[center][img]https://images2.imgbox.com/1a/f9/piOfZ6Jz_o.png[/img]
[color=Red][h2][b][i]Chapter Five-
Gotta Catch 'Em All![/i][/b][/h2]
[h3][i][b]Part One- The Secret Lives of Magical Schoolteachers![/b][/i][/h3][/color]
[color=Red]Holy crap... That's long enough to be the title of the next big light novel series...[/color]
[color=888888]-Kate[/color][/center]

Predictably, Kate was able to arrange for Justice Rider Blaze and Horizon Rider to face each other in the WFC’s second round, and by the time the match ended in Blaze’s favor, the photographer had accrued a wealth of excellent shots of the two fighters. Not only were they two of the most popular Nomads in recent polls, but Kate knew that there were also plenty of wealthy parties who would pay through the nose for the inside scoop on the pair’s classified equipment and abilities. As one of the most advanced creations ever developed by Minerva Defense Logistics, Blaze’s signature EX-System’s full capabilities were a closely-guarded secret, while Horizon Rider’s very nature as a genetically engineered combat organism was known to only a select few in Horizon Frontiers itself. Yet, thanks to her camera, all of this forbidden knowledge was now Kate’s to do with as she saw fit. 

After sending her photos to FNN HQ and her secret data to the relevant parties, Kate headed over to watch angsty cyborg Justin Haggar’s match against Lucas Miller, a spineless nobody who had somehow made it to the third round of the tournament after a string of bizarre misfortunes had befallen his first two opponents. It was an interesting match, to be sure (with Lucas ultimately winning in yet another spectacular upset), but as the photographer would soon discover, it had nothing on what was occurring down in the Power Stone Vault. Indeed, would-be robotic overlord Oh-One had chosen that moment to steal the Stone, and when his plans were opposed by a hastily assembled team of Nomads, the rogue AI had unleashed the full might of his mechanical forces. Although Kate had initially planned to watch the end of the tournament, before heading down to the beach, the Stone’s theft brought the event to a quite literally crashing halt, and trying to survive the assault of an army of killer robots was most definitely [i]not[/i] what Kate called “fun in the sun…”

Thus, the photographer had made a swift exit and shifted her focus to her newest assignment. If she were a more sensitive individual, like Connie, she might have been concerned for the safety of the Nomads she’d chatted with, but Kate was confident that they’d be able to look after themselves. As for her latest job, she already had photos of Oros the Swift and Oros the Mad, which just left the Wise, the Shrewd, the Joyful, and any others Nykannis might have discovered. Figuring it would be best to save the Wise for last, Kate decided to start with what she hoped would be the easier of the remaining two currently-known iterations. From what information Nykannis had provided, Oros the Shrewd worked as a teacher at Ayame High School, in her universe’s version of Tokyo. Figuring it would be best to simply wait for her subject to leave the building once class let out, Kate took a seat on one of the benches just outside the school and made herself comfortable.

But as Kate waited, she would come to realize that something was off about her surroundings. It wasn’t anything most people would pick up, just subtle things that drew her senses. Despite sitting in an open area, there was no wind. There were no vehicles driving by, or pedestrians walking about. No pigeons in flight, no vehicles driving around. Japan was a peaceful country in most reality plenums, but it was never [i]this[/i] quiet. 

[b][color=f68024]"If it isn’t the [color=f04456]photographer[/color] from earlier."[/color][/b] The druid from earlier seemed to appear behind Kate’s bench. Or maybe he was always there and Kate only noticed him now. [b][color=f68024]"Do you enjoy the scenery? I have a feeling it’s going to be this way for a very long time. But if you wouldn’t mind doing me a favor…."[/color][/b] The Druid looked at the school. [b][color=f68024]"I think there’s some people in there that may need your help. I didn’t get a good look, but it looks like they found something in a locker. You were able to help those two Nomads, I don’t see why you couldn’t assist here as well."[/color][/b] 




[color=Red]“Gah!”[/color] Kate yelped at the druid’s sudden appearance. The lack of any notable activity might have been growing a little unnerving, but it was nothing compared to pretty much the last person she’d expect to find at this particular place popping up out of seemingly thin air.

[color=Red]“U-Uh, h-hey,”[/color] she greeted with an awkward chuckle. [color=Red]“S-Sorry about that,”[/color] she apologized, scratching the back of her head. [color=Red]“Ya kinda took me by surprise there. Oh, uh, I guess I could check it out…”[/color] she added with a slight frown when he mentioned people possibly needing her help. [color=Red]“But I don’t know how much good a simple photographer’s gonna do, unless they need a picture taken,”[/color] she noted with a grin. [color=Red]“By the way, did you… [i]follow[/i] me here?”[/color]

The [i]last[/i] thing she needed was a stalker, especially one [i]this[/i] creepy, and what was up with him asking for her help twice in a row? After all, she didn’t think she really looked like the hero type. In fact, she did everything she could to simply blend into the background, so having this mysterious druid repeatedly approach her was beginning to raise some serious warning flags…

[b][color=f68024]"It’s interesting."[/color][/b] The druid began. [b][color=f68024]"After things went…interestingly at the competition, I decided to check up on someone. I am just as surprised to see you here."[/color][/b] He didn’t look away from the school. [b][color=f68024]"I would enter the school myself, but I feel my appearance would make that problematic. Not that I [i]mind[/i] problems. But with you here there is no need to involve myself."[/color][/b] He turned to face Kate. [b][color=f68024]"What brings a photographer to a normal school?"[/color][/b]



[color=Red]“Well, I’m a [i]freelance[/i] photographer,”[/color] Kate explained. [color=Red]“And someone hired me to photograph a few members of the school’s faculty. You said you wanted to check up on someone, so does that mean you know one of them?”[/color] she inquired. [color=Red]“Or was it one of the students?”[/color]

The druid looked over his shoulder at Kate. With a shrug, he turned his whole body to face her. [b][color=f68024]"To specify, I’m interested in [color=f04456]aberrations[/color]. I’m something of a photographer myself. Did I mention that before? Regardless, there are many such [color=f04456]aberrations[/color] in this school, all waiting to have their pictures taken. Though I do not feel like it would be in good faith to continue talking about them without their consent. It’s the same reason I won’t press you for details about your client. It’s not proper to delve into just anyone’s secrets, correct?"[/color][/b] 

[color=Red]“Uh, yeah,”[/color] Kate agreed. [color=Red]“Client confidentiality is pretty important in my line of work, no doubt about it. Sooo, you’re a photographer, too, huh?”[/color] she inquired. It was oddly coincidental, to be sure, but Kate decided to remain cordial towards the strange druid, at least for the time being. [color=Red]“In that case, did ya wanna lead the way to where this trouble’s goin’ on? Odds are, we’re here to photograph the same subjects, and if [i]they’re[/i] the ones in danger, we should [i]probably[/i] try to get a few snapshots before somethin’ happens to ‘em, right?”[/color] she added with a grin.

[color=f68024]"That is not advised."[/color] The druid fret his brow. [color=f68024]"To clarify, I hadn’t realized how bad things were until just recently. I have no intention of entering the school."[/color] He began to walk away. [color=f68024]"But if you need guidance, I think you’ll find something’s off with the lockers. I overheard someone talking about them."[/color]

[color=Red][i]Figures this guy would leave everything to me…[/i][/color]

[color=Red]“The lockers, huh? Well, okay then,”[/color] Kate said as she slowly rose to her feet. [color=Red]“Guess I’ll be seein’ ya around.”[/color]

With that, Kate made her way into the school. Although a part of her was glad the unnerving druid wouldn’t be joining her, another part couldn’t help but feel it was better to have the strange being where she could keep an eye on him. While he didn’t [i]seem[/i] hostile, the photographer wasn’t about to let her guard down, especially when the ambiguous “trouble” she was heading towards was concerning enough on its own. Despite her myriad talents, Kate hated the idea of involving herself in a potential conflict, a fact she was never hesitant to point out. With that in mind, the idea of blindly walking into who-knows-what was a distinctly unappealing proposition. Thankfully, she had [i]just[/i] the tool with which to gain additional insights on the situation at hand…

As she approached the school building, Kate took a photo of the edifice, with the idea of potentially learning more about whatever unpleasantness was occurring within it. Then, just before opening the school’s front doors, she flipped her camera around and took a quick snapshot of the area behind her. With any luck, she’d manage to catch the druid unawares and find out a bit more about him in the process, although she was fairly sure he’d already disappeared in his usual mysterious fashion.  

And that was the case here as well. The druid was nowhere to be seen when Kate looked back. But her camera did pick up an anomaly. The entire world was frozen inside a time stop spell. Not only that, but there was a pocket dimension that was incubating a monster. Of course, the time stop spell ensured that it would never fully mature. There was a portal to this dimension somewhere in the school, and Kate had an idea she knew where she’d find it. 

Sure enough, she found a portal in the hallway with all the school lockers. Anyone would hesitate seeing such an ominous thing, but Kate couldn’t really back out now. She had a job to do, and her client wouldn’t accept failure. Besides, the monster was frozen in time. There was nothing it could really do. 

When Kate entered, she was treated to a most unusual spectacle. She stood on a sports field, complete with chalked lines, yet festival stalls in every garish color imaginable had been haphazardly set up all over it, some of them even piled up on top of each other with broken canopies. The sides of some bore doors for some reason, hanging off of their hinges, signs with school club names taped to them. Streamers ran between them in a tangle, adorned with what looked like report papers or assignments. Some of the stalls were on fire, yet the flames weren't spreading. They were frozen along with the passage of time. All this between bars that arched up around the field like a cage, silhouetted against a red sky.

But even further ahead was a great battle. It looked a bit like a diorama, with magical girls and monster frozen in place. But not everything was still. Towards the back of the group, a [url=https://images2.imgbox.com/e8/f6/Bi2KfBuh_o.jpg]magical girl chef[/url] was having a casual conversation with a [url=https://i.imgur.com/oImrV8T.jpeg]magical girl rockstar.[/url]

[color=DarkGray]“Are… Are you [i]Amber?![/i]”[/color] The rockstar’s eyes went wide at the realization.  

[color=ff9000]"Amber?"[/color] The chef held her ladle to her chin. [color=ff9000]"That name sounds familiar. Like the memory of a childhood friend that never goes away. I think my name started with an ‘O’ of all things. Ophilia? Olivia? Odessa? Olga?"[/color] She placed a hand on her hip and snorted. [color=ff9000]"It matters not. You were the one that said we had a job to do. We can sort out my identity once the dungeon boss has been felled."[/color] She started to fill one of her vials with a glowing orange liquid. 

[color=DarkGray]“Alright, fine,”[/color] the punk rocker retorted as she readied her bladed guitar. [color=DarkGray]“But after we’ve wiped this shit stain and saved that kid, ya [i]seriously[/i] gotta get yer head checked out.”[/color]

Meanwhile, after taking a moment to survey her surreal surroundings, Kate noticed the only two entities not currently freeze framed (And although her own freeze frame ability couldn’t affect anywhere [i]near[/i] this many people, the irony of the situation didn’t escape her). Figuring that one of these had to be Oros the Shrewd, she simply snapped a picture of each young woman and consulted her display. Sure enough, the shorter, pink-haired girl was indeed her subject, (with the other young woman being one Aiko Misugi, aka Nails), and [i]that[/i] meant her reason for being here was now complete. If she was a more altruistic individual, Kate might have considered sticking around to help defeat the monster and rescue the captive student, or, if she was an individual possessing even a shred of Nykannis’s curiosity, at least investigate the cause behind the mysterious temporal freeze, but the photographer was neither of those things. If someone was paying her, that would be a different story, but as it was, the creepy druid had merely [i]requested[/i] her help, and as far as Kate was concerned, [i]that[/i] really didn’t amount to much. However, just as she was turning to leave the monster’s pocket dimension, she heard a voice call out.

[color=DarkGray]“Hey! Just who tha hell are [i]you?![/i]”[/color]

[color=Red][i]Crap…[/i][/color]

[color=ff9000]"Another under equipped fellow in the dungeon?"[/color] Amber unclipped her coin purse and threw the entire thing at Kate. [color=ff9000]"At least get a skull cap! Who knows when the rubble will come toppling over."[/color] Despite the stasis spell being in effect, The monster started to move. As if the presence of the coin purse in Kate’s possession was enough to will the creature out of it. [color=ff9000]"Cronomancer! Are you on hiatus? Bah!"[/color] She flung the orange potion towards Kate. [color=ff9000]"Drink that potion of strength. It’ll help keep you safe anyway.”[/color]

[color=Red]“W-What the…?!”[/color] Kate stammered as the potion and coin purse were thrown at her. [color=Red]“Uh, thanks, but I’m not really a fighter,”[/color] the photographer protested, even as she caught both items. [color=Red]“I just kinda took a wrong turn and wound up here.”[/color]

[color=DarkGray]“So yer a student?”[/color] the punk rocker asked with a raised eyebrow. [color=DarkGray]“Then why tha hell ain’t ya wearin’ a uniform?”[/color]

[color=Red]“Oh, uh, I’m not a student,”[/color] Kate corrected, even as she backed away from both the monster and the magical girls. [color=Red]“I’m just a simple photographer. So, uh, I’ll just get out of your way now,”[/color] she added with a slightly nervous chuckle, while preparing to make a dash for the exit. 

The next one to speak wasn’t any of the magical girls, but the monster at the end of the sport’s yard. It was a giant doll dressed up in a tattered school uniform. The marinette doll’s strings disappeared into the sky, and its eye sockets were filled with fire. Its gaze was locked onto Kate. [b]”Just a photographer?!”[/b] The puppet took a clumsy step forward. It was supported by its strings, so the haphazard movement of its legs didn’t matter. [b]”I’m not going to pose for you! I’m not going to do what anyone wants! I want my own freedom!”[/b] With a crack, the monster lunged forwards. The time spell no longer restrained the creature. 

With a flail of its arm, a burning grandstand fell out of the sky and crumpled into a massive heap in front of the exit portal. An expeditious escape was no longer possible.

[color=ff9000]"Fighter or not, you’re here now!"[/color] Oros the Shrewd drew a pair of frying pans from her massive backpack. They were held together by a short chain. [color=ff9000]"Seek cover, and don’t drop my money!"[/color] Was her warcry before racing after the giant fire-eyed puppet.

[color=Red][i]Cover?[/i][/color] Kate thought as she looked over the various highly unsafe objects scattered around the periphery of the field with a dubious frown. [color=Red][i]Screw that…[/i][/color]

Quickly placing the money pouch and the potion vile in her coat pockets, the photographer produced an ornate whistle. If her surroundings provided no suitable cover, then she would just have to create her own. No sooner had she blown on the whistle, then a pair of enormous demonic lions in spiky obsidian armor appeared before her, shielding the photographer from the monstrous marionette’s flailing charge. 

Meanwhile, the punk rocker was assisting her pink-haired ally. 

[color=DarkGray]“Hey ass wipe!”[/color] she called up to the ambling monster. [color=DarkGray]“Yer gonna love [i]this[/i] piece, it’s called ‘Chill tha Fuck Out’!”[/color] Shredding her guitar with furious intensity, she sent several waves of sonic force, as well as a few jagged musical notes, crashing into the monster’s head.

The doll’s head rocked around on its shoulders with each blow. A crack formed right over its ear that belched fire out the side. [b]”LEave me alone!”[/b] The doll threw out its arms, and a tornado of burning sports peripherals surrounded it. While they started close to the doll’s body, their orbit expanded at an exponential rate. The gorelions winced as their massive bodies were bombarded by flaming debris. A giant cricket bat, running shoes, homework. But it wasn’t just the gorelions that were in trouble. The magical girls were at risk of getting hit too. But one ran through the flames with her weapon drawn. 

[color=ff9000]"By the might of [i]GLORY![/i]”[/color] Oros the Shrewd was quite nimble without her backpack. She raced up to the doll and smacked it in the ankle. Then it’s shin. She treated the chained pans like a set of nunchucks and it was somehow working.  Though like Nails’ attack, this only caused its body to crack and leak flames.

[color=DarkGray]“Nice work!”[/color] the rocker commended, even as she used the bladed edge of her guitar to chop through the various pieces of flaming paraphernalia like a literal axe. [color=DarkGray]“But what tha hell are tha others just standin’ around for?!”[/color]

[color=Red]“So, she finally noticed, huh?”[/color] Kate muttered. It was a strange conundrum, to be sure, not to mention inconvenient, but the photographer was confident that her two pets would be able to provide the active pair of magical girls with all the help they’d need. Indeed, after being briefly staggered by the twisted doll’s sudden attack, the two APEX-Grade armored gorelions went on the offensive.

[b]“WITNESS [i]TRUE[/i] STRENGTH!!!”[/b] the first roared as it sent the next wave of blazing projectiles hurtling back towards the monstrous marionette with a mighty swipe of its gargantuan, armored paw. Meanwhile, the second opened its pitch black maw impossibly wide, before sending a Beam of Unmaking surging into the creature’s cracked cranium.  

All of the projectile spam was making the situation hairy for Oros. So hairy that if Ari was going to GM this bit, he would undoubtedly have some of the burning debris slam into her. But the pint sized chef was nimble and aware of her surroundings. A grandstand exploded when it collided with the doll, and Oros spun like a dervish. Her pans slapped the debris away as fast as they could come. But the real devastation was happening up by the doll’s head.  It cracked open, and a school boy fell out of the wound. The doll had lost its puppet master along with its ability to move. The strings became loose as the whole mess fell.

The chef lunged for the boy and caught them mid air. She braced for a hard landing, but nothing could have prepared her for the force generated by the doll’s collapse. The ground shook when the monster crashed into it. Oros closed her eyes and braced for what came next, which was a hot explosion of light. It was loud and bright enough that it could be seen through one’s eyelids.

Once the light dimmed, all that was left of the doll was a smoldering pile of ash. The chef looked at the boy in her arms. [color=ff9000]"Are you alright, Watanabe?”[/color]

The boy only groaned in response. He made a peace sign with his hand before crossing his arms over his chest. 

[color=ff9000]"He’s safe!”[/color] Oros turned to look at Nails. [color=ff9000]"That monster wasn’t so bad. However…”[/color] She looked at the [i]single[/i] gorelion that stood at her back. [color=ff9000]"Can we trust that such planner entities won’t stir up more trouble?”[/color] Her eyes drifted over to Kate.

[color=Red]“Heck if I know,”[/color] Kate replied as she blinked away the spots in her eyes from the monster’s blinding demise. [color=Red]“And were’s Gary?!”[/color] she asked, sounding significantly more alarmed as she rapidly looked around. [color=Red]“He was just here a moment ago!”[/color]

[color=DarkGray]“Tha hell’s Gary?”[/color] Nails asked. [color=DarkGray]“An’ what tha fuck’s [i]this[/i] thing?!”[/color] she added, finally noticing the armored demonic lion sitting nearby. 

[color=Red]“She’s one of my gorelions,”[/color] Kate explained with clear annoyance. [color=Red]“And Gary’s the other one.”[/color]

[color=DarkGray]“Thought ya said ya were just some photographer?”[/color] the punk rocker asked dubiously.

[color=Red]“I [i]am[/i],”[/color] Kate shot back. [color=Red]“Doesn’t mean I can’t have pets.”[/color]

[color=ff9000]"Pets are for comfort. [i]Those[/i] are a bit more than that.”[/color] Oros folded her arms behind her back and approached the photographer. [color=ff9000]"As for ‘Gary’, he was there one moment, and gone after the flash. Did he leave?”[/color] The path back outside had been cleared out, but it was far too small for a gorelion to fit through.  [color=ff9000]"What are you even doing here? Do you typically take pictures of dungeons such as this one?”[/color]

[color=Red]“I was hired to photograph some stuff here,”[/color] Kate replied, unable to completely keep the annoyance she felt at Gary’s strange disappearance out of her voice. [color=Red]“And I [i]typically[/i] go wherever my clients need me to,”[/color] she added in a snide tone. [color=Red]“Sometimes those places can be kinda dangerous, so I decided it’d be a good idea to get some protection,”[/color] the photographer explained, gesturing to her sole remaining gorelion. [color=Red]“And yeah, pets can provide protection as well as comfort. I mean, haven’t ya ever heard of guard dogs?”[/color]

[color=ff9000]"So that’s a yes then.”[/color] Oros tapped her chin with her ladle, totally ignoring Kate’s attempt to argue hypotheticals. [color=ff9000]"Unfortunately I’m a little new to this whole thing myself. You helped us, and I’d like to help you in return.”[/color] Oros extended her hand. [color=ff9000]"If you aren’t going to buy a suit of armor, maybe I can help you find your ‘guard dog’ instead. Though I’m not sure how something so large could just vanish like that. It wouldn’t happen to have access to illusion or transmutation magic would it?”[/color]

[color=Red]“Nope, he’s mostly just a straight forward fighter,”[/color] Kate explained. [color=Red]“Besides, why would he hide now that the battle’s over? Uh, thanks for the help, though,”[/color] she added, slightly surprised by the pink-haired girl’s offer. [color=Red]“Gotta say, I really wasn’t expectin’ ya to be particularly concerned with [i]my[/i] problems, especially since it looks like you’ve got your [i]own[/i] issues to deal with,”[/color] the photographer noted, gesturing to Oros’s still freeze-framed companions. As she did so, Kate activated her Third Eye to see if she could discern the source of the mysterious temporal stasis, as well as if Gary had left any sort of trail behind in the wake of his equally mysterious disappearance.

[color=DarkGray]“Yeah, that’s weirdin’ me out, too,”[/color] Nails chimed in. [color=DarkGray]“Kohaku looked like she had some kinda time magic, right? Ya think this is all ‘cause she went a little overboard with one of ‘er spells?”[/color]

Oros nodded. [color=ff9000]"Probably.”[/color] Kate’s Third Eye confirmed as much, although if the missing gorelion had left a trail, no sign was forthcoming. [color=ff9000]"She seemed taken back once she realized which student it was. I wouldn’t put it past the chronomancer to put her all into her next attack. I suppose she went a little overboard.”[/color]  Oros cleared her throat and wiggled her fingers. [color=ff9000]"I’ll take my money back if you don’t need it.”[/color]

[color=Red]“Sure thing,”[/color] Kate replied, handing the coin pouch back to the pinkette. [color=Red]“Welp, I should probably get goin’ now,”[/color] the photographer added, even as her sole remaining “pet” returned to her whistle. [color=Red]“I’m [i]pretty[/i] sure I know someone who can help me find Gary, and I’ve got a feelin’ I’ll be seein’ ‘em sooner, rather than later… Oh, and, uh, good luck with the whole ‘temporal stasis’ thing.”[/color]

After examining the pouch, Oros approached her back pack. [color=ff9000]"I’m sure she’ll snap out of it. Even if I have to wait months for her mana to run dry first, I’m sure our story doesn’t end here.”[/color]

[color=DarkGray]“Yeah,”[/color] Nails agreed with a toothy grin, while resting her guitar on her shoulder. [color=DarkGray]“We can’t let our first gig be our… Did you say [i]MONTHS?!![/i]”[/color]