Ariamis

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

I'd say she is able to affect the electricity produced by other magical girls as well, but only those with lesser MAG than her. Otherwise, it's accepted.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

@Phonic
Like ERode mentioned, Gifted could use a more defined description. Other than that, it's accepted.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

"What is going on here? Hrrr, it's freezing!" Lily held her arms around her shoulders, shocked by the wintery realm she used to know as Penrose; she returned back to the rooftop she were on. But then, she blinked, and spread her arms to her sides.
"Well, I don't have to breathe in cold air, that helps a bit. And it's beautiful...Aah!"
She was startled by the sudden intrusion of a sound in her head; it was Ixion.
"Lily? You are safe!" The equine spirit spoke, his neighs rippled with static.
"Ixion, what happened here? Why is it winter?"
"That is because you have been gone from this world for two moons. Our bond was somehow severed, something I thought impossible. But now that you're here, we can-"
Lily poked the sides of her head with her index fingers.
"Before that, let me just process all this with Alex-Wait!" But it was no use, as Alex had already bounded far into the distance, causing Lily to lean forward with her hands balled into fists.
"Man, Alex can sometimes be a big goof. I know he loves his pets, but still, he shouldn't leave his girlfriend in the blizzard!"
With a huff, Lily nonetheless summoned Ixion in his motorcycle form, and rode off after him.

Lily was faster than Alex, and could have reached him at their home, but decided to take it slower as she listened to Ixion's exposition.
"So undead have been roaming rampant, and a new force of magical girls arrived to hunt them."
"Not just the lifeless vessels, Lily; the entire city is their hunting grounds."
"What does that mean?" She asked, though she received nothing but a crackling whinny from Ixion. But Lily was not deterred.
"Well then, I guess I need to find out."
Upon arriving at the apartment, she carefully stepped inside, having transformed back to human form.
"Alex? Are you there? Where did he go this time?" Fortunately, Bob was vigilant, and immediately came over to greet the green-haired girl with a nuzzle.
"Oh Bob, everyone! I'm glad you're alright! We didn't mean to leave you here for so long, I swear!" Bob didn't seem to care, and moved back to the kitchen. As Lily followed, she saw the note Alex left her.
"Grabbing magic swag...Be back later? Wait, wasn't there an ad on Glimmr?" Lily mumbled, and sat down on the couch, turning on the TV as she handled her phone. She gasped at what she saw.
"Oh, Brittany's opened her shop here! So that's why he ran off." She saw as the news mentioned report about the evacuation of Penrose, and frowned.
"It's that bad, huh?" She heard Ixion bray a bit, and nodded with a pump of her fist.
"Okay, as soon as Alex is back we'll go and help. Lily Lightning is back in town!"

---

Deni found herself in the middle of a vast field, patterned like a checkerboard. Forests of green could be seen from which jolly music could be distantly heard. Up above was a sky with countless shooting stars, as if it was raining starlight. Planets and star systems were visible with the naked eye and fantastic views could be seen all around, from floating islands to crystalline spires. Though she herself was not aware, this was a place her twin sister and former mistress had once seen.

In fact, it was the very shore of the lake where Eli had defeated Caroline.

Landscape

The lake's water was still, reflecting Deni's changed countenance to her. She could see how she was no longer an amorphous monster that mimicked human shape, but instead a real girl. Next to her, she saw what looked like a set of stairs that descended down into a dark tunnel, facing towards the island on top of the lake. A great mound of rubble crowned the island; stone chunks scattered and broken, leaving only ruins of what once must have been a great castle of some kind. Deni then saw a magical girl resembling a valkyrie on the island, carrying a sign of some kind under her shoulder. The magical girl used a small hammer, and planted the sign before what once were the castle gates.

---

Once Alicia reached the ice rink, they saw Sylvia and Sally waving at them in greeting. However, the smiles they had were weak, and quickly faded as Sylvia spoke.
"Alicia, are you okay? Were you followed?" She looked past their shoulder, and smiled again upon seeing Serenity, who also managed to reach the meeting spot. "Did you see Aurelio on your way here?" Sally asked, shivering from the cold, her bunny ear-shaped bow folded into themselves. "I'm worried he might have gone straight to HQ..."
The girls moved from the entrance further into the ice rink, with Sally skating across the ice and nearly falling down. Sylvia however simply slid gracefully towards one of the walls of the rink. "We have a real situation going on here." She looked towards Serenity. "The Ascendancy came in here after we disappeared; they obviously reacted to the monster attacks that we were unable to repel, and came in to establish order. However, they won't stop until the whole city's purged." Sally frowned. "They're the big girls you call in when local girls aren't enough, you see." Sylvia nodded, and continued. "Even worse, they have been known to excommunicate entire branches of Beacon if they are judged heretics and traitors to Beacon as a whole. And...I think they may know-"

At that moment, the sound of a heel clacking against the ice caught everyone's attention. As they turned, they saw a petite girl in provocative military clothing slowly walk towards them, a cocky smile on her lips.
"Target located," she spoke, and a Beckoner appeared; it resembled a small doll-like humanoid, with two yellow dots for eyes, and also wearing a military uniform. Alicia could immediately tell it was not a Beckoner that presided over the local girls of Penrose, as it exhuded a different air form the more merciful, plushie-like spirits. It nodded, disappearing once again. Then, more members of the Ascendancy appeared, surrounding the ice rink. One of them was a busty amazoness, wielding an oversized lance as effortlessly as any tool. Another was a smaller girl with a blue-themed outfit, her movements unnaturally graceful as she slid on the ice without moving her legs. The last one was a girl resembling a priestess, with flowing robes that hovered just above the snow behind her. Alicia could tell from their disciplined stances and fiery looks that these were members of the Ascendancy.

The first girl stopped once she reached halfway across the rink.
"Well, if it isn't Sylvia Starshine, having returned at last. Did you really think we wouldn't notice what you've been up to?" As she reached halfway across the rink, she stopped, and put her hands on her hips.
"You are hereby under arrest for the crimes of heresy, collaboration with monsters, witchcraft, neglecting one's duties, and abandonment of one's area of jurisdiction for an extended time."
Sylvia bit her lip, looking panicked. "That's not...Exactly..." But she couldn't find the words to refute her.
The girl slowly shook her head, smiling from ear to ear.
"What a weak excuse. Now, assume your human form. We can do this the easy way...Or the hard way." As she said that, Alicia could hear the eager tone in the Ascendancy officer's voice.

---

Rachel looked at Hudie, who nodded at her, before she turned back to look at Dawn. "We must be ever vigilant, even with those we may call our sisters of battle. However, you need not concern yourself with such matters. Leena is one of our most skilled and dedicated of soldiers despite her impulsiveness. But, I advise you to keep your distance to her; her specialty does not discriminate from friend or foe."

Once Aurelio walked into the scene, sounds of surprise could be heard as the entire room turned tense, especially the local members who stood in the sidelines; some had shaky feet, some fanned their faces, and one even put her hands to her mouth to avoid unnecessary sounds. However, the members of the Ascendancy did not seem agitated; on the contrary, they only stared at the magical boy with cold glares. Even Rachel, who had a fiery blade drawn right next to her, did not react to the move. Instead, she simply stood up.

"Kyle Tanner," she spoke, and adjusted her glasses, causing them to glint in a menacing fashion.
"Are you aware of the accusations made towards your officer, Sylvia Starshine? She is suspected to have collaborated with monsters and having taken most of the local branch away from Penrose, abandoning her duties."
Hudie also stood up. "Have you come to repent for your sins?" She asked. "Unlike her, you have chosen not to run. As have you." She now addressed Rebecca, who just appeared on the scene.

Rachel lifted an eyebrow. "And this is...?"
"Rebecca Suthers. She was recently purified and recruited by Alicia Hayden as a new member. She underwent the recruitment process just before the disappearance event," Elora spoke up, having clacked away at her keyboard. "Hayden reported that Suthers was infected with corruption during the graveyard incident, and had agreed to join on the condition of conducting purification on her person and locating her missing Twin Soul."
Tsuki put a hand to her chin as she went to look at Elora's laptop screen. "...Wait. She works for the Penrose Independent?"
"Ex-member," Elora immediately answered. "According to Hayden, she was fired from her position as journalist, likely due to the aforementioned reasons." Tsuki squinted at Rebecca. "That sounds a bit suspicious..." She then smirked. "Well, unlike some tabloid that spews out filth and treats its employees like slaves, we welcome the stray sheep who have lost their way into our flock. As long as they have proven themselves devoted to our cause."
She approached Rebecca, and looked her up and down. "Amelie, take Suthers to the training hall. She will take the Test there." At that moment, a magical girl knight stood up from her seat, and gestured for Suthers to follow her. "Now come, lost lamb."

Meanwhile, Rachel turned to Aurelio. "Now, tell me...Where did Sylvia take you for two months? What is she planning? Follow me," she then ordered, leading Aurelio out of the room.

Tsuki returned back to Elora, whose eyes jumped open. "Huh? What is it, Elora?" Elora looked grim.
"See for yourself."
Elora clacked away at lightning speed on her keyboard, and swiped her hand up; it was Vi-chan's video.
The normal Beacon girls gasped at the sight, while the Ascendancy members silently observed it and judged the person in the video.
"Can you trace it?" Tsuki asked. Elora clacked away. "Almost...Just a few more cyphers...There." But then, her eyes widened, and she bit her lip. "It was a decoy, and she cut it." She had a menacing smile. "Clever move, I must admit. I'd need to get the dummy PC to check it's routing records, but she will have enough time to dispose of it."
Tsuki turned red in the face. "Delete the video then! Don't let anyone see this blasphemy!"
Elora shook her head. "I can't; she deleted it herself. Besides, it was already seen by millions online."
"ARGH!" Tsuki hit the screen with her staff, causing it to shatter. The screen fizzled out with crackle of electricity. Elora sighed in response. "You shouldn't do that, you know. You'll spread glass across the table."
She then lifted a hand, and the pieces began to form back into the screen, mending it.

Tsuki meanwhile paced around the room.
"To think that a deviant like her is out there, tarnishing Beacon's very name...We need to snuff them out like rats. Elora, make sure to ban that account, and prevent her from uploading more slander!"
Elora blinked. "I would advise against that. If we were to try to censor her speech, that would cause monsters to unite even more. I suggest we let her continue making new videos, so I may have more chances of tracing her location."
"Elora is right," Hudie nodded. "We also need to find this party, and send in undercover agents there along with an extermination squad."

---

Cindy greeted Penny with a nod of her head, smiling with confidence upon seeing the robotic girl. "Penrose has entered grim times, Penny. Time has passed while were gone, and the city has suffered much. A force of Beacon known as the Ascendancy has also arrived, bringing doom to us all; they have hunted down my people, killing them in ways most brutal." She sighed, and looked aside at a gathering of DMGs and monster girls who were watching internet videos using a smart phone hooked into a projector. "These people were on the verge of losing hope. But now that we're here, we can make things right again, Penny. We can stop the massacre." She approached Penny, and put a hand to her shoulder; the metallic girl felt a pleasant tingle of electricity, finding it smooth like the caress of silk against her steel.
"Please, help us finish this shelter. Though they have dug deep into the earth, it requires your help to make it safe."
Then, the two heard some cheering as Vi-chan's video began playing. While the monster boys and dark magical boys were most vocal about their attraction to Vi-chan, even a few of the girls seemed to be infatuated with her. "Do you think she's into boys or girls?" They could be heard talking. "Nah, she ain't that kind of girl. She's a pure!" "She's my wife!" "No, mine!"
Cindy's eyebrow frizzled, but she chuckled in the end. "That party does sound very pleasant, and would be a good place for me to rally support for my cause. Penny, would you like to join me in that when it happens?"

---

Helga was full of energy as she held an internet conference with her laptop, while also talking on the phone. "We're rebranding, Tony! Come see Penrose, the wintery disasterland!" Su could hear her scream out before she noticed her. "Whoops, sorry, gotta go." She put the phone down, and turned towards Su. "Hi Su. What's up?" Upon hearing her suggestion, she turned all smiles. "Oh yeah, the new shop by that girl! I saw the post on Glimmr. Sure, let's go." As they prepared to leave, Helga showed her phone to Su. "Yo Su, check this out; as I made a post on Glimmr advertising the hotel to magical girls, I saw this." it was playing Vi-chan's video. "Su, we gotta get in this party. Not only is it a great place to spread the know about Trove, but we'd also get to meet Vi-chan! Oh man, think about getting to sign a sponsorship deal with a celebrity like her! We'd get so many visitors!"

---

As Kaito and Mika shared in each other's warmth, they heard a disturbing laugh. Then they saw it; a bulky lich managed to float at respectable speed between the buildings of Penrose, cackling like a madman as it went.
"Huhehee! Now, where was that entrance...Aha! There it was!" He pointed his golden staff at an allwyway, and conjured a black portal from that spot as he flew past it, continuing on his way towards the museum of natural history. "Come to me, warriors from the dead! Walk the world of the living, and reap its souls for me!"

Out of the portal stepped out grey-skinned humans resembling zombies, with completely white eyes and rigid motions. They were dressed in ancient armor, with spears and bows clutched in their long-clawed fingers. These were wights, more powerful undead than a mere zombie. About thirty of them emerged, and as a single swarm began to walk the street, attacking the few humans who happened on their path. This swarm was followed by seven large monsters; they resembled ogres, but had tattered, leathery skin and boils scattered all over. They were draped in fur cloaks, and used tree trunks pulled from the earth with roots and all as walking canes, their tips adorned with bear skulls.

However, the piercing sound of a gun could be heard in the air, and one of the ogres fell down, dissolving into earthly matter. The two then saw what looked like a magical girl down in the streets, rushing towards the monsters and hacking into the wights. But, she did not hold any gun, but a bladed staff...

Some fair distance away, Katarina spotted a magical girl with a rifle.
She was aiming down from atop a water tower, guided by another magical girl working as a spotter. Then, they saw a third girl running away. If one were to see both scenes at once, they would realize that these three girls other than the sniper were triplets.

---

‘First customers!’

The bell jingled at Brittany's shop, and Alex stepped into the shop, followed shortly by Su and Helga. Brittany, already excitedly waiting behind the counter, lifted her arms up in a big cheer. ‘Welcome! Would you be interested in our selection of Weapons? Or perhaps you'd like to put on a new, warm Outfit for the winter season? Please, have a look around, and see if you'll find something you like!‘

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

@Majoras End
I can also help, both here or via PM.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

Continuing from: roleplayerguild.com/topics/173559-bey…

Some places are believed to be a nexus, a site where magical energies coalesce and spread out across the land. While blessed with such arcane force, they are also considered to be cursed, for they often draw in beings both good and evil: Patrons seeking power, peace, or even simple amusement for themselves. And yet, so many have turned their sights to Penrose of all places. Is it a true nexus, where Horrors can truly manifest, and Gods can enact their divine will? Where Lesser Forces ride on wings of destiny, and Puchuu seek great promise? Or is it by mere chance of fate that so many magical girls have come together to stake their claim on the ravaged earth, having now twice seen a near apocalypse up close?

Of course, the answer is simple: as fortune favors the bold, so do the winds of destiny push the vessels of yearning. Some are driven by power and greed, wanting what they yet not have, as they continue to possess more and more. Others seek chaos and frivolity, binding themselves to the yoke of desire. And yet some are driven by a powerful, world-destroying purpose: justice. The Beacon of Penrose once shared the belief of not granting mercy to any monster, no matter how human they seemed. But now, they have found a new justice; justice of equality for those scorned and persecuted.

---

A phone rang on a table near where Alicia was sleeping, having woken up from her slumber a while ago. It has been an hour since she had returned back to this world from a magical adventure, only to return back to a cold and dark Penrose. Snow coated the landscape, and what life yet remained on the streets moved quickly and cautiously. Even the sun, so bright and cheery in the summer, only remained for scant few hours in the sky before the long night settled in. It had become a city of fear, not only for the civilians who dreaded a new natural disaster, but also for the monster girls and dark magical. An old justice has come, delivering its fiery wrath.

When Alicia picked up the phone, she could hear Sylvia's shaky voice. "Alicia, are you there?" The voice asked. "Are you at your parents' place? We need to meet up." She paused, thinking of how to word her next phrase. "Listen, things have changed, and now...The Ascendancy's here, and they want me. But I can't do it just yet. I need time to think. Let's meet at the ice rink. My mom's still freaked out over me being gone, but I told her I need to go to school. I'm bringing Sally over too. Just sit tight, bye." Once Sylvia closed the phone while on the roof of her house, she took one last look at her house. "They'll be here any minute. I need to lead them away." Having steeled her resolve, she transformed, and ran off, leaping from rooftop to rooftop.

---

...

"She hung up," June stated after a moment, and turned towards the group of magical girls on the other side of the brightly lit hall; what once was the Hall of Luminous Valor, just next to the coffee machine, had been changed into something resembling a war room, with monitors hanging on the back wall, and a great table with a hologram of Penrose represented on it. "What should we do next?" She asked. The crowd of local magical girls and few magical boys silently stood by the sidelines, nervously eyeing the few magical girls who were seated around the table; they were members of the Beacon Ascendancy, a new force on Penrose, with a reputation of never failing in their missions in the Beacon community, and ready to do anything to purge corruption and heresy among those who fear them. One of them tapped the table.

"Can you trace the signal, Elora?" A serious-looking magical girl asked. The sound of fingers rapidly tapping on a keyboard could be heard in the chamber. After a couple of seconds, another voice rose from the back.

"Confirmed," Elora stated.
"Sylvia is currently located at her home." She paused for a second, and swiped her hand up; suddenly, a visual representation of audio waves was inserted over the Penrose hologram. "She is calling one of the local units. Name: Alicia Hayden. Rank: Seraph. History: a participant of the JvV and S-incidents."

"So she's running to her cronies, huh? Want me to go bring her in? I could do it in two minutes you know!" A shorter girl in gas mask was sitting at the edge of the table, swinging her legs back and forth. "I'm bored of all this talking, and there's a heretic on the loose."

"She has not been condemned just yet, Leena." Now a regal-looking magical girl wearing a mask over her eyes spoke. "Besides, I have already sent a squad over there."

Leena rolled her eyes. "Right, right. You and your Trinity BS." She hopped on top of the table on her hands, and then flipped to the exit. "I'm going after the U-type lead we just picked up. Tsuki, you let me know when that chick's back, ok?"

The girl who first spoke scoffed and crossed her arms. "I'll also come in a moment. Take FanFan with you."

At the mention of her name, the the girl who had thus far been gently rocked to sleep by a pair of mechanical arms woke up, smiling widely. "Finally, time for some action! I'll bring some cakes back for a tea party!" The girl launched herself after Leena, leaving the rest of the magical girls in the hall.

A glasses-wearing girl seated on the table adjusted them with a careful push of her palm, and frowned. "You should have scolded Leena for acting so brashly, Húdié" she spoke towards the mask-wearing girl. "You're giving a bad example to Dawn here." She gestured towards the girl who sat next to her, Dawn Astraea. She was the Ascendancy's newest member, brought to Penrose for her first international mission. "In the Ascendancy, we operate by strict protocol."

Húdié sighed. "I have seen the Liches in the Trinity, Rachel," she answered. "And I saw Leena. You know what that means." She looked towards a silently praying girl, her head leaned down. She looked up at her, and with a sad look, slowly nodded.
Húdié turned to Rachel. "We need to send Dawn."

Rachel turned her head aside with an indignant huff. "Very well then. Dawn, you are to follow Leena and FanFan. Prepare for combat."

---

Cindy rubbed her hands together, and saw the static sparks that lit up. The lightning monster had returned back to the secret shelter, which has expanded since the time Penny last saw it; it had descended deeper and deeper underground in a network of stone corridors and chambers by a group of monster girls and dark magical girls that seemed to grow everyday. Not only did the shelter provide warmth and comfort as well as safety from the cold weather, it was also warded by the strongest of illusions and anti-scrying magic, preventing any being from finding it via magical means. However, the tunnels were not completely safe, as Cindy heard that cave-ins have occurred, sometimes trapping people for hours before they could be saved. "Penny laid a really good foundation, but it doesn't help if it continues going lower and lower. I wonder where she is now? Not to mention her..." She reminisced about her time in another world.

A Happier Time

Surrounded by beaches and seas, girls in swimsuits and festive activities… A little bit in the past, still during the stay at the island paradise, Mariette had found herself asked to accompany a girl composed entirely by lightning, the one they called Cindy Ford, who’d previously announced herself to be the ruler of Penrose… who wanted to have a private word with Mariette. Very well, then.

As she accompanied Cindy towards the café, the white-haired girl in an eyepatch got seated on a simple chair at a table not far from where you ordered the drinks. Mariette was happy enough with just getting orange juice. Honestly, she didn’t get to drink that particularly often. Still, not the most avid conversationalist, Mariette kept her eyes on Cindy as she awaited what the shape of condensed lightning would say.

Cindy soon joined her with two glasses of juice, placing one on her side of the table before taking her own at the opposite side. “I ordered you a blueberry smoothie. Hopefully your taste buds find that agreeable,” the crackling monster girl spoke, and took a sip of her own lemonade.
“I recognized your voice from the time I made my declaration to Penrose. You suggested that we should form an alliance. Now, I would like you to elaborate on that. Exactly what kind of cooperation are you offering to me?” She asked in a polite tone, slightly contrasting her dated vocabulary.

Blueberry smoothie it is. Mariette took a bit of it, and found that it was agreeable enough. Now.

Huhu. Did she suggest something like that? Perhaps she did. Let’s say she did.

‘… Very well,’ Mariette started, putting down the smoothie to look at Cindy. ‘I am, perhaps you could say, a princess from another dimension. I lead the forces of my patron, which are great in number, and support his desires. Now, he cares little for who rules in Penrose…’ which was true enough… ‘… but he needs me to supply him with resources every now and then. As Penrose is at the center of a magical flux, it’s a logical place to begin. So, the deal is as follows…’

‘You get a portion of our strength. We’ll help by deploying monsters in key positions, give you Magical Girls that will fight for you, and will give you information as needed. In exchange, you give us any monsters you fight, any prisoners or enemies that you think would be better spent thrown into the abyss, or magical items that you feel you can spare us. We’ll give you support proportional to how much you give us, but overall, I believe you’ll find ruling Penrose to be a lot easier if you have our help.’ … That about covers it.

Cindy listened intently, a pair of flickering strands of electricity on her forehead furrowing like eyebrows. “The Abyss, huh? Well, I suppose it is how you describe your inner demons.” She smiled. “We can always use information and new subjects...Even monsters too, should the Beacon threaten their safety.” She gave a curious look. “Your idea of equivalent exchange is unexpected, but adequate. Having a reliable means of disposal will prove beneficial to our rule. I may even be able to throw in an artifact or two, should you prove yourself worthy of your confidence, hm hm~” She glowed a bit, and took a sip. “I assume you have underlings prepared to gather any offerings I may have?”

‘Absolutely. … Well, not currently...’ Mariette said, gesturing a bit on the environment around her. It was hard for them to be prepared when they were all stranded in a beach dimension. ‘… But under the assumption that we will be returned to Penrose eventually, that will be the case. We’re keeping the city under watch and my followers are prepared to jump in whenever is needed.’

Cindy clapped her hands together, causing a bright light to manifest, like the snapping of a photo. “Excellent! In that case, I shall declare our alliance true.” She leaned over at Valerie’s direction. “Two beers here, tavern wench! We shall have a feast!”
Valerie’s eye twitched, but she smiled and bowed. “I’m sorry, but we don’t serve alcohol...”
“Hah! What kind of pub is this? Very well then, two refills of our drinks then.”
She turned to Mariette. “Meet my advisor on top of the town hall on Saturday midnight; then, we shall discuss the details of your fealty.”

Well. That was decently easy. Fortunately, Mariette was saved from alcohol by Valerie. Besides that, was Cindy actually able to consume alcohol? Did she have a bloodstream for it to give her a high from? … These questions aside. ‘Very well. We will meet you there.’ With that said, she lifted her drink (blueberry smoothie) to meet Cindy’s glass, because that’s the form of gesture she got the feeling Cindy would appreciate. ‘For a fruitful united endeavour, then,’ Mariette offered, albeit her expression remained passive.

Cindy snapped back to hearing that members of the Ascendancy were on the move, and ordered everyone to hide themselves in the lair. Then, she bit the corner of her mouth hard as she waited in silence. They have already killed scores of her own people, and knew that if she attempted resisting their brutality, she could lose everything. Right now, it was a cold war between her and the Ascendancy, hatred boiling under the surface of the serene city.

However, despite the darkness that seemed to wrap the city in its deathly hold, a Glimmr of hope could be seen sparkling on the screens of devices all over the city...

---

an @ERode and @Ariamis collab

What was a clandestine environment? Was it a dark alleyway? A grungy basement? A smoky nightclub? An isolated parking lot?

Nay, for magical girls, veiled from the eyes of the public by the Ignorance that kept men and women from being truly aware of the creatures that stalked the night, a clandestine environment was as simple as meeting them at the entrance of a train station. Dressed in all black, Dolly looked for once as if she matched the season, her warm fabrics and long sleeves complementing the dire weather that had descended upon Penrose. Few humans strode through the streets now, a chain of curious disasters having evacuated the majority, leaving only a stubborn minority of Ignorant behind.

Monsters and saints had eyes everywhere, but Dolly remained nonplussed. Standing beside the copper statue of a loyal wolfhound, she held a small briefcase in her hand and waited quietly for her contact to arrive.

Around the corner, a small girl in a fluffy coat a bit too large for her size came waltzing in, a childish demeanor about her. She was carrying a backpack filled to the brim with stuff, including a broom that stuck out.

‘Whoo wee!I’m really glad the stuff I collected was still in my shop when I returned. Thanks for keeping it all safe while I was gone, Agatha!’

‘����� ���� ��������’ Agatha, the floating ball that was Brittany’s lesser force patron, now in the form of a cute keychain on her backpack, quietly whispered.

‘I know, I know. But now that we’re all back that shouldn’t happen anymore, so no worries! Now, where’s my business partner...Aha!’ She walked right up to Dolly.

‘Good to see you again, Dolly! It’s gotten a bit chillier than last time, he he~’ She giggled a bit, and removed her backpack. ‘Now, here’s what I managed to find before we were whisked away.’ She took out a fragmented chunk of what looked like onyx. ‘This is a piece of the altar. It was nearly buried, but I managed to dig this up.’ Then she dug out a vial of black liquid. ‘This is really potent stuff, highly corruptive so handle it with care. I think it may be melted remains of what used to be Soth’s avatar. Ok, and here...’ Then she offered a piece of silver chain, a bone, and a tiny container of black goop.
‘And here’s the rest. So, what do you think?’

Dolly handled the vial of black liquid with care, but it was the silver chain that her flashing eyes lingered upon the longest. After a moment, she nodded, placing the briefcase upon the snow. A Matchbox was in her hand, and one by one, the gothic girl slid Brittany’s salvage into the small compartment.

“This is satisfactory. You have my gratitude, Brittany.” She stood there, motionless. Her head inclined once, her hands pulling the hems of her coat as Dolly dipped into a curtsy. “Your payment is within the suitcase. If any of your customers so desires a custom-made item, you may contact me with the details of the commission.

‘����� ���� ������������� ����’ Agatha spoke, spooking a nearby civilian as he walked away.

‘Oh, no need to thank me. I just did what was specified in our contract, that’s all, he he~’ Brittany replied, blushing a bit. ‘There’s going to be a boom in business if the beach trip is any indication, so I’m surely going to need more wares.’ She took the suitcase, and took a peek inside. ‘Just be careful, okay? Agatha told me that Penrose has turned dangerous recently.’

“Evidently so,” Dolly said, turning away, “but it will be more troublesome if it was your existence that was terminated rather than mine. Farewell, Brittany, and good fortune to Cindy’s reclamation of Penrose.”

And, like sand, the gothic girl dissolved, all traces of her presence dispersed by the winter wind.

Brittany pulled on her backpack, and then blew some hot air on her fingers.
‘Speaking of dangerous, I gotta get back to the shop or I’ll turn into a popsicle!’ Brittany then also took off.

Not long after, she flipped the sign of her shop from closed to open. She sat down, took out her pink laptop, and wrote out a simple message on Glimmr, the social media service of the magical world:

‘Grand Opening of Brittany’s Boutique! New artifacts for sale!’

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

@EnterTheHero
Would like a description, even if brief, of the Killing Blow, but otherwise don't see any major problems. Accepted. Pretty cool with the whole Crow themed Patron, reminds me of the Raven deity from DnD.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

@Crusader Lord
Only weapons have the indestructible quality. Otherwise, accepted.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

@EnterTheHero
Yep, there's still room.

@Crusader Lord
I'm cautious about the treasury aspect of the weapon and pulling out any weapon convenient for the situation, but since you haven't gone too crazy with the other variable-power character, I'll have the same conditions as ERode set this one and have it accepted.

@Ponn
A Wood girl is a very welcome one in this RP. Also interesting Specialization for the Nightmare girl. Accepted.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

@BrokenPromise
They're accepted too.

Darkest Before the Dawn: A CYOA Magical Girl Roleplay [Completed]

@BrokenPromise
Accepted.