[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/vzxvCpR.jpg[/img]
[h3][b][color=DAA520]Camelot[/color][/b][/h3][/center]

[i]Weren't we supposed to be on patrol? What the actual fuck is this?[/i]

Such was the dominating thought in Camelot's mind, as she squeezed her eyes shut in frustration, listening to Tesni's surprisingly philosophical response. [color=DAA520]"You're not an idiot, Tesni,"[/color] Camelot eventually spoke up, opening her eyes. [color=DAA520]"In fact, you're rather talented, brimming with potential, both realized and otherwise."[/color] And that was exactly why she didn't particularly like her. It all seemed like such a waste for someone so aggressive and impulsive to wield such powerful abilities. That said, she could vaguely understand the context behind that attitude. [color=DAA520]"I think you might be reading a bit too far into a mere story, but then again, it's your Grimoire, not mine. You'd likely know it best. Your approach to life is respectable regardless; yet, you are objectively incorrect in regards to change."[/color]

Camelot placed one armored hand on her chin. [color=DAA520]"While it would seem that change can be forced on someone, ultimately, this is an illusion. At the end of the day, change is perhaps also known as a form of 'natural selection'. Only those that choose to change move forward and prosper; while those that stubbornly cling to obsolete and self-destructive mindsets inevitably perish or languish in stagnation in some manner or another. Thus, change is [i]always[/i] a choice. After all, Sun Wukong didn't [i]have[/i] to change when he was imprisoned by Buddha. He could have stayed stubborn, stayed true to his pride and perhaps broken free at some point... but most likely withered away. Instead, he chose to grasp the opportunity for self-reflection and became better than he once was, enough so that he was given a chance once more. One could posit that what he had was merely the illusion of choice, but that is not so, just as it is never truly so in real life."[/color]

It seemed overall that Tesni had... strangely calmed down... to a frankly unnerving degree. The abrupt philosophical zen that overcame her was something that Camelot could only attribute to potential Grimoire interference. Or perhaps she'd always been that way, and Camelot's distance from her had simply kept her from noticing? Whatever the case, Camelot was just happy that Tesni had managed to seemingly shrug off Tsubasa's verbal bait. Now that things were starting to deescalate, she could finally ge-

Bonnie bafflingly decided now was the best time to actually [i]hit[/i] Tesni, smacking her right across the back of the head. Chinami sucked in a quiet breath, as Tesni tilted her head preemptively, blunting the strike somewhat. Yet still, the idea of things getting out of hand again? [color=DAA520]"[i]Bonnie[/i]!"[/color] Camelot couldn't help snapping out, genuinely shocked at such behavior from her senior. Gritting her teeth, Camelot clenched her jaw and managed to dial her tone back to a level one, before she drawled out, [color=DAA520]"All Tesni used were [i]words[/i]. Can you [i]honestly[/i] tell me it is in [i]any[/i] way appropriate to escalate to actual physical force in this situation, in front of both a 'guest' and our new junior? [i]Really[/i]?"[/color]

[i]Especially against someone you can't beat if she decides to respond in kind,[/i] Camelot tactfully refrained from adding. Perhaps her reaction might have sounded overblown, but Camelot wasn't about to allow bad habits like these, which were ultimately toxic to a healthy team relationship, to build up momentum. The last thing any of them should be encouraging is resorting to physical violence -no matter how mild- to settle disagreements with people who were supposed to be close comrades.

As Bonnie led Suzuya away and Tesni abruptly darted out of the alley to inflict herself upon an apparent would-be mugger, Camelot shook her head and rolled her jaw, reconstituting her prior line of thought. All of this... debate was ultimately poorly timed and placed, and it had all primarily gotten out of hand at the behest of this "Moonlight Tsubasa". Speaking of which, what the hell was the rabbit-eared Magical Girl's deal? She'd shown up out of nowhere and started chatting them up with this strangely philosophical series of statements... and Anti-Ministry ones at that. While Camelot was inclined to agree with her to a degree, this was simply not the time or place for this. They were supposed to be on patrol, supposed to be providing the newest Magical Girl among them with a positive introduction to the magical world.

Instead, their team cohesion was under concentrated assault... whether deliberately or not. Frankly, Tsubasa seemed far too well-spoken and composed to not realize what kind of disruptive effect she was having here, so Camelot was not exactly feeling all that positively inclined towards her at present. Frankly, between having her unwanted authority threatened and then the mental derail that Tsubasa seemed to be trying to induce in all of them, Camelot was now in a position to posit that this apparent possible "enemy of my enemy"... was [i]not[/i] in fact her friend.

[color=DAA520]"And [i]you[/i],"[/color] Camelot turned back towards Moonlight Tsubasa, all traces of cordiality absent from her tone and expression, as her steel gauntlets creaked audibly from clenched fists. She took in the statuesque Magical Girl's statements and set her jaw. [color=DAA520]"[i]First[/i] off, the last thing you should be doing is comparing [i]eugenics[/i] of all things to the here and now; I refuse to even humor that line of discussion. Secondly, I'll admit agelessness is a daunting concept, and however unwise it may be, I've chosen to simply live in the here and now, helping who I can and not worrying about who I can't. Being obsessed with the future and the long game can be just as destructive as anything else. Thirdly, I [i]already[/i] aspire to more than some bland forever life in an academy. Why in the world would anyone want to subject themselves to an eternity of stagnation is beyond me. Such aspirations aren't quite yet practical to the here and now, but I most certainly have them and hold them dear. That said..."[/color]

Her azure eyes narrowed. [color=DAA520]"What [i]exactly[/i] were you hoping to accomplish by doing this? Actually, [i]no[/i]."[/color] She shook her head. [color=DAA520]"The reality is that I don't [i]care[/i]. Objectively, what you have [i]done[/i] is disrupt what was supposed to be a brand new Magical Girl's wonderful first day and introduction to the job. All you have done is interrupt my work as her guide and exacerbate the issues with team cohesion that I was in the [i]process of handling[/i],"[/color] she ground out. [color=DAA520]"Your timing and approach would have to [i]struggle[/i] to be worse, but I can admit to being fool enough to take the bait out of... clearly misguided politeness. As things are, however, I have a job to do, one you are impeding, so... you need to [i]leave[/i], Lady Tsubasa. Now."[/color]

Whatever else she may have intended to add was interrupted by a cold chill crawling up her spine, and Camelot stiffened up at the all too familiar sensation in unison with Moonlight Tsubasa. Her head snapped towards the swelling filthy miasma seeping out of the downed would-be mugger beside Tesni, the sight of which sparked the idea that this "mugger" was perhaps guiltless, a victim of Pageless influence. Whatever the case, thankfully, said mugger(?) was the only civilian to remain in the area, the others rapidly clearing out in the face of the subconscious sensation of approaching dread.

Speaking of which.

[color=DAA520]"Transformations! Quickly,"[/color] Camelot rattled off to her team, focusing on her mystical senses. The enemy numbered approximately a dozen, give or take; however, between the flares of her comrades' transformations... and a great ominous swelling of fell magics in the distance, the situation was clear. [color=DAA520]"[i]Another[/i] Apex type? So soon?"[/color] she grit out in consternation, even as another worrying thought occurred. A mere dozen or so Pageless was basically worth less than nothing in the face of five magical girls; they wouldn't even slow them down... which was odd. Given the increased aggression of the dark creatures of late, Camelot couldn't fathom why so few of them were here. They certainly possessed enough of an animalistic instinct to wait until the odds were ostensibly in their favor before striking.

Camelot didn't know where Pageless came from, but perhaps whatever passed for their daily energy budget (assuming they drew from one) had simply allocated the vast majority of the day's energy into a truly monstrous foe. In which case... the city was in grave danger where her team currently [i]wasn't[/i]. They needed to finish up here quickly, and yet, a note of paranoia -or perhaps instinct- niggled at Camelot's mind due to the odd behavior of these Pageless.

It was more this behavior than their low numbers that unnerved her. While one might perhaps be able to assume some vague malice on the part of Tsubasa in possibly drawing them here, Camelot had already encountered mere days ago a Magical Girl, Olivia, who could pacify the dark creatures with her abilities. Such an ability seemed uncommon, but there was no reason to assume Tsubasa couldn't have one as well. This, of course, was assuming the behavior of the Pageless had anything to do with Moonlight Tsubasa to begin with. Instead of hunting the people, they were focused on the Magical Girls, which was already unusual. Even more bizarre was the fact that so many potential victims had been allowed to flee the area instead of having their minds snagged by the Pageless's dark magic. Camelot spoke up in warning, [color=DAA520]"[i]Wait[/i], don't attack yet! This is unusual, and these Pageless might have some sort of gimmick."[/color]

Too late.

Bonnie and Tesni had already transformed, and the former quite literally leapt into action; Camelot was slowly starting to understand why perhaps Lilac Shimmer hadn't been chosen to lead this sub-team, given the shockingly impulsive way she'd been acting. Unfortunately, Camelot wasn't in much of a position to worry about that... when Dynasty Queen extended Ruyi Jingu Bang and [i]swung[/i] it down from overhead, the legendary staff ripping the air with its passage right towards the Pageless... and Tsubasa, and Dynasty Queen seemed quite fully and unreservedly committed to the strike. Camelot's blood went cold at the sight. She's couldn't remember the exact weight of the damned thing, but she knew it was in the realm of 17,000 lbs, an amount that received a considerable level of force multiplication from being whipped around at high speeds.

Moonlight Tsubasa had "projections". She also seemed to have an ability that potentially pacified Pageless. Between the two, it was easy to assume that she was a fragile support type like Wilhelmina, one that was not overtly strong or durable. A strike like this... could easily kill her without question. Hell, even Camelot wouldn't be able to take such a hit head on without suffering for it.

Her perceptions of the world slowing as far as she could push them, Camelot's body was already instinctively turning, as she accelerated towards Tsubasa, the pavement fissuring around the divots left by her feet. She didn't draw Excalibur; that would waste precious moments, and she had no real hope of deflecting Tesni's strike to begin with, even with her own strength. As galling as it was to admit, the gulf between their physical strength was more substantial than she'd like, even without accounting for the staff's weight. Besides which, she wanted to save Excalibur's blinding effect for when it was more necessary if at all possible, and these Pageless had yet to present themselves as valid enough threats to warrant her guzzling mana. They'd been relatively passive, and the potential hostages had already fled the area.

Sprinting low to the ground, as Ruyi Jingu Bang inched ever so ominously and inexorably closer to its would-be victim, Camelot grit her teeth and lunged, looking to wrap her arms around the waist of Moonlight Tsubasa and bear them both safely from the strike zone. She had no need to hold back much with her speed in this case, as she was thankfully dealing with moving a fellow Magical Girl, someone innately far less fragile than a normal human. As such, her speed was enough that, to most, she was little more than a flickering blur, her boots skidding with a par of twin screeches of metal against pavement to bleed momentum after her sudden movement.

This time, in the face of such an egregiously irresponsible and possibly malicious action, she couldn't hold back, as she bellowed, [color=DAA520]"[b][i]DYNASTY QUEEN[/i][/b], what the [b][i]hell[/i][/b]?!"[/color]