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

[color=violet]"Crime doesn't pay, but neither does honest work."[/color]

[color=888888]— Chloe Irving[/color][/center]

[hider=Chloe Irving]
03 03 03 03 03
10 10 06 17 04
23/12 | Babe/Baby | Spirit
Mystic orb, Gauntlets | Third Eye, Focused Assault | Horror(?)
Wings, Enhanced Outfit, Big Damn Hero, Blood Magic, Interdimensional Home, Enhanced Transformation
Dominator | Dark Weapon
Marked(?) ??????????????????????????????

6 Gold, 9 silver, 13 bronze
[/hider]

They may have liked her, hated her, or envied her, but it was hard to deny that Chloe was something of a centerpiece to this gathering. But she also knew what she could get away with. If someone wanted to disengage with Chloe, it was easy to do so. She hadn’t even stuck around to hear most of the responses that were leveled at her. Even Pentius-04’s refusal to go on a date with Chloe did not seem to phase her. The only indication she gave that she even heard the girl was a small nod while she walked away. 

The only one with a strong reaction to her antics was Penny, which Chloe absolutely [i]loved[/i]. The smile on her face grew wider and wider as the “Queen of Penrose” threw a tantrum like the one-year-old baby she was. Sure, she was trying to look cool and collected on the surface, but that was a facade that Chloe could see through pretty easily. But the moment Penny mentioned someone was pulling her strings, she stopped.

As she took that personally. 

Chloe turned her head to look at Penny. Her teeth were visible through her scowl. [color=violet]"Proof, huh? You mean that ball of glowing [i]belly button lint[/i] you’ve been extracting from your navel? Can’t say I find it all that convincing."[/color] She looked back ahead as her smile returned. [color=violet]"And I’m sure your friends just didn’t want you to get upset, so they told you what you wanted to hear."[/color] It wasn’t like metal Penny didn’t have remnants of [i]Jason’s[/i] soul that she could just peel out of herself to make her “soul lint ball” out of. But honestly? Unless its soul had been released from its body, Chloe couldn’t tell if something had a soul or not without a really hard look. That wasn’t something she was willing to give Penny. This was all to get under Penny’s skin. She just didn’t give a shit.

Meanwhile, Angel of Hope carried her scantily clad chest up on top of Casper and assured Aurora that she wouldn’t bother him. But he just blew up his cheeks, which were turning redder by the second. [color=goldenrod]"Too late!"[/color] She said at last. [color=goldenrod]"Here you are! Just standing over me with your perfectly female body! I mean look at those assets! I used to be loaded like that! So uncool!"[/color] He was about to complain some more when Aurora hesitated. [color=goldenrod]"Actually, maybe you can answer a question for me?"[/color] She rolled onto her knees and stood up. [color=goldenrod]"Is there anything that can turn me into a girl again? Even if it’s just the boobs, that would be okay."[/color] She placed her hands up by Casper’s neck and gave Angel of Hope a long, sorrowful glare. [color=goldenrod]"Maybe a boobie osmosis spell? Like we hug really hard and then some of your boob energy would flow into me, resulting in a nice perky chest?"[/color]

Then a whole lot of crazy shit happened. Including a monster girl randomly showing up, deploying some sort of anti-divination field, and then explaining how the Mint operated. Chloe just stood to the side as the newly arrived continued to chirp away. Once she was done, Chloe gave the girl a small nod. Though she didn’t look too impressed.

[color=violet]"Okay, so just a few things.“[/color] Chloe started to count her clawed fingers, but didn't let go of her pen or paper. [color=violet]"Number one, you’re a nobody that just showed up out of the blue. How do we know that you’re not a spy for wonderland? I mean, [i]I[/i] know you aren’t, but Paranoid Mc Portals there isn’t going to feel any more at ease. Though I don’t think you [i]can[/i] make her comfortable in all fairness to you. And two!“[/color] She said while [i]really[/i] shoving her fingers together. [color=violet]"[i]I’m[/i] the coinbroker here! I don’t need [i]you[/i] to talk for [i]me[/i]! I’m [i]perfectly[/i] capable for speaking on the Mint’s behalf. Not some, admittedly charming, third party. And [i]three[/i]!“[/color] Her third finger nearly sparked when she poked it. [color=violet]"We are going to have to exchange phone numbers later. I'll let you decide if it's for business or pleasure. Maybe both, I'll see how I feel.“[/color] 

Casper looked at the passengers on its back and groaned. 

[color=violet]"But yes, [i]Nefer[/i] has more or less gotten it right. I know this is hard to believe, but the Mint can be a competent organization from time to time.“[/color] Chloe spun her head to look at everyone. [color=violet]"We’ve infested Wonderland so deeply that they could never hope to execute all of our plants. Even if they could move their eggs around or decided to change the day of the attack, I would know before the orders finished flowing through their chain of command. I’m not asking for a slice of Penrose for a tidbit of information, I’m offering hourly updates, all-seeing eyes, and the full might of an interdimensional organization. I’m offering you the Mint’s cooperation in the defense of Penrose. For better or for worse, I can’t make them care if I don’t have something to show for it. You know I’d give it to you if I could.“[/color] She winked.

Alexander put forth his stand on Chloe’s contract, which caused the girl’s eyes to go wide. [color=violet]"Are you telling me you don’t see Penny as your queen? Shame on you! she's right here!“[/color] She grinned. [color=violet]"Beacon has representatives here, as do many of the other patrons. The Mint does not concern itself with the antics of the disorganized masses. So long as the big two sign, the Mint will have no issue letting me do what I will with their vast resources. Something will be worked into the contract that if a third party attacks Mint in Penrose, they become fair game. Things won’t be much better if Beacon or Penny tries to interfere with us in a direct or indirect way. But it’s okay, it’s all worked into the contract. So long as everyone keeps to themselves, we shouldn’t have any issues. And before you ask, the opposite is also the case. If the Mint decide to do a little backstabbing down the line, there will be reprocussions for it. Trust me, it's a good contract.“[/color] She pointed at Pentius-04 and her hand glowed. [color=violet]"But without a contract, things like [i]this[/i] can happen…“[/color]

On the other side of Lily, just a short distance away, another [url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1089216474998128771/1147559303478255807/600px-Necropolis_Stalker_C7.jpg]bony abomination[/url] shot out of the ground. It was twice as tall as a man, and had a greatsword in each of its four hands. Its four stoic faces were mounted on top of its inhumanly large torso. While the creature was clearly made out of bone, that bone had been shaped into plates of armor that covered the majority of its body. It made no aggressive movements once it had been summoned.

[color=violet]"Now see, she told me that there was no way she’d go on a date with me. As such, I have no reason to be on my best behavior, and will be as bratty as I want. Hence why I summoned…“[/color] She hesitated. [color=violet]"I forget who Casper's friends were in the show. We’ll call this one Sakura. Yes! So I brought Sakura here for my own amusement! This is why we need a contract. Otherwise someone with an ‘A’ type personality could just do something like that!“[/color] She lowered her hand and smiled at Pentius-04, who may or may not have decided to deal with the necropolis stalker. [color=violet]"I’m kidding, of course. I was just feeling a little frustrated because you don’t seem to care that Nefer has a big hulking guardian. We can talk more about that date once you’re off duty, okay?“[/color] Chloe tipped her head and brushed her scarf, briefly revealing a mark on her [url=https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1089216474998128771/1147519886348779650/Chloetat.png]neck[/url] to Pentius-04 and anyone standing beside her.

Then at last, Chloe’s eyes wandered over to Lily, who was still blabbering on about different underhanded ways to. She wasn’t impressed, and had been treating her mostly as background noise while she addressed the others present. 

[color=violet]"Yes!“[/color] Chloe said with a smile, but was gritting her teeth a bit harder than a happy person should be. [color=violet]"I had a discussion with the Mint fellows, and that can be arranged. Mint will not carry out illegal activities in or around Penrose. That includes theft, murder, torture, traficking, smuggling, and the rest. So long as we get the territory I want, you can put an end to the lawlessness of our agents. Who knows? It could even be the beginning of systemic change that causes the rest of Mint to turn a new leaf.“[/color] She hesitated. [color=violet]"The pun wasn’t intentional.“[/color] 

[hr]

[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1089216474998128771/1146193612003098684/MetalRat.png[/img]

[color=cfff04]"I’m the penitent one.”[/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 | Cradle
Coercion, Soul Jar, Martial Training, True Sight, Parasite, Gifted, Awareness, Overcity Shift, Mystic Artifact

Magical Overload, Cradle Supply, Connected, Gifted Item (Aigorost) | Monstrous Form, Exposed, Mercy, Distrust
Redirected Magic, Second Specialization | Non-Standard Limbs, Destroyer[/b]

STR: 05 | AGI: 04 |  VIT: 05 | MAG: 03 | LCK: 03
+46
STR: 20 | AGI: 20 |  VIT: 20 | MAG: 20 | LCK: 20

Earnings this post: Zilch

Remaining: 8 Gold, 30 Silver, 39 Bronze 
Total: 12 Gold, 162 Silver, 183 Bronze
[/hider][/center]

Everything was going according to plan.

That wasn’t something Mac got to think very often. In the past, her divination abilities could perfectly predict the outcome of events. Now it was a crapshoot if things turned out the way she wanted. The impact cracked a few of her bones, but it was nothing that wouldn’t heal. Her opponent had been distracted, and she planned on taking them out of the fight quickly. 

Metal Rat had split up into several duplicates to attack Anja from different angles. While she ran towards the front of the vehicle, a Metal Rat scrambled out from under the vehicle to swipe at her legs. Another dove out of a nearby bush. Another descended from the top of the truck in a falling stomp. Another one still came at Anja from the front. Which one was real?

None of them were, of course.

Mac was still in front of the vehicle. She used her illusion magic to hide the fact that had ripped the front bumper off of the truck before hurling it at Anja. If she didn’t see Mac before the truck crashed, she probably didn’t have a way to see through her illusions. The real question was if she would figure out what was going on before Mac beat her unconscious.