[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/72bEcUi.png[/img][/center]

[color=fff200]”Probably, but I don’t know if anyone else is on the move at the moment,"[/color] Lily answered Alex as the two of them headed over to the park. [color=fff200]”I don’t think any of us were prepared for trouble outside Penrose in the first place."[/color]  She checked her phone mid-ride, and noticed a couple of responses to the text, slightly uplifting her spirits.[color=fff200]”At least we won’t be going alone."[/color]

[hr]
It only took five minutes for Lily’s motorcycle to careen into Penrose Park, stopping after a half-circle that left a mark on the pavement. There, she saw Connie and Mia; they were the first people to respond to Lily’s message, and had arrived just before the duo.
[color=fff200]”Connie! Gaia!"[/color] She waved back to the two with a relieved yet tense greeting. They were immediately joined by Penny; her impressive stature lacked the presence it usually held, causing Lily to blink as if to confirm she wasn’t just imagining her there.
Lily hopped off her motorcycle.
[color=fff200]”That’s what I’m hoping for. Mariette is the only girl I know who could take us to Bolorton the fastest."[/color]
She looked around, and noticed as Ronin and Miko were running towards them from a distance, as well as Angel of Hope, who descended gracefully down from above to join them. 

However, there was no sign of Mariette. Lily scratched her cheek.
[color=fff200]”...So, uh, does anyone know what is really happening there?"[/color]

Lily’s question was interrupted by Mayra’s ground-shaking entrance, causing the green-haired girl to summon her weapon in reflex. Upon recognizing the cause of the quake as Mayra, however, she immediately dissipated the nocked lightning arrow with a fizzle.
Once the salamander girl revealed she could take them to Bolorton in Mariette’s place, Lily immediately ran over to grab her hand with both of hers with a smile, shaking it with gratitude.

[color=fff200]”Oh thank you, Mayra! I don’t know what we would do without-Yeouwch!"[/color]
She removed her hands, having realized too late that the latter’s body was hotter than an oven plate, and burnt her palms. They slightly smoked as Lily shook them around.
[color=fff200]”Ow ow ow! I should have figured that was a bad idea! Ow!"[/color]
Once she calmed down, most likely after Alex applied some healing magic to Lily’s deep-fried digits, she addressed Mayra.
[color=fff200]”Mayra, we need a portal to Bolorton. Think you can make one for us? We need to go there right now. We also need to prepare…Ah-ha! I know!"[/color]

She mumbled as she cast a spell that created a wide magic circle on the ground, wide enough to accommodate the Mahou group. The group felt an electric jolt run through their bodies, followed by a feeling of lightness and energy (+3 AGI buff for an hour).
[color=fff200]”I usually cast a spell to boost my speed, but I figured with all of us here, I could do the same to you too. Hopefully it didn’t sting too badly,"[/color] she added, having noticed the electrifying results on Miko's hair. 
She then turned to Mayra with a fist pump and a confident smile.
[color=fff200]”Anyway, I’m now ready to go!"[/color]

[hr]
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Justine was surprised by the Mahou duo's initial answer.

[color=bc8dbf]”Wonderland? They are on the move?”[/color] She grit her teeth as they further clarified the exact situation, having clenched her fists.
[color=bc8dbf]"Dammit! If they’re this prepared, there’s only one explanation…They must have joined forces,”[/color] she spoke with disgust, and followed the two as they continued travelling to Bolorton.

[hr]
Kimble bit her lip, but nodded with a sigh. “You’re right, Alicia. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come down to that.” With Alicia having been informed, Hudie went back to her duties after a respectful salute. The air was tense in the Beacon headquarters as members raced back and forth across the corridors, preparing for the worst.

[hr]
Mariette and Jelena were surrounded in a flash of light once they opened the glowing invitation again, the stylized heart symbol rapidly blinking as the teleportation spell whisked them to Wonderland. The moment the white light had settled down, they found themselves standing in the castle gardens, a vast area that contained topiaries, flowerbeds, and even a stone fountain sculpted in the likeness of a stern-faced monarch wielding a magnificent sword. Similarly, the topiaries seemed to depict various residents and creatures of Wonderland, though Mariette couldn’t recognize any of them.

They were not the only ones there, either; the gardens were brimming with life as finely dressed guests prowled and gathered around the tables adorned with glamorous white cloths and served exquisite catering. However, Mariette also noticed the numerous card soldiers serving as guards along the perimeter of the garden, a third of them wearing spade symbols in addition to the clubs. In addition, she noticed that while the gardens lacked the strange magical aura that pervaded across the rest of Wonderland, there seemed to be protective enchantments that prevented scrying and other methods of magical detection in the area.

“Introducing Mariette Pedersen and entourage!” The two soon heard as one of the servants announced their arrival. Soon, a handsome man wearing an eye-covering mask and a top hat approached them, and bowed with a flourish.
“Esteemed guests, on behalf of the Queen of Hearts, I welcome you. I am Marquis Harry.”
He then gently took Jelena’s hand and blinked, trying to hide his reaction to touching her cold, metal limb. However, it seems it wasn't enough to sway his interests away from her. “Will you grant me the honor of accompanying you for this occasion, Miss...?” He asked, having seemingly directed the question more at Jelena than Mariette herself. Behind him, Mariette could see a gathering of party guests around a more prominent figure, as laughter echoed around.