[hider=Swan Song] [color=tomato]”Ahhhh…”[/color] Oros sat on the edge of a beach with her sword drawn in front of her. There was no need for her to go to the stadium to watch the games, she could see everything she needed to in the reflection of her black blade. As the images from Penny and Sam’s fight flashed across her sword, her hands remained pressed together in prayer. [color=tomato]”Dear grand magistrate, please grant me the strength to overcome my enemies in the coming Keijo competition. Penny and Rachel dwarf me in stats, but perhaps you can find it in your cold dead hearts to be humored by the cunning and underhanded tactics I will deploy to win. Aside from the people who stand to gain from Penny’s increasing slaughter, I think the majority of the patrons will find my victory amusing, and will have their sense of wonder invigorated as Penny’s year long winning streak hits its first bump. Amen.”[/color] A grinning Aria walked up behind Oros. [color=e3bbc6]”Well! I think it was an interesting match. I hadn’t expected Penny to be so eager to win that she would have that second rate scientist buff her before the match, but If she thinks-”[/color] [color=tomato]”Penny won.”[/color] Aria was taken back by Oros’s words. [color=e3bbc6]”Um, no, I’m pretty sure it was a draw.”[/color] [color=tomato]”No she won.”[/color] Oros’s hands remained folded, her eyes shut in prayer. Only she wasn’t talking to her gods now. [color=tomato]”The grand magistrate decided to make it into a popularity contest. So we have a poll to decide what happens. Naturally, Penny is leading. [i]Because of course she is.[/i] Nobody gains anything if Sam wins, so Penny will be the defacto winner of the poll and get to continue fighting despite how clearly and unequivocally owned she was. Penny’s been number 1 for far too long, and people have built their characters based around the fact that she performs well. Asking people to vote Penny a loss would be like asking a group of greedy politicians to sign a bill saying they have to take salary cuts. That’s why resolving these little squabbles with majority votes is a fool’s errand. It's too late to fix Penny with majority vote.”[/color] Aria raised an eyebrow. [color=e3bbc6]”Is that so?”[/color] [color=tomato]”It’s funny, really, Sam’s [i]patron[/i] patron told my patron exactly how the fight was going to go. Each instance where Penny was going to be baited and exactly what was going to happen when Penny was a few inches above the water. It would not be incorrect to say that they had a flawless strategy that worked perfectly against Penny. But, the magistrate is probably right. Penny and Sam are nearly the same vintage of character, but it was just a bad match up. I should have faith in the grand magistrate’s vision. They will give me a chance to end Penny’s reign of terror if I simply stop questioning them.”[/color] Betty approached the duo. [color=ade81b]”Hey guys, um, I heard you talking- “[/color] Oros opened an eye. [color=tomato]”Don’t you have to kick Justine’s ass? Why are you here?”[/color] [color=ade81b]”I needed to pee.“[/color] Betty tapped her fingers on the tip of her chin. [color=ade81b]”Did you say that they were judging the fights by majority vote?“[/color] [color=tomato]”That seems to be how the grand magistrate is resolving Penny and Sam’s case, anyway.”[/color] Oros closed her eye again. [color=tomato]”It would seem they believe the winner should be decided by popularity instead of their skill sets.”[/color] [color=ade81b]”Well that’s no good!“[/color] Betty let out a nervous sigh. [color=ade81b]”Justine was pulled out of the cradle and put on a pedestal. She's season 1 stuff. I’m sure everybody wants to see more of her. Meanwhile, I’m just one of her victims! I don’t think anyone really cares if I win or not!“[/color] Oros growled through her teeth. [color=tomato]”I believe in the grand magistrate. The grand magistrate believes in me. If we just stand strong, Penny’s reign of terror will end, and all 50 of us will get to be important to the plot.”[/color] [b]”Ah!”[/b] Elroy shook his head. [b]”It was unfortunate that I lost, but at least I got to have an intense fight with a worthy opponent. Had I been pitted against robot girl from the start, I doubt I’d of had a chance. In fact, I threw my fight for the express interest of not wanting to face something so insurmountable. I pity anyone who has to go up against her.”[/b] [color=tomato]”I believe… in the grand magistrate. The grand magistrate… believes in me. If we just stand strong… Penny’s reign of terror will end… and all 50 of us will get to be important to the plot.”[/color] [color=orange]”Ugh! That dolphin really pisses me off!”[/color] Pac-a-fist fumed. [color=orange]”Almost all of those fights had cheaters in them! Does no one have a third eye like me? Am I the only one who isn’t oblivious to this? And what is Rachel going to think when her opponents need to cheat to beat her? This feels like a huge oversight on Dan's part.”[/color] [color=tomato]”I believe… in the grand magistrate.”[/color] A Lord of Change surfaced out of the sands. [color=Magenta]”It can be difficult to take one’s reality seriously when there are so many problems with it.”[/color] With a snap of his fingers, a portal appeared. [color=Magenta]”I cannot promise you much, not even that you will keep your original forms. But here is a portal to a different reality.”[/color] Elroy looked inside. [b]”Looks like my reality.”[/b] [color=orange]”Then there’s no choice.”[/color] Pac smiled. [color=orange]”I’m going with you!”[/color] But Elroy raised his hand. [b]”So, what’s on the other side of this portal? Can’t let gamer girl go any place she can get hurt. Not without knowing what’s there.”[/b] [color=tomato]”I believe…”[/color] [color=Magenta]”Nothing terribly out of the ordinary. It is your world, as you noticed. I doubt you’ll notice much of a change, but for her, everything will be different.”[/color] The LoC concluded. [color=tomato]”I… believe…”[/color] Pac continued to beam at the horror. [color=orange]”Sounds good so far! What’s so different about it?”[/color] The horror continued to stand beside the portal. [color=Magenta]”The Grand Magistrates are different, power is more evenly distributed, but is lower over all. This world is still forming though, so it’s hard to describe it in too much detail. It’s been under construction for a few weeks, your time, so you can understand if I can’t get too specific.”[/color] [color=tomato]”I…”[/color] [color=orange]”It does sound a little ominous.”[/color] She took Elroy’s hand. [color=orange]”But if I get to go with Elroy, I’ll do it!”[/color] [color=Magenta]”Then by all means, enter.”[/color] The two lovers walked into the portal. The horror prepared to close the portal when they noticed the others. [color=Magenta]”Are you interested?”[/color] [color=e3bbc6]”Very!”[/color] Aria clapped her hands. Betty glared around. [color=ade81b]”I would be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued.“[/color] [color=tomato]”I…”[/color] Oros stood up. [color=tomato]”I could stand a change in scenery. Penrose has soured my mood a bit.”[/color] [color=Magenta]”Oros, you are aware of what this means, right? Entering this portal?”[/color] the LoC caressed the side of the portal. [color=Magenta]”The world you are in right now may not be to your liking, but it a stable one. One that has held together for 4 years. The one you are about to enter may not be as fortunate. It could fall apart at any time. It might not be the end of you, but you will never be allowed to come back here. It's not a choice to be taken lightly.”[/color] [color=tomato]”Can’t say I give a shit one way or another.”[/color] Oros hoisted her sword over her shoulder. [color=tomato]”Shaping this hell hole into something I enjoy has been a fool’s errand. Give me something new!”[/color] [color=e3bbc6]”Very well.”[/color] Aria stretched her arms behind her head. [color=e3bbc6]”There’s nothing in Penrose that has my attention. I am free to do as I like, and a fresh start in a new world is just what my old eyes need.”[/color] [color=ade81b]”I’m-“[/color] Betty lowered her head. [color=ade81b]”I’m sorry Maura, I’m sure you’d have been a great lady. My lady even. However…“[/color] Betty raised her head. [color=ade81b]”The lady I really need to be concerned with is myself! And if there’s a new world out there, one with opportunities, I’ll make sure there’s a member of cradle present to influence it’s development.“[/color] [color=Magenta]”I allowed Pac and Elroy to enter the portal for free, as it was Elroy’s home world and Pac was traveling with him. But for the rest of you, there is a cost.”[/color] They stood off to the side. [color=Magenta]”You must speak a truth that few know to gain access to the portal.”[/color] Betty pushed past everyone and gazed into the portal. [color=ade81b]”I… I don’t like Justine.“[/color] She sighed. [color=ade81b]”But only because she cast me aside so hastily! I um, I kind of have a thing for being, um, controlled. To be desired by someone so deeply that they rob you of your every action is something I’ve only ever felt with Veronica as my lady. We might have been able to become friends if we talked…“[/color] Her face was turning red. [color=ade81b]”B-but I also had a plan. Win or lose, I was going to to make up with Justine by giving her a kiss on the lips, which would… Trigger my killing blow. She would die in seconds.“[/color] Betty looked at her friends. [color=ade81b]”But I don’t think it would have worked, if what everyone else says is to be believed.“[/color] Without saying another word, Betty entered the portal. [color=e3bbc6]”I wonder if she would have lost her nerve?”[/color] Aria approached the portal next. [color=e3bbc6]”Nothing too spicy from me, unfortunately. But I was the first Veronica. The concept of the red coin was based on what the Veronica you know of learned when she stole Boteg’s hoard. Gold coins have the power of a single copper coin when used at creation. With so many coins it was easy to alter everything about me. My appearance, magic, the works! And the mint never learned of it. With my original weapon tightly sealed in the cradle, there was no way for them to learn if I had been killed or not.”[/color] She turned to Oros. [color=e3bbc6]”I was also in a relationship with a few other girls, and Trixy use to be my familiar before she was turned into a magical girl herself. But I’ve already given enough secrets for one evening. These things seem to lose all of their spice when they are just blurted out like that.”[/color] And with that, Aria left this world. Oros stepped up to the portal. [color=tomato]”So I’m sure you guys watching at home remember how I collected lots of purity potions and that funky gunk that gives me unlimited mana?”[/color] Oros rubbed her hands together. [color=tomato]”So what you might not know is that in my purified form, I can share thoughts with people. And Ari gave me permission to use my gifted spec to create the heart of darkness. You know? That artifact that makes you come back to life when slain, only more corrupted?”[/color] Oros chuckled. [color=tomato]”Yup, the grand magistrate’s sloppy handling of my powers and the presence of some unlimited mana gunk means that with purification potions, I can basically have unlimited lives. And before you say ‘someone could just purify it,’ the gunk is in jugs and stored in my hammer space. I can draw out as much as I need, when I need it.”[/color] She laughed to herself. [color=tomato]”But the REAL big dick strategy would be going up to Dan and forcing him to relive 50 years of my memories, watching Mika, one of his own magical girls, slowly become corrupted as she fights, feeds, and fucks her way through who knows how many repeats of this same old tragedy! If sad thoughts make him weaker, despair that great might be enough to kill him! Dead or greatly weakened, I could get as violent as I want during the keijo match! What, you think Odin would stop me?”[/color] She sighed. [color=tomato]”Yea, it would have gotten cucked somehow. Penny probably would have some kind of weird deal going where she could copy my resurrection gimmick despite it needing 3 different spells to work, and despite not being able to be corrupted. Would have been pretty underwhelming for all the effort I put into dreaming it up. I’d like to think I’d get taken down by some weak, unassuming girl in the end, but it would probably just be a repeat of the last time I beat Penny. That's why I feel okay leaving now.”[/color] She turned back towards the portal. [color=tomato]”Fuck, I love to ramble. Good night everyone.”[/color] Another one approached the portal. A quiet girl who wore a feather in her hair. One who hadn’t spoken the entire time she had been here. Until now. [color=tomato]”You were close, Ponn!”[/color] The girl folded her hands behind her back. [color=tomato]”But I’m not Mika from another dimension. I’m Mika from [i]this[/i] one!”[/color] She spread her arms, as if to give the air a big hug. [color=tomato]”I really just came here to see Silly and Ron-jah again. Oreos also said something about saving the world, so I was all on board with what she was doing. We met shortly after I tried to leave the beach world with Rina. You can actually see her flying lotus in the post where she flies after us.”[/color] She, too, entered the portal. The horror placed their hand over the portal. [color=Magenta]”Well, I certainly don’t need to pay for entry. Not that I think that it’s a mystery that Aigorost is suppose to be a stand in for all the players of this RP. Perhaps a message from the broken one before I depart?”[/color] the LoC looked away from the portal and at [i]you[/i]. [color=Magenta]” While recent disagreements have brought about his departure, they were merely the straw that... broke the broken one? His interest with the story has burned out long ago. His inability to communicate with the grand magistrate paired with differences in visions that started when he stood on the council beside them have not simply gone away with time. Only the stories he had running with his friends kept his interest thus far, but recent policy changes have put that in jeopardy.”[/color] The horror rattled off the words as if it was reading a script. There were no emotions, no connection to what was being repeated. [color=Magenta]”Despite recent events, he hopes you continue to enjoy the magical girl RP for many years. Leaving was not something he did without some regret.”[/color] With a final snap of his fingers, the lord of change and its mysterious portal vanished into thin air. The golden trove was empty, the last golden dragons vanished from the world, and the legacy of Shining Scale faded. They only existed in this world as memories now, carried by the few who had seen them. There was still an island with about 16 cat girls in exotic swimsuits however. Someone had better do something about that. [h3][right][i]Broken Promise ~ Never to Return[/i][/right][/h3] … … … …Right? [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/SYLaJgW.png[/img] [color=cfff04]"Choices you make in the future influence the past!”[/color] [color=888888]— Tonya “Mac” Murphy[/color] [hider=Tonya “Mac” Murphy] [b]Age: 24/11 | Gender: Female/Female | Illusion, Gravity Body | Power of Friendship, Regeneration, Third Eye | Moirai Coercion, Soul Jar, Martial Training, True Sight, Parasite, Gifted, Awareness, Overcity Shift, Mystic Artifact Magical Overload, Paragon, Blessing, Gifted Item | Monster Form, Big Brother, Arrogance, Vendetta Redirected Magic, Second Specialization | Non-Standard Limbs, Destroyer[/b] STR: 05 | AGI: 04 | VIT: 05 | MAG: 03 | LCK: 03 +46 STR: 21 | AGI: 21 | VIT: 21 | MAG: 20 | LCK: 20 Earnings this post: Zilch Remaining: 8 Gold, 30 Silver, 39 Bronze Total: 12 Gold, 162 Silver, 183 Bronze [/hider][/center] Mac looked into her spool of thread. This was the last thing it showed. Beyond this scene was nothing. At least, she couldn’t make the spool show her anything. It was almost as if the world was going to end as soon as the Lord of Change left. That made no sense, of course. Even the avatar of a remarkably powerful horror couldn’t do something like that. But it was strange that this was as far as her thread would guide her. She wasn’t sure if this was all the fates were willing to show her, all that she could be shown, or maybe the end of the thread had just been reached. That was another question. Who’s thread was wrapped on this spool? Who’s life was so interconnected with everyone else’s? It didn’t matter though. Mac had made the choice to remain in the shadows once again. It was unsettling to see so many magical girls worked up over what was effectively a game of Keijo, yet all the same, it was a frustration that Mac could relate to. Both because an acquaintance was involved, and because she had been experiencing the exact same dilemma for the past decade. Mac liked to believe that the future was malleable. That her actions could shape the future. A caveat to her own efforts having an effect was that everyone else’s actions had to mean something too. But that hadn’t been what Mac had been fighting for. She was racing around at the behest of a trinity of gods that fought to keep things on track. There weren’t many moments Mac felt heroic, but the two most heroic things she had done by far was keeping Tonya out of the Archive’s hands and saving Lotus from certain death. All of her other actions just blended together, working towards a plan she couldn’t make sense of.. What had she done in this decade of service? If her job was to maintain fate, then did that mean she had been working towards enforcing a set of ideas that she didn’t support? It was too late to stop Pak-A-Fist and Elroy. In a way, they didn’t matter. Maybe they would find happiness in their new world. But what was Betty doing? Was she really going to leave everything she ever knew, and for what? Her patron be damned, Mac was going to do something. [color=cfff04]"Hey!”[/color] Mac ran with all of her might. The tiny island they stood on trembled before she launched herself towards the retreating party. But she would not arrive before Betty left. Mac could only hope that in another world, Betty and Finn could become good friends. Maybe she’d even get some closure with Binky, but it wouldn’t happen here. [color=cfff04]"Stop it! Don’t listen to him!”[/color] The LoC didn’t even turn his head. [color=Magenta]”Oros?”[/color] [color=tomato]”Hmm?”[/color] She turned towards the approaching cat girl. [color=tomato]”Well you’re moving a little fast.”[/color] Oros charged towards.[color=tomato]”What? Do you have AGI and STR maxed or something? You move like Penny does.”[/color] Only Mac didn’t move like Penny. While Oros was able to easily counter the monarch’s charges, that was only because her attacks were so predictable she could see them coming a mile away. Mac had a huge advantage in that she wasn’t even really running where the “cat girl” was. She was running about ten or so feet adjacent, and Oros had no hope of actually stopping her charge. At least, that was the idea. Oros drew her sword, or candy cane as it had become in this world of christmas cheer. The pink pervert squinted her eyes at the reflection in the cane before shifting her gaze. [color=tomato]”Alright kitty, take THIS!”[/color] Oros threw herself directly in Mac’s path , hitting her square in the stomach with her leap. Mac was durable, and even with so many of Oros’s enhancements running, she would only slow her down. But Mac was too flabbergasted to respond correctly. Had she been seen? Could Oros really spot her? [color=tomato]”Don’t think I’ve seen you before.”[/color] Oros’s eyes flicked up to where Mac was, and back down at her blade in quick succession. [color=tomato]”The hell are you doing here?”[/color] [color=cfff04]"I’m trying to stop you from making a terrible mistake!”[/color] Mac remained hidden, but Oros would have no trouble hearing her voice. [color=cfff04]"You can’t leave yet.”[/color] [color=e3bbc6]”What’s all the ruckus about?”[/color] Aria walked up behind Oros. [color=e3bbc6]”Oh, did you finally meet her?”[/color] [color=tomato]”Her?!?”[/color] Oros looked over her shoulder at Aria. [color=tomato]”You know who this is?”[/color] [color=e3bbc6]”And you don’t?”[/color] Aria added with a grin. While Aria had stepped out of line, that just meant that Mika could take her place. She too left through the portal. She would never reunite with her mother, and it was unclear what ever happened to the archer she left Penrose with. Mysteries that would remain unsolved. But Mac had managed to stop Aria and Oros, and maybe that would be enough. [color=cfff04]"Look.”[/color] Mac began. [color=cfff04]"This world might not be perfect, but none of them are. Your presence here means so much more than you could imagine! It may feel like you can’t do anything, but you’re ignoring what just existing here is doing.”[/color] [color=tomato]”I doubt anyone gives a shit about a crazy ronin and her butterfly obsessed artificer.”[/color] [color=cfff04]"You’re not going to convince me that Emily doesn’t care deeply about you. The fact of the matter is that regardless of how rotten any one of us is, there’s [i]someone[/i] who will miss us. What’s going to happen to her if you just up and vanish?”[/color] [color=tomato]”She’ll live.”[/color] [color=cfff04]"But she’ll hurt. And also, what about your...”[/color] Mac hesitated. [color=cfff04]"Patron? Surely if they leave, it will negatively affect the others.”[/color] Oros had a blank look on her face as she stared into her candy cane. [color=tomato]”So you’re a wolf girl. Not the first, but the cop outfit is kinda cute. Even if you’re a bit top heavy compared to what I want..”[/color] [color=cfff04]"Being top heavy can make you more maneuverable in the air. Planes are built that way, you know.”[/color] She supposed that Oros could see her, somehow. Though she was aware that Endless Eclipse was a bit different than most mystic artifacts. While her illusion magic kept her hidden from a third eye, it was possible for a mystic artifact to spot her at some point before she cast any illusion magic. Even with her massive reserves, she couldn’t use her magic all the time. [color=tomato]”You paid attention in class. Tell me ‘Mac,’ who’s your patron?”[/color] [color=cfff04]"The Moirai”[/color] [color=tomato]”You paid attention in class. Tell me ‘Mac,’ who’s your patron?”[/color] [color=cfff04]"The Moirai.”[/color] [color=tomato]”Yea, I gathered that.”[/color] She flicked her eyes up at the invisible wolf. [color=tomato]”But they are a trio of sisters. What’s their names?”[/color] [color=cfff04]"They don’t want me to say.”[/color] [color=tomato]”And they didn’t want you to save Tonya or Lotus either. Out with it.”[/color] Mac sighed. She knew she was going to get in trouble for this, but Oros was right. She was disrupting things just by being here. [color=cfff04]"I do not know their real names, but they go by moniceres.”[/color] [color=tomato]”Just. Say. It..”[/color] [color=cfff04]"...Tea Wave, Platinum Skink, Erode.”[/color] Oros blinked. Her hands trembled on her cane, but it wasn’t long before she roared with demonic laughter. She nudged Aria before looking over her shoulder at the Lord of Change, but neither of them seemed to think the situation was amusing. [color=tomato]”The names of all the replaced magistrate members, minus one! Well! I’ve got a pretty good idea of what's going on now.”[/color] [color=cfff04]"Please elaborate.”[/color] The wild magical girls looked directly at Mac’s invisible frame with a crooked smile. [color=tomato]”Well it’s simple really. First you need to throw away every notion you have about time. Because time isn’t water, sand, or any of that other bullshit you might have heard in the past. Time is a story, and it’s written on several pages. People experience time at different speeds, and are in different places depending on how well read they are. But because time has been committed to word, it means that these words can be re-written, which can change how time unfolds.”[/color] Aria raised an eyebrow [color=e3bbc6]”But time manipulation like that is only possible by powerful eldritch creatures. Moreover, it’s a direct violation of how the patrons agreed to play this 4D chess game with our lives.”[/color] [color=tomato]”Well Aria, I don’t know what to tell you.”[/color] She looked back at her candy cane. [color=tomato]”Every time I’ve looked into this blade of mine, I’ve only ever been able to read the past. But it’s clear that there’s been quite a bit written ahead of this point of time we’re presently residing in. And the only way this is possible is if we’ve all been transported to the past, or my patron went back and edited a whole ass magical girl into existence!”[/color] She chuckled. [color=tomato]”She shows up so clearly too, I would have remembered someone like this otherwise.”[/color] Mac could feel her heart beat faster. [color=cfff04]"Then according to you, I don’t exist? My patron doesn’t exist?”[/color] The latter half wasn’t too hard to believe, actually. There had been no repercussions for her actions, and her patrons had never actually spoken to her. [color=tomato]”I don’t think [i]any[/i] of us exist, but if you don’t subscribe to that..”[/color] Oros looked at the LoC [color=tomato]”What do you say, big guy? Wanna fill us in?”[/color] The LoC remained stationary, but they did project their voice to everyone nearby. [color=Magenta]”The Moirai that you serve are not the real article. That much is true.”[/color] Even if it was easy to believe, Mac had a hard time accepting it. Evidence was present to support the horrorling’s claims, but had she really been serving no one for the past ten years? [color=Magenta]”The Moirai you serve are a fraction of the horror known as Aigorost: A collection of entities that make up that which is unborn into reality. The false Moirai is perhaps the more altruistic fraction of the whole.”[/color]The LoC pointed at the spool of thread Mac held. [color=Magenta]”That is a real thread of fate. In particular, it is your own thread. The reason why you cannot see past this interaction is because you have reached the end of your usefulness. You have been doing their bidding up until this very moment.”[/color] [color=cfff04]"And since Oros, Aria, and everyone else is leaving, that means that Aigorost is going to leave too. Which means that I’ve finished playing my part?”[/color] [color=Magenta]”More or less.”[/color] the LoC looked off into the distance. The situation was getting too weird to comprehend. She was following an altruistic horror this entire time, but they were going to kill her, but now another patron took interest in her? [color=cfff04]"I’m going to be honest, I’m having difficulty following all this crap, but you’re saying that I’m presently without a patron.”[/color] [color=Magenta]”You will be once we leave.”[/color] [color=cfff04]"Great…”[/color] At least there wasn’t anything stopping her from taking a shower when she got back home. [color=tomato]”Man, being able to see everything like this. It’s like I have ‘Mad World’ or something.”[/color] Oros grinned. [color=tomato]”Alright, small change of plans.”[/color] She walked over to the cat girls. [color=tomato]”Do we remember why these cat girls were supposed to be here?”[/color] [color=Magenta]”It’s complicated.”[/color] The LoC admitted. [color=Magenta]”Originally they were going to be various cat maids that you acquired over previous resets from making deals with Nykannis, but it was later revealed that she was a ‘singularity like you’ which made that impossible. Thus, they have been retconned via causality manipulation into being Mikas and Oross across various doomed timelines.”[/color] [color=tomato]”So everyone’s armed?”[/color] [color=Magenta]”Yes.”[/color] [color=tomato]”And I’m not gunna elaborate because esper spoilers, right?”[/color] [color=Magenta]”I don’t believe that Reality Plenum exists yet, so it would be best to be quiet.”[/color] [color=tomato]”Sounds good.”[/color] Oros turned to Mac. [color=tomato]”Think you can impersonate Aria for a bit?”[/color] [color=cfff04]"What?”[/color] [color=tomato]”Yea, look.”[/color] Oros placed a hand on Mac’s shoulder. [color=tomato]”I’m pretty sure the fake Oross' can do a knock up job of replicating my actions, but they aren’t Aria. You on the other hand shouldn’t have much difficulty impersonating-”[/color] [color=Magenta]”Oros, it doesn’t matter. Time flows strangely between these two places. You may remain longer if you must, it won’t change anything for confidential reasons.”[/color] [color=tomato]”But I wanna pull one over on Nykannis! She lied to me and gave me a trojan horse as a gift, I wanna one up her by having all of her interactions be with fake people! ”[/color] Mac took a step closer to Oros. [color=cfff04]"It doesn't sound like there's any rush to leave.”[/color] Oros looked back at her candy cane sword. [color=tomato]”That was a pretty savage erotic story I hit Nykannis with at the end. I'd hate to let one of my other mes tell it to her.”[/color] With a groan, Oros turned back to Mac. [color=tomato]”I guess I can be a bastard a bit longer.”[/color] Mac lowered her head. [color=cfff04]"I just wish I had been here a bit sooner to stop the others.”[/color] [color=Magenta]”The only comfort I can offer you is that if Oros is going to remain longer, then so will Aigorost.”[/color] The LoC raised their hand and a candy cane appeared in Mac’s hands. [color=Magenta]”Consider Endless Eclipse a parting gift from your current patron. If you wish to remain here after we depart, I suggest finding a new patron. Maybe join someone who’s willing to let you challenge fate.”[/color] [color=tomato]”Come on Aria, might as well [i]pretend[/i] we’re leaving for esper world.”[/color] With a nod, Aria walked after Oros. [color=e3bbc6]”You’ll have to tell me more about it later. And Mac? Take care.”[/color] Mac just barely managed a “you too” as Aria walked away. How she felt in this moment was indescribable. She was relieved that she was still going to exist, angry that she had been lied to, glum that she could have altered fate a long time ago, but there was also a bit of joy there. The joy that comes with the sudden realization that while yes, the past ten years could have been better, she had been given the opportunity to turn a new leaf. Things were going to be different moving forward. She would work to make a real difference, and to start her journey, she decided to look into the candy cane replica of endless eclipse. As she surmised, she was able to look far into the future, well after her cut off point at the Christmas party. But she saw something else, something that had yet to be written in the chronicles of time. [color=cfff04]"...Holy shit…”[/color] [h3][right][i]Tonya “Mac” Murphy ~ Mission Start[/i][/right][/h3] [/hider]