[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/01985393-0e22-700c-8e61-1eee7a380fe4.webp[/img] [h1]To the North: [color=magenta]Conquest of the Scarlet Stranger[/color] Part I[color=888888]II[/color][/h1] [/center] [quote] Slay or drive off the Scarlet Stranger and save Penrose from a hostile takeover! We’ve had enough plots involving mind control and giant armies... Challenge Rating: SSS+ Notes: This hunt can only be undertaken by a party that contains Finn and/or Samantha. Taking someone who has used a red coin is ill-advised as they will fall directly under Garnet Gemini’s control. [/quote] The air in the CAPRICORN was tense. Of course Sam would be fiercely determined. Of course Emily would be concerned. But even Bonnie looked a little on edge. Those present couldn’t tell, but her shoulders weren’t as square as they should have been. [b]”The army is moving quickly and the mission area changes moment to moment. They are zig-zagging on a path for Penrose. We believe the Scarlet Stranger is still growing her army by hitting large cities enroute to her destination. Presently she’s on an open stretch of road, surrounded by magical girls and riding on a giant magical artifact. All we know about the artifact is that it’s called ‘The Wukong’ and seems to enhance the range of her magic. It will be at least a half hour before she reaches the next city, and she could reach Penrose by sunset.”[/b] Bonnie folded her arms behind her back. Emily looked at Samantha, who seemed to be lost in thought. Try as she might, Emily couldn't hide her concern. [color=turquoise]"Um, I don't imagine we'll reach her before she can influence the next city?"[/color] Emily pulled her eyes away from her friend and toward Bonnie. [color=turquoise]"If she's successfully converted multiple cities by this point... how big are her forces right now? Do we know?"[/color] [b]”The CAPRICORN may seem like a ship, but it’s actually a building attached to a series of portals on ‘sky stones.’ We can deploy you between the army and the next city the moment you are ready.”[/b] [color=turquoise]"Oh, that's very convenient!"[/color] Emily appeared in awe of the CAPRICORN's ability to drop them right where they needed to be, more or less. Despite the tense atmosphere, she seemed somewhat fascinated by the CAPRICORN in general. The windows on the walls of the room changed to show the army from multiple angles. [b]”The army has at least a hundred magical girls, though few of them are guarding the Wukong directly. There are several scouting groups, taking point and ensuring that the army can move down its intended path. It's by studying the direction of the scouting armies that we can tell what the Wukong’s next move is going to be. They seem to have some way of communicating with each other, but we are unaware of how they are doing it. They keep touching their fingers to the side of their head, so we assume a form of telepathy. Reports from the city fights indicate that they can communicate very quickly, not unlike a hive mind. If you’re seen by one, you are seen by all.”[/b] Bonny nodded. [b]”I almost forgot to mention, but we do have several volunteers that offered to act as a decoy. You two could access the Wukong directly. For as large as the army is, the Wukong is sparsely defended. But the magical aura from that thing is intense.”[/b] Emily pouted [color=turquoise]"It sounds like a stealthy approach is gonna be difficult..."[/color] Samantha stared at the windows, silently watching the army with a frown. [color=#FF54AA]"...Essentially impossible,"[/color] she suddenly declared, turning her gaze towards Emily. [color=#FF54AA]"The girls in the army can all see each other, even through obstacles. That means they'll see me, too."[/color] [color=turquoise]"...Then is there no way to reach her without fighting?"[/color] Samantha glanced at the windows again. [color=#FF54AA]"I am... unsure. I have no idea how the other agents under her control will act..."[/color] Sam admitted, her voice wavering. [color=#FF54AA]"...But we have our goal. If they're obstacles to it... then we can't hesitate, even if we have to rough them up a little bit."[/color] [color=turquoise]"L-lets hope it doesn't have to come to that..."[/color] Emily tried to cheer Sam up. There was a brief moment of silence but Sam broke it by turning to Bonnie and asking her a question. [color=#FF54AA]"...Don't suppose we have any clue as to what's in the Wukong, besides, of course, our VIP? Caught sight of any of its defenders, by chance?"[/color] The windows all changed their view to the Wukong. Sam could see it was a massive egg shaped structure on a wagon. There was scaffolding all around it with a pair of stairs that circled around the thing. It was topped with a round platform, sparsely decorated with flags. There was a young girl in a red hood sitting at a table by herself, staring off at the next city. The only thing above the platform was the massive radio tower behind her, which Sam knew Veronica used to broadcast her magicom network. [b]”The Wukong does not appear to have an interior. A stealthy approach may be possible, especially when the distraction team moves in. But their leader has proven to hold powerful psychic magic. It might be difficult for her to track so many minds in a battle, but she’d definitely notice you once you get too close. As for defenses, one of the magical girls on the Wukong is a monster queen called Blair. She has “abomination” magic, but appears to be a melee power house. Maria is a normal magical girl, armed with a machine gun, but her magic is more for healing. There’s also a ‘Tetrad’ who’s magic is so random we don’t know what to make of it. Then there’s Trixy, who’s some kind of sharp mouthed sniper. Aside from your target, Blair is easily the strongest. But Trixy is the reason why you can’t take an obvious approach. We haven’t seen her miss her target. Not once.”[/b] Samantha didn't seem too surprised. [color=#FF54AA]"Yeah, that fits."[/color] She turned her attention to Emily, noticing the girl looked very conflicted about something Bonnie just informed them of. [color=#FF54AA]"Is there something wrong, Emily?"[/color] Emily took a moment to collect herself and shook her head. [color=turquoise]"Oh... It's just... this isn't how I wanted to meet Tetrad again..."[/color] Her words trailed off as she recalled a fun visit to the Golden Trove. Before Samantha could ask about that, Emily brought up a concern. [color=turquoise]"Um, how should we approach this? I don't really... fight other Magical Girls, usually..."[/color] Samantha answered hesitantly. [color=#FF54AA]"The moment we lose the element of surprise, we should assume the enemy is being relayed my thoughts, so a detailed plan is not advised. Just keep moving, I'll make sure Trixie isn't a threat first, and we save the problem that is Blair for last. We'll need to adjust as we go, but we should leave soon. Are you ready?"[/color] Emily nodded, then turned to Bonnie. [color=turquoise]"We are ready to go. What portal takes us there?"[/color] [b]”One moment.”[/b] Bonnie spoke into her wrist. [b]”We’re ready, commence the distraction team.”[/b] Bonnie waited just a moment for a confirmation before waving her arm. [b]”This one.”[/b] A portal opened up right underneath both magical girls. They did not fall, as the portal opened up level with the ground. Then the portal shot upwards, and soon Sam and Emily could see the giant tombstone flying into the sky. The portal that they had come out of closed up before the stone flew out of sight. That might have given away their position, but it was one of several other “cloudstones” that had dropped even more magical girls off. Some of which Sam recognized. [b]”Incoming!”[/b] This would be the first time any of the magical girls present had seen this many magical girls in one place. Garnet Gemini’s one-hundred plus army versus the distraction team the CAPRICORN had mustered. Magical projectiles started flying almost instantly. Though none were quite as potent as the tornado Su started the fight with. It was a dangerous move, and made her the center of attention. She floated backwards as a shockwave erupted in front of her. When it subsided, Lotus and Lexi’s invisibility spells faded and their weapons were locked together. The octopus girl was almost intercepted by one of Lada’s fireballs, but Mika put it out with one of her water cannons. Before she could redirect fire, Tonya (the OG, not mac) bombarded the mint agent with a slew of apples and acorns. It seemed like the distraction team was winning, but that would soon change. Sam could see distant red dots closing in on the battle. Throwing everyone into a single group gave them an initial advantage, but it would become a detriment once the other armies surrounded them. That said, it did make for a potent distraction. Something Sam could confirm when he heard a voice ring out in his head. [i][color=bd71e8]All units, converge on our enemies.[/color][/i] The Wukong did not stop moving. It continued to roll forward even with a battle breaking out in front of it. [right][h3][i]To be continued…[/i][/h3][/right]