[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjExNi5hMzNhMDAuUzJGMFlYSnBibUUsLjA,/propaniac.regular.png[/img][/center] [hr] God she was freezing. She hated winter. Why did she have to miss fall, the objectively best time of year? Katarina adjusted her jacket, tightening it around herself. She had only been back for a few hours, but she could already tell things had gone horribly in the past few months. She could accept the whole timewarp thing, but everything else? Beacon had really come in full force in their absence, hadn't they? On one hand, that was a good thing. Less troublemaking monster girls and DMGs. On the other, though...it left a bad taste in her mouth. How many did they just kill without a second thought? Execute without so much as giving them a chance? Rina wasn't naive. She didn't mind getting her hands dirty in the name of justice. In the name of peace. But there was a fine line between that and tyranny and bullying. Had the Ascendancy crossed it? She didn't have enough information to make that call. But for now though, she must hunt. The Ascendancy might have a tight reign on things, but they weren't omnipotent. And while things seemed calm, that was when one should remain the most vigilant. Bow in hand, Rina headed for the rooftops to find potential targets. [center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/b3RmLjExNi5lMTE0ZmYuUTJoc2IyVWdTWEoyYVc1bklBLCwuMA,,/btx-ornstein.ornstein.png[/img][/center] [@Shifter_Master][@MadManMoon] [hr] As soon as Chloe had been returned to Penrose proper, she was struck by the biting cold. At first she just considered it adjusting to the non-tropical environment of the beach, but the thought was quickly pushed aside as she observed Penrose. Winter?! They couldn't have been gone for that long, could they? She was out of contact with her city and the dragon, and the Archive for [i]that[/i] long? That's it. She was making boots out of that dolphins hide. Her sense of control wavering as she landed atop a nearby building, Chloe carefully observed the city. She had woken up in her bed, Aurora, Divina, and Vi nowhere to be seen. Were they alright? They had been given jobs, so hopefully they were smart enough to use their head. She had so much to catch up on, so many things to speed up and readjust! She ground her teeth together, resisting the urge to blast something, but no. She needed to keep a low profile. She picked up her cellphone, quickly dialing Aurora's number. [color=goldenrod][i]"Hellloooo! You've reached the number of the number one luckiest magical girl, Aurora McKinzie! Who's this and how'd ya get my-"[/i][/color] [color=violet][i]"It's amazing that a week will make me forget how much I hated your voice."[/i][/color] [color=goldenrod][i]"W-wah? So mean-wait!? Chloe?! You're alive! You didn't get got by the Ascendancy?!"[/i][/color] [color=violet][i]"Please, beacon will have to try much harder to kill me."[/i][/color] Chloe huffed. [color=violet][i]"I need a sit rep. I'll fill you in on the details later, but we need to get to work. Where's Vi and Divina?"[/i][/color] [color=goldenrod][i]"Vi's holed up in her little warehouse castle. Divina and I have been trying to help stray monster girls and DMGs avoid the Beacon Ascendancy."[/i][/color] Aurora replied hurriedly. [color=goldenrod][i]"Many are currently using that girls Penny's shelter as a base, even if its not entirely completed."[/i][/color] [color=violet][i]"I see. Meet me at the apartment. I'll be there shortly so you can fill me in."[/i][/color] Hanging up, Chloe clenched her teeth more. So this...'Ascendancy' was responsible for turning Penrose into a ghost town. She didn't care too much, though that meant she had less to feed it. Not to mention, them just waltzing in like this. The [i]audacity[/i]. Ah, she wanted to burn them. Crush them. Make them [i]beg[/i] and lick her boots. Patience, patience. She dialed Vi's number. [color=f6989d][i]"Yo, hey boss! Aurora's already told me what's up!"[/i][/color] [color=violet][i]"Good, then you'll know I'm not dead."[/i][/color] Chloe replied shortly. [color=violet][i]"We have things to discuss regarding our plans. Get in contact with Divina and let her know as well. You've been doing your usual security work? And laying the foundations for our little...party?"[/i][/color] [color=f6989d][i]"Heh, don't'cha worry boss girl. I'm not an idol for nothin', and let me tells ya, the sheeple on social media are always willing to blindly follow their little idols. So ya, I think we can go ahead with that little plan on Glimmr. I can have everything ready soon, heheh! It'll be my best work yet, bossy boss."[/i][/color] [color=violet][i]"Good. I'll be in touch."[/i][/color] Chloe hung up, deciding to get around to that text from Penny she received. [quote=Chloe] Aside from freezing my butt off? You're lucky your not here otherwise you might actually see me when I'm pissed off. Other than that, fine. I'm getting into contact with some of my girls to figure things out. Things are bad. ...Penny, I don't want to sound like I'm demanding anything, but we need to talk. ASAP, so...actually, can we meet in your shelter? I might be bringing Divina and Aurora as well. Love you <3 [/quote] Chloe lowered herself to the ground, not bothering with her transformation. If the Ascendancy was Beacon's main force like she was assuming, then they'd be gunning for her anyways. A second text was sent to her Archive friends. [quote=Chloe] I know you were at the beach with me, but I need a status update on our agreement as soon as possible. I'm having to move a few of my own plans forward. [/quote] Sighing, Chloe put away her phone before walking into her apartment. She needed to be patient. Patience. Patience was key. She took a seat on her usual sofa, her magical orb erratically moving about, betraying her calm visage as she waited. She needed to get her feeling of control back, or no one would be happy. [hider=VI-Chan's big Monstrously Dark Rave party!~] Glimmr was a great thing. Social media, was a great thing. It allowed people to do all kinds of things. Connect with others that they normally wouldn't have even met. To make friends, mess around, and other things. It could make people famous, and people could even make a living off of making videos, or just uploading vlogs if they were interesting enough. It also let certain people spread their ideologies, no matter what they really were, if they were creative enough. And on a certain Idol's Glimmr page, her own website, and in various other places, a video had been posted. [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riemkHKZJkE]The video[/url] opened With the usual Chibi Vi-Chan twirling into view with nothing but a skimpy nurse-outfit and a giant syringe. [color=f6989d]"Whasssup my deviously deviant crew? It's ya girl, Vi-chan here with a totally original character design!"[/color] She twirled the oversized Syringe giving the camera a playful wink and smirk. [color=f6989d]"...h-huh? It's not? Eh, who cares, I'm still adorable. Annnyways, my lovely little followers I got some pretty lit news for you guys."[/color] The Chibi Vi pulled off the nurse uniform, now wearing what some sort of professor or teacher might wear, and the background flickered from its white void to a beacon flag. [color=f6989d]"First, a brief little rundown of events."[/color] She took out a pointer and tapped it against the screen. [color=f6989d]"So we can all agree the Ascendancy is bad news for everyone in Penrose! Like what the hell man. Coming on our turf and just taking over the place? Talk about power-hungry creeps who seriously need to have a lovely little dirge played for them."[/color] She chuckled darkly, winking at the camera with a malicious grin. The beacon flag switched into a different flag. It was violet in color, with silver trimmings around the edges, the middle depicting some sort of intertwining structure pointing downwards with a shining orb seeming situated within the structure. [color=f6989d]"History lesson over! Seriously, you little piggie-ahem-lovely little fluffy adorable sheep should be paying more attention, and totally not because I put this together on five minutes notice."[/color] Vi-Chan moved closer to the camera, sitting on a table with her legs crossed. [color=f6989d]"You live here, after all! And well, if you don't then that's all you need to know. The Ascendancy are a buncha lowlifes that want my cute butt for themselves. Now my lovely little fans [i]definitely[/i] don't want that happening, do ya? Yuck. the only one getting some of my fabulous butt would be a clone of myself or maybe one of you lucky sheeples if you impress me. Anyways, Penrose has been all doom and gloom ever since they showed up, so I'm gonna be doing a thing! I'm throwing a Party. That's right, a party. A little Monstrously Dark party for all of us downtrodden, poor little people of a darker disposition. Ya'll know the rules. Keep the fighting to a minimum or I'll have to get angry, and trust me ya'll reaaaaally don't wanna make Vi-Chan angry. You remember what happened last time, don't'cha? Normal magical girls are welcome too so long as they behave."[/color] She hopped off the desk, smiling darkly at the camera. [color=f6989d]"Beacon though? You can come, but first you'll have to find it. I'm not giving a location, after all. My faithful little fans know what's up already. But on some off chance you do find us...ehehe, well. I'll play you all a lovely little Dirge. It's my best work. You could say it's so great it'll make you go brain dead! Ahahaha! Well, anyways. Toodles lovelies. Spread it by word of mouth to any that want to attend. I can assure you, you won't be disappointed!~~"[/color] She pressed her face close to the screen the Chibi-version's face slowly contorting into one of a hate filled scowl. [color=f6989d]"And beacon? Seriously. Fuck off and let us have a bit of fun. We don't mean any harm, unlike you lameo losers who go about murdering for no reason. You'll get your comeuppance soon, or my name isn't the Adorable Elvira-Chan."[/color] The video then, cut out, and then within two hours it would have been deleted. The reaction of the magical world as a whole was probably not hugely great. After all, Vi was only popular right in Penrose in some surrounding areas. She did have a bit of a cult following in other parts of the world, so it was definitely going to get noticed. And for the past weeks, her Glimmr account and posts had been increasingly anti-Beacon, and many of her followers had begun to have a similar disposition. Even those who were only tangently related might have been drawn in to such rhetoric. [hr] [color=f6989d]"Aaaaaahhh this is a terrible idea whywhywhywhywhywyyyyyyyy!"[/color] Back in her little base, Vi was faring far less well than some would think of someone who basically just declared some sorta war right to beacon. Vi spun in her gaming chair, rolling to the far side of the room and holding the top of her head. The chair hit a table, knocking itself over and sending her crashing to the ground. For a few seconds she laid there. She couldn't say she was entirely opposed though. Chloe was right, and she knew it. She could run all she wanted too, but with the things that were happening, Beacon was going to find her eventually. And the things she had done, when she worked for the mint? Even if she had been forced to do things against her will, she doubted Beacon would let her off easily. At best they'd lock her up. Worse? Well... ... She hugged herself. She was a coward. The worst sort of coward. She'd betray anyone if it meant living a bit longer. It wasn't like her to do something like this, and maybe she was being driven by fear, but all the outcomes for her had begun getting increasingly worse and worse over the past few months, all because of Beacon. She just wanted to live quietly, without bothering anyone, in her little studio! Why was that a crime!? But she was a coward that wanted to live, and if violence gave her the best chance of clinging onto life, then well... She'd be safe for now. Probably. A little voice in the back of her head kept giving her doubts. She knew her way around computers and tech stuff. No way were they gonna find her. Even if they did somehow manage to trace stuff through her proxies, all they would end up with was a dummy computer running from an internet cafe that she had already cut her remote access too. Meaning that she was safe. [color=f6989d]"...fuuuu."[/color] She sighed, standing up and adjusting her hat with a slightly trembling hand. [color=f6989d]"Okay, Vi-Chan. You're a badass. You've killed people. You've beat people over the head with an inflatable pool toy to kill them before. Badass!"[/color] She picked up her chair. She had a party to put together. [/hider]