[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/uurhDHh.jpg[/img][/center][center]
[img]http://i.imgur.com/HtvPRRx.png[/img][/center][color=powderblue]“Is there a problem here?”[/color]

An impossible chill tickled the souls of those gathered but it felt almost warm in its familiarity to any other Jester. A gloved hand gently clapped Yui’s shoulder from behind, its grip subtle but firm in keeping her in place. The hand’s owner looked down on the green girl, a serrated smile aimed her way before she looked to the now newly reformed bluenette. The face was familiar; in fact, she looked all but identical to Nephy. But Kanbaru could tell this was not the undead samurai. Something was off, something was changed, and the familiarity grew.

Pale blue eyes stared through Yui now like a feral predator. The exact circumstances were unknown to any around but Harley and perhaps the JSTR, but this was no Nephy. The pulse of the Jester’s creed, of Zoroa’s touch, emanated in whatever was left of a heart the wolf held. [color=powderblue]“Is she bothering you?”[/color] [url= https://i.imgur.com/4zbmcYc.png]Mastephos[/url] repeated to Kanbaru. Her grip on Yui’s shoulder tightened just a little. Kanbaru’s observations on the two former Magical Girls weren’t entirely correct, as pointed out swiftly by Apia.

The bee girl held Uathach’s mark claimed on her soul while the green one oozed the scent and floral natural of the Vassal of Nature. At least one of those two had less leniency in Harley’s Casino by association. [color=powderblue]“If she’s bothering you, I’ll throw her out in pieces,”[/color] Mastephos said, the madness of all Jesters now peering at her prey. She waited for any excuse to be set loose.

Harley chuckled further away, observing the scene but not really. Her attention was split between that hilarity and Akiko, the cat girl seemingly resolved to leave the Tower’s journey for good. [color=silver]“Well, if that’s what you want. I’m not going to stop you if you want to waste time somewhere else. But if it’s that princess you miss, you really shouldn’t worry,”[/color] Harley said with a diluted sneer. [color=silver]“You can visit her any time you want. Who’s going to stop you? You’re one of us now~”[/color]

Her words held the unspoken understanding imparted on Akiko. [i]One of us.[/i] So long as she adhered to Zoroa’s philosophy willingly, she could do whatever she wanted. And if not, well, all of that could be taken away in a heartbeat. [color=silver]“You’ll be hunted from now on. That Tower is no longer your friend and the force that controls it will do all that it can to destroy you. But you already knew that huh~?”[/color] The Vassal finished her piece, idly pointing in a random direction.

[color=silver]“Knock yourself out kid. If you need any pick me ups, you know how to call your fellow clowns.”[/color] Despite her vague instructions, Akiko would instinctively know how to exit the cosmic casino once and for all. Doing so of course would have put Riku’s situation on full display to her. Katie wondered once again how the princess even managed this, not too far away from the stage.

Just before she could make any sort of plan of action, a familiar voice caught her attention and Katie turned to see a boy. [color=indianred]“Thomas? I thought you were dead,”[/color] she said bluntly, her cousin baffling laughter and mirth beside her at Riku’s fate. [color=indianred]“Both of you, listen up. Planning an attack is meaningless in this place when the law is governed by fate and luck. It’s better we simply follow those rules. I trust you don’t mind those sort of expenses, but you look like you already have that covered.”[/color]

Indeed, Erika was already wafting away fat wads of cash, passing it by whoever looked cute in her fancy; mostly the bunny maids. [color=indianred]“After you buy her freedom back, come with me. There’s something we need to do,”[/color] she told Erika in earnest, catching sight of a spectral nun among the crowd. It was better they control Riku’s fate then whatever the JSTR had involved. [color=indianred]“You have anything to bid with you Thomas?”[/color]
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