Mixtape Ghost N

Recollections: The Compendium

THE.STARVING.DOG
| Guardian of the Forgotten | "The Dog shows no mercy." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | The Starving Dog was created by a reclusive artisan known for their mastery of animating inanimate objects. Infused with powerful protective magic and a deep connection to loyalty and guardianship, the statue was designed to protect its master's domain. | TYPE: | Guardian Artifact | LOCATION: | Currently resides on Elysium Island, where it guards the underground artifact vault from intruders. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | Blake Schmidt. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. |	The Starving Dog is a massive statue, intricately carved to resemble a fierce canine with organic eyes that seem to follow anyone who enters its territory. While dormant, it remains perfectly still on its pedestal, appearing as a lifeless decoration. However, it will spring to life when certain conditions are met: if a person approaches too closely, senses aggressive intent, or detects an intrusion into its designated area. Once activated, the Starving Dog becomes a relentless hunter. It is solid, fast, and durable, capable of withstanding significant damage. Its most remarkable feature is its regeneration; it can instantly heal from any injury, making it a formidable adversary. The Dog is fiercely loyal to its "master" or their immediate family, attacking anyone else who dares to enter its home. The Starving Dog can be activated and deactivated by its master at will, allowing it to control when the guardian is on patrol. If someone attempts to teleport it from its dimension, the Dog will "slipstream" back into its designated territory, reappearing in a flash as if it had never left. Its hunting tactics are strategic and aggressive, using its speed to outmaneuver intruders while relying on brute strength to overpower them..............................................................................

Recollections: The Compendium

EYE.OF.ANKHARA
| The Echoing Sentinel | "Where silence is golden, the Eye reveals all." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | | The Eye of Vigilus was crafted by Nefertari Ankhara, a powerful Egyptian Adept renowned for her mastery of sound and perception. Inspired by the need to protect sacred sites from intruders, she infused the artifact with her essence. The All-Verse's collective belief in vigilance and awareness made the Eye of Vigilus exponentally more powerful. | TYPE: | Surveillance/Detection Artifact. | LOCATION: | Inside the mansion of Elysium Island, used to help guard the island from intruders. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | Ankhara (the creator), Blake Schmidt, and various guardians of sacred sites throughout history who aimed to protect their territories. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. |	The Eye of Ankhara is a massive crystal orb embedded in a metallic base, with the size and weight of a small car. Once activated, the Eye generates a network of soundwaves that ripple outward for a radius of up to a mile, detecting disruptions within its range. Those who move too quickly or create excessive noise have their auras instantly illuminated, along with a loud sound projecting into the user's vicinity, revealing their presence through walls and other objects. It is sensitive to Abstractions; any attempt to utilize magic within its vicinity instantly exposes the user and their actions. To activate the Eye, the user must perform a brief ritual involving an ancient Egyptian chant and place their hand upon the orb. This action awakens the artifact’s consciousness, allowing it to extend its soundwave network and begin monitoring its surroundings. The Eye can concentrate its detection abilities on a specific area, enhancing its sensitivity within that zone. However, this comes at the cost of reducing detection capabilities in all other regions. The Eye possesses a unique extrasensory ability to gauge the intent of those within its range, preventing false alarms by discerning between hostile and benign actions. Additionally, the artifact can sense emotional states through sound waves, illuminating individuals who exhibit heightened emotions such as fear, anger, or excitement. This ability adds a layer of psychological insight to its surveillance..............................................................................

Recollections: The Compendium

THE.EUSTIS.VEIL
| The Containment Tempest | "No one escapes the storm." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | The Eustis Veil was created by a powerful Orange-Lux Adept known as Eustis Avitus, who harnessed the essence of an Apparition to fuel this extraordinary artifact. Avitus sought to create a formidable barrier that could neutralize the threat of teleportation magic, keeping enemies within a specific perimeter. By weaving the Apparition’s energy into the storm, Eustis bound the spirit’s power into the heart of a never-ending storm. The process was intricate and dangerous, as controlling the volatile essence of the Apparition risked turning the storm into an uncontrollable force. Yet Eustis succeeded, creating a supernatural storm unlike any other. | TYPE: | Teleportation-Disruption Artifact | LOCATION: | Currently in the possession of Blake Schmidt, who uses the Veil to protect the Elite’s headquarters, Elysium Island. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | Eustis Avitus (creator), various warlords, and now Blake Schmidt of the Elite. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. | .............................................................................	The Eustis Veil takes the form of a massive stone adorned with glowing orange runes. When activated, the Veil summons a supernatural storm that forms a gigantic dome around the stone, encompassing a wide radius similar in appearance to a forcefield. This storm disrupts teleportation magic, preventing anyone from entering or leaving the dome through such means. Inside the dome itself, teleportation is uninhibited. The storm itself is violent and chaotic, with swirling black clouds, roaring winds, and jagged lightning that gives it the appearance of a living entity. The Apparition bound within the Veil warps time and space within the storm, making any attempt to pierce the dome with magic impossible. The storm’s perimeter is impenetrable by teleportation, ensuring no one escapes its grasp, and it blocks outside interference. While the storm rages fiercely along its borders, the area inside the dome near the stone is unnervingly calm - a safe zone where individuals are shielded from the storm's physical fury and can even teleport within. However, even within this tranquil space, the influence of the Apparition lingers. Those who remain in this inner zone for too long begin to experience unsettling whispers, disorienting hallucinations, and a gradual descent into madness. The longer one stays within the dome, the stronger the Apparition’s influence becomes, slowly eroding their sanity. Entering the storm through mundane, physical methods is no simple task either. The winds are fierce, capable of knocking down anyone who attempts, while the lightning strikes unpredictably. However, there are rumored methods to slip past the storm's edge. Some say the storm has brief moments of calm, where the part of the wind dissipates for a few minutes, allowing a group to slip through. Others believe that using enchanted items or artifacts, especially those designed for stealth or storm navigation, can protect a person from the storm’s wrath. Specific narrow pathways, hidden to the untrained eye, might lead into the heart of the storm, but these routes are dangerous and often change as the storm evolves. While immensely powerful, the Eustis Veil’s stationary nature is its only limitation. The storm cannot be moved once summoned, dissipating only after a set time or being disabled. A

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

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The Rich Clique

Interactions: Not an annoying-ass Coven.

The Harbor Louge.

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]

”... HOW CAN YOU ALL BE SO STUPID!?”

Johnny’s voice could be heard through the unusually empty Harbor Lounge. He grasped both sides of his head as everyone sat on the sofa before him, stuffed on there, touching shoulders to shoulders. Johnny released his hands and took in a deep breath,

“... Why are you acting like this is the first time we did something dumb?” Gabe spat, looking up at him.

“Usually, when ya’ll did something dumb,” Johnny said, “It was all when we were kids, and we could laugh all our dumb bullshit off when we grew up! But we can’t!”

He took in a deep breath, “And of all the places you could have gotten into a fucking wizard fight, it just had to be at Dollhouse’s doorstep...” He seethed.

“I mean…” Lin said, not even making eye contact, then shrugged. “None of that was in the plan.” What was notable was the necklace that hung from her chest.

“Yeah, how the fuck were we supposed to know Emily G. Reed’s clique were going to pull up?!” Gabe shot back.

“By slowing down and using your heads,” Mika said with a roll of her eyes. “What would have happened if we hadn’t shown up?”

“Nothing, Mom.” Gabe sarcastically said with a roll of her eyes.

Sage, who had been silent, finally spoke up, “Look, look, look, we’re all stressed and trying to process what happened. We’re not going to get anywhere by pointing fingers.”

“Look, I’m just a little bit pissed that we made up an actual plan,” Johnny put his hands together, “Then you six just say ‘fuck it, we ball’ and then do this.”

“... I mean, it’s not like it interferes with our plans at all, Valos,” Mika rolled her eyes.

“Stop trying to play Devil’s Advocate, Mika!” Johnny hissed. “They went after Blakey’s kids, and started a whole thing with Emily’s band of retards. That’s unnecessary attention.”

“Bro, we were cornered,” Gabe shrugged. “George came after us! The fuck were we supposed to do?!”

“If you had acted with more foresight, we wouldn’t have drawn unnecessary attention. It’s not just about the immediate fight - it’s about the consequences.” Mika noted.

“Johnny’s right about the attention. But we’re past that now,” Sage injected with an awkward laugh. “So, what do we do now, oh-wise leader?”

“What I said before,” Johnny said, “We lay low, get inducted into the Elite, then figure out how to handle Blake, and then maybe take over the Elite.” Johnny grinned.

“... Good grief,” Mika said with a roll of her eyes.

“What?” Johnny laughed. “It’s clear these oldheads don’t know what they’re doing! Need some new blood to give them some direction!”

Lin glanced at Gabe, then Sylvia, then shook her head, then stood up, “... If we’re done with this, I’d like some food.”

“Sure thing-” Jake tried to say before Johnny grabbed his collar.

“Me and you, let’s have a lil’ word…” Johnny then turned to Lin. “Remember, we’re sticking together here so that Wolf Fucker doesn’t axe any of you.”

“I think I’ll be fine-”

“Nope.”

“But-”

“Nope!” Johnny said, “You’re a Valos now.”

“I’ll accompany my sister,” Mika said as she walked over, “We need to talk anyway.”

The group began to dissipate as Mika and Lin left the Harbor Lougue…. Lin and Mika stepped out of the Harbor Lounge into the cool evening air and replaced the upscale ambient of the lounge with the gritty city streets. The two were silent…

“... You did all of that,” Mika began in Cantonese before leaning forward and flicking that pedant Lin had. “And you didn’t have this on? Are you crazy?! You’re a target and yet you refuse to use your greatest resource!”

Lin shook her head before she replied in Cantonese, “... I had it on the entire time.”

Mika came to a stop, tilting her head before Lin elaborated.

“I used that trick that you told me about, duct taping it underneath your breasts or inside your thigh,” Lin said. “I’m only wearing out in the open because I’m getting to a point where I think I can tell Jake and the others that I have an Abstraction again.”

“... Do not tell him where you got it from,” Mika hissed, “Or our plans. You’ll get us killed.”

“And I won’t,” Lin said, “I don’t like lying to my future husband, but it’s for his safety.”

She sighed, grabbing the pendant “I’ve been reading everyone’s minds the whole time… this might be the key to solving this Father Wolf nonsense. Thankfully, nobody in our circle is Father Wolf, but I wonder if Sycamore, 8th St, or one of the other factions knows anything.”

Mika raised an eyebrow, “Then what are you suggesting?”

“Maybe they would be worth investigating,” Lin said, “If I can get close enough to read their thoughts, I might be able to figure out if they know anything about Father Wolf. It’s a long shot, but it might be our best lead.”

Mika looked skeptical. “And how do you plan on getting close to these factions without arousing suspicion? You know they’re not exactly welcoming to outsiders...”

“I don’t know yet,” Lin admitted, “But we have to start somewhere. I’ll need to be careful and use my abilities discreetly, but that hasn’t been a problem so far, now has it?” She smiled at her sister.

Mika rolled her eyes.

That was when a curious oddity happened. Something straight out of a fantasy, or old folklore.

There was a ringing of a bell, and soft mewing. A small, high-pitched voice, purring words that could be understood.

”Oh Maneki-neko, oh Maneki-neko,
With your bright white fur,
And your soft sweet smile,
Won't you come by and say hello~?

Oh Maneki-neko, oh Maneki-neko,
With your wide, pearly eyes,
And your taste for gold coins,
Won't you give me a dinero~?”

And, padding into their view was a small, white cat, a red collar with a large bell around their neck. Their brilliant blue eyes gazed up at Lin and Mika.

[i]“I wish you well, blessing swell~!”[i] purred the cat, giving a Chinese lucky greeting. “Fortune smiles on you both today, I have a message for you from the other side~!”

They both looked at the cat…

“... Something to do with Father Wolf?” Mika asked, taking a few steps back, reaching into her purse for her Taurus.

“Hold on…” Lin paused, and the Arrowhead glew for a moment before saying, “It has no thoughts.”

“We should go.” Mika said.

Lin awkwardly smiled at the cat as she stepped back.

“What’s the message?” Lin asked, “We can hear you from over here! Do not worry!”

The cat merely smiled, sitting back on its haunches so as to appear less shocking. Its tail curled cutely around its front paws as it spoke.

”Yes, I have a very special message for you, Lin Liu. From your old friend Kari Wilson~!”

The cat nodded to emphasize its point, eyes closed, before it raised a paw. ”You just have to do one thing for me. I have to make sure you are the one, after all. All you have to do, is tell me-”

Its blue eyes opened.

”-A little about what's on Kari's notes.”

Lin froze for a moment, her heart skipping a beat. The mention of Kari Wilson was enough to send a chill down her spine, but the cat’s request, however innocent it might have sounded, had red flags written all over it.

She glanced at Mika, who had visibly tensed, her hand still hovering near her purse, ready to draw her weapon if needed. Lin kept her expression neutral, a forced smile playing on her lips as she tried to think quickly.

“But Kari’s dea-” Lin cut herself off. “I don't know what’s in Kari’s notes, unfortunately. Is there another way to access this message?” As Lin spoke, she stepped back.

“We should leave,” Mika said, “Now.”

“Sorry, I know nothing about Kari’s notes. Maybe you’ve been… Misinformed?” Lin smiled as she stepped back further.

The cat paused, before smiling slightly. ”Don't be sad, do not worry! When you remember, I will be waiting~! All you have to do is call!”

And just as the cat finished speaking, a hard thud slammed into the back of Lin. A small child, a street urchin with her hood up, looked up in shock.

“S-sorry miss, didn't see you.” The child said in a hurry.

Unbeknownst to Lin, the impact had allowed a small listening bug to be placed on the inner side of her jacket, disguised as a button.

The child stared for a moment before they started to slink further down the street. The cat, meanwhile, was calmly licking its paw.

Lin stared at the child as it ran down the street… before Mika wrapped her hand around her bicep and pulled her towards The Harbor Lounge. She had fully drawn the Taurus magnum as she ran as fast as she physically could…

They cat only watched, patient, before turning, and walking down the sidewalk.

---

“... So, the cat asked you about Kari’s notes?”

Johnny asked as their group was hastily reassembled back at the Harbor Lounge. The wind blew, and he looked at the ocean as the waves danced and crashed against the cliffside. Johnny paused for a moment as he rubbed his chin. “Okay, that whole thing was weird, but if it had something to do with Father Wolf…” Johnny said as he turned around, and his eyes landed on his younger brother, Jake.

“You probably would have been dead,” Johnny said, observing the uncomfortable faces.

“Hear me out,” Sage pipped up, raising his hands. “But, I don’t think it has anything to do with Father Wolf.”

“Then who could it have something to do with?” Mika asked as she narrowed her eyes.

“You should be asking Lin that question,” Johnny said, eyes landing on Lin.

“I was close to Kari in the Elite,” Lin said, “But, I don’t know what’s on those notes… Or….”

“I bet it has something to do with the Coven,” Gabe said, crossing her arms. “It sounds like some type of trick those assholes would pull.”

“But, that raises the question of why?” Johnny tilted his head. “Do they know something we don’t but should? Are they plotting on us? Did they cast some kinda weird ass spell on Lin?”

“... She’s a bomb!” Sylvia shouted, laughing, but Johnny wrapped his hand around her mouth.

“Sylvia! Shut the fuck up!” Johnny roared. “Jesus, you tryna’ get us arrested!?”

“Good grief,” Gabe said. “I hate .”

“Maybe it’d be worth snatching those notes from Blake,” Johnny said, “If they’re valuable enough to have motherfuckas’ coming after us for them, they can be leveraged.”

He shrugged again, “Against who, I don’t know, but they can be used against somebody.”

A half-smile crept across Lin’s face as she said, “... Yes, I think we should.”

“We’re basically Elite already,” Sylvia said with a shrug, leaning back and folding her arms behind her back. “Getting them can’t be that hard, right?”

“Nothing’s ever that easy, Sylvia,” Johnny added. “Especially when shit’s getting more complicated, but I have an idea.”

“Well, we ain’t sittin’ here for our health,” Gabe said with a shrug.

“We meet up with everyone’s favorite Isaac Kane,” Johnny said.

”... Who?” Gabe asked.

“Information Broker,” Mika answered for Gabe and the others. “Very good. Very professional. Very trustworthy. He can help us.”

“We gonna meet him on Wednesday,” Johnny said, “But, until then, it’s becoming obvious that more people are after us…” He rubbed his chin, before he sighed.

“So, we’re going have to stick together. As in, one bigass group. At all times.”

“Awwwww, the fuck?!” Sylvia shouted.

“Yes, I know,” Johnny rolled his eyes. “But, that whole thing with Lin and Mika could have ended very badly. As in, they could have gotten murked right there.”

“I think it’s weird…” Sage piped up again. “All of this started with a cat. We just going to like… gloss over that?” Sage’s voice cracked.

“It’s magic,” Johnny shrugged. “It’s probably someone’s Gold Lux trick or something.”

“Either way, someone is making moves on us,” Lin added. “And we need to be one step ahead of it.”

“... Or we’re going to be one step behind and get fucked all the way up,” Gabe shrugged.

“Which is why we’re going to meet with Kane, snag those notes, then figure out what the fuck the Coven wants with us,” Johnny said before he looked at the group. “So, we’ll stick together, lay low, and don’t get shanked!”

He laughed.

“Easy as pie, right?”

---

A content ‘hum’ reverberated through the nose of a man standing on the rooftop of a building opposite of the Harbour Lounge. Long, dark hair whispered in the cool wind under a full sky. A long, dark trench coat covered a posh suit.

In his ear, a bud that was connected to the bug on young Lin's jacket. All the little juicy details that left the lips of Lin's little group were there, ripe for picking.

A cold smirk crossed the face of Elias “Fox” Castles as he passed a thin envelope to the street urchin beside him.

“You did good, Dolly. Stay low for a little while, and take the long way home. Get yourself something hot to eat tonight.”

The street urchin nodded, hastily pocketing the money, before hopping down the fire escape.

As the child fled the scene, the white cat from before made it to the rooftop, obediently walking into a carrier set at Fox's feet.

Fox shut the carrier door, then pulled out a cellphone, speed dialed a number, and pressed it to his ear.

“Yes, sweet sister-in-law? I have the most delightful news for you…”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

I can't believe I fucking typed this.

Kill me.

ELYSIUM.ISLAND
............................................................ "Where a party promises to get you soaked, but not from the pools."	Elysium Island, the headquarters of The Elite, rises dramatically from the dangerous waters off the coast of St. Portwell. In this extravagant sanctuary, wealth, power, and debauchery collide. Initially envisioned as a base of operations, it has evolved into a hedonistic playground for the rich and powerful. The island boasts a sprawling mansion, a masterwork of modern architecture. With its terraces, pools, and lush gardens, the estate exudes an air of excess. Upon entering, guests are greeted by grand staircases, glittering chandeliers, and plush lounges that invite debauchery. However, the hidden spaces set the stage for the island’s infamous gatherings - secret chambers designed for the most risque encounters. The mansion hosts clandestine parties away from St. Portwell's prying eyes, dubbed "Elite Parties" (or "Blake Parties" or "Freakoffs"). These wild parties are mere rumors in the streets of St. Portwell, but in addition to the Elite, the city's upper class comes to this island to engage in some of the wildest parties. The atmosphere of the island is charged as guests sip on hallucinogenic drinks and engage in feasts while "special performances" happen before their very eyes—the halls of the mansion echo with chattering, laughter, moans, and magic. The mansion features themed rooms that cater to every whim, such as underground nightclubs and draped lounges. Here is where the Elite have unforgettable nights that live up to their wildest fantasies.

Beneath Elysium Island lies a network of underground chambers; these hidden spaces serve as the operational backbone for The Elite, housing advanced magical laboratories where experiments with artifacts and potions take place. Here, members engage in clandestine research, pushing the boundaries of magic to unlock new Abstractions or concoctions. The chambers are also secure storage for Blake Schmidt's collection of magical artifacts, each meticulously cataloged. This hidden vault is designated explicitly for the artifacts of The Elite's members, except Jason Valos, who maintains his separate supply. Guarded by fearsome creatures, this sanctum ensures that Blake retains a firm grip on the power within the organization, keeping the artifacts of his associates under his watchful eye and preventing any potential rivalries from escalating.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Won’t know these nuts exist

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

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More airships hovered in the distance after pushing deeper into the city - just as Yoko stated. However, as the four proceeded, they traveled further and further away from their search area. The town was destroyed, and there wasn’t anything in sight - not that it meant there wasn’t anything there. They kept moving forward, until Yoko raised a hand and said,

”On a scale of one to ten…” Yoko began. ”... How is everyone doing?” Yoko came to a stop, and turned towards the group and said,

”Do not lie.”

"Solid six. Average. Never been higher." Saskia intoned.

”I’d saaaaaaaaaay five,” Lisa said, rubbing the back of her head. ”I’m here! That counts for something… right?!” Lisa smiled widely.

”Survival is better than the alternative, Turner,” Yoko nodded her head. ”Just stay sharp; a five is dangerous in the Pit.”

Lisa shrugged, ”This place kinda brings it out of you.”

Ella hummed, thinking about it. Could she really put her feelings on a scale? Well she guessed it wasn’t her feelings but rather how she was doing, but wasn’t that also her feelings? She didn’t like putting a number to it. "An elated eight! I could keep going for hours!"

Yoko stared at Ella momentarily before nodding and saying, ”... Excellent, Disciple.” Yoko said before lowering her hand, turning around, and walking back in the direction they were going. Lisa followed behind Yoko, and the airships in the distance faded out of view as they continued marching through the streets, which were thick with the smell of rotting bodies, ash, and decay. There was a strange sense of purpose to the way the debris was scattered.

Yoko stopped, then Lisa stopped behind her… Ahead was a row of overturned vehicles ahead, but they weren’t arranged in a chaotic way like one would expect from The Pit. They formed a subtle barrier, almost blending in with the wreckage.

”... Something’s not right here,” Lisa added.

”Let’s go,” Yoko said as she just proceed forward. ”The Autoknights are going to swarm this city at this rate looking for us.”

"Feels like they’re watching us," Ella commented quietly, talking about the vehicles. She felt unnerved by it. The smell was horrible, and she was immediately on alert, extending her senses like Yoko had taught her to sense anything that so much as moved as they continued onwards.

”We’re in the Pit, of course, something is watching us,” Yoko said with a nod of her head as she paused for a moment before hopping surprisingly high onto the top of the barricade before jumping to the other side. Spider legs retracted from Lisa’s back. Even though the zeppelins were out of sight, they could still be heard in the distance. As the group moved past the barricades, cars, debris, and even a few trash bins were stacked to make the area seem closed off, but not blatantly. Various windows and doorways had cloths and curtains covering them that fluttered in the wind. An alleyway was completely blocked off by debris...

”Yoko…” Lisa muttered, as extra eyes formed on her temples and upper cheeks, ”You see this?”

Yoko didn’t respond but merely stopped after closing her eyes. ”... Keep moving,” Yoko calmly whispered, ”We are not alone.”

”Wait, who are they?” Lisa asked, whispering.

”Survivors,” Yoko succinctly answered, before putting the Yokai Killer away and pulling out the Dragon’s Wisdom. ”They do not want to be noticed. All we to do is calmly walk through and they’ll leave us alove.”

"Are you sure?" Ella asked quietly, extending her senses to catch the slight movements and all the oddly placed things. It was more obvious the further they walked. "What if the Autoknights get them?"

"That’s not our problem," Saskia said, blood subtly coating their hand just in case. Lisa’s Exoskeleton was not-so-subtly wrapped around her.

” It’s sad to say, but we cannot save everyone down here,” Yoko said with a sigh as she quietly moved forward. ”Given the nature of the Pit and our circumstances, we can only save ourselves.”

Lisa followed closely behind Yoko, her additional eyes scanning the area as they moved through the streets. Vehicles were stacked naturally, yet their placement had a purpose as if it were created to make a maze.

”I don’t like this…” Lisa muttered, ”... They are watching us.”

”Of course they are,” Yoko said, ”They don’t want a fight with us… even though they outnumber us, they don’t want to risk a confrontation with the Autoknights or the other monsters that reside in the Pit.”

Yoko paused for a moment.

”... They are not a threat unless we make them one.”

”Are you sure?” Lisa asked.

Yoko stopped and turned on her heel towards Lisa as she said,

”... They haven’t attacked, have they?”

"Not yet," Saskia said, head tilting.

"And they won’t!" Ella ushered them onwards. The other two were just being too pessimistic! Sure nearly everything in this hellhole had already attacked them, but that didn’t mean these survivors would. And even if they did, they could totally take them. "The quicker we get through the less chance that they change their mind!"

"If I see a glimpse of another person, I’m killing them," Saskia intoned. "I can’t extend my senses, so if I do, they’re too close."

”Let’s not, Otten,” Yoko whispered, ”One, that’s escalating. And two, we should attempt to preserve life whenever we can… even here. But, let’s just get out of here and stop talking about it.” Yoko sighed.

They kept moving, and as they moved, there was a faint rustling, some barely audible chattering here and there, and the glint of eyes watching them poking from their hiding spaces. Yoko pulled the Dragon’s Wisdom from its sheath, and water dripped down as Yoko scanned the windows.

”Just a few more blocks,” Yoko whispered, ”Then we should be out.”

As the four continued through the streets of the ruined city, they approached an intersection with an abandoned bus in the center… cars and chest-high barricades were scattered about in strategic locations. Yoko paused momentarily as her grip on the Dragon’s Wisdom tightened. The streets were quiet save for the distant hum of the Autoknight Airship, which seemed to be subtly growing louder. Yoko closed her eyes before they shot open.

”... Everyone stop!” Yoko commanded as she whipped out the Dragon’s Wisdom, and Lisa summoned a wave of spiders.

Her command echoed through the empty streets as the survivors who watched their every movement stopped being subtle. Several of them quickly popped from the buildings that were covered with ragged clothes, armed with rifles (including the oversized muskets used by the Autoknights), bows and arrows, and even some makeshift slingshots.

“... Don’t get any closer to the bus!” A gruff voice shouted from the windows. There was a flash of a scope from one of the rooftops as survivors on the ground floor came out wielding rusty pipes and makeshift spears.

A man came from the top bus, wielding a very beaten up and dirty M16 rifle, as he shouted, “One more step and you’re all dead!”

“You don’t know what we’ve lost to protect what’s in that bus!” A woman wielding a bow shouted from the second-floor window. “We won’t let anyone take them!”

“We fought Bando’s men off before!” Another woman shouted it was hard to tell at this point, “Don’t fucking test us! We’ve been down here for God knows how long!”

”You three, take cover!” Yoko said, giving them a wave of her hand. ”I’m going to try and talk them down!” It began to rain…

Without a word, Lisa jumped inside one of the empty cars… and several of her spiders were applied with the Enlarge spell and began growing inside of her ethereal cocoons.

Saskia jumped into another car, on the opposite side to Lisa. They crouched down, wings shoving through their back and beginning to grow, shaped to have long sharp bones along the tips as well as at the top joint. Blood coated the rest of their body.

"I’m not letting you do this alone!" Ella declared, refusing to run and hide. It wasn’t in her nature! She didn’t move, except from her eyes that scanned between all the people visible. Senses extended to find the rest… then she spoke. "We’re just passing through! We’re not here to take anything from you. We just want to get out of the city."

Yoko strongly snatched Ella’s wrist and stared her in the eye as she said, ”.. Let. Me. Handle. This.”

"No way. A magical girl never abandons her friends," Ella replied, completely unphased by the strong grip on her wrist or the eye contact. She just met it with a smile. "Never."

”... You’re not abandoning anybody!” Yoko hunched down and tried to whisper. ”In case this goes south, I don’t want you-”
“... Heard that before!” The man on top of the bus with the M16 shouted, “‘Just passing through’ - that’s what they all say before they take everything! Shelter. Supplies. Lives.”

“You don’t know what’s at stake!” The woman with the bow shouted. “What’s in that bus is all we have left!”

From the windows, one of the survivors, a younger man barely out of his teens, shouted nervously, “... They’re lying! They’re with the Kingdom; just look at those weapons!”

“I say we open fire now!”

”Yoko…” Lisa groaned.

Yoko sighed.

”... We are not trying to take anything from you!” Yoko said, taking a step forward. ”You do not need to protect that bus from us.”

“It’s not the bus…” The man with the M16 said, “... It’s the children we got inside of it!”

”... Children?” Yoko whispered.

“Now you know why we can’t let you through! No one is getting near them. No one!” The man shouted, “Turn around or die!”

Ella's mouth fell open. "Children can fall into the pit?"

”... Anyone can enter the Pit,” Yoko answered.

Ella looked over towards the bus, then back to the man shouting. She wasn’t sure what to do. They couldn’t go back, because they’d have to fight AutoKnights, but… she didn’t want to fight these people. They were humans just like them. Struggling.

"Yoko, will we be able to survive if we turn back?" Ella whispered, sounding pained.

The spiders burst out of the cocoons… tetrablemmid spiders. They weren’t just large but armed with the pincer of the Rhinoceros beetle. The rain intensified.

”We can…” Yoko said. ”I haven’t taught you everything, but I have taught you well, Brooks.”

The rain beat down on all of them, soaking all of their clothes, but Yoko took a step forward and spoke, ”... I know what it’s like to lose everything, to fight for what’s left. We don’t want your shelter, your supplies, or your children. I can’t imagine what it’s been like to protect those kids, but if you think we’re here to take from you, you're wrong. We’re not with the Kingdom or Bando’s men. We’re not like them.” Yoko put a hand on her chest.

”If necessary, we will turn back.” Yoko said, ”We can handle the Autoknights! We don’t want to an unnecessary fight!”

The man on the bus narrowed his eyes, his finger hovered just off the trigger. "You say that… but I’ve heard that bullshit before! ‘We just need to pass through; we’re not here for trouble’! And every time we’ve trusted people like you, we’ve paid for it!"

Yoko quickly pulled the Dragon’s Wisdom out of the sheath as she shouted, ”Use your damn heads! If we were going to attack you, we would have done so already! We don’t have an army; we don’t have the numbers to take anything by force!”

The woman with the bow shouted from the second-floor window. "How do we know you’re telling the truth? You’ve got monsters with you!” She pointed at the giant spiders Lisa created, “And magic! How do we know you’re not part of some raid?"

”I get that you all are scared!” Yoko shouted, ”But think of those damn children! Haven’t they seen enough violence?! Even if the four of us go down… I assure you that a majority of you are going down with us! Haven’t they lost enough?!”

The man on the bus looked down at Yoko and then at the people with him. "We can’t afford to trust strangers!"

”You don’t have to!” Yoko waved her hand, ”You just need to let us walk away!”

"You expect us just to let you walk away? After everything we’ve been through, after everyone we’ve lost?!" The man shouted.

One of the younger men stepped forward from behind a makeshift barricade. His hands trembled as he clutched an old, rusted rifle. "They’re lying! They’re just stalling so they can bring the whole damn Kingdom down on us!"
The man on the bus shouted, "Hold your fire! We’re not-"

Then Yoko shouted, pointing back towards the airships coming their way.

”Use your damn head, the Autoknights are-”

---

Bad Dreams - Tricky

---

The young man squeezed the trigger, and the thunderclap of the rusted rifle flashed through the street. The bullet cut through the air, and before Yoko could react, it hit her in the abdomen, right underneath her breast. She screamed as she fell backward and hit the ground.
"Open fire!" another survivor screamed, and suddenly, arrows and bullets flew through the rain.
”Yoko!” Lisa shouted before the spiders charged at the bus and were met with a barrage of bullets and arrows. Spiderwebs immediately bound the man on top of the bus.

"Yoko, no!" Ella screamed, dropping to her knees. She then dropped fully, a bullet still catching her arm. But it wasn’t a place that could kill her like Yoko’s. "Just wait, I’ve got you!"

She raised her channeler, bathing Yoko in healing light.

"Just kill them," Saskia hissed. She raised a hand, shooting a blood bullet at the shoulder of the young man who’d shot first. At the same time, one of her wings sliced through the car she was hiding in, pulling the metal closer in front of her. "It’d be a mercy."

”... They shot first!” Lisa shouted as the man on the bus's roof received a chitinous spear through the bottom of his jaw straight through the top of his skull. It retracted, and he flopped over, head. The spiders she summoned were shredded, but Lisa summoned more.

Yoko hissed as the bullet was pushed out of her, and she climbed to her feet. ”... Otten and Turner are right!” Was the first thing Yoko said, ”We cannot hold back!”

Yoko quickly disappeared in a speed that disrupted the rain patterns as Yoko seemingly teleported past the group of melee-wielding survivors. A moment later a cut appeared in their bodies…

”... Find cover!” Yoko shouted. ”Go into the building! Something!”

Yoko took a defensive position as their bullets and arrows seemingly bounced off her body.

"But what about the children?!" Ella wailed. She scrambled forward, legs glowing with prismatic light to power her forward. She kicked into a guy in her way and shoved through a door.

"They have a miserable life anyway!" Saskia shouted. Their blood tendril shoved through a broken car window to spear the neck of the person nearest.

Lisa was right behind Ella, with spider legs out of her back. They had entered an apartment, and the sound of the survivors stomping around upstairs was oppressive. Lisa summoned more spiders, and said to Ella,

”... I’m not sure how long Yoko can keep that going,” Lisa began, ”We need to get at the people with the guns.”

Ella nodded. Now that she was inside, she was out of the rain. She held out her hands, coating them with electricity. "Stay behind me." The spiders that Lisa summoned climbed on top of Lisa and underneath her clothes.

She located the stairs and made her way up as quietly as possible. She immediately kicked down the door that met her, blasting anything in the room with electricity. The room Ella burst into was once a modest living space, but it had been hastily converted into a makeshift defensive position. The walls were lined with barricades made from furniture, scraps of wood, and whatever else the survivors could scavenge. The survivors inside the room had been entirely caught off guard by the sudden attack. They had been in the middle of fortifying their position when the door was kicked open.

A few were armed with makeshift weapons—rusty pipes, repurposed tools, and even firearms. They scrambled for cover as the lightning surged through the room, struck the other side, and immediately ignited the dilapidated building.

“... What the hell!? What the hell?!” One man shouted as he dove behind cover.

A woman dove behind an overturned couch, dropping her rifle that was held together by the duct tape. “They’re in the building! We need to-”

Her voice was cut off by a loud crack as a ceiling beam fell, nearly crushing her.

“We need to get out of here!” A man shouted, his voice somewhat drowned out by the fire and electricity. “The whole place is coming down!”

The horde of venomous spiders that Lisa was carrying dispersed into the room. They quickly sought out their targets and began biting at them, quickly and quietly eliminating her targets.

"Whoops! Didn’t mean to set it on fire!" Ella laughed awkwardly, having not used electricity on purpose… but this worked! They couldn’t shoot Yoko from a burning building!

She grabbed the ice scepter, pulling it out and shooting beams of ice at anyone that was trying to escape that Lisa’s spiders didn’t get. "Sorry! It’s- it’s better this way!"
"Get them off! Get them off!" one man screamed as Lisa's venomous spiders swarmed over him.

Another survivor, a woman, was frantically trying to extinguish the fire on her jacket after being grazed by one of Ella's ice beams. She stumbled backward, crashing into a wooden beam, "It's all burning! We have to get out!" She cried out.

One man dashed the door, trying to outrun the spiders - but one lept from the wall and landed on his neck. Before he could flick it off, it sunk its fangs into his neck, and he landed facefirst into some debris.

Another survivor crouched behind an overturned table, gripping a rusted pipe tightly. "....Where the hell did they come from?!" He shouted, his voice shaking. "This wasn’t supposed to happen!"

The building groaned under the pressure of the flames. More beams cracked and collapsed, sending showers of sparks into the air. The survivors, their numbers dwindling, were cornered, suffocating in the smoke and overwhelmed by the onslaught of spiders and ice.

Ella kept up ice blasting anyone who tried to escape, covering her mouth with an arm and backing away towards Lisa. "We should get out before we get buried in here too!"

She looked around - they were only on the second floor. Jumping down wouldn’t kill them…

"I’m sorry!" Ella shouted at the survivors, ice scepter going back to its holster. In its place a massive, pink fireball formed in her hand. She grabbed Lisa with her other arm before throwing the fireball at where most of the survivors had been forced to hide.

As soon as she’d thrown it, holding tightly onto Lisa, she kicked down the nearest wall and jumped outside. Soft rainbow light covered her as she tried to protect herself with orange lux… but it wasn’t perfect. It still fucking hurt when she landed, protecting Lisa with her own body, but! She wasn’t dead and nothing was broken!

Outside, the fight continued to rage as Yoko faced off against the survivors in the street with the rain pelting all three of them, which mixed with the thick smoke from the burning building. They could hear the distant shouts of survivors rallying behind makeshift cover- abandoned cars, broken fences, and anything else they could find to shield themselves. Yoko took cover behind one of the abandoned cars they used as they opened fire on her position, and Yoko held the Dragon’s Wisdom, one hand on the hilt and the other on the sheath.

”... Don’t you idiots know you’re just going to bring the Autoknights on top of your damn heads!?” Yoko screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice trembling at the end.

Nobody heard her, or they didn’t listen.

Someone charged her position with a rusted shotgun, but before he could react, Yoko appeared on the other side of him… Slowly sheathing the Dragon’s Wisdom, before a slash appeared on his chest, and he fell over dead. Another man came from behind her, wielding a makeshift spear, and Yoko quickly turned around as he dove the spear into her chest - and seemingly did nothing. He tilted his head before Yoko slashed the spear in half, and the blade extended as she slashed at his stomach and his intestines hit the ground. He dropped the spear before he fell backward, desperately trying to push his intestines back into his body. Yoko didn’t finish him as she placed the Dragon’s Wisdom back into the sheath.

A woman, soaked from the rain but filled with fury, stood far from Lisa and Ella, hoisting a makeshift flamethrower pieced together from old fuel tanks and spare parts. She pulled a lever and screamed,

“Take this, you freaks!”

The flamethrower unleashed a firey arc directly at Lisa and Ella.

"BY SAILOR MOON!" Ella physically threw Lisa to the side before shifting her stance, and the rainbow aura around her strengthened. The first blast of the flamethrower hit her, causing her clothes to start burning (but the rain out that out thankfully). But then she stabilised her block spell, tanking the continued stream of fire.

A bone spear came out of nowhere, shooting right at the woman's head, piercing through it and she slumped over dead.

"Don't just stand there, take cover!" Saskia shouted, from the opposite side of the street. They were tearing through makeshift shields with their wings, protecting themselves from bullets by wrapping them around themselves. They spun around, gouging out a man's chest with the sharp tips of their wings.

The rain hissed against the fires, creating a layer of steam that made it hard to see or breathe… Lisa ducked behind a makeshift encampment made from scrap metal and other debris, with the fire to her back, and summoned five Tetrablemmidae spiders applied with the Enlarge and Hybridization spells. Behind them, she summoned a wave of venomous spiders but remained put.

Behind a rusted van, three survivors huddled together not too far away from the leading group, “We can’t hold them off like this; we need to-” A bullet whirled by his head before he said, "Where the hell are the others?!"

"They’re dead," An older woman gripping a rusted homemade pistol said, "We fight, or we’re dead too."

“... How the fuck are we going to fight that?!” The man shouted. “They… they have magic!”

"If we die, we take one of them with us!" The woman spoke, before she let out her battle cry, popped out of cover, and aimed the pistol at Saskia.

Yoko appeared at her side, and before the woman could turn towards her, Yoko slashed upwards and sliced her hand off. She screamed as her hand hit the ground, then she fell to her knees as blood spurted in all directions.

“Holy shit!” The man with the shield charged Yoko, but the Dragon’s Wisdom extended and with a slash, she went through both the shield and the man. He slumped over dead.

“Oh my God!” The last woman quickly cut on run.

“Who the fuck are these three?!” One of them shouted in the distance.

“Who gives a shit?!” A man shouted, “Keep fighting!”

Despite their brave battle cry, many of them were simply cutting their losses and running with as much as they could. The rest formed a makeshift defensive position around the bus, gathering as many firearms and scrap as possible to huddle into a bunker position. Then started barraging all four of them with gunfire and whatever other projectiles they had. Silently, Lisa sent her spider horde into their position...

Yoko appeared in an alleyway in a burst of supernatural speed. She pressed her back against the wall, as a barrage of bullets went her way and pinned her down.

”... Look around you!” Yoko shouted at them, ”You’re fighting for what?! To lose more of your own?! At this rate, the children you are fighting so hard to defend are going to die due to your collective stupidity!”

It likely went unhead as they kept firing.

"It would be a mercy if the children died," Saskia intoned, forced to take cover behind a car door again. They looked over it, throwing a bone spear at a gap in their makeshift defences.

"Please! You can't win this!" Ella shouted, joining Yoko in trying to get them to back down. They didn't have to kill all of them. They'd killed enough to make a point! She let out a shout of pain as a bullet hit her arm, but ignored it - it could be healed later! She pressed against a wall to get some cover and shot a continuous beam of light at the scrap. Ella concentrated on making it as hot as possible, pushing it further until it reached metal melting temperatures, like a laser beam cutting through.

The survivors’ makeshift defenses around the bus were crumbling under the relentless pressure. The heat from Ella's beam began warping the metal, and the scrap barricade they had hastily constructed was starting to buckle. The panicked voices of those behind it grew louder…

“Fall back!” one of the survivors screamed, grabbing at the others around him. "The barricade’s gonna melt, we can’t stay here!"

“No! We hold here! If we give an inch, we’re dead anyway!” Another shouted as they reloaded.

“What the fuck?! Spiders!?” Another woman screamed, before they began panicking.

One man finally broke. He dropped his rifle, hands raised in surrender. "I’m done! I’m not dying for this!" He turned and sprinted away, disappearing into the maze of streets.

“Wait, what the fuck is tha-” There was a roar as a man was launched through the air, and landed right by Lisa and Ella. He died on impact, but there was shooting from behind the barricade.

“... Fuck this!” A woman shouted, running out of the barricade before a massive creature lept from the formation, only to pounced on her and ripped her to pieces as it ate her alive. She screamed and thrashed before she just stopped….

”... Good grief,” Yoko facepalmed. ”You all should have listened!”

When Yoko shouted that, the monster ceased eating the woman before charging at Yoko….

"Yoko!" Ella shouted. But she was too far away… she moved her light beam to hitting the creature, aiming for its eye and ignoring the burning of her own hand.

"Shit." Saskia launched themselves forward towards the creature, slashing at its side with the large, sharp bone at their wing tip.

The two attacks hit the creature, and knocked it over, but it climbed to its feet… and was met with a barrage of gunfire that it quickly healed from. Then the gunfire targeted the four, and Yoko shouted,

”... Don’t worry about me!” Yoko shouted as she drew the Dragon’s Wisdom… the rain water collected around the creature, and with a flex of the sword and sheathe, the beast was launched into the barricade, where it wreaked havoc there. ”... While they are distracted, push forward!” Yoko commanded.

"Push forward to where?!" Ella shouted, coming out from her cover. She stopped the beam of light, grimacing as she looked down at her burnt hand. It was fine…

Yoko. facepalmed

"To them, idiot," Saskia hissed. They spread their wings, to fly forward and land on top of the school bus. They crouched on it, wings wrapping back around them protectively.

Ella ran forward, a rainbow leg coming up to kick someone out of the way as she did. Lisa didn’t proceed forward; however, at this point, the tetrablemmids burst from their cocoons the size of a small car, sprouting dragonfly wings, as they charged forward in her stead. There were panicked screaming as the combined assault from Lisa’s spiders, and the creature was causing many of the survivors to cut and run.

“Get back! Get back!” One of the survivors shouted as his makeshift rifle let off a few rounds against the oversized spider, which pierced its exoskeleton but barely saved him from getting consumed by the creature. Yoko quickly appeared in a burst of speed, her hand on the sword…

… She vomited seconds later.

The creature roared as it thrashed through the remains of the barricade, its body healing almost instantly from any damage inflicted by the few survivors still firing at it. The rain swirled violently as Yoko swung her sword, sending a torrent of water crashing into the creature. The force knocked it back again, smashing it into a nearby car. One of Lisa’s spiders flew over to it, exploded in a burst of acid that dissolved the monster’s flesh, and took out a few survivors. It screeched in pain as the acid sizzled, but the rain washed some of it off…

"We're not dying like dogs!" one of the survivors screamed as he hefted an improvised grenade launcher and fired it toward one of Lisa's spiders. The grenade exploded on impact, blowing off the spider’s legs… and the spider fell over dead.

However, the creature regenerated from the acid as it clawed at Yoko. However, it was met by the Dragon’s Wisdom and was launched off balance. One more swipe from the sword went through its chest, and it stumbled backward as the wounds regenerated. Then Yoko slashed both of its legs off, and before it had a chance to realize it hit the ground, the Dragon’s Wisdom pierced its skull. It slumped over, dead, and Yoko pulled the sword from its skull.

Meanwhile, two men charged forward, aiming rifles at Saskia on top of the bus, while a woman sprinted toward Ella, knife in hand, screaming a battle cry as she leaped at her. Most of the survivor group was running away in fear….

Ella easily dodged the wild swing, slamming an as hard as iron leg into her leg to trip her over. Then she jumped on top of her, pulling the knife out of her grip and throwing it away.

"I'm so sorry!" Ella said as she sliced the woman's throat with a hot beam of light in what she hoped would be a quick death.

"Oh, you're going to shoot me?" Saskia intoned. They tilted their head, before pursing their lips. Two incredibly accurate globs of spit hit the rifle barrels. It immediately hardened and covered the entire front. They then spread their wings mockingly. "Go on, try."

The two men pulled the trigger at the same time, and then the round exploded into their hands. It sent shrapnel and metal fragments in all directions and shredded their hands and faces. They dropped the rifles, looking at their hands, then back up at Saskia before they turned around and bolted away into the alleyways and streets of the Pit.

At this point, everyone fighting had lost the will to continue and fled. The scraping of metal on concrete could be heard as the remaining survivors, those who hadn’t fled rose from their positions. Some staggered away, dragging injured comrades, while others simply collapsed where they stood, the fight wholly drained from them. The battlefield fell eerily silent as the rain stopped. Yoko sighed as she wiped the excess rain off the Dragon’s Wisdom and sheathed it with a poignant click. The spiders that Lisa summoned stood tall, and she climbed from beneath cover and walked over to them, and placed her hands against them. A web-like pattern appeared on their wounds.

”Holy shit…” Lisa groaned, her jaw dropped. ”... I just, I’m at a loss for words.”

Yoko sighed as she closed her eyes, ”There is no time for regrets, Turner. They didn’t give us any other option.”

”I mean, just…” Lisa looked at one of the corpses of the survivors as she slumped down onto the side of the spider. ”Holy fuck.”

”We can’t afford to get stuck in the moment, Turner,” Yoko said to Lisa before turning back towards where they came from. The airships were in full view now, and they floated in one line in their direction. There were twelve in view, but they still had plenty of time to escape before they even had a chance to catch sight of them. ”We didn’t come here for them; we came here for the All-Blade and my brother.”

Lisa was silent for a moment, as her exoskeleton disappeared, and her excess eyes faded back into her flesh. Lisa turned towards the bus, ”... What about the kids?”

”... Wait!” Yoko turned towards the bus. ”They left them!”

Ella’s eyes widened, clothes going back to normal as she stared at the bus. What did they do about the children? They couldn’t leave them behind, but they couldn’t take them with them either… She felt sick. Ella squatted on the ground, hiding her face in her knees.

"We kill them." Saskia said, still crouched on top of the bus. Their wings were slowly being pulled back into their back. "As painlessly as possible."

---

Don’t Look Behind (Requiem) - Black Lagoon OST

---

Lisa and Yoko were silent. They stared at Saskia, and their expressions did not change at all. The streets were eerily silent, save for the hum of the Autoknights’ airship approaching. However, Yoko broke the silence.

”... I agree.”

"No way!" Ella looked up at Yoko, then at Saskia. There was… they couldn’t… They were children. The adults were one thing… even if Ella hadn’t wanted to kill them. They’d attacked first. But the children? "We can’t!"

"What else can we do?" Saskia jumped down from the top of the bus to the entrance, blood blade forming on the back of their hand. "Better us than a monster. We can’t look after them. I’ll do it if no one else can."

Ella shook her head. No way. She looked over at Lisa. "You don’t… agree, do you, Lisa?"

Lisa stood awkwardly, only hanging her head as she played with her fingers. ”... Yes, I do.”

Yoko walked over to Ella, placed a hand on her shoulder, and looked her in the eye as she said, ”Disciple… I don’t want to do this. And I can tell Lisa or Saskia does not want to do this either, but tell me, what option do they have?” Yoko paused, and her words hung. ”Like Saskia said, they cannot come with us. The best case scenario is that they get consumed by a monster. Worst-case scenario...” Yoko sighed.

”... What do you suggest we do then?!” Lisa shouted at Ella, swiping her hand as she took deep breaths.

"I don’t know." Ella held her head in her hands, looking down, unable to keep up the eye contact with Yoko. She knew they were right. And she knew none of them wanted to do it… but she just couldn’t accept it. How did that make them any better than all of those monsters? Because they were doing it to prevent something worse? She looked back up, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I can’t do it. I really can’t do it."

Would she be able to call herself a Magical Girl if she did? Could she even call herself a Magical Girl for letting it happen? But she would… always choose her friends.

"You don’t have to." Saskia said, nearly expressionless. But Ella knew them well enough to notice the minute changes - the reluctance hidden in their cold eyes. They really didn’t want to do it… "I’ll do your share. Or all of them. I’ll take on that burden. I know exactly where to cut to make it quick and painless."

”Lisa, stick with Saskia as she does it,” Yoko trailed off, then sighed as she grabbed onto Ella’s hand and used her strength to lift her up to her feet. ”Disciple, let’s go; I know you don’t want to watch this. We’ll be a few blocks that way.” Yoko pointed in the direction, then began heading that way as she left Lisa and Saskia…

She began to walk away with Ella in tow. A few moments after they got out of earshot, that static voice appeared in their heads…

… ?…?…You-...-id….?...?...right…?...?... thing….

The voice paused for a moment before speaking clearly.

…?...?...?... I still love you.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

---

Lynette Hunter-Richoux & The Greenwood Coven

Interactions: None.

The Temple of Ass Charming and Graceful Individuals.

---

---

Lynette stared at the bar room surrounding her perceptional vantage point. From just behind Ruby, thanks to the myriad of cards still in her pocket, Lynette had a first row ticket to the comedy show of the season. She loved every bit of the chaotic nature that seemed to follow Sycamore around like a carrion feeder to a corpse. It was fresh, unpredictable: Qualities that let them win so long ago. If nobody has a plan, after all, how can countermeasures be created?

But then there was the matter of her own son and the prize that she knew was coming back to her. Alizeé Vul… Child of the Void. Ecstasy and longing returned to Lynette as she practically drooled over the potential. Leon's plan to adjoin her to Layla gave way to immediate preparations as she sent for people to begin prepping a ritual room for the process.

It happened so quickly, she stopped watching what Ruby was doing, so had no idea they'd be returning to her property within the next few minutes… A wind that carried leaves came from behind Lynette, right into her bar room. It spun around for a bit, before the Greenwood Coven appeared in front of her.

Ruby stood tall, in a heroic pose with one hand on her hip and the other on her staff.

“Dun-dun-duuun, dun-DUUUUUUN!” Jess made the sound effects, as Ruby dropped the bomb.

“... Bitch ass Ninja,”

Lynette grabbed the bridge of her nose in frustration as she was fixing herself a drink before the main event showed up.
”Wow! Wow, wow wow! What a fucking performance, Ruby. One for the fuckin’ movies… What the Hell was that!? My fucking cards? Nobody got them. Nobody, they’re im Sullivan McPherson’s fucking pocket! What the Hell…”
The woman openly frowned, almost pouting like a child.
”I trusted you! So, what did I get for that trust?”

“... One of the few competent members of that ‘Coven’ distributing those cards for both of us,” Ruby rolled her eyes, before aiming her staff at Lynette. “Toooo be honest, I’m not sure what you’re hoping to glean from those clowns anyway.”

Ruby shook her head, clenching her staff, “They are so chaotic I think we need to invent a new word for it.”

”Sullivan… Played football with Leon in highschool… Ruby, he was a moron then, and he's a drunk moron now! You honestly believe he's going to hand those cards out!? They'll wind up in a fucking washing machine after he's gotten drunk and forgotten them in his pocket!!!”

Lynette gripped her face with a pained expression, dragging the hand up to run through the tremendously thick locks cascading down from her head.

”A wallet, a purse: Someone takes a card they dont give a shit about, and they stick it somewhere they forget. Carry it with them constantly, never considering that I am now there with them. My magic records, I observe. What do I gleam? Uncanny knowledge of daily happenings. Anything I can hear or see from them becomes usable information that we can reign this herd of cats in with, Ruby! We need to make them useful!”

“Do not shit on Sully!” Ruby hissed, waving a hand in front of her. “Whatever you think about him, he’s one of us! And I could give less of a shit about those Sycamore losers, do not talk bad on my friend!”

”Then what happens next is your fault. I asked you to do one thing, Ruby! One! And you fucked off, because you feel like its not worth it. Why wasn't doing what I asked you worth it? Why is it that you all seem to just ignore what I ask and do what the fuck you want? You, Leon, Roxanne God bless her fucking soul… Am I a joke to you, Ruby!?”

Lynette rarely let her more base emotions run wild, but she was furious and had little concern for how Ruby felt in the moment.
”You wanted an alliance. I said yes. Did you think I wouldn't ask you for anything? Like a fucking charity!? Goddamn it!...”

Her face twisted into a frown, and she threw her hands up questioningly.

“And fucking look! You weren't there! You don't have the magic I have!” Ruby slammed a hand on her chest, “Half of those motherfuckers didn't trust us! Do you think they would have taken them from me?!”

Ruby paused, “If you say yes, you’re delusional!”

“... Should we, uh, go now?” Jess asked, pointing towards the door.

”Jess… Go where, sweetheart? Just… Hang tight, you all have a drink, enjoy your pizzas… Ruby? Can we please visit my office? So we're not agitating people undeserving?”

“To the orgy, ideally!” Jess shouted, only to make the rest of Greenwood roll their eyes.

Ruby clutched her staff and said to Lynnette, “Whatever you want, Temple-Mother.” Ruby’s tone was laced with venom.

“... And the orgy is mid.”

”The orgy is not Mid… It's a high class perpetu-
Lynette continued on incessantly about the quality of her cultivated sex dungeons even as she led Ruby off and down one of the many dark and intentionally unremarkable halls. Eventually, they made it to Lynette's personal office, where she was free to speak to Ruby like she was an equal.

Clearing her throat, Lynette frowned as she looked at Ruby.
”I'm not mad that it didn't work. I'm upset that it seems like you barely tried. Like you heard what I asked, and you immediately treated it like an impossible objective. Now, I like Sullivan. I really do, he's a sweet boy and we always loved him coming with Leon to our events… So I'm sorry I said that about him. But as your friend, you know that he's the person most likely to leave a piece of paper in his pants pockets while he does laundry! It's just the nature of things…” Lynette paused, looking expectantly at Ruby while she fixed them both a drink from her personal shelf.

Instead of grabbing the drink, Ruby went for the bottle and downed a fifth. Then she retorted,

“Hey! I was going to try, but crazy shit kept happening one after another!” Ruby rolled her eyes. “I barely got a chance to talk before the Void Heart’s little pet opened her mouth.”

”Her name is Alizée. Her b-b…-”
Lynette’s voice hitched, and she whimpered slightly as she tried to take a deeper breath. Alcohol was knocked back, a frown turned into a scowl that turned into a frustrated expression of guilt.
”The poor, stupid girl is a ghost now. And we accepted her oath years ago; that we would help her and Void Heart however we could. If that means keeping him from making his own bad decisions, so be it. We bring the two idiots together, we have everyone trying to release him in one well-monitored package.”

Ruby facepalmed.

“... I mean his other pet.”.”

Lynette tilted her head, waving her hand sassily.
”Duh, Layla. She was included; the other idiot.”
There was a chuckle, and she finally cracked a smile.
”Aw, fuck it. You know I’m just happy to have you hanging around again, don’t you? Try and get Sully to get those cards where he can; I don’t care if he’s throwing them in books at the local library, anywhere. Just increase my coverage and all is forgiven.”

Ruby shrugged. “If he fucks it up, just give me some more, and I’ll take care of it.”

“So, say,” Ruby began, sassily putting a hand on her hip, “Does the Void Heart like all his little pets white-haired and stupid?”

Lynette's stern expression had softened previously, and now she was like a warm hug again. Friendly, happy. She laughed at the question, trying to consider how best to answer her.
”Well, the stupid part makes his M.O. easier to pull off. But the white hair? Even I don't know what the deal with that is…”

She shook her head, topping her drink off from the bar and waving Ruby onward back toward her group in the other room.
”Leon will be home with Alizée soon. After what happened with Layla, I don't expect you to stick around. But- I do expect to see many Greenwood members at the end of the month. The Harvest Feast is shaping up to be the greatest feast we've ever held here, and I'd really love to see you and your own Coven come to celebrate. Bring Mummy too… You know I miss her, and she never answers my calls.” she frowned slightly, thinking about Ruby's mother fondly.

“I would rather gouge my eyes out with a burning hot knife than be in the same building with that bitch,” Ruby said with a sigh, twisting her face up. “Now, I will find the rest of Greenwood and leave because I know I’ll punch that bitch in the face. Knowing them, they probably found the orgy, and I’ll have to drag them out kicking and screaming.”

”Come, come… If they have found it, they'll likely be stuck. It may take both of us to pry them off the sticky wall.”

Ruby walked off into the halls alongside Lynette.

Recollections: The Compendium

THE.NEMEAN.EYE
| Gaze Beyond Worlds | "It sees all, but not all should be seen." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | The Nemean Eye is believed to have been forged during the height of the Roman Empire by a mysterious man named Caelius Nigrinus, a sorcerer and philosopher who dabbled in magic. Caelius, fascinated with the nature of reality and the concept of parallel worlds, sought to create an artifact that could pierce the veil between dimensions. Ancient Roman writings hint that Caelius used forbidden rituals involving sacrifices to ancient Gods to create a physical object: The Nemean Eye. The Eye was named after the Nemean Lion, a mythical beast of Herculean legend, symbolizing the power of sight and invulnerability. After its creation, Caelius disappeared from all records, his fate as much of a mystery as the artifact itself. | TYPE: | Orb of Sight. | LOCATION: | The current whereabouts of the Nemean Eye remains unknown. It has surfaced sporadically over the millennia, usually in the possession of scholars or occultists who mysteriously vanish after unlocking its powers. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | Lucius Septimius Clarus: A Roman senator and close confidant of Emperor Nero, Lucius reportedly seized the Nemean Eye shortly after Caelius Nigrinus’ disappearance. Using its power, he allegedly foresaw the fall of Rome in alternate dimensions. He later became obsessed with averting those futures, but his attempts to alter fate ended in his sudden disappearance. Some believed that he vanished into one of the worlds he gazed upon. Petronia Marcellina: An Italian noblewoman and Red-Adept who rediscovered the Nemean Eye during the Renaissance. Marcellina used the Eye to unlock the secrets of eternal life. Her notes described visions of timeless beings in other dimensions, but she vanished under strange circumstances, leaving only cryptic writings about her last experiments. Julius Montrose: A British wizard during the Victorian era who sought to prove the existence of other worlds. Montrose conducted numerous experiments with the Nemean Eye, documenting alternate versions of historical events and people. He was last seen staring into the Eye for days without rest before disappearing altogether, leaving behind only a charred outline where he last stood. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. |	The Nemean Eye is a dark, smooth orb the size of a human eye, embedded with intricate Roman engravings of lions, mythological creatures, and planetary symbols. It is unnaturally cold and heavy when held as if it contains the weight of countless dimensions. The Nemean Eye’s primary power allows the wielder to peer into other dimensions and move their vision beyond their immediate surroundings. The user can project their sight into alternate versions of distant locations, timelines, and parallel realities by focusing on the Eye. This extends to their environment and any other place or dimension they wish to observe. The wielder can "move" their vision freely through these worlds, seeing events unfold far from where they physically stand. The Eye’s power is not limited to passive observation, either. Some users have reported being able to interact with or influence objects and beings in these alternate dimensions. The ability to interact with or influence objects and beings in these alternate dimensions comes with a unique and dangerous twist. The Eye allows the wielder to move objects, alter events, or communicate with entities in these dimensions. However, these actions are not without risk. The consequences can be highly unpredictable because the interaction occurs at a distance and across different realities. The further the user's vision extends from their reality, the more taxing it becomes. Extended use of the Eye can distort the wielder’s sense of time and space, leading to disorientation or physical strain. Additionally, prolonged or reckless interactions with other dimensions might inadvertently cause severe consequences that ripple back into the user’s reality. In rare and unconfirmed cases, it is rumored that the Nemean Eye can weaken or even break the barriers between worlds, potentially allowing entities or forces from alternate realities to cross over. Though no documented evidence supports this claim, whispers persist of users who may have tampered with the fabric of reality itself. Those who have allegedly attempted such feats are often said to vanish or suffer bizarre fates, with their surroundings taking on eerie qualities.......................................................

Recollections: The Compendium

THE.ETERNAL.FEAST
| The Cursed Banquiet | "... One bite is never enough." ORIGINS & CREATIONS: | The true origins of the Eternal Feast are shrouded in mystery. Legends suggest it was born from a twisted ritual carried out by an ancient coven, seeking to bind desire and indulgence into a physical form. Others claim it was an accidental byproduct of a Paranormal being’s Abstraction gone wrong, where an Apparition of greed or gluttony became tied to an innocuous dining set. No records exist of who created it or when, but stories of its cursed power have persisted throughout the ages, surfacing across different universes. | TYPE: | Cursed Dinner Plate & Utensils | LOCATION: | Its current location is unknown, but tales persist of it mysteriously appearing in homes, restaurants, or even abandoned alleyways. Wherever it is found, it remains until it has claimed another victim. | NOTABLE OWNERS: | Unknown. It has claimed many throughout the All-Verse, though no survivors or recorded owners are known to exist. | ABSTRACTION-GRANTING: | No. | .............................................................................	The Eternal Feast appears as an ordinary dinner plate; it seems like a mundane piece of dinnerware, perfectly set and ready for a meal. However, this artifact carries a curse that has claimed countless lives. Once someone draws close enough - within a few feet - the plate triggers its magical properties. It psychically reads the individual’s deepest culinary desires, the memory of the most delicious meal they’ve ever experienced. Without warning, their favorite dish manifests in perfect detail upon the plate, freshly prepared and impossibly delicious. The food is not just a memory; it is a perfected version, better than they recall. Every bite is intoxicating, more flavorful than anything they’ve ever tasted, and accompanied by whatever utensils or napkins are needed to make the experience comfortable. But this is where the curse begins. Once the individual tastes even a crumb, they are trapped in the artifact’s power. No matter how much they try, they cannot stop eating. The compulsion grows with every bite. Their hands move of their own accord, fork and knife slicing through bite after bite, even as their stomach begins to fill and bloat. The sensation of fullness is masked by an overwhelming glee tied to the act of consumption - no pain, no discomfort, just the insatiable urge to continue. As they gorge themselves, the amount of food never seems to diminish. The plate magically refills with every finished dish, conjuring more of their favorite foods, sometimes even presenting new courses to tempt the victim further. Each bite becomes more addictive than the last; each swallows feeding the curse's grip on their body and mind. Their body bloats, grotesquely expanding as their weight increases at a comical, almost supernatural rate, their stomach distending as their body swells with food. They become a prisoner, physically unable to stop. Eventually, the victim collapses from exhaustion, a grotesque parody of their former self, bloated beyond recognition, their body unnaturally stuffed and distorted. Once they fall unconscious, the final part of the curse reveals itself. An Apparition bound to the artifact materializes out of the shadows, and without a word, the Apparition drags them into a rift that appears near the plate. Where they are taken remains unknown, but none who fall prey to the Eternal Feast have ever been seen again. After the Apparition claims its victim, the plate and utensils disappear without a trace, waiting for its next unsuspecting diner.