[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/TiCSHec.png[/img] [@BrokenPromise][@Shifter_Master][@Ariamis][/center] [hider][center] [h3]Dina[/h3] 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 8 | 10 | 7 | 18 | 6 Reinforcement/Beast | Power of Friendship/Avatar True Sight | Reverence | Diehard | Lure | Overcity Shift | Flexibility | Gifted Interdimensional Archipelago | Payment | Keijo Training | Supply | Magical Overload Joy Eater | Lonely | Clueless | Monstruous Form Non Standard Limbs | Builder | Second Specialization(Beast) | Broken Reincarnation [/center][/hider] "Court Lady, huh. Hmph. Well, you could say so." Dina nodded briskly, still a bit sour of the early conversation and the fact that her labour had not gone wholly noticed. Still, she could not deny these girls this plea. [i]Noblesse Obligue[/i] had been ingrained in her since birth, and while she was at times a vain starlet, this was a matter of alleviating suffering. After becoming a magical girl, the hearts of people had always been laid bare before her. Anxiety and fear, wounds still open in one's soul put under strain by the decision of the new queen. She noticed the hologram, as her ears twitched and folded back in discontent, her tail hugging her leg. "As much as I would love to..." Dina said, as she eyed the other girls. She did want to offer her advice in private, but tensions were running high. Voices of dissent were already being heard. She had to make a hard choice about this matter. Rebuking a monarch was a tricky prospect, and even someone like Dina had grown acquainted to talk things with Penny in private and smooth things out. But no amount of smoothing would do to set the hearts in disarray her latest decision had caused. She had to dazzle them. Dina thought. She had to overshadow the queen in sheer presence and charisma, or at least try to do so. "...that is no longer an option." Dina said, somberly as she eyed the girls. "Assuage your fears. I shall speak in your behalf in front of the queen. Right here. Right now." The catgirl said to the gathered group. "Do follow me if you would be so kind." [i]I'm sorry Penny, but I can't let you go like a bull in a China shop in this matter. Lots of girls don't know what to do with their lives. [/i] She thought as she began to walk towards the gathering, in confidant steps as she whistled for her maids to gather at her side, her back open for the other girls to follow. Her fingers went into her mouth as she emitted a sharp whistle, followed by the brisk beat of wings from a most curious creature. A raven... however, different from the black plummage these birds were known of, this creature was fully white, on top of being one outstanding specimen of his kind with lustrous sheen. "Raven, Announce me." Dina commanded to the creature, as he briskly nodded and flew ahead of Dina, her entourage now escorted by the catmaids. She drew closer, and the closer she drew, the more smooth and regal her movements became. Years of etiquette training still stuck with her, after the ravages of decades of time had clouded and chipped the memories on her mind. She had been regal in her youth, an attendant to royalty now gone. She could do this. She could bring forth splendour greater than Penny, whom had never met an actual court nor queen. Her barriers flared up, gently pushing the doors of the room open, as the bird flew into the room. "[b]Her ladyship Dina Denisova, Empress of the Strays, advisor to the Queen, Scion of the Tsar[/b]" said the raven in a mouthful as the catgirl began walking into the room. Her barriers gently wobbled at her feet, as if some sort of improvised carpet that had been rolled, while she graciously performed a walk between catlike and regal. Flaring her Power of Friendship at her maximum, she deployed her soothing aura into the room as well, while the maids made a corridor for her. That would probably get more than one's attention, despite the ruckus and confusion. Draping the folds of her skirt, she performed a curtsy once more, like the ones she usually did in her youth. "Your Highness, pardon me for my prompt entrance." Dina said, before continuing with her speech. "But your highness must understand... the overwhelming nature of this situation indeed." She began. "No matter how much effort you put or how noble one cause's is... an open wound will still bleed if you are to strain it." "And the wounds that Beacon... or their associates have inflicted upon all of us are still...fresh." Dina said, raising herself. "We all are tired of conflict, and peace is but what we would yearn for. Your efforts towards peace shall never be questioned in that regard, your highness." Dina added, as she turned and eyed the girls. "Look at us, your highness. Use your eyes or heart, it matters not. We all are a lot from different backgrounds and sorts, united only by one wish. Under one banner of strength." Dina said. "To heal the scars that [i]abandonment[/i] has beset upon us." Dina said. "Abandoment that generates mistrust. Ostracism. And one of the said chief collectives is Beacon." "Fear cuts deep. Bereavement cuts even deeper. Look at us your Highness. Forgiving and forgetting are two different things. Even if all our hearts were all loving, and we wanted, for the sake of peace, let bygones be bygones... we cannot simply [i]forget[/i]. The fear of being hunted. The sadness of losing the one pillar of strength we once had." She paused. "Which now seems to have revived as Beacon." Dina said. "It raises questions and fears." Her eyes turned back to Cindy, and then to Nuncio. "Do not think for a second we do not appreciate the burden you are taking upon by rising upon this blood-soaked throne to give some misguided souls a chance to live proud once more. However, it is equally true that sometimes even good intentions can hurt if they are performed from ignorance. As unfortunate as might be, the Beacon name and reputation are reviled in this abode, nearly as much as the Mint, and it is too soon to ask for a change of heart in that regard." Dina added. "Asking to break ties might be a tad harsh... Yet your highness must understand that a ruler who doesn't keep the welfare of their subjects in their heart... is a tyrant. And right now your heart seems to be singing praises for Beacon, or at least part of it, while ours sings curses and cries of fear towards it." Dina eyed Penny. "So, is your highness heart that of Beacon or that of a monster girl? There can be no middle ground, as the kind sir before me has addressed." [hr] [center][h2][color=lightcoral]Sakura[/color][/h2][/center] It had been an uneventful time for Sakura. She had been always been a bit of a roamer, and despite Emily being adorable, she had no right to mooch off from such a nice girl. Keeping her in the dark about certain details was an struggle. Particularly if your boss was an actual alien psychopath, your teammates had a few screws loose, including Sparky-chan and the crazy broad who though the shifty rat was her mother. A message drew to her attention as she finished her paltry meal, a hotdog. Well at least this magical mumbo jumbo let her get nice if barf-level pink-like clothes on a whim, and she still had a penchant to be ignored. [i]Ronin, hun? What is that loli up to?[/i] Sakura began to struggle with the modern phone. Apps still were a bit difficult for her. She missed the times of normal cellphones, or even public phones. These smart things were only good for being showy. Plus they weren't good bludgeoning weapons like the public phones of old... But she was digressing. [b]"Mmm, I would not answer that call."[/b] A voice said at her back. Sonofa- How did that rat keep slipping past her keen senses, time and time again? The smug, fluffy form of Umukamui stood in front of her. [b]"That acquaintance of yours has also contacted Lily, and is trying to raise people to her cause. It is ... a delicate matter."[/b] The rat said, as he drew closer. [b]"Powerplays are the new fad... you know. Pulling strings and the such. What a waste, specifically for this reason."[/b] "Stop speaking in riddles you damn rat or I will punt you in the nearest garbage chute. Or truck." [b]"Two unpleasant people, one Mariette Pendersen and one Justine Von Visceral, who serve horrors have decided to suddenly wage their own proxy war. And they've brought their allies. One of them is Beacon."[/b] "The popos??? I thought..." The small creature swished his tail. [b]"Yes, Beacon is cavorting with a vampire now. And we're with Beacon. Your... Ronin and Lily have foolishly pledged to fight the vampire."[/b] "Well, good for em. If a damn titty leech is dead, it's good, despite the popos?" [b]"What if i told you... the other girl serves a horror who turns little girls into brainwashed soldiers?"[/b] Sakura visiblely frowned. [b]"Yes. Violent trashing and destructive behaviour aside... that is your one advantadge. I did not need to mental edit you, nor I need to watch my language when regarding these subjects. You're conditioned to murder. Surely you understand what I am going to ask.[/b] "I'm not killing the loli or Lily." [b]"Why would you? They are not the root of the problem. It's the other two. I want you to ensure... a certain accident befalls to both Mariette Pendersen and Justine Von Visceral. I am bound to help the vampire by proxy in her mission to take down Mariette Pendersen... but I have never sworn to protect her life."[/b] The creature tilted his head. [b]"Surely even a blockhead like you would understand."[/b] "Hrm." [b]"I will take that as yes. We shall rendezvous with Beacon, and you shall provide assistance...for now. But I want both of them dead. Do so, and we might... discuss further perks. I shall bring Umbra too. Her ability will be useful."[/b] Sakura eyed the creature as it left briskly, clenching her fist and then hitting the nearest wall with it. "Fuck. Yakuza got nothing on this fuckfest of a magical girl world." The girl said... while ignoring Ronin's message. "Well... what's a couple of dead corpses on my karma anymore." She admittedly sadly. [hr] Shortly after Beacon arrived, the very space in the room where the Beacon and Justine gathering was taking part wobbled noticeably. A gravity-infused magic then tore the space in two, as three figures crossed the warping gate. One, a pink-haired young girl with a sullen expression, followed by a rather...unfocused Silver haired girl cradling a small fluffy white puuchu on her arms. It was this last creature the one who addressed the group first. [b]"Greetings. I have come to bring assistance in the form of auxiliary girls as per my agreement with Beacon. These are Sakura... and Tenebra. For those who have not been acquainted with me, I am known as Umukamui.[/b] "We could've gone in the motorbike." Sakura grumbled,as her eyes scanned the room. Well, at least some of the girls were cute.