[sub][sub]Each banner is a link to the swimsuit image[/sub][/sub] [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/Jn7vOgv.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/EpXJFMo.png[/img][/url] & [url=https://i.imgur.com/5qkzALc.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/J4G0ZHT.png[/img][/url][/center] Mariette spent a while using portals to examine the different islands, disguised somewhat by Eli’s Darkness magic. It wasn’t the most optimal of scouting techniques, as anyone with Third Eye could still detect their magic and Third Eye was a bit too common for Mariette’s tastes, but given the circumstances they were in it was something they’d simply have to accept. Eventually, the scanning was done and a message was given to the forces on the island they had started on, before Mariette emerged from a portal on a currently unoccupied part of the main island. So, it was a tropical paradise, pretty much, and more people were arriving… [color=57a345]‘It could be a trap, of some kind. Draw everyone to the main island… but if they wished any harm upon us they could have done that without drawing us from one island to another,’[/color] Eli analyzed, gazing around with her own Third Eye. [color=57a345]‘My Third Eye isn’t giving me any clues, and we’ve already searched mostly everywhere. Mistress, what do we do?’[/color] Eli asked, looking over at Mariette. [color=1462ba]‘…’[/color] Mariette stared silently down into one of the pools available. So… people enjoyed soaking themselves in these pools for their own pleasure, did they? This was what people thought of when they thought “luxury”... [color=57a345]‘… Mistress?’[/color] Eli asked, tilting her head. [color=1462ba]‘… Let’s take a bath,’[/color] Mariette declared, to Eli’s surprise, the reflective witch putting Bunny to the side so that she could lower herself gently down into the water, letting the fluids swirl around her body and embrace her. It was… comfortably warm… Mariette blushed a little as she got her shoulders under the water, staring down at her own reflection. Eli looked down at her, and gave a little smile. [color=57a345]‘As you wish, Mistress,’[/color] Eli simply said, and then gently put her slime body down into the water as well, controlling her body to ensure her body didn’t disperse in the bath. Then, it was Mariette and Eli in a pool, silently enjoying a warm bath on a tropical paradise. [color=1462ba]‘This… is nice,’[/color] Mariette silently stated. [color=57a345]‘Yes, yes it is, Mistress,’[/color] Eli replied, still smiling. [hr] [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/cvXOTLu.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/8zS8DOg.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=f79ceb]‘A challenge to get to the center island without getting wet?’[/color] Victoria asked, with one raised eyebrow. [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/9tdS6Xs.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/OHT6W9q.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=ffd230]‘Hey, are we five already disqualified then? We already bathed!’[/color] Suzette asked with a grin, meaning herself, Ronja, Taihei, Josefin and Lea. [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/kCbjCky.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/y0zzSBD.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=fcedae]‘I-I’m sure they’re nice enough to only count it if we get wet while trying to complete the challenge!’[/color] Josefin said, eyes wide and slightly panicking. [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/L5hmJYW.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/QOnZmhb.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=c0b2eb]‘Wouldn’t count on it,’[/color] Taihei said, gazing away for the moment. [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/pmNgzlB.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/mRRJAAC.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=b7c775]‘Hmpf. How childish,’[/color] Lea shook her head a bit. She then took off into the skies with Wind-magic, crossing the waters on her own towards the main island. [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/MqQSqwI.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/mGU2xUG.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=d9c689]‘Regardless. Have we decided we’re crossing?’[/color] Freya asked, looking about at the present individuals. [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/wYcB1yb.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/lo9nct4.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=fc6828]‘Yeah! All the fun is gathering at the main island, and I want to be there!’[/color] Mayra called out, eyes wide and excited. [color=d9c689]‘Alright. As sub-commander, I then declare. Ronja, Suzette and me will be one group, the group the people of Penrose already know are hostile,’[/color] Freya said. [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/UNpaXai.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/mYFkoVx.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=977acc]‘Only a portion of them~’[/color] Ronja said, the spider-girl giving a little playful smile. [color=d9c689]‘Others already know Victoria, Jelena and Mayra know each other. Tullia, I’m assigning you to look after the three of them,’[/color] Freya continues, looking over at the named group. [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/DiEh1Eg.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/kBqIcFn.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=b6bccc]‘Me?’[/color] Tullia asked in surprise. She quickly regained her cool. [color=b6bccc]‘Alright. I’ll do my best.’[/color] [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/Hzh37Gf.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/jlgg4mv.png[/img][/url][/center] [color=b0817b]‘What? We don’t need looking after!’[/color] Jelena complained with a frown. [color=f79ceb]‘Yes, we do,’[/color] Victoria said with a shrug, getting Jelena to glare at her. [color=fc6828]‘Ahahahahaha! This is going to be so much fun!’[/color] Mayra called, jumping on the spot. [color=d9c689]‘Taihei, Josefin, you’re a group, because…’[/color] Freya started, looking over at the two. [color=fcedae]‘Because only I am lucky enough to survive being paired with Taihei,’[/color] Josefin nodded, still looking a bit scared. [color=c0b2eb]‘Let’s go, then,’[/color] Taihei grabbed Josefin’s hand, making the girl flinch a bit, before both of them rose from the ground and flew by some unseen method over the waters. Of course, various spontaneous mini-tsunamis and underwater geysers tried to wet the two on the way, but Taihei’s significant magical protection guarded them. Then a whale emerged trying to splash them on the way up, and then down. Then an octopus managed to grab Taihei's foot while she was defending against the whale's droplets. Realizing she had already gotten wet from the octopus tentacle, Taihei grabbed and threw Josefin safely ashore while Taihei was pulled into the depths by the octopus. Josefin was like [color=fcedae]‘Taihei, nooooooooo’[/color] and grieving for the comrade that sacrificed herself so Josefin could get ashore dry. Then there was something like a depth charge going off, and pieces of octopus drifted to the surface while Taihei climbed ashore at the beach to a Josefin that promptly hugged her. [color=ffd230]‘And I guess I’ll be lifting you~’[/color] Suzette said, letting yellow magical energy flow out and surround Ronja. [color=ffd230]‘I only have around enough emotional energy inclined towards [i]flight[/i] to get there once, but that’ll do, won’t it?’[/color] Suzette declared with a smile. [color=977acc]‘Mm. Yeah, it’ll do,’[/color] Ronja said, before the two of them lifted up, and took a detour to not look like they came from the same place. They'd arrive without complication. [color=b0817b]‘Wait, how are we crossing, then?’[/color] Jelena asked, frowning. [color=d9c689]‘Oh, I’m sure you’ll find some way,’[/color] Freya said, gazing towards the central island. [color=f79ceb]‘Sounds like you have a way already,’[/color] Victoria commented, looking at their monster sub-commander. [color=d9c689]‘Yeah. While this distance would be too far for basically any magical girl to jump…’[/color] Freya told, crouching into a prepared position. [color=d9c689]‘I’m not any magical girl,’[/color] And with that, Freya thrust down with her legs and bolted off into the skyline with an absurd jump that sent a slight shock-wave over the four that remained. A small dot that was Freya could be seen in the sky for a moment, before she fell down towards the main island… only to splash down into the shallow waters a few meters shy of the shore. Because [i]no magical girl can jump the gap[/i]. A blank-faced and freshly bathed Freya walked up on the shore, stretching for a moment due to feeling the impact of hitting the water. She then look around herself to see what was around her. She wasn’t going to socialize with anyone just yet unless they came and talked to her first. [color=fc6828]‘Hahahaha! That was awesome! That’s an awesome jump! She didn't make it, but she’s sure stronger than I am!’[/color] Mayra called with a laugh. [color=fc6828]‘I wanna wrestle her!’[/color] [color=b0817b]‘Don’t, you’ll lose. … Unless you use your flames, of course. You don’t get Freya’s kind of strength while retaining magical prowess…’[/color] Jelena said with a sigh, then looked across the waters. [color=b0817b]‘But now I’m really curious as to how the four of us remaining will cross.’[/color] Tullia and Victoria exchanged a look, Tullia transferring the plan with no need for spoken words, and Victoria smirked. [color=f79ceb]‘Stand back, me and my partner has this covered,’[/color] Victoria said, a touch of pride in her voice. [color=b0817b]‘Oh?’[/color] [color=fc6828]‘Oh-hoh!?’[/color] the metal girl and the dragon girl made noises of interest, and Tullia nodded to Victoria. Then, Tullia called forth her staff, and… [color=b6bccc]‘By the power of the Bifrost!’[/color] [color=f79ceb]‘Freeze solid!’[/color] Victoria called out after Tullia, and the two ice-girls sent forth a powerful directed freezing beam which was directed directly down into the ocean. It froze the outer layer of the water, even building walls to the left and right to prevent splashing water from getting over and splashing those trying to cross the bridge. [color=b6bccc]‘Follow us! This is a continuous operation, we’ll need to continue freezing until we’ve reached the other side!’[/color] Tullia called, starting to walk, staff and beam maintained before her. [color=f79ceb]‘Yeah, gotta maintain the spell so it doesn’t melt beneath your feet~!’[/color] Victoria said with a grin, following Tullia, freezing any water that was about to overcome their barriers. [color=b0817b]‘Well, suppose that works,’[/color] Jelena stated, putting her arms behind her head and walking onwards over the ice bridge, then almost slipping and using her metal magic to put spikes under her feet and then continuing. [color=fc6828]‘Hahahahaha! We’ll get to the island dead last!’[/color] Mayra laughed, but yet happily started walking along the ice bridge they were creating, and would arrive sooner or later. [hr] Strange. Exceedingly strange, thought the tiny girl that ran about inside the little house she had been placed inside. Her patron was gone, he hadn’t been taken along with her, but she herself had woken up here along most of her stuff and some additional things that she hadn’t had before this, and then this strange creature appeared before her and told her that a bunch of customers were going to arrive. Well. Better just get her shop ready to open! Not the way she had imagined her grand opening day, but HEY! She was nothing if not adaptable! [color=f03aa1]‘OKAY! Brittany’s Bewitched Beach Boutique is ready to roll!’[/color] Brittany announced, holding a bat out over the register into the store, which was for some reason placed in the middle of a tropical paradise. Also, Brittany was in a swimsuit and a fancy hat. Which was curious, but Brittany wasn’t about to pay it any additional mind! [hider=Brittany Todd][center][url=https://i.imgur.com/3fX9xeD.jpg ][img]https://i.imgur.com/3fX9xeDl.jpg[/img][/url] → [url=https://i.imgur.com/bgCtn2S.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/bgCtn2Sl.png[/img][/url][/center][/hider] [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/bgCtn2S.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/pZ7fE6g.png[/img][/url][/center] With that, Brittany ran over and turned the sign at the entrance from “Closed” to “Open”. [sub][sub]Though, you might want to wait for Ari’s next post before you visit.[/sub][/sub] [hr] Meanwhile. On island 3. As the main party sailed away on a ghost ship, a single girl stepped out from the palm trees. A tall girl with long brown hair and glasses. She looked around in slight confusion through her bespectacled eyes, having found herself in a swimsuit like everyone else. [hider=swimsuit][center][url=https://i.imgur.com/H6qtbCJ.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/H6qtbCJl.jpg[/img][/url][/center][/hider] [center][url=https://i.imgur.com/H6qtbCJ.jpg][img]https://i.imgur.com/0s1JXNo.png[/img][/url][/center] Finding that the rest had left her behind not knowing she existed, she looked for anyone else. [sub][/sub] Otherwise, she noticed the sign with the challenge to get to the main island without getting wet. She didn’t have any powers to get over that distance on her own. That is, unless she… She wandered in among the palm trees and started touching them. The trees started to bend, crack, take new shapes, build themselves into… Those who looked in that direction could suddenly see that the trees on the island of group 3 was shaping themselves into a giant palm-tree trebuchet.