[center] [img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019dad5c-bb82-776c-bbcc-1e64d1440bf9.webp[/img] [url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgn422xSCow][color=8c5673]"I'm back in the fucking building again."[/color][/url] [color=888888]— Alice Mason[/color] [hider=Alice's Stats] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5657563]Alice Mason[/url] Max MP: 80 Current MP: 80 Casting: N/A Gear: Goggles (Inactive), Ka-Bar Knife (5/5 Durability) Leveraging: N/A [/hider] [/center] [color=8c5673]"Hm..."[/color] So it's been a week since Dan took over Pax Septimus. With the initial commotion that came with such a widespread transformation, Alice was able to slip into the city easily enough. Though it took some getting used to blending in; which included the rather ornate swimwear she was forced to wear in order to do as such. Frankly, Alice was never the one for summer-time bullshit like this. And as she idly stared out her room window, she was reminded of the fact. All the frills and beaches and sunshine in the world could never change that. [color=8c5673]"God, this is way too familiar for comfort."[/color] She groaned, rubbing her palms into her eyes. Once they rested back onto her lap, Alice's attention was turned to the mass of notes scattered across her bed. Asides from her main objective for being here she was trying to investigate some [i]other[/i] things about Pax Septimus on the side. [color=8c5673]"At least there's no one breathing down my neck this time.[/color] She lifted one of the papers up to give it another glance over. Perhaps not her neck, but her [i]mind[/i] was a different story… [i]Well, well, well… Aren’t [b]you[/b] the good little rule follower?[/i] An amused voice taunted. [i]Kowtowing to all the Grand Magistrate’s petty demands and conforming yourself to his reality plenum’s laughably limiting rules framework… I thought you were more of a rebel than that, Jen. I mean, if it were [b]me[/b], I’d just give all that rules crap the biggest middle finger imaginable and arrive with my full, reality plenum-shattering power completely intact! But I guess you’ve mellowed in your old age, hmm? Or were you just so bored that you’d agree to anything if it meant you could get a little excitement? Oh, that’s right, you go by [b]Alice[/b] now. My apologies. Gotta say, that [b]particular[/b] name has acquired more than a few distinctly unpleasant connotations of late, as I’m sure you’re aware, but if you simply [b]had[/b] to pick an alias, I suppose it’s still nowhere near as cringey a choice as [b]Literally Satan[/b]. Speaking of, if you run across that smug bitch, be sure to give her my regards. And if you’re wondering why my dialogue doesn’t have a color code in the local Incident Chronicle, it’s because I think it’s for the best if I conceal my true identity under a veil of mystery for a while longer, although astute individuals will probably be able to figure out who I am thanks to all the various context clues I’ve helpfully provided. Plus, I don’t want anyone to confuse me with that Dead Head dumbass… ANYWAY, seeing as how I’m not your [b]official[/b] Watcher, I’ll get to the point. The [b]real[/b] reason I called you is so that I can give you a little present to keep you company on your ‘working vacation’. It should serve as a suitable reminder of what happens to [b]failures…[/b][/i] With that, a yellowy-green lightning-ringed tear opened in the fabric of reality, depositing [url= https://images2.imgbox.com/fd/8c/aCYGZKzR_o.png]a large, deformed, partially dissolved, and quite mutilated plush head.[/url] [i]Or, y’know, if you’re feeling [b]creative,[/b] I’m sure you can figure out a way to turn it into a beach ball! Nyahahahaha!!![/i] A moment later, Dan’s magic worked its whimsical wonderment on what was left of the plush head, bestowing upon it a pair of fancy sunglasses, even as the maniacal laughter faded off into the depths of Alice’s mind. Alice simply sat unphased as the eldritch voice prattling on in her head gave her its fair share of criticisms. Unsurprising. She let out a long sigh at the comment towards her decision to go by her old name this time. [sub]Then again, both were technically her real name, it was just a complicated situation from her oldest self. And she didn't want a mix-up with that one cop from GEMINI's initial op. C'est la vie. [sub]She was first though. You can fight her on it but you will lose.[/sub][/sub] [i][color=8c5673]"Oh you poor soul, you were hoping for a team-up, weren't you? Forgive me for not including you in my plans."[/color][/i] She lifted up the transmutated sunglasses with furrowed brows. A reminder of who was stuck with Aigorost at the moment. Not even Alice knew what it had planned for the unfortunate kid. [color=8c5673]"Here I had hope your promotion would help get that stick out of your ass. Though I somehow doubt you'd be easily content with watching over your [i]pet project[/i]."[/color] If they were as much of a rulebreaker as they boast, it was only fair to expect. Alice set the sunglasses onto a nearby coffee table and gathered her notes to put away for now. ...Maybe when things were restored to its wicked normality, she could find a way to patch the poor plush back up. But right now, she needed a drink. Alice grabbed her weap- water guns. These are water guns. She grabbed her water guns and stepped out into the hallway. Right on cue, Dan's announcement played on TV. [i][b]Yeeeeesh...[/b][/i] Alice couldn't help the look on her face. If the shark man was two-toned, she'd be trying to shoot the screen. Even the name of the damn beach was somehow enough to make her shudder. Her considerations were interrupted when someone spoke to her and the other Esper in the hall with them. Was that an attempt to flirt? [color=8c5673]"As much as I have other buisness to attend to, I might as well try to get more information from people about the string of disapearances and everything."[/color] She explained to Bionca, turning to face her. [color=8c5673]"Might be a good idea to stick together until we get there, yeah?"[/color]