, and fizzled into the dark sky, leaving a haunting song that travelled on the wings, and spread to Penrose.

Leena lifted her blade, and then glanced at Celia, as if she only then recognized her existence. “Don’t you worry. We got this.” She lowered herself down to one knee, and ripped her gasmask off; Dawn saw that her face had been restored to normal, with no trace of blood from the earlier battle. The gasmask let out a small puff of what looked like green gas as she cast a spell on it and then placed it over anaya’s face, the straps binding themselves to her head like with the Ascendancy girl. Then, she stood up, and turned to look at Dawn as FanFan now approached Anaya. “You hesitated, Rookie. Next time you do that, someone might actually get killed.” She then put a hand on her shoulder; she smiled. “But for your first time, you did better than expected. Good job, rookie.”

Celia saw that after Anaya was made to wear the gasmask, her condition turned visibly better; she started to breathe better, and her burns began receding, turning unblemished. However, she also saw how FanFan gently lifted the dark magical girl up using one of her robotic arms.
“Now where did I put them...Ah, here.” She pulled out an artifact resembling an infinity symbol, and bound Anaya’s hands with them. The runes on the white stone shimmered, and Anaya transformed back to human form, her magic sealed away. FanFan then lifted the girl up, carrying her in her metallic arms with surprising delicacy.

Then, as Leena turned and was about to address Celia, they were approached by a strange set of twins. FanFan smiled, and made a curtsy, her robot arms still carrying Anaya. “Oh, hello there! My, aren’t you two simply fabulous!” Leena on the other hand raised an eyebrow, and looked back at Dawn. “Yeah, it didn’t,” she answered, and followed the two with her gaze, her hands crossed before her. She seemed to be deep in thought. “Hmm...”
“Oh, aren’t you girls the ones needing help?” FanFan asked, looking them over. “It’s at least minus twenty degrees Celsius. You must be freezing.”

---

Rachel still faced away from the victors of the trial when they spoke to her, only glancing back as Aurelio brought the bracelet out. The stern look on her was unabated, but she did nod at his reassuring words. “That is good to hear. The command center will keep their ears and eyes open 24/7, so we are prepared to receive intel ASAP.” She averted her eyes as Alicia spoke, her hands balled up into fists at her sides. “Paladin Seraph...to combat a virus outbreak, one must act accordingly to save the most people, correct? Not with platitudes.” She took in a deep breath. “I pray that the Cardinal has not made a mistake. Dismissed.” With that, she walked away to mind her own business, and the group was left to discuss amongst themselves.

The other Ascendancy members, while hesitant, weren’t as aloof. “Excuse me. You mentioned Penny, correct?” Elora was intrigued by Aurelio’s mention of Penny, and the cybermancer approached the group, her machines slowly rotating around her. “I finally managed to track her signal.” She tapped fast on her keyboard, and one of the monitors surrounding her showed a block of data including a t-posing spinning 3d-model of Penny. “She seemed to have been in a fight down at Wall street; her mana reserves are currently running at low capacity. I’ll prime the teleporters to the location.”

She soon had a look of surprise as Serenity handled the table projector. “Oh, what’s this?” Hudie turned, and looked at what Serenity was doing. The entire Ascendancy was now listening closely as Serenity explained of the possible risks involved. “Chloe...She was the D-type from the incident records...” Elora mumbled, while Tsuki brought out a book ”Yeah, she caused a Class-3 in the downtown area. Noted ‘extremely dangerous’ by Sylvia, and has resisted Beacon before. If what Serenity speaks is true and someone like her is involved with Penny...”

“Cindy Ford is the bigger threat.” Now even Rachel joined in. “She is gathering an underground guerrilla force of corrupted girls.” She bit on the nail of her thumb in frustration. “If only we could find out where they’re hiding...Probably at the residential districts, where they would have most access to prey. Or maybe the docks...Or maybe we could use Penny, and find-”

Suddenly, Hudie screamed. Rachel and the other members turned around, expecting trouble. One second later, an ominous image appeared on the projector, and the rest also exclaimed in surprise. “A HORROR!? Are you seriously suggesting to summon a horror?” Rachel pointed her finger at Alicia; her eyes seemed to burn with hate.
“Serenity needs to be punished for such heretical thoughts! Paladin Seraph, I expect immediate retribution! Give her penance!” Everyone else now looked at the Light girl, waiting to hear how she will punish her.

---

Hood grunted as the box she held was shot right out of her claws, and ended up in Amanda’s possession. “No! That’s mine!” She screamed, her fangs bared as she turned, her paws now extended with sharp claws. Selene then spotted as Ronin cast her spell. “Wait, Hood-!”

“Give it back!” She hissed, and pounced...Only to smack right into the barrier, destroying it. Selene summoned her weapon and blocked Ronin’s sword sing while Hood staggered, causing sparks to fly.
“The spell broke, Hood! We need to get out of here!”

A passing magical girl happened to see the commotion. “Guards! Over here!”
Hood’s eye twitched. “Well, shit.” The two thieves had nervous looks as Valkyrie now brandished her spear, having recovered from the hypnotic suggestion. Faced three against two, the red-hooded girl bit on her lower lip. “Alright...Time for the Hood Secret Technique!” Selene nodded, and caused a cloud of illusionary purple smoke to billow forth, enveloping the two.

When the smoke cleared, the two were last seen running into a side alley. “Run awayyyy!”
Hood screamed with her furry arms flailing behind her, while Selene looked pissed. “You said she was an easy mark, idiot!” Looking back one last time, Selene scoffed.
“You saw nothing!” Hood showed her tongue. “Snitches get stitches!”
And with that, they turned the corner and disappeared. Soon enough, two guards, dressed similarly to those at the gates though with slightly different colors, arrived. “Which way did they go?” They asked.

---

Penny felt that her mana made a slight recovery upon eating one of Sirkkeli’s pieces, though her Shine Spark seemed disturbed by the nugget of corruption that entered her, warning her with a slight, warm glow from within. By dismantling the pieces, she learned that the gynoid was indeed alien in design; her working mechanisms were a mix of technology and organic matter, with sometimes more and sometimes less definite borders between the two. Her high sensory ability came from special lenses that reflected light at a much higher intensity than the human eye could. Her blades mimicked the functionality of venomous fangs, able to pump out liquid from microscopic holes set into the sharp edge.

The sticky mucus was made by mixing her saliva with a chemical compound that sent the liquid’s viscosity and tensile strength to incredible extremes. The gynoid’s reactive armor, capable of autonomous defenses against simple attacks. Formed by metallic muscle tissue, and topped off with plates with sensory ability, the user doesn’t have to be aware of attacks for them to be repelled. The most impressive part of the gynoid was it’s metal-eating mold; it seemed to be a symbiotic organism that lingered in special chambers in her blades. It fed on her magical reserves via a psychic connection, and able to regenerate at the atomic level at an astounding speed.

Penny learned that she could safely modify herself by externally grafting pieces of the other android to her body, and gain lesser forms of the leaking blades and reactive armor. However, she had a feeling that she could get more if she were to consume Sirkkeli’s entire body, and assimilate the gynoid’s corrupted materials.

---

Helga nodded at Emily’s question, looking dreamily into the distance. “Y-Yeah. She’s a very dear friend to me. I hope so too. I do have this Friendship Stone I could use…” She mumbled, lost in thought. ”The ghosts looked happy when Emily greeted them, and they twirled around her. But they immediately retreated up into the ceiling when Eliza arrived; ironically, they seemed spooked.

Helga was surprised by the mention of Cindy Ford. “Oh, are you a magical girl? Me too!”
Her disguise disappeared with an echo of her words, and she assumed her monstrous appearance. “Don’t think I’ve seen you before, though,” she spoke with a hand to her hip and a friendly smile. “What kind of business does Cindy have?” She asked, genuinely curious.

When Eliza handed over the letter, she blinked. “Oh, the party? Well, I am the owner, so let’s see...” With a careful claw, she slit the envelope open, and read the letter inside. As her eyes moved from side to side, they slowly opened wide. “WOO HOO! It’s happened! Yahoo!” She bounced in place from sheer excitement, holding the letter up. “Par-ty! Par-ty! Invitation to the par-ty!” She briefly ran to the back room. “Look Emily! It’s the address to the concert! Whoo!” She returned back to behind the counter, having remembered she is supposed to be serving a potential client. “Oh, thank you so much! And please forgive me for my burst of emotions. You can let Cindy know that we will definitely attend the concert. How could I repay you? Oh, I know!” She checked the rooms from the computer. “We do have a vacant room you could stay in for tonight. For just one bronze coin, we’ll even throw in a breakfast for you. How about it?”

---

At the place where the battle with Billy was fought, sounds could be heard in the distance. It was that of shouting, clacking heels, and crushed snow. And there, Sophia and Amaryllis could see in the distance as a group of magical girls were making their way towards them. Based on their number, they could guess it was a squad of the Ascendancy, sent to deal with the lich and anyone involved with their destruction. The group of magical girls had the chance to scatter and flee before they showed up. Or, if they felt brave, they could try and settle things with a threat of six magical girls.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

@redbaron1234

Hi there!
Character creation can be semi random or fully self-chosen via the "Smug" origin story, located at the first few pages of the CYOA module link. If you're interested to join, there is a recently vacant spot.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

Cindy smiled at Eliza’s answer, her cheeks glowing yellow with joy. “Thank you. May you be fortunate on your quest,” she spoke, and waved goodbye as the angelic with girl and her familiar exited the shelter. She then nodded at Aurora’s statement about Vi-chan. “She is a symbol of hope to us, so it would make sense for her to cause such a reaction.” She was pleased by Chloe’s offer of assistance. “Ah, that would be marvelous. Sometimes my subjects can act rowdy if left unchecked. If Divina can assert her will and ensure harmony within the shelter, then as queen of Penrose I shall name her peacekeeper.” A thought then occurred to her. “Oh, by the way, will you be joining us for Vi-chan’s concert? We would welcome your presence there.”

---

Lily turned less alarmed as she realized it was Tetrad who had relocated them away from the Beacon extremists. She smiled warmly at the old-looking magical girl touching her shoulder, and placed her hand over hers.
”Oh, I see! Thanks, Grandma Tetrad!” She cheerfully showed her gratitude, and afterwards giggled at her suggestion.
”Kind of, yeah! She did say she was a looker back in the 50s!” She answered in a ditzy manner, unaware of the implications it would have towards Tetrad’s appearance.

However, her smile soon faded into a worried one as she met the gaze of a distant girl, her eyes like two red marbles, as beautiful as they were intense: Silhouette.
”U-um...” She attempted speaking up, knowing the other girl was not the most sociable type.
Was it something I said? I thought she gave a compliment to Tetrad! She thought, her mind scrambling for answers..
No, I’m sure she was like that ever since we shifted...Maybe she wants to ask something.
Before Lily could confirm with the assassin, she frowned upon hearing Alex express his frustration, and leaned down with her hands on her knees.
”Well, it’s not like we could have expected this to happen...But still, no matter how many Beacon bad guys are there, you’re gonna beat them all up! I’m sure of it..”

She nodded at Tetrad’s suggestion for their next move, and offered a hand in lifting Alex up.
”You do? How lucky! I’ll follow your lead then, Grandma Tetrad! Thanks a lot for the help, Rina, Su and Mika!” She waved to the girls as they quickly disappeared up into the canopy.
”Come on Alex, hop aboard. I’ll get us out of this thicket.” With a pedal to the medal, Lily then sped through the woods, deftly turning and weaving past the trees in her way. She occasionally had to lift up into a wheelie when the terrain proved difficult, and it was a bumpy ride, but for the most part she managed to traverse through the woods at a respectable speed.

Su was the first to reach the treetops, and was met with a beautiful sight of the world of the Sprawl; having previously been covered in the dark of the night, the sun now shone like a bright mango and revealed much to the eagle-eyed dark magical girl; valleys with giant flowers, a quarry with flames rising from the depths, a bushy maze that spread like a kudzu, and much more. Fantastic creatures also lived here, from pretty unicorns galloping over a field, to dumpty goblins chasing after them with crude spears. It looked like the kind of world an Isekai protagonist would be sent to after an unfortunate encounter with a truck.
Mika and Rina followed soon after, and they also saw the wonders of the magical realm. However, all three girls had their attention grabbed by a massive formation of crystals, right next to the forest, that encircled a gargantuan metropolis soaring high into the sky; the titular Overcity. They saw that the forest extended a mile or so before they would be out in the open, from which the gates wouldn’t be too far.

---

Leena looked disgusted upon seeing the fawning looks of Viva, familiar with the demented fascination dark magical girls often had for the macabre. However, she didn’t have time to feel revulsed for long; she fended off the Feral clone that swiped at her, performing a cartwheel as she parried a blow. In the process of doing so, she deftly nabbed her gas mask from the floor, putting it on. She took in a deep breath, seemingly rejuvenated again; Dawn could see how the mask’s straps magically extended and closed around her head, and her eyes returned back to looking sharp and focused. The veteran gave an appreciative nod to her presence, glad that the rookie hadn’t been hurt.

As if on cue, she made a twirling dodge to evade Viva’s motorcycle and posed with her sword like a scorpion’s stinger, having expected her to shoot at either her or Dawn who immediately pursued her. But instead, the nurse-like DMG drove past, causing the veteran to grunt from her taunts; she went for the corpse after all. Trusting Dawn to handle it, she looked back at the guitar to see if the corrupted girl grabbed that too, only to be shocked; a third party even she hadn’t noticed had intervened, and grabbed it. “No!” She yelled at Anaya, just as FanFan had arrived to punch the clone attacking Leena and Dawn came rushing back.

But it was too late.

The two experienced Ascendancy girls knew that liches store their souls inside select items, turning them to phylacteries. And Leena could tell based from experience that the item always reflected the lich’ personality; for a sports lover, it could be a football, or a weapon for the martially inclined. But for the Endsinger, a musician, there was only one choice. And if anybody was so foolish as to attempt to draw power from the cursed artifacts, doom would follow.

The moment the black trails came over Anaya and the guitar began glowing, Leena grabbed Dawn’s wrist, and violently threw the both of them towards FanFan, who cast a spell; her metal arms detached from her body, and transformed into a dome that covered the three Ascendancy girls. Utilizing the conductive property of the barrier, it worked as a Faraday cage that distributed the electric charge caused by the lightning storm, canceling its effect on the interior of the dome and grounding the electricity to the frozen soil. The two girls kept quiet, Leena having put a hand on FanFan’s shoulder as she concentrated on holding the cage. Finally, as the storm ended, the shield morphed back to robot arms, and the three looked upon the devastated remains of the battlefield.

---

Sally ran over to Aurelio with tears in her eyes, graciously accepting the hug the dapper magician gave to her.
“Aurelio! I’m so glad you’re here!” After the display of affection, she took the handkerchief, and loudly blew her nose on it. Sylvia and Kimble also graciously accepted the handkerchiefs, and dried their tears using them.
“Thanks for the hanky,” Sally afterwards spoke, and took Aurelio’s hand.
“And for being here; it means a lot to me, you know. You're like my lucky charm~”
Kimble looked at all the others, and made a cute cat smile. “Everyone looks prettier after the White Coinnya!”

As the Beacon people left the courtroom, Sylvia sighed in response to Alicia’s apology, slowly shaking her head. “It’s fine. I was the idiot trying to take responsibility.” She put a hand on Alicia’s shoulder, a bittersweet smile on her lips. “Ever since I saw what you did at Justine’s castle..the look in your eyes...I was sure that I could pass the torch to you. You have the will to go further than I ever did.” She then took a step back, and chuckled. “At least now I can take things a bit easier, heh. I’ll go ahead and prepare stuff so you can move into my office after your meeting.”

While Alicia and Sylvia conversed, Serenity approached Juliana, who blinked in surprise. Her cheeks then developed a shade of red as the maid girl complimented her. “Oh, umm, thank you.” The tall Ascendancy girl averted her eyes. “In my line of work, it is difficult to develop relations of genuine friendship. However, I would like to try. From my understanding, friends enjoy spending time in recreational activities, yes? To prepare for such meetings, here is my phone number for communication.” She took out her cell phone to show her number to Serenity, and engaged in casual chat the best the socially inexperienced amazon could.

Afterwards, the group headed off to the Hall of Luminous Valor. There, they were met by the gazes of the Ascendancy officers, now more mixed in their feelings as when Aurelio first arrived. Rachel’s feelings of scorn were still apparent, but the others had mellowed out, and felt respect for Alicia.
“Alright, I’m not going to repeat myself, so you’re going to listen carefully,” Rachel addressed the group, signalling for Elora to change the projection on the table.
“While we are bound by duty to tolerate each other and come to each other’s aid in the case of an emergency,, that doesn’t mean we have to work together. I have far too much at stake here to let a rookie Paladin ruin it.”

The display changed an organizational chart showing Beacon and Ascendancy as two different groups, and then to a map highlighting parts of the city..
Elora chimed in, without expressing any strong feelings one way or the other.
“Over the past two weeks we have confirmed to have successfully reduced monster activity down by 60%. According to my calculations, we will reach full purification by the end of the month.” Rachel adjusted her glasses menacingly. “You may do as you like with the local branch; it is under your jurisdiction, not mine. However, the Ascendancy will continue purging Penrose of corruptive elements.” She crossed her arms.
“If you do wish to help us, I could use some help in tracking down a concert run by corrupted girls. Aurelio can fill you in on the details.” She turned away. “That is all.”

---

The beastly magical girl’s fur stood up on end as she was startled by Amanda. “Hey, that’s rude!” She snarled and showed her teeth. “We’re just having a...friendly chat. Ain’t that right, Selene?”
The dark magical girl nodded, and now looked at Deni and Valkyrie. “Hood is right. We are your friends. You came here to give us that package,” she spoke to them in a hypnotic voice. Deni and Valkyrie couldn’t help but look deep into her spiralling eyes, and found themselves falling into a trance, believing her words completely. Before she realized it, Deni found herself offering the box up to Hood, who snatched it.
“Thanks a million!” She glanced at Amanda. “Eh, you’re still here? Broom off, why don’t ya?”

---

“This is the end,Stagnation! Face the glorious end-AAAHHH!” Sirkkeli rushed forward, aiming to scissor chop Penny in half with her blades when she was struck by the intense light of Penny’s ShineSpark. Paralyzed thanks to her extrasensory vision being overwhelmed, she was bound by Penny’s chains as she jumped over her. “NOO! IT CAN’T BEEEE!” She screamed. “You’re not Light, so how-” At that moment, Valerie came in for the fatal blow, her sword of thunder flashing as it pierced the monstrous gynoid. Though her reactive armor attempted deflecting it, it proved futile before a weapon of pure energy. It was a risky use of mana, but it proved its worth as electricity coursed through in an impressive display.
“So...This is it…” She groaned, blackened by the lightning attack, as Penny thrust with her arm-mounted spike.

“Lord Laat...I offer you...the greatest tribute...My...destruction...”

After one last, inhuman flinch, the monster slumped, turned into junk by the two cyborgs. Then, the molds and liquids that covered the two of them faded away, freeing Penny from her viscous wrappings. It was then that Penny realized her mana had dropped considerably, now to a third of her potential might. But victory was theirs.

---

Helga dismissed Emily’s gratitude with a humble wave of her hand. “Don’t mention it. My fault anyway that you got mauled.” She spoke while the two were on their way, hopping across the city. She bit her lip upon hearing the question, rolling her eyes so the other girl couldn’t see.
“You see, I’m only bringing you over cause I don’t want to feel like I owe you anything, got it?” She half-yelled back, a bit more volume than she wanted, before returning back to normal voice.
“Actually, just forget I said that. Anyway, here we are.”

The two reached the Golden Trove, a hotel with a yellow sign and asian-influenced style. Helga walked in, and rung the bell on the counter before passing behind it and placing Lupa on a bed situated on the break room in the back. The, she transformed back to human, her clothes having turned into a maid uniform.
“Hey, ghost twins!” Helga yelled, looking up at the ceiling. Soon after, two girls peeked their heads upside down.
“Did ya call us?” Jillian asked, and glanced at Emily.
“Oh, I remember you! You were at the beach party, right? I’m Jillian.” She threw an arm around Julia’s shoulder, bringing the pouting girl close.
“This is Julia. Nice to meet ya!”
“Can you two help us?” Helga pointed at Emily.
“Do you have a Healing Artifact I could borrow? Emily here got wounded.” Julia nodded.
“Yes.” She brought out a star-shaped amulet, giving it to Helga.
“Alright thanks. Emily, could you sit down over there?” She pointed towards a black sofa to the back of the room. In the case she complied, Helga would use the artifact to tend to Emily’s injuries, closing the wounds with healing magic.
“Those two are staying here for the moment being, along with some other magical girls, weird or not,” she happened to mention. Then, she sighed. “I hope Su’s okay. Come back safe, please.”

A bit later, the two heard the front door open, and Helga’s eyes widened. “Su! You’re ba-”
However, as she returned from the back room, she stopped in her tracks upon seeing who arrived; it was Eliza and her familiar. The two had successfully traversed the city without drawing attention from the Ascendancy patrolling the rooftops, and reached the hotel without incident. “Oh, welcome to the Golden Trove,” Helga greeted the two, having assumed a polite demeanor. “Do you have a reservation?”

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

When you least expect it.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

Anaya got it easy; if I wrote Endsinger I'd have turned the guitar's toucher possessed by the lich lol