[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/72bEcUi.png[/img][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/K2ssvzh.png[/img][/center] The Cheshire Cat seemed happy as Alicia, Penny, and the others acquiesced to the peace agreement she proposed, causing her to smile a wide cat smile, and for the Super Map to have shifted her color into that of an ally. “Nyajestic! I’m so glad to hear that!” However, she then blinked as Alex brought up Alice, and Mariette’s connection to the name. “Oh, Princess Alice…Is it Alice not then?” She asked, tilting her head in confusion. Rachel was the one to speak up. ”I do remember there having been a magical girl by the name of Alice who operated in the UK back in the Victorian age,” she explained. “And they died under mysterious circumstances. Based on her motifs and obsession, it seems the Queen of Hearts was originally her mother, and Mariette is her reincarnation…Or she is so delusional that she thinks Mariette is Alice anyway. I don’t think we’ll ever know the truth.” Cheshire Cat managed a slight smile. “Well, Alice or Mariette, my stance has not changed: the adorable princess nyads a maid!” [color=fff200]”But even if Mariette is Alice, she’s still in danger!”[/color] Lily finally entered the conversation, looking concerned at Cheshire Cat. [color=fff200]”I’ll agree to your conditions, but you’ll need to help us!”[/color] “Of course!” The whimsical feline magical girl answered. Justine nodded, and glanced over to Caroline who also nodded. [color=bc8dbf]”Excellent. First, let’s go to the Bastion to drop off the wounded.”[/color] “You got it!” The Cheshire Cat swept her bushy cat tail behind her in a wide arc, and magically created a large door resembling a cat flap. As they did, Lily looked back to see Mayra suddenly grab the Mermaid Princess and fly off: the piscine royal flailed in her arms. “Ahh?! I have been dragonnapped!” She cast one last spell to enchant the merman army with a puddle of mobile water. “Help mee!” “Your Highness!” The merman army then started chasing after Mayra, hoping to rescue the Princess from her claws. Lily’s mouth turned wavy at the sight. [color=fff200]”Uh, shouldn’t we-”[/color] But Nefer stopped her. “Don’t worry: I have a feeling this Mayra cutie won’t be too rough with a pretty princess cutie like her, so relax~” Lily’s face scrunched up, but she nodded. And so, the group traversed through the magical cat flap, which led to the meeting room in Penny’s Bastion. Rachel immediately contacted Elora upon arrival, having carried Brittany with her over her shoulder. “What’s the situation?” She asked without so much as a greeting. Elora's answer was equally quick, causing Rachel's eyes to widen, and her expression to turn grim. “Inquisitor, the situation has just turned a whole lot worse.” [hr] The Queen of Hearts munched on her biscuit, her eyes intently observing the exchange between Mariette and Mikayla, her other hand impatiently tapping fingers on the pommel of her Storyslayer, ready to intervene the moment hostilities would begin. But to the eyepatched girl’s credit, she successfully negotiated with Asengav’s top champion, and thus obtain the final piece of the puzzle…The Black Mirror itself. “Yes, yes…YES! O-hoh-hoh-hoh-hooo!” The queen laughed like a noblewoman with the back of her hand to her mouth, and placed a reassuring hand on Mariette’s shoulder. “All the letters are forming up on the page, the black ink spelling out a new, wonderful future for us, my dear Alice. But…Hmm…” She squinted her eyes as she caressed the frame of the Black Mirror. “Something…is missing. This needs one last salvo of mana…But where could we get it…Let’s see…” She brought up the Storyslayer, pointed it towards the Black Mirror…And her purple eye began to glow. As it did, Mariette saw as the Queen’s magic was channelled into the Black Mirror, and a new view was opened on its onyx-glass surface: they were snapshots of Penrose, of its streets full of battles between monsters, of buildings and rooftops where more monsters and also Mahou were running around…Until it settled on the imposing view of Covington Tower. “There…We shall conclude this tale. This tower holds mana unceasing…It is the location of the Nexus,” she spoke, letting her words hang in the air. She raised her free hand up, and a massive red rose portal opened up. From its frame, green, thorny vines slowly extended, wrapping around the Black Mirror as it was lifted and slowly drawn through the Queen’s mirror: it ended up on the roof of Covington tower, at the exact center. She followed through the portal herself to the rooftop, her attention entirely on Asengav’s artifact. She checked that the Mirror made the transition, and nodded. “Yes…I can already feel the proximity of the Nexus…Of the promise of the Quill and the Inkwell…Of the power…Of an Author itself!” She lifted the Storyslayer, and a flame of crimson red could be faintly seen shimmering around it. “Now, time to give those meddlers something to meddle in,” she spoke coldly, and opened another portal: this led directly to the site of Wonderland’s army, who were stuck outside Nykannis’ barrier. She lifted the blade with a maniacal grin. “You can close off a Chapter from another, but you cannot prevent me from reaching the back cover!" She gathered power in her sword- [b]"LINE BREAK!”[/b] She swung her sword, and cut a massive hole into the barrier the size of a city block. “Now go, and secure this city!” She commanded her troops with a point of her finger, and the faceless forces began to advance through the aperture in a menacing march, the queen laughing as they did. [hr] Tsuki gripped her staff tighter when Chloe gave a short explanation of her actions, scoffing indignantly with an upturned chin. “Saving Penrose, huh? Swarming the city with undead monstrosities is a strange way of doing so,” she verbally jabbed, though Hudie lifted a hand to stop Tsuki as the Pennybots gave their report. She nodded at the confirmation of the sites. “Understood. Contact Elora and share the data with her. We’ll start our search at these locations,” she noted, pointing out the spots the Pennybots had shown with their hologram. Tsuki’s cheeks puffed, and she glanced at Chloe and her request. “...Fine,” she responded, causing Hudie to slightly tilt her head. “But only because we want you to co-operate. And I’ll decide what burgers we’re getting, got it? Let’s go, Hudie!” She then leapt away with the other Ascendancy girl towards the hot spots.