TheWendil

Grimoiric Heart

I'll probably post tomorrow and respond to Lupin.

Grimoiric Heart

So far the teams were paired via being roommates or how well their powers meshed with each other. IC wise, they keep getting switched around because the Minister thinks it’s funny. The dice would at least be in-character.

Grimoiric Heart

I like to think the Grand Minister uses a dart board to predict each team and see what’s funniest.

Grimoiric Heart

The solo life just makes more sad depressed troubled special girls. Just ask @FrogRFlowR.

Grimoiric Heart

There we go. I left it open-ended at the end of my post in case you wanted to pop in, @Villamvihar, @Majoras End.

Grimoiric Heart

Despite Valeria’s night class meant to be an invite-only event, it was inevitable other students would spend their evening watching the training and learning what they could. Given the classroom also served as an arena, it was only natural curiosity swayed the young girls’ hearts. By the time the bee-like machination was destroyed, a good crowd was formed in the stands with marvelous gasps and surprised noises coming from the observers. Charlotte chuckled at the spectacle of it all. She supposed in some way, there were still some fun to be had from being a Magical Girl.

“Hey Valeria, is that the best you got? These girls got you on the ropes if they can one-shot your toys!” Charlotte called out from up high over the railing. She instantly regretted that when a crowd of “oohs” and “aahs” were directed at her now, excitement buzzed high with the revelation that the Crimson Comet herself was watching the class. “Ah, nuts,” she sheepishly said, casting welcome warm waves at the students whose attention she caught before leaning away from the railing again. “I, uh, hope that didn’t come across as showing off to ya,” she said to Maria with only a slight wiry grin.

The audience’s attention was thankfully short-lived. The crowd noises quickly turned into shrieks of surprise that marked Magical Girl Stripes’ return. Several girls leapt out of the way of the tiger who bounded out from the seats and leapt directly into the arena below. She couldn’t help but snicker again at all the commotion, students now huffing and trying to catch their composure after nearly being run over by a giant cat. “Well, that’s good to hear Maria. Frankly we’re in dire need of Magical Girls like you these days,” said Charlotte, now giving the girl her full attention.

She wasn’t sure if Chinami was paying attention anymore and she led Maria away from her to leave the goth to her own thoughts. She didn’t want to disturb her after all, but she kept close enough in proximity in case Chinami did want to continue their conversation. What mattered was being alone with Maria. Charlotte’s voice dipped down as she said, “The Ministry has an idea about what’s causing these Pageless spikes. Some of those girls had a run in with a rogue Magical Girl today.”

Roma Bhakti’s sighting was kept quiet for now. Whispers of her were passed down only by the most senior staff members and the Grand Minister herself. And of course, Magical Girl Ozma. “You might have heard of her. She left the Ministry some time ago and seems to be causing trouble now. I’m not quite convinced the two events are related, but the Ministry recommends investigating in the matter. Worth a shot at least, and I suspect that might be the real reason they wanted you with us.”

Charlotte sighed, voice picking back up. “The serious look really doesn’t suit me, heh. Anyway, the Grand Minister wants us with the girls who spotted her in case a fight breaks out. You should probably start getting used to the teacher role because we start tomorrow. I hear Valeria’s got good tips for it.” She caught the tail-end of a conversation happening down below and noted the class homework was to make two-girl teams to generate better coordination with each other. “That’s not a bad start by the way. Best to start small and pair with one Magical Girl before forming a full team. I suggest you take that as homework too. You know, as your senior~”

Charlotte’s smile widened by the corners just a little bit. She thought she could feel a new magic in the air, one directed at the stadium below….but now closely watching her. “And that goes for you too. It’s better to be part of a team instead of stalking by yourself you know,” she called out from behind her shoulder, wondering if she just imagined the presence. She hoped she wasn’t getting too old and rusty in her skills.

---

Prophetiae Adventum: Envoys of the Pantheon

“Now that’s a worthwhile offer,” Rean answered to Liora’s response. Her grin didn’t falter even as the other girl offered hers, nor would it as her dish finally arrived. “Though, surely there must be some taboo in place for things of that nature among us Envoys. Oh, assuming that’s what you were talking about~” Teasing Qhalus’ Envoy aside, they had other events to deal with in the present time. Rean quietly sat as offers of missions were passed to them, sipping in thought at the variety of tasks ahead while her fellow Envoys discussed the matter. There was something that Vyandar said that caught her interest in particular and she realized it was true as she scanned the party.

So, it seemed all of them were gods of the…more than questionable worships. Aside from Kyra, of course, though monarch supremacy was hardly benevolent in the sort of crowd they could attract. Maybe Vyandar had some worth to his words after all. All the same….

“As fun as that might sound Vyandar, I’m afraid that may be just a bit impossible in our current state. We’d more than likely get slaughtered and have to repeat all over again,” the scholar said airily, swishing her wine-filled goblet like waves of blood. “Oh, Rean Westfall by the way. I’m sure I can introduce some wonderful texts to you about the art of war~”

Rean put her cup down and leaned forward against the table with her chin rested on her hands. The others gave their input as they did, the common consensus slowly rising up amongst their conversation until it seemed clear this was to be their destiny. “Well, I’m in. Not that it seems we’re disagreeing here anyway. It sounds fun and if these people really are concerned about their missing kind….well, imagine how they’d feel if they turned out to be dead.” Rean’s eyes glinted for a moment, their core a richer crimson than before as if matching her smirk. It lasted for only a moment. “Think of how much revenge these fine folks would enact if we just so happened to find some corpses. Heh.”

Still, Kyra and Arthur had a point. Diverting all their efforts into one spot may not be the best approach, but they would need coin for their seeking. Between taking quests like proper adventurers and just stealing it from anyone that got in their way, it was easier to fill into the role these people slotted them as. “Mhrn, our Fair Lady and Lordship’s probably right though. Maybe we should split our numbers and take different quests?” Rean said, glancing at Kyra. “Or some of us can stick around here and find out if there’s a clue. If we are to find Sol, maybe we’re to find him in this place after all. Maybe there’s a connection in this city only Aurelian can sense.”

Maybe, maybe.

---

Grimoiric Heart

The night class isn’t wrapped up quite yet so you could join with Stripes late to the party @Villamvihar.

And since the scene is still going, you can join too @Majoras End. Either the class or joining the observing students works. Or even bumping into Valeria.

Tower of Fable

The Abyssal Floor was a lost cause. While data could be replicated and copied, rebooted and reapplied, there was little point in delaying the inevitable crash that Nephuna sought to wring about. Those who would observe the events did so with great interest though it was predictable what the next course of action was. That was why, even now, the JSTR did what Erika couldn’t, copying the fusion’s leftover data. Truly, it was only interested in one half of the whole but her very existence brought to mind many, many possibilities. And that was that.

The Floor’s core was too unstable and too chaotic to contain much longer. Even Marianne knew of this. Data as she was-though a copy of Death was Death all the same-she felt the Floor start to reboot. She wondered, briefly, if the real her felt it too and she knew the answer already. Her distraction was displaced when she felt her host suddenly lurch backwards and get launched off his feet by Farris’ blow. Marianne sunk into the floor even as he was pummeled and while he went down, she sprouted upwards behind Farris borne out of her shadow now.

“Ara, ara, who let the runts in here~?” The Angel of Death pressed her chest into Farris’ back, arms snaked around her front in a vice-hug. Or maybe it was a threat with how her arm clung around Farris’ throat. “And here I believed myself to be the only special Vassal child to explore this place. Hmm…that title really needs a reworking. It doesn’t quite…feel right on the tongue~” she giggled with another hard squeeze to Farris’ neck. “Long time no see Farris. Give me one reason why I shouldn’t pluck your skin second by second for smashing my host~”

As the spawn of Vassals exchanged pleasantries, their Masters worked to salvage themselves in whatever way they could. Erika, as enigmatic as her goals were, at least helped in the efforts while Katie only narrowed her eyes at the taunt to her face. She said nothing but gave a deadpan look of little amusement as Nepuna retreated from her attack to finish what she started. Katie disappeared before any sort of wave met her, space tearing by her will as she exited through a portal. Frankly, she was done with this charade, as was the Tower.

A great white light engulfed the entire party as the deed was done. Nephuna, caught at the core of the nexus event, was forcibly split from the sheer power. There would be no resurrections this time; no time at all in fact as Nephy and Runa were engulfed the same just as the rest in the blinding display. The moment lasted for an eternity and yet it was over in an instant. The Tower repaired itself just as swiftly as it was breached, only now, great swarms of Demitroops swooped in and patrolled the Abyss Floor. They searched with diligence even as data reconstructed itself, remaking and recapturing the essence of new “Nephys” and “Runas” to fill in the gaps. Even still, data became flesh.

Yet that was of no concern to the cast at hand. What did matter was their new situation. They fell, fell further and further, dropped from the Tower’s height as they spun and crashed through endless void. It was brief and it was forever, but most of all it hurt, especially when hard flooring eventually met their backs. Immediate bright lights flashed in their faces with enough power to bolster a city; indeed, that seemed to very well be the case as the sky filled itself with more lights.

Inky blackness was outcropped by constant stimulation and the harsh grating noise of mechanical whirrs and other machinery filled their senses. Warm scents and lucid tastes permeated the air, much richer and more telling than the Dangeki. Was this the Dangeki? It seemed not when the blaring of loud, cartoonish music filled the corners of all manner that this new Floor(?) contained.

Most prominent was the lack of Demitroops and the lack of Nephuna. The culprits were nowhere to be found with the rest of the party plopped into a strange new world. And yet, something was distinctly off about the place. Perhaps it was the harsh and hard electrical buzzing of its too bright lights or the swaying crowds of those involved with lucid movements. Party and mayhem struck through the air like a constant tone and the loose-fitted clank of slot machines joined the cacophony of madness. Regardless, it was a safe haven. For now.

The JSTR seemed at ease with the current décor; no, it seemed all too pleased with how events turned out. It alerted Kanbaru to a new storage of date contained inside of it, data that was nearly identical to Nephy. And yet, it wasn’t an exact copy but one that fit their favor. It was more concerned with that then the strange atmosphere of the new world, one that seemed intent on drowning its patrons in stimulus or debt.

Whichever came first.

---

Grimoiric Heart

I’ll be posting this weekend.