[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/hIuUu4S.png[/img][h2]---Prior to Lily's new patronage---[/h2][/center]

Catching up briefly via messaging, Shane made his way to see a good friend. An old friend actually. What a mess this was.

It didn’t take long once they confirmed they would meet up for the boy to arrive. Remaining transformed, he walked up to the door and rang the bell. The air was a tad tense given what he knew what was going on.

Lily answered the door, looking confused. 
[color=fff200]"Oh, hello? Can I help you? W-We're not buying anything."[/color]

Elaborate explanation or simple one? Probably best not to toy with Lily at this time. Reaching into a pocket he would take out his phone and show her the messages. 

[center][hider=Messages][img]https://i.imgur.com/Feb6KiMl.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/2yaqiBvl.png[/img][/hider][/center]
He would give her a second to read. [color=lightblue]”I wasn’t kidding when I said I didn’t look the same.”[/color] He gave a slight smile.

Lily’s eyebrow lifted when Shane picked out his phone, unsure what he wanted to do. But when he showed her the message log, she nearly screamed.
[color=fff200]”SHA-mph!”[/color] She stifled her scream by putting her hands to her mouth, her eyes wide as she looked the magical boy over.
[color=fff200]”Butbutbut-Whah?”[/color] She stammered, pointing at Shane, and then at herself.
[color=fff200]”I-Is it really you, Shannon? You’re...You’re a boy now!”[/color]

He couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. [color=lightblue]”Yeaaah. I was not expecting that to happen. I can explain how that came about once we’re inside. Most of my stuff got transformed with me but I still have this.”[/color] He pulled his sleeve up to reveal a [url=https://i.imgur.com/3Rm6Nqgl.jpg]charm bracelet[/url] that Lily and s/he had made together years ago. Probably looked odd having such a girly thing on a guy but for the most part his outfit hid it anyway.

Lily gasped upon seeing the bracelet. It took her a moment before she realized Shane was waiting on her.
[color=fff200]”Oh, right! Come inside, I-I’ll make us some tea or whatever’s in the fridge.”[/color]

Soon enough they were settled in the apartment, and Lily brought over a cup of tea for Shane. She then sat down, looking less tense than before, but still coming to grips with the revelation.
[color=fff200]”So, uh...Can I ask about how this happened? Or is that...Something personal?”[/color]

As was customary when provided tea, Shane would stop and take a sip before speaking. Old habits die hard. [color=lightblue]”Oh no, that’s partly why I’m here. I wanted to tell you sooner but I had made an agreement that no longer applies. Have you by chance heard of the Red Coins?”[/color] He would ask trying to see how much detail he might be able to skim over.

Lily’s mouth widened in realization. 
[color=fff200]“Yeah, I do! So that’s what you used?”[/color] She leaned her head to the side. 
[color=fff200]“I thought they only shuffle your magic.”[/color]

Good, saved that complicated explanation. [color=lightblue]”You’re not wrong. Thing is, apparently there is some facet in magic that means you turn out as a guy instead of a girl. It’s rare that anyone ever gets it which is why there are so few magical boys around. I also chose something they refer to as Rebirth that basically changes all of your magic around. Guess I won the lottery because I‘m a boy again.”[/color] He shrugged. Having been a girl for 8-9 something years it didn’t really make much of a difference to him. If anything it was almost weirder being his birth gender again.

Lily simply sat there in awe as Shane explained more of his transformation, until she remembered she still held a cup in her hand and took a sip.
[color=fff200]”Again...So you used to be a boy before becoming a magical girl. I never could have figured that out, tee hee~”[/color] She giggled a bit.
[color=fff200]”So, how are you feeling? Did the Red Coin cause any strange side effects or anything?”[/color]

[color=lightblue]”Not... really.”[/color] He would say after his eyes drifted to one corner. Yeah, he would look back at Lily. [color=lightblue]”I feel fine. Had to adjust to the new magic but I had a little help, and a little experience from watching an old friend.”[/color] He would smirk, taking out his spell book as he spoke and setting it open on the coffee table. Tapping the page he would draw out a ball of lightning. [color=lightblue]”Deeeefinitely different than my old Earth magic. That and I have the inexplicable ability to drive anything. Which is odd since I don’t own anything to [b]actually[/b] drive.”[/color] He would throw in the comment off hand, emphasizing the "actually drive" part rather comically.

Lily nodded, smiling at the Lightning magic Shane displayed. [color=fff200]”So you also have Lightning magic? That’s awesome!”[/color] She took Shane’s hand and shook it.
[color=fff200]”Want me to teach you how to use it? I know a few tricks a newbie might not know.”[/color]

[color=lightblue]”That would be awesome. Is a little different though. I have to craft spells and put them in this book to use the most effective stuff. But so far I’ve been able to make whatever I’ve needed once I have a grasp of it.”[/color] He would smile brightly. 

Just then, Alexander arrived home, grocery in hand “[color=aba000]Ah, home sweet home. Time to just veg out and-[/color]” then he saw their guest “[color=aba000]...who are you?[/color]”

Lily went over to Alex with a big smile, and took his hand.
 [color=fff200]”Hi Alex~”[/color] She took the grocery bag from him and went over to the kitchen to restock it.
 [color=fff200]”This is my friend Shannon, or Shane as he goes by nowadays. He used a Red Coin and transformed! Isn’t that neat?”[/color]

“[color=aba000]Huh?[/color]” It took a few seconds for that to sink in “[color=aba000]Ohhh, you’re trans! Right, now I get it[/color]” he plopped down on the sofa “[color=aba000]Well, make yourself at home I guess[/color]”

Shane couldn’t help but let out a brief huff of a laugh. [color=lightblue]”Hah. I mean. The reverse?”[/color] He had a slightly confused expression. [color=lightblue]”Magic is weird.”[/color] He would confirm.

A look of horror slowly creeped onto Alexander’s face as his mind processed that “[color=aba000]Wait...you mean you were actually born a guy...but changed into a girl upon first getting magic, and have only recently turned back!?[/color]”

Shane would shrug. [color=lightblue]”Yeah. That first part is actually pretty standard fare for magical girls. That’s why there are so few magical boys around.”[/color] Suppose if one didn’t actually talk with people much then one might not pick up on that. Hm… The reaction was rather amusing though.

Alexander looked down at his lap “[color=aba000]I never realized how lucky I was. To think I could have turned out like you and Sakura.[/color]” he shook his head “[color=aba000]That’s a really scary thought. I mean, having my body altered into a teen was weird enough, but having my gender changed as well...I’m not sure if it would still feel like [i]my[/i] body then.[/color]”

[color=lightblue]”You get used to it after a while. Well, most do anyway.”[/color] He could think of a few that didn’t enjoy the experience. He would make a mental note of someone named Sakura.

Lily returned back to the living room, carrying a bowl of Cheetos that she set on the table.
 [color=fff200]"Here you go, take as many as you want."[/color] She sat down next to Alex. 
 [color=fff200]"So how's it been, besides your new look? Penrose has been a bit wild recently."[/color]

There was no denying that much. [color=lightblue]”I’ve been around. Was at the rave for a bit, fought a monster queen, tried to fight the one that attacked Cindy. Yeah, wild is pretty accurate. Cindy’s actually the reason we haven’t spoken sooner. Also the one that gave me the coin.”[/color] He would sigh a bit. [color=lightblue]”Part of the terms we had. I was [b]trying[/b] to get her to work with people. I probably could have done it eventually if people would stop mucking it up. And now she’s dead. So much for that plan.”[/color] 

“[color=aba000]What even was the point of that?[/color]” Alexander asked “[color=aba000]The rave, I mean. Lily and I kind of left the grid so to speak, and have been mostly holed up in here, so we haven’t heard much or any news. But did anyone ever find out what was up with that rave. I don’t really buy that whole ‘monster liberation’ thing, or whatever nonsense it was. Given all the insanity that happened that night, my money’s on ‘distraction’ [/color]”

Shane’s expression tightened a bit and leaned forward in his seat. [color=lightblue]”It was supposed to be a fun get together. Mostly for the people that the Ascendancy were targeting. A few Beacon girls and neutrals were invited as well. Other people used it as a distraction and bait. I don’t know all the details, I was split between the two locations trying to keep a war from starting. I know The Mint was involved somehow. Obviously the Penrose Independant with their announcement or whatever. Nonsense.”[/color] He threw a hand in the air. He hated when things turned into this kind of ideological hate. Always drags people down with them.

Lily frowned as she listened in on the exchange. 
 [color=fff200]"So it was even worse than I thought…"[/color] She gripped her knees. 
 [color=fff200]"Alicia has told me that the Ascendancy suffered a heavy blow from it, and they suspected Mint's involvement too. But I should have figured a tabloid like the P.I. was up to no good after all!"[/color]

Alexander groaned “[color=aba000]Insane zealots on one side, and hyper capitalists on the other. When it rains, it fucking pours in this town! I mean seriesly, how can so much crazy shit happen in one town!? Was this place built on some kind of Indian burial ground or something!? What are they even fighting over? Penrose is kind of a magical ghetto by now, so whatever property value it [i]does[/i] have is probably abysmal. And it’s not like there’s some inherent magical thing in this place that makes it worth more. So why?[/color]”

[color=lightblue]”It’s not so obvious, but Penrose is a magical nexus. I don’t entirely know what that means but it tends to draw in monsters, horrors and the like. I’ve seen it in other places too. There are several around the world and from what I understand activity sort of shifts around. People just happened to build here. It’s one reason Beacon has such a big presence.”[/color] Shane would provide context. There could be some inaccuracies riddled in there, but as far as activity it seemed to fit the things he’d been told. Run into a lot of characters when you are a traveling magical [s]girl[/s] boy.

Lily looked surprised. 
[color=fff200]"I didn’t know that. That does explain why the Ascendancy decided to come here aside from us missing for so long."[/color] 

Alexander facepalmed “[color=aba000]Of fucking course it is.[/color]” He sighed “[color=aba000]I don’t suppose there’s a way to make Penrose [i]not[/i] a magical nexus anymore, or would that just blow everything up or something?[/color]”

Shane’s eyes got wide for a moment. Not that the same thought hadn’t crossed his mind before. [color=lightblue]”There might be. I’m pretty sure it’s well beyond any of our capabilities though. I also have no clue what that might do to the flow of magic around the world either.”[/color] He scratched his head. [color=lightblue]”Like I said. It shifts around. So the activity will move away from Penrose to some other nexus eventually. There’s just no way to know when. Could be a few days could be in a few millennia. Just look at Rome.”[/color] Imply that Rome had somehow lasted as long as it did due to a nexus.

[color=fff200]"But the Roman imperium lasted for at least a thousand years!"[/color] Lily retorted.
[color=fff200]"We can’t wait for that long for it to shift. We need to do something before Penrose is completely destroyed. But I don’t know what. Alicia’s doing her best over at Beacon, but she’s got her hands full."[/color] 
 
Alexander crossed his arms in thought “[color=aba000]And then there’s also the fact that any attempt could catch the attention of the nutjobs fighting a war. Getting something like this organized without them catching on would be extremely hard.[/color]” It was then that a thought came to him “[color=aba000]Hang on; how long [i]has[/i] Penrose been a magical nexus?[/color]”

Shane shrugged at the question. [color=lightblue]”Beats me. No one I’ve ever met knows where they come from or why they are where they are. Our job is to keep them out of evil hands.”[/color] He would go back to what Lily said just before. [color=lightblue]”I’m not saying we do nothing, just we can’t move it. Rome thrived most of the time because of its nexus. Penrose could too if we can get people to stop trying to kill each other all the time.”[/color] He tried reign in some of the fear there. Wanted to be sure they understood that a nexus didn’t mean destruction.

[color=fff200]”I see your point,”[/color] she stated, and took a handful of Cheetos to stuff in her mouth.
[color=fff200]”Well, we gotta start with stopping all the fighting between Beacon and what used to be Cindy’s group. Do you happen to know anyone from their side? Maybe we could convince them to parlay.”[/color] 

[color=lightblue]”Hmm… Well I think the main one I knew isn’t around anymore. There’s Alicia who I think took over. The Ascendancy is the main problem though. They’re basically the elite crew they send in to crush whatever threat there is and don’t really care what you’re trying to do. Old Beacon on steroids. I’ve seen their work after arriving late somewhere. They get the job done. I don’t really know any of them. Not the chatty sort.”[/color] He would roll his eyes just a bit. Anyone that knew Shannon, or Shane, would know he didn’t particularly care for Beacon’s usual policy.

“[color=aba000]So it sounds like none of us have the required contacts to put this fighting on hold[/color]” Alexander said “[color=aba000]But maybe one of us knows someone else who does. So maybe we should reach out to anyone we know who [i]might[/i] know someone on either side. Alicia might be able to do something about the zealots, but considering who we’re dealing with, I’d rather not take any chances.[/color]” he suggested.

Lily slouched in her seat, leaning slightly against Alex’ side.
[color=fff200]”Geez...I guess we just gotta ask around. Oh, that reminds me!”[/color]
She sat up with a smile.
[color=fff200]”One of my friends is going to hold a movie night. Do you want to come with us? I bet it’ll be tons of fun.”[/color]

Quite a mess they’ve found themselves in. They had a direction though which was enough. In the meantime though it seemed they had some socializing to do. Lily invited them to a movie night. [color=lightblue]”That does sound like fun. I’m in.”[/color] He would respond fairly quickly.

Lily positively beamed, and thrust her fist into the air.
[color=fff200]”Yay! I’ll see you there then!”[/color]

Alexander raised an eyebrow at Lily’s sudden change of topic, but after a few seconds, just sighed and shrugged “[color=aba000]Well, I suppose there really isn’t much else we [i]can[/i] do now. So fuck it, why not?[/color]”

Shane didn’t get around to discussing Lily and her patronage. At this point though it would be a bad subject to bring up. He didn’t want to bring her down when she was happy. They’d have the chance again another time.