[center][color=#FF0000]"[/color][color=#FF2B00]T[/color][color=#FF5700]h[/color][color=#FF8300]e[/color][color=#FFAE00]r[/color][color=#FFDA00]e[/color][color=#F7FF00]'[/color][color=#CBFF00]s[/color] [color=#74FF00]a[/color] [color=#1DFF00]r[/color][color=#00FF0E]a[/color][color=#00FF3A]i[/color][color=#00FF66]n[/color][color=#00FF91]b[/color][color=#00FFBD]o[/color][color=#00FFE9]w[/color] [color=#00BDFF]u[/color][color=#0091FF]n[/color][color=#0065FF]d[/color][color=#003AFF]e[/color][color=#000EFF]r[/color] [color=#4800FF]t[/color][color=#7400FF]h[/color][color=#A000FF]e[/color] [color=#F700FF]m[/color][color=#FF00DA]o[/color][color=#FF00AE]o[/color][color=#FF0083]n[/color][color=#FF0057].[/color][color=#FF002B]"[/color]

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7QbtpDWFoE][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019cf9bb-46db-751e-b914-7d35ec6409d3.webp[/img][/url]

[color=#FF0000]T[/color][color=#FF3100]h[/color][color=#FF6200]e[/color] [color=#FFC500]o[/color][color=#FFF600]n[/color][color=#D5FF00]e[/color] [color=#73FF00]p[/color][color=#41FF00]l[/color][color=#10FF00]a[/color][color=#00FF20]c[/color][color=#00FF52]e[/color] [color=#00FFB4]R[/color][color=#00FFE6]o[/color][color=#00E6FF]m[/color][color=#00B4FF]e[/color] [color=#0052FF]c[/color][color=#0020FF]a[/color][color=#1000FF]n[/color][color=#4100FF]'[/color][color=#7300FF]t[/color] [color=#D500FF]r[/color][color=#FF00F6]e[/color][color=#FF00C5]a[/color][color=#FF0094]c[/color][color=#FF0062]h[/color][color=#FF0031].[/color][/center][hr]

As the primate pointed its wings at her, Acid Drop realized something: she was stuck in place. If she moved, those behind her would be injured or killed. If she stayed there, she might become too injured to fight. 

---

[color=f26522]"Tsubomi, I heard you got in a fight at school today. If that keeps happening, good grades won't be enough. You'll end up expelled."[/color] 

[color=#00AEEF]A[/color][color=#00ABED]h[/color][color=#00A9EB],[/color] [color=#00A4E7]y[/color][color=#00A2E5]e[/color][color=#00A0E3]s[/color][color=#009DE1].[/color] [color=#0099DD]T[/color][color=#0096DB]h[/color][color=#0094D9]e[/color] [color=#008FD5]s[/color][color=#008DD3]c[/color][color=#008BD1]h[/color][color=#0089CF]o[/color][color=#0086CD]o[/color][color=#0084CB]l[/color] [color=#007FC7]h[/color][color=#007DC5]a[/color][color=#007BC3]d[/color] [color=#0076BF]t[/color][color=#0074BD]o[/color][color=#0071BC]l[/color][color=#0074BD]d[/color] [color=#0078C1]M[/color][color=#007BC3]o[/color][color=#007DC5]m[/color] [color=#0082C9]a[/color][color=#0084CB]n[/color][color=#0086CD]d[/color] [color=#008BD1]D[/color][color=#008DD3]a[/color][color=#008FD5]d[/color] [color=#0094D9]a[/color][color=#0096DB]b[/color][color=#0099DD]o[/color][color=#009BDF]u[/color][color=#009DE1]t[/color] [color=#00A2E5]t[/color][color=#00A4E7]h[/color][color=#00A7E9]a[/color][color=#00A9EB]t[/color][color=#00ABED].[/color]

[color=0072bc]"But dad, they were picking on ███████! f̶͕̭̙̏̓̀̆̍͠j̴̢̰̼͍̙̗͍̬̱̫͊̌͘n̶̗̗͚̱̘͍͕̩͉̗̔̅Ģ̴͈͕̥̦̝̪̰̘͛̎̍̉͆̓̚͘͠x̷͍̺͎͔̙̽͆̈́̑͐̂̿̂̊̕T̵̪̆̂E̸̡̘͖̻͔͈̎̆̀̐͑̉J̷̺͍̿͝V̸̧͓̭̋̈́̕r̶̘͒̑ ̶̡̮̖̫͕̱͍̥͕́̂̍̓͋̐Ẅ̷̨̺̪͍͚̹̩͈̭́͗̎͝Ẻ̵͍̘͍̖̉̇͛̈́ͅn̴̨̧̛̦͈͔̳̫͈͗̓̊̔͗͊́̑̾ͅg̴̫̘̘̮̘͐̉͝f̶̡͈͓̈́͌̔̚B̴̩̼̺̥̿͛̉b̵̧̧̯̼͔̔̀̈̔̔̕b̴͉̰͆̐̋̌̀̂́͐̈́͠͠ͅL̵̛̝̩̙͎̙̳̗̽̿̓̑̏̕͘͜͝i̵̞͖̦͓͔͛̑̇̄̎̈ ̶̧̛̜͚͍̭̠͔̠̾͗̌̍͛p̴͎̬͔̋͂̈́B̶̤̺͛͆̾̓̿͋̂̑͑̑ũ̶͙̱͔͎̬͛̈́͌̐g̷̛͔̀̋H̴̛͕͐̌͋͆͝ň̸̢͖̙̠̜̱͇̻̤̇̍͗̂͊̌͘T̸͓̫̮̙̬̼̅͗͆̀̓̔̈́̿̃̽ṏ̷̧̢̙͈̞̊̑̚k̴̥̠̙̙͉̮͍̜̏̈́͛̆͂̐̌̿̋̚O̵̙̮̰̫̿́̓͌̑̀ ̷͔̖̗̣͂́Q̵̢̨̢͎̪̠̘͙̈́̈́͘ͅò̶̥̞̻̼̮͕̬̖̒̈̃̐̍͒̓̚̚q̷̲̖̘̟͕̻̮̯͚̹̆́̐͗̆̂ş̸̩̗̭͇̺̗̠̘̦̎̀̀͠ͅb̶̧̤̭͙̤͓̏̕͜͠X̴̧̡͚̹͔̺̼͓͚͐̎͒͜R̶̜̠̬͈̦͈̺̻̠̈́̾͌͐̀͂̅̆̏͐̚͜C̴̡̘̞̰̖̫̲͗̀̀̀͂͒́̑͝͠t̵̝̉̅͛͒̊̎̐͑͌͑͘Z̵͉͇͇̼̤̤̭̗͎̖̆, ̵̡̞̟̩͑̇̊͑̇͑̾́̓̚͠a̸̳̟̱͓̻̞̘̭͑̀̓̾̑̅̽̅͘Ų̷̼̘̫̪͎̪͙͑̀̉͜ͅk̵̨͕̬̪͈͚̱͇̰̪͗̒̉̅͐̄͑̉̊G̶̛̘̲̰͚̪͖̀͋̏û̸̪̳̭̲͎͖̭̣͇͘͝T̷̛͔̩̉̉̏̈͌̀̅ģ̴̧̛̤̫̰̲̗̫͊̏̄̇̈́̓ǔ̸̱̖̩̹̲̥̆͊̏͊s̵̮̙̭̞̦̒͋̊͐̕͜ͅe̵̮̞̋̓̉̔!"[/color] 

[color=#00AEEF]W[/color][color=#00ACED]h[/color][color=#00ABEC]a[/color][color=#00AAEB]t[/color] [color=#00A7E9]w[/color][color=#00A6E8]a[/color][color=#00A5E7]s[/color] [color=#00A2E5]t[/color][color=#00A1E4]h[/color][color=#00A0E3]e[/color] [color=#009DE1]r[/color][color=#009CE0]e[/color][color=#009BDF]a[/color][color=#009ADE]s[/color][color=#0098DC]o[/color][color=#0097DB]n[/color] [color=#0095D9]f[/color][color=#0093D8]o[/color][color=#0092D7]r[/color] [color=#0090D5]i[/color][color=#008ED4]t[/color][color=#008DD3]?[/color] [color=#008BD1]S[/color][color=#0089D0]o[/color][color=#0088CF]m[/color][color=#0087CE]e[/color][color=#0086CD]t[/color][color=#0084CB]h[/color][color=#0083CA]i[/color][color=#0082C9]n[/color][color=#0081C8]g[/color] [color=#007EC6]h[/color][color=#007DC5]a[/color][color=#007CC4]d[/color] [color=#0079C2]h[/color][color=#0078C1]a[/color][color=#0077C0]p[/color][color=#0075BF]p[/color][color=#0074BE]e[/color][color=#0073BD]n[/color][color=#0072BC]e[/color][color=#0073BD]d[/color][color=#0074BE],[/color] [color=#0077C0]b[/color][color=#0078C1]u[/color][color=#0079C2]t[/color] [color=#007CC4]t[/color][color=#007DC5]h[/color][color=#007EC6]e[/color] [color=#0081C8]c[/color][color=#0082C9]a[/color][color=#0083CA]u[/color][color=#0084CB]s[/color][color=#0086CD]e[/color] [color=#0088CF]w[/color][color=#0089D0]a[/color][color=#008BD1]s[/color] [color=#008DD3]t[/color][color=#008ED4]o[/color][color=#0090D5]o[/color] [color=#0092D7]f[/color][color=#0093D8]u[/color][color=#0095D9]z[/color][color=#0096DA]z[/color][color=#0097DB]y[/color] [color=#009ADE]t[/color][color=#009BDF]o[/color] [color=#009DE1]r[/color][color=#009FE2]e[/color][color=#00A0E3]m[/color][color=#00A1E4]e[/color][color=#00A2E5]m[/color][color=#00A4E6]b[/color][color=#00A5E7]e[/color][color=#00A6E8]r[/color] [color=#00A9EA]n[/color][color=#00AAEB]o[/color][color=#00ABEC]w[/color][color=#00ACED].[/color]

[color=f26522]"I know you want to protect everyone, and that's admirable. Keeping your friends safe is important. But you can't do things that will hurt yourself just to help someone else. Right now that's easy, you only have to tell a teacher about the bullying. But someday, you'll have to choose between saving someone else or saving yourself."[/color] 

[color=#00AEEF]T[/color][color=#00A2E4]h[/color][color=#0096DA]i[/color][color=#008AD0]s[/color] [color=#0072BC]w[/color][color=#007EC6]a[/color][color=#008AD0]s[/color][color=#0096DA].[/color][color=#00A2E4].[/color][color=#00AEEF].[/color]

[color=0072bc]"No way! I'll save us both! You only have to choose one over the other if you've given up!"[/color] 

[color=#00AEEF]T[/color][color=#00A4E6]h[/color][color=#009ADE]a[/color][color=#0090D5]t[/color][color=#0086CD]'[/color][color=#007CC4]s[/color] [color=#007CC4]r[/color][color=#0086CD]i[/color][color=#0090D5]g[/color][color=#009ADE]h[/color][color=#00A4E6]t[/color][color=#00AEEF].[/color]

[color=#0072BC]Y[/color][color=#0074BD]e[/color][color=#0076BF]s[/color][color=#0078C1],[/color] [color=#007CC5]t[/color][color=#007EC6]h[/color][color=#0080C8]a[/color][color=#0083CA]t[/color][color=#0085CC]'[/color][color=#0087CE]s[/color] [color=#008BD1]r[/color][color=#008DD3]i[/color][color=#008FD5]g[/color][color=#0092D7]h[/color][color=#0094D9]t[/color][color=#0096DA],[/color] [color=#009ADE]i[/color][color=#009CE0]s[/color][color=#009EE2]n[/color][color=#00A1E4]'[/color][color=#00A3E5]t[/color] [color=#00A7E9]i[/color][color=#00A9EB]t[/color][color=#00ABED]?[/color]

---

Acid Drop covered her eyes with her Devil Arm as the feathers rained upon her. She hadn't given up just yet, nor did she plan to just because some dumb ape could shoot at her. 

As her body screamed at her brain from its new wounds, she remembered something else as well. All she had to do was get closer. If she couldn't get out of the way, she'd push through. And if she couldn't walk, she'd steal yet another thing from Tsubomi.

Suika's magic engulfed her body, not to boost it to its heightened performance, but to forcibly contract her muscles with a quick shock of energy. She was flung into the grown silverback, face-first. And when she collided with it, the force enough to move her but not her target, she grabbed it by the head with one hand and dug her weapon into its shoulder with the other.

Her blood was already mixing with its innards as it oozed from the dozen or so wounds its feathers had inflicted. [color=00aeef][i]C'mon, heart. Beat faster. Let's slow this monkey down to our level.[/i][/color]

And beat it did, like the drum to an old song once beloved by its previous owner. But that wouldn't be enough, not quickly enough. Besides, if these chumps could do it, surely she could as well. And so...

Acid Drop bit down on the ape's neck as hard as she could.

As she did, she finally saw a duo of strange girls. One looked like the girl who had tried to catnap the Club's Mascot, and the other stuck out with her clothes more than anything. With the haze her mind had been in since learning that Tsubomi was the real 'her,' she didn't remember anything about the former. But if she had tried to capture their Mascot, chances were decent that she was a Magical Girl. As for the other... well, in for a yen, in for a thousand.

Those two suddenly found themselves feeling a mix of desperation and bravery. Maybe it wouldn't be enough to get them to fight, assuming they even could, but it would get them moving. If they were decent people, they might even start herding the others out of the danger zone.

That's when the apes, sans the one locked in place by Suika's arms, weapon, and teeth, found themselves under assault from... lasers? 

[color=yellow]"Tsubomi! There's still a part of Black Gate in there that wants friends. I felt it. If I can get you close, do you think you could use your powers to amplify that feeling?"[/color]

Acid Drop went to nod, only to find herself unable with the ape's neck still in her mouth. She reluctantly unclenched her jaw to speak, but decided to do something about the silverback first. With a quick pulse of magic, she spun Michi's familiar away just a few feet, just enough to get some space. She was breathing heavily at this point, but she still managed to say a few words in-between breaths. 

[color=00aeef]"I think. I can do that."[/color]