[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/s30S2AE.gif[/img]

[color=9966CC]"The perks and pitfalls of being an NPC~ ...Mostly pitfalls."[/color]

[color=888888]— Nocnista[/color][/center]

[center][b][i]Meanwhile, at the end of the fight against Black Gate.[/i][/b][/center]

Shortly after Rei arrived, the other girls departed. There wasn’t anything else to be done, and many of them needed a moment to recover their strength. Though Rei seemed like she was still full of energy, and so was Willow.

[color=ff1493]"What a day, huh?"[/color] The cat girl hovered by Rei’s side. [color=ff1493]"To think you’d have been sleeping past all of this if I hadn’t come to wake you up."[/color] 

[color=2e8b57]"Hmmm."[/color] It was a curious development. Black Gate had placed Rei and Ashbringer away from the school and not with everyone else. Had she succeeded in her plan, she’d have likely transformed into a demon and gone after the entire city next. But then why spare two powerful magical girls that could attempt to stop you? Did part of Black Gate want to be stopped, or did she want to leave a few people alive so that they could suffer as she had when she lost everything? Rei refused to believe it wasn’t a calculated move. But Rei decided that it wasn’t worth thinking about too much. It was kind of a drag to worry about people outside the club. Black Gate’s game had been interesting, but it ultimately failed. There were far more important things to think about. 

But as Rei would soon discover, Black Gate had spared more than just two powerful magical girls. She knew about Ashbringer because she spotted her moving through the area, but it was only now that Rei saw the other one. 

[color=2e8b57]"Nocnitsa."[/color] The reaper smiled. [color=2e8b57]"Enjoy your nap?"[/color]

The woman tiredly sighed, her usual smile absent. [color=9966cc]"What nap? I was wondering where my students were, then I was somehow caught up in helping this trio of pink-haired girls out in looking for one of their own, one thing leads to another and now…"[/color] Nocnitsa - Maribel - trailed off, then slumped over with a groan, and pinched the bridge of her nose. [color=9966cc]"Hells below, not even I can rebuild this. Is everyone alright? Did they manage to secure no fatalities? Ugh, and I was so curious about that young miss too! But they just…part with that easily?"[/color] She slightly pouted. Black Gate. She could’ve made a fine apprentice if things turned out differently. Can’t do anything about it now.

[color=ff1493]"Oh wow! Is our leading lady going to have a cry now? I think I left my tissues with Oros after band practice, but I don’t know what she needed them for."[/color] Willow rolled in the air and hovered upside down. Maribel shot her a look in response. 

[color=2e8b57]"I have a plan for the club, don’t worry about the school."[/color] Rei must have, because she was smiling despite how grim it all looked. [color=2e8b57]"It’s interesting they didn’t put up a fight, but I’m not worried about it. I knew Black Gate was going to be a bad fit. Now everyone else knows she was too. As for fatalities…"[/color] Her eyes shifted to the one corner of Hibusa high that managed to avoid destruction. [color=2e8b57]"Why don’t we see how they did?"[/color]

It wasn’t a long walk to the only standing corner of the school. The trio maneuvered between some bent support pillars and a hallway that had cracked sheetrock along both walls. Willow seemed to take interest in one of the cracks and slipped inside, but the other two continued onward. They finally came into the cafeteria. There wasn’t a single mortal soul to be seen. By the far window were two magical girls, or rather, a magical girl and a magical boy. Morganite looked like she had been roughed up pretty good. Her armor above her collarbones had been ripped off and one side of her face was pretty swollen. Fable looked to be in much better shape, and when the duo entered the room, he raised a hand. 

[color=daa520]"It’s okay!"[/color] The boy said with all the authority of a police officer directing traffic. [color=daa520]"I’m Fable. We’re not here to cause trouble. Black Gate captured a GEM and put her in here. I was in the area and swooped by to help eliminate the apes. We’ll be departing shortly."[/color] 

Rei shrugged her shoulders. [color=2e8b57]"Got em all outside in time, huh?"[/color]

[color=daa520]"I was clearing out downtown when I heard a giga miseria was attacking the school. The report wasn’t entirely accurate, but it was a true crisis situation. I immediately left Downtown Hibusa to come here. We just finished evacuating the last of the students, and Sink Queen decided to transform. We had some disagreements with how to proceed, some stronger than others."[/color] 

The nightmare witch allowed the two to talk, brows risen at the curious sight of the magical boy. A [i]magical boy[/i]. Here? Or was this something else entirely? [color=9966cc]"You, ah, know quite a lot for someone so unfamiliar…"[/color] Maribel murmured in thought. She tilted her head, despite her words, you could swear there was a hint of [i]recognition[/i] in her eyes. It’s probably nothing. [color=9966cc]"Do you happen to be part of the GEMs, yourself?"[/color]

[color=daa520]"Fable’s a strange name for a GEM, isn’t it?"[/color] He chuckled. [color=daa520]"I’m just a PI that specializes in cases involving the paranormal, which is just shorthand for magical girls. I’ll confess not everyone has the GEMs on speed dial, but I do, and I was coordinating with them. None of them entered Hibusa town aside from the ones that were kidnapped. Well, maybe some of them did, but they kept their distance. It’s hard to make a light girl stand back when danger’s afoot."[/color] Fable folded his arms. [color=daa520]"I don’t think I caught your name though. Can’t say I’ve seen many magical women."[/color]

Ah, so this one worked freelance.  Maribel’s usual smile returned. [color=9966cc]"Nocnista, dear boy! I serve as the advisor for the Detention Club."[/color] She slightly bowed in greeting. [color=9966cc]"I was also the foreign studies teacher, technically still am, but… Well…"[/color] She looked around at the debris.

[color=2e8b57]"We have it handled."[/color] Rei sounded as confident as ever. [color=2e8b57]"You seem less annoying than the GEMs. Take as much time as you need, but make sure to take that one with you when you leave."[/color] After Fable nodded in response, Rei looked to Nocnista. [color=2e8b57]"Satisfied?"[/color]

[color=9966cc]"Well, I suppose. I still wish I had returned in time to help. You included."[/color] She shrugged. The club was as much of her responsibility as they were Rei’s.

[color=2e8b57]"They had it handled."[/color] Rei turned around to leave. [color=2e8b57]"Can’t be there all the time. Pretty sure they like it that way."[/color]

Fable watched Rei depart, then turned his eyes to the enigmatic woman. [color=daa520]"If you don’t mind me asking, is there a particular reason you work with the Demon of Hibusa? You don’t seem as selfish as dark girls are usually made out to be."[/color] 

[color=9966cc]"Oh, dear boy, just ‘cause one is more attuned with darkness doesn’t mean all of us are wicked. Well, not entirely~"[/color] Maribel explained with a chuckle. She crossed her arms. [color=9966cc]"Besides, someone has to help watch over these girls. They’re not evil villains in the making, they’re just…troubled kids that need support. Unconditional support."[/color]

[color=daa520]"Interesting perspective…"[/color] Fable’s eyes followed Rei as she left the area. [color=daa520]"...And not one shared by the demon itself it seems. I suppose you need to watch over her too, huh?"[/color] With a shrug, Fable swept up Morganite, who seemed a little startled by the gesture. [color=daa520]"Be well, Nocnista. With any luck, we won’t be seeing each other again too soon!"[/color]

If one looked closely, they could see Maribel’s smile slightly falter. Only just. [color=9966cc]"Never make promises neither of us can keep, especially in a town like this one. Be well in your endeavors, Fable~"[/color] With a slight tilt of the head, she bid him farewell in turn. 

...

[sub][color=9966cc]"Couldn't help yourself, could you?"[/color][/sub]