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Lildear18
”...”
Lily quietly listened as Alex shared his own views on what it meant to be a Mahou, occasionally nodding to the points he made, and she averted her eyes when he brought her up. She knew Alex long enough to know he wasn’t sugarcoating his words just to cheer her up, but nonetheless she felt her cheeks starting to glow.
”A hero? Me?”
She asked, and bit her bottom lip, her hands gripping her knees.
”I’m not a hero. A real magical girl would have saved those girls. She wouldn’t have lost her friend like that.” She felt Alex’ hand on her head, but it didn’t seem to help as she lowered her head; a new wave of tears began.
”I’m a sham! A fake! A...failure...”
But then, Lily felt something soft and fluffy surround her, embracing her. She stopped her sobs with a stuttered breath, and realized that Alex used his tails to comfort her.
She lifted a hesitant hand, and touched the warm fur; it reminded of her last moments with Ixion.
She remembered how Ixion wasn’t disappointed with her; he was proud of her. And that was why he chose to save her.
”Alex...” She quietly spoke, having closed her eyes as she laid her head on his lap.
”Thank you...For being here for me...” She whispered. Then, she simply stayed there, for hours upon hours. Even after Alex would release his tails, she would still stay there through the night, not sleeping, but reminiscing on the times she had with Ixion. It would take time for her broken heart to heal, and Lily knew she had to face this loss by properly grieving. After all, she had made a promise with Ixion that she would move forward, and to do so without any regrets. She didn’t know how, but she would find a way.
Alex did know how to make bridges, so that would definitely help, she thought as she fell asleep.
Rachel lifted her hammer, and delivered it down on Eden as she was pinned down by ranged attacks by Alicia and Sophia, expecting to crush her into a pancake. But when she lifted the hammer, there was no sign of the P.I executive in the cracked concrete. When she looked up, it was already too late; she had flown up, and blended in with the night sky, having disappeared. “YOU COWARD!” Rachel screamed, shaking her hammer.
“Come back here, you craven witch!” Her frustrated yells did not receive a reply, and she sighed heavily; she took her glasses, and wiped blood off them with a handkerchief in a silent moment.
“...Alicia,” she finally stated, turning towards the Paladin Seraph.
“Call in a squad and secure the club. Search through the place for any clues the P.I might have left. Don’t engage enemies unless necessary,” she added with a disgusted tone. “After that you’ll prepare to intercept any rioters reporting in from HQ.” She put a hand to her ear. “Leena,resume retrieving the corpses-”
“It’s gone, Inquisitor,” Leena responded. “The ghost ship had left.”
Rachel grit her teeth, and activated a homing beacon. “In that case we’re retreating! I will retrieve our fallen sisters if it’s the last thing I do!”
She gave one final fingerpoint to the rest. “The time of your Reckoning is nigh, sinners! I’ll be back!” And so, Rachel and Elora teleported away.
Helga wasn’t initially interested in Askefye, as she seemed like your average battlemonger by first appearance. She had seen plenty of them in her time as a rogue monster girl, and she liked their company; they were the least likely to stab you in the back and sell you out to Beacon, like what happened a couple of times, even if it did mean an occasional brawl over what food tasted the best or what hat went best with that dress. She was surprised by her declining the sparring offer, however, and it made her realize there was more to the high-temperature gal than her explosive exterior seemed to suggest. She seemed very tsundere, which amused the toothy monster girl to no end.
“We’ll see you there, Asskefyerhot,” she responded, holding back a giggle from blurting out the childish nickname. She turned to Su, and gave her a sharp-pointed thumbs-up. “Glorious success.” When the group reached the shop, Helga held one of her arms straight up in the air, and stretched it by hooking the other arm behind it. “MAN, I’ve heard of trashing the set, but that was ridiculous! Whoever came up with all BS is one screwball.” She then smiled at Su’s suggestion, and took her hand. “Sure thing, Su-Gar. Heh, get it? Cause you’re a sugar?”
She smiled, though it quickly faded. “Okay, I’m tired, so my puns are getting stale. Let’s check the place out. I heard there’s some cool sights.”
And so, the night of terror came to its end, and morning arrived; as gloomy as the night before, but nonetheless brighter in feel and atmosphere. For the following days, while the most offensive riots were quickly contained by Beacon, general unrest spread across the city.
Corrupted girls who steadfastly believed in Cindy’s power became disillusioned after her passing, and many of them left the Sanctuary to seek better ground. Some gathered at the Golden Trove, having heard from the place from Helga at the rave and seeing advertisements on Glimmr. Others decided to hold out within the Sanctuary, having thrown their lot in with Penny as the successor. A lot of them decided to go out on their own, no longer able to trust in their fellow magical girl. However, most of them went to the Mint, motivated by their fear for Beacon and the promise of sanctuary that Mint offered behind their contracts. And so the mysterious organization’s power grew within Penrose at an astounding rate.
“...”
“...Yes. The numbers have picked up, as planned. Red Nest has agreed to continue cooperation with us for the time being; they have smelled the slave smuggling trade, and come for the pickings. But they are pretty picky, so no pecking them too much.”
In a monochrome office, Al Scarpe was talking on an old-fashioned handle telephone, a cigar spewing smoke on the table. “...No, they’re still around, hasslin’ the joints. The hit failed. But good news is, they’ve cut down on the raids in favor of the riots.”
After listening for a bit, he grit his teeth. “...Still work in progress. I know for a fact she still has goons snoopin the block. It’s only a matter of time before she slips up.”
Another moment of listening on the phone. “Got it. See ya on the flipside.”
He waited for a moment, and slammed the phone down. “Stronzos.”
He lifted up a lid on the desk; it opened up into a computer interface, with a screen under the lid. “I get the coin, they whine and moan about the broad. No surprise,” the Coin Broker mumbled, when he happened upon a single message.
He squinted, and took a puff of smoke.
“...Well, this is interesting.”
It was a cold and windy night at the rooftop of the Penrose cathedral. Once, it was the lair of Justine von Visceral, but now, it was but a mortal shrine of worship. Justine observed the mass that was held there for the few who clung to faith, her crimson eyes apathetically glancing over the crowd from an open window. The priest delivered a sermon, and began leading the others in hymn. She listened to the song, seemingly reminiscing about something far in the past.
“Faith, huh...”
She then felt a magical presence. Her fangs glistened in the moonlight, and she turned. She curtsied.
“Ah, it is my pleasure to finally meet you...Mister Scarpe.”
The tall shadow that stood on the far side of the rooftop moved, revealing an arm holding a ruby-coated lighter. He lit up a cigar, and took a puff of smoke; despite the winds around him, the smoke was not disturbed in the slightest.
“I would be surprised by how you managed to find my business number...But then I remember...Visceral.” Al grumbled, biting his cigar. “You cost us lot of money with your little plant, winged rat. You gonna pay up?”
As he said that, his shadow seemed to stretch menacingly towards Justine. But the monster girl only kept smiling.
“I admit I set certain things into motion that I did not fully predict. But in a way, it was also a blessing. After all, I exposed a vulnerability in your information network, didn’t I?”
The shadow stopped stretching just before Justine, and Al’s muscular form rose up from it, towering over the short girl.
“A wise gal, eh? You think I’m gonna buy that?”
Justine rolled her eyes.
“I suppose not. But I do have something else...Something I believe you would be very interested in buying.”
As she said that, she snapped her fingers, and Sonia teleported in, holding the hand of a certain girl whom Al Scarpe recognized; Betty, as expressionless as a pristine doll. However, the Coin Broker did not show any reaction.
“Well now...One of Veronica’s broads.” He approached the girl, and lifted her chin with his hand; the brainwashed girl did not react. “O’l V’s a real tunnel treader. How you get your hands on her goon?”
Justine gave a little laugh.
“Oh, she practically offered her to me, it was that easy. Anyway, I would be willing to return her back to you in exchange for some...Assistance with a little project of mine.”
Al dropped his hand, and took a new puff of smoke. “What kind of assistance? Cold hard cash?”
Justine shook her head.
“No, nothing so mundane.” Her eyes flashed red, and a sinister grin emerged.
“I want information; more specifically the location of a certain hideout. One that belongs to Mariette Pedersen, the Reflective Witch. Also, I would like to rent some agents for an itsy-bitsy raid there.”
Al began laughing so hard he coughed, causing inky black smoke to escape from his mouth.
“You jokin’, lady? You think dirty deeds are done dirt cheap? Raiding a sub-dimension, let alone one so close to a Horror is expensive, capische? One broad ain’t enough to cover that kind of bill.”
Justine made an exasperated sigh.
“Well, what If I told you I could offer you more of Veronica’s girls?” She gestured to Sonia, who bowed in a polite maid-like fashion with her hands tucked before her.
“Delivery would be a simple thing with Sonia’s teleporting powers. Also, I have a little secret to share.” She came closer to Al Scarpe, and placed a hand on his chest, lightly moving it around in a seductive manner.
“You see, I have convinced the buffoons of Beacon to assist me. They will be occupied by the raid at the exact time I tell them to.” She smiled sweetly.
“Now, who would benefit from that kind of knowledge, hmm?”
Al took the cigar from his mouth, and tapped on it, causing some umbral ash to fall on top of Justine’s tiny hat, to her faintly hidden displeasure. “Now you’re talkin’. With the lantern heads out of commission, we could conduct some important business.” He chuckled. “You’se a shrewd woman, Visceral. We could use someone like you in the familia.”
Justine’s red nails suddenly extended, and she stepped back, seeming offended.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, now. I’m not interested in your magical mafia, only the services that it provides.”
Al tipped his fedora. “Comprende, m’lady. I’ll arrange the Red Nest to assist you for operation.” He offered his arm to her. “How about we continue this discussion in my office? I don’t care much for the weather up here.”
Justine took his arm like a proper lady, and smiled.
“Very well then. Glad to be making business with you~”