[center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/md6r5DW.png[/img] [/center]

[center] [@FamishedPants] [@AtomicNut] [/center]

As she and Sakura carried Emily through the crowded rave, Connie felt her phone buzz, but she didn’t have time to answer it. Whatever it was could hopefully wait. Emily was becoming worse by the second, and they needed to get her to a healer as quickly as possible. Connie felt a glimmer of hope when Sakura seemed to have found who she was looking for (And was that Lily with him?), but that hope was incinerated a moment later when Vi-Chan appeared and everything went to hell in a hand basket. Everyone seemed to be going insane, explosions were going off all around, and thick clouds of smoke were beginning to envelop the entire dance floor. Sakura was loudly advocating for them to make a run for the exit, and Connie fervently agreed with that plan. This was exactly the kind of situation she most assuredly [i]never[/i] wanted to be in, but she tried her best to keep calm for Emily’s sake. She couldn’t freak out now. She had a friend to save!

That’s when she remembered Mia. She was still in the game room! Connie briefly considered trying to find her, but she realized there wouldn’t be any time for that. In any case Mia was an experienced magical girl, and Connie was certain that her friend could take care of herself. Or, at least, she hoped she could…

[hr]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/B8oM9H1.jpg[/img][/center]

Back in the game room, Gaia and Angela continued their duel. Having gotten a bit hungry, Angela had summoned her Puchuu to go fetch her some pizza and a drink. Before leaving on his errand, the surprisingly personable little creature had asked Gaia if she wanted anything for herself, and so the verdant magical girl had requested a few slices of veggie pizza and a fruit drink. A short while later the creature returned with the food, but Gaia had scarcely finished one slice before the sounds of a massive commotion could be heard emanating from the main hall.

Then the explosions started.

[color=SpringGreen]“I am afraid I must concede this contest to you,”[/color] Gaia informed her opponent as she gracefully stood up and made her way to the door. [color=SpringGreen]“It sounds as though something seriously wrong has occurred in the main hall, and I need to make sure my dearest friend is all right.”[/color]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“Well [i]that’s[/i] a weak excuse,”[/color] Angela noted contemptuously. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“If your friend’s a magical girl, then shouldn’t she be able to take care of herself?”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]“She is still very inexperienced,”[/color] Gaia explained, [color=SpringGreen]“and she frightens very easily. Moreover, I have personally vowed to keep her safe, and that vow takes precedence over all else.”[/color]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“Wow, taking the moral high ground, huh? I figured as much,”[/color] Angela added with a dismissive roll of her eyes. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“From the moment I first saw you I knew you’d chicken out when things got rough. I hope being able to hold your wimpy friend’s hand makes up for all the humiliation you’re gonna get on social media when I tell everyone how hard I crushed you.”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]“I don’t use social media,”[/color] Gaia replied in an icy tone. [color=SpringGreen]“And what of you, ‘Best Magical Girl’?”[/color] she asked pointedly. [color=SpringGreen]“Do you not wish to show off your prowess by helping those in need?”[/color]

[color=DeepSkyBlue]“Ah, it’s probably just a little drunken brawl,”[/color] Angela said with an unconcerned wave of her hand. [color=DeepSkyBlue]“Let me know when a horror gets summoned or the Ascendancy shows up, then I might actually decide to go and save everyone’s asses.”[/color]

[color=SpringGreen]“Very well,”[/color] Gaia acceded, with a smile utterly devoid of warmth. [color=SpringGreen]“I [i]also[/i] figured as much.”[/color]

Leaving the mouthy brat behind, Gaia quickly made her way back to the main hall, nimbly avoiding the various dark magical and monster girls who were in the process of beating the crap out of each other. Once she arrived, she gasped at the sight of utter chaos that greeted her. With few exceptions, the various patrons of the rave seemed to be going completely insane. 

One of the bars was blazing like a bonfire, in front of which a tall young woman with large horns was using her katana to strike down any who came near her. Towards the center of the floor, a knightly girl in crimson armor could be glimpsed fending off a mob of monster girls with the help of barriers provided by a girl dressed like a belly dancer, before clouds of thick smoke obscured their battle. Meanwhile, a patchwork monster girl was lobbing Molotov cocktails while being controlled like a puppet by strings of dark energy emanating from a crimson-eyed witch sitting in a corner. 

And over all of this chaotic insanity was Vi-Chan’s song, which clearly seemed to be the source of the madness. Regardless, Gaia knew she couldn’t do anything about it at the moment. She needed to find Connie, and fast. Just then, a [url=https://imgur.com/h1gZyvS]glowing angelic figure[/url] swooped into the room, brilliant light radiating from her in all directions.

[hr]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/rSlSWzD.png[/img][/center]

[color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“Good heavens!”[/b][/color] the angelic girl cried out in anguish as she saw the chaos and carnage unfolding around her, tears streaming down her radiant face. [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“Such clamorous discord and strife! So many tortured souls! My heart aches for them! I must do all in my power to ease their suffering, to save as many as I can!”[/b][/color]

Raising her hands up, she conjured several shimmering spheres of luminous energy.

[color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“Radiant Barriers!”[/b][/color] she shouted as she sent each sphere racing to the locations of the various bars, whereupon they would form powerful barriers to protect them from the heat, as well as contain the explosions that had already occurred.  

[color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“I am so sorry my precious sisters!”[/b][/color] she cried, placing her hands over her heart. [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“I allowed myself to be distracted by such petty concerns that I failed to guard you from this threat! I failed you in your time of greatest need! I humbly beg your forgiveness, my sisters! I pray for it with all my heart! And I make you this solemn vow: I shall make up for my grievous error! I shall not rest until I have saved you all!”[/b][/color]  

Summoning even more mystical power, until she glowed with blinding light, the angelic girl then released that power in a massive expulsion of restorative magic.

[color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“BE HEALED!!!”[/b][/color] her voice boomed over the tumultuous din as waves of healing energy washed over the crowded dance floor. This energy not only mended physical injuries, but also the mental and spiritual wounds inflicted by Vi-Chan’s song. Of course, this reprieve would last for mere moments, before the effects of the sinister melody returned once more. If any victory was to be attained, then the dark idol’s demented performance had to be stopped, and quickly.

[center] [@ERode] [@Majoras End] [/center]

It was then that she caught sight of two figures rushing towards the stage in what seemed like an attempt to do just that. Reaching out an elegant hand, she blessed the pair with greatly increased speed and agility. [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“Strike true, my sisters!”[/b][/color] she called out to them. [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“For the sake of all gathered here, I pray for your success!”[/b][/color]