[h1][color=778899]A[/color]maryllis and [color=75c159]T[/color]etrad[/h1][sub]Caught in the Crossfire[/sub] Apocalypse or not, Starbucks was still open. Sitting by the window, Amaryllis hunched her shoulders as she cradled a cup of hot chocolate, watching the glass steam up. Though the coffehouse was still open, the heater had long gone bad, and the only person who worked there was a seventeen year old currently lazing about in the backrooms. The radio that played just reeled out soft static, and the walls were decorated with the shadows of where paintings and pictures were once framed. Dressed in a puffy overcoat, the midnight-haired girl watched the mini-marshmallows bob up and down as she tilted her cup back and forth. It wasn’t that Tetrad was late, just that Amaryllis had showed up a bit too early out of fear of being late. Which, in and of itself, was a bit of a problem. Fortunately, Tetrad was also the punctual sort, and arrived early. She was wearing a long coat that had fur bursting out of every opening. [color=75c159]“Thrift shops rock!”[/color] Tetrad tucked her hair into the hood before sitting down. [color=75c159]“I’m sure this is a sin, but I’ve actually never ate at a starbucks. I heard they had retarded coffee sizes or something.”[/color] She plopped down across from Amaryllis. [color=75c159]“I get the impression if I followed you around, I’d spend half of my time hunting monsters and the other half dining in random eateries. Man, that’s the life.”[/color] She folded her hands in her lap. [color=75c159]“Oh well. Beats doing everything over the phone or coms. What’s up?”[/color] [color=778899]“It’s expensive and plain, but the ingredients they use are pretty good for a franchise,”[/color] Amaryllis replied. She tried sipping at her cocoa, but retracted the tip of her tongue when it touched the hot liquid. Too hot to drink, still. [color=778899]“Sizes are weird yeah, but they usually get the idea when you use normal sizes. Unless they’re a franchise drone.”[/color] Reclining on her seat, she set her drink down, a half-smile on her face. [color=778899]“Well, with most of Penrose down, there really isn’t much else to do. Not like theaters or arcades are open. And if we go out of town...well, might end up missing out on another world-ending threat.”[/color] Not that she could, anyhow. [color=778899]“Called you over to ask about that, actually. Uh, so Veronica’s like a Patron but she’s also a magical girl, right? Was wondering if the Cradle knew of any methods of, mm...improving or changing how some of our abilities functioned? Mainly because, well, there’s a lotta people that I don’t want to see dead, but I only have two Hero Tokens and one of them can’t even be used on people…”[/color] [color=75c159]“Hero tokens?”[/color] Tetrad tipped her head. [color=75c159]“Wait! Yea, Trixy has something like that. You can respond to danger in time, right.”[/color] She rubbed the bridge of her nose before folding her hands behind the back of her head. [color=75c159]“Eh, not really. There are some special girls that can do weird stuff, but it’s not exactly something you can just replicate.”[/color] She tapped her foot. [color=75c159]“There are ways you can cheat though. Like as an example I can teleport to any of my green cards. So all I need to do is give someone one of my cards and I can teleport to them if they phone me. Kind of like what we did during that Keijo match where I blinked to your back. Haha! I should have lost that one.”[/color] Tetrad pulled her hood over her head. [color=75c159]“For less jerry-rigged choices, you can put everyone you want to protect in one area and then use that ‘other’ token you can’t put directly on them. The [i]very[/i] best option is probably just to be a cradle agent. We all communicate telepathically, can see each other, etc etc. It’s probably the closest thing to what you’re talking about. But Cradle isn’t for everyone.”[/color] With a sigh, Tetrad lowered her arms. She seemed to be lost in thought, then she lifted her head. [color=75c159]“B-but yea! Who are you trying to protect? And if that’s none of my business, how many? Might help to know.”[/color] Resignation, rather than disappointment, surfaced over Amaryllis’s features, but it disappeared soon enough when she realized she could take a sip of cocoa without scalding her tongue. [color=778899]“It’s not really something that can be solved with everyone joining Scarlet’s group, yeah,”[/color] she said, her brow furrowing in thought. [color=778899]“Off the top of my head though...Violet, Sakura, Mariette, Sammy, Nuncio, Sophia, Alicia, Rina, Betty, Emily, Hilaria, and you. Not that, you know, I don’t think you’re unable to defend yourself, but like, in case things go crazy because they always do, y’know?”[/color] [color=75c159]“Yyyyyyyyyyeaaaaaaaaa.”[/color] Tetrad’s eyes closed to half mast. [color=75c159]“Things tend to get crazy around me all the time.”[/color] She crossed her arms over the table. [color=75c159]“Which is why I’m surprised Betty of all people is the one who could have used your help last.”[/color] [color=75c159]“Justine was at the rave. She’s back to her old crap again, turning girls and what not.”[/color] She pulled out her phone so that she could look at the Cradle discussion about it. [color=75c159]“Veronica was personally trying to catch her, but she just disappeared, unable to be followed. Which is strange, because she has no problem tracking Cradle agents wherever they go.”[/color] She closed her phone with a shrug. [color=75c159]“Well, I’m sure we’ll find her in time.”[/color] [color=778899]“Maybe it’s an Overcity Shift sorta thing? Psychic powers don’t, y’know, go past dimensions and all.”[/color] Amaryllis took another sip of the bittersweet beverage. [color=778899]“I’m sure you will though, yeah. I mean, she can’t be [i]that[/i] tough if she was already beaten once, right?”[/color] [color=75c159]“Depends which video game franchise she crawled out of. But we’re avid gamers at Cradle.”[/color] Tetrad grinned. She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a fan of cards. [color=75c159]“Suppose I can make that list a bit shorter.”[/color] She tossed a green uno card to Amaryllis. [color=75c159]“Best part is that I can just teleport to you whenever. Theoretically, even if you need help.”[/color] She laughed. [color=75c159]“Though you strike me as the type who’d hold off as long as possible before calling for help.”[/color] She paused. [color=75c159]“Wait, Violet, Sakura, and Mariette? You’re friends with the portal witch?”[/color] [color=778899]“Uh, yeah? She helped me figure out a buncha stuff n all.”[/color] [color=75c159]“And the paladin...”[/color] Tetrad scratched her chin. She wasn’t smiling anymore. [color=75c159]“You realize some of your friends want to kill each other right? Some of your friends want to kill [i]me[/i] I’m pretty sure.”[/color] [color=778899]“Wait, what?”[/color] Amaryllis set her cup down. It was almost empty anyways, and she was getting tired of the taste. [color=778899]“I mean, Mariette’s Patron is a Horror and everything, but she’s not even corrupted. Even if we set that aside, isn’t it, I dunno, normal to not go immediately for murder? Discounting fights with actual monster and all.”[/color] Well, she certainly hoped that the Ascendancy’s ‘purge-on-sight’ motto wasn’t something that was reflected in basically every other magical girl in Penrose. [color=75c159]“They want. To kill. Each other.”[/color] Tetrad fret her brow. [color=75c159]“Amaryllis, I can’t even. I literally cannot even right now.”[/color] She pointed at her cup with every finger she had available to her. [color=75c159]“I literally cannot.”[/color] She pointed at the floor. [color=75c159]“Even just a little bit.”[/color] Tetrad breathed. [color=75c159]“H-how did you even get so many powerful connections? Just befriend Penny and you can take over Penrose!”[/color] [color=778899]“Oh, uh...I think I am friends with Penny too.”[/color] Amaryllis scratched her cheek sheepishly. [color=778899]“Just, y’know, I think she’s actually the only person who I can trust not to like, need me to be around them?”[/color] [color=75c159]“Stop, STOP!”[/color] Tetrad threw up her hands. [color=75c159]“Just stop!”[/color] After holding her hands in front of Amaryllis for a moment, she rocked back in her seat and sighed. [color=75c159]“Okay.”[/color] She placed her hand on her forehead and began breathing slowly. [color=75c159]“Okay.”[/color] she told herself before throwing back her hood. [color=75c159]“Why come to me?”[/color] [color=778899]“Because I trust you?”[/color] Well, it was more complicated than that, but Amaryllis didn’t really think all that complicated stuff would matter too much. [color=75c159]“Okay.”[/color] Tetrad eventually stopped rubbing her forehead, at which point there was a red welt where she had been rubbing her eyebrow. [color=75c159]“Sorry, things are just getting really crazy. I certainly didn’t expect you to have so many connections. You’re so unassuming for that.”[/color] She blinked a few times. [color=75c159]“Just be careful. I wish I could help you out more with your problem, but I don’t have a working knowledge about how some of those people work. In terms of their magic. Short of getting their phone number and setting something up like my green card trick, I can’t offer much right now.”[/color] She sniffed. [color=75c159]“I don’t have much more to say than be careful. The Mint would be really interested in you if they knew about your connections. ”[/color] [color=778899]“Ah…haha…”[/color] Amaryllis tapped the side of her beverage nervously like a disobedient child. Tetrad’s stress levels really were sorta high, huh? [color=778899]“That’s uh, probably already sorta...interesting? Cause while the rave was going on and all, I sorta ended up picking a fight with the Mint…Sorry?”[/color] Tetrad had looked upset, but with her entire head trembling, she was starting to look furious. She turned to the counter. [color=75c159]“You there with the hat! Get me your strongest drink, in your largest size! ”[/color] [b]”I’m sorry ma’am, we don’t serve-”[/b] [color=75c159]“Your strongest, drink. I don’t care if you have to raid your bosses office for his stash of Vodka. Just do, your, best.”[/color] The counter person avoided eye contact with Tetrad, nodded, and started talking to another employee. [color=75c159]“Amaryllis Evenings.”[/color] Tetrad said with a tone befitting her mother. [color=75c159]“Forging alliances between everyone? Pissing off the Mint? Do you think this is some kind of game?”[/color] [color=tomato]“It kinda is.”[/color] A pink haired girl said as she walked past their window. [color=75c159]“Quiet you!”[/color] She returned her attention to Amaryllis. [color=75c159]“Do you understand why this is a problem? If the Mint learns about your extensive network, that’s all the more reason to attack people you’re close to. You’re already really selfless, so they know they can force your hand by doing things to your friends. Or worse, they’ll come for you directly with their strongest goons.”[/color] She clasped her hands over her head. [color=75c159]“Your friends should be the ones giving [i]you[/i] hero tokens. I hope you have Penny on speed dial because if you’re afraid I’ll get hurt, you at least don’t have to worry about her.”[/color] Amaryllis didn’t respond. If the Mint came to her directly, that would be easy. Simple and direct, a decisive moment to strike them down. But if they went after those she cared about...if they played her friends against each other… The table splintered and cracked as her fingers tensed. [color=778899]“Tetrad, did you work for the Mint before?”[/color] Amaryllis asked in a quiet voice. [color=75c159]“Wa?”[/color] Tetraid raised an eyebrow. [color=75c159]“No! I didn’t do anything like that!”[/color] She folded her arms and looked away from Amaryllis. [color=75c159]“Though I guess I can understand why you might think I did. Everyone in Cradle has that shady person vibe. But that’s just the nature of our work.”[/color] She looked at Amaryllis out of the corner of her eye. [color=75c159]“I know you never worked for the Mint.”[/color] [color=778899]“Ah.”[/color] Amaryllis blinked, drained what remained of her cup, and tossed it over her shoulder. The paper cup landed perfectly into the recyclables bin. [color=778899]“Sorry, was just thinking that you, like, knew a lot about the Mint. And if you worked for them before, maybe you’d know more. Such as, y’know, how to make sure they never come to Penrose again.”[/color] [color=75c159]“Everything I know about the Mint is second hand. Doesn’t hurt that my boss was former Mint.”[/color] Tetrad shrugged her shoulders. [color=75c159]“That’s what makes the Mint hard to deal with though. It’s a giant pyramid scheme, and nobody knows who sits at the top. That goes for Veronica too, and she was a coin broker.”[/color] She pretended to look at a wrist watch. [color=75c159]“Well, this was a very, enlightening, discussion.”[/color] She rubbed her hands together. [color=75c159]“Next get together should be less business orientated.”[/color] [color=778899]“Mm, sorry about all this. Maybe next time we could do something fun together. Like…”[/color] Amaryllis scrunched up her face, going through the litany of things she did other than kill monsters these days. [color=778899]“...read [i]Twelfth Night[/i] together?”[/color] [color=75c159]“Suuuuuuuure we can.”[/color] The counter person looked at Tetrad. Then quickly looked away to avoid eye contact. Seemed even starbucks employees could be pushed too far. [color=75c159]“Couldn’t find anything?”[/color] The counter person only turned away further. [color=75c159]“Ah well, it was worth a shot, take care.”[/color] Tetrad stepped out the door. Amaryllis wave- [color=778899]“Oh shit, wait!”[/color] Practically leaping out of her stool, she ran to catch up to Tetrad once more. [color=778899]“Right, this totally slipped my mind, but like, all I do is monster hunt, so do you know if the Cradle has, I don’t know, something like those Pokemon GO lures or whatever that you use for like, attracting more monsters? Travel time really cuts down on my sleep, so...yeah…”[/color] [color=75c159]“Hmmm.”[/color] It took Tetrad a moment to think. [color=75c159]“Sort of. Veronica did have something like a monster lure, but it was a bit too dangerous to give to field agents. I can’t recall specifics, but it made monsters stronger when they ate it and even worked on monster girls.”[/color] She pointed down the road. [color=75c159]“I think she traded it to Brittany, so you might be able to buy it if no one else claims it.”[/color] Tetrad turned to face Amaryllis. [color=75c159]“Anything else?”[/color] [color=778899]“Brittany...alright, got it. Thanks Tetrad!”[/color] With that Amaryllis...awkwardly ended up walking in the same direction Tetrad had been heading as well. [color=778899]“And, like, I was serious about the whole reading thing, y’know? We could even bring Emily into it and have like, a whole reading night! Not that my books survived Penrose’s fire and earthquake though…”[/color] [color=75c159]“I’m sure it’ll be fun.”[/color] Tetrad waved before walking down one of Penrose’s side streets. The response was non-committal enough that Amaryllis wanted to educate Tetrad then and there about the wonders of 16th century drama, but she opted to complete her wave instead. There would be plenty of time after solving all of Penrose’s problems for her to talk literature to her friends, after all. Whenever that would be.