Mixtape Ghost N

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

THE.FLORAL.WREATH

Centuries Old | The Floral Wreath | It/Its "̶͚͘"̶̘͋"̸͙͓̾"̸͔̳̽"̶̰͝"̷̡̪̑̔"̵̓̏ͅ"̸̡̮͌"̸̙̌"̸̖̚"̵̠̞̈́"̵̻͉̚"̶̭͍̑"̷̩̫̈́̉"̸̛͈̣̀"̵͕̓̔"̵̼̪̏̈"̷̼̺͂"̴̧̂̓"̷̺͆͆

Description: One of the Calamities. The Floral Wreath is a nightmarish creation born from the twisted experiments of a mad scientist across multiple dimensions. Originally designed as a botanical marvel, it quickly spiraled out of control, gaining sentience and developing a hunger for domination. The Floral Wreath's appearance varies as it adapts to different environments. Still, its core features include vines that writhe and pulse, flowers that bloom with toxic pollen, and roots that burrow deep into the earth, spreading its influence like a plague. As it spreads through dimensions, the Floral Wreath leaves behind a wake of overgrown vegetation and mutated landscapes. Its presence is marked by the rapid growth of invasive plants that choke out native flora, transforming once vibrant worlds into verdant nightmares. The air around it becomes thick with the scent of pollen, carrying its mind-altering spores that infect and mutate living organisms into twisted, plant-like hybrids under its control. Abstraction: Abominable - Overgrowth. The Floral Wreath's Abstraction grants it unparalleled control over plant life and the ability to spread and mutate vegetation rapidly. Its primary ability is large-scale manipulation of plants and soil, allowing it to reshape landscapes, create jungles overnight, and craete flora that towers over cities. It can animate plants as its minions, from small vines to towering tree-like guardians that protect its domain. One of its most dangerous is a virus that every plant it generates is infected with. This virus alter their victims biology, merging them with plants and enhancing their physical capabilities while enslaving them to the Floral Wreath's will. The infected become part of its ever-expanding army, spreading its influence further with each converted creature. This Virus can bypass Emotional-Fields to an extent - the Paranormal can stave off its effects but over time they will be dominated by the Floral Wreath if they are not treated/cured. The Floral Wreath's presence corrupts ecosystems, turning them into extensions of its twisted garden. It can produce toxic pollen clouds that induce vivid hallucinations, or even outright kill through suffocation. In addition to its mastery over flora, the Floral Wreath can create portals that allow it to invade new dimensions. Its teleportation abilities enable it to move freely between dimensions, spreading its influence across the All-Verse and transforming worlds into nightmarish jungles under its control.

Paragraphs: Agents of Death [FernStone & Shin Ghost Note]

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Saskia woke up to someone screaming.

They were wide awake immediately, falling off the bed and spearing a pillow with a blood tendril.

"NO, YOU CAN’T DO THAT AS A MAGICAL GIRL, LISA!" Ella, still asleep, screamed. She sat bolt upright, pointing at the air.

Saskia stopped panicking, standing up and slapping Ella awake. Such a pain when she sleep talked - well more like shouted. Rare, but annoying.

"BY SAILOR MOON- Wha?" Ella, who was finally slapped awake, looked confused.

"Rise and shine, it’s training day," Saskia intoned.

Lisa yawned.

”… You organized a train to get ran on us?” Lisa asked, before rubbing her eyes. ”Aw, you shouldn’t have…”

”Sadly not," Saskia said with a slight laugh. "Greta called last night and suggested we work on new spells… then we'll be able to kill Morningstar in new, inventive, torturous ways."

"Oh yeah, Greta said hi, Lisa!" Ella added cheerfully.

”... Awwww, and you didn’t tell me?!” Lisa groaned. ”Gretchen’s my homie! You could have woke me up- aw, nevermind!”

"You were dead asleep," Saskia intoned.

Looking around awkwardly, Lisa laughed, ”Where will we work on them? Here?” She asked. ”I, well…. I’ve been cooking up a few ideas, but we need more room for them! Also, one of them is going to be really messy, so, um….”

"I don't want mess in here! Not if it's like yesterday!" Ella said.

"Don't worry, I have an idea. Someone who can find us a place." Saskia nodded, picking up their phone from beside their bed. They then went to their near empty contact list and called… Lupe. She answered, and said,

“Maaaaami, what’s up?” Lupe began, “Did you run Dollhouse back their rock?”

"Yup, all sorted. We killed Ignatius too," Saskia said nonchalantly, before getting right down to business. "You know a place without anyone around we can go to? Like, an abandoned building or something?"

“What? Ya’ll gonna get freaky, mami?” Lupe laughed. “Ummmmmm… off the top of my head, there’s an abandoned mall on the outskirts of Mirage Springs. Morningstar used his Society goons to subtly break shit until it was too expensive to run the bitch, mami!”

"Oh yeah, super freaky," Saskia said, in a tone that very much didn’t sound like a joke. "That sounds perfect. If it’s already destroyed it doesn’t matter what we do… Is it on maps? So we can find it."

“I’ll send it to you!” Lupe chipperly said, after a few moments, Saskia got a text from Lupe with a link to its location on maps. “I’m busy right now, mami. But who knows! Maybe I’ll show up with some booze later!”

"Sounds fun, maybe see you then, bye." Saskia hung up, checking the location. They then turned to the other two. "I found us an abandoned mall."

"Oh, oh, that sounds fun!" Ella jumped out of bed, throwing her hands in the air. "Let’s go! Oh, we should grab snacks on the way!"

"Sure," Saskia said. "Lisa can make a flying spider, and we can grab breakfast on the way."

”You should make a spell that makes you grow wings!” Lisa said to Saskia. ”I’m tired of being the Taxi all the time.” She stuck her tongue out as she gestured towards the door.

”Let’s go, friends! Let’s give some poor barista with arachnophobia a heart attack!”

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Lisa pried the wooden boards aside, which was easy because someone had done it earlier. She opened it wide enough for her giant Jumping-Spider with wings to crawl inside. The place reeked, but that was expected with an abandoned building with loads of debris, trash, and used condoms littering the floor. Lisa kicked it aside with her booted foot, and then turned around to face the trio…

”... Should I go first, or what about Ella? Since you’ve been fiending to make that spell?” Lisa grinned. ”Shit, it’s been awhile since I’ve developed some spells!” Then she awkwardly laughed.

"Oh, we can’t all do it at the same time? I guess it's more fun to do it one by one and watch! Ooo, okay, let me go first!" Ella grinned, hopping from foot to foot.

Saskia folded her arms with a nod, stepping back to watch Ella. She was fine with going last. There were a few spells they had in mind, so it would give them time to decide what to focus on.

"Alright! I want to make everyone a magical girl like me… but I’m going to enhance the outfits to protect you! It’ll be super cool, let me test it out on you, Saskia!"

Saskia grimaced. "Do I have to?"

"Well… no… Lisa?" Ella turned to Lisa with wide eyes.

”... Do I have to get naked first?” Lisa asked, grabbing the bottom hem of her dress.

"Not unless you want to!"

”Then go ahead!” Lisa shouted, eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Alright, here goes!" Ella raised her Channeler, pointing it at Lisa. A rainbow light coated it, before it also coated Lisa. It was just like what happened when Ella transformed, without the ridiculous posing! "I’m going to give you a cool spider one!"

As Ella said this the rainbow light died revealing Lisa with her clothes transformed into… a really boring magical girl outfit. It was like her own, but black. Very generic. No spider theming. Ella pouted.

"It’s still a work in progress! I should be able to make it anything I want!I dunno if the protective stuff works either."

"I can stab Lisa to find out?" Saskia intoned, pulling out their knife.

Lisa smiled.

”.... Do ittttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!”

"Alright." Saskia walked over and calmly stabbed Lisa in the shoulder - where she wouldn’t bleed to death if the outfit didn’t protect her… which it didn’t. The knife went right through it.
"Awwww," Ella pouted, a different rainbow light shooting out her Channeler towards Lisa when Saskia had pulled the knife out, healing her. "Guess it needs some work… I gotta practice loads and loads!"

Lisa chuckled, looking at Ella.

”… You think?” She then turned to Saskia and said, ”… And woooooooooow! You didn’t even need to think about that! It’s like you were waiting to do that for awhile.” She stuck her tongue out.

"I enjoy stabbing people," Saskia shrugged. "It helps me remember where all the veins are, so I know where to stab to kill someone… or let them bleed out painfully."

”You love to penetrate people don’t, you?” Lisa laughed. ”Oh! I think it’s my turn to go next, I have something cool in mind!”

Lisa turned towards the open space before them, illuminated by a white light.

”So, um, here I go!”

Lisa awkwardly said, as she closed her eyes and stuck both her hands out… and out of the ground in front of her came… a spider leg. It twitched as it poked out of the ground; it wasn’t large, around a foot in length. Lisa turned back to the three with a grin on her face.

”... This is my newest spell; I call it the Chitionous Spear,” Lisa said with a nod of her head. ”The point of it is that sometimes I think it’d be easier just to have a direct weapon as opposed to summoning spiders all the time!”

However, the leg fell apart seconds after she finished speaking, and Lisa shook her head.

”... It just needs just a little more work.” Lisa sighed. ”But! I know a lot about the anatomy of spider legs!”

"Oh cool," Saskia moved to squat in front of the leg that had fallen apart, narrowing their eyes at it and inspecting it. Really, a spider leg was similar to a bone. "It does look pretty close to working. Kind of like my bone spears… Doesn’t grow out of your body though."

They tried to figure out if they could give Lisa advice to actually help her. They held out a hand, bone spear coming through it, before snapping it off. They then chucked it to Lisa. "Maybe this’ll help figure it out?"

Lisa grabbed it, held it in her hands, and her face contorted into confusion.

”... How is this supposed to help?” Lisa tilted her head.

Saskia shrugged. "A spider leg is kind of like a bone, right? Figure out how that doesn’t fall apart."

They stood back up, stretching their arms up. They looked at Lisa. "My turn, I guess. You said about growing wings… I have been thinking about it."

Saskia pulled off their sweater and tank top, standing in just a sports bra - they didn’t want to deal with holes in their clothes right now. They grimaced, bending forward. Two wide gashes appeared on their back, blood trickling down it. It was intensely painful as a grotesque mass of sinewy muscle and bones pushed out of their back. One formed more of a proper wing shape, stretching out to their right, while the other was stunted and deformed.

It was painfully slow to experience and watch. Minutes of grotesque flesh wings pushing out of their back. It was difficult to keep their balance once they were complete. "It needs to be faster, and they don’t always form correctly."

”Oh, cooool!” Lisa grabbed both of her cheeks (on her face), dropping the boner spear. She bent forward to pick it up. ”You’re like an angel… of death!”

"Right? It’ll be better when I’ve mastered it," Saskia nodded, stretching out the wings, and giving the good one a flap. It didn’t do much. "I’m going to grow the bones at the end to be sharp so I can stab people with them."

”... Even more penetration?!” Lisa laughed, before she shrugged. ”Now and here’s why I said things might get messy…”

Lisa focused on a pile of rubble some distance before them… specifically the pipe sticking out of the top. Then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Out of thin air, a web net connected the pipe to a stone on the ground. However, Lisa walked over to it, pulling it apart with only her index finger.

”Snare!” Lisa shouted. ”Another spell that’s useless against someone with fire powers, but the point is to make webs in the environment! Again… needs work.”

"Fire kinda fucks us, huh," Saskia mused.

"I can handle fire!" Ella shouted, looking at the webs Lisa had made. "I don’t get how this is different from the webs you tie me up with."

Lisa stared at Ella for a moment. Face completely flat.

Before a web net snared Ella’s foot - weak enough to be snapped by even the slightest flex of her foot.

”... That’s how.”

"Ohhhh…" Ella pulled her foot out of it easily. "I see! Well, I don’t really have anything else exciting! I just want to speed up my colour absorption so… I’ll practice that while watching you two!"

Ella grinned brightly, beginning to slowly absorb the pink of her t-shirt while watching them both, practically not blinking.

"Alright, fine… this one’s more boring," Saskia shrugged. Using the blood from the wounds on their back, they formed a longer, thinner tendril than normal from their hand. It was kind of whip shaped, and they flicked their wrist to hit it against a piece of debris. Upon impact the blood splattered everywhere, the remainders pulling back towards their body. "It’s difficult keeping the shape when it’s so thin. I’ll figure it out quickly, I’m sure."

"Ooooooooh,” Lisa looked on in excitement. Before giving Saskia a mischievous grin. ”… You made that for that special torture you want to do to Ella, right?”

"Obviously," Saskia nodded, looking at Ella, who couldn’t say anything about it because of the spell she was practicing. "I was jealous you got to tie her up so much."

”... It was one time!” Lisa said, before she raised her hand. ”... And for the finale.”

Lisa’s hand was covered in a black, flaky, and deformed exoskeleton. It was twisted and hardly conformed to Lisa’s features at all - and it was one finger flex away from falling off. Lisa awkwardly laughed.

”… Exoskel-” The chitin glove fell off. ”… Well, that was exoskeleton.” She sighed, staring at it on the ground.

"Wow, spectacular," Saskia said drily, slowly clapping. "That one’s practically ready."

”Kiss my ass,” Lisa stuck her tongue out at Saskia. Before she turned to Ella, ”… Speaking of ass, pull an ice spell out yours!”

"Uh, ah, okay! I haven’t really thought about this one!" Ella flailed her arms about a bit, before finally raising her Channeler. "SHINING SNOW BLAST!"

As Ella shouted the ridiculous name, she held out her hands and… the most pathetic display of a few snowflakes burst out of them.

Lisa burst out laughing.

”Now THAT will strike fear into Morningstar.” Lisa continued to laugh.

"It’s not complete," Ella pouted, shaking her hands. "I don’t really know how to work with something that isn’t light or colour! It’s totally different!"

"Just try to channel your inner Ice Queen," Saskia suggested.

"I don’t have that!" Ella wailed.

”... Just stop being a coward and think of Sailor Mercury!” Lisa shouted, then laughed. After laughing, she rubbed her chin, ”... Isn’t it a little scuffed that Houndy sent us against a bunch of people who use fire?!”

"I'm trying!" Ella wailed. Murmuring about channelling Sailor Mercury under her breath, she started gearing herself up to go again.

"Maybe he just wanted us to die again?" Saskia suggested. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"No way!" Ella yelled. As she did she held out her hands, and a stronger blast of snow came out of them. It still wasn't enough to do any damage but it was better!

”... Now you can cool me down on a hot summer day!” Lisa laughed. ”But, I mean, to be faaaaaaaair… we killed most of them anyway so-”

A heeled boot went through the boarded up entrance, and wiggled a little bit. Then tried to pull back, to no avail.

“... Mami!” Lupe began. “A little help here! I’m stuck!” She laughed

“This didn't go as planned!

"I got you," Saskia chuckled lowly. They used the fully formed wing, both still coming out their back, to smash through the boarded up entrance and help free Lupe.

"LUPE! HI!" Ella shouted, waving.

Lupe fell on her ass… then laughed for a few seconds before climbing to her feet and climbing through the entrance. She was holding a brown paper bag in hands, and waved at the three with a smile.

“... Hi girls!” She said, before resting the bag on a chair. “I got liqooooooooooooooour, ayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!”

Then she looked around.

“Mami, ya’ll trainin’, right?” Lupe asked. “Shouldn’t ya’ll be naked and hailing Satan for more power or something?” She followed that statement up with laughter.

Utterly forgetting who she was talking to.

"That works?!" Ella shouted, looking down at her clothes.

"No way…" Saskia shook their head. They were the most on their way to being naked, but that was out of necessity because of the wings. Which they should pull back in but… it would be a lot of effort and hurt. "Morningstar is basically satan. It would empower him."

“ It was a joke, mami,” Lupe flatly said before she laughed, digging through the bag.

”... I wouldn’t mind if we got naked,” Lisa tapped her fingertips together. ”Everyone else though, not me.”

"I'm not getting naked unless you do," Saskia replied.

”I got naked in the shower!” Lisa shouted.

Lupe triumphantly raised a bottle of spiced rum into the air.

“... Ya’ll ready to spice this up?!”

"YEAH I AM!" Ella shouted. She raised her hands in the air and let off another blast of snow - still not good as an attack but it was kind of cool as it fell down on them all, Saskia had to admit.

"Let me get these in first," Saskia said, pointing to her wings. As they did the painful process of pulling them back into their body began, with the horrendous sound of skin ripping and bones cracking echoing around the abandoned mall.

Lupe loudly gagged.

“... What the fuck, mami?!” She followed that by laughing. Lupe turned to Ella, “Aw, cool, you can shoot ice now!”

Lupe aimed the bottle of rum at Ella with both hands as far out as her arms could go.

“Shoot the bottle with snow, mami. Just the bottle. The bottle.”

"Ok, I'll try! I'm not well practiced at it!" Ella scrunched up her face, holding out her hands. She shot snow at the bottle… and also a bit of it but Lupe's arms. But it was just like being hit by snow caught in a gust of air, not damaging at all. It was more targeted than before, though. ”Free drinks cooling!"

“Ayyyyyyyyyyyyy, maaaaaaaaaami!” Lupe triumphantly raised the bottle of rum in the air and shook her ass a little bit. Before she stopped, she looked at Ella, “If my AC breaks next summer, you gon’ hook me up, right?” She smiled, putting a hand on her hip before she said,

“I forgot to bring some soda to mix it with,” Lupe began as she turned the top of the bottle, and there was that satisfying snap. “So, we’re drinkin' it straight for your next lesson.So, who’s ready to get a little hair on their concha!?”

”... Aren’t we training?” Lisa asked, tilting her head.

“Okay, just a little bit if you want to,” Lupe raised a finger.

"I'll take a bit to dull the pain," Saskia intoned, grimacing as the wings finally disappeared into the gashes on their. They bent down to pick back up their sweater and pulled it back on, hiding the horrendous looking wounds.

"Gimme a shot! I bet we can train better after drinking!" Ella shouted, bouncing forward with a grin, and without a second thought Luped handed her the bottle of rum.

“I also forgot cups, so you’re just gonna have to guess, mami,” Lupe laughed. “And don’t worry about the germs - we kissed each other, after all!”

Meanwhile, Lisa walked over to Saskia and grabbed onto her arms and said,

”Hold still!” Lisa said as the healing spiders forced their way out of her pores and crawled onto Saskia before they dug into her flesh to heal her. ”Dr. Turner has saved the day!”

"Thanks Dr Turner," Saskia chuckled, pain immediately subsiding. "Maybe I should work on a healing spell… no, it's less thrilling if I do."

"What do you mean?!" Ella screeching, pausing her long drink right from the bottle of rum. "Bleeding out isn't thrilling at all!"

"It isn't when you're boring," Saskia shrugged. Then they held out their hand, thin vine whip wrapping round the bottle and pulling it into their hand. They smirked. "I'm getting better at that one."

”Oh!” Lisa shouted. ”Maybe I can teach you mi- oh wait, you’re not a Gold Adept… shit.” Lisa awkwardly laughed.

”Do something that freaks out the normies! Like vomit healing blood on them!”

”That would be fun," Saskia took a sip of the rum before holding it out towards Lisa. ”Maybe I could mix it up a little. Sometimes blood, sometimes stomach acid, sometimes lumps of flesh."

”… You’ll be coughing up more stuff than Ella did after her uncle got done with her!” Lisa laughed.

“… Dios mios, mami,” Lupe facepalmed, “And that’s directed at both of ya’ll.”

Lupe sighed, “Why don’t you two just touch people to heal them like normal people?!”

”I AM touching them,” Lisa said. ”With spiders!”

"Just touching them is boring, anyway," Saskia shrugged. "Our way is more fun."

"No it isn't! It's terrifying! The way the spiders burrow…" Ella shuddered, hugging herself.

”Toooooooooooooooooooo beeeeeeeeeee faaaaaaaaaaaaaaair…” Lisa put her hands behind her back and put a cutesy look on her face. ”They annoyed me into it! I was like, ‘I only heal spiders’, and then they were like ‘People are dying, Lisa’! And I was like ‘So what!? They should stop dying!’’ They kept going on about it, so I was like, fiiiiiiiiiiine!” She followed it with some devious laughter.

”You should have seen Olivia’s face when I first used it on her! I don’t think she’ll ever forget that,” Lisa began. ”And Jade grabbed my hand while showing me how to heal people! It was the best day ever!”

"I don't think Olivia will forget anything you used on her! I bet she's got spider PTSD or something!" Ella shouted.

”Good!” Lisa shouted. ”That’s what she gets for grabbin’ muh titty!”

”She's probably fine," Saskia shrugged. "They tried to get me to learn but stopped trying when I just hurt people with blood."

”Wow, scrub,” Lisa laughed.

“Actually, mamis,” Lupe put a hand on her hip. “Ya’ll Adepts, right? Like, what color are you all?”

"Only green," Saskia said.

”Green and gold!” Lisa shouted.

"Green, red and orange!" Ella shouted.

“Wow, so we’re all green,” Lupe laughed, before she turned to Ella.

“Ooooooooooh, mami!” Lupe said. “Remember that spell when I was running from you three!? I think I can teach that to you, but, um… I don’t think you would learn a copy-copy of it.”

"Oh yeah the one where you went all neon and colourful and ran away! That was so cool!" Ella nodded, grinning. "I wouldn't be able to do the running, right? That's… purple?"

“I mean, you can still learn a version of it, mami.” Lupe shrugged. “But, it’s not about speed, mami. It’s about being fabulous! Okay, hold on!”

Suddenly, Lupe exploded into a pink fireball with arcs of electricity bouncing off it; she flew around the room a few times before circling back and coming to a skidding stop. Lupe dusted herself off, then smiled at Ella as she said,

“Okay, okay, I know that looked complicated, mami, but it’s not!“ Lupe began. “Clear your mind, focus on the energy ‘round you, mami! Then let your Lux guide you like you’re dancing to the music of the universe!” Lupe spoke as she walked over to Ella and grabbed her hands.

“Trust your lux and try it, mami! Let the world see how fabulous are!”

"Ok, let me try!" Ella nodded. She put her feet shoulder width apart and held out her channeller before yelling,

"PRISM POWER ELECTRO BALL!"

She turned into a ball of vivid, rainbow light, with multi coloured electricity sparking off her. She managed to move a little bit in it, before fizzling out and returning to normal. "That was so… amazing! Just like a magical girl!"

“Mami, you’re a natural!!” Lupe said with a smile as she ran over to Ella, wrapping her arms around her. “You just needta’ practice! Practice makes perfect, mami!”

”Just channel your inner homosexual!” Lisa laughed. ”And your outer one!”

"I am a proud lesbian!" Ella shouted, hugging Lupe back and full on lifting her into the air. "It was so fun! Kinda similar to my super prism kick but... everything! I never tried completely transforming!"

“Aye, mami!” Lupe shouted, laughing. “Put me down!”

”You're not very efficient with your lux mixing," Saskia commented. Though it was good that Ella was able to learn from Lupe, since Lisa and them… really couldn't help her. Their magic was too macabre.

"It's hard with three types! And I do… a bit!"

“Aye, mami!” Lupe said. “That’s why we’re here, to practice!”

Lupe grabbed the bottle.

“... And to drink and have a good time!” Lupe shouted.

”Yeah!” Lisa shouted as she threw up a fist. Lupe grinned, downing a good amount of the rum straight. Lupe also threw a fist in the air, shaking her behind.

“... So let’s get to it, mami!”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

The.Great.Maw

Eons old | The Great Maw | He/Him "All will become part of my dominion."

Description: The Great Maw is a terrifying Aberration-Abominable, monstrous entity that instills fear across the All-Verse. His origins are unknown, but it's been recorded to have been around since creation itself. The Great Maw's appearance is a nightmarish blend of dragon and demon. Its massive, serpentine body is covered in obsidian-like scales, with veins of molten lava coursing through them. Its presence is accompanied by an oppressive heat, making the air around it shimmer and distort. Towering above its victims, the Great Maw is a living embodiment of fire and destruction, a creature born to incinerate and annihilate. Throughout the All-Verse, the Great Maw wreaked havoc, leaving behind a trail of scorched earth and ruined civilizations. It sired many sons with human women, creating a powerful, fire-wielding offspring lineage. Despite its destructive rampage, the Accordance managed to subdue the Great Maw. They bound the Great Maw and cast it into the Pit using immense magical chains forged from hundreds of Orange-Adepts across the All-Verse. There it remains, creating a firey hellscape around it, where only the brave enter. Abstraction: Abominable - Dominion The Great Maw's Abstraction, known as the Dominion, grants it unparalleled control over fire and heat, making it a force of unprecedented destruction. Its most devastating attack is the ability to shoot beams of heat so intense that they instantly vaporize anything in its path. These beams are a concentrated manifestation of the Great Maw's fiery power, capable of cutting through the most rigid materials and reducing entire structures to slag in seconds. Beyond these beams, the Great Maw can manipulate fire at the macro level. This ability allows it to summon and control massive infernos, create towering pillars of flame, and even conjure firestorms that can engulf entire cities. The Great Maw can precisely shape and direct these flames or unleash them in a chaotic, all-consuming blaze. Its control over fire extends to manipulating temperature, enabling it to create areas of intense heat that can incinerate anything within its radius. The Great Maw also possesses extraordinary physical strength and durability, making it a formidable opponent in combat. Its scales are nearly indestructible, capable of withstanding the most powerful attacks. This near-impenetrable hide, combined with its immense size and strength, allows it to crush and demolish any obstacle. The Great Maw can easily tear through buildings, rend the earth, and overpower even the most resilient foes. In addition to its pyrotechnic abilities and physical prowess, the Great Maw can create portals. These portals can connect different dimensions or instantaneously transport the Great Maw and its minions across vast distances. It's teleportation is also powerful enough to allow it to enter and escape the Pit and Void at will.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

The.Rampage

Thousands of Years Old | The Rampage | He/Him "̸̦̚"̸̧̧͓̬̤̮̝̰̪͉̣͕̥̼̫̂̄̌̔̀̕"̴̢͚̩͛̾̾͌̃"̵̫̭̬̹̠̯̥̫̼̜̐̾͐̿͝͝"̶̨̧̬̜̰̠̬̳̮͕͓̮̰̫͉̠̗͕̝͚̺̐͋̃̽̽́̽̏̑̽̍͛̿̕͘͜͠͝"̸̯̝̜̊"̸̢̨̨̧̪̥͓̬͓͇̱̹̹̙͙͉̳͇̲̼̝̗̟̞͉̽̐̏̽́̽͐͜"̸̡̡̰̙͎̘̬̼̼͙̲͍̹̝̖͕̘̱͍͖̰̻͈̱̩́͑̔͆̅͆͌̊̈́̀͆̋̂́̓̈́̌͝ͅ"̷̨̢̡͍̯̫̤͖̙̥̺͋͜"̸̡̧̯̣͇̩̳͈̜͈̗̻̫̦̰̳̣̞͈͓̟̓̊̅̿̅̀͂̐̀͝ͅ"̵̦̱̼̪͇̙͇͕̟̪͉͍͑̈͑̇̋͜"̵̢̲̤͂͗̿͐"̵̫̭̬̳͍͖̮̝̗̠̭̠̠͑̊͆͒̂̐̂̆͛̈́͘̕͜͜͜͝͠"̷̧̢̯̳͚͍̺̟̪̼͚̘̦̲̺͈̠͖͉͇̜̳̮̟͎̤̆̂̎̏̃̐́̀́́̏̄̑̄̏̏̆̽̾͊̕̚͠͝͝"̴̝̈́͊̈́̋͛͌̾̀̑̀̂̂͊̽͌͌͑̑͆̊͘͝͠͝͠"̸̨̩̳̳̫̣̫͚̦̳̦̲̼͙̩͕̻͇͙̈̅̐̽͊̈̈́͗̎́̆̿͐̊͗̇͂͌̓̆̃͑͛͘͠͝"̴̪͎̯̙͕̺̹̰͓͓̟̝̙͍̺͗̉̇̆̈́̽̽͝͠"̶̡̹̦̤̟͇̯͍͖̞̭͒̐̒̂͆̀͐̊̏̋̋͌̂̉͘̚͜͠͝͝"̸̢̨̢̛͚̟̱̜̮͓͓̪̰̉̽̂̅̀̀̌̆͌̈́̂́̾͜͝͝"̶̹̱̮͎̈̀͐̅̃̎̑̈́̑͂̀̌̕͝"̷̨̨̧̡̧͈͍͓̲̙̺̙͍͉̥͕̝̭̞̳̙̫̑̆̀̆͂̊́̅͒̔́̓͊̀̀̌̈́͂͋͜͠ͅ"̴͚̻̹̝̻͕͚̗̻͎̳͕̹̲͕̰́̑̐̀́̍͂̔͗̀͐̀̀̾̅̉̇͆̕͘̚̚͘

Description: The Rampage is an immensely powerful Apparition born from the ancient cataclysmic Crimson War, a conflict where countless civilizations across various universes went to war, fueled by hatred, vengeance, and unending rage. The sheer destruction and violent emotions of trillions of beings across multiple worlds merged into a single, nightmarish Apparition: The Rampage. The Rampage embodies the collective fury and violence of the Crimson War and begins its crusade across the All-Verse, annihilating everything in its path. The Rampage's appearance is terrifying: a towering figure wreathed in flames, its skin a dense, fiery red armor that seems to pulse with malevolent energy. It has blazing eyes that burn with an insatiable rage, massive horns jutting from its head, and claws capable of rending through the most rigid materials. The Rampage's presence is marked by an aura of intense heat, making the air shimmer and distorting light around it. Its very form is a constant reminder of the devastation it represents, a living embodiment of the cataclysmic Crimson War. When the war finally ended, the survivors from various dimensions realized they had created an unstoppable force. The Rampage's destructive power seemed limitless, and its rampage across the All-Verse was legendary. The Rampage was finally subdued and trapped in the Pit by the All-Blade. A coalition of All-Verse's greatest champions managed to weaken The Rampage and use the All-Blade to seal it within the Pit, at the cost of most of their lives. The Rampage's legend has spread across the All-Verse, symbolizing destruction and rage. Its name alone strikes fear into the hearts of those who remember the Crimson War and the devastation it wrought. Even in the Pit, The Rampage's influence can be felt, and many fear the day it might escape its prison and resume its rampage. Abstraction: Apparition - Fury. The Rampage possesses several formidable abilities that make it one of the most feared entities in the All-Verse. Its primary ability is accelerating to blinding speeds, turning into a crimson blur. This Blinding Charge creates shockwaves that can level entire cities, and upon stopping, The Rampage releases a massive explosion of destructive energy, devastating everything within a several-mile radius. This explosion generates intense heat and concussive force, capable of obliterating structures and causing severe damage to anything within its range. In addition to its speed, The Rampage has immense strength and durability. It can crush mountains with its fists and tank even the strongest Paranormal attacks. Its incendiary aura, a field of intense heat and flames, incinerates anything too close, melting steel and turning the ground into molten lava. The Rampage can also generate seismic shockwaves by stomping the ground, creating massive chasms and volcanic eruptions. The Rampage's rage fuels its regenerative capabilities, allowing it to heal from injuries rapidly. This regeneration makes destroying it incredibly difficult, as it can recover from nearly any attack. The Rampage can also unleash a thunderous roar, its most destructive attack. This roar can shatter buildings, symbolizing the collective rage of all who died in the Crimson War. The roar's shockwave is so powerful that it can level entire city blocks, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. Furthermore, The Rampage can tear open rifts between dimensions, allowing it to travel from one dimension to another with ease, and this portal creation is so potent it can enter and escape the Pit and Void freely.

Recollections: The Compendium

THE.RUTHLESS.BLOOM
| The Carniverous Blossom | "Within its petals lies a hunger that knows no bounds, consuming all, even its own user." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | A coven created the Ruthless Bloom in the universe of Shade. They sought to embody nature's wrath in a single artifact, merging botanical beauty with a monstrous appetite. The witches' collective hatred and desire for vengeance against their oppressors breathed life into this malevolent flower. | TYPE: | Life-Draining Artifact | LOCATION: | Thrown into the Pit for the good of humanity. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | Morgan the Terrible: A witch who used the Ruthless Bloom to terrorize villages, feeding the flower with the souls of the innocent. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | Yes | .............................................................................	The Ruthless Bloom is a grotesque artifact, deceptively beautiful with its delicate, pale pink and white petals. Nestled within these seemingly innocent petals lies a maw lined with sharp, fang-like structures, ready to consume anything or anyone that comes too close. The Bloom’s surface is often covered in a fine layer of dew, giving it a deceptively fresh appearance despite its vicious nature. At the heart of its power lies the ability to Devour Life Force. The Ruthless Bloom can consume the life force of any living being that comes into contact with it. This process is excruciatingly painful for the victim and rejuvenates both the Bloom and its wielder. When the Bloom devours a being, it also absorbs their knowledge, allowing the wielder to gain valuable information and skills from their victims. The Bloom can use the absorbed life force to heal its wielder’s injuries, making them incredibly difficult to kill. The presence of the Ruthless Bloom instills an overpowering dread in those nearby. However, wielding the Ruthless Bloom exacts a horrific toll. As its powers are used, the wielder undergoes nightmarish transformations. Initially, the skin has slight discoloration and an unnatural sparkle in the eyes. But soon, twisted vines begin to erupt from the flesh, tearing through skin and muscle in a visceral display of agony. The body contorts and twists as bones elongate and warp, transforming the wielder into a grotesque mockery of a human form. The skin becomes tough and bark-like, covered in thorny growths and pulsating with a sickly, unnatural fluid. Limbs warp into gnarled, root-like appendages that twitch uncontrollably at blinding speeds. Flesh splits and peels away in layers, revealing writhing plant matter intertwined with necrotic tissue, the stench of decay ever-present. As the transformation progresses, the wielder's internal organs mutate, merging with plant life in a horrific symbiosis. Roots and tendrils snake through veins and arteries, spreading like a cancerous infection. The heart becomes a twisted knot of vines, beating with an unnatural rhythm. The lungs fill with spores and fungal growths, making each breath a painful rasp. The mind deteriorates, consumed by an insatiable hunger that mirrors Bloom's own. The wielder's thoughts become fragmented, driven by a primal urge to feed and grow. In exchange for these nightmarish mutations, the Ruthless Bloom grants a form of floramancy, allowing mastery over plant life on a grand scale. This power enables manipulation and animation of vegetation, creating grotesque plant monsters driven by an insatiable hunger for flesh.

Paragraphs: Agents of Death [FernStone & Shin Ghost Note]

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Lisa dreamed of tiddy.

Ella carried Lisa into their room with Saskia following behind. She looked at the bed, then at the fact they were still covered in horrible gunk. There was no way she was letting that get on their bed! No! Ew!

She went past the bed completely and into the bathroom, stepping in fully clothed (well as clothed as she had been!), turning on the shower while holding Lisa in her arms so the warm water hit them both.

Lisa’s tiddy dreams were violently interrupted when the water hit her. She screamed and thrashed around as she shouted, ”... AWWWWW WHAT THE FUCK?!” Before she just went limp, then raised her head to look around.

”... Shouldn’t we all be naked, Ella?”

"If I’d stripped you, you would’ve set spiders on me like you did to Olivia!" Ella said. She was half naked already! And this was two birds with one stone - clothes and bodies washed. Though it was very gross seeing all the blood, guts and gore go down the drain. "But we can get naked if you want!"

”I mean, I only did it because she didn’t ask before she start-” Lisa tried to say before she stopped, went silent for a few moments, and then said. ”... You know what, sure!” Lisa said as she threw the tattered dress onto the floor next to Saskia.

"Room for one more?" Saskia intoned, though they must’ve been joking since they didn’t try to squeeze in. They’d washed their hands and were holding two towels, still covered in gore otherwise. They held them out for when the other two were done.

Which wouldn’t be anytime soon for Ella! She was determined to get every last bit out of her hair, which she shoved right under the shower head.

”Get in, friend! There’s room for all of us!” Lisa shouted, squirting a bottle of body wash on her head. ”You know, like, it would be really fucked up if the drains got like really clogged, and they gotta take them out, and see all these guts!? ” She laughed with the widest smile on her face.

"Alright," Saskia shrugged. They also stepped in fully clothed, squeezing in beside Ella. They then took the body wash off Lisa and also dumped a bunch on the top of their head, rubbing it in. The blood that stained their blond hair red slowly started to come out. "Ooo, I wonder if we'd get kicked out? Or would they think there's a murderer staying here?"

"There probably is!" Ella said. She moved so that she was only holding Lisa with one arm - still possible with how small she was - and grabbed a fancy ass conditioner she'd bought with their totally not stolen money. But she had to keep her braids in tip top shape! She started carefully massaging it through, grimacing at the feeling. Gross, gross. "Not us, obviously. We only kill monsters that deserve it. Oh, maybe when we go back to St Portwell we should become magical girl vigilantes. We're real good at it!"

”We can go around throwing acid in people's faces!” Lisa said, throwing her hands into the air - and water all over the place. ”Maybe we can make our own Coven! What should we call it?!”

Ella immediately got excited at the idea. Their own coven! It'd be amazing! "The Super Sa-"

”No way," Saskia cut her off. "Hmm… it needs to be something cool. What about Mortifer Coven?"

Ella tilted her head, confused. ”That doesn't sound bad… does it mean something?"

"Bringer of Death, roughly."

”... Mortifier Coven?! Really?!” Lisa broke out laughing, as she washed her hair. ”That doesn’t ring at all! What about the Lunar Coven? It’s perfect because of Ella’s weird-ass obsession with Sailor Moon!”

Then Lisa looked at Saskia, ”... And take your clothes off! Do you wash your hands with gloves on!?”

"I like Lunar Coven! But it's not a weird obsession!" Ella shouted, splashing water at Lisa's face… which was kind of useless when they were already in the shower.

Saskia looked at Lisa, then at Ella, then back at Lisa. Then they sighed. "Fine."

They stripped down to their underwear, but no further. Ella was a bit disappointed… strange. Oh well.

"Lunar Coven works, I suppose. It fits all of us."

"Ooo, ooo, I can make us outfits!" Ella said excitedly, jumping up and down in an already cramped space. "I'll figure out a spell to give you magical clothes too!"

”... We can just go buy some, Ella,” Lisa tilted her head at her.

"But I could make extra durable outfits! And if you buy them you won't match me when I transform!" Ella shouted. "I'll make us magic magical girl outfits!"

”... Ooooh, can mine have spiders!?” Lisa asked, ”I would say put blood on Saskia’s, but that would make them want to shower with it on!” She snorted, sticking her tongue out at Saskia.

"Of course! I'll be able to make it look like anything!" Ella grinned, while vigorously scrubbing the blood off their body. "We'll all look so cool! I'll make Saskia's bone themed!"

”Boner-themed.” Lisa added.

"Haha, very funny," Saskia intoned, sticking their tongue back out at Lisa. "I know when it's real."

”... But do you know when soap and water is real?!” Lisa laughed as she flicked some water onto Saskia.

Saskia looked Lisa dead in the eye and said, "this is real?"

Then the showering went on… they all got out, fully bathed, and in various states of dress, and the first thing that Lisa did was flop on the bed and pretty much immediately fell asleep. She loudly snored, and had a snot bubble coming from her nose.

Ella looked at Lisa sleeping with a slight smile, before stretching her arms up with a yawn. She wasn't tired at all! If anything she was more away. "Saskia, let's-"

"No, I'm not practicing kissing with you again," Saskia interrupted.

"That wasn't-"

The laptop began ringing… someone was calling them.

GRETA M. FAUST.

"OH, IT'S GRETA!" Ella shouted, leaping for the laptop and answering. "Hi Greta!"

At this point, Ella was only wearing a towel, grinning, and waving at the camera. Saskia, fully clothed again, appeared behind her with a wave. Greta was wearing a white labcoat, holding a red potion in her hands. She also had a welding mask on… one that she lifted when they answered. She rolled her eyes.

“... I see you couldn’t bother to get dressed before you answered,” Greta snorted.

”I am dressed?" Ella tilted her head, confused. Everything was covered, wasn't it? What was the problem with it being a towel?

"You should've seen her earlier," Saskia commented.

Ella shrugged. "What's up, Greta?!"

“I was hoping to finish our touching reunion before your friend asked to see my backside,” Greta rolled her eyes as she grabbed a beaker full of water and poured it into a jar full of various ingredients. It bubbled as it turned green and began glowing. “You’re… you’re really back to life! I cannot believe it…”

”You get used to it," Saskia shrugged.

"It's amazing! So much has changed!" Ella shouted with a grin. "We're almost done here, then we need to do one other task then… we can come back to St Portwell!"

“Excellent,” Greta said as she put the potion down. “But, you three need to watch your back - and I don’t mean when you get back to St. Portwell, I mean in general.”

Greta narrowed her eyes at the two, saying, “I’m not sure if you’re aware, but Daisy’s little brother, that one girl from Japan, Jade, Kari, and Elsa, was recently murdered. Nobody believes that there’s a pattern, but I do. And I’m certain that you three are targets as well.”

"Yeah Clem and Nessa told us they'd died! I can believe Kari… before we…" Ella's bottom lip trembled as she was overcome with emotion. Kari had been the other magical girl, Ella's other bestest friend, but she'd died before they could reunite.

"Why would we be targets?" Saskia said as Ella was crying. "They would have to know we were alive. We've been quite low-key."

Greta snorted.

“… The three of you have the subtlety of a brick thrown in a dryer,” Greta grinned. “Either way, don’t become… complacent. It’s the most insidious of all killers.”

"We won't!" Ella shouted, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "We're basically fighting for her life every day here! We'll come back stronger than everyone else!"

"Right… oh, want to hear how we beat a dragon, Greta?" Saskia asked.

“I’m more than certain I’m going to regret saying this,” Greta sighed. “… but, sure.”

"Ella showed him her tits and he came so hard he exploded," Saskia nodded.

Greta stared at the laptop for a few moments.

“… I think I need to go take a toaster bath now,” She sighed.

"Oh, can I join?" Saskia asked.

”Why are you taking a bath with a toaster?" Ella asked, confused.

“Yes,” Greta said. “To both questions.”

”Ooo, wait for me then," Saskia said.

Ella was very confused, so she decided to completely ignore it. "Greta! How is everything at home?"

“Terrible,” Greta shook her head as she finally sat before her computer. She gave her pigtails a twirl as she said, “St. Portwell has become a hive of scum and villainy. Though, things are a little better now that we got rid of the Nazi-cosplayers…”

"I hope you killed them in horrible ways," Saskia intoned.

"It sounds like St. Portwell needs us! The magical girls! To save everyone," Ella nodded. "Are you safe?! Do we need to come protect you?!"

“I would suggest staying as far away from St. Portwell as possible… for your own protection,” Greta snorted. “And I am perfectly capable of caring for myself, thank you. Don’t you have a job to do?”

"We can't go there anyway!" Ella groaned, throwing up her hands. "We're almost done! We've killed all of his stupid minions, now we just need to find and kill Morningstar! It'll be easy."

"Very easy," Saskia nodded.

“… Then what’s the hold up?” Greta asked. “Eliminate him already and gain your freedom.”

Ella scratched the back of her neck. "Oh yeah, you're right… well Lisa's asleep. So after some rest!"

"We still have to do another task," Saskia said with a frown. "We won't be free after killing him."

“Hmmmmmmm…” Greta mused, as she looked at these two psychopaths. “Do you have any idea what that task is? Do you have a time limit at all?”

"Nope and no idea!" Ella said cheerfully. "We'll find out when we kill Morningstar!"

“Well, if you weren’t told of a time limit,” Greta cracked a wry grin as she leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers. “Then you can assume there isn’t one until you are informed.”

She was silent momentarily, “You three are still Adepts, right? Death didn’t make you lose your connection to your Lux, right?”

"Of course not!" Ella shouted. ”Then I wouldn’t be a magical girl anymore, would I?”

“... Then prepare, devise some new spells,” Greta flatly noted. “Unless you’re that comfortable that you don’t need it, but… complacency kills.”

"Oh, you’re so smart, Greta!" Ella grinned. "We definitely should while we have time!"

"... We were planning to do that anyway," Saskia intoned, pressing a hand to her forehead. "We talked about it less than an hour ago."

"Oh yeah! I’ll develop a snow spell and one to transform all of us! Ooo, when we get back I can use it on you too, Greta!"

“… I don’t think such an outfit would compliment my figure,” Greta snorted, gesturing down at her rotund figure. “Besides, I’m not an upfront fighter like you three.”

"You'd look so cute, though!" Ella flailed her arms around, looking at Saskia for agreement… who just shrugged. ”But you're right… I'll save it for upfront fighters…"

“My fupa would be showing,” Greta flatly noted.

"Oh," Saskia got an evil glint in their eye. "Use it on Drake when we get back."

“And have his little dragon hanging out for the world to see?” Greta cracked a wry grin. “... Just make sure I’m not around when you do.”

"I don’t want to see it either!" Ella shouted, shaking her head. "No way! I’m not doing it."

"Aw… I’ll find another way to get revenge," Saskia shrugged, before yawning. "Anything else you wanted to warn us about, Greta?"

“No,” Greta said, “But, I would love to talk… about anything, really…”

"I can talk! Oh, oh, show Greta the stone, Saskia! Maybe she can help us figure out why it made you go crazy!" Ella said.

Saskia shrugged, pulling out the orange stone and holding it up. "I killed three people using this."

"And tried to kill us too!"

Greta leaned in, and stared at it for a few moments.

“... I have no clue what that is,” Greta began before she pulled out her cell phone and fired off a text. There was that ding, notifying her that she had received a text message. “But maybe our resident supernatural expert can help out.”

She chuckled… and a few moments later, Nadine King, walked into the room utterly towering over Greta. She wore a black sweater and a long-skirt and had rings and bejeweled necklaces around her neck. She leaned forward, staring at it for a moment, rubbing her chin, and said,

“... It’s the Orange-Stone, ya’ll,” Nadine spoke in a thick Louisiana accent. “It’ll boost your abstraction, but it comes at a pride. The more you use it, the more violent and destructive you get.”

Nadine shrugged.

“I wouldn’t use that thang’ if I were ya’ll,” Nadine said. “Where did ya’ll even get it from?”

"Who are you?" Saskia asked, before seeming to look at Greta (as much as possible through the screen. "Who is she?"

“Nadine King,” She succinctly answered. “Your lil’ girlfriend Greta’s Coven-sister.”

“She’s legit,” Greta said before tapping Nadine on the side and whispering something in her ear. Nadine nodded her head, and was silent.

"Saskia got given it by these spooky guys who kidnapped them!" Ella shouted, not caring who this other spooky person was. If Greta trusted her enough to tell her, then Ella trusted her too. "I agree we shouldn’t use it! You nearly killed us, Saskia. Lisa had to melt your face off!"

“If I had some to spare, I would get you all some of my Abstraction-Boosting Potions, but…” Greta was silent for a moment as she looked up at Nadine. “... The Orange-Stone is still an asset you three can and should use. Just be careful with it - though, that’s really asking a lot from you three.”

"That’s why I’ll keep a hold of it," Saskia said, putting it back in their pocket. "As the most sensible of us three."

"Hey, that’s not true! You’ll just use it right away to go on a rampage!" Ella shouted.

"I won’t. I’ll use it against Morningstar if we need it. But it’s not fun to kill him quickly."

"I want a turn! I bet I could resist it!"

"Denied."

"What- Greta, tell Saskia to let me use it!" Ella turned back to the laptop with a wail.

Greta just laughed as she reached forward.

“Unfortunately, I have no say in this matter,” Greta began. “It was great talking with you two; I must get back to work. Make sure to tell Lisa I said hi.”

Greta cut the call.

"Oh well," Saskia shrugged. "I’m going to bed."

"What, no, Saskia-" Ella started, but Saskia had already fallen into the bed, bundled themself in the blankets and closed their eyes. She pouted. Fine. They’d talk about it tomorrow.

Whistling to herself, Ella discarded her towel and pulled on some bright pink pyjama shorts and a t-shirt. Then she flopped onto bed with Lisa, wriggling up behind her and wrapping her arms around her (avoiding touching her tiddies).

Then she fell asleep, contentedly dreaming of her magical girl adventures.

The Ghost Archives

Hatanaka Yoko

Alternate Themesong

"I will not be able to live with myself if I do not become the very best Adept. The very best Hatanaka. The very best person."

_______________________________________________ Hatanaka Yoko She/Her | 22 | Japanese | 4'11 | 126 _______________________________________________ Resilient _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I refuse to be anything other than the gold standard." ___________________________________ [+] Martial Arts ⫻ Yoko has dedicated significant time to studying various forms of martial arts, including traditional Japanese styles such as Karate, Judo, and Kendo. These give her a solid foundation in striking and grappling techniques; Yoko’s skill makes her a formidable hand-to-hand combatant. Multilingual ⫻ Growing up in Japan and spending significant time in America, Yoko is fluent in both Japanese and English. Culinary Skills ⫻ Having worked in a café and helping her grandparents, Yoko has developed impressive culinary skills. She can prepare various dishes, from traditional Japanese cuisine to Western meals. Agricultural Knowledge ⫻ Yoko's experience as a farmhand has provided her with a solid understanding of agriculture. She knows how to cultivate crops, care for livestock, and manage the various tasks required during harvest season. Practical Mechanics ⫻ Yoko has picked up basic mechanical skills from maintaining equipment on the farm and handling minor repairs. She can troubleshoot and fix common mechanical issues, whether a broken appliance, a vehicle needing a quick fix, or agricultural machinery. Bojutsu ⫻ Yoko has studied the art of Bojutsu, the traditional Japanese martial art of stick fighting. She is skilled in using a long staff, or bo, to perform various techniques, including striking, sweeping, and blocking. Her training includes various katas (forms) and wazas (techniques) that blend offensive and defensive maneuvers, allowing her to transition between attack and defense fluidly. Yoko can adapt and use any long, stick-like object as a makeshift bo in combat, from broom handles to branches. Her Bojutsu practice has honed her physical coordination, balance, and reflexes while instilling mental discipline and focus. Sealing ⫻ Yoko is quite proficient in sealing, a skill taught to her by her older brother, Goro. While the process is straightforward, it demands careful preparation, unwavering belief, and exceptional skill; by drawing sigils with genuine conviction, she can successfully trap an Apparition within an object.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I do not work out to be your eye candy, pervert." Despite her small stature, Yoko Hatanaka's mere presence commands an undeniable presence that makes her stand out. The girl emanates a fierce, intense, and unapologetically assertive aura wherever she goes, which makes her seem more significant than she naturally is. Her overall demeanor, often described as exuding a perpetual resting bitch face, adds to her unapproachable air, serving as a barrier to any who might think of approaching her without good reason. One of Yoko's defining characteristics is her unladylike demeanor. She moves with confidence and purpose, often seen as alien to someone of her background. Her mannerisms are straightforward, and she has zero patience for niceties or pretense. This is reflected in how she carries herself, with a straightforward, almost aggressive posture that further discourages unwanted interaction. Yoko prefers to present herself as unfiltered and raw, so she would never put on makeup. Yoko's physical build is another aspect that sets her apart. Despite her short stature, her body is very well-developed and muscular, a testament to her dedication to fitness. Her time at the gym has sculpted her physique into well-defined muscles, but it's often hidden beneath her choice of clothing, which typically consists of several sizes too large. These oversized clothes conceal her figure and add to her mysterious and unapproachable image. However, her clothing choice reflects her indifference to norms and trends; Yoko favors practicality and comfort over style, donning loose, baggy dresses or oversized pants and shirts that obscure her body. Hidden beneath her layers of heavy clothing are surprisingly large breasts, measuring around 38H, a detail that contrasts sharply with her otherwise androgynous appearance. Yoko orders custom-sized binders just for her, and they reduce the silhouette of her breasts significantly, but if the situation calls for it, she'll swap them out for a sports bra. However, Yoko is flat-bootied. Her physical appearance is the quintessential East Asian, with features that reflect her pureblooded Japanese heritage. Her hair, naturally straight and jet-black, is cut into a pseudo-pixie style that enhances her tomboyish charm.

_{Psychology
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"If it has nothing to do with my journey, I want nothing to do with it."

MAIN GOAL ⫻ Yoko's primary desire is to locate her brother Goro. She has no clue where he's at, but she's on the trail, and she will find him. While doing so, she wishes to honor her Grandfather's dying wish: recover the scattered artifacts and breathe new life into the Hatanaka name. Despite her initial disdain and reluctance for the magical world, she feels responsible for maintaining the Hatanaka legacy. This isn't just for her family, however. Still, it's for herself, and Yoko wishes to prove to the world that she is not only worthy of the Hatanaka name - but she is the gold standard for Hatanakas, warriors, Adepts, and whatever category you can stick Yoko in. In addition to this grand mission, Yoko seeks personal growth and a clearer sense of self. Her time away from magic, working various jobs, and honing her physical skills have shown her the value of normalcy. Yoko wants to find a way to integrate her duty with her desires, and she hopes to carve out a life that is true to who she is.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻ Yoko’s philosophy revolves around self-determination and authenticity. She believes in the importance of being true to oneself, even if it means bucking the norms and breaking from tradition. This mindset directly responded to her upbringing, where she felt suffocated by her family's expectations and obsession with status and prestige. Yoko values honesty and straightforwardness, often rejecting pretense and false niceties, favoring genuineness. Her time spent away from magic, working various jobs, and honing her physical skills has reinforced her belief in self-sufficiency and the importance of personal freedom. However, Yoko’s encounters with magic and her experiences during the battle with the Stygian Snake have instilled the girl with a profound sense of duty and responsibility. She recognizes the importance of understanding and respecting her heritage, even if she initially rebelled against it. This sense of duty is deeply intertwined with her desire to honor her grandfather’s dying wish to reignite the Hatanaka legacy. Her philosophy now balances individualism and familial duty, where she strives to honor her past without being confined. Despite her bold and assertive demeanor, she deeply empathizes and cares for those she loves, particularly her brother Goro, her grandparents, and the few people she considers friends. This compassion extends to Shirakawa-Go, where she takes on the responsibility of protecting them from the paranormal. Yoko believes true strength lies in protecting and caring for others, especially when it requires sacrifice.

SECRETS ⫻ One of Yoko's most closely guarded secrets is the depth of her fear and trauma from the Stygian Snake incident. While she outwardly projects confidence and resilience, the memories of that night and her subsequent Kindling-Event haunt her. She often experiences nightmares and flashbacks, which she keeps hidden from everyone, including Goro. This fear is compounded by a lingering sense of inadequacy, stemming from her initial inability to protect herself and her reliance on Goro during the attack.

SEXUALITY ⫻ Yoko identifies as asexual, feeling little to no sexual attraction toward others; despite this, she has a strong desire for romantic connections and is open to dating both genders. Yoko longs for someone who can appreciate her complexities and see past her tough exterior to the compassionate and fiercely loyal person underneath. Additionally, Yoko harbors a strong desire to have a child. This is due to her need to continue the Hatanaka lineage and honor her grandfather's wish. She envisions raising a child who can inherit the family's legacy with pride and autonomy, free from the pressures and constraints she experienced.

FEARS ⫻ Yoko’s greatest fear is the possibility of losing her brother, Goro. His sudden disappearance has left her vulnerable and desperate. The thought of facing the magical world without his guidance and support terrifies her. This fear is about losing a loved one, but also about confronting the responsibility of continuing the Hatanaka legacy on her own. Goro has always been her anchor, and going on without him fills her with dread. Yoko is terrified of being perceived as weak or incapable by her family and herself. This fear drives her relentless pursuit of self-improvement, but it also threatens to consume her if she cannot find a way to balance her ambitions with her limitations.

REPUTATION IN OLD COVEN ⫻ One of the many terrors of the Old Coven, Yoko had to be near-literally dragged along the fight kicking and screaming. She was not happy to be here, nor did she want to be, and the young Yoko was determined to make that everyone's problem. She was seen as bold, overly aggressive, and difficult to work with, constantly challenging authority and testing the patience of everyone around her. Her frequent fights with Amy Nakamura, leadership, and other influential members only cemented her as a troublemaker. However, Yoko's relationship with the Coven was shaped and defined by her association with Goro; his influential status within the Old Coven essentially was a shield that protected her against backlash. Members who respected Goro were more lenient towards Yoko, hoping she might eventually follow in his footsteps. Despite her rebellious streak, some believed that, with the proper guidance, she could become a valuable member of the Old Coven.

ROLE IN THE BATTLE WITH THE STYGIAN SNAKE ⫻ During the battle with the Stygian Snake, Yoko's role was primarily that of support. Goro taught her various Rituals passed down through the Hatanaka bloodline that boosted the Abstractions of others, ensuring she could contribute to the fight while hopefully keeping her name off the memorial. Yoko used her Rituals to enhance the Abstractions of her allies and boost Emotional-Fields - though her spells were rudimentary compared to her brother's mighty and more advanced feats of Orange-Lux.

FLAWS ⫻ Yoko's social skills have always been lacking. She's not a talker; she's a doer, and while this attribute helps her sometimes, it often works against her. She simply doesn't know how to sit down and talk things over, preferring instead to jump to violence or escalate situations. Her most glaring flaw is her excessive pride, which often manifests as a stubborn refusal to accept help or admit mistakes. This pride is a shield from years of feeling inadequate compared to her prodigious older brother, Goro. Yoko's pride drives her to prove herself, but it also blinds her to her limitations and the value of collaboration. Her need to stand out and be strong on her terms often leads her to act recklessly and jeopardize herself and those around her. Her abrasive demeanor and unladylike manners express her internal struggle; Yoko has always felt like an outsider, a misfit who doesn't belong.

This feeling of alienation was exacerbated by her family's expectations and the constant comparison to Goro. She rebelled against these expectations, embracing a new persona to shield her vulnerable core until it stopped being a persona. Yet, this armor she built to protect her ego only pushes others away when Yoko only wants to be accepted and loved. Despite her fierce exterior, Yoko is plagued by a deep sense of insecurity and self-doubt. The trauma of facing the Stygian Snake and the subsequent (attempt to) return to a mundane life left her struggling to find purpose. Yoko yearns for normalcy yet is drawn to the magical world she fought so hard to escape. This duality leaves her constantly questioning herself, torn between the life she wants and the duty she feels compelled to uphold. Her reluctance to embrace her magical heritage is not just a rejection of her family’s legacy but also a rejection of the pain and responsibility it entails.

Adding to her internal conflict is a mild case of survivor's guilt over the death of Ella Brooks, a dear friend from the Old Coven. Yoko was on the sidelines when Ella died, unable to intervene, and the guilt from this event has lingered. She often wonders if she could have done more and if her hesitation makes her less deserving of the life she now leads. This feeling compounds her sense of alienation, adding another layer of emotional distance between her and those she cares about.

_{Backstory
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"Wherever Goro is, I will find him."

The Hatanaka Family Roots

The Hatanaka Family was a legendary family of Orange-Adepts who were formidable artifact creators who specialized in creating magical weaponry. They had an entire arsenal of enchanted weapons they kept safe in their compound, and the Hatanakas were heroes of legend. Over the years, many tales were woven about the Hatanakas, defeating powerful foes and saving Japan and the world. The most famous Hatanaka, however, was Hatanaka Takashi, who fought in the Oni Wars and created the sword Murakumo—known worldwide as the Aberration Killer-and used it to kill Oni Emperor Daisuke. They also created the legendary Apparition Killer for the hero Reiner Stiller and were the decisive factor in defeating the Stygian Snake. These powerful weapons and the other artifacts they crafted earned the Hatanakas immense respect and fear, cementing their legacy of magical artifacts.

However, as time passed, the significance of their magical heritage waned. The once-revered Hatanakas gradually drifted away from their roots, focusing instead on amassing wealth and prestige. The modern-day Hatanaka family is now considered old money in Japan, living a life of luxury and influence but ignoring the magical legacy that once defined them. The magical artifacts the family once protected with their lives were, at some point, stolen and scattered across the All-Verse, becoming the stuff of legends and myths.

---

Yoko was born and raised in Shirakawa-Go, a village in the mountainous Gifu Prefecture in Japan. All the girl knew from early life was the Hatanaka Estate, an ancient manor on the very outskirts of Shirakawa-Go. From the moment Yoko learned how to walk and talk, there was a distance between herself and her family and their magical roots. She was rebellious; her parents wanted to preserve their image, so they pressured her to fit it - but Yoko wasn’t that. Then there was her older brother, who was everything she was not. He was a wise, considerate prodigy who discovered and even embraced the Hatanaka family roots at a young age - while Yoko was oblivious to them. Yoko always stood out in school due to her unladylike, rude, brash, unapologetically assertive demeanor and temper. Her actions have often led to unnecessary controversy and attention on Yoko, but Goro was the only person who could get through to her. She held Goro in the highest regard, and he could temper the child when her parents couldn’t. Goro never introduced her to magic, as he felt she was unready.

The siblings had grandparents who lived in America (St.Portwell, Oregon, specifically), and they occasionally visited them (or when Yoko got in trouble) between school terms. Yoko didn't like America (or Americans) all that much, but she loved her grandparents to death and would love to visit them whenever possible. One such dramatic visit was during the Stygian Snake's rampage throughout the St. Portwell, and one night, Yoko was roused awake by one of the Stygian Snake's minions in her room. Naturally, Yoko freaked out as it tried to kill her, and the event was enough to cause Yoko to undergo her Kindling-Event. However, it couldn't save her, and Goro burst into the room with a glowing Odachi and cut the creature in half with a glowing Nodachi. Oblivious to what was happening, Goro grabbed Yoko and fled into the night as it was no longer safe at her grandparent's house.

After some fleeing, cleaving through the monster-infested streets of St. Portwell, they came across it: the Stygian Snake. And not just the Stygian Snake, the Sycamore Tree Coven, who opposed the serpentine menace... Goro helped them and eventually was introduced and invited to the Sycamore Tree Coven. Yoko wanted nothing to do with this Coven, the Stygian Snake, or even magic, but Goro pressured her into it, knowing the threat that the Stygian Snake posed. Yoko had to be ultimately dragged along, kicking and screaming, as Goro gave her a crash course in magic... he taught her some of the spells that were passed down the Hatanaka bloodline, primarily the support spells, so Yoko could stay out of the line of fire while also contributing towards defeating this world-ending threat.

However, that did not stop Yoko from being one of the Old Coven's many problem children. The young Yoko had the social skills of a brick; assertive and rebellious, she made it clear that she wasn’t happy to be here and constantly beefed with everyone over every little thing—especially with her “arch-rival” Amy Nakamura. On the other hand, Goro was seen as the model Coven-brother and was beloved by the Coven, working closely with influential members such as Jinhai, Britney, Jack, Amara, Kari, Ashley, and others. They were at war, and Goro was a quintessential member of the Old Coven, so Yoko’s behavior was tolerated. There was one person Yoko was friends with... Despite Yoko's best efforts to push her away, Kari Wilson reached out, offering friendship and support even though she never wanted it. Kari’s genuine kindness and patience slowly broke through Yoko’s defenses, and they eventually became best friends. Through Kari, Yoko met Ella Brooks, who also became one of the few friends Yoko had in the Old Coven.

However, tragedy struck before the Stygian Snake was defeated. Ella Brooks, one of Yoko’s few genuine friends, was killed by a horde of Apparitions. Ella's death struck a deep chord within Yoko, intensifying her feelings of inadequacy and igniting a fierce survivor’s guilt. The Stygian Snake was sealed, and then suddenly, they were harder on Yoko, and the weight of this tragedy bore heavily on Yoko as the Stygian Snake was eventually sealed.. Before Yoko could be voted out, the sibling’s time in America ended, and the two returned to Japan for their next school term. In between terms, Goro returned to America to spend more time in the Old Coven, but the Old Coven self-destructed after returning to Japan.

But Goro believed he had finally cracked it; the secret to magic and invigorating the Hatanaka legacy was connecting and learning from others. Yoko, on the other hand? She thought it was all rubbish, that her life was better without magic, and that she could not care less about the family legacy. After graduating, he chose to attend university in St. Portwell and learn from magical experts like Britney and Kari Wilson. However, returning to Japan was easy because he had a teleportation artifact made in collaboration with Kenshiro Murakin. Goro tried to teach Yoko more about Magic, but she wasn’t interested, so he gave up.

However, leaving magic behind was more complicated than anticipated. Shirakawa-Go’s tranquility was suffocating compared to fighting against the Stygian Snake. Yoko tried to play it off but was haunted by what she went through against the Stygian Snake — and, more deeply, by the death of Ella Brooks. The guilt of standing on the sidelines during Ella’s death gnawed at her, leaving her questioning her role and responsibility. Going to school felt trivial, and she was frustrated and pent-up. She went to the gym to channel her aggression into something positive. The gym became a sanctuary to the girl as weightlifting, running, and martial arts became her daily routine. Martial arts, in particular, became something she desperately needed: discipline and an outlet for her inner turmoil.

In an attempt to gain some financial independence and to defy her family’s expectations, she took a few part-time jobs. She got a job in a cafe, a local convenience store, and even as a farmhand during harvest season, which gave her a break from her inner turmoil and allowed her to interact with Shirakawa-Go on her terms.

However, magic was never far behind, and she was drawn to inexplicable events and magical disturbances. She used what magic she knew to solve them, feeling a mixture of resentment, duty, and, worst of all, certainty. As she dealt with each new disturbance, she couldn’t help but think of Ella and wonder if things might have been different had she acted sooner. This sense of guilt, combined with her growing realization that she could never truly escape magic, pushed her to confront the reality that, like it or not, she would be dragged back into the magical world. This duality between the life she wanted and the legacy she couldn't escape did not make her particularly happy, but her survivor’s guilt complicated things. She couldn’t shake the feeling that perhaps she owed it to Ella to be more robust — to take control of magic before it controlled her. Eventually, Yoko decided that if she was going to be involved in magic, it would be on her terms, so she finally asked Goro to teach her.

Goro was delighted that Yoko had finally understood everything and prepared for this. He took her to the basement of the Hatanaka Estate and opened a portal to the Hatanaka Sanctuary. The Hatanaka family used a personal dimension for generations, which hosted their castle. This place was surreal, but Goro trained Yoko in more magic and taught her some spells. Even though Yoko didn't take to it initially, he eventually specially tailored his training regime to her. He also took her to the Hatanaka arsenal, giving her several artifacts.

Then, he cut her loose in Shirakawa-Go, where she used her artifacts and spells to keep Shirakawa-Go safe from paranormal threats between training and work. However, her grandfather’s health deteriorated, and Yoko and Goro returned to America. On his deathbed, their grandfather’s last wish was never to let the Hatanaka legacy burn out, to renew it, and to carry it onto the next generations. Their grandfather also asked them to find the Hatanaka family’s missing artifacts.

Yoko prepared for the adventure of a lifetime... Only for Goro to tell her that she was not going. When Yoko asked why, he told her she wasn't ready: she had only recently begun learning magic and fighting monsters. Despite Yoko’s insistence, he took off on a multiversal adventure but occasionally returned to drop off artifacts he found and train Yoko. While Yoko just pretended everything was okay and went back to her routine.

However, eventually, Goro went dark. Yoko had no idea where he went or where to find him. Thus, it seemed like it was up to Yoko to honor her grandfather's wishes and find her brother...

... Except she had no idea how to get back into the Hatanaka sanctuary.

_{Abstraction
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"I am the Hatanaka Lion! I will not let you break my pride!"

TYPE ⫻ Adept.

ABSTRACTION ⫻ Orange Lux. Yoko's Channeler is an antique comb gifted by her grandmother.

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ The Hatanaka magical arts encompass three distinct disciplines, all of which were passed down to Yoko by her mentor and brother, Goro Hatanaka. Each of these disciplines represents a different pillar of magic that the Hatanaka family upheld. In the Ritual Discipline, practitioners delve into the ancient practices that tap into the essence of Orange Lux, harnessing its power to imbue strength, resilience, and protection upon themselves and their allies. Armanant, on the other hand, focuses on combat spells and techniques honed over centuries, allowing wielders to transform mundane objects into formidable weapons and nullify the advantages of their adversaries. Lastly, the Weaponmaster Discipline embodies the renowned craftsmanship of the Hatanaka lineage, celebrated for its mastery in crafting legendary weapons. While Yoko is enthusiastic, she is behind because there was a lengthy period of her life in which she wanted nothing to do with magic.

RITUAL ⫻ What Yoko used in the Old Coven to support her allies. Yoko's Ritual Discipline delves into the ancient and intricate practices passed down through generations of the Hatanaka family. Goro taught her these profound ceremonies that tap into the essence of Orange Lux. Through meticulous preparation, precise incantations, and channeling her Lux, Yoko harnesses the power of these rituals to imbue strength, resilience, and protection upon herself and her allies. Each ritual is a testament to the Hatanaka legacy, a blend of artistry, discipline, and the profound connection between mind, body, and spirit.

Soul's Radiance ⫻ This ritual requires preparation and coordination. Yoko begins by meticulously drawing ancient kanji symbols on rocks, each representing strength, resilience, and vitality. Yoko then arranges these rocks in a ring around the target person, which they have to stand in the middle of, and then Yoko begins chanting. As the chanting reaches a crescendo, Yoko channels her Orange Lux, infusing the stones with radiant energy. The ritual's culmination sees a burst of yellow light before it fades away, and the target person feels stronger. This ritual bolsters their Abstractions for several hours.

Song of the Heart ⫻ This enchanting ritual is a testament to the power of unity and emotional connection. Yoko meticulously inscribes elegant kanji symbols onto the ground, representing emotions like courage, hope, and determination, and begins chanting. As the chanting intensifies, Yoko channels her Orange Lux into the target person. The ritual's climax causes the Emotional-Field to manifest as a faint, gentle glow, and this aura enhances their Emotional-Field, making them far more resistant to magic.

INCANTATIONS ⫻ Within the broader discipline of Ritual, Goro has taught Yoko the art of Incantations, a sub-discipline crafted for swift empowerment. With Goro's tutelage, Yoko has mastered the incantation rituals for use in battle or moments of urgency. Each spell embodies the essence of the Hatanaka legacy, offering Yoko the means to bolster her companions' strength and resilience when time is a luxury.

Power ⫻ The Power Incantation is Yoko's go-to when immediate reinforcement is needed. She draws a simplified kanji symbol onto a piece of paper, infusing it with her Orange Lux energy. As she chants a brief incantation, the symbol glows with a vibrant aura, symbolizing the power transfer. When placed upon the target individual, the symbol releases a surge of energy, temporarily enhancing their Abstraction for a few minutes.

Soul ⫻ The Soul-Incantation embodies a swift and focused channeling of Orange-Lux. Yoko sketches intricate symbols and kanji onto a small piece of paper. Then, she speaks ancient verses passed down through generations, resonating with the power of inner strength. As the chant unfolds, Yoko's Orange Lux imbues the paper, and with a final flourish, she places the paper upon the target's chest. Instantly, their Emotional-Field bolstered briefly, raising their defense against magical attacks.

Vigor ⫻ Yoko begins by sketching intricate symbols and kanji onto a small piece of parchment, infusing it with her Orange Lux energy. The parchment glows with a vibrant aura as she recites ancient verses, each word resonating with the power of strength and resilience. With a final flourish, she places the parchment upon the target's chest. Instantly, their physical abilities are bolstered, granting them heightened strength, agility, and resilience for a brief period.

Unity ⫻ As a last resort, Yoko calls upon the Unity Incantation, a spell of swift empowerment that saps her strength to bolster another's. She sketches a single kanji symbol onto a small piece of paper, infusing it with her Orange Lux energy. She speaks some ancient verses, and each kanji stroke symbolizes a power transfer. Through this brief ritual, Yoko weakens her magic to transfer a portion to another. Though it offers the recipient a potent surge of energy, it comes at the cost of Yoko's magical prowess, making it a risky gambit.

ARMANANT ⫻ An ancient discipline preserved by the Hatanakas, this encompasses an array of different combat spells passed down through generations. Rooted in tradition and refined through centuries of practice, these spells represent the pinnacle of weapons prowess within the Hatanaka family. Guided by the venerable Goro, Yoko has embarked on a journey to master this discipline, unlocking their secrets to wield them for her journey. Each spell, from the razor-sharp precision of Sharpen to the armor-ignoring potency of Pierce, embodies the indomitable spirit and unwavering dedication of the Hatanaka bloodline.

Sharpen ⫻ Sharpen was crafted to overcome the limitations of conventional weaponry and transform mundane objects into lethal instruments of war. The Sharpen spell allows her to imbue weapons and objects with a supernatural slice. She channels her Orange Lux into the object with a focused concentration, causing it to glow vibrantly. The object's edges become razor-sharp as the glow fades, effortlessly slicing through materials. Whether it's a sword, knife, or even mundane objects like rocks or paper, the Sharpen spell ensures anything becomes a deadly weapon in her hands. A favored technique of Yoko is infusing a blank card with the Sharpen spell.

Hardening ⫻ Grounded in the principles of resilience and grit, the Hardening spell embodies the Hatanakas' unwavering resolve in the face of adversity. Developed to reinforce their weaponry and equipment, this Spell grants objects unmatched durability and offensive prowess. Yoko's Hardening spell is a versatile enchantment that grants objects durability and some offensive power. With a dash of her Orange Lux, she infuses the object with it, reinforcing its structure, making it capable of tanking far more than it usually would and enhancing its offensive capabilities in some cases.

Extend ⫻ Born from innovation and creativity, the Extend spell reflects the Hatanakas' ingenuity in the field of combat. Inspired by the need for versatility and adaptability, this spell allows wielders to extend the reach of their weapons with just Orange-Lux. By channeling Yoko's Lux, she envelops the chosen object in a radiant glow, causing its edges to shimmer and extend. Whether it's a sword, staff, or even a mundane household item, Yoko's Edge spell causes the object to elongate magically, and Yoko can make an object up to three times as long.

Impact ⫻ Rooted in the ancient tradition that embodies strength and courage, the Impact spell embodies the Hatanakas' commitment to overwhelming their adversaries with their unmatched might. Yoko imbues objects with a magical force, causing them to strike with bone-shattering impact. Whether hurling projectiles or wielding melee weapons, Yoko's every blow lands with crushing force, overwhelming foes with the sheer power of her attacks.

Absorption ⫻ The Hatanakas developed Absorption as a countermeasure against magical assaults, aiming to create openings for retaliation. This spell harnesses Yoko's Emotional-Field, briefly altering it and channeling it into a chosen object. Yoko can suck a ranged-magical (such as a fireball) attack into the object through focused concentration, converting it into stored energy, and, at will, Yoko can unleash it through a powerful explosion of force. The size and potency of the blast directly correlate with the amount of magic absorbed. To use Absorption effectively, Yoko must remain still and focused while absorbing the incoming magical energy, ensuring maximum potential for the resulting explosion.

Parry ⫻ An ancient defensive technique honed through generations of practice, Parry embodies the Hatanaka family’s mastery of precision and timing in combat. This spell allows Yoko to enhance her wielded object with the ability to deflect physical attacks. When an enemy strike is about to land, Yoko channels her Orange Lux into her weapon, causing it to glow briefly. Upon contact with the attack, the Parry spell redirects the attack away from Yoko, leaving them open for a moment for Yoko to counterattack or flee.

WEAPONMASTER ⫻ The Weaponmaster discipline stands as a testament to the renowned craftsmanship of the Hatanaka lineage, celebrated for their mastery in crafting legendary weapons. For Yoko, the journey into this ancient discipline is not merely a pursuit of skill but a legacy to uphold. Guided by her older brother Goro, she delves into the secrets of Weaponmaster, learning the intricate rituals and techniques passed down through generations. However, her path is fraught with challenges, and her training remains incomplete as Goro's sudden disappearance leaves her grasping for knowledge.

Empower ⫻ Yoko's journey into the Hatanaka Weaponmaster discipline begins with Empower, a spell laden with potential but limited by her novice understanding. It is a spell that demands more than mere incantations — it requires an entire ritual to enchant an object. To begin the ritual, Yoko meticulously prepares a space adorned with symbols of her lineage, incense, and candles to honor her ancestors. With the ritual space prepared, Yoko places the chosen object at the center, then enters a meditative state, channeling her Orange Lux that radiates throughout the room. Through intricate gestures and chants, she imparts her will upon the object, imbuing it with the power to transcend its mundane origins.

The potential applications of Empower are vast and limited only by Yoko's imagination and her ability to collaborate with other Paranormals. For instance, she might seek the assistance of a Red Lux Adept to create a sword that bursts into flames upon command, adding fiery devastation to her arsenal. Alternatively, by collaborating with a White Lux Adept, she could craft a pendant capable of revealing hidden truths or detecting the presence of Apparitions. Beyond Adepts, Yoko might team up with an Apparition to draw upon its unique powers or an Aberration who has gained a particular ability through their curse or bond with an Apparition. However, as Goro didn't have time to train her fully, Yoko's attempts at empowerment are often imperfect. The enchanted objects may exhibit flaws or instability, requiring constant maintenance or refinement to function correctly. Furthermore, her inexperience limits the complexity and power of the enchantments she can bestow on objects, with more ambitious endeavors often ending in disappointment or danger.

TRADITION (Joint-Casts) ⫻ With a rare blend of skill and empathy, Yoko forged connections with others that transcend mere spells; it became a testament to her ability to forge unbreakable bonds.

The Place ⫻ This Joint Cast stands as a testament to the collaborative prowess of Kari Wilson and Yoko Hatanaka, merging White and Orange Lux to transform any location into their sanctuary. Conceived amidst their battles with the Stygian Snake in the Old Coven, this Joint-Cast was crafted to provide a haven where they could evade the serpent's minions and shield themselves from intrusion. To cast The Place, Kari and Yoko join hands at the center of the chosen location, their auras intertwining in White and Orange Lux. As they focus, a shimmering aura of yellow light emanates from their joined palms, spreading outward to envelop the area. The barrier solidifies into a protective shell, imbued with their combined strength and heightened perception. Empowered by their respective Lux, Kari and Yoko weave a protective aura that fortifies the physical defenses of their surroundings and grants them comprehensive insight into anything within its bounds. The sanctuary's walls, structures, and natural elements have enhanced durability. Stones become unyielding, capable of withstanding tremendous force, while wood gains an unbreakable resilience akin to iron. The air thickens, forming a barrier that deflects projectiles and dissipates the impact of magical assaults.

As Kari and Yoko deepen their connection to "The Place," their ability to gather information intensifies. Initially, they receive glimpses of random knowledge about those present, sensing emotions, intentions, and essential details. Over time, their awareness expands exponentially, evolving from sporadic insights to a near-omniscient understanding of their surroundings and the beings within. The sanctuary becomes a conduit of information, where every corner and every inhabitant whispers their secrets to Kari and Yoko.

Mirage ⫻ A unique Joint-Cast between Kari and Yoko. Yoko begins by projecting her Orange-Lux into their surroundings. Kari then weaves her White Lux into Yoko's energy, blending it into a dance of colors swirling around them like sand stirred by a gentle breeze. Together, their combined Lux creates a tapestry of light, merging into shapes that manifest echoes of past events. These spectral projections unfold like holograms, transporting Yoko and Kari through glimpses of different times and places. Within their shared aura, the scenes of history unfold unpredictably: from epic battles to tender moments of love and from moments of loss to profound discoveries.

Magical Girl Ascension! ⫻ Yoko performs a ritual that temporarily grants Ella an extraordinary power surge, boosting her Abstraction and physical capabilities. Yoko begins by drawing a complex circle on the ground, using her Lux to inscribe Kanji symbols that glow with a yellow light onto the ground, and Yoko stands at the circle's center chanting. As the ritual climaxes, a beam of yellow light descends from above directly onto Ella. Her body begins to glow with a golden aura, her muscles puff up, and her eyes become a light show. Ella’s Abstraction is boosted to new heights, allowing her to achieve feats never seen before. Simultaneously, her speed, strength, and reflexes are amplified. Her movements become a blur, her strikes capable of shattering stone, and her aura crackling with raw power. The transformation lasts for a limited time, during which Ella becomes a force to be reckoned with, but once the effect wears off, she returns to her normal state.

The Lightning Barrage ⫻ A unique display of Yoko and Ella's impeccable coordination, unfolds. They lock eyes, a silent understanding passing between them, synchronizing their breathing, focusing their energy. Yoko darts forward, unleashing a flurry of rapid strikes infused with her Lux. Ella steps in with her barrage of attacks, punches, and kicks, a blur of movement. The two fighters continue to alternate, never giving their opponent a moment to catch their breath. The Lightning Barrage culminates with Yoko and Ella launching their final blow, combining their energies for a decisive finishing move that should finish the opponent.

Radiant Annihilation! ⫻ Yoko and Ella, in a testament to their unbreakable bond, combine their Abstractions to create a massive ball of light that detonates with the force of a bomb, devastating everything in its radius. Yoko begins by channeling her Lux into her hands, creating a sphere of yellow light. Ella places her hands over Yoko's, adding her energy to the growing sphere. The light intensifies, becoming blindingly bright as the combined power of both Adepts merges into a single blast. With a final push, they launch the sphere into the air. It hovers momentarily, growing more significant and unstable before exploding in a blinding flash. The resulting shockwave levels everything within a considerable radius, leaving behind a scorched and barren landscape.

Dragon-Uppercut! ⫻ Yoko performs an incantation that imbues Ella with a burst of power, allowing her to deliver a super-strong attack, typically an uppercut. Yoko stands behind Ella, reciting an ancient chant, and a visible aura surrounds Ella, crackling with energy. As the chant finishes, Ella feels a surge of strength coursing through her. She launches herself at the target with newfound strength, delivering a devastating uppercut amplified by Yoko's Orange-Lux. The force of the strike is so immense that it shatters stone and sends its opponent flying.

LIMITS ⫻

RITUAL/INCANTATION ⫻

Typically, the Rituals/Incantations are a process that can be interrupted and takes time and resources to pull off; they simply can not be performed in a fight. Yoko can only perform her rituals a few times daily due to their exhaustive nature and the meticulous preparation required. Additionally, the effects of the rituals lose their potency over time, being less effective as the hours pass until their bolster disappears (usually under a day). The surge of energy provided by Yoko's incantations is temporary. It may result in weaker magic for the target, leaving them exhausted after the enhancement wears off. All the Incantations are brief, typically lasting around ten minutes, before they abruptly return to their original strength. Yoko must also wait around ten minutes before she can use any Incantations again after casting one. Regarding the Unity Incantation, Yoko's sacrifice of her magical strength temporarily weakens her overall magical abilities, making subsequent spells less potent for around twenty minutes after casting the Incantation.

ARMANANT ⫻

The effects of the Armanant spells gradually fade over time, typically lasting for ten minutes before returning to their normal state (certain spells, such as Armor Piercing, fade away almost immediately). Infusing objects with magical properties drains Yoko's magical energy, limiting her ability to perform other spells immediately afterward and making it difficult to sustain them indefinitely. Certain materials (such as organic materials, gems, artifacts, etc) may resist the sharpening effect or dull more quickly than others, limiting the spell's effectiveness on particular objects. Certain materials may resist the hardening effect or exhibit limited improvement in durability - for example, naturally hard materials such as stone and already supernaturally altered - affecting the spell's overall effectiveness.

Excessive extension of particular objects may compromise their structural integrity, leading to breakage or deformation. Maintaining control over the extended object requires precise concentration and focus, making wielding effectively in chaotic or high-pressure situations challenging. Yoko can only use Impact three times in ten minutes before she has to wait for a cooldown. Yoko cannot absorb melee magical attacks, only ranged ones. Yoko can only absorb a limited amount of magical energy before reaching her maximum capacity, requiring her to discharge the stored energy before continuing to absorb more. The conversion of absorbed magical energy into a usable explosion is not instantaneous and requires a brief period of concentration, leaving Yoko temporarily vulnerable to counterattacks. The Parry spell is less effective against powerful physical attacks. While it can easily redirect lighter or moderate blows, all-out blows might only be partially deflected, causing some damage to Yoko. The Parry spell is designed to counter a single attack at a time. If Yoko faces multiple attackers or simultaneous strikes, she can only parry one attack, exposing her to the others. Parry only has a brief window for Yoko to use; if she mistimes it, she has to wait a few moments before she can cast Parry again.

WEAPONMASTER ⫻

Yoko's limited experience limits the complexity and potency of the enchantments she imbues on objects, leading to imperfections and instability. The empowerment ritual demands significant time and preparation, with more ambitious endeavors necessitating collaboration with fellow Adepts. Over time, empowered objects may reveal flaws or exhibit instability, requiring ongoing maintenance and refinement. Additionally, their performance may deviate from expectations, necessitating constant maintenance and adjustment.

TRADITION ⫻

The Place ⫻ The Place can only be sustained for a specific duration, ranging from hours to a day, depending on the energy expended. The sanctuary's size is restricted to a set radius from the center point where Kari and Yoko join hands. Creating and maintaining "The Place" drains a significant amount of energy from both Kari and Yoko, leading to exhaustion if prolonged. Additionally, "The Place" remains fixed once established and cannot be moved. There is also a cooldown period after its use before they can attempt another similar Joint-Cast.

Magical Girl Ascension! ⫻ The boosted Abstraction and physical capabilities granted by the ritual are only temporary. The transformation lasts for a limited time, typically ranging from a few minutes to an hour, depending on how much effort Yoko puts into the ritual. Performing the ritual requires a significant amount of Lux energy from Yoko. If she is not prepared or if the ritual is interrupted, it could fail or result in a less potent transformation for Ella.

The Lightning Barrage ⫻ The effectiveness of the Lightning Barrage relies heavily on the synchronization and coordination between Yoko and Ella. Any miscommunication or disruption in their teamwork can prematurely end the barrage or leave openings for their opponents. Performing the Lightning Barrage consumes significant energy from both Yoko and Ella. They cannot sustain this level of coordinated assault for an extended period without risking the depletion of their energy reserves.

Radiant Annihilation! ⫻ Generating such a powerful blast consumes a tremendous amount of Lux energy from both Yoko and Ella. They can only use Radiant Annihilation sparingly, as repeated use could exhaust them entirely and weaken the potency of future spells for a brief period. Creating the massive ball of light for Radiant Annihilation requires time and concentration from both Yoko and Ella. They must channel and merge their Lux carefully to form a devastating blast, leaving them vulnerable during this preparation phase. They can only cast Radiant Annihilation once an hour.

Dragon-Uppercut! ⫻ Yoko must remain close to Ella while performing the magic for Dragon-Uppercut, limiting their flexibility during combat and potentially exposing them to danger. There is a brief cooldown before they can cast Dragon-Uppercut again, so if they miss they are out of luck before they can cast it again. The surge of strength from Yoko's incantation is short-lived. If Ella doesn't execute the attack quickly, the enhanced strength diminishes rapidly.

WEAKNESSES ⫻

RITUAL/INCANTATION ⫻

The Song of the Heart and Fortitude of Spirit rituals offer bolstering effects to the Emotional-Field, yet they carry a double-edged aspect. They inadvertently amplify negative emotions, triggering erratic behavior in the target. The surge of energy provided by the Incantations is temporary and can lead to a subsequent energy crash, leaving the target fatigued and vulnerable once the enhancement wears off. While the Soul Incantation bolsters the Emotional-Field, it also temporarily disrupts the target's emotional stability, causing erratic behavior and leaving them vulnerable to emotion-manipulating magic. The Unity Incantation exacts a heavy toll on Yoko's magical reserves, leaving her depleted and vulnerable for twenty minutes after performing the spell.

ARMANANT ⫻

After Yoko's spells wear off, the objects she imbues often become brittle and vulnerable to damage, creating a brief window where they can easily break and leave her defenseless. Overusing the Sharpen spell can cause fatigue and mental strain, diminishing her overall combat effectiveness. While the Hardening spell grants enhanced durability, it also makes objects heavier to wield. Extended objects can become difficult to control, especially in chaotic or fast-paced combat situations, increasing the risk of self-injury. Yoko's vulnerability increases while she absorbs magical energy, as she must remain still and focused, leaving her open to attacks from other angles. Absorbing too much magical energy beyond her capacity can cause a forceful explosion, injuring Yoko and anyone nearby

WEAPONMASTER ⫻

Due to her inexperience, Yoko's enchantments may become unstable, causing the object to malfunction or lose its power at critical moments.

TRADITION ⫻

The Place ⫻ As Kari and Yoko gain enhanced perception within "The Place," they risk being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of sensory information. The influx of details from every corner and inhabitant can lead to cognitive strain, causing headaches and nosebleeds, and can even cause them to pass out.

Magical Girl Ascension! ⫻ The transformation puts a strain on Ella's body due to the rapid increase in physical capabilities. Prolonged use or frequent transformations could lead to exhaustion or even bodily injury. The ritual drains Yoko's energy significantly, leaving her physically exhausted and vulnerable afterward. After the transformation wears off, Ella experiences a backlash of weakness and fatigue. Her muscles ache, and her reflexes slow down significantly, leaving her temporarily unable to fight effectively.

The Lightning Barrage ⫻ Missing the initial hit of the Lightning Barrage can leave them open to counterattack, and it's extra vulnerable to long ranged attacks. The rapid, high-energy movements during the Lightning Barrage place immense strain on Yoko and Ella's bodies. This can lead to muscle cramps, joint pain, and a significant drop in physical endurance.

Radiant Annihilation! ⫻ After casting Radiant Annihilation, both Yoko and Ella experience a prolonged period of weakness and vulnerability. Their bodies struggle to recover from the immense magical expenditure, leaving them defenseless. The explosive nature of Radiant Annihilation poses a risk to Yoko and Ella and a high risk of collateral damage or outright harming themselves.

Dragon-Uppercut! ⫻ The sheer force behind Ella's enhanced attack puts immense strain on her muscles and joints. If the attack misses or is blocked, Ella risks injuring herself due to the intense physical exertion. The surge of amplified energy surrounding Ella's attack makes her movements predictable and reduces her agility, making it easier for skilled opponents to dodge or counterattack.

^{Other
_{▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔}}
"Even in the face of darkness, I will carve my path with the light of my brother. Or your burning body. Idiot."

The Hatanaka Sanctuary

THE.HATANAKA.SANCTUARY
............................................................ "Whispers in the air tell the tales of the brothers gone."	The Hatanaka Sanctuary is a surreal and enigmatic dimension where reality itself seems to warp and twist. Landmasses drift weightlessly in the sky, each island adorned with lush vegetation, ancient ruins, and meandering pathways that defy logical direction. Despite its enchanting appearance, an eerie silence pervades the realm as if all life has abandoned it. At the heart of this bizarre domain stands the imposing Hatanaka Castle, its towering spires and intricate battlements casting long shadows over the floating islands below. Beyond these walls, the silence is occasionally broken by the distant cry of a creature or the whisper of unseen shadows. Inside Hatanaka Castle, the labyrinthine corridors and chambers reveal a history of grandeur now obscured by time. The once-vibrant halls, where artifacts and relics were proudly displayed, now show signs of their absence. Once alive with the clamor of combat training, the training grounds now lie in a state of disrepair, overrun with tangled vegetation. This space, designed for honing skills and preparing for battle, features a unique system capable of summoning and creating monsters for trainees to face—a testament to the rigorous training of the Hatanaka Family. Although the grand dinner hall where camaraderie and strategy were once shared is now barren, it still echoes with memories of past gatherings. The Sanctuary also contains a hidden Artifact Storage area, a vault where the Hatanaka family's most prized artifacts are kept. This storage is a treasure trove of mystical objects, many of which were recovered by Goro and now rest safely within the Sanctuary’s protective confines. Access to the Hatanaka Sanctuary is a closely guarded secret, known only to a select few. The sole entrance is concealed beneath the Hatanaka estate in Shimmer, reachable only by those who possess Hatanaka blood.

Heyo

Welcome.

Paragraphs: Agents of Death [FernStone & Shin Ghost Note]

---

---

Hours later….

The three staggered out of the tunnel, utterly drained from the relentless hours of battling the noise-induced exhaustion caused by the flying spider. Lisa's strength gives way, and she collapses upon emerging... Until a surge of determination, sparked by the sight of Ella’s tiddies, propels her back to her feet. She surveys their surroundings; they're still within the confines of the casino's warehouse.... And Lisa is left in the dark about the time. It must be, at the very least, morning, but she-

Lisa remembered that she had a cellphone and pulled it out… it was 11:23 PM. They were literally in there all night! Yay. Lisa was tired, and she slumped down to the side of the door as she said,

”Let’s find a window so I can make a spider so we can finally go…” Lisa groaned before she turned to Saskia, as a lightbulb went off in her weird little head. ”Wait! How about we just contact Kim and Jordan so they can teleport us…” She trailed off as she thought about it.

”... They said they had a tracking device in that, right? Right?”

"They did? I don’t remember that!" Ella said with a shrug. She didn’t seem tired at all as she put a hand on her hip and looked around for a window. She still had the scepter they’d stolen.

"They did… I think," Saskia also shrugged. "Just call them, I can’t be bothered walking further."

Of course, they don’t. Lisa thought to herself with a roll of her eyes before she dug around for that phone… and then realized that her dress was in tatters from getting immolated over three fucking times. Her pockets were decimated; she patted herself down and realized she didn’t have her phone.

Lisa loudly groaned.

”... I dropped it!” Lisa whined before glancing back into the tunnel. Yeah. No. She shrugged. Well, this is turning out to be shittier than expected, but what would Adora think of her leaving her homies to the dogs!? She sighed, turning to Ella, ”Elllllllllllllla! Call Kim! Or Jordan! Or both! Maybe Lupe!”

Then her eyes landed on Saskia,
”... And try to find that tracking device in the meantime!”

Ella looked down at herself and her near non-existent clothes, then back at Lisa. And then at herself. Then at Lisa. "I lost it."

"Here," Saskia threw their phone to Ella before pulling out the orange stone. They held it close to their eyes and started turning it around, trying to find some kind of tracking device on it. Eventually, they found a tiny black electronic weaved into the necklace.

Ella, meanwhile, found Kimberley's number on Saskia's phone and called her.

Kimberly answered.

“... Hey, you three were gone for a while,” Kimberly began. “Are you okay?! We were about to start looking for you!”

"We got lost!" Ella said cheerfully. "Oh we also beat Ignatius with my magical tiddies!"

Saskia, meanwhile, was using a tiny, thin bone spear to get the small electronic out of the necklace.

“I, uh…” Kimberly trailed off, “... Do you need us to get you out?”

"Yes please! We’ve been walking for hours and Lisa’s about to pass out!" Ella shouted.

“Okay, um, where exactly are you? You went to the Devil’s Fortune,” Kimberly began. “Jordan can only teleport to places she’s familiar with… so we may have to teleport there and then just find you.”

"Okay! We’re like… in the warehouse! I’m sure it won’t be that hard to find us, we’ll try get back to the actual casino!"

"Got it," Saskia muttered, finally prying out the electronic, throwing it onto the ground and stomping on it multiple times. Then Lisa spit on the remains.

Now they don’t have to worry about the Spooky-Ho knowing their every location! That was the only reason Lisa could think of her giving them the Stone… but if they also told them that there was a tracking device on it, why would they give it to them? For a moment, Lisa’s brain short-circuited before she just settled on the Sexy-Spooky-Bitch, trying to get rid of them peacefully and as fast as possible. Though, Lisa didn’t see herself trying to pick a fight with that many guns.

“Try to get onto the casino floor and, um… just blend in,” Kimberly said. “I’m not sure what’s going on there, but if you killed Ignatius… there are probably more on the way.”

"Blend in, right… We can do that!" Ella shouted, flashing a thumbs up Kimberley couldn’t see. "We’ll see you soon!"

Then she hung up before Kimberley could say anything else.

"We gotta get onto the casino floor and blend in, then they’ll pick us up!"

"Right," Saskia intoned, looking at them both with a raised eyebrow. "How are we going to do that, exactly? We all look like we jumped in a fire."

They had no time for this. Lisa just wanted to return to the hotel, hog-tie Ella again, and call Gretchen! She grabbed onto Saskia and Ella’s wrists…

”We’ll figure it out! Let’s just go!” Lisa said as she pulled them outside to the best of her ability, and she saw an elevator. Then a light bulb popped in her head as she walked to the elevator and pressed the up button. After an awkward silence, the door opened, and Lisa and the two stepped inside… she looked at the buttons inside and just shrugged as she pressed the button for the first floor. The elevator was silent…

There was something on Lisa’s mind.

The Orange Stone.

”... So, um, maybe we should talk about what we’re going to do on the crazy-person rock,” Lisa shrugged. ”It’s… powerful, but also dangerous! So, I think we should only use it unless we absolutely have to.”

"I agree! It made you try to kill us, Saskia!" Ella nodded fervently.

"That’s fine with me," Saskia shrugged. "After we beat Morningstar we won’t need it, anyway."

The elevator doors opened, revealing the casino floors, which were all red with various patterns on the walls, carpet, etc. Casino games were as far as the eye could see - but empty. The casino was desolate, save for a massive beast they could recognize as the last member of the endless seven.

“Now, it seems you bested Ignatius, but your luc-”

Before mid-monologue, Lisa y pressed five on the control panel, and the door promptly closed.

”... Change of plans.”

"To what?!" Ella yelled, far too loudly considering the space they were in.

"Let’s make him run up and down the stairs until he’s exhausted," Saskia intoned.

”How about we just go to the roof and just uh…” Lisa just thought about it. A lightbulb went off in her head. ”Saskia! Call Kimberly again!”

Saskia nodded and pulled out their phone, calling Kimberley again. The signal wasn’t great, but it got through. "Hello, Saskia speaking. We’re stuck in a lift."

“... Well, then get out of there!” Kimberly succinctly answered. “You have Lisa! Who can make flying spiders! Just try to get to the roof.”

"... Right." Saskia held a hand over the phone and spoke quietly to Lisa. "She says to go to the roof and make a flying spider. Can you make another one?"

Lisa threw her head back and loudly groaned.

”... Fiiiiiiiine!” She said, probably sounding like an annoyed teenager more than anything. Before she pressed the button again for the top floor and took the annoying ride up… hopefully, they could avoid that weirdo because Lisa knew he wouldn’t just let them leave.

The elevator reached the top floor, and Lisa resisted the lamentation that there wasn’t an elevator leading to the roof… though typically if there’s an elevator, there is a staircase nearby. Then again, this is a spooky demon-casino… though, after stepping out, she could see the door to the stairs right there. Without a second thought, Lisa ran towards it, through the door, and up the stairs, and… it was chained off. Probably after their fuckery last week (or was that a few days ago? Maybe Lisa has lost brain cells).

Lisa stepped to the side and gestured at it.

”Elllllla!”

"On it - Magical Girl Aurora, Prism Power Transform!" Ella went through her magical girl transformation sequence, spinning around and throwing up a peace sign at the end. Unfortunately (or fortunately for Lisa) it only transformed the clothes she had on already.

She then coated her leg in light and kicked through the chain, and it fell to the ground as Lisa grinned.

”... Well, that was dramatic,” Lisa laughed as she pushed the door open… and they were exposed to the searing mid-day Nevada heat. She looked to the left and right, and after thinking about it, she remembered that she needed to create another flying spider. She sighed in irritation as she summoned a jumping spider and applied the Enlarge and Hybridization Spells. She wondered why if they were just going to be teleported out-

“... As I was saying,” The last member of the Endless Seven floated onto the rooftop away from them. “I, Baala’Khan, am the last member of the Endless Seven, and I am jealous that somebody got to kill them before I got a chance to, but it ends here. Everything ends here. Me and Morningstar....”

While he rambled, rage bubbled inside of Lisa. She was tired of these assholes. Tired of fighting. She just wanted to kill Morningstar already.

“... Will rebuild the Society to be better. This is just the beginning, you insignificant runts; I’m not even going to kill you. I’m going to crucify the three of you on top of the tower of Babel and force you to watch the rise of a new empire as the birds peck at your eyes and the insects feast on your skin…”

Lisa balled her fists. She was reaching her limit...

“... And I’ll ensure that your agony will last as long as possible. Until the end of time, if possible. You will watch the Society’s plan change the world once we get our hands on the All-Blade. We’ll merge the All-Verse with the Pit and create a Sanctuary within it that everyone will fight to reach. That way, in this new world, only the strong survive, and once they get there, they will finally be free to behave and act as they see fit. Kill who they want. Take what they want. Fornicate with what they want. A true Society. This is why Morningstar named the organization the Society-”

The ice broke.

”... SHUT THE FUCK UP!”

Lisa had enough of this goon. She had enough of his rambling and his delusions. She stuck her right hand out at lightning speed, grabbing her wrist with her opposite hand. Out of her hand came a thick, pulsating mass of human flesh that was the same skin tone as Lisa. It attached itself to Baala’Khan, and his face turned to shock as he tried to break free to no avail. Lisa looked to Ella, then Saskia.

”He’s stuck!” Lisa began. ”Hit him with everything you got!”

"EWWWW!" Ella shouted, looking at the pulsating human flesh with a grimace.

"Whoaaa, cool," Saskia breathed out, crouching beside the flesh mass and looking at it closely. "How long have you been able to do this, Lisa?"

Lisa didn’t respond. She was accessing a dark recess of her mind that she was never prepared to show anyone. Not Adora, Kari, Aislin, Saskia, Ella… not anyone. It was supposed to be saved for Emily G. Reed - but Morningstar and his cronies were an exception.

They stood back up, blood tendril coming out from their back. They immediately stabbed it into his chest, using it to pull themselves up and onto his back, avoiding touching the flesh. They very brutally stabbed two bone spears into one of his heads, before moving onto the next.

Ella clearly didn’t want to touch the flesh, so she held up her Channeler to shoot a strong beam of light at Baala’Khan, starting at a head Saskia wasn’t brutally stabbing.

Baala’Khan tried to pull himself away, but he couldn’t break the Wretched Web—just as designed. However, Lisa didn’t anticipate Baala’Khan being stronger than her. So, when he began to backpedal, he sent Lisa tumbling forward and dragged her across the harsh rooftop as Saskia and Ella were barraging him. She could feel her skin tearing and peeling…

… Baala’Khan’s serpent head whipped around and attempted to bite Saskia. While Ella’s head appeared on his body, and shot a beam of light back at her.

"Oh, am I really that cute?!" Ella said, dodging the beam of light shot back at her. She ran towards Lisa, practically leaping onto her to hold onto her and stop her being pulled along the roof.

Saskia’s blood pooled across her body to stop the serpent fangs from piercing her skin, but she still let it bite her. She twisted around, stabbing it right between the eyes, and it thrashed around before it went limp…

Baala’Khan stopped struggling; he began violently shaking as he began “bubbling”. Massive, painful-looking growths formed on the right side of his body as he shook uncontrollably. Baala’Khan eventually fell over… and then he exploded. Like a fucked up pinata, he burst open and let out a gust of spiders, blood, and flesh that splashed in all directions. It began raining down, landing on all three girls, but Lisa was not bothered. She stood up to her feet, absolutely covered in that hellish mixture. She didn’t speak; she just sighed when the macabre rain stopped…

... And what could she really say?

"Oh cool," Saskia said. They’d fallen to the ground when Baala’Khan exploded, softening the blow with their blood armour. They even held up their hand as if they were standing underneath normal rain. "Well that made things easy."

They seemed completely unbothered by it. Ella, on the other hand, was very much bothered. She hopped away from the flesh covering the ground and started shaking her whole body, trying to get it off her.

"My magical girl outfit is ruined!" Ella shouted. "My- my hair! It’s in my hair! How am I gonna wash this out?!"

Lisa sighed. Typically, she would have made a joke about Ella’s uncle, but not right now. The spiders were crawling up and down her body before she threw her hand into the air and made them disperse. For a moment, Lisa wondered where they went, but it was one of the many mysteries of magic. She just shrugged.

A coral-pink sphere appeared right next to them and Kimberly and Jordan - wearing pajamas. They looked around before Kimberly asked, horrified…

“... What happened here?”

Lisa looked to Ella and Saskia… surely, they wouldn’t tell them.

”I stabbed him in the head then he exploded," Saskia shrugged. "These Endless Seven and their explosive orgasms…"

“... The one on his shoulders, right? Right?” Jordan asked.

”Kimmm, Jordannnn, they keep looking at my tiddies and exploding!" Ella wailed.

The two of them looked at each other before Jordan facepalmed.

“... Forget we asked.”

Jordan raised a hand, and the three were teleported away in a coral-pink sphere.

---

They were teleported back into Kimberly and Jordan’s hotel room. Jordan opened her mouth to say something, but Lisa spoke first,

”... Lay low?”

“I was going to ask what the fuck happened,” Jordan laughed. “... You three look like you've been through hell and back!”

"We fought Ignatius, twice," Saskia began with a shrug. "He had two brains. The second was in his dick."

"Yeah and it exploded when I took my bra off!" Ella added.

Saskia nodded. "He went all super Saiyan the second time round… and the room was set on fire. Then we had to fight some other asshole, but he only had the dick brain, I guess."

Jordan’s jaw dropped, Lisa figured that her brain couldn’t comprehend the scope and depth of their epic adventure! Though, she found herself drifting to the sofa then sat down.

Jordan facepalmed.

“... Forget I said anything.” Jordan groaned.

Kimberly laughed, before her facial expression went flat, “You got Dollhouse their rock back, right?”

She then eyed that Scepter Ella had, “... You didn't leave empty-handed, I see.”

"Yup, we gave it back already," Saskia lied without a second thought.

"Isn’t it cool!" Ella shouted, holding up the Scepter with a grin. "I think it really matches my look - it shoots ice and stuff!"

Kimberly stepped over to Ella, and grabbed it; she examined as she said, “... This is the Ice-Queen’s Scepter. It just… shoots ice, but it also boosts any cyrokinetic abilities of whoever is holding it.”

Then she looked at the group, “... Which none of you have.”

"My Scepter!" Ella yelled like a kid having her favourite toy taken off her. "We can develop them! I could totally have ice spells!"

"We can’t," Saskia gestured to themself and Lisa.

Lisa scratched the side of her head. She was told that she has Green and Gold Lux…, with Green meaning Biological and Gold meaning Minion Creation or something. Did that entail ice at all? Probably not. Or maybe they were looking at it the wrong way.

”Yeah, I think only Ella can do that,” Lisa shrugged, before turning to Ella. ”Ella, you can be like Sailor Mercury!”

"Oh, you’re right! I could use her ‘Shine Snow Illusion’ spell! She could make a massive storm!" Ella said excitedly, before pausing. "Oh, but, I’m like Sailor Moon herself! I can’t be like two Sailor Guardians! Or maybe- maybe it’d be alright? How do I make an ice spell?!"

”... How did you make the other ones?” Lisa asked with a raised eyebrow. That reminds her… maybe Lisa should get to work on some spells herself! She was already versatile, but some ideas were cooking in her little head.

Ella furrowed her brows, seeming to think about it. "Well, I just kinda had ideas, then I kept trying until they worked. Like a training arc! Except I didn’t get to skip it."

"Oh, if Ella’s figuring out cryomancy, I have a few things I wanted to try," Saskia said.

”... Let’s do it!” Lisa shouted, pumping her fists… though she succumbed to the comfort of the sofa and how tired she was.

”... After a nap.”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

---

The New Thule Society & The Elite.

^{Featuring the introductions of Blake Schmidt, Phillis Schmidt, Cassandra Schmidt, Angela Schmidt, Jiao-Long Liu, Chunhua Liu, Mika Liu, and the reintroduction of an old foe...}

Interactions: None.

Blake Schmidt's Mansion.

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A butler poured Berlioz a glass of wine... he grabbed it and took a sip. He felt content for a moment...

"... Now, Mr. Auclair, it is a honor to have you here," Until this buffoon,Blake Schmidt, had to ruin it for him. He was seated in this exquisite room, wearing a nice suit with the rest of the New Thule Society sitting around him on the table... except for the Dragonslayer, who stood by the door as if it was a silent sentinel. He was eating a roasted turkey; so much food was presented before him. Unseasoned, the way Berlioz liked it. He placed the glass of wine down.

"I'm glad to be here and meet your family, Mr. Schmidt," Berlioz answered.

"Mr. Liu and his family should be on the way," Blake answered before he gestured towards , a boy who couldn't have been older than eighteen. "So, this my son, Daniel. He's the youngest of my three children."

He waved at them.

Then he gestured toa tall, raven-haired woman. "This is my oldest, Angela."

She didn't so much as look up from her food.

Then he gestured to a woman with a shorter bob-cut, "This is my middle child, Cassandra."

"Hi!" She greeted them.

"... And you've met my wife, Phillis."

Phillis, a tall woman with black hair, silently nodded.

However, a group of footsteps approached, and Berlioz glanced over his shoulder as he saw two well-dressed butlers lead a group of three… subhumans. One man was the unmistakable head of Liu Pharmaceutical, the revered genius Jiao-Long Liu, and at his side was his wife Chunhua Liu. Jiao-Long was wearing a black suit, Chunhua was wearing a white dress, and that left the last one: an average height Chubby girl that didn’t look anything like Jiao-Long or his wife. Berlioz remembered her as a bastard, a disgrace of Jiao-Long that he was forced to take in because her mother died. However, her jaw dropped when she entered the room and saw the New Thule Society… Berlioz gave her a narrow look.

“Hello, hello, hello!” Jiao-Long said with a smile as he walked over to the table and shook Blake’s hand. “Blake, my old friend, seeing you again is great!”

“You too, Jiao-Long!” Blake said. “Have a seat! Grab a plate! The food’s getting cold.”

Berlioz seethed before he exhaled. The Lius had a seat near the Schmidt Family; he could see their bastard daughter glaring at them occasionally. If he didn’t care so much about this deal, he would have shot her by now…

“These people are our newest employees,” Blake Schmidt said. “Come now, introduce yourselves.”

Hearing that he was working for subhumans made Berlioz’s skin crawl, but he had to keep it composed. He gave him a warming smile.

“We are…” Berlioz looked between each of his followers, from Mabel to William, to his niece, to the Twins, to Conrad, and even the Dragonslayer. "... Sentinel Solutions. We are a private Paranormal investigation and enforcement agency. I am the leader of it, Berlioz Auclair."

“And they’re going to help us so we can stop relying on Emily G. Reed so much!” Blake said with a smile.

"That's right," Berlioz continued, maintaining his forced smile. "Our organization deals with situations that traditional law enforcement can't handle. We've seen our fair share of unusual phenomena and have dealt with many... unique cases."

"Like what?" Jiao-Long asked.

Berlioz took a deep breath, preparing to sell their front convincingly as possible. "We've dealt with everything from rogue Apparitions to ancient curses. Recently, we were involved in a case where an entire village was plagued by nightly attacks from what seemed to be a pack of werewolves."

"Interesting," Jiao-Long said, stroking his chi. "And you were successful?"

"Completely," Berlioz replied, his tone confident. "We not only identified the source of the problem but also managed to neutralize the threat without any casualties."

Blake Schmidt clapped his hands together, breaking the slight tension that had built up. "Well, it sounds like we've brought in the right team. Sentinel Solutions will be an invaluable asset to the Elite."

“I know we talked a lot about working for you all,” Paige finally answered her question. “But, what exactly will you want us to help you with, Mr. Schmidt?”

“Simple,” Blake Schmidt, “Asset protection and acquisition!”

The room fell silent, waiting for Blake Schmidt to elaborate finally. “The city of St. Portwell is dangerous! My people are only trying to survive, but the power balance seems to shift. Alliances are being made as we speak! It’s only a matter of time before they knock on our door demanding what we have! For no reason other than they want it!”

“And you said ‘acquisition’,” Mabel noted. “What does that entail?”

“I believe it’s the same as ‘asset protection’ if you look at it from a certain point of view!” Blake Schmidt grinned. “We are removing dangerous artifacts, apparitions, and whatnot from the hands of unworthy people before they are used against us and putting them in the hands of people who will use them.”

He let his words hang in the air as he took a breath and said, “... You know that Axe those crazy hippies use?! That was taken from my comrade Jason Valos! And look, it's being used against us as we speak!”

Berlioz bore teeth at the mention of that subhuman and his damn axe.

“... Trust me, we are well aware,” Berlioz tilted his head downwards. He could see their daughter glance at him again, and he returned the glance with a glare. The air was thick with barely concealed hostility. Blake Schmidt's words... the implication of a brewing conflict was clear to everyone at the table. Berlioz kept his expression neutral though his mind was racing.

The tension was cut with a knife when Phillis Schmidt said, "Mr. Auclair, can you assure us that your team can handle these... acquisitions?"

"Mrs. Schmidt, I can assure you that Sentinel Solutions is more than capable. Each team member has been handpicked for their unique skills and experience dealing with the Paranormal. We understand the risks and are prepared to face them head-on." Berlioz answered.

As Berlioz spoke, he noticed the Liu family's daughter glancing at him again, her eyes wide. He returned the glance with a steely gaze, quickly causing her to look away as if he didn't already notice her. Foolish subhuman.

Chunhua, quiet the entire interaction, leaned in just slightly. "Mr. Auclair, your confidence is reassuring. But, there are those who won't part with these artifacts willingly; how do you intend to handle these 'uncooperative elements'?"

"We have our methods, Mrs. Liu. Persuasion comes in many forms, and we are well-versed in diplomatic and more... assertive approaches," Berlioz answered.

Jiao-Long raised an eyebrow. "Assertive approaches? Are you suggesting force?"

"Only when necessary," Berlioz replied. "Our primary goal is to ensure the safety and security of our clients. If that requires decisive action, we are prepared to take it."

"Good." Blake Schmidt leaned back in his chair, "Because we can't afford to be passive during these times. The balance of power in St. Portwell is shifting, and we need to be proactive!" He threw a finger into the air.

"It's exactly why we need you. We've been trying to get our hands on a particular Apparition..." Blake trailed off. Berlioz raised an eyebrow as Blake gave him the most devious grin, "... It's known as the Stygian Snake. You know that 'natural disaster' that damn near destroyed the city ten years ago? Well, it wasn't natural at all! It was an Apparition all along! One of unimaginable power! And it's sealed somewhere in St. Portwell!"

Paige's jaw dropped, but she regained her composure before Berlioz - or Blake - noticed. Berlioz had a flat look on his face.

"This... Stygian Snake," He started, "If we do find it, what do you intend on using it for? Are you simply keeping it secure? Or are you going to utilize it?"

"Utilize it, of course!" Blake Schmidt grandiosely said. "It's considered a God. What good would it be rotting away in my private collection?!"

The room was silent.

"With it at my fingertips, we can change not just St. Portwell but the whole world!" Blake threw his hands up into the air.

Berlioz cracked a grin. Blake was really out of his mind, wasn't he? Berlioz knew all about the Stygian Snake, and he knew that Blake's grand goals would not go the way he thought it would. However, if his people found the Stygian Snake, he would not give it to Blake under any circumstance. Maybe he'd find some way to enact his great purge and eliminate all the subhumans as a parting gift once he finds his White Paradise - but the Stygian Snake seemed more trouble than it was worth. Berlioz took a moment to gauge the reactions of everyone present. Jiao-Long's expression was neutral but thoughtful, Chunhua's eyes were narrowed in contemplation, and the Schmidt children displayed varying degrees of surprise and skepticism. Phillis remained composed, her gaze steady on Berlioz, waiting for his response.

"... Mr. Schmidt, while the Stygian Snake's power is formidable, utilizing its power does not come without its risks," Berlioz steepled his fingers and leaned in as he spoke. "It's not just about using its power - but ensuring it doesn't also turn against us."

"... Precisely why we need experts like you. With you on our side, those risks are mitigated," Blake answered.

Berlioz was caught off guard... before he smiled.

"... Sure thing."

Blake Schmidt's smile widened.

"Excellent. With Sentinel Solutions on board, our goals are within reach." He raised his glass, prompting everyone else to do the same. "To new partnerships and future successes."

"To new partnerships!" Everyone echoed, though the enthusiasm... varied. Berlioz's people followed his lead, raising their glasses with the same forced smiles they had worn throughout the evening.

However, their forced camaraderie was interrupted by some approaching footsteps as a strange man around six feet tall walked into the doorframe and leaned against it. He ran his hand through his hair, and Berlioz gave him a queer look.

"... Scott Reese," Berlioz rolled his eyes. “You’re late.”

“I am...?” Scott Reese said before he looked down at his watch. “Oh yeah, I am, in fact, late... the watch is broken, by the way. So, let's get this show on the road.” He laughed as he grabbed a seat and sat down, leaning back with his arms crossed.

“... The show’s already over, you slow bastard,” Paige giggled.

“Aw, shit.”

"Scott, you're just in time for the toast! Let's raise our glasses again, shall we?" Blake said, and everyone complied, lifting their glasses once more. Berlioz took another sip of his wine, masking his irritation with a well-practiced smile.

"Now that we're all here, let's move forward with our plans, shall we? Berlioz, your team's first task will be to secure our assets. We must ensure no one can get close to them without our knowledge, lest we have another incident where Greenwood helps themselves to our artifacts. After that, you will begin our search for the Stygian Snake." Blake explained.

Berlioz finished his glass of wine... and looked between each member of the New Thule Society (or as they present themselves, Sentinel Solutions). Then he placed it back on the table...

"... Understood, Mr. Schmidt. We'll start immediately."

---

"Johnny" Valos & Mika Liu.

^{Featuring the introductions of Jason Valos.}

Interactions: None.

The Emperor Hotel.

---

---

Black Milk - Massive Attack

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---

Oooooooooh, back in Dad's old hotel.

Johnny thought to himself as he stepped off the elevator into the private bar one placed here so that the rich people can have a view. And what a view it was! You could see the entire city and the beach from here! Though having some booze wasn't on the agenda for today, it was a familiar face that hated his guts, but still a familiar face! Johnny strutted through the bar, wearing a black pinstriped suit, black dress shoes, his signature cane with a snake, and a wide-brimmed fedora. Eventually, he found the booth where Mika Liu was sitting, wearing a white dress with some sandals and holding a glass of tea. Johnny gave her a wide grin as he walked over to the table and slapped his hand on it. She didn't so much as lift her head up.

"... Valos, you're late," Mika softly said.

"What? No, hello? No how are you? No fuck you?" Johnny laughed. "Just... you're late." He rolled his eyes.

"... By an hour," Mika sighed. "Do you just get off on wasting people's time?"

"Oh, come the fuck on, Mika," Johnny rolled his eyes. "Like you got something to do."

"Meditating, relaxing..."

"Stuffing your face with some fancy-ass cakes," Johnny laughed as he sat down.

Mika adjusted her glasses and stared at Johnny head-on. "You asked me to come out here and talk with you, Valos."

"Yes, I did," Johnny put his hand over the backrest of the booth and grinned.

"How about we have some tea first?" Mika asked.

"What is that?" Johnny asked. "Like your fifth damn cup?" He rolled his eyes, giving her a playful chuckle.

"Seventh."

"Man, you fiendin' over that damn tea," Johnny laughed. Mika got up and walked off towards the bar, and while she was gone, Johnny whipped out his phone and scrolled Instagram for a few minutes. He heard the ceramic teacup hit the table and slid before him. Johnny looked down at the ceramic teacup and saw the steam rise above it.

"This is Da Hong Pao, also known as the 'Big Red Robe.' It's one of the world's most revered and rare teas, originally grown in the Wuyi Mountains of China." Mika explained, taking a moment to (dramatically) blink. "It is known for its rich, full-bodied taste with layers of roasted, mineral, and floral notes..."

"... Thanks for the tea lesson, Mika," Johnny rolled his eyes. "No, really, thank you, I appreciate it. I feel like a sophisticated ninja now..."

"Try it," Mika said. "Maybe it'll show you some class for once in your life."

Classic Mika. Johnny thought to himself as he sipped the tea. "Man, this some good shit... I'm not a tea person, but it's some good shit! But, it's missing something..."

Johnny dug into his suit jacket, pulled out a metal flask, and poured Hennesy into the cup. Mika's jaw dropped as she stared at Johnny, completely silent as he screwed the cap back on and took a sip. He drunk it, and grinned. "Now it's that good shit..." He laughed.

"I, um, what- the- what in the world, why-" Mika stammered, at a loss for words. "... Are you and your family soooooooo uncouth that they can't go twenty seconds without some goddamn alcohol?!" Mika shouted, shaking.

Johnny downed the rest of it.

"... It is one of the rarest teas in the Goddamn world, and you just poured some cheap alcohol in it!?" Mika shouted some mouth, literally frothing at the mouth.

"What's the big deal, Mika?" Johnny laughed.

Mika sighed.

"I don't understand why my sister associates with your boorish family!" Mika shouted. "There are better out there for her than the Valos! I don't know why she can't see that!"

Johnny didn't reply; he just pointed to the side and saw the other patrons staring at them, and Mika sighed, finally calming herself down.

"My 'boorish family'?!" Johnny sarcastically said, feigning offendedness. "What's wrong with Jake? Don't you believe in true love, Mika?"

"Please." Mika rolled her eyes.

"You just gotta accept that we like cousins at this point!"

"Please."

"... I mean, we're in the same boat right now," Johnny grinned.

"What do you mean?" Mika gave him a queer look.

"... You know exactly what I mean," Johnny tilted his head, keeping that shit-eating grin on his face. "You know all about that psycho-slashin' motherfucker that's targeting our siblings."

Mika was silent.

"The reason why I came back to this rathole of a city is because I want to keep my brothers and sisters safe - Lin included," Johnny said, "I don't know shit about this 'Sycamore Tree Coven' they were apart of back in the day but fuck 'im!" Johnny laughed, throwing a hand into the air.

"But, I overheard a conversation they all had the other day..." Johnny trailed. "About Blakey wanting something called a 'Stygian Snake' and how they want to stop him."

Mika immediately facepalmed, then muttered something in Chinese, Japanese, or something - Johnny didn't know!

"My lord, that girl..." Mika lowered her hand from her face and shook her head. "She's going to get us all killed..."

He took in Mika's exasperation with a grin before saying, "I know you don't like me - I wouldn't like me either! But, like me, hate me - whatever - our families are in this together."

"... Unfortnately," Mika sighed.

"Yes," Johnny began. "Unfortunately. But, we gotta get our shit together and figure this out. I have a feeling that Blake has something to do with the murders. I don't know why, but if it's for what I think it is... Then his ass is grass." He grinned.

"And why did you come to me?" Mika asked. "Your boorish father knows far more than I do."

Johnny shook his head.

"Cut the bullshit, Mika," Johnny said. "You think little miss 'I'd do anything for Daddy's approval' wouldn't be in on it?"

"Go to hell, Valos," Mika seethed. "You don't know me."

"In fact, I do..." Johnny grinned ear to ear like a crocodile as he leaned forward. "... I always saw through you, Mika. Beneath all that condescending, judgemental-ass, high-society bullshit you try to present yourself as..."

Mika stared at him wordlessly before Johnny finished.

"... You're just a soft little cuddly-ass girl who wants everyone to love her - especially ya' pops!" Johnny laughed as he leaned back in her chair. "You love your sister more than anything in the world! And you would never do anything that would hurt her..."

Mika stared at him silently as Johnny placed his arm on the table, looking off to the side.

"So, again, how about we cut the bullshit," Johnny began, shaking his head. "There is a reason why I went to you before my own pops!"

Mika took a deep breath, "Alright, Valos, let's. Why did you come to me?"

"Because I knew I could get you to help me," Johnny cockily said. "You know that whatever Blakey is up to, your sister's flat ass is on the line. I don't know anything about this Stygian Snake nonsense, but if my little bros and sis' think it's bad news..."

Mika sighed heavily, closing her eyes.

"... Fine, Valos," Mika said as she opened her eyes, hissing Johnny's last name like an insult. "I'll help you, but why do you care so much?"

Johnny gave Mika a toothy smile.

"... Because it's what family does! Maybe if you weren't so robotic and self-absorbed all the damn time, you'd know that!" Johnny obnoxiously laughed before he gave her a sinister grin. "And besides, I can't stand that bitch ass motherfucker, Blake. I'd do anything to knock him down a peg."

"Fine," Mika rolled her eyes. "I'll tell you everything, I'll even help you out personally... but we need to be smart about this. And we need a plan. While Blake is King-Boor himself, he is dangerous and unpredictable."

"Unpredictable?" Johnny parroted, laughing. "This is Blake 'I'll do anything to fuck any pretty white girl you put in front of me' Schmidt! And you're calling him 'unpredictable.'" Johnny had to finger-quote.

Mika was silent for a moment.

"... You'd be surprised."

Johnny raised an eyebrow, "Surprised? What do you mean by that?"

Mika leaned forward, lowering her voice. "Blake may come off as a simple-minded hedonist obsessed with orgasming at literally every opportunity, but there's more to him than meets the eye. He's got connections, resources, and most worryingly, ambition. I don't think he's dangerous... he's unhinged. A man-child that thinks the whole world is his playground."

"He's got a few tricks up his sleeve; you're saying," Johnny rolled his eyes. "... Big deal."

"It's more than just tricks, Johnny," Mika began. "He's been... making moves. He's planning something big. It may be bigger than all of us. Recently, I discovered he has employed a certain group of dangerous individuals..."

"Mika, we don't get time for this mysterious drama queen bullshit..." Johnny rolled his eyes. "Who are they?"

"Berlioz Auclair, a high-ranking member of the now-defunct Das Sonnenrad, and his like-minded compatriots..." Mika answered.

"The fuck and the fuck?" Johnny laughed.

"Radicalists. White supremacists. Nazis." Mika elaborated. "Blake and my family are oblivious to their true nature, but I know all about them..."

"Like fucking... Kill all Jews, sieg heil-ass Nazis?" Johnny raised an eyebrow.

"Well, they're more like wannabe Nazis, but..." Mika shrugged. "They don't call themselves that openly, but they're extremists, Johnny. Dangerous, ruthless, unhinged, and above all else completely unpredictable. Working with them can only end badly for all of us..."

"Okay, I knew Blake was a complete dumbass!" Johnny laughed, "But this is..."

"... Beyond the pale, I know." Mika ended the sentence for him.

"So, Mr-Fuckin-Stupid is in bed with some crazy skinheads," Johnny repeated. "But, I'm wondering... like, the fuck? I'm lost here. Maybe we need to take things a step back a little so we can get a good look at this big, fucked up picture..."

Mika was silent, so Johnny finished.

"Who are the Elite, and how do you play in all of this, Mika...?"

"Fine, I'll explain everything," Mika slowly shook her head. "But, this stays between us, okay?"

Johnny grinned.

"Okay!"

So, as promised, Mika explained everything (well, almost everything) to Johnny, and they made a plan to confront Jason Valos...

... Johnny's father.

The Valos Manor.

---

After an off-screen conversation, Mika and Johnny rolled back to the Valos Manor (after some protesting from Mika) to act out the plan that they had agreed on. They walked over to the balcony, the big fancy one that overlooked the waves, where several sun chairs were set up that gave whoever stood here a great view of the ocean, and it would be perfect in the summer... unfortunately, it was the fall. It was a cloudy day in St. Portwell. Nonetheless, the great and illustrious Jason Valos sat in one of the chairs, puffing a cigar.

The two walked up to him, and Jason didn't even look. Johnny took a step forward.

"So, Pops-" Johnny tried to say.

"Sit down," Jason said, pointing at the chair beside him.

Complying, Johnny sat down next to his father... and Mika remained standing up. Silently, Jason handed Johnny an unlit cigar, and Johnny, on reflex, slid it in between his lips and lit it with his own cigar lighter.

"... Why didn't you tell me you were back in town?" Jason asked.

Johnny sighed.

"I wanted it to be a surprise," He answered.

"No phone call, no text, no email, hell, you could have sent me a damn messenger pigeon," Jason asked. "You never thought to say 'hi' every now and then?"

"... You threw me to the curb," Johnny narrowed his eyes.

"I did," Jason answered, "I did it because you needed it. You needed to toughen up. You needed to gain some perspective. Otherwise, you were going to grow up to be a pussy like Jake or Jaska..."

After puffing his cigar, Jason leaned back in his chair and grinned at Johnny.

"... And look at you now," Jason began. "I hear all about the adventures about The Revolver... you're just like me."

"Hmph," Mika shook her head, "I know all about the Revolver, too...."

"Of course you do..." Johnny rolled his eyes before focusing on Jason. "Well, thank you for abandoning me. I really appreciate it."

"I mean, It wasn't anything personal," Jason shrugged. "You and your little siblings went on a magical rampage, y'know. Caused a lot of damage. While I can throw money at the problem to make it disappear, I had to save face. I had to look like I gave a shit, y'know? You were the ringleader..."

Johnny was silent. Which made Jason grin wider.

"See, Johnny," Jason began. "I always told you to never lie to people's faces. If you ain't shit, then let them know; things work out better that way."

"... I hate to interrupt your touching reunion," Mika rolled her eyes. "But, we didn't come out here for this."

"And look!" Jason said. "You made up with Mika."

"Let's get to the point, Mika. She wants to drink tea, eat cakes, and act like she's better than everyone else," Johnny laughed, making Mika shake her head at him. "I wanted to talk with you about your buddy Blake Schmidt."

Jason was silent.

"First off, he's not my friend," Jason seethed, "I hate him almost as much as I hate James and all his bastard children." He rolled his eyes.

"... What do you want to know?"

"You know about the murders, right?" Johnny asked. "Do you think Blake has anything to do with it?"

Jason rubbed his chin.

"... Yes, and no clue," Jason shrugged. "What? You're trying to play Sherlock?"

"Yes," Johnny replied. "Jake, Gabe, Jaska, and Sylvia-"

"... And my sister."

"... And chubby cheeks' sister," Johnny added to earn another roll of Mika's eyes. "Point is, they're in danger. And I only came to this hole-in-the-wall of a city to protect them."

Jason rubbed his chin some more.

"... I mean, there's a security detail on all of them," Jason answered before laughing. "Don't you think enough is enough? When will you hang up this "The Revolver" bullshit and just relax for once, just chill?"

"Not today," Johnny sharply answered. "We want to know why Blake Schmidt wants the Stygian Snake."

Jason was silent.

"Now, I don't know Blake Schmidt's sudden obsession with that damn Apparition..." Jason rolled his eyes. "But, he's been acting strange lately. He's been gathering power. Allies. Goons. He had this one bitch, but..."

"Kari Wilson," Mika answered.

"Yeah, her!" Jason began.

"What can you tell us about that bitch?" Johnny asked.

"She was going around finding sealed Apparitions for our boy, and his wife was adjoining them to his fellow rich goons with this artifact he bought off Emily's goons. I know Blake tried to fuck her a few times - probably did it once or twice - but she was close to Lin..." Jason answered before he shrugged. "... Well, before she, you know, got iced."

"Like our Lin?" Johnny asked.

"She is not 'your Lin'," Mika seethed.

"Well, she's my future daughter-in-law, so she's one of us," Jason shrugged. "But Lin was her homegirl in the Elite. The two were inseparable. At least, before..."

"I know," Johnny rolled his eyes. "Who the fuck is Kari, anyway? She ain't in our circle."

"She's a nobody," Jason answered, "At least compared to us. I don't know about her; I know she ran to Blakey because Emily and her scissor-sister were bothering her. I didn't get to talk to her much - no one did - but I know Linda and her were tight. Like tight."

"Well," Johnny turned to Mika as he said, "I didn't know about that."

Mika winced before putting that trademark scowl back on her face. She didn't say a word, so Johnny turned back toward his father and said,

"That brings me to thing-two..."

"Maaaaaaaaaaaan," Jason rolled his eyes. "This is the first time I've seen you in over a decade! You immediately start asking me for shit."

"... Can you get me, Gabe, Jaska, Jake, and Sylvia into the Elite?" Johnny asked.

"Don't forget about Sage," Mika said.

"Sage can suck my dick," Johnny seethed.

Jason pointed at Mika.

"She's in the Elite, in fact, of the 'top' members of that topsy-turvy clusterfuck," Jason answered. "Why don't you ask her?"

"Because my father wouldn't induct the Valos into the Elite," Mika answered. "And it's better if you do it, since they're your children. The Schmidts and the Pimms will get suspicious if my father does it."

"What about Sage?" Jason raised an eyebrow.

"You know this. Sage is an outcast among their own family," Mika said. "You bringing Sage up into the Elite wouldn't bring as much suspicion as my father bringing four of his 'rival's' children into the fold."

"Well..." Jason sighed. "... I'll do it... but..."

He narrowed his eyes at Johnny before just cracking a grin.

"I know you're up to something!" Jason began. "Because you wouldn't be my boy if you weren't!"

Johnny cracked a grin.

Jason leaned back and sighed. "Alright, Johnny, I'll get everyone into the Elite. But you better remember this. And don't fuck it up."

Johnny's grin widened, "... Wouldn't dream of it, Pops."

Jason glanced at Mika, standing with her arms crossed, "Mika, I trust you'll keep an eye on him, right?"

Mika sighed.

"... I'll do my best, Mr. Valos."

"Good," Jason said, taking another puff from his cigar. "Now get out of here, both of you. And Johnny, next time you come back to town, at least pretend you missed me."

"Sure thing!" Johnny

Mika and Johnny walked back through the door to the garage. Mika walked up to the passenger-side door of Johnny's Hummer... but he whipped around, placed his hand firmly against it, and grinned at her. There were about twenty seconds of maintained eye contact before he spoke.

"... Why didn't you tell me your sister was in the Elite already?" Johnny asked.

"Because..." Mika trailed off.

"You know the whole damn time, didn't you?" Johnny added.

"... I didn't tell you because I wanted to protect her. Lin is in over her head, Johnny. She's not like you or me." Mika answered with a sigh.

"And protect her from what?" Johnny tilted his head at her. "Me? Jake? The Elite? The consequences of her fucking actions?"

"Both," Mika looked away. "Lin is... fragile. She always has been. She made strides, but even after fighting a world-ending threat, she still is... I never even wanted her in the Elite in the first place, but she just stumbled into things! If I kept her involvement a secret, I could find a way to handle this without dragging you into it..."

"Mika, Mika," Johnny rolled his eyes before he leaned in closer to Mika's face. "I thought we agreed on some transparency here. Some honesty. And now it turns out that you were lying to me about some things."

He was inches away from Mika's face...

"I know it's just little things, but you know," Johnny chuckled. "The 'little things' always have a way of adding up, don't they...?"

"Mr. Valos... Johnny, you have to understand that I wasn't trying to lie to you," Mika said. "I was trying to protect everyone. Me, you, Lin..."

"... How's that working out?" Johnny asked. "Not only is your sister in the Elite, but she was buddy-buddy with Blakey's living radar! That would have been helpful to know, Mika! For all I know, Lin's snapped and is the one icing those Sycamore-douchebags!"

"... Johnny, you know Lin's not a killer," Mika said.

"Doesn't matter what I know," Johnny shot back.

Mika was silent for a moment.

"... I get it," Mika sighed. "But, standing here pointing fingers isn't going to help us, now is it?"

"I'm not," Johnny added. "I just... look, I said I would help her, right? She's practically family at this point - she's my brother's fiance! I can't help her if you're gonna sit here and lie by omission, Mika..." He spat out her name like it was the more vile racial slur he could think of.

"Fine," Mika sighed. "I'm sorry, I won't do it anymore..."

"Is there anything else you want to share?" Johnny asked. "Let's get it out the way now, because if I find anything else out..."

"You're really making mountains out of molehills, Valos," Mika said. "But, no, I'm not hiding anything else."

"Good."

Johnny released his hand from the door.

"Then, let's go."

---

The "Rich Clique", The Schmidt Children & The 8th Street Coven.

^{And a surprise guest.}

Interactions: An annoying ass Coven.

The Harbor Longue.

---

---

The Valos and friends were assembled at everyone's favorite hangout.

The Harbor Longue!

Johnny didn't care about this place, but it was a "neutral ground" where their rich parents/family members/whatever wouldn't hear. Hopefully, they wouldn't hang out at a dump like this. The rest of the "rich clique" sat on the sofas on the balcony, with Johnny and Mika standing up, telling them everything.

"... So, Blake was using Kari to find Apparitions?" Gabe said with a shrug.

"I'm surprised she hasn't gone into hiding or something after the Coven dissolved," Sage awkwardly laughed. "I mean, with what Luna did..."

"Do you know if Kari was being used to look for the Stygian Snake?" Gabe asked. "I mean, I think she could do it..."

"Kari wouldn't have done it," Lin added. "I know she wouldn't."

"She's not important, like, at all," Johnny put his hands up. "She's dead. She's probably sucking dick in her next life." He rolled his eyes.

"Johnny!" Lin and Jake said at the same time.

"So, let's get to the fuckin' point instead of musing about some dead hoe," Johnny said, causing Mika to roll her eyes. Johnny jammed both of his thumbs into his chest. "I got us invitations into the Elite! Daddy Valos will induct us into this weird, rich, magical cult that bitch ass motherfucker Blake Schmidt runs. Where, all of us, will join for information and maybe a clean shot at Blakey if necessary."

"Oooooooh, when?!" Sylvia asked.

Johnny was silent for a moment.

"... I have no idea!" Johnny laughed. "I'm hoping we don't do this weird ass ceremony where we gotta sacrifice a goat or something else fucked up."

"I wanna bathe in a goat's blood, Johnny!" Sylvia shouted.

"... Of course, you do," Johnny rolled his eyes.

"So, while you sort that out," Gabe asked, crossing her arms. "What will we do in the meantime?"

Johnny was silent momentarily again.

"Nothing," Johnny succinctly answered. "Ya'll are gonna sit here and chill."

"There is no need to rush," Mika added. "Right now, we all know very little, and acting now would be...."

Mika paused.

"... Unwise."

"I mean, I know, but for all we know, Blake found himself another radar hoe-" Gabe tried to say before she was interrupted by...

"Gabe!" Jake and Lin shouted.

"I mean, that's what she was!" Gabe scoffed before she pinched her fingers together until they were almost touching. "For all we know, Blakey is this close to finding the Snake. The longer we wait, the worst shit's gonna get!"

Their corner of the balcony fell silent after Gabe’s outburst.

Mika took a deep breath. “I understand the urgency, Gabe, but we must be smart about this. Rushing in without a plan will only get us all killed.”

"This is a once-in-a-blue moon thing here, people, so write it down, save it on your calendars!" Johnny laughed, waving his hands in the air. "... But I agree with Mika. We all we know is a lot of irrelevant shit, and I don't know about you, but I've lasted too long just to get whacked."

"Will I get to shove my guitar up someone's ass?" Sylvia asked, eyes sparkling with excitement.

“This isn’t a game, Sylvia. We’re dealing with some powerful people here. We need to focus.” Jake shook his head.

"We need to find out where the Stygian Snake is, what Blake plans to do with it, and how he intends to find it. If we can get ahead of him, maybe we can stop him," Lin said.

"Find the snake?" Sage chuckled. "You haven't been watching movies, have you? Don't you know that cliche where the 'good guy accidentally leads the villain to the MacGuffin'?"

"I mean, leave that damn Snake where it is," Gabe rolled her eyes.

"We obviously need to secure it," Lin said. "Do you honestly think it'll end with Blake?"

"But, yeah, but going around looking for it is not very-"

"Look, we're not going to look for anything," Johnny put his hands up. "If anything, we take Blakey out, then take over his search for the tree. Make sure nobody else finds it... We can just yeet that fucker into the Pit or something and make it someone else's problem..."

"... The what?" Sylvia tilted her head.

"Don't worry about it," Johnny said.

"We can just use your father's connections to learn more about it," Mika noted.

"... And your pops," Johnny grinned as Mika rolled her eyes at him. "But, I can try, but my Pops is real tight-lipped about his business."

Finally, Jaska spoke up, "... What about us? What will we do?"

"I'm glad you asked," Mika smiled at Jaska, "... We just need to keep an eye on things. There are a lot of people looking for the Stygian Snake, and anything unusual can be a lead or at least something that can help us at this point. Maybe contact the Sycamore Tree Coven and see if they know anything."

"Not an option." Gabe immediately answered, crossing her arms. "Fuck them hoes."

"... I know somebody that can help if you just-" Lin tried to say.

"Nope!" Johnny waved his hands in front of him. "I know who you're talking about! And lemme tell you something; I know her and trust me, we do not want her involved."

"Is it Trish-" Jaska tried to ask.

"Nope! I said we're done talking about it, and that's it!" Johnny sighed. "Now, for now, nobody goes anywhere alone. Nobody goes off alone. I don't care if you all gotta take tag-team shits; nobody splits up even for a second - The bottom line is you're all targets. Guys stick with guys, girls stick with girls, and Sage...?"

Johnny's eyes landed on their nonbinary ally and rolled them. "I don't know, you can suck my dick."

Sage smiled.

"... You want it now or later, big boy?!"

Everyone laughed - except Johnny and Mika (who only cracked a grin). Johnny closed his eyes, sighing.

"I'm going to go see what else I can dig up on the low," Johnny began before looking at the group.

"Now, I know you're all adults, but puh-lease don't do anything retarded," Johnny sighed. "Or, at the very least, if you are going to do something retarded; at least fuck it up for everyone involved and not just us."

"Will do!" Sylvia said, throwing a thumbs up.

"... And I have to meet with someone," Mika said with a sigh before suddenly walking away. Johnny just shrugged before he gave them a wave goodbye and left.

They were all silent for a moment.

"... Who else thinks that was a load of bullshit?!" Sylvia shouted, laughing.

Gabe crossed her arms, sinking deeper into this stupid sofa.

"Yeah, I know!" Gabe began. "Sitting on our ass ain't gonna help us!"

"Look, guys," Jake said. "I agree with them; we just need to chill."

"But seriously, sitting around on our asses and doing nothing?" Sylvia smirked. "That’s not our style, Jakey. What happened to your sense of adventure? What happened to your balls?!"

"She's got a point," Gabe added, shrugged. "'Wait and see' ain't us."

Sage sighed, pushing their hair back. "Yeah, but we also need to be careful."

Lin stood up and said, "I understand being cautious, but we must stay proactive. We can’t just hope for the best here."

"Seeeeeeeeeeeeee?!" Sylvia stuck her hands out at Lin. "You get it!"

"What are you suggesting, Lin?" Jake raised an eyebrow.

"We need to gather more information," Lin said firmly. "We need to know what Blake is up to."

"How do we do that without pissing off the parents?" Gabe raised an eyebrow.

"Well..." Sage deviously grinned as all eyes were on them. "I have been talking to Daniel, Cassandra, and Angela since this started...."

Everyone looked at Sage, waiting for their next words.

"... They're going to be at Christiansands tonight."

Lin's eyes shot open in shock, unnoticed because all the focus was on Sage.

"So, we just wait out there and beat up his kids for information?!" Sylvia punched a hand into her opposite fist.

" Or we can just, you know," Jake shrugged. "Talk to them. See what they know."

"I..." Lin raised a hand, speaking before stopping herself.

"'I' what, Lin?" Gabe asked, tilting her head at her soon-to-be sister-in-law. "Got something to share."

Lin sighed.

"... No, I do not."

"They'll be there at eight, right when it opens. Let's try to get there before they get in, shake them down, and see what they know. I mean, they have to know something,"

"And shake some ass!" Sylvia shouted, hopping to her feet.

Jake sighed.

"... Let's not."

"Alright, alright, square," Sylvia rolled her eyes. "We will not be shaking ass, not this time."

"But, let's keep it low-key so Jake doesn't piss himself if we get into a fight," Gabe teased, grinning at her twin.

"We need to be smart about this... Just approach them calmly, gather information, and just go. We don't want to start a fight; we want answers."

Sage nodded in agreement. "I'll scope out the place beforehand and see if I can spot them arriving."

With their plan set (sort of), the group dispersed one by one... Gabe and Sylvia eventually began talking about random bullshit while Sage discreetly slipped out. Jake and Lin tried to keep them focused before giving up, and they filed out to meet at Christiansands.

Outside Christiansands.

---

"... Pssst, Eagle-One!"

Sylvia muttered... seemingly into nothing, but she had two AirPods in her ears. She was standing down the street from Christiansands, and there was already a line formed. All for this trashy-ass club that hasn't even opened yet! Sylvia was wearing a velvet-red colored satin dress and some thigh-high boots - her guitar strapped to her back. The "rich kids" formed a perimeter around Christiansands, with Sage on one corner, Jake on another, and Lin on the one furthest from Sylvia... Gabe was right by the club's entrance, chilling and telling everyone that "she's waiting for someone," and Jaska was opposite the club's roof.

"... Jaska is on the roof looking like Count Nosferatu!" Sylvia laughed.

"Sylvia, keep it down," Gabe's voice could be heard through the AirPods. "We're..."

"Suspicious as fuck already!" Sylvia laughed. "They probably think we're Feds!"

"Just keep it down and keep an eye open," Jake shook his head.

"Honestly, talking on AirPods is less suspicious than just standing there..." Lin noted out loud.

"You know..." Gabe mused out loud. "This plan is seeming a little bit half-baked..."

"Oh, when did you get the ability to think about the consequences of your actions?!" Sage laughed.

"Fuck you, Sage," Gabe laughed back.

"I mean..." Lin noted. "What's honestly the worst that could happen here? As long as we're all smart about this, there is literally nothing that can go wrong."

"... Jinxed it." Sage giggled.

"Oh, hush, you," Somehow, Sage could hear the sound of Lin rolling her eyes.

"Wait, I see them!" Jaska pointed at a car pulling up on the corner by Gabe, and the three Schmidt children came out. Starting with the eldest, Angela, then Cassandra, then Daniel, they walked alongside each other towards the club until Gabe stepped in front of them with a warming smile on her face.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeey, there!" Gabe stepped in front of them, waving. "Funny seeing you all here."

All of the "rich kids".

"... Move, Gabe," Angela said, pushing past Gabe and making the girl scrunch her face up. However, the rest of the rich kids started converging on Gabe's location. Gabe grabbed Angela by the wrist and said,

"Heeeeeeeeeeey now," Gabe said to Angela. "How about we catch up? It's been a while, hasn't it, old friend?"

"We're on important business here, Gabe," Angela said, pushing Gabe.

That sent Gabe over the edge as her temper flared.

"Okay, push me again, motherfucker! And I'll-" Gabe tried to say before Jake ran up and grabbed his twin by the shoulders.

"Hey, hey, hey, what's going on here," Jake said to them, holding his twin back from making their lives waaaaay harder. "Hey, Angela, Cassandra, Daniel! It's been too long-"

They walked away from him mid-sentence while Jake tried to tail but keep Gabe in check.

^{"Let's just drop it; they obvious don't want to talk..."}
Lin said to Jake in a low volume, shaking her head.

"Um, hey!" Jaska said over the AirPods that some still had in their ears. "... We maaaaaaay have a problem..."

Suddenly, Gabe and Jake stopped as they looked up to the rooftop Jaska was on. He pointed down the street. When everyone looked, it was a very familiar sight. Just not a very welcome one. It was a small group of people that would have been irrelevant if not for a few key figures... ghosts from the rich kid's past, you could say.

"... Well, well, well!"

George said as he walked up, wearing jeans, a white dry-fit shirt, and massive feet. He crossed his arms as he looked down at the group... He had a weird axe in his hand. the Schmidt kids quickly disappeared into the club.

"Didn't expect to see you dickheads here," George grinned. "Or ever again."

"Yeah, no one liked you motherfuckers!" Carol said as she walked up next to George, grinning as she leaned against him.

There were a few people they didn't recognize, but they recognized George, Carol, Amy, and Greta... and old wounds resurfaced.

"That's rich coming from Emily's pet," Gabe spat back. "Matter of fact, you're irrelevant just because you associate with her insecure ass..."

"Oh boy, it's you losers!" Sylvia laughed as she pulled out her guitar. She raised a hand and let off a dramatic riff before she said, "Shouldn't you be whining about your little Hourgl-"

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Jake cut Sylvia off as he stepped in front of her with both hands up. "It's been a while! Hasn't it?! Carol, you look like you haven't aged a day!"

"... Because I fucking haven't, you stupid motherfucker! Go suck your dad's dick!" Carol shouted.

"Don't talk to him like that, you fucking goblin!" Gabe screamed as she pushed back him. "Go find some pedophile and suck him off! At least you'd be useful for once in your damn life!" Her hands began glowing with a vibrant red light.

"We're in Dollhouse territory," Lin flatly noted to Gabe and Sylvia. "Relax."

"I don't give a shit!" Gabe shouted.

"And we didn't come out here for a fight!" Jacqueline and Miranda stepped forward, and Miranda held a black plastic bag. "We don't even know who you people are!"

"... And be happy for that," Greta noted as she walked up to their side and pushed her glasses up her nose; she stood with her hands behind her back. "These people are nobodies. Let's just go around them and stop wasting our time..." She rolled her eyes.

Jacqueline and Miranda gestured for the 8th Street members to come along, and they followed behind them as they walked past the group. It was tense as Jake held Gabe back, Sylvia gently played her guitar, Jaska was still in the room, and Lin and Sage were tense. However, Jake and Lin knew that this was far from over.

"... That could have gone worse," Jake rolled his eyes.

"We need to keep an eye on them. They’re here for a reason." Sage added, nodding their head.

"Agreed," Lin added, glancing towards the club entrance where the Schmidt children had disappeared. "We can't let our guard down."

"Hey, Jaska," Jake said into his AirPods. "Do you see anything else from up there?"

"Not yet, but I'm keeping watch," Jaska responded. "I’ll let you know."

"Okay, let's get the hell out of here," Jake said. "This is a bus-"

"... Who told you you were tough, Gabe!" George's voice, dripping with sarcasm, could be heard meters away from them with his arms crossed. "You were always good at pretending!"

"Let's do this motherfuckers!" Carol said, rolling up her sleeve. "Us two against you bitch-ass motherfuckers! You think you can make fun of what happened to me, you fucking rich motherfuckers!? I'll tear your tits off and make you eat 'im!"

"George, Carol, let's go!" Jacqueline shouted from the entrance.

"You know what?" Gabe bore teeth as her hands began glowing brighter.

"Gabe!"

"Gabe!"

"Gabe!"

"Gabe!"

"Gabe!"

Lin and Jake repeated repeatedly, but Gabe was past the point of listening...

---

Hypest Hype - Chase & Status

---

She threw her hands up, and let loose an eye-searingly bright laser-beam directly at George's chest, it hit instantly and burned him severely but he threw his hands up to block.

"Ayyyyyyyyyye! Let's party, bitches!" Sylvia shouted as she raised her guitar over her head and threw it at Carol. However, with how bright the laser beam was, she missed it completely and broke a nearby window. Her guitar floated back into her hands.

"... Son of a bitch!" Miranda hissed, shaking her head. She then pointed down the street as she commanded the rest of 8th Street. "Go help them!"

Amy immediately dropped her gym bag on the ground with a thud... she squatted down, unzipped it, and pulled out her kanabō. She threw it over her shoulder, grabbed it with both hands, and almost sprinted, but Greta stuck her hand out in front of her; she dug into her satchel and pulled out a glowing red potion

"Carol! Get down!" Greta shouted as chucked it surprisingly far.

"Oh shit!" Gabe shouted.

The rich kids had no clue what it was, as Sylvia played a riff on her guitar, suspended in mid-air - before it was launched back at them. Jacqueline and Miranda screamed as they dove for cover. Greta got down too, but from Violet... electricity arced off her body before a copy of her, made out of pink electricity, came out of her, flew into the air, and caught it.

"We gotta get out-" Jake tried to say before George closed the distance and grabbed Jake by the collar of his shirt.

"There ain't no escaping now!" George screamed as he chucked Jake down the street. "Ya'll can have him!"

"Hahahahah! Look at him go!" Carol laughed.

Jake screamed as he flew through the air.

"Jaaaaaaaaake!" Gabe shouted before she aimed one hand at George and the other at Violet's electric copy - she fired two beams off, one that hit George directly in the face and seared his eyeballs and the other hit the potion and caused it to explode in midair. Violet's apparition was instantly destroyed, and she dropped unconscious, and George thrashed around, hoping for his eyes.

"Violet!" Pink screamed as she knelt and grabbed her friend.

"Hold still, you giant motherfucker!" Carol shouted as she ran towards George with both hands out, but she saw Sylvia running towards her, guitar primed to hit her. Carol ducked and shot herself up with an upper cut aimed right between Sylvia's legs, and she yelped as she dropped her guitar and grabbed her ladybits. Carol came in with a right hook and broke Sylvia's nose as she was sent stumbling backward. However, she was hit with a laser beam that singed her clothes, and she screamed as she looked at Gabe.

A focused laser beam went directly through her skull, and Carol dropped dead seconds later.

"We gotta get Jake, where is Jaska!?" Gabe shouted as she ran over to a parked car, opened the gas tank, and used her abstraction to pull the gasoline out, and it floated into the air

"I don't know!"

Suddenly, a pink mist overcame them, and they began seeing their greatest desire...

Jake was pushing himself to his feet, only to have a boot pound him straight back into the sidewalk. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Amy Nakamura with her iron club over her shoulder.

"Ya'll pick a really bad day to pick a fight with us," Amy said, "Don't worry, I'm only going to break your knees, Valos."

However, Jaska came soaring through the air and tackled her to the ground, and Jake hopped up to his feet as he wrestled with her. He looked down at the pink mist and saw Pink and Miranda run into it... but Amy threw Jaska right into him, and the two landed on a car with a bone-breaking thud.

Gabe was hallucinating... distracted by it all. She didn't even notice Pink running up and clocking her across the face. She stumbled backward, but Pink grabbed her by the collar and came in with a punch to her gut before punching her directly in the face again. Gabe's face was oozing blood, but Pink grabbed her collar with both hands and slammed her head into the passenger side window of a parked car. It cracked, Gabe was knocked unconscious, and the pink mist faded. George's eyes were completely healed (while Miranda had received all the burns), and Sage was already unconscious, face battered and beaten...

"Uh, what?" Sylvia said before George snatched the guitar out of her hands and grinned.

"... Yoink!" George said as he tried to snap the guitar in half, but it just wouldn't break.

"That won't break, you dum-" Sylvia said before she was interrupted by Greta hitting her in the back of the head with a lead pipe.

"Oh my God!" Lin said before she left to turn and run... and George was directly in her path.

"... Where you going, sweetheart?" George said with a very devious grin as he took steps towards Lin. "The fun's already-"

A gunshot rang out.

He was hit directly in the back, but the bullet bounced off. He looked over his shoulder and saw Mika Liu with a smoking Snubnose Taurus 856 Revolver aimed directly at him. He laughed.

"You might as well be throwing cotton balls at me, fatass!" He laughed before marching towards Mika, and she let off a few more rounds that did as much damage as the last one. He cocked his hand back to deliver a backhand that would have killed anyone else.

"Mika!" Lin shouted.

The hand collided with Mika's face in what would have normally killed her... normally. The hand stopped immediately against her face as if it were nothing more than a pat. On the other hand, all the impact that should have went to Mika went directly to George's face, and he found himself stumbling backward as she rolled her eyes and said,

"... Idiot." Mika ran over to Lin, and grabbed her hand, then commanded, "We're leaving!"

"But, J-"

A poker card harmlessly fell from the sky directly behind Jacqueline... and in a cloud of smoke, Johnny appeared, wrapped his arm around her neck, and aimed a Taurus 444 Raging Bull Magnum against her head.

"ALRIGHT MOTHERFUCKERS!"

Johnny screamed as he pressed the revolver against her head.

"I don't know what the fuck is going on here!" Johnny kept shouting, "But you motherfuckers are gonna step the fuck back, or the bitch gets it!"

"... What's going on here?"

A voice could be heard from the rooftop... but Johnny immediately froze upon hearing it, expressing pure shock and horror. Before he looked up...

It was Shaquita Walker.

She dropped from the rooftops and landed on the sidewalk as if she had only fallen a foot. She looked to the left and right and said, "You're all causing a ruckus, so Luis told me to tell you to cut it out. You're scaring away the business..."

Johnny stared at Shaquita, jaw dropped, muttering gibberish as he couldn't find the words. Eventually, her gaze met him, and she half-grinned.

"Oh, Johnny," she began. You never told us you were back in town. Why don't you come upstairs? I bet Luis would love to see you again. We can all catch up."

Johnny winced.

".... Noooooooo, thank you!" Johnny said.

"Then let go of Jacqueline here, grab your people, and then get out of here," Shaquita barked at him, her smile vanishing and becoming a scowl. "We have business with them. Not with you."

As commanded, Johnny let go of Jacqueline and took a step back. He grabbed every member of the Rich Clique - conscious and unconscious - and shoved them into his Hummer. 8th Street entered Christiansands, and Shaquita stood out there, staring at him....

They sped off.