[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/q4au2SQ.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/rSlSWzD.png[/img][/center] [center][hider=Connie and Mia Stats] [center][color=DarkOrchid][h2]Connie[/h2][/color] 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 5 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 5 Oddball: Nightmares | Tentacles Enhanced Weapon | Power Artifact | Mystic Artifact | Ally | Interdimensional Home Focused | Mental Link | Hidden Death | Mana Font | Mystic Might Alien Mind | Formless | Rival Force | Clueless [/center] [hr] [center][color=SpringGreen][h2]Mia[/h2][/color] 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 5 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 5 Wood | Barrage Enhanced Weapon | Dual Weapon | Purification Artifact | Big Red Button Blessing | Divine Competence | Gifted Item | Mana Font | Mystic Might Rites| Arrogance | Big Brother | Clueless [/center][/hider][/center] [center][hider=Angel of Hope Stats] [center][color=DeepSkyBlue][h2]Angel of Hope[/h2][/color] 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 5 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 5 Reinforcement | Third Eye Enhanced Outfit | Enhanced Weapon | Enhanced Sustenance | Wings | Gifted Job Satisfaction | Chatty | Mana Font | Mystic Might Cagey | Expendable | Big Brother [/center] [/hider][/center] Looking up, the sight of a second protective barrier reinforcing her own brought a brilliant smile to the Angel of Hope’s radiant visage. [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“What a kind and thoughtful gesture!”[/b][/color] the heavenly beauty gushed. [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“This humble servant is so very grateful! Indeed, it fills her heart with such abundant joy!”[/b][/color] [color=DeepSkyBlue][i]I’m glad at least [b]someone’s[/b] got the right idea… This barrier’s the only thing keeping this dump from getting blown to bits, and unless those dumbasses out there start getting their shit together, it’s not gonna hold out for much longer! I mean, seriously, what the fuck are they even doing?! Playing hide and seek?![/i][/color] Although she didn’t show it, the angelic maiden was starting to feel the strain of using so much of her magic, and with the arrival of a quartet of bizarre new foes, it seemed she would need to use even [i]more…[/i] [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“Good heavens! What appalling creatures!”[/b][/color] [color=DeepSkyBlue][i]Great… And who are [b]these[/b] fuckers supposed to be? An edgelord’s take on the Wizard of Oz?[/i][/color] A moment later, the Angel’s eyes widened in stunned horror as she watched a bizarre armless girl conjure a winding golden pathway which proceeded to [i]lift up[/i] both barriers as if they were little more than curtains on a stage. [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“My word!”[/b][/color] the Angel gasped, placing a delicate hand over her ample chest. [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“How was such a quaint little thing able to pierce our defenses with such effortless ease?!”[/b][/color] [color=DeepSkyBlue][i]Holy [b]fuck[/b]… What even [b]is[/b] this girl?[/i][/color] For her part, Gaia had been directing the cob cannon sunflowers’ long range bombardment, employing the giant plants to provide counter-battery fire in response to the Wonderland artillery. Upon noticing that her various botanical creations arrayed about the fields were in danger of being consumed by the ever-expanding flames (and a buzzsaw-equipped car?), the verdant maiden regretfully withdrew her magic from them and redistributed it to further bolster the increasingly besieged sunflowers. [color=SpringGreen][i]It’s a good thing Connie isn’t here to see this…[/i][/color] Gaia reflected, upon witnessing the arrival of the monstrous quartet. The scarecrow, in particular, looked like it had leapt right out of a horror movie, although it was the tin titan that appeared to pose the greatest threat. But how to deal with it? The metallic construct seemed fully capable of shrugging off everything from pea pellets, to cob missiles, to mystic beams. Nothing in her botanical arsenal was likely to make more than a dent, unless… [color=SpringGreen][i]Could it really be that simple?[/i][/color] Gaia wondered. If these things were adhering to their inspirations close enough, then there was a rather large weakness she could exploit. It might have been something of a stretch, but it was still worth a shot, especially in absence of other options. Thus, even as the metal giant raised his enormous axe to chop down one of the towering sunflowers, Gaia flooded the plant with her magic, causing the cob cannons to morph into blue-bulbed water cannons. Its root network branching out to any nearby lakes and rivers, the colossal plant fired several jets of water at the tin titan, with any luck rusting it enough to freeze it in place mid-swing. After that, it was time to address the problem of the little armless girl skipping her way towards the opening in the barrier. Gaia had no idea what the girl would do once she reached the center of town, but the verdant maiden didn’t intend to simply wait around to find out. With a wave of Nature’s Blossom, Gaia sent several vines shooting up to ensnare the cheerful girl, while the Angel of Hope formed a shimmering barrier dome over the little monster, in an added effort to halt her progress. [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“I am most sorry, little one,”[/b][/color] the heavenly maiden called, her radiant visage forming a somber frown. [color=DeepSkyBlue][b]“But we cannot allow you to harm the innocent residents of this fair village!”[/b][/color] [color=DeepSkyBlue][i]Yeah, ya little freak… Thanks to [b]you,[/b] I’ve gotta waste even [b]more[/b] of my mana… I hope those other losers finish evacuating this dump soon…[/i][/color] Meanwhile, Connie raced through the streets of Bolorton, the augmentations granted by Alex and the Angel’s reinforcement spells coupled with Lily’s speed paths allowing her to move faster than she’d ever imagined possible. Employing her tentacles to pick up extra townsfolk, she moved from house to house in a blur of motion, gently depositing each inhabitant on the grass for others to carry back to the shelter. [color=DarkOrchid]“O-Okay!”[/color] Connie replied when Lily instructed her on what set of houses to check on next. Running over to the first home, she was startled to see an ethereal young man flanked by two additional spirits appear before her. [color=DarkOrchid]“Eeep!”[/color] Connie yelped, coming to a sudden stop. Her tentacles instinctively rising to shield her from attack, the frightened masked girl was about to fire off a nightmare pulse, when she realized that the trio was actually helping with the evacuation. [color=DarkOrchid]“S-S-Sorry…”[/color] Connie apologized meekly as her tentacles lowered and her hands began fidgeting with her hair. [color=DarkOrchid]“Y-You s-startled me, a-and I t-thought f-for a m-moment y-you were w-with the p-people a-attacking the t-town…”[/color]