[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/q4au2SQ.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] Connie had to stifle a gasp when the newly-arrived cat-like magical girl introduced herself as [i]Cheshire[/i] Cat. Yet, although she shared her name with the most frightening character from Alice in Wonderland (at least in Connie’s opinion), the girl before them thankfully didn’t appear to be anywhere near as creepy or threatening as that horrifying monstrosity. And apparently she liked making references to classic literature, at least if Branch Nose’s observations were anything to go by (that, in itself, was more than a little surprising, but then, when did [i]anything[/i] in this place make even the slightest bit of sense?). However, it was after that short tangent had concluded, that Cheshire Cat proved herself to be a source of terror after all, when she revealed the means by which they could join their victorious allies at the castle gates. [color=DarkOrchid]“D-D-Do we r-really h-have to g-go d-down t-that…?”[/color] Connie inquired, cringing away from the dangerous-looking slide, the eyes of her mask growing wide and its color seeming to grow even paler than usual. [color=SpringGreen]“Not to worry, little sister,”[/color] Gaia told her with a reassuring smile. [color=SpringGreen]“I shall create an alternative means of transit for us, and whoever else might wish to make use of it as well.”[/color] With that, the verdant maiden glided to the opening in the wall, and stretched out her hand. A moment later, the sound of rumbling was followed by the sprouting of a massive bean stalk. Its towering form uncurled in vibrant green splendor as it rose up next to the giant slide, its oversized leafs easily able to fit several people with room to spare. Wrapping an arm around her timid friend’s shoulders, the botanical beauty guided Connie onto the closest leaf. After waiting a moment for anyone who wished to join them, Gaia placed an elegant hand upon the stalk’s mighty trunk, at which point it began to sink back into the ground like a living elevator. Once they reached the bottom, it quickly became evident that a massive battle had just concluded. Along with the rest of their team, there was a small army of merfolk, a departing dragon that was probably Mayra, several copies of Penny, and… Was that [i]Violet…?[/i] [color=DarkOrchid]“I-Is she o-okay?”[/color] Connie whispered to Gaia, concern filling her shaky voice. [color=SpringGreen]“I believe she is merely sleeping, little sister,”[/color] her best friend replied in an equally subdued voice. [color=SpringGreen]“Although I fear what repercussions might ensue if anyone was able to link her with her whimsical alter ego,”[/color] the Daughter of Mother Earth added with a troubled frown. [color=SpringGreen]“To say nothing of how she might react upon awakening…”[/color] As if to prove her point, Rachel chose that moment to walk over and awaken the slumbering heiress with her magic. However, the Inquisitor did not linger and swiftly returned to the main group, which was actively engaged in conversation. [color=SpringGreen]“Well, at least no one else seems to have noticed her,”[/color] Gaia observed. [color=SpringGreen]“Come on,”[/color] she instructed, leading Connie over. [color=SpringGreen]“Let’s try to give her some privacy.”[/color] Moving to stand in front of where one of the Penny copies was holding Violet, the pair used their bodies, along with their voluminous tresses, to shield their awakening friend from prying eyes. [hr] [center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/11844121-70b4-40d4-8d27-6274ede736b1.png[/img][/center] Violet gave voice to a sleepy groan as she slowly opened her eyes. At first, she wondered where she was, but all too quickly, her memories flooded back. She had defeated that strange Jabberwock creature, which had made her so exhausted that she had decided to take a nap on a friendly cloud. She had gone on to have a very enjoyable dream in which she’d met the most adorable goblin girl shopkeeper imaginable. Of course, she had also been innocently unaware of the fact that her mana had been so comprehensively depleted that returning to her mundane self as soon as she lost consciousness was inevitable. She was [i]far[/i] from unaware of that [i]now,[/i] though… To her mounting horror, it was painfully obvious to Violet that she was no longer transformed. Thankfully, someone had caught her before she’d plummeted to her death, but the fact that she’d been stupid enough to place herself in such a situation innthe first place was deeply concerning, almost as much as the possibility of revealing her true identity to potentially dozens of people. To her considerable relief, the young heiress soon realized that her savior was none other than Penny, or one of her girlfriend’s copies, to be precise. That, coupled with the fact that Connie and Gaia seemed to be doing their best to shield her from the others’ sight boded well for the continued viability of her secret identity. [color=BlueViolet]“Penny,”[/color] Violet whispered to the copy holding her. [color=BlueViolet]“Would you mind taking me to The Bastion?”[/color] she inquired. [color=BlueViolet]“I need some additional time to regain my strength and I would greatly appreciate some privacy while I do so.”[/color] Even as she said this, the young heiress noticed that she was clutching a small stone with a happy face carved into it. The sight of it brought a smile to her own formerly worried visage. After all, if this wasn’t a sign that her worst nightmare would not, in fact, come to pass, she didn’t know what was. [hr] In another reality plenum, the protectors of another Earth had just faced their [i]own[/i] worst nightmare, and triumphed over it. When an eldritch horror the size of Australia had manifested in the Atlantic Ocean, over a hundred magical girls from several countries rose up to combat it, and that included the magical defenders of New York City. However, these weren’t magical [i]girls[/i], but rather, magical [i]women[/i], and among their number was Isra Mahmud, better known as the techno-Egyptian magical woman…  [center][img] https://images2.imgbox.com/ec/2e/sheRLClu_o.png[/img] [color=Gold]“Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.”[/color] [color=888888]— Isra Mahmud[/color][/center] Although from the perspective of the Penrose Pack it had only been a few hours since [url= https://images2.imgbox.com/1d/c7/o3WEw2XE_o.png]Osiris[/url] had returned to her universe after conducting some training at her employer’s lab, the fact that time moved at different rates in different reality plenums meant that well over a year had elapsed for the magical woman. In that time, she had succeeded in acquiring 49 Heart Crystals, just as the wise scientist who paid her not-inconsiderable salary had assured her she would. With only one remaining, it seemed fated that the monster in question would be a suitably challenging foe, and as it happened, suitably challenging didn’t even begin to describe it… The entity that appeared over the Atlantic could perhaps best be described as a mind-bendingly enormous mushroom, composed of giant skulls, glowing, crystalline thorns, and acid-dripping, toothy maw-tipped tendrils, covered in hundreds of eyes. Its warped form was ringed by crackling lightning serpents, rapidly rotating bands of barbed wire, and orbiting, obsidian demonic elephant-headed obelisks, which wept tears of crystalized hopelessness, while trumpeting out the lyrics to every Linkin Park song simultaneously (yes, really). Indeed, such was its level of randomly absurd edginess, that the team’s resident pretentious, coffin-obsessed goth mommy was forced to concede how aesthetically pleasing it was during one of her long-winded speeches. But Osiris didn’t care about any of that. This was simply a job, and she was going to do it, and then enjoy another bubble bath (If not a tan on the newly liberated beach). As it happened, her team possessed the precise mixture of abilities to penetrate right to the heart of the absurd abomination, while the various other teams and individual girls occupied the colossal creature’s attention on the outside with their flashy, but ultimately ineffectual, attacks. This was unequivocally for the best, as Osiris was determined to claim this latest monster’s Heart Crystal as well. With it, she would have 50, which hopefully meant that not only would she get her biggest payday yet, but she would also no longer have to associate with such an annoying collection of losers (like the 8-year-old idiot who was crying her eyes out because her new “friendy wendy, Mister Wister Organ Worgan thingy wingy”, had begun dissolving along with the rest of the giant skull-shroom-crystal-doom-monster-thing, or the sanctimonious paladin/angel woman who was trying, and failing, to console her). Yes, the battle had been a fierce one, far fiercer and far more epic than any that pitiful Penrose had ever seen (at least, up to this point), but it was now over. The creature was vanishing like a bad fever dream, and its Heart Crystal, the final Heart Crystal Osiris had been tasked with obtaining, was at long last in her possession. The team’s ostensible fire-themed leader was saying some sort of small speech, but Osiris simply tuned her out (after all, it wasn’t like the crimson-haired bitch ever listened to any of her teammates anyway). However, the beeping of her communicator couldn’t be so easily ignored… [color=DarkMagenta]“Nice work, Osiris,”[/color] Doctor Nykannis, Queen of the Mad Scientists congratulated the magical woman, her tiny, holographic form rising out of a projector on one of Osiris’s gauntlets. [color=DarkMagenta]“Ya finally got all fifty Heart Crystals, and just in time, too! Come to The Lab, and I’ll use ‘em to unlock your final form,”[/color] her employer instructed. [color=DarkMagenta]“Ya think you’re a badass [i]now?[/i] Well, just wait until ya see what the energy of fifty Heart Crystals supercharged by yours truly can do! Nyahahahaha!!! That power boost, coupled with the experience you’ve gained over the past year, and a final quick round of training sims, will allow you to unlock your full potential! Then you can begin your [i]real[/i] mission,”[/color] the Monarch of Mad Science went on, grinning maniacally as she did so. [color=DarkMagenta]“But I know you couldn’t give a shit about any of that. Still, something tells me you’re [i]really[/i] gonna like your bonus pay…”[/color] 
 [color=Gold]“I hope.”[/color] Osiris was sitting in the middle of a particularly large crater as she spoke with her employer. [color=Gold]“Hmmmm, final form. Final.”[/color] She repeated it again. [color=Gold]“We’ll still be working together for some time, right?”[/color]  [color=DarkMagenta]“Of course,”[/color] Nykannis replied, as if the answer was the most obvious thing ever. [color=DarkMagenta]“I don’t discard useful assets, and you’ve proven yourself to be [i]very[/i] useful indeed.”[/color] [color=Gold]“Oh.”[/color] It wouldn’t be very good if she needed to find a job elsewhere. Her prospects were likely a lot better now, but could anyone really offer her what Nykannis could? [color=Gold]“I’ll be with you shortly, doctor.”[/color]  [color=DarkMagenta]“Excellent.”[/color] … Severing the communications link, Nykannis gazed upon a figure in a glowing vat at the very heart of her Lab. [color=DarkMagenta]“Everything is falling into place, wouldn’t you say, Finn?”[/color]