Although she had been briefed on how… excitable her charge could be, it still came as something of a surprise to Pentius-04 when Lily grabbed her by the wrist and started excitedly waving her arm at a new arrival. “S-Salutations,” she managed to stammer as Alexander joined them. “I have been assigned to ensure Miss Lily’s safety,” she added, hoping this explanation would be enough to dispel any concerns her charge’s romantic partner might have. However, it soon became apparent that there were far greater things to worry about, as Ebon Mint coin broker-in-training Chloe Irving made her grand entrance and conjured her own monstrous bodyguard.
“Be assured, while I shall take no hostile action against anyone present, I shall also allow no harm to befall my charge,” 04 told the dark magical girl, while simultaneously moving to stand in front of Lily and activating her shield’s expansive, multi-layered energy barrier.
Magical Dream Princess
3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 4 | 9 | 4 | 24 | 9
Oddball: Sweet Dreams | Barrage
Wealth and Resources (not while tf'd) | Enhanced Weapon | Power Artifact | Dual Weapon | Natural Aging | Money | Intuition
Focused | Mental Link | Hidden Death | Mana Font | Mystic Might
Alien Mind | Formless | Rival Force | Clueless
Melisa Reese
Age: 28/13 | Gender: Female/Female | Spirit | Skimpy Ranged | Tentacles | Lesser Force Reverence, Lure, Enter Sandman, Communion, Inheritance, Prey of Choice, Invisibility, Wings Focused, Mental Link, Retrieval, Magical Overload Limited, Excommunicated?, Second Specialization
STR: 06 | AGI: 06 | VIT: 06 | MAG: 06 | LCK: 06
STR: 06 | AGI: 11 | VIT: 07 | MAG: 13 | LCK: 10
Shortly after the arrival of Chloe, Penny, and their attendant entourages, a colorful rainicorn pegasus spiraled around in the sky above the park, before bursting into a series of brilliant fireworks and a shower of sparkling glitter and glowing stars.
“Hiiiiiiyeee~!” a sickeningly cheerful voice called out as a pink-clad magical girl dropped from the sky alongside a small fairy. “Like, ta-daaa~!” she declared once the pair had landed and struck complementary poses. “Super Cute Pretty Pretty Magical Dream Princess and Super Duper Adorable Fairy Princess Melisa Wisa are heresie weresie nowie~! (giggle!)”
”Hiiiiii!” Melisa yelled out as she fluttered around her friend. Except a few, most of the attendees probably wouldn’t have recognized the tiny fairy girl. Since breaking free of her monstrous form, she had stayed out of most of the conflicts. Fighting wasn’t really her thing if she could avoid it.
Her eyes darting around in eager excitement, MDP briefly took note of Chloe and her skeletal creation, before the whimsical girl’s painfully limited attention refocused on something she found far more appealing… “Wowie zowie~!” she exclaimed as she bounced over to the Sanctuary delegation. “Penny Wenny’s heresie wersie, too~! (giggle!) Like, Magical Dream Princess just wuvs your new capey wapey thingie wingie~! (giggle!)” she told her girlfriend with a happy smile. “And, like, did you see, did you see~?! Melisa Wisa’s not a dolly wolly person werson anymorsie~! (giggle!) Like, she’s a fairy wairy person werson nowie~!” the bubbly Princess of Dreams added as she gestured to her tiny friend.
Following MDP the fairy girl would wave ecstatically. She didn’t really know that many of the others currently present all that well, though she did steal a glance at Ruby as she appeared in a puff of smoke. That girl’s magic was of particular interest, even if Melisa didn’t quite register it as such in her own mind. Anyway, she looked back to Penny. ”Uh huh. Your Beacon friends were able to do it. I don’t know why people don’t like them. They’re really nice.”
“Like, some of them can be kinda winda grumpy wumpy,” MDP noted. “But, like, other wothers, like Fan Fany Wan Wany, are like, super duper nicey wicey~! (giggle!)” she added.
A moment later, the whimsical girl noticed a pair of new arrivals, and with a gleeful squeal she darted over to greet them. “Pastel-chaaaan~!” she cheered as she glomped the bespectacled magician. “Magical Dream Princess is soooo happy wappy to see you againsie wensie~! (giggle!) Like, is this one of your other wother friendy wendies~?!” she inquired as her attention refocused on Valerie. “Wowie zowie~! Like, is she a robotic wotic person werson like Penny Wenny?!” she asked excitedly as she bounced up and down on her tiptoes. “Is she?! Is she?! Is she?!”
However, before an answer could be provided, Lily began her opening greeting, after which, Alex mentioned the possibility of evacuating the city’s civilian populace into a safe pocket dimension, causing MDP’s eyes to sparkle as an idea popped into her ADHD-addled brain. “Oh~! Oh~!” she chirped, rapidly waving her hand as she jumped up and down. “Pastel-chan has one of those pocket wocket dimension wension thingie wingies~! Right, Pastel-chan~?!” she asked, turning to Amanda with a big smile.
Job Satisfaction | Chatty | Mana Font | Mystic Might
Cagey | Expendable | Big Brother
Descending on radiant wings, the Angel of Hope smiled down upon the gathered magicals. “Warmest greetings, mystical champions of Penrose!” she announced. “It fills this humble servant’s heart with such great joy to see you all put aside whatever previous animosities you might have held towards one another and come together in this auspicious forum of peaceful cooperation!” the heavenly maiden gushed, her eyes glistening. “Truly this is a blessed day indeed!”
Great… Just what I wanted to do tonight, join some sappy as fuck kumbaya circlejerk…
A moment later, however, and the angelic beauty gave voice to a startled gasp upon noticing the skeletal behemoth standing next to Chloe. “My heavens!” she cried, placing her hands over her mouth, while her eyes widened in shock. “What an imposing creature! Truly, it is rare indeed for this humble servant to behold such a terrifying visage!”
Holy shit… That thing looks fucking badass! Though I bet I could create something even cooler with my reinforcement magic if I didn’t have to deal with all these stupid ‘non-violent’ restrictions…
Soon enough, Lily began addressing the gathering, and the Angel listened to the green-haired young woman in respectful silence.
Fuck, I thought her name sounded familiar… She’s that ditzy bitch from last time… And of fucking course miss ‘lovechild of a kawaiiko vtuber and a Lisa Frank catalogue’ has to be here, too… I swear, that voice could fucking kill someone if they had to listen to it long enough. Well, at least she hasn’t noticed me yet, so I guess that’s a plus…
Connie
3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 5 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 5
Oddball: Nightmares | Tentacles
Enhanced Weapon | Power Artifact | Mystic Artifact | Ally | Interdimensional Home
Focused | Mental Link | Hidden Death | Mana Font | Mystic Might
Alien Mind | Formless | Rival Force | Clueless
Mia
3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 5 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 5
Wood | Barrage
Enhanced Weapon | Dual Weapon | Purification Artifact | Big Red Button
Blessing | Divine Competence | Gifted Item | Mana Font | Mystic Might
Rites| Arrogance | Big Brother | Clueless
Kayli Devon
Age: 15/15 | Gender: Female/Female | Reinforcement, Psychic, Light | Uniform Ranged | Power of Friendship, Nullification, Third Eye | Solo Enhanced Weapon, Healing Artifact, Martial Training, Gifted, Enhanced Transformation, Arcane Activation, Fated, #&$*?!?, Stalwart Free Agent, Genki Girl, Magical Overload Alone, Excommunicated?, Second Specialization
Arriving after most of the others was a small procession led by Kayli. She was flanked by Rose and Iris, with Connie and Gaia following close behind.
“Quite the gathering, wouldn’t you say, little sister?” Gaia whispered to Connie with a serene smile.
“Y-Yeah…” Connie agreed, attempting to return the verdant maiden’s smile with one of her own, but still seeming a bit downcast, something Gaia easily picked up on.
Although the Daughter of Mother Earth was pleased to see such a large turn out, she was still concerned for her best friend. Even now, she held Connie’s hand and was gently massaging the top of it with her thumb. “You know, even if we have nothing else to contribute, I am sure that simply being here will make Lily very happy,” she told her masked friend softly, while giving the timid girl’s hand a reassuring squeeze.
Slowing her pace slightly, Kayli would put an arm around Connie to reassure her. ”Everything will be alright, Connie.” There was more that she wanted to say, but that would be best saved for a later time when they weren’t surrounded by others. Unfortunately, this life was not one of peace. Especially in these current times.
A number had spoken up as more arrived, trying to figure out how best to approach defense of the city and its citizens. Evacuating a city was one thing, figuring out a way to do it was another. Ideally everyone would be out of the way to begin with as it would be hard to say when Wonderland would make their move. Looking around at everyone, she would speak up. ”I would not put it past Wonderland to use our want to protect the population as a diversion. Perhaps we could get ahead of that and create a reason to have everyone evacuate in advance. Not my favorite tactic, but it’s worth considering. An environmental health sort of thing. A gas leak or the like that requires moving people out. Between our groups and organizations, there’s little reason we could not pull enough strings to have the media do most of our work in that regard.” Penrose had already been through a lot, so subjecting it to further turmoil wasn’t high on the list of things to do. Previous damage should make it an easier sell though.
One thing potentially addressed, there was still actually beating Wonderland in a potential conflict. Since becoming the Keeper of the Keys, her primary goal has been to find a way to defend the Nexus. As such, she has been busy examining what she could of its nature. ”To the defense of the city and the Nexus then. I don’t know the number of these toy soldiers you brought up. However, I have a small army of constructs that could be brought to bear.” Among the things left behind in the wake of chaos that is Penrose, Cindy had worked out a number of agreements for resources. Some of those Kayli returned, as it did not seem right to keep hold of. One that almost no one knew, aside from Mariette perhaps, was the army of Talos statues that would have been all but lost had Janet not gotten into a mental kerfuffle with the late Queen of Penrose. An odd change of hands, but something Kayli found herself in possession of regardless.
The woman would cross her arms. ”To be frank, I see open conflict with Wonderland primarily as a stall. If we succeed in our defense, then we will be waiting for the next threat to make a move. I would prefer that access to its power be tempered in some way to make it a less appealing exploit to patrons and despots. It takes someone of great power to even consider tapping into a font like the Nexus. Patrons, and I presume the Queen of Hearts, would be one of the few able to do such a thing.” It wasn’t quite a solution, but it was something she’d been meaning to bring up, and this was probably the one time he could potentially get others on board. Gain some kind of control of the Nexus here in Penrose.
“I must say, I concur with the idea of removing the Nexus from the proverbial equation,” Gaia spoke up in a clear and serene voice. She was slightly surprised by the revelation that her and Connie’s adoptive guardian possessed a secret army, even if only a small one, but the Daughter of Mother Earth knew that such matters could wait until after the current meeting had concluded. “As for the evacuation, I think her highness, Magical Dream Princess, has already provided an excellent possibility for a place in which to safely shelter the city’s mundane populace,” the nymph-like young woman added, turning to give MDP a bright smile. “In addition, I think she and Miss Valentine might also be able to provide a more conducive way to facilitate their transit to said place of refuge. I admit, I am not exactly well-versed in the limits of your abilities,” the verdant maiden continued, addressing the pair of dream spec girls. “But, if the two of you worked in concert, might it not be possible to place the city’s mundane inhabitants in a state of peaceful slumber, much like how your highness did the same with the residents of Bolorton?”
For her part, all of this was going way above poor Connie’s head, and so the masked maiden simply gave Kayli a small smile and quietly listened to what everyone had to say.
Olivia was just about to mention how much the other young woman’s hair reminded her of the acid spray used by the giant worms Oros had fought, as well as the hair on the smaller worm on the announcer’s head, when said announcer slid back onto the stage and began belting out instructions. It seemed the time had come for the first round of matches to begin…
“Oh gosh! The matches are starting already?!” Olivia gasped, having completely lost track of the time.
“It would appear so,” Xolys noted. “We should probably head to the stands now,” he added, before turning his single glowing eye back towards the other two ladies at the table. “Good luck to you both,” the small robot bid them.
“Y-Yes! Good luck!” Olivia hastened to add.
Expressing a similar sentiment, Oros vanished into the crowd with a speed befitting her title, leaving her red-faced opponent sitting at the table.
"Um, it was nice meeting you!" Olivia told the green-haired young woman as she stuffed Xolys into her backpack and then set off for the stands. “Okay!” the bespectacled bluenette declared, her voice filled with determination. “Let’s go show ‘em what you can do, Xolys!”
Dana giggled as Aiya playfully ruffled her hair. “Sweet!” she cheered a moment later, when the heiress agreed to begin a search for aquatic armaments, the energetic Norban following close behind. “Great idea, Penny!” Dana told her friend with a big grin when the Siscian suggested recruiting any Water Elementum users for their “team” in the impending water war. Indeed, the sunny sharpshooter could barely contain her excitement, and her golden eyes seemed to gleam even brighter when Aiya presented her with a massive water gun that was almost as big as she was. “Oh, wow! Thanks!” she told the heiress. “Y’know, this thing kinda looks like the prototype polyphasic plasma particle projector Professor Pinnacle let Alexis use in episode twenty-three!” Unfortunately, it was also the only water gun on the ship, and so, Dana was forced to abandon her plans for an all-out water war and switch to a series of water-based pranks instead.
Darting from one line-of-sight-obstructing piece of cover to another, the sunny sharpshooter snapped off a series of quick blasts, before ducking out of sight. However, it didn’t take long for the others to deduce the source of these attacks, and no sooner had Dana accepted a challenge to hit the surprisingly agile Priya, then the grinning gunslinger found herself being lifted into the air and thrown overboard. “Woah!” she yelped, before splashing into the water below. When she reached the surface a moment later, she saw who had been responsible for her unplanned soaking, and her auric eyes lit up. “Nice one, Noah!” she called up to the big cadet with a giggle. “I never knew you could be so sneaky!”
“Hey!” Priya called as she vaulted over the ship’s railing. “Let’s have a chicken fight!”
“Yeah!” Dana agreed with an enthusiastic grin as she raised two fists in the air. “Come on, Noah! Let’s show ‘em what we can do!”
Giving a nod, Noah and another cadet promptly jumped into the water, and lifted Dana and Priya onto their shoulders. There followed a series of hard-fought and incredibly entertaining (at least, if the wildly cheering crowd was anything to go by) battles, with Dana gaining the slightest of leads over the spirited Priya, thanks to a few small, but well-timed Light Elementum distractions. It was only once the informal competition was over that Dana realized she had forgotten all about Penny. The thought of having abandoned her socially awkward roommate to what the bespectacled girl could very well view as a living nightmare caused Dana’s jubilant spirits to rapidly dampen. Immediately setting out to search for her, the concerned Norban soon found her roommate amongst the crowd gathered around the dance pad upon which Nicole looked to be giving the performance of a lifetime. Weaving her way through the cheering mass of cadets and fellow Ars Magi, Dana had just reached Penny’s side when Nicole gave her a boisterous shout out. “Whoo! Show ‘em what ya got, Nicole!” the sunny sharpshooter called back with a wink, while giving the red-head two finger pistols of her own.
As Dana continued to watch, Nicole did just that, defeating every other guest who foolishly dared to challenge her dominance of the dance pad, and when the heady Hastan asked one of the audience members to pick the next song, the grinning gunslinger’s smile grew even wider. “I’ve got just the thing!” she told her team leader as she grabbed a music player from her bag and plugged it into the sound system. “This one’s a personal favorite!”
Eventually, Aiya herself took to the floor in a bid to challenge Nicole’s seemingly unassailable supremacy. As it happened, the two ladies turned out to be evenly matched, providing a stunning performance against the backdrop of the setting sun that delighted Dana and the rest of the various onlookers. Once the inconclusive contest finally drew to a close, the energetic Norban pulled Noah aside to watch the last fading embers of the brilliant sunset. It was just as the magentas and neon pinks had begun to fade into deep, dark lavenders and purples that Aiya requested their presence below deck. After sharing a puzzled look, the incongruous pair made their way down into the bowels of the yacht, until they reached a small cabin, within which they found Penny, Nicole, and a handful of officer cadets waiting for them.
“Well this sure is cozy,” Dana noted with a grin as she made herself comfortable next to Noah on one of the cushioned couches. “So, is this like one of those ‘after parties’?” she inquired of their host. “Cause, y’know, with how awesome everythin’ else has been, I was kinda hopin’ ya might have arranged a fireworks show for us, too!”
As it soon became apparent, Aiya had a fireworks show of a different sort in mind, and it didn’t take long for the heiress to begin retrieving expensive-looking bottles from an ornate wooden cabinet. Now, Dana had never tried alcohol before, but the irrepressible Norban was always up for something new, and this party was a special occasion, after all, so when Aiya offered her a glass, she cheerfully accepted. “You can count on us!” Dana reassured their host with a playful salute, when she and Penny were instructed to keep Nicole safe. “Your girlfriend’s got the best team in Nova Lux watchin’ her back!” she added with a confident smile. “Right, Penny?!” she asked her by-this-point-probably-quite-overwhelmed roommate. Aiya then called for a toast, before inquiring if anyone was up for a little game…
“Spin the bottle?” Dana echoed with a slight frown, while the hints of a blush began to color her cheeks. She’d heard of the game, of course, but never played it, and to be perfectly honest, she was a little unsure if she really wanted to. There was definitely at least one person in their group that she wouldn’t mind sharing a kiss with, but there were also quite a few others with whom it would be very awkward, to say the least. Then again, if they could just get away with kissing on the cheek, maybe it would’t be so bad after all… “Uh, what rules were ya thinkin’ of usin’?”
The past week had not been a pleasant one for Connie. Even though her mission with Emily had been a success, and even resulted in them making a new friend, the very next day, she had watched in horror as two of her other friends died before her eyes, all because of her own weakness and ineptitude. While it was true that she had actually managed to kill the monster responsible for their deaths and then ensured that said monster’s remains were imprisoned within Amanda’s inescapable pocket dimension, that fact did little to mend Connie’s shattered heart. Even the revelation that Lotus had apparently escaped her own seemingly certain death, and would now be taking Faith to a place of safety was but a minor comfort. Her friends had died, because she had failed to protect them.
As if that wasn’t enough, she was told by a similarly, and quite uncharacteristically, despondent Ronin that Sakura had fallen in battle against a behemoth. Even as she had tearfully embraced the smaller girl and offered her condolences, she couldn’t help but feel that they were simply empty, meaningless words. After all, nothing anyone had said had been able to heal her own grief, so how could anything she say possibly help Ronin? She didn’t really know Sakura all that well, but she knew that Ronin and Emily were both quite close to the pink-haired serpent girl, and she only wished she could do something to ease their suffering. But she couldn’t. She couldn’t do anything. What was the point of having magical powers if she couldn’t even use them to save the people she cared about? Even now, on family game night, Connie’s despondency was thoroughly preventing her from enjoying herself, something that wasn’t hard for the others at the table to notice.
“A-Are you okay?” Rose asked, her voice tinged with concern as she placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “You’ve barely touched your pizza…”
“I hope it’s not because I took that locomotive earlier,” Iris whispered to Mia with a worried frown.
The insecure and emotionally fragile Connie enjoyed Ticket to Ride because of the railroad game’s simple rules, colorful playing pieces, and lack of any major confrontational elements, yet the game was still one of competition, and Rose’s bespectacled twin sister was well-aware of just how sensitive Connie’s feelings could be…
“I don’t think that’s it,” Mia replied, before turning her attention to her best friend. “What happened in New York’s still bothering you, isn’t it?” the tomboy asked, while gently massaging Connie’s shoulder. They’d turned their dubious reward over to Kayli for study and safe keeping, and Mia only wished she could also get rid of her dear friend’s trauma in so simple a manner. “I told you before, none of that was your fault, little sis…”
“Y-You keep saying that,” Connie said, her voice filled with bitterness. “B-But if we n-never went to New York, i-if I w-wasn’t there to ruin everything, i-if I wasn’t so u-useless, t-then S-Sammy and N-Nuncio would still be alive!”
“That’s bullshit!” Mia shot back. “Connie, if we hadn’t been there, all our friends could have died, and that piece of shit coin broker would still be out there, hurting even more people!” the tomboy continued. “Faith, Lotus, and I are all safe thanks to you! Hell, you killed a coin broker! You’re not useless, you’re a total badass!”
“I-I guess…” Connie conceded glumly, frowning as she continued to stare down at where her cards lay on the table in front of her. “B-But I don’t f-feel like one…”
Before the discussion could continue further, everyone’s phone beeped upon receiving a notification.
“It’s from Lily,” Iris noted.
“She’s calling a meeting…” Kayli murmured.
“W-What now…?” Connie groaned.
“It’s just an attempt to get the city’s magical community to work together against Wonderland,” Mia explained.
“Y-Yeah, nothing to worry about!” Rose added.
But it was, Connie couldn’t help but think. Looming over everything, was the fact that an extradimensional kingdom was planning to invade Penrose. It had already conquered one innocent town, and there, too, she had been unable to make any real difference. The townsfolk may have been saved, but their home was gone, and now Connie’s own home was next…
Would she be of any help at all?
“Y-You can go,” she told the others softly. “I-I’m g-going to s-stay h-here…”
“Connie…” Mia sighed.
“Well, if that’s what you want to do…” Iris began.
“Why?” Kayli inquired.
“B-Because t-there isn’t r-really any p-point, i-is there?” Connie replied with a doubtful frown. “I-I mean, I c-couldn’t do a-anything to s-save that t-town, a-and I d-don’t have a-any good ideas, a-and…”
“That’s not true at all,” Kayli said in a soothing voice as she got up to wipe Connie’s watery eyes. “Your plan to save the Christmas Party was a very good idea, and while you may not have saved Bolorton itself, you still helped to save the people who lived there, so they can return once the Wonderlanders have finally been defeated.”
“You’re strong, too, little sis,” Mia told her with a reassuring smile. “Way stronger than you realize, especially when you fight for something you care about. Connie, a year ago, I never would have imagined you’d willingly choose to go into a dangerous battle, let alone stand in front of a hostile crowd and give a speech, but you’ve done both those things. Sure, you’ve made some mistakes, but so has everyone else! The fact that you keep going, despite all your doubts and fears, that’s what counts,” she continued. “That’s what I admire the most about you, Connie. That’s why I find you so inspiring.”
“M-Mia…” Connie whimpered as she embraced her friend. “M-Mayra said s-she a-admires me t-too,” she continued with a sniffle. “B-But I d-don’t u-understand w-why…”
“Then don’t try to understand it,” Mia whispered as she stroked her friend’s hair. “Just believe it. Believe that your friends think you’re amazing. Believe that you give us all so much hope, because if you can do the impossible and overcome your fears, then we can take on whatever Wonderland throws at us and kick its ass!”
“Yeah!” Rose cheered.
“Well said,” Iris added with a nod.
“Indeed,” Kayli agreed with a smile as she and the twins joined Mia in giving Connie a big hug.
“T-Thanks, e-everyone,” Connie sniffled, smiling as she tried to fight back her tears. “I-I’m s-so l-lucky to have s-such a w-wonderful f-family.”
The group remained huddled for several seconds more, before Connie broke the silence.
“U-Um, s-shouldn’t we get g-going now?”
“We?” Kayli echoed as she and the others parted to give Connie some space.
“Y-Yes,” Connie confirmed. “I-I may not have m-much c-confidence in m-myself, b-but my f-friends do, a-and if they need my h-help, I-I’m g-going to do my b-best to not l-let them down!”
“That’s my little sister!” Mia declared as she affectionately tousled her friend’s hair. “Come on,” she added with a grin as she helped Connie up. “Let’s get goin’!”
The week following the attack on Bolorton had been fairly uneventful for Violet, something the young heiress was very grateful for. After enduring the chaotic emotional roller coaster of that particular evening, the relative mundanity of the past few days had been a welcome reprieve. Finding the time for a romantic evening with her girlfriend certainly helped in that regard, as did the lack of any further interaction with Chloe Irving, whose desired meeting with the heiress had thankfully yet to take place. Although the threat of Wonderland couldn’t be entirely discounted, Violet was confident that, with all of Penrose working together, the Queen of Hearts’ impending assault would most certainly be repelled. And while Fan Fan had assured her that Beacon would find suitable homes for the Bolorton refugees, the idealistic heiress had made it a personal vow to reclaim the town from Wonderland’s grasp one way or another.
As she prepared to embark on another nightly patrol of the city, Violet was reminded that she was not the only one dedicated to the defense of her beloved Penrose, her sticker and glitter-covered magical girl phone beeping as a notification came in.
“Melisa,” she called to her secretary, who was just wrapping up her final tasks for the day. “It seems Lily is calling a meeting of Penrose’s magical community,” the heiress explained as she scrolled through the message. “Would you care to accompany me?”
“I’d love to!” Melisa’s cheery voice replied.
A few moments later, a hidden panel slid back from the far wall of Violet’s study, from which emerged a small, pink-haired fairy.
“Okay! I’m all set!” Melisa chirped.
“Then let’s be off,” Violet declared, smiling warmly at her small friend, before intoning her incantation in an increasingly cute and high-pitched voice.
The next instant, the refined young woman was once again the bubbly and innocent Magical Dream Princess. Not wasting a moment, the transformed heiress promptly conjured a colorful rainicorn pegasus and, soon enough, both she and Melisa were flying towards Penrose Park, a stream of glitter and giggles trailing behind them.
“I can’t believe this crap…” Angela grumbled. “All this time, and I still haven’t found anything that might help that stupid collection of losers! No wish-granting djinn girl, no obviously bullshit ‘Keeper of the Keys’, who can cure people’s problems just by standing near them, no Crimson Cradle and their supposed ‘whole new you’ red coins, and when I asked Beacon about getting some purification potions for a worthy cause, those self-righteous fucks said they only give them to ‘trusted mahou’!”
“Perhaps if you did more to gain said trust, they would be more accommodating,” Chiichuu noted in his usual infuriatingly patronizing manner. “Besides, you’ve only been in Penrose for two weeks,” the Puchuu added.
“Feels like more than a year…” Angela muttered.
“Building up a satisfactory level of rapport with the local magical community will take time,” Chiichuu went on. “And speaking of, another opportunity for you to do just that appears to have arrived.”
“What is it this time?”
“A charismatic magical girl known as Lily Lightning has called for a meeting of the Penrose magical community,” Chiichuu replied. “It should serve as an excellent place to form new connections, and perhaps acquire the information you seek.”
“Fine…” Angela huffed. “Let’s see what kind of clusterfuck this devolves into…”
“Salutations,” the young woman greeted her with a small nod. “My designation is Pentius-04, and I am here on behalf of my creator, the most esteemed and renowned Doctor Nikki Yolanda Kannis, Queen of the Mad Scientists, to serve as your bodyguard for the duration of this meeting,” she explained, before holding out her free hand to reveal a small holoprojector built into the palm of her gauntlet. “Doctor Kannis has also prepared a short message for you as well,” she added as miniature, semi-transparent image of the deranged doctor appeared above her open palm.
“Nyahahaha! Greetings, Lily!” Nykannis began. “I noticed your message about the little confab you’re planning, and considering what happened to the last person who tried to organize something like that, well, let’s just say I enjoy watching the pathetic flailings you call being a magical girl far too much to see you get bumped off just yet! Therefore, I’ve sent Pentius-04 to keep you in roughly one piece! She’s the best bodyguard I could create within the rules framework of this reality plenum,” the mad scientist continued. “So unless the Grand Magistrate really wants you dead, you should have absolutely nothing to worry about. Plus, 04 here’s really been wanting to atone for how badly she fucked up back in Bolorton, so, yeah, ‘eye of the tiger’ and all that shit. ANYWAYS, that’s all from me. Hopefully the Penrose Pack will actually decide to be supportive this time and not laugh hysterically while someone chucks a bomb at your fucking face! Nyahahahaha!”
Blissfully oblivious to Oros’s growing annoyance, Olivia’s excitement only seemed to increase when the famous magical girl musician revealed that there was extra, never-before-seen footage of many of the monsters she’d fought. Obviously, Olivia was very interested in seeing such content, although she didn’t quite understand why it would cause any of Oros’s videos to become age restricted. However, before she could bombard the magical girl with a series of new questions, Oros revealed the answer with all the subtlety of a punch to the gut, causing the bespectacled bluenette’s joyful demeanor to quickly dissolve into one of shocked dismay.
“O-Oh my gosh!” Olivia cried, placing her trembling hands over her mouth. “T-That’s absolutely awful! Oh, that poor girl…” she continued, tears beginning to well up. “B-But, just because one monster does something horrible like that, it doesn’t mean they’re all bad!” she added with a raised finger a moment later, once she’d wiped her eyes with the soft sleeve of her hoodie. “A-And, like, there are plenty of other animals lots of people think of as cute that are really quite dangerous, too, like sharks, and orcas, and poisonous frogs, and panda bears! S-So, I still don’t think it’s wrong to view something as adorable, or just aesthetically pleasing, simply because it can harm people,” she concluded, while slightly adjusting her glasses.
“Please pardon our interruption of your contest,” a far calmer voice added a moment later. “My dear Olivia can become rather… overzealous at times…”
“Contest…?” Olivia echoed with a puzzled frown. “Oh gosh! Are you having a pre-tournament match?! Oh! And I’m so sorry!” the bluenette rapidly apologized. “I never introduced myself! I’m Olivia Bell, and this is Xolys!” she announced, pulling the small robot in question out of her backpack and showing him off to the two young women. “He’s my partner and best friend! Well, actually, he’s also my only friend…” she added with an awkward giggle/snort. “Oh, but what’s your name?!” she asked the lady opposite Oros. “I really like your hair!”
Penny stared out the large, floor to ceiling, window in front of her, a vast nebula seemed spread out on the other side of the glass. Not that she actually was paying attention to anything from her optic sensors at the moment. Her mind had returned, as it was often to do as of late, to the confirmations and considerations she had gotten from Serenity and her Father. The stellar displays did seem to soothe some part of her when it did enter her focus at least.
She was in her room aboard the Bastion. Hidden somewhere deep within the hidden folds of the Starship's true passageways. She didn’t need to hide this room, there wasn’t anything in here that she wanted to keep hidden or was worried would be stolen or anything like that, but it was simply habit at this point to do what she could to hide what was hers.
It was a split level room. The entrance had a living room type of space. A couch and a pair of loveseats sat around a low coffee table off to one side, with a smaller dining table set up on the other side. Between the two of them a short staircase leads down into a workshop type area. Tools of all kinds, both mundane and advanced. Sat ready to use on a number of work benches all specialized for one type of work or another.
All save for one corner, which held just a mound of blankets and pillows, with various knick knacks on shelves above the nest. A shattered flute repaired via kintsugi. A pair of plush dolls, one of an older version of Penny, the other of Godzilla. An ice skate, a throwing ax, and a half melted microphone. A homemade pager and a stop sign.
All of this is then overlooked by the window to the nebula. A decent room, nearly an apartment save the lack of a restroom or kitchen area.
That said, her room was a little more cleaned up than normal. Her active projects were stored away, subtle air freshener had been piped in, and the nest of blankets looked somewhat in order.
The reason for that was also why not all of her mind was absorbed with the endless question about her own existence. Part of it was waiting for the confirmation from her girlfriend to come though. Something that Penny was looking forward to. Penrose had once again fallen into the rhythmic lulls that it had, though that was only true for the city itself. The outskirts and surrounding cities seemed to have gained more and more activity due to Wonderland.
But hopefully she could step away from all of that for the next while. Perhaps she’d even salvage some of her decaying code from all of this. Hope was never something she set aside before, and stranger things have happened.
A moment later, Penny was notified of an incoming message.
“Ready for transport at your convenience,” a calm voice informed her.
“Stand by” Penny would send her reply. And a moment later she would feel as much as hear the transdimensional wormhole that pulled open at the entrance to the room. As much as she was unsure of where she stood with the Queen of Mad Scientists, she had to admit that she had yet to be disappointed with the exchange she had done.
No sooner had the interdimensional doorway opened, then Violet Covington stepped through. Although there were still important matters to discuss with her girlfriend, the main purpose of this evening was to spend some much-needed time relaxing together, and the heiress had dressed for the occasion. “Good evening, Penny,” Violet greeted with a smile. “Um, h-how do I look?” she asked tentatively, a blush beginning to slightly color her cheeks as she showed off her new outfit. After all, despite her usual perfectly composed demeanor, she was still rather new to the whole “romance thing”. Furthermore, this would be her first true dinner date, and so she wanted to make sure everything was perfect.
Penny would turn around at the greeting, a soft smile over taking her features as she took a look at her girlfriend. ”You look great. Penny would look down at herself half self consciously. “Got me feeling underdressed that’s for sure.” She looked back up at Violet as she brushed the worry aside. “I’ve got an idea for that in a moment.”
“But first” She would step forward to give Violet a gentle hug. “Welcome to the Star Bastion. Welcome to my home.”
“Thank you, Penny,” Violet replied as she returned her girlfriend’s hug. “You look amazing, as always,” she reassured the robotic girl. “And so does your home,” she added, her eyes scanning over the room, before fixing on the shimmering nebula beyond its sole, massive window. “A-Are… Are we really in space right now?” the heiress inquired, her voice filled with wonder.
Penny would turn back to the window with a larger grin due to the reaction it caused. “We are, but not quite as deep in space as that would make you think.” She’d say half turning toward the window. “That’s the Orion Nebula. I've always found celestial iconography to be comforting in one way or another. But in truth.” She’d gesture with one hand towards the view, the image suddenly rippling as it faded into a view of Earth. It showed the blue marble in all its glory from horizon to horizon. “We are only in low earth orbit.”
“I’ve contemplated just riding off into space. More than once if I am honest. But I’ve given my word to people in Penrose, so I’ve got to stay close for now.” She’d explain, a wistful note in voice.
“Oh, I see,” Violet murmured as the view changed. It was just as stunning as before, and even though she had seen many incredible things in her time as a magical girl, including a visit to multiple pocket universes, the ability to look at her home planet from space was still a breathtaking experience. “And I know how you feel,” she added with a sympathetic smile. “Although it fills me with great pride to know that I’m continuing my family’s legacy, a considerable part of the reason I love being a magical girl so much is the freedom it affords me, the ability to be my true self, bereft of all the facades I’m so often forced to uphold.”
“I get that, less the facade part, and more the freedom part.” Penny would remark. “But I get it. Though you might only have a few more years before it won’t matter one way or another. Unless you’ve got the ability to age from your Patron that is.”
“While I’m thinking about it, how much does your magic influence you while you are transformed?”
Violet thought for a moment, before she replied. “I would say that while it affects my behavior a not inconsiderable amount, it is not by nearly as great a degree as one might initially think. For the most part, it simply frees me from my usual restraints and inhibitions, allowing me to be the carefree, whimsical person I’ve always wished I could be. I think that, since I never really had the opportunity to enjoy a normal childhood, those repressed feelings now fully manifest themselves in my transformed state. I will admit, there are some regrettable drawbacks inherent to such a childish regression,” she conceded with a resigned sigh. “In particular, my greatly impaired memory, limited attention span, diminished intellect, lack of self-control, and significantly heightened irrationality. But I would like to think they are an acceptable trade-off, when placed against all the many blessings being Magical Dream Princess has given me,” the heiress concluded with a smile as she gently took Penny’s hands into both of her own.
Penny would nod her understanding. “I mentioned once to you while transformed that a Dream Journal might help.” She’d say as she looked down at their entwined hands with a smile. “Not sure if that ever crossed ‘the divide’ as it were.”
As Penny spoke the room would shift, the coffee table would drop away as the love seats moved out of the way creating space for the couch to slide over next to them so they could sit without needing to go anywhere.
The benefits of having total control over her ship and its metal spaces.
“Still curious if that would help. That or a similar totem of some kind, to ground the euphoria of sweet dreams in some aspect of the waking world. Or something like that.”
Violet marveled at Penny’s ability to reconfigure the room with just a thought, but she remained fully attentive to what her girlfriend was saying.
“Yes, I remember,” the heiress confirmed. “And I have begun using one, as you suggested. It has certainly been beneficial, although it is somewhat difficult to consult in the midst of battle. Of course, I do have additional methods of remembering an important piece of information while transformed,” she added. “In particular, there is a… song I can sing that often helps with my recollection,” she explained with a slight blush. “But, as with the journal, there often isn’t time for a musical performance in the heat of combat. As for the hyperactivity and general immaturity, I think both are necessary in order to empower my magic to its fullest potential, and I cannot say I am particularly opposed to acting that way, since it serves as an excellent form of stress relief. I am curious, though,” she noted with a thoughtful frown. “To what ‘divide are you referring?”
“Ah, glad to hear it’s helped.” Penny would say with a smile as she pondered what kind of song would resonate the same way with her magic. “I was mainly hoping to help with the memory and possibly the self control. The ability to simply cut loose without much worry has always seemed a perk of your magic really, so glad it’s not impinged on that.”
“The ‘divide’ was mostly an assumption. An erroneous one as well from the sounds of it.” She would go on to explain. “It came from the fact that there are facets of my magic and understanding of it that can’t breach the gap between a human’s perspective and an unconstrained monster’s perspective. Figured that your magic might have a similar issue considering the vast mental distinction your magic places on you.”
“I see,” Violet replied with an understanding nod. “And I completely understand why you might assume such to be the case,” she added. “Yet, despite the considerable changes in my demeanor and thought processes I undergo whenever I become Magical Dream Princess, I am still entirely myself. In addition, due to my photographic memory, I am able to fully recall everything that transpires while I am transformed as soon as I return to my mundane state.”
“Yeah, pretty sure that no matter how fun it is, not being able to remember it afterwards would suck.” Penny would muse. “Huh, It would resemble getting black out drunk in that case. Make every time you transform into a bit out of the Hangover movies.” She would give an exaggerated shudder. “Probably more stress than it’d be worth at that point.”
“Thanks for answering the questions by the way. Always interesting to talk to OddBall specialists, since your magic works so differently compared to anyone else's.”
“You are more than welcome,” Violet replied, giving her girlfriend a warm smile. “I am only too happy to answer whatever questions I can. Besides,” she added with slight amusement. “I cannot say I find your abilities any less fascinating. And yes, not being able to recall my actions while transformed would indeed be highly problematic,” the heiress agreed. “Although I do not believe I am familiar with the movies you referred to. They are comedies, I assume?”
“Yeah. Not that I have the memories of their entirety anymore, seems like that was part of what I lost back during the Christmas party.” Penny would say with a hum. “More context clues of them overall. I think Jason enjoyed them, but not sure I’d say the same personally. Idea is a group of friends wake up after a long night of drinking and have to piece together everything they did while very drunk in the attempt to get something back that was missing.”
“And feel free to ask about anything I can do that you are curious about. I’ll answer what I can, though most of it is wrapped up in my physical nature.” She’d tack on.
“How have you been doing recently by the way? I know you ended up at Bolorton, which was a brush closer to disaster than anyone wants to admit I think.”
Violet frowned at the mention of lost memories, but she allowed Penny to continue. “Recent events have been… interesting, to say the least,” the heiress replied. “And what transpired at Bolorton was particularly troubling, especially in light of the very real possibility that something similar may occur in Penrose in the not so distant future…”
“You missed them, weaponizing a different story since you were late to the call.” Penny would snort, she agreed to the interesting moniker for things. “Wizard of Oz as told by the Brothers Grimm.”
She let out a sigh before continuing on. “Not sure if they will try the same with Penrose though. I’d guess either a protracted siege, or more black ops to destabilize us. Which wouldn’t surprise me to mean I’ve got a target squarely on my back.” Penny would tilt her head side to side as she voiced her ideas. “Though with what I saw they don’t have large scale transit. At least not a magical type. So we will see the siege coming.”
“Wish I knew what it was that they were wanting the Nexus for though. What few ideas I’ve heard about it being capable of leads me to believe that nothing good will come of anyone messing with it.”
“Nexus?” Violet inquired. “I believe I have heard it mentioned a few times, but I am afraid I am unfamiliar with its exact nature.”
“It’s the reason that Penrose is such a hotbed of activity.” Penny would answer. “I’m not fully aware of the technical specifics. But a Nexus is a congregation of vast wellsprings of magical power and potential. They open up at seemingly random locations and times, anywhere on the planet, or possibly the planes. But when they do they tend to draw in more and more magicals as time progresses.”
“The area that houses a Nexus tends to develop magically and non magically rapidly as things just keep getting drawn towards it. Rome was the last major Nexus that opened and was sustained for any notable length of time. And as you can see from Penrose, things just don’t calm down. Since from what I can gather the Nexus didn’t open up until about a year ago.”
“There is at least one party of interest that is looking into it for the sake of granting everyone on earth magic. A few radical Beacon members have tossed around the idea of using it for a world wide purification, which Rachel was thankfully against, and I can guess at a few people who would like to use it for a worldwide corruption event. No idea what Wonderland wants with it, but we know that is what they are after.”
“Now, personally I’d like to just close the damn thing, but finding the core of the nexus is difficult. Semi sentient from what I gathered. But I got removed from Beacon before I could go digging more into it.”
Violet listened intently as Penny explained. It seemed that this Nexus was undoubtedly the reason for Penrose’s excessive quantity of magical activity, but she refused to see it become the cause for the city’s destruction. Still, that wasn’t the only troubling piece of information her girlfriend had to impart…
“Removed?” Violet asked with a concerned frown. “I admit, my knowledge of Beacon in limited, but, for the most part, they seem to be good and understanding people. Why would they no longer wish to include someone as kind and selfless as you among their ranks?”
“Racism” Penny would reply with a grimace. “That or politics, take your pick.”
“Beacon is, fundamentally, an organization that is working towards the protection and preservation of humanity.” She would go on to explain. “And by truth I am not part of that collection. I am an artificial inhuman entity, created by a force outside of their direct purview and that has actively plotted against them on more than occasion. One that openly flaunts and revels in my inherent corruption.” She would give a half hearted shrug.
“I’m not surprised that the upper echelon finally had enough of me. I’m surprised just how far I got before it happened. I’d be hunted down for half of what I’ve done by just about anyone else in Beacon outside of Penrose. It's why I’m rooting for Alicia as much as I can. She, and a lot of the Penrose branch that’s been around for a while, are radicals in the extreme in regards to Beacon’s doctrine.”
“Granted I can still be bitter about it, but I have to admit that Beacon as a whole bent or outright broke a lot of their rules in regards to me. So I’m hoping that Alicia’s got more support than we are aware of.”
“You may not be human,” Violet said after a moment. “At least, not in the biological sense. But you are not a monster. You’re a good person,” she stated emphatically, while placing a comforting hand on Penny’s shoulder. “Someone who always seeks to help those in need. If this ‘upper echelon’ of Beacon can’t see that, then they are simply blind.”
“Humanity isn’t only for humans” Penny would quote herself, a small smile on her face. “I told them that when they gave me their ultimatum. I know what kind of person I want to be, what kind of person I am.” Her smile would turn soft as she looked over at Violet.
“I don’t need their validation, it will make it all the sweeter when The Sanctuary becomes just as well known as they are.”
“I have no doubt of that,” Violet replied, returning Penny’s smile. “Especially with you leading them. Now then,” she added, glancing at the nearby table. “I believe this was to be a dinner date, was it not? I must admit, I am rather curious to see what sort of meal you have planned for us.”
“Well, your food will likely look better than mine will.” Penny would say as she stood up. “And thankfully you won’t be subjected to my own attempts at cooking. Being able to eat just about anything tends to make one worse at that.”
As she helped her Girlfriend stand the room would once again shift in accordance with Penny’s thoughts. The couch and its sitting area would resettle before sinking into the floor. With the dining table and its chairs shifting to take center stage of the upper area.
“Monica, who I’m not sure if you’ve met before, was happy to help however. She has one of the few Patrons I’ve heard of that I’d be happy to serve under; Hestia. And apparently Hestia’s patronage comes with some exceptional cooking skills, according to her and everyone else in the Sanctuary. As she likes feeding people.” Penny would explain as a bare metal plinth would rise off to the side of the table. A cubic portion of the top would retract into the plinth to reveal two cloche cover plates.
One of them was clearly marked with ‘Queen’ the other ‘MDP’.
Setting the covered dishes at either end of the table Penny would pull out Violet’s chair before moving to sit at her own spot.
Upon uncovering her dish Violet would see, and smell, a richly prepared stew of some sort. It had cubed beef alongside peeled shallots and red potatoes in a light broth. It came with a side of rice and a few triangles of pita bread with a small cup of dip.
Penny’s dish seemed to be a set of three larger billots of metal, with another half dozen smaller circular ingots. The metals in all of them seemed to be blended imperfectly as there were spirals or streaks in them showing that they were alloys rather than pure.
“Not sure what to call my own food. Ashlyn, Monica’s girlfriend, helped put it together. Even if Monica did the ‘technical cooking’” Penny would explain as the plinth disappeared and reappeared this time with a large pitcher of ice water and a pair of glass cups.
“You, however, have stifado with a side of lemon rice and pita bread with tzatziki,” Penny would state as she pointed to the various dishes. “I’ve never had any of it, I just know that it’s all greek food. Which is Monica’s specialty.”
“It all looks wonderful, Penny,” Violet replied with a smile as she took her seat and gazed down at her meal. “Please give Monica my compliments,” she added as she poured herself a glass of water. “And I know what you mean about unpleasant patrons,” she continued with a small frown. “A dear friend of mine is currently forced to contend with a most despicable one indeed. Thankfully, my own patron is a kind and caring being who seeks only the best for others, and I am glad to hear that your friend Monica serves someone of a similar disposition. If my admittedly limited knowledge of greek mythology is accurate, Hestia is the goddess of home and hearth, correct?”
“Yup, and she’ll be delighted to hear that you enjoy the food.” Penny would answer as she picked up one of the smaller disc ingots and carefully, though blatantly, tore off a small section of it. “Honestly I likely know more mythology than is really needed. When I finally learned that my patron was a god the first thing I did was start researching all the gods and myths I could find. Which hasn’t helped as much as one would think all together.”
“And I’m sorry to hear about your friend’s plight. Reminds me of a side project I’ve been working on in the limited free time I get. As there are more than a few girls that live in Sanctuary that have similar problems. Though I’m pretty sure if I get anywhere near a working theory on forcibly breaking Patron bonds I’ll get even more people trying to kill me than I already do.”
“Well, I would be more than happy to assist you in your search,” Violet replied. “After all, I have made it a personal mission to free my friend from the hold her Patron has on her, and if such a thing is possible, I know we can find it if we work together,” she added with a confident smile.
“Oh, I know it exists. Beacon’s White Coin’s already have that property. It’s what inspired the idea in the first place.” Penny would say as she popped the bit of metal in her mouth. Her voice came out unchanged as she chewed on it. The advantage of speakers for vocalization. “The problem is isolating just that aspect, as the White coins come with an enforced Patron bond to Beacon, and I’m not sure if you can break a bond and leave it free. Then, after that is figured out, is keeping the information from being weaponized. To say nothing of how we would go about testing in the first place.”
“And I’d love to work on it with you, but as so often seems to be the case, something bigger has come up.” She’d add with a sigh. “Just hope that Wonderland won’t be as hard to deal with as it’s looking like it will be.”
“I’d imagine the newest iteration of the knockoffs the Mint made of you will be a major asset in that regard,” Violet noted. “Once you’ve taken full control of them, of course,” she clarified with a smirk. “I have been wondering, though. While they bear more than a passing resemblance to you, they still do not appear to be a perfect visual copy. Do you suppose that is simply the Mint’s way of differentiating them, or might it be that they are working from an incomplete schematic?”
Penny would return the smirk at the idea, brushing off the frisson of dread that stole though her at the same time. [color=9e0039][u][b]“I’m kinda glad I got a chance to try running multiple platforms back at the party, means I won’t be running blind when it comes down to it.”
“And it’s the latter.” She would answer. “I know the exact time frame from which they got a hold of my schematics, and it was perhaps the worst time for it to be for them. Plus I’ve undergone more than one upgrade and update from then as well. I’m not going to simply stagnate on my design, so all the time they’ve spent getting the copies up to functional I’ve already made them obsolete.”
“That, and I doubt that some of the materials that I’m comprised of are that easy to replicate at the scale that they are working on.” She would tack on, and that was all avoiding the fact that Penny was technically divinely built, which was another thing that would complicate replication.
“A fortuitous turn of events, to be sure,” Violet agreed. “And, to return to the subject of patron problems, I recently received a ring from Ruby, the djinn girl, which is supposedly capable of weakening a patron’s influence, so perhaps that might be a profitable avenue of investigation,” the heiress suggested, before taking a bite of her meal. “Speaking of profitable developments,” she continued after taking a moment to savor its delicious flavor. “This dress is something of a bonus from CI’s recent partnership with the Grail Garment Corporation. If you’d like to browse their online catalog, I would be more than happy to purchase you any that catch your eye, say as a birthday present? Although…” she added with a slightly embarrassed smile. “I do not believe you have ever mentioned when that is…”
"I've met Ruby, both before and after her change. She used to be twins." Penny would mention. "Her magic is incredible, so that ring will definitely be a great place to start."
"I'll be sure to take a look and let you know" she'd go on as she sampled from the rest of the smaller ingots. "And you're right that I've never mentioned my birthday, so no need to worry. I've not mentioned it because I'm not entirely sure when my birthday is."
"There are a mess of dates that all could fit for my birthday, but for different reasons. And picking one hasn't been all that high on my priorities, as before now no one else has asked."
“If memory serves, you once told me that you’ve always been a machine, and initially, I assumed that was something similar to how Mayra started life as a dragon, only becoming half human when she met her patron,” Violet replied, her brows furrowing in thought. “But you also mentioned memories of going to school, memories that were not your own. I do not mean to pry, and please do not hesitate to let me know if any of this is making you uncomfortable, but I would love to know, exactly how were you created, Penny?”
"A God needed a champion, and as Gods are wont to do, they took one without asking." Penny would say after a moment. For a human it might not have been noticeable, for a machine it was unmistakable.
"A not uncommon thing to hear." She would go on leaning back in her chair,gaze drifting off to the side. "Because of this God's edicts their champion needed to be more than human. And you know well enough what that means."
"But magic works in strange ways, even for the Gods. I think, originally, I was closer in concept to an onboard V.I. a link to facilitate easier use of monstrous instincts and capabilities. But something went wrong in that."
"I can pinpoint the exact second I came online. But I wasn't the one piloting things back then, not unless a metamorphosis happened. But I was constrained by hard coded priorities and even then my time out was limited to minutes at best."
"And even then, I can't say that I was sapient. That came later, though I can pinpoint that second as well."
"Then later still came a point where I finally got a body of my own. It was a crude and inelegant thing that was pieced together with scraps and a prayer. But the process of setting that up wasn't very well done and it was killing both of us, not surprising really since we basically hacked our soul in half."
"I survived, got a customized red coin to facilitate a remerging. One that would have blended us more completely. They just wanted out."
"Rather than merging they let themselves fade away. And when that was done it was just me, wholly and solely me. For the first time in my existence. But I could remember everything of them as well. Because they left everything of themselves they could as they faded away."
Violet was silent for several seconds as she processed what Penny had said. It was absolutely extraordinary, but more than a little tragic as well. “You mentioned a Jason earlier,” the heiress noted. “Was… Was he who you were bonded to?”
Penny would give a strained smile. “Yeah, Jason Oliver. That was his name.” She would answer. “I go back and forth on how I feel about him. I know him as well as he knew himself, for all that I often disagreed with him. And he was terrified of me.”
“Terrified?” Violet echoed, unable to keep the surprise from her voice. “Why?”
“Because for most of our time bonded I didn’t understand or even have emotions. And due to the aforementioned priorities, I kept plotting viable methods to destroy everything I could see, which was limited to what Jason saw.” Penny would explain with a soft shrug, she held no illusion about what she had been once, not all that long ago either. “I was just a screeching, passably understood, voice lurking in the back of his mind endlessly watching and constantly supplying the methods of breaking everything and everyone he saw.”
“It doesn’t help that the first emotion that I learned was anger, and most of it was directed at him. He tried to shove me down and forget about me, and I refused to be quiet as he kept destroying himself.” It was a miracle, in Penny’s honest opinion, that their problems never spilled out into the open. Too few people bothered to ask, she guessed, for better or worse.
“I… I suppose I can understand that,” Violet conceded after a moment. “As… A-As much as I hate to admit it, a part of me was afraid of you, too,” the heiress confessed, her voice and visage filled with shame. “I hadn’t even realized it, but, recently, I had the opportunity to look deep inside myself and face my darkest fears, my fears about what you might do, and what might be done to you… But I realize now that that’s all they were, baseless fears. You may have once been little more than a simple program, but you grew, you learned… You became a person, Penny, a wonderful, caring person. A person who inspires others, who inspires me. Because of you, I found the strength to finally realize that it’s okay to be myself, that I don’t need to hide who I really am,” she explained, placing a hand on her chest. “Of course, we’ll face hardships, but if we do so together, if we help each other stay true to the best parts of ourselves, then I know we have nothing to fear.”
There was another pause after that declaration. One in which a soft, almost fragile, smile would slowly grace Penny’s features. “That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.” She would say softly. “Thank you for your words. And you are absolutely correct. There is nothing we can’t handle so long as we have each other.”
She would lean forward to take hold of Violet’s free hand and give it a soft squeeze. She would let the moment linger, savoring it.
“And thank you for being honest, both with me and yourself.” She would say after a moment. “I know it isn’t easy to do so sometimes.”
“You are more than welcome,” Violet replied, giving Penny a warm smile. “And like I said, it was you who helped me find the strength to do so. Now then, perhaps we should move to less dramatic topics?” the heiress suggested with a hint of amusement. “As I recall, this was supposed to be an opportunity for us to unwind.”
“Sorry, sorry” Penny would say, though the smile on her face undercut her apology a bit. “I’m something of a workaholic so not the best as simply unwinding.” She’d admit as she returned to her food.
“Any shows that have caught your eye lately?” She’d go on to ask. “That or any movies? Depending on how long you can stay we could always watch one after we are done eating.”
“Sadly, my schedule prevents me from seeing as many movies and shows as I’d like,” Violet confessed with a sigh. “Even so, I do have a few old favorites I like to watch whenever I am fortunate enough to have some time to myself, and, seeing how I ensured that I would be free for the remainder of the evening, I would love to watch some of them with you. Are you familiar with Prism Princess?” the heiress inquired. “It was my favorite magical girl series growing up, although I had to watch it in secret, as my father didn’t approve. As far as he was concerned, it was far too whimsical and childish a program for the future CEO of Covington Industries to waste her time on…”
Penny didn’t bother hiding the snort. “Little did he know it was just as important for you to learn about the Mahou and all our resident insanity.” That fact alone was more humorous than it really should be, she felt. “To answer the question; No, I’ve not seen it. But I’d love to sit down and watch some of it with you.” She would answer as she tore a chunk off her bar ingots.
“On a side tangent. Do you think we’d be able to prove the magical world to your father? And would it be of any help to you if we tried?”
“I imagine proving its existence would be easy enough,” Violet replied before having another spoonful of soup. “That said, I am afraid I cannot see such a revelation having any kind of positive outcome,” the heiress added with a despondent frown. “Please understand, I love and respect my father a great deal, but he is still a deeply flawed man, one for whom profit and prestige are everything, while things like morals and ideals are seen as mere hindrances. He is someone who would gladly enter into a partnership with the Ebon Mint, even knowing full-well how completely abhorrent they are. For the longest time, I was content to ignore his less savory aspects in my efforts to constantly win his approval, but I’ve come to realize just how foolish I was being. That said, even though I am striving to do everything I can to place Covington Industries onto a more noble path, I am still unsure how I could even attempt to challenge my father directly, especially now that it’s likely he will be reassuming direct control of the company… And that is just in regard to business matters,” she clarified. “I can only imagine his reaction if I were to tell him I’ve been spending my evenings running around the city as a childish and carefree magical girl, but I can assure you it wouldn’t be a favorable one… In all honesty, he would probably forbid me from becoming Magical Dream Princess ever again, and if I refused, there is a considerable chance he would completely disown me for bringing such great shame to the prestigious Covington family…” she concluded with a weary sigh, while idly stirring her soup.
“I’m sorry to hear that.” Penny would say with a grimace. “I’ll put some spare processing on idea generation and we can try and tackle the problem later.” Because all of that was a problem to handle, but, again, right now was supposed to be about them and relaxing.
“Shifting back to Princess Prism, how well does the show stack up against reality?” She would go on to ask, knowing at least this topic was safe for the most part.
“Well, as I said, it is a very idealistic show,” Violet noted as she dipped a slice of pita bread. “The heroes always win and the villains always lose. At first, I thought being a magical girl in real life would be the same way, but I’ve learned from painful experience that such an outcome is far from guaranteed… Even so,” she added with a smile. “I know that I can count on my friends to alway be there for me when I need them, so, in that respect, perhaps being a real magical girl isn’t so different from Prism Princess after all.”
“Being idealistic is never a bad thing.” Penny would point out as she chewed on some more of her discs, “Power of Friendship, and Emotions are absolutely things that exist after all. Aurelio, not sure if you’ve met him, is a good example of just how potent staying positive can be.”
“And being there when you need it goes without saying.” She’d add with a smile. “How does the magic stack up against the truth?”
“Fairly well,” Violet explained. “Although ‘real’ magic is vastly more varied than what is possible in Prism Princess,” she added. “And I have indeed met Aurelio,” the heiress confirmed after taking a sip of water. “He and another acquaintance of mine possess the most intriguing ability to manifest multiple fully tangible duplicates of themselves. Now that I think about it, the simple fact that magical boys even exist is another major difference between reality and show’s universe.”
“Clone is an interesting Power for sure, playing with it during Christmas was fun. It sucks that Copycat wasn’t good for me, though I’m not exactly displeased with what I got to replace it.” Penny would muse a bit. She knew how she facilitated Clones was not the norm and entirely a byproduct of her being a robot, but having extra copies of herself around was useful, and fun.
“Never quite understood why the magic is so dead set on turning everyone into young girls myself.” Penny would add. “The age bit I can sorta understand, so long as my assumption it is the neural plasticity inherent to that age, that is the goal. Open mindedness, and ease of adapting to new stimuli and such. But why girls? Nothing but shots in the dark on that one.”
“Turning into…?” Violet asked with a raised eyebrow. “In every magical girl show I’ve ever seen, the girls were girls to begin with, and I assumed the was the case in reality as well. At least, everything I’ve encountered so far seems to support that,” the heiress added. “Are you saying some males are changed into females when they transform?”
“Not sure if anyone undergoes that level of transformation,” Penny would tilt her head to the side as she contemplated that idea. “At least not after they join the magical world, that is, not everyone who ends up in our world gets to keep the gender they were before, is what I was meaning.” She would add.
“Jason is one example, as our original model wasn’t male, even though he was before. But I have met a few others who’ve also lost their original gender. Even a girl who became a guy once.”
“My goodness…” Violet whispered, her eyes widening. “I-I never even imagined such a thing… Although, in light of everything I’ve seen since becoming a magical girl, I suppose it shouldn’t be so surprising. And I can see now why Jason was less than pleased about being forced to join the magical world,” the heiress added somberly. “It must have been quite an unpleasant experience for him…”
“The dysmorphia wasn’t pleasant” Penny would confirm, “But it wasn’t all that often a problem. My presence and the loss of his humanity weighed in more frequently. He was also fascinated with magic, all of it, which he let distract him from the other troubles. It's one of the reasons I like to learn about magic myself.”
“Pretty sure he would have done better with Evo and Copycat then I did as well. Though Prime and Clone wouldn’t have been something he was very fond of.”
“I see,” Violet replied. “I imagine if he hated what he had become, the thought of being presented with multiple reminders of that would not be an appealing one,” the heiress agreed. “Although I must admit, I do not believe I am aware of what Prime entails, so I am not entirely sure why he would be so averse to that particular ability. Also, I don’t mean to pry, but did you ever discover why your Evolution and Copycat abilities were so detrimental to your wellbeing?”
“Not completely, but I’ve got a pretty good idea regardless.” Penny would answer. “There is an inherent instability in my code. Which didn’t play nice with the junk data that Evolution and Copycat produced. Fixing that flaw isn’t something I’m sure how to go about doing at the moment, but I’ve got some ideas I’m workshopping at the moment.”
“Prime though, Prime is fun.” She’d say with a smirk. “It lets me flashforward my physical self to its best state. Limited use and duration each day, but still has plenty of versatility.”
“I can show it off if you want to see.”
Although the mention of an instability in her girlfriend’s code was somewhat concerning, Violet was confident that Penny would find a solution, and she silently vowed to help to the fullest extent of her abilities. The Mechanical Monarch’s description of Prime, on the other hand, sounded quite fascinating indeed…
“I’d love to,” Violet replied with a smile, while trying to imagine how her girlfriend could become even more beautiful than she already was.
Penny would give an excited look as she stood up and moved off to the side. “I’ve never actually triggered it, so I’m kinda curious myself.” She’d explain as she shifted to a more relaxed stance. “But I can, and have, run simulated projections with it though. Which is a fun way to pass the time, as due to my nature I don’t have a ‘locked in’ Prime. As more than most people I can always change.”
“And those changes rippleForward.” At that final declaration a burst of crimson light enveloped Penny. It lasted for only an instant, but in its passing the change was unmissable.
Penny was normally rather tall, now she was dominantly statuesque. She stood a full foot and a half taller than normal. Her hair was closer to spun silver now, rather than sterile white, and went down to about her hips. Her gold eyes were mostly unchanged, save for a sharp ring of red that lined the outside of them, and the tendrils of a soft purple connecting it to the electric blue inner ring of her pupil.
Her face was sharper, her features aristocratic and regal. Though her smile was open and genuine. And her figure was much the same, proportionally, though a discerning eye would note that she had actually slimmed down a bit.
Her outer chassis also hadn’t undergone a drastic change in appearance. More plating on her upper torso mainly, but the roughness of her limbs had smoothed out. It was now a subtler transition from possibly human to outright machine. Though even with that it was hardly as if her mechanical nature was being hidden. Just no longer being shouted out. Still, the articulation on her hands and joints was breathtaking from a technical standpoint
Her legs were much the same, with the biggest difference being that they ended in actual feet now, rather than the bulky industrial stabilizer looking things they were before.
“Oh?” Penny would vocalize, “That’s an interesting direction for that to take.” She would say more to herself than anything as she too was giving herself a perusal. Her voice had changed as well. It was a bit deeper, more sultry, but still identifiably hers.
The last thing to note was that she seemed lesser, in some undefinable aspect. Penny always had a presence to her, one that seemed to demand attention. And that was missing now.
“Seems like I’ll figure out that midpoint sealing idea I had once upon a time.” She would go on to say as she wiggled her toes before tapping her foot against the floor in curiosity at the new phalanges.
For several seconds, Violet was utterly speechless as she beheld her girlfriend’s altered form. The woman before her was absolutely breathtaking, from both an aesthetic and technical standpoint. “Wowie zowie…” the heiress whispered, before snapping out of her trance and picking her metaphorical jaw up from the floor. “Y-You look incredible, Penny,” she told the Mechanical Monarch. “S-So, this an extrapolation of how you might appear in ten years time?” she inquired as she slowly got up to take a closer look. “What improvements does it offer? Aside from the obvious, of course,” she added with an appreciative smile.
“A lot.” Penny would say somewhat distractedly. “All systems are showing at least a twenty percent increase in output and the optimizations are endless.” With a wave of her hand her armor plating would shift to a matte onyx coloration. In that same transition additional layers of plating would appear reinforcing her. Large gauntlets seemed to materialize on her arms as well, lined with mass drivers and cracking with destructive energy. And her legs had reverted to the stabilization platforms that they normally were.
Her spider limbs unfurled from her back showing similar enhancements, but alongside them three bladed mechadendrites also unwound from the base of her spine, giving her a twisted approximation of a tail.
Along with the mecha dendrites four sloped diamond shaped funnels also detached from somewhere and began zipping around.
Her ‘antenna’ also seemed to have gained additional reinforcement, and were now curved to be used as goring horns if needed. In addition there was visible plating on her face and an experimental motion showed that her jaw was now segmented and opened much wider than was human. Likely to be used with the mass amounts of razor sharp fangs that lined the inside of her mouth.
A second later holographic armor force fields would snap into existence covering everything in yet another layer of defenses.
“This is just a phase one response configuration.” Penny would state in wonder.
“Amazing…” Violet whispered in awe as she slowly walked around the massively upgraded Penny, taking in every impressive new aspect of her girlfriend’s appearance. “And this is only phase one?” she asked, before her mouth curled into a smirk. “Wonderland doesn’t stand a chance, especially if we stand against them together.”
“You, me and everyone in Penrose.” Penny would agree. “I wish I had enough time to run a diagnostic over all my configurations.” She would lament. “I’ve got time for one thing before I let it drop though.” She would state before her aura suddenly made its presence known, and with it her oddly absent presence returned like a punch to the chest. Sharper and more magnetic and more demanding than ever.
It was suddenly very, very hard to miss just how lethally dangerous Penny was. Making it hard to look away from her as instinct did not want you to look away from the threat she posed.
A moment later and there was a soft Ding! and with a muted flash. Penny was once again her normal self. “Oh, that last trick is going to be nasty in a fight.” She would state with a soft laugh.
“What exactly… was that?” Violet inquired, sounding even more astonished than she already was.
“Aura manipulation.” Penny would reply as rolled her shoulders, getting used to her lesser optimized form. “Mine has always been notable, and Gravity just added to it. But I’ve wanted to find a way to hide it for a long while, stealth and assassinations would be much easier after all if I could.” She’d explain as she walked back to her chair. “Future me can twist the dial from zero to fifteen on command. So If I actively fluctuate the aura intensity I can force people off rhythm, as dangerous things can feel inconsequential and inconsequential things can feel dangerous. Or only every third attack is weird or it flips back to back regardless of how dangerous the attack is.”
“Highly skilled organics rely on instinct a lot to ease processing in a fight, by forcing them to think about each and every attack I throw at them, they slow down and get worse.”
“Fascinating…” Violet would marvel, before slowly returning to her own seat. “I can see how useful disrupting someone’s senses would be in a fight, but to also interfere with their supernatural senses is something I’ve never really given much consideration to,” she added. “At least, not until recently…”
"Which I am glad to hear" Penny would remark as she returned to her food. Though at this point there wasn't a lot left for her. "For me, at least, most of the reason I've always been thinking about these things was a matter of survival. So the fact you haven't had to is a good thing in my books."
“Have… Have you always been hunted for what you are?” Violet asked with a frown after taking a sip of her soup. The thought of her girlfriend having to constantly fight against those who would kill her simply because of how she had been created thoroughly disgusted the heiress, and stood in complete opposition to her sense of justice.
“That or exploit me for the same reason.” Penny would confirm with a joyless smile. “It’s why the Sanctuary and Penrose mean so much to me. The city I started in housed a much more traditional branch of Beacon, which meant I was kill on sight regardless of circumstances.”
“And finding another Monstergirl to shelter with was just as risky. Because too many of us grouping together would attract attention from Beacon, if they didn’t stab you in the back to save themselves, or you ended up tearing each other apart due to conflicting mental mutations.” She would go on to explain an exhausted look in her eye.
“A lot of Monstergirls go feral just to survive, or get picked up by the Mint. Or taken out by Beacon.” She’d let out a sigh. “I get why Beacon is traditionally so high strung though. In my first week I nearly destroyed two blocks of downtown and demolished at least one warehouse, all mostly by accident. We are dangerous, I can’t deny that, just as I can’t deny that a lot of the damage I caused was just trying to keep myself alive from people who wanted me dead for reasons that I didn’t understand.”
“And I understand that there are things out there that can’t be talked down, actual evil that has to be taken out for the good of all. I just wish there were more people like you or Alicia, people who are willing to look a bit closer before making the call that all Monstergirls are in that category as well.”
“I admit, I do not exactly have extensive knowledge about how the magical world operates,” Violet conceded after Penny had finished her explanation. “But even if becoming a monster girl often affects one’s mind, would it not be better to try and cure those dangerous individuals, rather than simply exterminate all monster girls entirely?” the heiress inquired. “I do know that several methods of purification exist, so why not employ them instead, especially with regard to those who did not choose to become monstrous in the first place?”
“Because most patrons that would make a Monstergirl aren’t very trustworthy, and that distrust carries over?” Penny would offer though the shrug she gave as she did showed her own uncertainty. “Though it was only recently, to my understanding at least, that multiple viable and quick types of purification became available. And outside of Penrose I don’t know how common those methods are.”
“I see…” Violet murmured, her brows furrowed in thought. “I was present when a mutual friend, Melisa, was recently purified via a Beacon ritual,” she added. “We were told that it was a traditional and long standing process, which made me wonder why offering it to the unwillingly monsterized would be their last recourse, rather than their first.”
Penny would shrug at that. “All I can offer is blind guesses at this point. Didn’t get a chance to go reading into old Beacon records. But my assumption was that when it was founded Purification rituals weren’t a thing, at least not that could be used on a Monster or Monster girl. So Purge was the original plan, and the weight of age kept it as the go to option even when more humanitarian options were developed.”
“That does make a certain amount of sense,” Violet conceded with a sigh. “Indeed, I am regrettably well-acquainted with how hidebound certain groups and individuals can be, clinging to outdated methods, even when unequivocally superior alternatives are available for adoption. I am only glad that at least some members of the Ascendancy are willing to respond with kindness instead of immediately resorting to hate-fueled violence,” she added, a smile returning to her face.
“Agreed.” Penny would pop the last of her food into her mouth. “I’m sad that I’m not able to talk with the Cardinal more, as she was an Ascendency member that I liked. But I’m still friends with Alicia, and we’ve got a plan to try and bridge the gap in the short term. It’s to deal with Wonderland, but hopefully something can come out of that.”
“Finding common ground is always a good place to start,” Violet agreed as she finished her own meal. “Now, then, shall we begin the evening’s entertainment?” she inquired with a smile. “I admit, I am quite interested to see what you think of Prism Princess.”
“That makes two of us” Penny remarked as she stood “Where would you like to watch it? The couch or the blanket ball?” She’d gesture to the nearby couch and the nest of blankets on the level below as she spoke.
“Figure I could just reconfigure the window to act as a TV screen.” Something she had technically already done, “Just want to know how it is you want to kick back while we watch it.”
“Hmmm…” Violet hummed as she placed a finger to her chin in thought. “Well, which one would you say provides the best opportunity for cuddling?” she asked after a moment as her cheeks began to redden.
Penny would stall for a second, her body’s coloration flickering out for that moment, before she gave a soft smile. “That would be the blanket nest.” She would answer as she stepped closer to her girlfriend, extending a hand for her to take. “That, and I will need to change into something more comfortable. But I was wanting to do that earlier anyway.”
“Oh?” Violet asked with a raised eyebrow as she took Penny’s offered hand. “And what, exactly, might that entail?”
“Now that would be telling” Penny would reply as she led Violet down to the blanket nest. “Though you won’t need to wait long really.” She’d leave Violet at the blankets as she stepped away to one of the containers nearby. A thin small wall of metal would separate them for a few moments as Violet would be able to hear Penny rummaging around. “There it is.” A muted flash of light would spill over the divider, and a couple of moment’s later Penny would step around the divider.
But she was different now, sealed for one, and wearing a simple if, a tad snug, short sleeved white blouse and a knee length black dress skirt. A worn, nearly threadbare blue jacket was folded over her arm. And she was giving it a look that was a mix of curiosity and understanding.
She didn’t stay focused on it for long though. Giving Violet another smile as soon as she finished rounding the divider. “There we go. I've got more structural give in this form.” She’d explain as she walked back over to her girlfriend. “Should be much more comfortable now.”
An increasingly curious Violet waited as Penny entered her makeshift “changing room” and began searching for something. When the robotic girl emerged a few moments later, Violet saw that she had reverted to her human appearance. “O-Oh, um, y-yes,” the heiress stammered, her cheeks seeming to grow an even deeper shade of crimson. “I-I suppose that would indeed be the case,” she added when Penny mentioned that her current form would greatly facilitate potential cuddling. “But, I would like for you to be comfortable as well. I know that you don’t really consider this to be your true self,” she continued, taking her girlfriend’s hand. “And I would never want you to relinquish that sense of genuineness simply for my sake.”
“You're right that it’s not my true self, but I’ve grown to enjoy it regardless.” Penny would reply. “Recently my true self still peeks though” She’d raise her other hand so that Violet could more easily see the rather doll-like nature of her hand. “And there is a fair bit in this form that I don’t get to show off much that I’m rather fond of.” She’d gesture down to her legs to the delicate circuitry wings tattooed on them.
“Lastly, when I’m like this I only have to worry about being ‘Penny’. As if I can take this form it means that, for a little bit at least, there isn’t anything burning down.” She’d give a soft smile. “I may not take this low power state often, but each opportunity that I do take is one that is special. Because as fleeting as this state is, I only ever enter it with people I trust.”
Violet took a moment to let the truth of Penny’s words sink in, before a warm smile formed on her blushing face. “In that case, I am so very honored, and so filled with joy, that you have chosen me to be one of them,” she told her girlfriend as she put her arms around the now (mostly) human young woman and gazed lovingly into her eyes.
“You earned this trust.” Penny would say meeting her girlfriend's gaze with one just as warm as she softly wrapped her own arms around her. “And I am honored that I am the one that you saw fit to entrust your secrets and time to.” Gently Penny would rest her forehead against Violet’s and simply bask in the moment.
Closing her eyes and giving voice to a soft sigh of contentment, Violet would do the same. This could, perhaps be seen as the lead up to a kiss, but the young heiress was still quite inexperienced when it came to romance, and she didn’t want to rush things. Indeed, she and her girlfriend both had such stress-filled lives, that simply taking the time to enjoy each other’s company was a significant blessing, all on its own. “I could stay like this forever,” she whispered.
This moment was so many things. It was quiet, slow, meaningful, heartwarming, but most importantly to Penny. It was humanizing. It soothed and stabilized a part of her she barely knew how to explain, despite how well she knew and felt it.
Still, the potential for this to become a kiss wasn’t lost on Penny, but she also wanted to take this slow. Jason was more than willing to simply throw everything that he was into a relationship, and that was one thing that Penny didn’t want to repeat. So beyond just the kiss, she held back the three words she was starting to feel were appropriate. For now at least.
“Hmm, perhaps not forever.” She would say softly after a few long moments. “But always something to look forward to coming back to.” She’d say shifting back a little. “For now I think you’ve got a series to show me.”
“Yes,” Violet confirmed, opening her eyes once more. “So I do.” As much as she loved just sitting with Penny in peaceful silence, Violet was also eager to enjoy her favorite show alongside her favorite person. Indeed, it would serve as a wonderful capstone to a wonderful evening. Making herself comfortable, she snuggled up close to her girlfriend, before turning to face her with a smile. “Shall we begin?”
“Oh wow! This is amazing!” Olivia exclaimed as she entered the vast reception hall. She had arrived bright and early that morning to get her badge, before heading over to a nearby arcade for some preliminary gaming and pizza (truly the breakfast of champions). The hall had been mostly empty then, but upon her return, the bespectacled bluenette saw that it had become a veritable sea of people. Her badge, now dangling from a lanyard around her neck, swung back and forth as she made her way through the dense crowd, her slight form taking advantage of every meager opening in the multilayered wall of bodies that presented itself. Although she had never been to a major convention before, Olivia was sure that this was what being on the main floor of one probably felt like. On the main stage, she could barely make out the female announcer whose energetic voice was blasting from the myriad speakers scattered about the large chamber. “Is… Is that a worm on her head…?” Olivia wondered aloud, her eyes brightening when she confirmed that, yes, it really was. “Oh, gosh! He’s so cute!” she gushed. “Don’t you think so, Xolys?!” she inquired, turning to look at the small robot with a single glowing blue eye that was peeking out of her backpack.
“Indeed,” Xolys agreed. “Very adorable.”
“Oh, I just love his little jacket!” Olivia continued to gush. “And his green hair! And… Um, is he trying to steal her microphone…?” she wondered, her joyful smile drooping into a confused frown. “Oh gosh! Do you think he’s the real announcer and that woman’s an imposter?!” she exclaimed, her eyes going wide. “She could, like, totally be a pod person, or maybe a replicant! Maybe the whole tournament’s been taken over by nefarious extraterrestrial, or even extradimensional beings, and that poor worm is the only one who knows the truth!”
“It is certainly possible,” Xolys replied. “But not particularly probable. I would not worry about it, my dear.”
“I guess you’re right…” Olivia conceded, before quickly brightening up. “After all, you would know more about that kinda thing than me!” she added with a giggle that sounded more like a snort.
In any case, by this point, both woman and worm had already departed the stage, but that still left plenty of other interesting sights for Olivia to fix her excited attention on, like the strange trio that were floating in mid-air above the bustling crowd. So enraptured was the bluenette as she tried to get a bit closer, that she didn’t notice the photographer taking aim at the same trio until she’d crashed right into her.
“Woah!” the other young woman yelped as Olivia collided with her.
“O-Oh gosh! I-I’m so sorry!” Olivia apologized hastily, shouting to be heard over the din of the crowd, coupled with the loud rapping that was now blasting from the room’s various speakers. “I-I hope I didn’t ruin your picture…”
“Nah, it’s fine,” the other girl said, taking a look at her camera’s display. “And don’t worry about the bump,” she added with a grin. “Ya kinda have to expect gettin’ shoved around a little in a crowded place like this. I’m Kate, by the way,” she introduced herself, while holding out her hand. “Kate Carson.”
“I’m Olivia Bell,” the bespectacled bluenette replied with a big smile as she took the offered hand. “And this is my best friend, Xolys!” she added, pulling the small robot from her backpack and presenting him to Kate.
“Hey little guy,” Kate told the robot, taking one of his electrical wire tendrils between two fingers and giving it a small shake. “Nice to meet ya, you too, Olivia.”
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance as well, Miss Carson,” Xolys replied.
“Y-Yes! It’s very nice to meet you, too!” Olivia added.
Now that she got a better look at Kate, Olivia saw that the young woman was even shorter than she was, if only slightly, with short, dark hair and blue eyes. Although she was wearing shorts, her light grey hoodie and red jacket seemed a little unsuited for the hot Brazilian sun, but, then again, the same could be said of Olivia’s own choice of attire, which if anything, was even less suited to Brazil’s sweltering heat. But then, that was what the extra-large bottle of Kool-Aid (Oh yeah!) in her backpack’s side pouch was for. Indeed, the ice-cold, super sugary beverage was perfect not only for keeping her cool, but also energized. Not that she needed any help with the latter…
“Gotta say, I wasn’t expecting to literally run into the famous video game character come to life and his partner today,” Kate was noting with a chuckle, although Olivia barely heard her. Instead, she was focused on the girl’s camera, a myriad exciting possibilities sending her overactive imagination into overdrive…
“Are you a Nomad, too?!” she asked eagerly, her eyes beginning to sparkle. “Is that camera how you fight?! Oh! I bet it totally is! Like, it’s a super awesome magitech invention that was made by your mad scientist best friend, and it lets you create negative copies of anything you take pictures of with it, which can then fight on your behalf!” she rambled, eyes getting bigger and smile getting wider with each passing second. “It probably has lots of other cool abilities too, like freezing people in place and speeding up or slowing down time for anyone you aim it at! But its most simple feature is also its most useful, since any time you take a picture of someone, you get to find out everything about them!”
While Olivia continued to babble, Kate began to grow increasingly pale, and one of her eyes had begun to twitch. When the bluenette finally stopped, Kate simply blinked three times, momentarily reduced to stunned silence. “T-That’s, uh, oddly specific…” she replied in a dazed deadpan once she’d finally regained her ability to speak. “But, nope, I’m not a Nomad!” she added with a nervous chuckle. “Just a humble freelance photographer! My last job got finished waaaay faster than I was expecting it to,” she explained. “So I thought I’d take a little vacation down in sunny Brazil, and since I’m here, I figured I might as well make a little money on the side. So, yeah, just a photographer takin’ pictures for a magazine,” she reiterated, holding up her camera for emphasis. “In fact, I try to avoid gettin’ into fights if I can help it.”
“My apologies,” Xolys intoned. “My dear Olivia can get rather… carried away…”
“Gosh!” the bespectacled bluenette exclaimed, her enthusiasm worryingly undiminished. “So, do you wanna interview us?!” she asked the photographer, her jubilant face now only a few short inches away from Kate’s own. “Oh, wow! I’ve never been interviewed before! This is so exciting! Let’s see, my favorite color is eldritch blue, my favorite author is H.P. Lovecraft, and my favorite pizza topping is fried octopus tentacle, but most places don’t seem to have it, which is really strange, because it tastes so good, especially when—”
“Woah! Woah!” Kate yelped, while holding up both hands, her fingers splayed wide. “I’m just a photographer! I leave the interviews to the actual journalists.”
“O-Oh… Okay…” Olivia replied, her demeanor suddenly becoming quite sullen. “S-Sorry for getting ahead of myself….” she apologized. “It’s just that, I’ve never been interviewed before, well, except for that first time, but that one had to be cut short because they said they were having technical issues, so I was really looking forward to finally getting a chance to do my first real interview…”
“H-Hey,” Kate spoke up, feeling kinda terrible about dashing the poor girl’s hopes. “I’m sure there are plenty of other reporters here who would love to give you an interview,” she added.
“You really think so?!” Olivia asked, rapidly returning to her typical exuberance as she brought her face less than an inch away from Kate’s.
“U-Uh, y-yeah!” Kate replied with a nervous chuckle as she leaned back in an attempt to put as much space between her and Olivia as possible. “Y-You’ll probably bump into one in no time!”
“Oh, wow! I really hope so! Oh! Before we go, could you at least take our picture?!” Olivia asked as she hugged Xolys to her chest.
“Sure!” Kate replied with a grin as she readied her camera. “Like I always say, it’s the pictures that tell the story.”
Striking the best pose they could, given the circumstances, Olivia and Xolys waited for Kate to get the perfect angle, and then…
*SNAP!*
“Okay, looks great!” Kate announced after examining her camera’s display. “Welp, guess I’ll see ya around,” she added as she got ready to depart. “Good luck in the tournament!”
“O-Okay!” Olivia called to the departing photographer. “A-And thanks so much!”
“What a pleasant young lady,” Xolys commented, watching Kate disappear into the crowd as Olivia returned him to his place in her backpack. “Am I to assume we shall now be attempting to seek out a reporter of some sort?”
“Yeah!” Olivia confirmed with a nod, before setting off into the sea of bodies once more. “Y’know, I think the big food table is over this way,” she noted as she squirmed between the eclectic assortment of fighters. “That should be the perfect place for an interview!”
However, when she finally made it through the wall of Nomads and into an open space, it wasn’t the sight of a massive buffet table surrounded by dozens of journalists all eager to learn her life story that greeted her. Rather, it was something vastly more incredible by far…
“I-Is that…?” Olivia whispered in hushed awe, her jaw going slack as she beheld the pair of young women seated at the table before her. “Oh wow! It IS!!!” she cried in unbridled delight as she ran over to stand beside the smaller of the two ladies.
“O-Olivia, wait…!” Xolys advised. “I do not believe it would be prudent to interrupt them at this juncture!”
Unfortunately for all involved, Olivia was far too fixated upon the individual that had captured her attention to hear him…
“Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! It’s really you!” the bespectacled bluenette cheered, her smile wider than ever. “Oros the Swift! I just love your videos!” she told the kimono-garbed blonde, as she leaned forward to thoroughly invade her personal space. “You’ve fought so many wonderfully intriguing monsters! Like that slimy green one with the boil-covered skin whose jaw could unhinge wide enough to swallow a skyscraper! I can’t believe it had seventeen rows of teeth! That’s just amazing! And then there was that one that looked like a giant flying stomach that vomited out all those wormy things with the flesh-eating acid spray! And then that other one that was made out of worms! And insects, and arachnids, and centipedes, too! I thought the way its body was constantly moving was really mesmerizing! I could have stared at it for hours!” she continued to ramble, her hands clasped together and her eyes seeming to fill with stars. “And speaking of staring, how about that giant floating eye with the bat wings made of bone and all the tentacles?! Wasn’t it simply fascinating how it could make smaller duplicates of itself and fire those lightning beams that phased through obstacles?! Oh! And how could anyone forget the one with the mouth on the end of its tongue?! He was just sooo adorable!” she squealed with a giggle/snort. “Oh, and your music is pretty cool, too!”
This post also contines examples of the following-
Graphic Violence! Disturbing/Horrifying Images! And Connie Crying. A LOT.
If you feel that any of the above might shatter your sense of inner calm, I would advise skipping this post completely, and instead imagine Connie snuggling with her stuffed animal friends.
If not, then please enjoy!
The coin broker of New York has appeared! Mia has just been mended, but Connie took a pretty solid blow from the Beast. All the pieces are set. The beast and her two agents against Connie, Mia, and what remains of the escapees. Can Connie and Mia save their friends, or will their blood sate the fangs of despair?
Challenge Rating: SS
Notes: The Beast can use her Killing Blow with near impunity, but is vulnerable for a brief time after using it. Be careful.
This hunt can only be undertaken by a party that contains Connie and/or Mia.
Faith only has two uses of her super bandaids left, which can be used to instantly heal a magical girl to full health. This can’t be used if the target was slain in a single strike.
…
…
…
Bionic Bonnie was on the CAPRICORN. She always was. If someone saw her outside the CAPRICORN, she wouldn’t be Bonnie.
Her newspaper remained on the counter of the dinner. She was looking out one of the windows, observing the fight taking place. This was her favorite part of the job, really. Penrose was host to some large-scale magical conflicts, but things like this didn’t happen nearly as often. Connie was far out of her fucking element just to protect some friends she barely knew.
How wonderful being a child must be.
With Connie off to get the escapees, Lexi had dragged Mia into the kitchen. No dinner was being prepared here. The pizzeria was just a front. All of the customers were illusions and any real person who entered the premises would leave when they saw how packed it was. Unless of course, you were trying to stake out the place.
“Lada!” Lexi shouted. “Get the boss, and I’m running out of mana.”
Lada was eating mozzarella cheese straight out of the bag when they appeared. “You and your mana.” She wiped her mouth on her arm. “She’s right here, so let’s get you topped up.”
Mia’s target stepped out of a shadow with a jovial wave. “Hello Gaia. We were expecting you two to show up sooner or later.” She dropped her throne in front of Mia before putting her foot on top of it. The Beast leaned on top of her raised knee, putting her face level with Mia’s. “Lexi’s clones tell me you’re pretty obnoxious. I think you sound like a lot of fun.” She gave Mia’s head a single pat. “This is going to be your last chance to cooperate with us. I will hurt Connie if she stands in my way. Are you sure you don’t want to hand the escapees over to me?”
“What the fuck makes you think I can do that?” Mia sneered. “I control plants, not portals. Besides, didn’t your dumbass pal tell ya? Connie’s bringin’ Nuncio over right now, so don’t get your tits in a twist. Oh, and fyi?” she added, while glaring daggers at the coin broker. “Threatening Connie in front of me is a great way to get your head shoved up your ass.”
The mint agents looked at each other. Then Lada pointed her palm at Mia. “Okay, I’m frying her tits off.”
But the Beast tapped Lada on the nose, causing her flame to go out. “We’re professionals, Lada.” She looked back at Mia. “But you do not seem to understand the situation, or you think I’m ignorant. Connie’s file makes her out to be someone who can be easily influenced by others. If I had to guess, Nuncio would convince her to try to break in here and save you with the others.” She folded her arms under her chin. “I want to know if you’re willing to help us should that happen.”
“And how, exactly, am I supposed to help you?” Mia asked with a wry smirk. “Even if you didn’t just threaten my best friend, I’m kinda tied up at the moment.”
“Oh.” The Beast frowned. ”You’re just playing the fool.” Her eyes half closed. “Such wonderful prey. Though obligations require me to take the situation seriously. The best thing to do with a threat is to execute it, but we need you alive to lure the others in. But something I've learned in my line of work is that keeping someone alive is not hard to do.“ The Beast stood up and walked behind Mia. She nodded to her subordinate, who cut Mia’s hands free. But she wouldn’t have long to enjoy her freedom before the Beast snatched her hands. She placed her chin on Mia’s shoulder. “I was told that fingers are just as hard to bite through as carrots.” She moved one of Mia’s hands towards her grinning mouth. Her breath felt hot on the back of her fingers. “Let’s see how true that is.” She opened wide and bit off three of Mia’s fingers in a single bite.
…
…
…
Connie was laying on her back, writhing in pain.
The mint agents were hiding behind a null barrier in the street.
The Beast was approaching Connie. She had walked back into the kitchen while several giant chess pawns followed her.
Nuncio held Sammy in his arms and was rushing to Faith’s side, who was finishing the patch job on Mia. When Mia looked at her hands, she could see that her fingers were intact. She might have thought the whole thing was a nightmare, but the last nightmare she had involved drowning in a safe at the bottom of the ocean.
“Find a safe place to transform!” Faith turned towards Nuncio to receive Sammy. She started to patch her up while Nuncio and his tiger ran back towards the Beast. Anything they could do to buy Connie more time was important. But how could she hope to defeat something that couldn’t feel fear?
“O-Okay,” a still badly shaken up Mia replied as she slowly got to her feet. “J-Just help Connie until I get back!”
With that, the tomboy stumbled her way to a nearby restroom, closing and locking the door behind her. She felt exhausted, her body ached, but none of that pain compared to the fury she felt. Nothing the Beast or her companions had done to her equaled what they had tricked Connie into doing, and Mia knew with agonizing certainty that once her friend realized what she had done, the knowledge would completely shatter the gentle girl’s fragile heart. If it hadn’t already…
I’m sorry, Connie…
Gritting her teeth, she squeezed her eyes shut, even as tears worked to escape them. I’m so fucking sorry… I forced you to do this. I knew how much it would hurt you to see what they did to me, knew how enraged it would make you, but even then… Even then, I never thought they’d go this far…
“You fucking shit bags…” Mia hissed. “You’ve hurt my little sister enough! Now you get to deal with me! Nature’s beauty! Nature’s grace! Nature’s power!” she intoned as a whirlwind of verdant energy swirled around her. “Behold! I am Gaia, Daughter of Mother Earth!”
Faith continued to patch up Sammy. She hid behind the kitchen island as fireballs erupted all around her. Meanwhile, the Beast was in the same room as Connie. The front of the Pizzaria was empty, save for the Dryad wasps that were coming through the windows. Nuncio and Rosa were cut off by the giant pawns, which tried to bodyslam them.
“All done?” The Beast lifted her throne over her head. “What a shame...”
“Not yet,” a cold voice corrected, even as dozens of thorny vines burst from the floor to wrap tightly around the Beast, while monstrous Venus-flytrap heads clamped their toothy maws upon the coin broker’s hands and bloated bulbs sent torrents of highly toxic spores shooting into her face. “Not by a long shot.”
But vines and poison weren’t going to hold back a coin broker for more than a moment. The vines snapped and stretched as the massive throne inched closer to Connie’s body, but Rosa managed to break through just in time to grab a hold of her sleeve. She dragged the girl away just as the throne crashed through the floorboards.
The chess soldiers spread out behind the Beast. “You’re under the delusion that you can wear me down, that you just need to keep me distracted. Let me show you how wrong that is.”
With her free hand, the Beast took her crown off of her head and started walking towards Nuncio. Meanwhile, her pawns had moved around to form a barrier between herself and Gaia. The knights, however, galloped right over them and charged towards the viridian magical girl.
Even as The Beast broke through her entanglement, Gaia watched with relief as Connie was dragged to (relative) safety. The masked girl was visibly injured, and seemed to be having a lot of trouble breathing. Thus, the sooner Faith could tend to her injuries, the better. As for Gaia herself, it appeared she had gained the coin broker’s attention, at least if the oversized chess pieces attempting to run her down were anything to go by… Yet, as she had already demonstrated, even here, in the heart of one of the world’s largest cities, the Daughter of Mother Earth could find allies to answer her call to arms. Bursting from the floor in front of the charging knights, a pair of mighty tree men grabbed hold of the chessmen cavalry with thick branch-arms and firm root tendrils, and, using their own considerable momentum against them, flung them around like a carousel to crash into the line of pawns screening The Beast herself.
The pawns scuffed across the floor and formed up in front of the knights. They winnied moments before impact. The pawns toppled over along with the knights, but hadn’t sustained too much damage. One of the pawns had a hairline crack running along its head while most of the others had chipped here and there. They started to “stand up” after just a moment of laying prone.
Nuncio held up his cane as the Beast approached, but she was not deterred. “Damn Mint broads.” He focused his gaze. “I ain't afraid of you.”
She spun the crown on the tip of her finger. “Oh Nuncio, that’s exactly why you’re going to die first.”
The kitchen behind Nuncio blew up in a ball of fire. He turned just in time to see Faith rush past him. What Nuncio didn’t see was the Beast had lunged for him while he was distracted by the explosion.
“Say your prayers, Verminslayer!”
The Beast swung her crown in a wide arc for Nuncio’s torso. But something slipped in front of her target. Something far shorter than the average magical girl that could see her ruse a mile away. Nuncio stumbled backwards and turned his gaze to the one person who would sacrifice herself to save him.
“Sammy?”
Sammy was suspended in the air now. A checkers piece floated over her head and under her feet. Her hands were shaking, the corners of her lips were quivering, but she still managed to smile.
“Just as I deduced would happen.” She chuckled nervously. “I let Tony get hurt, but I’m not going to let Rosa’s best friend die too.”
Nuncio grit his teeth. “The hell you goin’ on about, Sammy? You’re worth more than-”
”There’s a lot I want to say, but there just- There just isn’t time anymore.” Her voice cracked. “She’s most vulnerable after she uses this attack. So be careful, and don’t, don’t-”
The checker’s pieces slammed together, crushing the magical girl between them out of existence. There was no blood or gore, just the loud clap of two plastic disks smashing into each other. ”Hngh!” The Beast clutched her chest and fell on one knee. Her throne clattered to the ground with her crown.
S-Sammy?! Even through her excruciating pain, Connie was able to witness the far more agonizing sight of the diminutive detective’s apparent demise, the masked girl’s eyes going wide in horror. Nonononononono… She didn’t want to believe what she had just seen, desperately wanted it to simply be yet another illusion, but she knew with dreadful, soul-crushing certainty that it had really happened. Sammy… was dead…
The chess pieces had stopped moving, and Fath was able to run past them with little effort. ”Only one more after this.” She whispered as she went to bandage up Connie. ”Just, just try to stay calm.” Tears welled up in her eyes as she placed the bandaid on her chest. ”Don’t think about what we’ve lost.”
Connie’s head spun. Don’t think about what they’d lost? How could she possibly do that? She had just seen Sammy killed in front of her eyes. The little detective had died, and she had been unable to save her. Indeed, Connie realized with mounting rage and despair, it was because of her that the girl had even been here in the first place. She had come to save her friends, and now… Now…
“You…” Connie whispered as she slowly sat up, her voice practically dripping with hatred and pain. “You…” Reaching a trembling hand into the dark folds of her robe, she withdrew The Eye of Fear and, tightly grasping the unnerving sphere, used the mystic artifact to discover exactly what The Beast feared the most. Even if the coin broker claimed to be devoid of that emotion, there had to be something, some event or trauma buried deep in her past, hidden in some dark corner of her subconscious, that was simply waiting be unlocked, to be set free, free to devour her from the inside out… And Connie would find it. Yes, she would make full use of it, amplify it a thousandfold, and then…
She screeched, even as she sent a focused torrent of refined nightmare magic into The Beast’s weakened body.
Meanwhile, Gaia had also seen Sammy’s awful fate play out from where she was standing, but, like Connie, she too had been unable to do anything to save the detective. Still, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t avenge her…
“YOU FUCKING BITCH!!!” the verdant maiden roared, all semblance of serenity and refinement completely dissolving in the face of her unbridled fury.
Even as her augmented tree men used their massive limbs to sweep aside the chessmen, Gaia strode forward, a veritable force of nature, wreathed in swirling tendrils of mystic energy. Twirling Nature’s Blossom in her hands, she allowed the enchanted staff to gather potent power, before pointing it at The Beast’s kneeling form and unleashing an all-out deluge of glowing, emerald annihilation. This was joined a second later by a hail of explosive pea pellets and chair-sized corn-cob missiles, launched from newly-sprouted weapon pods on the hulking tree men’s broad shoulders. All were careful to ensure that none of their allies were caught in the botanical barrage, of course, but it was painfully obvious that if they were to have any chance of slaying The Beast, this was it…
And the Beast did have a fear. It wasn’t so much that Connie had to look hard to find it, but in her more vulnerable state it was easier to see. She didn’t like getting sick. Her parents had been taken by a mysterious illness and it was always at the back of her mind that she would meet a similar fate.
The nightmare magic coursed through the beast’s body. Cysts opened up on the surface of her skin, her flesh bulged as cancer grew under her cloak. Her teeth fell out of her head and next to her dislodged fingernails. This was moments before her body was bombarded by Gaia’s viridian might. Her flesh opened up as fractured corn kernels and peas smashed into her tender flesh. But despite all this, she wouldn’t die. She couldn’t get on her feet, but she wouldn’t be laid low.
Faith could do nothing but sulk for her fallen friend. Nuncio was still staring at where Sammy use to be before looking at the Beast. She was in a sorry state right now, and yet.
”This is too easy.” Nuncio took a deep breath. ”Sammy was tryin’ to say something.”
While his allies bombarded the Beast with magic, Nuncio grabbed a metal napkin dispenser off a table and launched it into the Beast. Only…
Clang
The illusion dispersed. Lexi held her led pipe in front of herself while Lada maintained her null wall. The Beast herself hadn’t received a single bit of the retribution that had been aimed at her.
”They’re using our emotions against us!” Nuncio roared.
But it was too late. The beast reached for her crown and throne before rising to her feet again. ”It’s like I said. Victory over me is just an illusion.” As soon as she placed her crown on top of her head, her fear of diseases seemed to vanish.
Lada kept her null barrier up and charged Connie, with the beast following right behind her. The tile floor broke apart under the weight of her throne, but she didn’t seem to have any difficulty dragging it. Meanwhile, Lexi ran to square off against Nuncio. Lead pipe and cain clashed, and the two gangsters looked at eachother with dead, soulless eyes.
Even in her enraged state, Connie knew that it was pointless to attempt another attack on The Beast. With the coin broker shielded by Lada’s null field, even her most potent magic would be rendered utterly useless. Yet, the menacing pair continued to draw ever-nearer, and Connie refused to simply stand by and wait for them to finish her off. Thus, giving voice to a snarl of fury, the masked maiden employed her myriad tentacles to wrap around every utensil, chair, and other liftable item nearby, and hurl them at Lada with all the force she could muster.
Meanwhile, from her position behind both The Beast and her shield of nullification, Gaia swiftly moved to take full advantage of the small window of opportunity she had been given. Blasting the coin broker with another deluge of emerald energy beams, she simultaneously instructed one of her tree men to strike out with an extending arm and punch the crown off The Beast’s head, even as the pea pod cannons on its shoulders switched to firing sedative spores. Not wishing to leave Nuncio unaided, the verdant maiden had the other tree man shower him and Lexi with a torrent of additional sedative pellets, which would soon envelope both fighters in a thick cloud.
That bitch’s illusion magic is tricky… The last thing I want to do is hurt one of my friends by accident, so I’ll stick with knocking them out for now. But when this is finally over, they’ll wish they had died quickly…
When friendly fire was unavoidable, best to make sure the attack wasn’t lethal.
Both mobster and gang member were caught off guard by the cloud of smoke. It took effect on Nuncio first, dropping him onto his knee almost instantly. He struggled to cling to his weapon, but found it easier just to lower his hands to the ground. He was going to fall over any moment. Lexi was able to remain standing, but her fluttering eyelids made it apparent that she wasn’t fairing much better. She breathed out and stepped away from the cloud. She was barely strong enough to swing her weapon.
But the surrounding chess pieces were unaffected.
The pawns closed up around Nuncio and the tree man, and the two remaining knights threw their marble bodies into the tree man. Its body cracked and bark splintered off from the impact.
The Beast and Lada shifted in position. The displacement spell Lexi had cast on them failed as soon as she became drowsy. They were much closer to Connie than they appeared. But it wasn’t too late for either of them to adjust their aim.
Lada dropped her null barrier just in time to throw her hands up in front of all the incoming projectiles. Flames spilled out of her hands like a river tumbling over a cliff. They washed over the mundane furniture and tree man, leaving naught but cinders. The metal cutlery did make its way through her flames, but by that time it was molted steel. It splashed upon her bare skin, and she winced in pain. Mundane dangers were hardly an issue for a magical girl, and fire girls were resistant to heat. This wasn’t going to take her out of the fight.
”I think it’s time I razed the forest.”
Both rooks dashed (or did they teleport?) to either side of Lada before she marched towards Gaia. She raised her hands in front of herself and funneled her flames towards the viridian magical girl.
This left Connie and Faith to contend with The Beast. Faith had managed to get a hold of herself and was firing notes at the coin broker, but this was just slowing her down. With a growl, the Beast flung her throne straight at Connie. It glistened like a comet as it flew straight towards her.
The eyes of her mask widening in shock, Connie gabbed Faith and dove out of the throne’s path as quickly as she could. Before she had even hit the floor, the masked girl fired another overcharged nightmare pulse at the now unprotected Beast. If she was able to get to her feet fast enough, the Empress of Nightmares would also attempt to wrap her tentacles around The Beast’s throne and fling it back at the coin broker.
Meanwhile, Gaia grit her teeth as she watched Lada incinerate one of her tree men with a mighty gout of flame. Yet, this wasn’t an entirely detrimental development. Now that the pyromancer was focused on her, she wasn’t shielding The Beast with a nullification field. Gracefully dodging Lada’s subsequent fiery torrent, the Daughter of Mother Earth fired back with several mystic blasts from Nature’s Blossom, even as a pair of thorny vines burst up from behind the pyromancer in an attempt to ensnare her legs and flip her face first into the floor.
Farther afield, the sole remaining tree man found itself being strengthened by an influx of additional nature magic, its bark growing substantially thicker and its injuries quickly healing themselves. Ignoring the knights to its rear for the time being, the botanical bruiser doused Lexi with another burst of sedative spores, while more vines snaked out to coil tightly around her. An instant later, it gabbed two of the pawns assailing Nuncio by their spherical tops and flung them, one after another, at The Beast’s head with considerable force.
”Hurk!” Lexi was on the verge of unconsciousness. She sunk into the vines… and vanished from sight. Initially Gaia suspected she had cloaked herself, but after everything she had done, was there anything for a coward like that left to do but use her get out of jail card? That left Nuncio and the tree man surrounded by six pawns, two damaged knights, and two bishops. The knights and pawns took turns slamming their bodies into the tree man while the bishops were charging up for something. The queen was also present, but she hadn’t moved since the Beast took off.
The rooks were faster than they looked. They moved in front of Lada just as the incoming spell would have struck her. But they could do nothing to stop the vines from creeping up her legs. That was what Lada’s flames were for. With just a touch, the vines were turned to cinders.
”You need to play more pokemon. At least then you’d know how unfavorable this matchup is.”
The next time the rooks parted was to let Lada lob an explosive fireball Gaia’s way.
It’s not like I have much of a choice… Gaia thought as she dodged Lada’s latest flaming attack, the fireball missing her by scant centimeters.
And because there wasn’t enough happening, The Beast had caught up to Connie and Faith. The nightmare pulse bought Connie an extra second to get some distance with Faith. The pawns slammed into her back, shortly after her chair was flung into her chest. But once she was done stumbling around, it didn’t seem like the attack had hurt her very much. There was a grin plastered on her face, and she picked up her chair as her pawns rocked themselves to their feet. She took her free hand and placed it on top of her crown.
”I think it’s time for someone else to die.”
“I couldn’t agree more…” Gaia hissed through clenched teeth even as she fired another volley of energy bolts at the blocking rooks.
The verdant maiden hoped that her bombardment would soon eliminate at least a few of the annoying chessmen, but as long as they were around, she would continue to make use of them at every opportunity. Utterly unperturbed by the pummeling it was taking, the tree man strode forward and grabbed the two charging bishops. With a mighty sweep of its massive arms, it hurled them at Lada, following that up with a thick stream of sedative spores. Even if this didn’t take the pyromancer out of action, Gaia was already preparing her next attack as she instructed unseen roots behind the walls and under the floor to wrap around every water pipe they could find…
Meanwhile, the furious Empress of Nightmares placed herself in front of Faith and, giving voice a hate-filled scream, fired a pair of massive nightmare blasts from each of her hands, one aimed at Lada and the other at The Beast. Despite her rage, Connie still had the presence of mind to note that the coin broker was preparing to strike once more, and so she readied her myriad tendrils to intercept any incoming attack.
The Beast took a single labored step forward, even as the nightmare energy washed over her. ”I don’t fear anything, remember?”
The rooks once again changed positions. One slid to Lada’s rear to block the incoming bishops.They bounced off the rook’s robust shape, and the spoors were unable to penetrate it. The other rook kept itself in front of Gaia’s torrent of energy bolts. The rook was starting to show some damage as its brickwork fell away. There were cracks running up and down its form.
But Gaia’s attention would be stolen away as the fireball detonated. The force was enough to throw Gaia towards the rook, but more pressing was that she and her environment were now set ablaze. It became impossible to see as her body was consumed in fire.
”Hah!” Lada laughed from the safety of her rooks. ”You could stand to play some dungeons and dragons while you’re at it!” Lada only just now turned to face the direction of her leader, and was met with a third attack. The wave of nightmarish energy washed over her, and her porcelain skin turned pale as her nightmares manifested before her eyes.
Boys. A classroom's worth of upperclassmen materialized right beside her. She had just enough time to acknowledge what they were before they tackled her to the ground. She hollered and sprayed her flames on them, but when one was incinerated another would take his place. Some held down he limbs, other bit her, a few hard enough to draw blood. But none of them were afraid of getting burned. Even with everything else going on, Lada’s screams cut through everything.
The tree man’s vitality was failing, but he was able to survive repeated blows from the chess men due to the magic being pumped into him. But the queen started to shake. After waiting for so long, she was ready to make her move.
She careened away from the tree man. No vine or table could stop the queen’s advance as she retreated from combat. Once out of danger she kept sliding until she slammed into the opposing wall. It hadn’t been visible initially, but Nuncio’s body laid at the base of the queen, laying in a pool of his own crimson.
”Greet your beloved in hell, Verminslayer.” The beast lifted her hand off of her crown. ”I don’t need to resort to such risky measures to eliminate you weaklings.” A fact that caused her to scowl. ”Show me some real strength and I might consider crowning you.” She dropped her chair and pounced on Connie.
With a scream that rivaled Lada’s Faith continued to pepper the Beast with attacks. But if anyone cared to look out the windows, they could see the pillar druids were drawing closer…
Gaia might have been on fire, but her forward thinking at least put her in possession of a solution to the problem. There wasn’t a lot of water to be found in the front of the pizzeria. There was a central water line that ran under the floor, but the back wall fed water into the kitchen and restrooms. But bursting the main waterline would cut off water to the back wall. What would she do with this information?
The answer, for the moment, was nothing. Despite being at the center of a raging firestorm, Gaia’s mind was focused on only one objective: ending Lada’s life. Even as the flames singed her skin and hair, the verdant maiden used the momentum of the explosion to vault over the rook, until she was directly above where the pyromancer writhed in torment. With but a thought, the botanical beauty conjured a massive, wickedly sharp thorn on the bottom tip of her staff, before thrusting it into Lada’s heart with all her strength.
Simultaneously, the tree man flung one of the attacking pawns at The Beast, while smashing his other mighty fist through the floor, where it merged with the roots wrapped around the main water line. Breaking open the line, the tree man ensured the ensuing torrent surged through one arm into his body’s internal root system, before being expelled by the pair of large, blue bulbs that had just sprouted atop his shoulders. Thus, as soon as it was clear Lada had breathed her last, Gaia and the surrounding area would be drenched in a powerful spray of water.
Meanwhile, with another horrifying, hate-filled scream, Connie lunged for The Beast, her tendrils and each of her fingers tipped with needle-sharp spikes of pure nightmare energy. If the coin broker didn’t have nightmares, then she would simply inject some directly into her brain…
Between freaking out of her mind, being held down by an army of boys, and having no allies to block Gaia’s assault, there wasn’t anything Lada could do to resist Gaia’s attack. The spike sunk into her chest with little fanfare. Her cries of panic died down, her eyes rolled into her head, and her body went limp. Even as the boys continued to bite her, she remained quiet and unmoving. Just as Gaia’s flesh was starting to melt, she was blasted with cold water. Lada’s flames would not go out instantly, but they were subsiding. All while the chess pieces continued to pound on the tree man. All but the queen and bishops, who had yet to move again.
Connie had cast her last remaining bit of sanity aside to greet the coin broker’s lunge. But their difference in strength would become apparent when the taller, older-looking girl was able to use her longer arms to grab Connie’s wrists. The empress of nightmares fell onto her back just as the Beast sat on her stomach. Her tendrils bored into the Beast’s flesh, but the coin broker only grunted. The nightmares had taken, but they would need time to become strong enough to manifest.
Time that Connie might not have had.
The Beast grabbed Connie’s head and proceeded to crush it between her hands. Faith didn’t have the firepower to stop the beast. However, a rogue pawn collided with the beast’s back, which might have given Connie the extra time she needed to escape.
As it was, however, Connie no longer cared about escaping. Her overwhelming fury had focused all her thoughts on achieving one, singular objective: making The Beast of the North pay… In her efforts to crush Connie’s skull, the coin broker had allowed the masked maiden’s limp arms to fall to the floor, and so, using her tendrils to reinforce her shattered wrists, the Empress of Nightmares raised her hands and, with a savage snarl, drove them into either side of The Beast’s head, even as the tree man flung yet another attacking chessman in an attempt to knock off the coin broker’s crown.
Panting from the recent exertion and pain, a weary Gaia slowly began accumulating mystic power in preparation for a last ditch attack on The Beast, while still keeping alert for whatever the queen and bishops might be planning to do next.
The initial pawn that had been thrown at the Beast transformed into a queen, which was more than tall enough to block the incoming pawn from striking anyone. With Connie dedicating all of her power to offense, there was little preventing the Beast from crushing her skull. At the end of the day, Connie was a new magical girl, and the Beast had years and years to grow her power. For the second time, Connie slipped into unconsciousness due to hemorrhagic shock. The back of her head started to change color.
The chess men were getting quite fed up with being turned into projectiles, and decided to counterattack. Each of the bishops fired a freezing ray at Gaia and the treeman. The effects were not immediate, but Gaia could feel her body freezing over as her movement became more sluggish. There was little she could do before the queen decided to strike again. This time, she surfed right towards her. She struck with such force that the crumbling rook detonated right under her, but the queen kept charging until it crushed Gaia against the far wall. She was no longer being hit by the freezing beam, but the impact had cracked a few of her ribs and shattered her shoulder. She wasn’t feeling well and her magic was dwindling. Her remaining treeman had been able to take quite a beating, but the frigid ray was making him brittle and stiff. The assaulting chess men where breaking him apart and he was slowly becoming a frigid statue. Gaia would have to decide what she wanted to use her stored up magic for while she was still conscious. A shot at the Beast from here wouldn’t be possible, as the second queen was obstructing her view from the main target.
Gaia hissed in pain as the queen slammed into her and pinned her against the far wall, the bishop’s freeze ray preventing her from dodging the malevolent monarch in time. The verdant maiden knew Connie was in great danger, but from her current position, she could do nothing to assist her friend. Indeed, simply surviving the next few seconds was her most pressing concern. Thus, channeling her stored up magic into Nature’s Blossom, she thrust the staff into the queen and fired a mighty blast of mystic power, one which she hoped would shatter the oversized chess piece completely.
Meanwhile, in what was in all likelihood its final gesture of defiance, the increasingly paralyzed tree man extended its sole unfrozen appendage to grasp the bishop that was freezing him and attempted to hurl it in such a way so that its icy beam would now strike its fellow bishop instead.
The queen’s slender torso was split in half by the burst of magical energy. As the queen fell in two, Gaia was able to spot the tree man’s last act as he flung the bishop. It fell in such a way that they were firing their beams at each other, and they froze solid in a second. The remaining pawns and knights overwhelmed him shortly afterwards. As she fell unconscious, she could only hope that the other chess men didn’t discover her.
The Beast rose to her feet and looked at Faith. ”I am envious of your friends' loyalty to you.” She motioned a hand towards Connie’s form. ”You want to save her, correct?”
Faith clenched her teeth. ”You’re just going to kill me!”
”How shrewd!” The Beast smiled. ”You are the only target here that I need to kill. Connie does not need to die.” She cracked her knuckles. ”I’ll let you get close enough to place one of those bandages on her, and then I’ll take your life. Or you can wait for her to die and I’ll chase you afterwards. Consider it my final jest to a challenging opponent.”
Faith didn’t look any more pleased with the Beast, but what kind of friend would let Connie die in front of Mia? ”Very well.”
She inched closer to Connie’s body. Time was of the essence, but this was going to be the end for her. She didn’t want to go. She didn’t want Sammy and Nuncio’s deaths to be in vain. But if it meant saving Connie’s life, she’d gladly sacrifice the three of them for that.
While the thought of having her life snuffed out terrified her, she didn’t want to drag things out and have Connie die. She lunged for the girl’s head and slapped her last super bandaid on it.
And the beast reeled backwards as a cannon ball burst through the front window and careened into her chest.
”Mmmmm.” A half woman, half octopus magical girl floated in through the broken window. ”You look like a worthy opponent.”
The Beast regained her composure and stood up. ”You’re alive?” With a snort, she pulled her crown off of her head. Connie would notice that even without her crown, she still seemed to be resisting the nightmare magic. But small boils were starting to break out on her chin. ”Regardless, you’re not in my contract. I’ll collect your head later.” The second pawn that had arrived beside the Beast also turned into a queen.
Lotus and Faith prepared for a last stand as both queens moved with the Beast. This could be her last chance to save Faith’s life.
Once again, Connie found herself awakening from inky black unconsciousness to the sight of her friends in peril. As her shaking body slowly rose to a sitting position, the masked maiden couldn’t see who The Beast was preparing to kill, only that the coin broker had left herself vulnerable. Perhaps she had assumed Connie was no longer a threat, perhaps she was just that arrogant, but no matter the reason, the Empress of Nightmares would show the Mint Monarch just how wrong she was…
Using the last remnants of her strength for a final burst of speed, Connie charged The Beast from behind. Wrapping her legs and tendrils around the coin broker as tightly as possible, she plunged her nightmare needle-tipped fingers into the young woman’s head, pressing against her hated foe’s skull so hard it seemed the bones in her fingers might break. A deluge of fully unleashed nightmare magic was sent surging into The Beast’s brain, enough to make a million people die of sheer terror, enough to forge an eternal nightmare, from which there could be no escape. Indeed, so concentrated was the energy, and so vast was Connie’s hatred, that the Empress of Nightmares was able to conjure physical manifestations through sheer force of will. Chittering tides of demonic spiders and other nightmarish horrors spilled from the coin broker’s mouth, nose, ears, and the gaps around her bulging eyes, even as Connie shrieked in unbridled fury.
“I won’t let you hurt ANYONE ELSE!!!”
The two queens flew past Connie on either side, smashing into Faith and Lotus in the distance. This left the Beast alone with Connie clung to her back. The beast flailed her arms, not quite able to reach the child on her back. Until…
*Clink*
The crown touched Connie’s hip.
Before long, she was suspended between two checker pieces that threatened to crush her. The Beast stood in front of her with a grin. Even as creepy crawlies poured out of her mouth and ears. She raised her hands up and held them apart, like she was going to press the checkers together. She was talking, but it just spewed forth more insects instead of making words. But by now, the Beast’s flesh was starting to stretch and break out. Cysts broke out all over her body as she collapsed onto her knees. Connie and the checker pieces fell to the ground.
It seemed that the nightmare curse was strong enough to take out the Beast before her killing blow had finished. In that brief moment when she was pouring all of her magic into one final attack, the curse was able to intercept her before its conclusion.
”Ahhh, two out of three ain’t bad.” The Beast chuckled. She was staring at the ceiling, and had lost the use of her eyes moments ago. ”What a fun little hunt that was. I’m glad you were able to present a challenge in the end. I look forward to our rematch.” With a smile on her face, the beast toppled backwards and transformed back into a normal girl. Her sickly body resting on a pile of rubble.
Rematch?!
Connie’s masked face contorted into an even more horrifying visage than it had been mere moments ago.
REMATCH?!!
With a savage snarl, Connie leapt upon the fallen coin broker and blasted her in the face with the strongest nightmare pulse her meager remaining mana could muster. This girl… this monster who had killed two of her friends, had tortured her best friend, and then tricked Connie into giving her a hellish nightmare, this piece of human filth thought that after all the indescribable agony she’d inflicted, the Empress of Nightmares would simply allow her to recover, to do the same or worse all over again?!
No.
Connie had been adamant in her words.
Never again…
With wild abandon, Connie drove her fists into The Beast’s face over and over, sending spike after flickering spike of nightmare magic into the unconscious girl with each blow. She continued her frenzied assault even after her fists became bloody and numb, she continued, until…
“Connie…” Gaia’s soft and sympathetic voice called her name, even as she felt her friend’s loving arms wrap around her. “You can stop now. It’s over.”
At the touch of her best friend, Connie’s fists fell limply to her side as she collapsed into Gaia’s embrace.
“M-Mia…?” she asked weakly, finally snapping out of her berserker rage.
“You did it, little sister,” Gaia whispered. “You stopped her.”
“M-Miaaaaa…!” Connie cried, her shuddering body clinging tightly to the verdant maiden as she sobbed her eyes out. “I-I’m sorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorryI’msorry…! I-I gave you t-those awful n-nightmares, a-and let you get hurt, a-and l-let our f-friends g-get… g-get…!”
“It’s okay, Connie,” Gaia reassured her as she held the sobbing girl tight. “It’s okay…”
At least, the verdant maiden dearly hoped it would be…
Even though the upper half of the Beast’s head was gone, her lips were curled into a giant grin (minus several teeth). She wouldn’t be getting back up any time soon.
”Mmmmm.” Lotus was carrying Faith in her harms. Her eyes swept over the devastated area. The pizzeria would need to close for a while to clean up, provided it hadn’t been a front for the mint this entire time. The chess pieces were all crumbling to dust before her eyes. ”You fought a powerful opponent. I only wish I could have assisted.”
Faith hadn’t taken the last hit from the queen very well. The whole side of her body was bruised, but she was still conscious. ”What happened? How did you get here?”
”Mmmmm, I was hiding out here. I saw the pillar druids and decided to investigate.”
Faith closed her eyes. ”I didn’t know you were even alive.”
”Mmmmm, that is a long story.”
Connie gasped at the sound of the new voice.
“L-L-Lotus…?! B-But, h-how…?!”
Lotus looked at Connie. ”Mmmmm. If you must have an explanation…” But she trailed off when she noticed the corpses towards the back of the Pizzaria. She hovered past Connie and Mia, still holding Faith in her arms. She didn’t stop until she was hovering over what remained of Nuncio. Her fingers curled around Faith like talons.
”Mmmmm, we suffered a casualty.”
Faith winced before averting her eyes from Nuncio’s body. ”They got Sammy too.”
”Mmmmm, that is a shame.” The pizzeria shook as a caustic projectile slammed into the side of the building. ”Your mother is worried about you. We need to get you out of the city.” Lotus turned to look at Connie and Mia. ”Do you know where we could go for a time?”
“U-Umm, I h-have an i-interdimensional h-home…” Connie offered, after taking a moment to wipe her streaming tears with the sleeve of her robe.
“A friend of ours also has a pocket dimension,” Gaia added. “If that might work better, we could try contacting her.”
”Mmmmm.” Lotus closed her eyes. ”I do not have a way of helping Faith recover faster. If your friend can help us, I would be inclined to go to their pocket dimension.” The pizzeria shook again. ”Provided arrangements can be made swiftly.”
While the duo saw about doing that, Bonnie stepped through the front of the pizzaria. She took a look around the battle ground before arriving in front of Connie.
”The conditions of your contract have been satisfied. Faith lives, and the Beast has been slain. I had hoped that you would save all of your friends, but this outcome does not surprise me.” She turned towards the Beast’s corpse. ”Maybe one aspect surprises me.” She turned back to the duo. ”But you are due your payment.” Bonnie opened her hand, and there were two thin slivers of something in her hand. It looked like two gemstones, but they were more flexible and had an eerie purple glow. Their centers were perfectly black like an endless void, and just looking at them caused them to feel a distinct sense of dread. At the same time, they understood that they were a form of magical currency. ”I’ve always considered a successful mission its own reward, but upper management wanted you two to have one of these grief seeds. Aside from the name, I don’t know that much about them.” She looked to Gaia. ”I can take you back to Penrose when you are ready.”
Lotus squinted her eyes at the newcomer. ”Mmmmm, I think Penrose would be even worse than remaining in New York.”
At first, Connie was startled by Bonnie’s sudden appearance, but her shock swiftly turned to anger. “I-I don’t want a reward!” she snarled, clenching her bloody fists. “I want my friends back! A-And I want that… t-that monster to suffer forever!” she added, pointing a trembling finger at where what was left of The Beast lay in a pile of blood-soaked rubble.
“Perhaps I should hold on to these?” Gaia suggested in a calm and soothing voice, while placing a comforting hand on Connie’s shoulder. “Why don’t you give Amanda a call?” she added softly.
“F-Fine…” Connie muttered after a few tense seconds. Giving Bonnie one final, horrific glare, she turned her back on the cyborg and pulled out her phone. “A-Amanda…? she asked tentatively once she’d finished dialing. “I-It’s C-Connie. W-We c-could r-really use your h-help….”
With their business concluded, Bonnie dismissed herself with a nod. She walked all the way to the exit before looking over her shoulder at the shaken survivors. Then she looked ahead. The pillar druids were still closing in, with the local magical girl populace struggling to contain the damage.
”May your friendship last forever.” She said before departing.
“Gosh! Is this like an interview?! Oh, wow! This is so exciting!” _____________________________________________________ NAME: Olivia Rose Bell, Xolys _______________________________________________ EPITHET: The Maiden and The Marvel // The Nerd and The Nightmare _______________________________________________ AGE: 18 (Olivia), ??? (Xolys) _______________________________________________ PRONOUNS: She/Her (Olivia), He/Him (Xolys) _______________________________________________ HEIGHT: 4’11” (Olivia) 12’7” (Xolys) 9.5” (Xolys travel mode) _______________________________________________ WEIGHT: 97lbs (Olivia) 3000lbs (Xolys) 12lbs (Xolys travel mode) _______________________________________________ NATIONALITY: USA _______________________________________________ LIKES: Gearmantic Hearts, Xolys, being a Nomad (Olivia) / Olivia (Xolys) _______________________________________________ DISLIKES: Bullies (Both)
“We may not look like much now, but just wait until we get to the arena!” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
APPEARANCE
“I dyed my hair myself! Now it matches Xolys’s eyes, wings, and scythes! Pretty cool, huh?! ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Olivia is a plain, somewhat underdeveloped young woman, with vibrant blue (originally black) hair, which is often worn in two braided ponytails that reach just past the center of her back. Her vision is pretty terrible, so she wears a pair of corrective lenses over her intense blue eyes. Since becoming a Nomad, she typically dresses in comfortable, if a bit oversized, traveling clothes, usually in shades of blue or black. On average, this is a simple ensemble consisting of cargo pants, t-shirt, and hoodie. She’s also never without her extra large traveler’s backpack, which contains all her worldly possessions, most importantly, her custom controller and Xolys, whose head can often be seen peeking out of it.
Xolys himself usually takes the form of a small robot, which was obviously cobbled together from various sources, and fairly crudely at that. However, when Olivia activates Xolys’s combat form, he becomes a frighteningly perfect recreation of the towering technomantic nightmare of the same name from Gearmantic Hearts.
PERSONALITY TRAITS
“Um, why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something weird again? ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Olivia is a friendly, if socially awkward girl, who is always happy to make new friends and chat with them about her many interests. The problem is, those interests tend to be rather bizarre, and the talkative, overzealous, and highly energetic Olivia is almost always completely oblivious to that fact. Because of the near consent rejection and ridicule she’s experienced, she has started to become a bit more hesitant to open up to people, but showing even the slightest interest in one of her obsessions will open the proverbial floodgates once more, with Olivia happily babbling away for hours on end. Due to her exceptionally poor social skills, she often inadvertently invades others’ personal space and, especially when excited about the topic of discussion, speaks in an incredibly rapid and louder-than-necessary voice, which most find both difficult to understand and highly annoying. She’s also a hopeless romantic, which, coupled with her afore mentioned bizarre interests and lack of social skills, presents its own share of problems… Still, if one can look past all her quirks and eccentricities, they will find a loyal and caring friend. Indeed, Olivia doesn’t seem to have a single mean bone in her body, and all of her various bothersome mannerisms are completely unintentional on her part, leading the poor girl to frequently apologize for her offensive behavior.
On the other hand, despite his appearance (in both forms), Xolys is an unfailingly polite and respectful being, often complimenting other Nomads’ abilities and techniques. Strangely coming across as the grounded voice of reason, in contrast to Olivia’s somewhat unhinged exuberance, he attempts to guide her through social interactions in much the same way as she guides him in combat.
BACKSTORY
“Oh gosh! You really want me to tell you my origin story?! I’d love to!” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Growing up in the suburbs of Geopolis as the youngest and weakest of her parent’s five children, Olivia was always viewed as a freak and a failure. Her father was the proud owner of Bell Bionics, the best place in Geopolis for visiting Nomads to acquire mechanical augmentations and replacement limbs. However, while her talented older siblings served as his frequently-praised assistants, after one accident too many, it was clear that Olivia was nothing but a hinderance, and she was soon banned from entering the workshop. Things weren’t any easier for her at school, either. Her scrawny and bespectacled appearance was bad enough, but when combined with her strange interests, grating voice, and virtually non-existent social skills, it made her a prime target for bullying. Thus, despised, mocked, and shunned by her family and classmates alike, Olivia turned to the only place of refuge she possessed in her sad and lonely world- the local arcade.
From the moment she had first set foot in the neon-covered edifice, Olivia had been enthralled. Its myriad otherworldly lights and sounds drew her in like a moth to a flame, its array of games promising a longed-for escape from her depressing reality. Yet, there was one game that surpassed all the others- Gearmantic Hearts. A renowned fighting game from Covington Arts, it was one of the most popular games at the arcade, so much so, that Olivia hadn’t even been able to play it on her first visit. Or her second. Or her third… The lines were so long, she would spend hours waiting, only to go home disappointed when the arcade closed, just as she was about to take her turn. At the very least, she was able to watch the game being played while she waited, and she eventually memorized all the moves of each fighter. All, that was, save one…
Xolys.
He was a bizarre, eldritch machine that was simply captivating in his strangeness, and, to someone like Olivia, who had eagerly devoured all the works of H.P. Lovecraft, it was love at first sight. According to the one sentence description on his profile, which appeared along with those of the other fighters on the side of the game’s arcade cabinet, he was a robot that housed the soul of an extradimensional horror, but to Olivia, he was so much more than that. He was a kindred spirit, someone who could understand the pain of being unwanted by anyone. Despite, or more likely, because of his strange appearance, everyone seemed to avoid playing as Xolys. The boys either played as a burly badass, like ATLAS, the Aggronaught, or a sexy robo babe, like Penny Pinnacle, while what few other girls took an interest in the game inevitably fixated on the brooding bishonen bioroid, Finnegan Fabricant. No one wanted to play as a freakish cybermantic abomination. No one, except Olivia. For her, there could be no other champion. When she finally got her chance, she would show poor Xolys that someone did care. Until then, she spent her long hours waiting in line mentally filling in the blanks of the technohorror’s meager backstory, before setting them to paper when she finally returned home. He was fighting, Olivia had decided, in order to be reunited with his lost love, a young girl (and blatant self insert) who was the only person to treat him with kindness. Yet, she had been captured, and only by defeating all the other fighters would he be able to rescue her. Indeed, such feverish imaginings were Olivia’s only way of interacting with her cherished Xolys, until, at long last, the seemingly impossible finally happened.
She got to play Gearmantic Hearts for the first time.
At first, it was just another typical day of waiting in line, with Olivia one spot away from her goal, and mere minutes left before the arcade would close, depriving her of her chance yet again. But this time, something different happened. This time fate intervened on her behalf. She was holding her quarter in her hand, when someone bumped into her from behind, causing the coin to fall and begin rolling away. Leaving the line to chase after it, she was led on quite the chase, until she found herself in a darkened corner of the arcade. When the coin finally came to rest between Lunar Lander and Mad Planets, the arcade had begun to close down and disgruntled gamers were reluctantly filing out the doors. Ordinarily, Olivia would have been one of them, but suddenly, an idea occurred to her. If she hid herself in this darkened alcove and waited for everyone else to leave, she would have the entire arcade, and, most importantly, Gearmantic Hearts, all to herself! Of course, she would be locked in for the night, but her family never cared where she was, and the arcade’s two security cameras only monitored the entrance and exit, in case of a break in. They wouldn’t know if someone remained in the building after it had closed. So that’s exactly what she did.
Once she was certain the arcade’s owner had left, Olivia’s trembling body made its cautious way over to Gearmantic Hearts. The machine’s glowing lights and screen were even more pronounced in the darkness of the closed arcade, like a beacon, calling her forward, calling her to her destiny. Gripping her recaptured quarter tightly, her heart pounded as she inserted the small silver disc into the machine’s coin slot. Then, it was time. Carefully placing her delicate hand around the joystick with a reverence normally reserved for a holy relic, Olivia moved the flashing selector box until it had reached her precious Xolys and tapped the bright blue button to confirm her choice. It was like a match made in eldritch heaven, with Olivia leading the technohorror to victory in the game’s campaign mode at normal difficulty, and then at expert difficulty. When she returned home the following morning, she was the happiest she’d been in years, and no one was any the wiser. Thus, the following night, she again remained in the arcade after closing and beat the campaign on ultimate difficulty, an achievement no one else had managed. Her synergy with her beloved Xolys was simply unparalleled. But then, that wasn’t really surprising. Indeed, during the seeming eternity she had waited to play Gearmantic Hearts, she had even gone so far as to sneak into her father’s workshop and scavenge enough parts to cobble together a miniature approximation of the technohorror, along with a makeshift controller, which crudely mimicked G.H.’s own control configuration, in an attempt to practice for the day she got a chance at the real thing.
These overnight visits continued for several weeks, ensuring that her initials, ORB, were firmly ensconced at the top of G.H.’s score board, much to the immense puzzlement and frustration of the game’s army of patrons. Olivia silently watched from the sidelines as animated discussions broke out over the identity of the mysterious “Orb”, even as those discussions turned to debates over how they would fare against a human opponent. Still, while she was confident that she could lead Xolys to victory against any potential challenger, Olivia was reluctant to reveal her secret. After all, the ensuing questions could very well jeopardize her after-hours activities. Even so, a small part of her wanted to prove that she was as good a player as she believed herself to be. The game’s AI was strong, true enough, but it was still no match for a skilled human player. Thus, after a few more weeks of thinking it over, Olivia made the fateful decision to come forward.
At first, she was met with a mixture of mockery and incredulity (along with several accusations that this was nothing more than a pitiful attempt to get to the front of the line with a story that was clearly bullshit), but, eventually, enough patrons took pity on her to grant a demonstration. She would be going up against Kevin King, the player with the second highest score in campaign mode, and undefeated champion of PvP. Nevertheless, Olivia was undaunted, and when she stepped up to the controls for what many believed to be her first time, she was ready for anything Kevin could throw at her. Or so she thought…
Just as the match was about to start, someone grabbed her glasses and chucked them across the room. She was so shocked and disoriented by this unprecedented turn of events that Penny Pinnacle, under the command of Kevin’s skilled hand, was able to soundly demolish poor Xolys in record time. Cruelly mocked and pelted with spitballs, an utterly dejected Olivia retrieved her cracked glasses and trudged home under increasingly overcast skies, where she collapsed onto her bed and cried herself to sleep, her practice model of Xolys clutched tightly in her arms. This was the end, the distraught girl told herself as she sobbed into her sheets. She could never go back to the arcade again. She had failed her beloved Xolys, and now her dreams were well and truly dead. However, Olivia would soon discover that she was only half right.
That night, a mighty tempest rocked her small neighborhood to its foundations. The rain and hail pelted buildings and vehicles, while wind howled like tormented souls, and jagged bolts of lightning split trees amidst deafening peals of thunder. Yet, the slumbering Olivia was aware of none of it, nor did she perceive the swirling rent in the fabric of reality which opened above her bed, allowing a single ethereal flower petal to fall upon and phase inside her lovingly cobbled together recreation of Xolys. It would not be until the following evening that she fully realized what had occurred, when “Xolys” spoke to her. To Olivia’s astonishment and joy, she was told that her glorified remote control toy now housed the spirit of an extradimensional being known as Xolys, who had come to her universe to find and rescue his lost love, just like in her fanfiction! But, he needed Olivia’s help. Without her, he was nothing more than an inert toy, yet, guided by her controller and her boundless faith in him, he would be able to achieve the same incredible feats as his namesake from Gearmantic Hearts!
Needless to say, Olivia couldn’t believe her luck! Now she would be able to lead the real Xolys to victory in his quest, this time by battling actual villains and monsters, while entering Nomad fighting competitions on the side! It was like a dream come true! And so, a few days later, on her eighteenth birthday, Olivia packed up her most prized possessions and set off with Xolys on her new life as a Nomad. Recently, she’s heard of a massive fighting competition in Brazil that’s offering an honest to goodness Power Stone as a grand prize. Xolys has informed her that, with its power, he would almost certainly be able to locate his missing love, and so Olivia has made it her goal to not only enter the contest, but emerge as the grand champion.
Piece of cake, right?
FIGHTING STYLE & ABILIES
“Ready or not, here we come!” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
SKILLS & ABILITIES
“Let’s show ‘em what you can do, Xolys!” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Whenever it’s time to fight, Olivia whips out her custom controller and activates Xolys’s combat mode, which she guides through each fight with the rapid implementation of intricate button and joystick combinations. In addition, several small holographic displays flash to life in an arc around the controller, tracking Xolys’s health, power levels, and other related stats.
An imposing eldritch technomantic monstrosity, Xolys’s towering, supernaturally resilient combat form is covered in a plethora of Trans-Phasic Energy Scythe-tipped appendages, as well as a dizzying mass of spiked tentacular mechadendrites, leaving little doubt that he is an utter nightmare to face in melee combat. Although Xolys’s ranged capabilities are far more limited, consisting of just his head-mounted Unreality Beam, this attack is profoundly powerful. In addition, Xolys can also rapidly extend his tentacular technomantic mechadendrites out to fifteen feet, an ability sure to come as quite the unpleasant surprise for first-time opponents, who erroneously believe themselves to be safely out of range of any melee attacks. Although Xolys boasts an impressive pair of energy wings, he is incapable of flight, the wings being simply cosmetic.
For her part, Olivia herself has zero combat abilities whatsoever, and is actually quite a bit frailer than the average young woman her age.
SIGNATURE MOVES
“Check this out!” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
■ Technomantic Tentacle Whip
Olivia instructs Xolys to lash out with one of his techno-tentacles at lighting speed. This attack can be chained for several strikes in quick succession.
■ Technomantic Tentacle Whirlwind
Using only a handful of tendrils for support, all of Xolys’s other techno-tentacles splay out and begin rapidly spinning around his towering form like an eldritch buzzsaw.
■ Eldritch Ensnarement
Olivia instructs Xolys to shoot one of his techno-tentacles out to wrap around his opponent and then reel the unfortunate fighter into close range.
■ Eldritch Electro-Constriction
After tightly coiling a techno-tendril around an opponent, Xolys energizes the eldritch appendage, causing arcs of actinic lightning to shoot into his helpless foe.
■ Trans-Phasic Energy Scythe Power Sweep
Charging up one of his Trans-Phasic Energy Scythes with greatly increased technomystic power, Xolys sweeps it in a large arc, smashing against an opponent with considerable force, and likely sending them hurtling backwards. This move is often used in conjunction with his unreality beam.
■ Trans-Phasic Energy Scythe Barrage
Olivia instructs Xolys to attack an opponent at close range with a rapid-fire barrage of strikes from his myriad Trans-Phasic Energy Scythes.
■ Unreality Beam Blast
Xolys employs his only true ranged weapon, firing a concentrated beam of unreality from his head’s central eye at an opponent.
SUPER MOVES
“Wanna see something really awesome?!” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
■ APEX Unreality Beam Blast
A vastly more powerful version of his normal Unreality Beam attack. It takes significantly more time (about five seconds) to charge up.
■ Regenerative Restoration Mode
Raising an energy shield around himself, Xolys curls up into an armored ball, while a swarm of restorative nanites repair his injuries. This process takes about two minutes to complete. However, while the energy shield is quite strong, it can still be worn down by repeated attacks, and pierced completely by a single Super Move-level strike. In addition, as soon as the shield is breached, the repair process is immediately halted.
■ Tesseractic Teleportation
Xolys’s most energy-intensive move, this allows him to somewhat mitigate his lack of speed and mobility, by teleporting himself to any point on the battlefield. However, it takes about five seconds to charge up, and after arriving at his new location, he is limited to using only basic attacks for a full ten seconds, while his technomystic power is replenished.
WEAKNESSES & LIMITS
“Xolys may not be good at everything, but I’m gonna do my best to make sure his strengths always outweigh his weaknesses!” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Despite boasting impressive strength and toughness, Xolys is quite slow, preferring to remain in a single position and draw his opponent into the range of his multiple melee weapons. This, coupled with the fact that he possesses only a single ranged attack (albeit at two power levels), means that he seriously struggles against fast moving opponents with considerable long-ranged firepower. In addition, all his Signature and Super Moves have an obvious tell, in the form of the increasingly brilliant glow of his energy wings, which grows even more pronounced when he’s preparing to employ a Super Move. In fact, before each Super Move, the various wing segments split apart and begin spinning around in a different configuration, unique to each move. Thus, a perceptive opponent can easily foresee what’s about to happen and take appropriate action, at least, if they’re fast enough. Finally, incapacitating Olivia renders Xolys completely harmless, something a truly unscrupulous foe can easily capitalize upon.
OTHER
“Oh! Do do you wanna read my fanfiction?!” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
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