[center][h3]...Elsewhere...[/h3][/center] [@Erode] [color=ade81b]”You don't know who I am?”[/color] Her arms remained on either side of Amaryllis. [color=ade81b]”How is that even possible? Well, I don't think you're lying.”[/color] The girl took a step backwards. [color=ade81b]”Lets start over.”[/color] She blinked a few times before saying anything. [color=ade81b]”I'm Betty Barton. I'm protecting someone from mint agents. Who might you be?”[/color] [hr] [center][img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/4bea0f5298c687f13222714ecfd3dad3/tumblr_pczx4qmC3p1w6599so5_r2_640.png [/img][/center] Mika watched as Rina flew over her head and hit the ground running, heading off towards the conflict. [color=tomato]"I think we came on too strong, Lupa."[/color] Mika giggled. [color=tomato]"Of course not! You're a fantastic wing man!"[/color] [color=afab2c]“Donuts!”[/color] Mika picked up the bag of donuts. She felt pretty proud of herself. This was the second time she tried to talk to someone, and it went rather well. Mika was starting to think she had a gift for this sort of thing. But then she realized that, again, she failed to get a name out of the person. A transmission from Boteg pulled Mika out of her thoughts. [i][color=gold]"Thou shall protect thy home while thy allies do work most splendid."[/color][/i] [color=tomato]"Actually, I'm going to the disturbance."[/color] [i][color=gold]"Wha-"[/color][/i] Boteg's voice was trembling. [i][color=gold]"Little scare! Thou allies are already en route! Do not become a yeastly clapper-clawed barnacle! Defend thy home at once!"[/color][/i] A cloud appeared under Mika and Lupa's feet and they shot off into the distance. [color=tomato]"Sorry Boteg, but I really need to get this girl's name. I've been here for a few weeks and you guys are still my only friends."[/color] [i][color=gold]"Little scare!?"[/color][/i] The dragon swallowed. [i][color=gold]"Dragon scare, you must not leave thy home! Sky scare has most splendid reinforcements! Thou shall protect thy true master!"[/color][/i] [hr] [center][img]https://78.media.tumblr.com/74a4dbc1a92b61b102d27c67251f3aef/tumblr_pczx4qmC3p1w6599so6_640.png[/img][/center] Elroy was counting the incoming magical girls. [color=c9272c]"Eight, nine, ten, eleven, and they keep on coming."[/color] He nodded. [color=c9272c]"I can take numbers like that with my hands tied behind my back, sand pushed up to my waist line, and a bag tied around my head!"[/color] [color=f200f2]"That's about the numbers I was expecting."[/color] Regina didn't flinch. [color=f200f2]"They outnumber us Elroy, and even if they didn't, they just have to disrupt the ritual."[/color] Elroy chuckled. [color=c9272c]"I hate to be the one to break it to you Regina, but if you expected us to go against odds that we couldn't possibly beat, might not have been a great idea to start this thing."[/color] [color=f200f2]"I never said we couldn't beat them, or even that they had an advantage."[/color] Regina reached between her breasts. [color=f200f2]"Say Elroy, you're a curious sort. What do you think would happen if a monster girl used a black coin?"[/color] [color=c9272c]"I imagine it would do something super cool. Like unleash rampant corruption through their bodies, infusing them with unimaginable power while inflicting mental mutations that are impossible to overcome. They would become saturated in negative emotions so intense that they become an entirely different person. At that point they aren't merely monsters, but demons."[/color] He looked to Regina. [color=c9272c]"Or maybe they turn into something called a monster queen, or I guess king if they were a boy. One of those options, if they don't die first."[/color] Regina was flipping a black coin between her fingers. [color=f200f2]"Would you like to find out?"[/color] [color=c9272c]"Did you..."[/color] Elroy placed his hand on top of his head. [color=c9272c]"Did you not hear a single word I said?"[/color] [color=f200f2]"What's the matter Elroy? I didn't think you were the type to be cautious."[/color] [color=c9272c]"You're not the type to smile, and here you are."[/color] [color=f200f2]"I'm like anyone else. I smile when I'm happy."[/color] Regina held the coin up to her face. [color=f200f2]"I've been waiting for this moment ever since Veronica handed me this coin. Using this makes us a big player. It puts us on the same level as Justine Von Visceral."[/color] [color=c9272c]"I seem to remember people saying she turned up missing, her castle is in ruins-"[/color] [color=f200f2]"Elroy"[/color] Regina fret her brow. [color=f200f2]"The only thing I need to be happy in this world is one person like Annabelle. The world had my entire life to give me that, and they never delivered, not once. The closest thing I've ever had is you."[/color] She placed her hand on Elroy's shoulder. [color=f200f2]"You want me to be happy, right Elroy? You understand that we need to use this in order to win."[/color] [color=c9272c]"...Yes."[/color] [color=f200f2]"Then lets do it together."[/color] Regina's grin spread across her face as she held the coin out. [color=f200f2]"Put your hand over it."[/color] Elroy groaned. [color=c9272c]"You guys better cook me a pizza after this."[/color] He placed his hand over the coin, and black clouds spiraled outwards in all directions. They were thick like smoke, and rolled over the graveyard. Even the incoming magical girls weren't safe as the inescapable cloud blew past them. Shrouding them in darkness. The smoke did not clear out entirely but sections of the graveyard did. This fragmented the group and forced them to fight apart in several small squads. They were all pit against different opponents in cut off sections of the graveyard. [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/NgWhiMr.png[/img] [hider=Tonya “Mac” Murphy] [b]Age: 24/11 | Gender: Female/Female | Illusion, Gravity Body | Power of Friendship, Regeneration, Third Eye | Moirai Coercion, Soul Jar, Martial Training, True Sight, Parasite, Gifted, Awareness, Mystic Artifact Magical Overload, Paragon, Blessing, Gifted Item | Monster Form, Big Brother, Arrogance, Vendetta Redirected Magic, Second Specialization | Non-Standard Limbs, Destroyer[/b] STR: 05 | AGI: 04 | VIT: 05 | MAG: 03 | LCK: 03 STR: 10 | AGI: 08 | VIT: 11 | MAG: 17 | LCK: 05 Earnings this post: Zilch Total: 3 Gold, 100 Silver, 99 Bronze [/hider][/center] Well, it looked like it was starting. Mac pounded her fists together before stepping into the darkness. [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/J6L6WUu.png[/img][/center] [@FamishedPants] After Silhouette, Mika and Lupa hit the smoke and got to the other side, they found themselves staring at what looked like a mausoleum, surrounded by various cross-shaped graves. Atop the mausoleum stood a noble knight, her sword drawn and wearing a knight's helmet, with the visor opened. Her red cape fluttered in the stormy winds. [b]We meet again, Black Rogue,[/b] Shona addressed Silhouette, pointing her sword at her. [b]"You are tainted by darkness, and beyond salvation. By Beacon's merciful light, I shall smite you."[/b] She lowered her visor. [b]"I challenge you to a duel. Face me in single combat![/b] She stomped down on the mausoleum's roof, and cast a spell of protection on herself, strengthening her defenses with barriers of Reinforcement; in fact, a magical knight's shield formed on her free arm, shining with the symbol of Beacon. As she did that, the small structure began trembling. Then, out of the dark depths began swarming Horror minions; small blobs with tentacles for arms and legs, and eyes for facial features, with varying humanoid shapes. However, they seemed to ignore Silhouette completely, and instead focused on Mika, who was still carrying Lupa on her back. The horrorlings were also glowing, their power amplified by Shona's magic, and they seemed to fight in rank and file, almost human in their intelligence thanks to Shona's Power of Friendship. Having confirmed that Mika and Lupa were occupied by the monsters, Shona leapt off the mausoleum, aiming a downward slash with her sword at Silhouette. [color=tomato]"Lupa, let's wrestle!"[/color] As the monsters approached, Mika offloaded Lupa and changed her arms into bear claws. Then she started beating them as they came close. Lupa was able to quickly transform and join in, punching straight through their bodies. [color=afab2c]“There's a lot of them. But there were a lot of skeletons too.”[/color] Fortunately, Mika didn't have to mentally command Lupa to do every little thing. She seemed to be capable of defending herself just fine. However, Mika wasn't about to leave part of her pack out here by herself. [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/PJ79Jpk.png[/img][/center] [@Rune_Alchemist] Su and Chloe broke through the wall of smoke together. They appeared to be in the pet cemetery that was located inside the graveyard. The gravestones were small statues, few rising above the knees. The largest grave was a statue depicting a trio of dogs howling at the moon together. [color=PeachPuff]”Were we the only ones who made it? I doubt everyone would have run away from some black smoke.”[/color] “Gah!” Alicia stumbled away from some horrific minions, nearly tripping on a statue of a bunny. Blobs of tar with eyes floating in them. They rolled forward as their eyes constantly rearranged themselves. “It's an ambush!” [color=PeachPuff]”Alicia?”[/color] Su raised an eyebrow. [color=PeachPuff]”Weren't you behind us?”[/color] “Something threw me!” She pointed over her shoulder. “Can you [i]please[/i] just shoot the monsters already?” [color=PeachPuff]”Right.”[/color] Su fired some small cyclones at the towering horrors. [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/jNxFdd2.png[/img][/center] [@FamishedPants][@Card Captor] Alexander and Emily were surrounded by dozens of empty graves. Things had gotten so bad in Penrose that sometimes they would dig graves in advance just to have them on hand. It was just a rumor, but it looked like it might be true. Sitting in the middle of it all was a giant black mass with a single eye and tentacles. Standing on top of it was non other than Tonya. [b]”T-that boy from the colosseum!”[/b] She was looking directly at Alexander. [b]”Alright buster! I tried to swing you to the right side before, but you were too ignorant and [i]stuck up[/i] to help us beacon girls save Annabelle!”[/b] She folded her arms. [b]”Just because you're a healing expert doesn't mean you can sit on the side lines and act all indifferent! You need to take a stand for what's right! And what's right is Beacon!'”[/b] [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/NeE16on.png[/img][/center] [@Shifter_Master] Lily and Kyle both emerged from the smoke to the sound of Abigail's obnoxious laughter. The gravestones here were mostly traditional tombstones, Though it looked like funeral service was prepared, but everyone fled once the ritual started. The casket was suspended over a hole, and there were yellow roses scattered about the area. Just behind it, Abigail was surrounded by robed cultists who's heads were a single massive eye. There was a giant horror behind her that had a large bubble on its back. The bubble was transparent, and a nebulous energy was swirling around inside it. [b]”Hi Aurelio!”[/b] Abigail gave her fellow beacon boy a wave. [b]”Did you want to try meeting the Bates again? They were kind of disappointed you ran off.”[/b] She placed a hand on her chest. [b]”I for one was a bit troubled that you didn't want to join us. I thought we were friends!”[/b] She started to blush, and her eyes closed to half mast. [b]”I let you touch my hand, and I let you put that magic mark on me. Hoping that you'd come by. Once, even just once.”[/b] She sniffed, and tears started to run down her face. [b]”I thought we had something after that!”[/b] [hr] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/QvNUXM6.png[/img][/center] [@Flamelord][@DarkwolfX37][@Rune_Alchemist] Alicia, Summer, and Rina were the only ones who made it to the center of the graveyard. Off in the distance was the crypt, which was the only source of light in this place. The dim glow of a powerful magical barrier kept intruders out. Standing on top of the crypt were the monster of the hour: Regina and Elroy. But they were different. [url=https://i.imgur.com/EY2eZMU.jpg]Regina[/url] looked a lot more primal in appearance. Her horns were longer, she had more of them, and her tail looked like a long black spine. There was also a massive dragon head hovering over her shoulder, salivating as it eyed up the magical girls. [url=https://i.imgur.com/JM6qVPM.png]Elroy[/url] looked different too. He looked less like a monster and more like a king. He wore a cape and had gilded chains holding his regal outfit together. Elroy even wore a clip that looked like a crown, as if signifying his right to rule. [color=c9272c]"Socks!"[/color] Elroy cast out his arms. [color=c9272c]"How long has it been? I know it's been a little over a month, but it feels like a little over a year, doesn't it?"[/color] The boy jumped off the top of the crypt and landed in front of the girls. He already had his shield and gauntlets drawn. [color=f200f2]"Hope you weren't expecting to just march in here."[/color] Regina Raised her rifle, but didn't look through the sights. [color=f200f2]"Tell her how it is, Elroy. I'm ready to start."[/color] [color=c9272c]"Surely we can spend a second catching up, right?"[/color] Elroy tucked a hand into one of his pockets, remaining stationary. [color=c9272c]"That was a wild night though, wasn't it?"[/color] Elroy tipped his head. [color=c9272c]"I mean, tin can tried to kill my sister, I thought she did, and then I got sorta mad at her. I think that's cool because I remember we were almost done talking our way to a peaceful solution."[/color] He pointed at himself. [color=c9272c]"But I was the one you decided to shoot at. I find that kind of interesting."[/color] He chuckled. [color=c9272c]"Now don't worry, I'm aware all three of you are pissing yourselves right now, but there is no correct answer to the question I'm about to ask. Admission of guilt doesn't lower your sentence in the Bate's court. But before I slaughter the three of you, I just gotta know if Socks would have done things differently knowing what she does now."[/color] His eyes focused solely on Alicia. [color=c9272c]"Is that really what Beacon stands for? Helping your own, even when they're in the wrong?"[/color] Alicia did't know Elroy well, but she could tell he had changed. This wasn't the patient boy who wanted to peacefully talk out of a fight, or was willing to ask her if he'd let her retreat. Whatever sort of transformation he went through did more than just alter his appearance and power.