[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/CkHZy6X.png[/img]
[sub][@BrokenPromise][@Flamelord][@Ariamis][@twave][@FamishedPants][@CrusaderLord][/sub][/center]
Fast. Faster than expected. If she had set up platforms beforehand to leap off from, she could have evaded it, but her stratagem worked against her this time. Twisting her body so that the tentacles would wrap around her limbs rather than her joints, Amaryllis grit her teeth as the serpentine coils grappled her. The Monster Queen was certainly strong, both in magical ability as well as brute force. And it reminded Amaryllis once more that, though she had fought many things in the past, facing the apex state of a corrupted magical girl was a new one.

Not that knights ever shirked from facing great foes, unknown foes.

Passing her magical energies into her Sword, the Knight of Rose bid her time as the monstrous girl drew closer, eager to take a bite out of her up close and personal. The blade hummed in anticipation; the moment Amaryllis relinquished her grip, it would be given a life of its own, flying through the air to sever the restraining tentacles. From there, freed, she could launch her counterattack in full, retribution for all the dead who could not be given a proper burial. Down below, Alicia continued her brilliant ordinance, while Shane called out, ready to unleash. She can adjust to that. Just a bit longer now…

Above, something fell. Not a star. Not a bolt. But a missile, interposing herself between Amaryllis and the Monster Queen before erupting in a burst of fire.

[color=778899]“Sophia!”[/color]

Rocked back by her friend’s explosive magic, the Knight of Rose tore her dominant hand free from her restraints, before cutting the other tentacles off. Her own chains shot out from her left hand now, three silvered ivies scrambling outwards to connect with the Pirate Queen’s own chains. They linked together and, planting her feet against a severed tentacle, Amaryllis leapt down. The two of them flew back into the basement of the warehouse, landing beside Rachel.

Was she Ascendancy, or Beacon?

Amaryllis grimaced, before pushing away such dangerous thoughts.

[color=778899]“Shield Maiden, your magic grants benedictions of healing too, correct?”[/color] Amaryllis turned to face the Monster Queen again, her Sword never sated. [color=778899]“Heal her wounds, and get me a White Coin!”[/color]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/ygTHKGp.png[/img]
[sub][@Asuras][/sub][/center]
The rain felt heavier the closer one was to the clouds, as if the heavens themselves did not wish for others to draw so much closer to it. The oppressive downpour pounded against anything that left itself exposed, and a puddle expanded upon the rooftop, months of lacking maintenance ending up with a clogged drain and an absolutely filthy outdoor pool. In the distance, thunder rumbled. The cries of the monstrous and the horrific sounded through the din of the storm, but while the instincts of a magical girl would pull Annabelle and Valentine towards the site of incidents, professional restraint saw that they kept on course instead.

From the shadows of a ruined penthouse, their senior operator stepped out, white hair a soggy mess. Her eyes were a dull red, and her green jacket was zipped up in the weather, though by the goosebumps developing on her bared thighs it looked as if it didn’t really help. A scythe hung from her hip, and two knife-like protrusions stuck out from her head, giving off the impression of someone who either had some edgy taste, or had the misfortune of once contracting with a Patron who had such tastes. She raised a hand in greeting, water dripping from her gas mask onto the fur lining of her jacket.

[b]“What’s in my pocket?”[/b] Tux asked. Though authentication phrases were old-fashioned and vaguely irrelevant in a world where Psychics could just pluck thoughts out of one’s brain, protocol was still protocol. She waited a couple seconds for the two to speak their respective phrases, before ushering them under what shelter remained in the penthouse.

It was a vaguely depressing abode, with a half-collapsed roof and only the markings of where furniture once existed. Tux appeared to have made some effort in cleaning the place up though. A single-person tent was pitched up, a camp stove sat unlit, and an electric kettle radiated heat. Wringing her hair dry, the operative poured Annabelle and Valentine cups of hot water, before producing a tablet from the folds of her jacket.

[b]“Was out scouting, and favour’s swinging heavily in our favor right now. Riots all over Penrose, a Horror manifesting in the park, a Monster Queen at the warehouse district, and this abnormal weather’s all got Beacon being stretched to capacity. They’ll have guards at the entrance, but I’ve checked out their HQ before: it’s a magical building, but still a normal one.”[/b] Tux poured herself a cup of water, somehow managing to sip at it without removing her mask. [b]“They’ve got air ducts on the exterior of the western wall, and with my Disguise Artifacts, we can slip in and crawl through. They’ve got surveillance in the area; that’s where you come in, Valentine. Once we’re in, we swap out to the next set of disguises and work out the layout from there.”[/b]

Lightning cracked, and Tux stepped out of the penthouse, tossing away what remained in her cup. She planted a foot upon the edge of the building and looked down.

Down at Beacon HQ, disguised as a mundane office complex. It was a vertigo-inducing drop, but nothing a magical girl couldn’t handle.
Turning back to her new partners, Tux stared at them, before letting out a bark of laughter. [b]“Right,”[/b] she said, [b]“Name’s Tux. How’re you two feeling today?”[/b]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/JoD9XRG.png[/img]
[sub][@Ariamis][@BrokenPromise][/sub][/center]
Seven Sinners? That sounded…interesting. Maybe they were cool dudes and dudettes who weren’t tied to the Mint but were constantly pursued by them anyways? Hah, that’d be funny.

Less funny though, was that it was clearly becoming obvious that none of them wanted to stay at the Overcity for long at all. As in, they were straight up going to leave. All of them. Not just the person who actually asked about the exit, but literally all of them. Including the water-girl who she was going to exhort a locust-dinner out of. A locust dinner from a restaurant that only existed in the Overcity.

…

Askefye sniffed again, though it wasn’t blood that was seeping out of her nose.

If washboard wanted to be in the real world so much, maybe she shoulda just [i]stayed[/I] there and died then! Buncha no fun turd balls. Moment you show those slimebeakers any sort of consideration at [i]all[/i] they just straight up aggro outta nowhere and then leave with all your savings in tow! Oh, they thought Askefye was stupid, huh? Thought she didn’t know exactly what the Ascendancy thought about monster girls? Must’ve felt way more comfy, now that there’s more of [i]that[/i] ilk there.

Didn’t even acknowledge her invitation to go to that fancy locust place.

Fine. Fine! The rave was fun while it lasted, but she had absolutely [i]no[/i] interest at all in hanging with these people. Not like she [i]needed[/i] people anyways. She’ll just dine-and-dash! Get herself blacklisted, but at least that’s a sure-fire way of getting dinner, compared to eating with the Ascendancy. Oh, what the [i]fuck[/i] was she thinking anyways, that just saving someone’s life was enough for them to actually want to do something in return for you, rather than just leaving immediately and…

[b]“Forget it.”[/b]

Askefye narrowed her eyes, salt crusting over the corners of her eyelids.

[b]“I hope when you get back to the Undercity, three months will have passed. Jerks.”[/b]

Blue flame surged out of her, jets that shot her skywards, then outwards, away, away, away from people.

And, in the wake of the roar, the snoring stopped.

[b]“Whuh? Wuzzat?”[/b]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Z9J2FSG.png[/img]
[sub][@BrokenPromise][@Majoras End][/sub][/center]
[b]"Uh..."[/b] Myria stared blankly at Veronica's uncalled for flex, before gathering herself up. [b]"First of all, who the hell are you? And second of all, hell n-"[/b]

[b]"Let her, Myria,"[/b] came Fine's own voice. The dame opened up the door at the back, nodding once at Gerard. He smiled, noted the amount of passengers outside the truck. Relinquishing the magic that held his form together, the servant faded away into the air, leaving space enough to [i]just[/i] fit everyone else. No need for any of the girls to be left out, after all.

[b]"B-but, what? You're the one telling me to know my limits and not do crazy shit! Like, y'know, drive into a park full of horrors?"

"Different approaches. We're driving by, not into it." [/b]Fine crossed her legs and rested her clasped hands on her lap. "[b]And I do hope you'll be sharing what you learn from Evira with Mimoku once this night's over, Veronica."[/b]

[b]"Oooh, it's about this, isn't it?"[/b] Myria nodded energetically. [b]"Then for [i]my[/i] taxi services, I want a Skeleton Key!"[/b]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/NxkGICx.png[/img]
[sub]@Aighorost[/sub][/center]
Below, Hell reigned, perversions of nature letting their wrath be heard, corruption freely spilling from their forms.

Above, Heaven raged, clouds inspired by divine will congregating joyfully, the children of the storm surging by at speeds rivalled only by light.

And in between...what was there in between?

In the epicenter of the clearing in the clouds, a woman robed in white stood, her many-ringed staff crackling with electric energy that kepted it suspended in the air, so many hundreds of meters skywards. Here, it did not rain. Here, it did not blow. Here, it did not crackle. Here, a Patron overstepped their bounds under the guise of 'interference'.

[b]"Aighorost,"[/b] the woman called out. [b]"The 9th Lei Zi, emissary of the Storm-Bearer Tian Rong, stands before you, to remind you that the calling of such creatures into this realm greatly exceeds the definition of 'Minion' that all Patrons have agreed upon. Stand your children down, lest other Patrons use your actions as pretext for overt interference."[/b]