[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/4Q1QloC.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/PtFX7c8.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/dJeSlQf.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/9U60ttY.png[/img][/center] “...Alright, everything seems to be in order.” Dan was reading through the application Amaryllis had written in the arena’s lobby, a pair of goofy spectacles precariously fitted over his bottlenose. “You are now signed in to the Keijo tournament. Now, for the first round, I will matchmake you with a randomized oppo-” Suddenly, the front doors were slammed open, and a certain girl, one whom Amaryllis recognized, stormed in. [color=fff200]"Wait just a second!"[/color] Lily pointed right towards the taller girl, her other hand on her hip. She looked down her figure, and took a step back, as if intimidated by the sight. Nonetheless, she took a deep breath, and continued. [color=fff200]"Amaryllis Evenings! I’m not letting you show off any more! You may be sexy and strong, but that doesn’t give you the right to boast about it!"[/color] She walked right up to her, looking up at her with a scowl, her hands fisted and pushing against her sides, her chest puffed up...And biting the corner of her lip. [color=fff200]"As my sworn rival, I must defeat you, and prove myself to all that I’m better than you!"[/color] Dan was shocked, his flippers having dropped the application. [color=fff200]"That’s why...I challenge you to a Keijo match!"[/color] Dan shook his head. “I’m sorry, but Amaryllis has signed in to a team match. She is partnered with Tetrad.” Lily’s cheeks puffed, and she turned away. [color=fff200]"Aww, dangit! And I thought I finally had a chance settling this!"[/color] “Giving up that soon? And I thought the girl who killed me would be more determined than that.” Lily gasped upon hearing the voice, and watched as a pair of girls entered the lobby; Su, and Helga, who were holding hands. “But that gave me an idea!” She nudged Su’s shoulder. “Hey Su, I think I’ll join up with Lily for the tourney. After all, we can’t team up anyway, and I think she would make a decent fighting partner considering her track record of doing me in, hah.” Su nodded. [color=PeachPuff]”I figured you’d want to join this at some point..”[/color] She let go of Helga’s hand. [color=PeachPuff]”Well, I’ll be watching from the grandstands then.”[/color] She gave a bow to everyone present before departing. Lily was a bit taken aback by the nonchalant way the sharp-toothed girl went about the team up. [color=fff200]"Helga? Wait, are you sure about this? I mean, you don’t carry a grudge or anything, since...I..."[/color] Helga slapped Lily hard on her back, causing her to yelp. “Forgettaboutit!” She retorted with a fake Brooklyn accent. “They were different times, when I was going down a bad path. But thanks to that intervention, I got to turn a new leaf, and now I couldn’t be happier.” She took her hand, and gave it a frisky handshake, causing Lily to stumble a bit. “I’d be glad to be your fightin’ buddy!” Lily on the other hand still looked unsure. [color=fff200]"Well..."[/color] [color=778899]“Uh…”[/color] Amaryllis was at a loss for words during that entire display, less afraid and more confused about what had just occurred before her. Where had all this animosity come from? She turned her head slightly, tilting it. Hadn’t Lily and herself gotten along during the whole ghost attack incident? What brought [i]this[/i] on? Heck, all things considered… [color=778899]“Aren’t you like, uh...already better than me? You got more friends and all…”[/color] There was nothing particularly bitter about the statement. To Amaryllis, it simply made sense that Lily had a better life than herself. Heck, the lightning girl probably didn’t even have a Patron that communicated via stabbings. Lily’s earlier confidence seemed to gradually melt away, and she held her arm, looking aside. [color=fff200]"Well, I guess I do have some friends, more than usual...But..."[/color] Helga observed from the side, her lips curled in a non-impressed duck face as she realized Lily would be swayed by the buxom beauty’s social pressuring. So, she decided to do something about it. “Really, Lily? Are you going to let her walk all over you?” Lily froze, and glanced back at Helga, who now smirked devilishly. “If you back down now, can you live with that fact? What would the angry bo-I mean, Alex think?” Lily breathed heavily, as her thoughts went to Alex. With a trembling body she lifted a fist up. [color=fff200]"You’re right, Helga! I can’t stop now! Prepare for trouble!"[/color] She pulled out a paper, quickly scribbled her information on it, and threw it at Dan so hard the dolphin flew around in circles while hanging on to the paper. “And make it double~” Helga added afterwards, having made her application into a paper plane that she casually threw, before walking right up to Amaryllis. “Now where’s your partner? Tetrad, was it? She was also pretty stacked, huh? I bet Dan’s gonna have a field day about this when announcing the match, hah.” [color=75c159]”I’m, like, right here dude.”[/color] Tetrad was leaning up against a pillar, smacking her lips as she ate from a can of beans. She was drawing circles in the air with her spoon as she finished chewing. [color=75c159]”Anyway, I do see why Lily is kinda upset with you.”[/color] She pointed at Amaryllis with her spoon. [color=75c159]”I mean you look good, but so do ninety-nine percent of magical girls. But [i]unlike[/i] most of them, you willingly choose to be solitary and standoffish.”[/color] Tetrad took another mouthful of beans before going on. [color=75c159]”Like [i]*chew*[/i] even when I [i]*chew*[/i] invited you to come to this contest with me, [i]*munch*[/i] You avoided me for the rest of the day.”[/color] She swallowed. [color=75c159]”I don’t really care, but Lily has crippling body image issues and low self esteem. I bet she’s one of those people who has a huge hole in her heart that love will never fill, so she instead fills it with collectible anime figurines. Ignoring someone like that can be downright cold!”[/color] Tetrad walked away from the pillar and stood next to Amaryllis. She dropped her spoon in the bean can and reached an arm around her, like they were posing for a photo. [color=75c159]”Well, don’t worry about it. After the tournament, I’m going to host a beach party. You can make up with Lily then. Also, I’m hoping some of the guys show up. I’m pretty sure Alexander will be there.”[/color] Tetrad giggled. Standoffish? Solitary, Amaryllis could understand, because she was wholly self-aware of her own wallflower tendencies, but to be standoffish, didn’t that mean she had to standoff? And all things considered...what did she even [i]do[/i] with Lily? It was still bizarre, even now, and she more or less had no idea what even inspired the lightning girl’s jealousy and anger. Maybe it was just a case of mistaken identity. Not like a buxom, raven-haired girl was all THAT uncommon in Penrose. Whatever. She’ll just...not think about it. This was why she didn’t do social stuff, huh? What was she even supposed to [i]apologize[/i] for, honestly? Amaryllis narrowed her eyes. She hardly [i]knew[/i] Lily. Hm. It was making her a little more mad than she thought. Hrmm...yeah. [color=778899]“I’m [i]not[/i] going to worry about it,”[/color] Amaryllis replied, sucking in a deep breath. [color=778899]“I [i]don’t[/i] have anything to apologize for. Let’s just...go, Tetrad. God, Horrors are one thing, but who knew other girls could be just as [i]alien[/i].”[/color] [color=75c159]”That’s the spirit!”[/color] Tetrad gave Amaryllis a light squeeze before departing for the arena. Lily was upset with the insult Tetrad gave her. [color=fff200]"It’s not a collection! My mom just happened to buy me a Sailor Moon action figure!"[/color] She shouted after her, and sighed as the other girl had already left. Helga patted her on the shoulder. “It’s okay, Li’l Li. She’s the real nerd for trying so hard to act cool. I mean, did you see those tacky shades? How ridiculous!” After Amaryllis also left with scathing words, Lily stuck her tongue out at her. [color=fff200]"I knew it, those two are after Alex,"[/color] she mumbled to herself as she walked towards the portal. Then she stopped. [color=fff200]"They’re just like those bullies in high school..."[/color] She began talking, causing Helga to blink in surprise. “Huh?” [color=fff200]"The ones who wrote a fake invitation to one of their parties. I thought it was from this boy I had a crush on, but when I went there..."[/color] She shivered. [color=fff200]"It’s fine. I just gotta beat them. That’s all that matters. Let’s go Helga."[/color] Helga shrugged. “Oookay then, Li’l Li, but I think you’re projecting too much.” And with that, the two also traversed through the portal. [hr] In familiar fashion, the contestants appeared on two separate platforms that floated slight, one for each team. Between the platforms was a walkway thin enough to only fit one person to cross over it, spanning about 10 meters in its length. Lily looked around her, and looked shy; she realized their match was spectated by familiar faces, including Kimble, Alex and Su. Lily put up a brave face, and waved to her boyfriend with a smile, while Helga blew a flying kiss to Su. “I’ll get right over there after I’ve won to smooch ya!” She yelled. Dan, now wearing an Elvis outfit for some reason, made his familiar bombastic entry. “Ladies and gentleman,it’s time for twice the knockouts, and twice the Keijo; it’s a quadruple-bypass-beatdown! And now, introducing our brave contestants who have entered the ring of glory.” She pointed towards Lily and Helga. “In the southwest, there is the Slim team; a duo of dainty-looking dames who can nonetheless dish out some serious dirt!” A spotlight appeared on them. “First, we have a bright young girl who will leave you the most shocked and awed in The World! With an amazing two Specializations, this speedster can outpace even Kimble in pure agility, and leave her opponents to Bite The Dust! It’s the one, the only, LIIGHTNIIING LILYYY!” Lily made a single hop and made a pose with her V-sign fingers, causing Helga right next to her to stumble and grimace. “Next up, we have the former elite of Justine von Visceral, brutal in strength, loud in temper, and vicious in her attacks! She claws out scratches that leave you in stitches! She is the DJ of Dread, the Bass Cannon, HEEEL-GAAA!” Helga extended her claws out, and made a beckoning gesture with both of them at the audience, causing Kimble in particular to scream loudly in hype. “Opposing them is the Bounce team, two beautiful badasses who can bring in the pain!” Now the spotlight shone on the other two. “Starting off, we have a real gambler scrambling the deck! She knows how to play the game, and plays it like a Killer Queen! It’s the Girl of Gambits, the Ace of Spades, TEET-RAAAD!” Crimson Cradle cheered for her, while a certain girl in the audience booed at her, causing Dan to roll his eyes and continue. “And working as her partner in crime, we have the Flowering Swordswoman who mystifies minds with her enthralling looks, and cuts the rest into fine, flowing ribbons. She is a true mistress of the blade, her true might impossible to ignore! It’s the Midsummer Flower, AAA-MARYLLIS!” Dan waited for the noise to settle down, and lifted his tiny mic. “Now, I am not one to tell you which side is superior. Beauty, after all, is in the eye of the beholder. But today, these four girls will clash, to see who is the best! Now, on your marks,” he called first. “Get set...COME ON AND SLAM!” He launched up, as was now tradition, and the match began. “Jump on my palms, Lily!” Helga called out for Lily before she ran off, and the green-haired girl blinked. [color=fff200]"But why?"[/color] “Just trust me on this! Hurry, they’re already coming!” A breath. That was all Amaryllis needed to recalibrate herself. Was this a game? Was this a fight? No matter what it was, it certainly wasn’t a [i]social[/i] situation. Clear objectives, no feelings to consider. [color=778899]“Tetrad, I’m launching you forward. Pick up speed and run them down while they’re busy.”[/color] Ten meters was an impossible distance for a human being, but for a magical girl, it was nothing. [color=75c159]”I think-”[/color] Dropping her hips low, the Midsummer Flower rotated once, before slamming her butt into the Ace of Spades, a boom that sounded suspiciously like a broken sound barrier roaring out at the impact, before the twintailed girl was sent flying towards Helga. While Amaryllis was one of the stronger girls in the arena, Tetrad was not gifted with that kind of power. Keijo was a sport that favored the physically strong and those who had a defensive kit for their magic. Tetrad had neither of those things. While this was not a problem when it came to fighting monsters or other magical girls, it didn’t make her very good for Keijo. Maybe she had a trick or three up her sleeve, but it wasn’t becoming a human projectile on short notice. On the up side, she didn’t have to worry about running because her feet weren’t going to touch the floor. Just as Tetrad was launched, and flew over the thin platform, Lily had jumped on Helga’s opened palms. [color=fff200]"Ready for launch!"[/color] Helga smiled widely, her sharp teeth gleaming menacingly. “Here we go! Hi-Flying Raver!” She pointed her palms forwards, and just as Lily kicked off, she was blasted by a localized burst of high-frequency sound, launching her at high speed towards Tetrad. [color=fff200]"This is for trying to steal Alex! Ha-YAH!"[/color] She swerved over Tetrad mid-flight, and in that fraction of a second, accelerated her reflexes to perform a twirl of her body, hitting her butt down in a rotating fashion on Tetrad before continuing on her way. Helga was too far away to contribute, but instead clapped her hands together and extended her claws out, snarling. “I may not be able to use these...But they get me in the mood for some proper ass-kicking!” Lily dropped down in a roll on the opposite platform, and took a high-knee fighting pose. [color=fff200]"You’re my real opponent! Now, don’t hold back!"[/color] Her green hair crackled with lightning as she let energy course through her limbs, enhancing her speed and agility. She then charged forwards with gymnastic jumps, intending on landing a rolling butt slam right on top of Amaryllis’ head. Dan was right after all; Lily [i]was[/i] a speed buffer, the lightning coursing through her veins a sign of just how monstrously fast she was. But midair combat put that all to waste, and at the final sequence of the lightning girl’s acrobatics, Amaryllis jumped up, absorbing the blow. The air around them rippled at the impact, Lily’s bony butt blocked by Amaryllis’s buxom boobs, the impact wholly nullified. But how? With nothing to brace her feet against, how could she withstand such a lightning fast blow? It was her chains. Silvered ivies stretched down from her feet to the land below, anchoring her like a ship in a storm. With that momentum stopped, the two of them fell, Amaryllis landing first, Lily landing...never. Constrained with her feet off the ground, Lily felt two firm objects pressed on either side of her buttocks, pinning her like a vice and raising her beyond what her feet could reach. No fanciful movements, no extraneous flips. Only brute force grappling, taking advantage of Amaryllis’s natural strength. And, holding Lily, Amaryllis began to walk towards the edge of the platform, fully intent on just dunking the girl into the waters below. “Coming in live, it’s Dan the Dolphin and Dolly!” Dan spoke, floating over the match in what looked like a round red stage. It was set with two chairs, a wide desk, and two microphones. “The match has just started and Lily’s already in trouble, eh Dolly?” Dolly, meanwhile, observed the battle commencing before her with a calm air, her posture perfect as she watched the proceedings. [color=ccddee]“Trouble follows those who advance recklessly, after all,”[/color] was her judgment. [color=ccddee]“Despite its classification as a combat sport, Keijo, with its intense limitations on viable contact areas, is one of the most intellectually tasking sports. It comes to no surprise to me that Lily found herself in such trouble this early. The Double Arm Boob Lock was a technique designed specifically to counter such thoughtless butt thrusts.”[/color] For some reason, the gothic girl pushed two fingers up the bridge of her nose, almost as if she were adjusting a pair of glasses that were not there. [color=ccddee]“It’ll certainly take some extra effort to get out of a sticky situation, but luckily for Lily and Helga, it seems as if there’s no cohesiveness at all between Amaryllis and Tetrad.”[/color] “Still, both teams quickly overcame the limitations of the arena via some high-impact assistance! Say, I wonder if Helga’s palm cannons are also able to broadcast music? I’m always up for some technobeat rave, myself!” Getting smacked around by people’s behinds was not something Tetrad found very pleasant. That was something evident to anyone who noticed the color of Tetrad’s face change colors. It wouldn’t have been so bad if she hadn’t eaten moments before entering the ring, but that was not the case. She was thrown into the walkway, only to bounce back into the air behind Lily. She still had enough forward momentum to continue flying towards Helga. She held her fingers over her lips, and her eyes rolled back into her head. [color=75c159]”Nnnnggggghhhh!”[/color] She soared directly over Hega’s head and landed in the water. She was out of the match. Helga smiled, ready for a real fight. “Alright, this is going to be awesome! I got so many cool moves invented for this dumb sport, and I’m totally going to-NO, WAIT!” She was nonplussed as Tetrad took a splash. “Ah crap, just my luck...” She sighed, her shoulders sagging and her smile having turned into a disappointed frown. Lily was also not having a good time, but for the opposite reasons. She could not believe her own attack had proven futile before Amaryllis’ ironclad defenses, their power difference clear as day. Not only that, but she was trapped by her incredibly strong boobs. Normally, she would be able to discharge a burst of electricity and stun her grappler, but the rules forbade her from direct magical attacks. [color=fff200]"Oh no! This is bad! I gotta get out! Think, Lily...Aha!"[/color] Then, Lily began moving her hips, gradually turning faster and faster. “Oh wow, look at that, Dolly! I can’t believe what I’m seeing!” The dolphin created a magical screen that zoomed in on Lily and Amaryllis. “It looks like Lily is attempting to create enough friction with super-speed rubbing to set fire to Amaryllis’ clothes!” [color=ccddee]“Hm, an interesting choice, but far too late,”[/color] Dolly responded, silver eyes flashing bright for a moment. [color=ccddee]“The magical girl Burning Caldera Magica Eliaz utilized this technique as well in the Semi Finals of the North American Keijo Round of Queens to great effect, but she had both the advantage of a specially made swimsuit as well as being able to employ the rotational force of her entire body. In this particular case, rather than use the Hundred Demon Wildtwist, Lily would stand a better of freeing herself by…”[/color] Dolly continued, with Dan nodding and adding in some trivia of his own. Lily could only manage a small sizzle of steam before the edge of the water was near. Lily grimaced, knowing she was making a hopeless struggle...But just as Amaryllis was about to throw Lily out, Helga performed a palm cannon-propelled hip swing at her shoulder, dislocating it and causing her to release Lily right at the very edge of the pool. The green-haired girl gasped, but then expended a large charge of magic to flash step away from the edge. However, this left Helga in an awkward position, right next to the powerhouse. [color=fff200]"Helga!"[/color] Helga smiled, and straightened her back, ready to defend herself in vain from the coming knockout. “Fight, Lily. I believe in ya!” It came as a whipping blow. Stinging like a bee with the sharpest point of her bosom, Amaryllis crouched low and struck Helga in the liver, sending the redhead into a watery grave before immediately whipping back towards Lily. [color=778899]“Alright Tetrad,”[/color] she called, [color=778899]“2v1, let’s fin-”[/color] Wait, where was Tetrad? … Oh no. Oh god, why? Amaryllis’s expression twisted just as she realized what she had done. Of course she shouldn’t have done that! Why did she just randomly [i]expect[/i] that Tetrad was also massively physically fit? First, she dodged the girl for an entire day, and now when they [i]do[/i] play together, she kicks it off by instantly smacking her into the waters as if her plan had been to backstab her all along? Ugh, stupid, stupid, stupid! While Amaryllis mentally berated herself, her facial features growing darker and darker by the second, Lily was granted at least some time to catch her breath. A precious few seconds, if nothing else. Lily breathed heavily as she was one knee down, consciously trying to settle the state of panic she was in moments ago now that she was given time to recollect her thoughts. Electricity crackled out of her fingertips as she stretched them to the side. [color=fff200][i]Helga knew she couldn’t escape on time...I gotta finish this, for her sake too![/i][/color] She then saw Amaryllis’ eyes focus on her, and she squinted back, now back to standing. She knew that if she tried to go in for another attack, she could counter her again. [color=fff200]"That’s right, you’re pretty, talented, intelligent...But I’m not going to let you gloat over beating me!"[/color] She shouted in an attempt to taunt her, ready to perform evasive actions; she needed to figure out her fighting style, and any weaknesses in it. Oh boy, here we go again. Lily’s provocations pulled Amaryllis out of her thoughts, once again making the (swords)woman wonder who she was even talking about. It wasn’t [i]talent[/i] if all she had to flaunt was given to her when she became a magical girl. It wasn’t [i]intelligent[/i], that she straight up just dunked her own ally into the water. And like Tetrad said, her prettiness was only average, maybe even below average in the grand circle of magical girls. Amaryllis clicked her tongue. [color=778899]“You...don’t even know what you’re talking about.”[/color] Whatever. Her mind was made. She’ll win this game, then every other game, and apologize to Tetrad for her blunder by placing first in this whole tournament! Lifting her foot up high into the air, Amaryllis slammed it down onto the edge of the platform with meteoric force. The land was never all that light, after all, and the nature of the buoyancy made it so… [color=fff200]"NO! What is this!?"[/color] [color=ccddee]“This? Ah yes, the Vajrasavana of the West Indies employed this tactical maneuver back during the Amazoness Butt Slam Jam in the opening stages of the Round of Flats to…[/color] ...The whole thing rose up onto its side, peaking high into the air. Lily’s body swayed as she focused on keeping her footing, followed by her accelerating her speed and running up the vertical wall of the platform, skidding so much that water sprayed from her heels. Immediately, she leapt upwards, landing gracefully up onto the upraised side of the platform. Would Lily match her? Or would the girl tumble down into the waters below, her balance insufficient to meet such a challenge? [color=fff200]"YAAAH!"[/color] Lily managed to reach the top of the platform, now on the other side, and gritted her teeth in anger. [color=fff200]"I’m talking about the way you act! You’re just waiting to humiliate me and other lesser magical girls! You’re nothing but a big bully! You and your gang of bitches!"[/color] It seemed that Lily was beginning to lose control of rational thought, as deep resentment and grief began welling out of her, taking the form of equine characteristics to her body. [color=fff200]"You mock and laugh all over me, and blame me for everything!"[/color] A jagged horn extended from her forehead, as electricity began intensifying around her body, extending into a mane-like shape on her back. [color=fff200]"AND YOU RUINED EVERYTHING WITH CHAD! EVERYTHING!"[/color] Like a boom of thunder, Lily screamed, and disappeared in a flash. The next second, she dashed behind Amaryllis and delivered a low sweep of her butt aimed at her ankles, followed by flash-stepping again and hip-swinging from above her, intentionally avoiding her chest as she turned to face her. The attacks were now coming at the same speed as Kimble’s Butt Gatling, except she was fast enough to perform the slams in a sphere around Amaryllis. Amaryllis kept moving as well, her steps gaining a dance-like rhythm as she absorbed the endless onslaught of Lily’s strikes while keeping the platform balanced on its side. It wobbled back and forth, waves pushing out after each step, each furious blow, and soon, the waters beneath frothed white like a stormy sea. But the Midsummer Rose held on. Was it tenacity, spawning from the steel within her body? Was it responsibility, anchoring her to the platform? Was it ambition, driving her to defeat a metamorphosed girl without shifting herself? No. It was anger. Hot and furious, stoked by unjust accusations and boiling at the irrationality of all this. It was personal for Lily. But for Amaryllis, it was [i]insulting[/i]. “Well this took an extreme turn!” Dan interjected, having decided to take some distance from the battle and focus on the magical screen. “It seems that Amaryllis’ words have seemed to trigger some kind of trauma within Lily that caused her to metamorphose! What are your thoughts, Dolly?” [color=ccddee]“Monstrous metamorphosis indeed,”[/color] Dolly replied, her black locks bouncing back and forth as she nodded. [color=ccddee]“She seems to be in control of her attacks still though, certainly impressive when lesser magical girls will be driven to rampant madness and unrestrained brutality upon such a shift. It reminds me almost of the Advance that Tokita utilized in the Finals of the Keijo Asura Annihilation Tournament, where, by only utilizing a percentage of the transformation, they were able to boost their physical abilities while still retaining enough rationality to utilize their techniques.”[/color] Dan nodded. “A great observation, Dolly! And worry not, ladies and gentlemen: I am prepared to intervene in case Lily completely loses control. Just stay tuned for more!” Gradually, Amaryllis began to meet the horned girl head on, their weapons of choice clashing more and more often. The speed of movement changed, but the speed of thought didn’t, simple patterns employed to maintain the hurricane of pain delivered unto the one in the center. Could she finish this? No, she was going to drag it out. [color=778899]“Who are you even talking to?!”[/color] Amaryllis roared out, midnight blue eyes blazing as she locked breasts with Lily, finally clashing with her face to face. [color=778899]“Look me in the eyes! I haven’t even seen you in school! The only times we met was to save [i]lives[/i]! Where the [i]hell[/i] have I done you wrong?”[/color] The lock tightened, their faces millimeters apart. [color=778899]“Are you even having [i]fun[/i]?”[/color] Lily’s blows were easily deterred despite her increased aggressiveness, and she managed to avoid counter attacks that would knock her flying, seemingly moving on instinct more than tactical acumen. Upon seeing a chest job coming at her, she was left with no choice but to stand and take it with her own; there were sparks flying out of the mane as she kept pushing her body to its very limits. She made an electronic whinny as she heard Amaryllis demand answers, her eyes seemingly blank as they gazed upon a different scene; one from her past. [color=fff200]"Heather...HEATHERHNGHHH!"[/color] At that moment, Lily began glowing, and Amaryllis alone saw that their surroundings began to flicker, and electricity began arcing in a cage around the two. She saw that certain images began to form between the arcs, mere glimpses at a time; they showed Lily in her previous life. She barely resembled her current self, with brown hair, pimples on her face, and heavy bags over her eyes. The images showed her life in high school, her struggles with the popular girls, the ways they had mistreated her, and the times she spent eating alone in the cafeteria. Most shockingly, Amaryllis noticed that the leading bully, Heather, had an uncanny resemblance to Amaryllis; while younger than her, she had the same style of hair, the same piercing look in her eyes, and even carried herself in a similarly standoffish manner. However, her personality was cruel, snapping shots of a tripped Lily on her smartphone, and laughing with her gang. The next scene was about to show Lily entering a party at a rich person’s backyard; she was looking at a boy with his back to her, talking with Heather. However, as the boy was about to turn, the images then stopped; the electric tendrils disappeared as Lily seemingly lost her strength, and fell on her butt, her head hanging low. The horn on her head turned into pure electrical energy that flowed down her cheeks as blue, jagged streaks. [color=fff200]"No...That wasn’t fun, Heather...You ruined my life..."[/color] Amaryllis could hear her sob; she no longer had the will to fight. Amaryllis now had the chance to grasp victory from the grief-stricken girl. Amaryllis did not move. The platform swayed, rocked, yet remained impeccably balanced. Who was she, to deny the tears of a girl? Who was she, to look down upon the trauma of another? Who was she, to not reach a hand out to those lost and broken? There was a long, deep sigh, as Amaryllis released the vestiges of her frustrations towards Lily. It was weak of her, wasn’t it, to so easily swap her enmity for empathy, to show mercy and forgiveness merely because the lightning girl was crying. But if that was weakness, so what? They were magical warriors, not soldiers puppeteered by an unfeeling nation, not insurgents following an unknown deity. The Knight of Rose knelt down, searching for Lily’s eyes. Her countenance was still severe, her gaze as piercing as always, but where Heather’s shone with a cruel glimmer, hers was filled with just light, the radiance of jewel-steel. [color=778899]“The love of the moon, the grace of the petals. Underneath the glory of the heavens, I gather them all and present myself. Amaryllis Evenings, Knight of the Rose. The flower of your heart has been reflected in my Silverlight, and found just as beautiful as any other.”[/color] Rusted petals fell from the sky, drifting softly into the tranquil waters below. [color=778899]“Take heart, Lily Hanson, Child Beloved by the Storm, for what you have now shines with a radiance that Heather can not hope to stifle. True comrades stand behind you, and a kind God watches over you. Shed the chains of your past. No bottle exists that can capture lightning, except for one of your mind’s making.”[/color] Lily’s tears were stifled as she heard a voice that differed from those that haunted her memories. She looked up, expecting to see a countenance of malice; instead, it was one of a magical girl who had seen into her heart through her chronomancy, and offered solace. Like a stormy grey cloud that shifted back to pure white, her countenance returned, free from metamorphosis. With a wobbly step, she stood up slowly, her breath uneven and hitched from the outburst of emotion. [color=fff200]"Amaryllis...Thank you."[/color] She sighed, and looked up towards the floating announcer podium. She bit her lip, and then lifted a hand. [color=fff200]"I..forfeit the match."[/color] Dan gasped in sheer surprise. “What? Well then, the match is over. The winners are Amaryllis Evenings and Tetrad of the Beauty team! Congratulations! You are qualified to enter the next round!” Lily hopped off the vertical platform, having landed on hard ground, and waited for Amaryllis. As the audience began to scatter, Lily held her hands together, and meekly spoke: [color=fff200]"I’m sorry for acting...Well, like a mega bitch. The resemblance was so bad, and with how we were forced to live together like this, it made me lose it. And without Ixion guiding me, I took it all out on you. But I hope...You won’t hate me for quitting."[/color] [color=778899]“Fight me for real next time,”[/color] Amaryllis replied, landing in front of Lily. [color=778899]“A knight without her sword is just a woman, and an archer without her bow is much the same. Let’s have some fun, neh?”[/color] Lily noticed how Dan seemed to wave at them to return back to the entrance hall. [color=fff200]"Looks like the others are waiting. We’d better head back."[/color] [color=778899]“Ah, yeah...I’ll need to bolt too, huh…”[/color] Amaryllis trailed off, her eyes searching for Tetrad as well. In the background, one of the commentators were noting how she had ‘technically’ 1v3’d a 2v2 match, and the buxom girl basically wanted to die all over again. With a step like the wind, she shot off in search of her partner, ready to kowtow if she must for her massive ineptitude as a partner. At the far edge of the Pool, Tetrad crawled out of the water. Her hair had come loose and fell over her face, which she promptly pushed out of the way. With a groan, she rolled her head and got a crick out of her neck, and spit a few beans out of her mouth. [color=75c159]”cool, we won.”[/color] Tetrad didn’t turn around, and marched away. [color=75c159]”Gonna take a break.”[/color] was all she said before departing the arena. [hr] Helga was waiting for the others back at the entrance hall, a towel draped around her shoulders; she offered a spare to Lily. “Geez, Li’l you dropped the ball there,” she spoke with a patronizing tone, holding her shoulder. “I told ya not to project too much, and keep focused.” Lily nodded, frowning. But then, Helga lifted her chin up. “But hey, looks like you settled your grudge for now. Also, those moves you made up there? Legit cool. Keep working on them, and I think you could even reach nationals.” Lily smiled faintly, glad that Helga didn’t carry further resentment. [color=fff200]"Thanks, Helga. You were a good teammate."[/color] She then bit her lip, and waved to Amaryllis before beginning to walk away. [color=fff200]"Anyway, good luck on your next match. I need to see someone."[/color] She then left in the same vein as Tetrad, a pit in her stomach as she realized she had some explaining to do.