A battle took place. Orange lights blocked the windows of a single house as darkness swallowed the city. Two Empaths were in struggle, shooting blasts powered with emotions at one another. However, only one of them had bathed in the seas of sorrow, wandered the streets of rage, climbed the mountains of despair, delved into the forest of anxiety or flown in the skies of hate. Only one of them had access to an interdimensional horror to guide them to the most emotionally charged worlds available. The battle quickly quieted down, the lights fading. A while after, a [url=https://i.imgur.com/m4rTXOi.jpg]many-legged being landed on top of the building.[/url]

[color=fa898b]‘In here? Alright. Thanks,’[/color] Ronja Koskela said into her phone as she carefully wandered the roof, one pair of legs moving at a time. Her hands spun her parasol, looking down on the fairly average building on the outskirts of Penrose at dusk. She closed the call and deposited her phone in the slight space in-between where her belly was swallowed into the spider’s abdomen that was her lower half and where her torso actually ended. Here, eh? There was an open window. Ronja crawled down easily over the wall and went inside.

No damage from the battle that had taken place was visible. Merely some chairs that had been knocked over and the occasional slide-mark from furniture. Notably a mirror of Asengav was leaning on the far wall, untouched. In the middle of the battlefield was a downed Magical Girl with half-open mouth and lifeless eyes, and standing over her was the [url=https://i.imgur.com/4rEtFz1.png]smirking purple-clad blonde girl[/url] that was Suzette Laderoute, Empath of Asengav.

[color=fcda2b]‘You took your time,’[/color] Suzette said with a smirk.

[color=fa898b]‘I had to cross dimensions to get here,’[/color] Ronja defended. She looked at the girl on the floor. [color=fa898b]‘That her?’[/color]

[color=fcda2b]‘Yupp. She’s a Puchuu girl that has been keeping up-to-date on the situation here in Penrose. I went ahead and punched all the will to resist out of her, so you can go ahead with the questioning. I’m going to go drench myself in hatred in the meantime,’[/color] Suzette said, before turning to walk towards the mirror. Ronja kept her eyes focused on the downed Magical Girl, breathing out a bit.

[color=fa898b]‘Someone might have heard your fight. I would like to have some form of backup,’[/color] Ronja stated. Suzette merely giggled as she knocked on the mirror. After a bit of time, it shimmered and opened a pathway to a world Ronja wasn’t familiar with.

[color=fcda2b]‘Aw, is our residential spider-girl feeling lonely?’[/color] Suzette looked back with a smirk. [color=fcda2b]‘Don’t worry. I just emptied myself. It was extremely draining to win while making sure there was no residential damage, I need to refill. I’ll be back when I’m full~’[/color] Suzette giggled, before exiting through the mirror and vanishing from this world. Ronja merely sighed, and then crawled up to the downed Magical Girl. She took her phone out again and sent a message.

“Emptiness Empath” and “Psychorachnid” finishing up, should arrive in time.

Then, she turned to the girl beneath her, giving a little smile and spinning her parasol.

[color=fa898b]‘Alright. Time for you to share everything you know about the situation in Penrose,’[/color] Ronja said, moving a hand down and stroking the hair of the girl. One of her spider-legs settled on the girl’s stomach.

[color=fa898b]‘Don’t worry about feeling guilty,’[/color] she continued, as she pulled her hand and strands of memories left the girl’s mind in the shape of spider-web for Ronja to inspect. 

[color=fa898b]‘You won’t remember.’[/color]

[hr]
Lily stopped her motorcycle on top of the apartment building she and Alex were staying at, and then jumped off it,  landing on the balcony to their apartment. She could have used the front door, but at that moment she was so happy she wanted to do things the more energetic way. She even hopped on the sofa, transforming back to her regular appearance as she held a hand to her ear looking at the ceiling.
[color=fff200]"That was great, wasn't it?"[/color] She asked Alex. Then she nodded her head upon hearing Ixion speak in her head; she held her hand to her ear as if she was on the phone.
[color=fff200]"Yeah, I know...I'll start looking tomorrow. I'm sure a ghosting ghoul like that's easy to find."[/color]
She then stood up and stretched her arms.
[color=fff200]"To think that so many other girls were there helping out...We might be able to reach Victoria's dream. Huh, what is it Alex?"[/color] She asked in her bubbly demeanor, and went to the kitchen.

She opened the door to the fridge...And slammed it shut upon hearing his question. She blushed, her face a complete red as her legs began shaking.
[color=fff200]"Wh-What?"[/color] She reached in her pocket reflexively, feeling the ring that Alex gave her.
[color=fff200][i]Wait, didn't he propose to me? What is going on? Oh geez, don't panic in front of him![/i][/color]
She gave a nervous laugh, and turned towards Alex, leaning against the fridge as if she took refuge from it; her teeth began chattering from the cold.
[color=fff200]"Aha, well...I don't know!"[/color] She stood back up, and gave a forced smile as she raised her shoulders and cocked her head to the side.
[color=fff200]"I mean, I kissed a girl and liked it, but that doesn't make her my girlfriend, haha."[/color] It only took a single second to pass before Lily's joking confidence utterly shattered upon her realization, and she began panicking, talking in a rapid pace.
[color=fff200]"No, forget what I said! I didn't want to kiss her, she just came up to me and did it, I didn't know what I was doing and-and I don't like girls-I mean I do like them but not in THAT way!"[/color]
As her anxiety started to reach critical mass, she lunged towards Alex, and hugged him. She shook as she buried her face in his chest.
[color=fff200]"Why...Why do you think I changed my costume today, Alex?"[/color] She asked, her breath shallow as she was on the verge of crying.
[color=fff200]"I've seen it...The way you look at other girls, and their...Ugh. I just know, you're gonna leave me behind...Like everyone else I've known. That's why I just rode from town to town; If I stayed for long, I would just be..."[/color] Tears drifted down her cheeks, and stained his clothes.
[color=fff200]"But...this time I stayed...Because Penrose needs my help...You need my help. You're such a dummy...You even proposed, yet you still don't get it..."[/color]

[hr]
Helga stood firm with her hands clasped in front of her, her face not moving an inch as Boteg explained the situation; her experience as Justine's lackey taught her to be diligent and attentive. She faced Su's suggestion with a nod, her eyes determined. "Yeah, I agree. Mariette wants to deny it, but she and Justine are not so different. She also has ambition...And the will to realize it." She then blinked as Mika showed off her performance, followed by wide-eyed awe. "Ahh, that's amazing, Mika!" She went over to the shorter girl, and patted her on the head. "Don't you worry, ok Mika? Me and Su will be coming right back. I promise. Alright, let's go, Su." She said, and followed after her waving off to Mika as she did. During the short time she had known the Beast girl, she had found herself drawn to her; maybe it was because she reminded her of her own wild past, or the fact she always wanted a little sister who she could dote over, and be idolized by, but in either case Helga felt a bond with her. "So, where are we headed to?"

[hr]
The ursine judge cast a mean look towards Janet when she rejected the charges. It looked like she struck a nerve with the Beckoner, and with good reason. The entire hall was silent, tension high in the air. 
"So you plead innocent...They always do," he spoke in a cold voice. "But is that really true?" He looked towards Alicia, expecting her to answer. After the Light user's confirmation, the spectators reacted confused, having not expected that to happen. 
"Is Alicia lying?" She could hear a whisper among many others. 
"I hear she actually slapped Cherry. The nerve of her." 
"She turned into a bully!" 
"I hope I'm not next..."

The judge sighed. "Very well. Prosecution, do you want to make your case now?" Sylvia nodded, and responded with a professional rigidness: "Yes, your honor. I would like to present evidence." She brought out a crystal ball, and from it projected a magical illusion to the upper center of the hall, where everyone could see it.
"This is surveillance footage depicting the training hall just moments before the incident." Alicia saw how Janet walked past the camera; she was wearing a black dress, carried a sports bag, and smiled and waved on her way.
Sylvia looked disheartened by seeing it again.
"As you can see, miss Howell was at the scene of the crime, planting the bomb. Next, I would like to ask for a witness to give testimony." Soon, another pod joined the center; Cherry was on it. Sylvia moved in front of her with his own podium. "Miss Sugarsweet, did you see miss Howell at the scene of the crime?"
Cherry bit her lip as she saw Alicia, but then took a deep breath. "I did...Janet walked right through the entrance as I began my shift. I traded with Cola, who had an appointment at the training hall." She looked shaken. "I...She didn't make it." She pointed at Janet, holding back tears. "And that bitch killed her!"
The judge banged his mallet again. "Order in court! Janet Howell, how do you answer to these claims?"
He asked, and the jury began writing on their smartphones.