AtomicNut

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

I think the possibility of the bottle pointing at Sakura should still exist, but m'kay.

Ronin is now number 11.

@BrokenPromise

Change of Plans. We have an eldritch girl and a gravity girl too. Sakura has caved in due to impeding danger of not having movies.

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

The Great Penrose Movie Marathon

_{Hahahaha no}

@Ariamis @Card Captor @twave @BrokenPromise @FamishedPants @Ponn @PlatinumSkink

Sakura blinked twice, upon seeing Emily's crossing her last rule. She was kinda nice. That was whay she deserved to be protected. Well, not like this sort of people would ever be threats to Emily. First of all there was Bud and Sparky chan, which made Sakura smirk so slightly. "Yo, Sparky-chan and Bud. Welcome to the Godzilla appreciation cult - I mean movie night. Ohh drinks. No sake? Bah." She was a bit dejected, then realized people still saw her as a 9. So no sake for a 9. Her eyes lit up when she saw other two comrade in arms. "Bunbun-chan! Green-chan!" She said as she addressed Mia and Connie. "I appreciate you coming here."

Shane. Shannon? Who was this person? Had she ever met this dude before. "Oh hi, Dude." Sakura said. "You don't look like Shannon. Are you sure a little bastard stole your wiener? You look a guy now."

Two more people come. "Another green-chan??" Sakura's battle honed mind was beginning to be briefly overwhelmed. With her was a real looker, and that did not make her stupor any better. "White-chan, welcome indeed!" She briefly pondered swallowing her pride and see if she could get away on sitting on Hilaria's lap.

And there was another girl coming. "Ghost-chan?" She didn't remember her or anything... was this getting out of hand?

"BONSAI! Thanks Green-chan! I shall treasure it." Sakura, for once, did act giddy upon seeing the miniature tree. She hugged Mia out of reflex, as she kept eyeing the door for newcomers.

Then another newcomer came "Oppai Miko san?" SHe muttered under her breath. And then slammed a bottle on the ground and started doing her stuff. Sakura could not even begin to understand what a spin the bottle game was. The usual games she knew were Yakuza bravado contests with games. It was awful of her to start littering the ground again. Before she could step in, something else happen.

She could barely register Ronin entering too.

The space just above the bottle warped and bobbled... then opened all of a sudden like a ripe melon, as two girls stepped out of it, quickly returning to their civilian selves. Sakura's last invite had come to an end. She kinda owed her for the park fight, despite being an universal kind of weirdo. Shoggy was by all means, beyond human comprehension. Why did she have to invite the silver haired mommy complex weirdo too?

"Tako-brain?" Sakura blinked at the eldritch girl, who was carrying something... on her hands. And for once she had sucked all of her tentacles in. The thing was something gray, and pudding like. It also had tentacles. And eyes. And it squelched and stared at her.

"Hi, Eldritch pudding? I put eggs, sugar, flour, tons of love and one of my mashed juicy tentacles on it!" Shoggy said, shoving the monstrosity on Sakura's face.

_{"Eat me. End this existence"} Was that culinary disaster actually talking!?

What.the. Fuck. "Uh, just put it in the kitchen. In a corner. Where nobody can accidentally eat it. Yeah." Sakura said, before looking at the other girl.

"Hi." She said cooly at her.

"Hi!" The other girl said, beaming an smile. "I'm Tenebra. For those who don't know me. Mariette can eat my panties. Eheeheheh." She added, proud of her teleporting. "Vienna Sachertorte? Like, from actual Vienna." The silver-haired girl interjected, before pulling a delicious cake, and going to set it aside on the kitchen. "Hi Lily" She waved at Lily. "We're sisters now, right?" She added as she went by.

It was then when the Eldritch girl noticed something. A bottle. Her nemesis. Full of juice eldritch power. Her hands moved as her hunger compelled and...

*CRUNCH*

"Shoggy what the fuck." Sakura said, as Shoggy had indeed began to eat the spin-the-bottle as if it was a random snack, her abomination of a pudding being now held by tentacles.

"Crunchy. Tasty." The eldritch girl droned, as she went towards the kitchen to leave...that unspeakable thing.

"..let's get to the movies. Oh Hi, Ronin, great you could come!" Sakura said, eyes twitching. Yup, this was definitely off the rails... Poor poor Emily. "First we will have to start from the very beginning. Oh hold on I think i left the dvd's in the kitchen..."

And then ominous crunching sounds were heard.

"Ohnonononono" Sakura had a terrible realization. She pushed past people, to see the disaster.

Shoggy. Again. "These silver disc chips are so good! So dry and crunchy!"

"Tako-brain, THOSE WERE LIMITED EDITIONS YOU ASSTURD!" Sakura visiblely freaked out. "YOU JUST ATE THE MOVIES!"

"Movies are tasty...!" Shoggy added. "Thank you for inviting me!" The eldritch girl said without a hint of remorse.

"Fuck" Sakura said, and stomped towards the ringleader of the circle. "Oi, Oppai Miko-san. Could you get one of those bottles again and get the ball rollin'? My coworker just fucking ate my Special Edition." She paused. "Now where I can find another copy of the movie..."

"Um, maybe the Overcity bootleg market? They have a lot of things." Said Tenebra.

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

How 2 Spin the bottle:

Step #1: go to this link: roleplayerguild.com/campaigns/761

Step #2: Go to the Roll area and type in 1D11. Write the character spinning the bottle in the Note area if you so desire.

Step #3: Your result is who the bottle is pointing at.

1 = Faith
2 = Oros
3 = Hilaria
4 = Emily
5 = Mia
6 = Connie
7 = Hilde
8 = Shane
9 = Alex
10 = Lily
11 = Sakura

EXAMPLE: The test roll was a 9, so they can kiss Alex or play truth or dare with him.

@BrokenPromise

Gangsters don't spin the bottle. Count Sakura out of this.

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

& Reaver

Reaver felt restless. There had been many factors on him accepting the last assignment of his. But denying himself some solace after that mission to plunge into another required some sort of an iron will. Still, the flesh was weak. And he had nothing to lose to use the phone that the vampire lady had provided. He weighed his phone in his hand, deciding whether it was a bad idea or not.

Odin was awfully silent as of late. The old fool only ever gave counsel on certain things, the matters of lust and love were way below his paygrade.

He still craved though. And He was a bit guilty about having to decline. Without thinking twice, he typed the number and waited.

After a moment, he heard a familiar voice.

“Hmm? Who is this?”

“Reaver, m’lady.” He said with aplomb. “First of all, I would like to apologize for things not having gone as intended. Business and pleasure have a tendency to interfere in each other's way. Were it another time I would gladly accept.”

Reaver heard Justine sipping a drink of some kind.
“Ohohoo~ How did you intend for things to have gone, then?” She asked in an amused tone.

“Well, my last make-believe knight play ended with my target being eaten. And the other ally fled. So a little m’lady and knight would be very welcome. Alas, I’ve been called to be a destroyer once more, rather than a dark protector.” Reaver admitted. “Although this is what the Allfather wants too, so I have little choice.”

“Such a shame, isn’t it?” Justine stated; the sound of nails tapping against a wooden surface in rhythmic fashion could be heard.

”But what if the Allfather were to be told that there would be a greater battle to be had in my company? As you know, I am about to embark on a journey myself, to rid this world of a vile, peeping witch and her equally depraved legions of monsters and hags. I would love to share the carnage with a dark knight of my own, hohoo~”

“That would explain the silence.” Reaver pondered. “Please allow me to reconsider a few things...in light of these circumstances.” He said.

"Very well then. I'll be waiting for you~" Justine spoke in a subtly sensual tone, and ended the call.

Reaver rubbed his forehead, as he sighed. He had made a decision back then, and it had been hard to do. And yet… New information was changing the scales, and making him ponder. It would not hurt to just flat out call and ask Al. A shady broker he might have been, but words were rather cheap, and probably wouldn’t change much.

Looking back and forth, he typed Al Scarpe’s number.

“Buona Sera, Capo. May I share a piece of mind with you?”

"What is it, peguci? I'm busy, so speak quickly." Reaver could hear a cigar's crunchy handling.

“I’ve done something...not recommended. But through it, I’ve come to realize the tetchy vampire lady of the other day… is more concerned about the firepower that will face her than we initially thought. Why would she even go to us, given our past… troubles with her? So I was wondering if … arrangements could be changed.”

Reaver could hear a sigh coming from the Coin Broker. “I should have known letting you see that broad was sbaglio. But I like you peguci, so I look through fingers. You are free to pursue any missions you see fit; trying to mismatch wrong person for job, only results in failure. And seeing as how you’re head over heels for Justine, only makes sense.” He paused as he took an audible puff of smoke “Very well; I shall cancel my orders of agents and equipment, assign them somewhere else. But, the money to cover losses has to come from somewhere. So your debt increases appropriately, capische?”
Reaver pondered. "Shots have been called already then. No broad is worth going back on my word." He audibly sighed. " I had a hunch on it being comfortably chaotic and could open up business opportunities." The dark warrior said. "Speaking of which, I just had an idea…"

"I'm all ears, peguci."
"Quick power. No questions asked. Just use the black coin to take revenge on the big bad hitmen… and before they know, they will be tied to us. I do know this is your model of business, but we might be able to accelerate things, you know. How many of these magical children are tempted in these dark times? We can even offer a coin to the Lady Justine… a poisoned chalice of a gift "

Reaver heard another puff of smoke. “I like the way you think. If we get Justine into the business, we could expand our magical trafficking operation. So a Black Coin would be all it takes? That is acceptable.” Then Reaver noticed how black smoke began to emanate from his phone, as if it was leaking it; the smoke then coalesced into the shape of a Black Coin on his hand.
“There. Consider it investment, peguci.”

"You know, capo. It's all about the timing. It does not take a big offer, it is a matter of making it so they can't refuse. Thank you for your time." He thanked Al for it. Now to sell it to Justine...

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

@Ariamis@Card Captor

"Hmm...Let’s see..."

For a long time, Lily was curled up on the couch, holding a slip of paper. She repeated the words and numbers in it in her head, thinking of the ramifications. It was a life-changing decision that she shouldn’t do lightly. But, she knew that she would need a Patron if she were to carry on Ixion’s wish, and fight to protect the world. And as it happened, someone had already expressed interest in her.
She typed the number into her phone, and then called the number.
"H-Hello? This is Lily Hanson. Is Mr. Umu there?" She asked, sounding a little nervous.

“Greetings.” said a voice.

But not coming from the phone. Rather from Lily’s feet. The tiny fur ball was pretty good at moving around. The creature’s eyes looked at Lily, as he tilted his head. “I have answered your summons, Lily Hanson. What do you require of me?”

Lily yelped in surprise, and her eyes opened upon seeing Umu.
"Oh wow! That was fast." She reached down, and gently picked Umukamui in her hands, placing the cuddly critter on her lap.
"Well, uh...As you know, I’ve recently become a Solo girl due to...circumstances." She sighed.
"It was nice for a while, but...If I really want to protect everyone, like Ixion wanted me to, then I shouldn’t do that alone. I need someone who understands what I’m going through, and who can guide me whenever I’m lost. Then I remembered that you gave this to me last time. Could you tell me about the contracts you make with magical girls, for example the pros and cons?"

Umu looked at Lily. "For starters, I shall give you a new motorcycle, but that much is granted. I do have a wide network of supplies and contacts, going so far as to have a working relationship with Beacon. Unlike other puuchus I rarely withhold information or mince words." The small creature blinked . "But I do expect you to pull your own weight and I like to keep a good grasp on my agents' actions." The creature said in an attempt to make a pitch. "Plus you would be alongside Sakura."

Lily gasped upon hearing the first benefit.
“R-Really? Can it still have the jagged horn on the front? I-I would love that.” She also nodded at the other useful sides to working with Umu.
“I’d also love to have new friends too.” She averted her eyes.
“And I’d get to see Sakura more...That doesn’t sound too bad. But, what do you mean by a good grasp? Do you want to see me every day, or something like that?”

Umu said,”The horn is no issue. The color scheme will be kept too.” He said in relation to the bike, and proceeded to answer the other question. “Just regularly. I do want to know the shape and state of my agents at regular intervals.” The creature stirred. “It makes for smoother operations.” He said.

"O-Oh. I see," Lily said with a nod. She flashed back to the times Alex and others offered to help her with getting a new Patron. But while they seemed decent enough choices, they all seemed so different compared to Ixion, and that scared her more than anything else. In comparison, Umu had simple conditions, and provided anything she could ask for in a Patron. She nodded to herself; she could spend more time with Sakura, protect her…She made her decision.
"I-In that case...I would like to make a contract with you."

“Excellent.” Umukamui said… as he leapt from Lily’s arms, and focusing for a second, made the magical girl glow anew, imbuing her in the powers of his contract. Lily’s motorbike materialized…

In a shade of pink.

“Force of habit.Let me fix it.” Umukamui said, as he applied the right colour scheme.

Lily closed her eyes as she felt the Puchuu’s magic grace her, forming a new bond.
When she opened her eyes, she opened her palm outwards, and her motorbike appeared, if initially a bit mismatched in color. Lily smiled, but there was also a hint of sorrow in it; even though the vehicle resembled Ixion in design, it no longer carried his spirit like before. But, it was also a reminder to her of the promise she made. She would be able to continue Ixion’s legacy.
”It feels different...But not too different,” she spoke out, looked down at Umu.
”Thank you, Mr. Umu. I promise I’ll do my best as a magical girl. But, now I gotta tell Alex. I hope he’s not too surprised.”

As if right on cue, Alexander arrived home. Currently in his Beast mode, he quickly dropped his transformation upon getting inside “-way too much of a mess. Nothing that small should explode into that much blood when it gets popped. It’s just-” Then he noticed their guest “um, what’s going on?”

Lily looked like a child with her hand in the cookie jar, and gave an uneasy smile.
”Oh, Alex! You came back early, hehe~”
She summoned the motorbike and put her hands behind her.
”So, umm...I decided to get a new Patron.”
She picked up Umukamui in her arms, as if to show the critter to him.
”This is Mister Umukamui. Isn’t he so cute?”

Alexander was surprised “Oh. It’s great to see you getting back in the metaphorical saddle, but what made you go with him?” He was also bothered by how familiar the small creature was ‘Where have I seen him before?’

“Greetings, Alexander. I am now both Sakura’s and Lily’s patron. We met back at the scrapyard.” The small creature droned, unbothered by the handling of Lily.

Lily nodded, and petted Umu.
"Umu gave me his contact info the last time, so I talked with him, and...Well, I decided to go for it, heh~" She averted her eyes.
"I mean, he even lets me have my motorbike again, and I can be there for Sakura, you know. I hope you're not mad."

“I’m...” To be honest, Alexander was a little disappointed. There was a small part of him that thought the idea of them having the same Patron was...exciting. However looking at her kept even the smallest mote of anger from forming ‘She’s starting to look like the Lily I know again’ he sighed, and then a small smile formed on his face “I’m just happy to see you recovering.”

Umukamui swished his tail thoughtfully, his expression unfazed. "I expect good things from Lily. Now, is there anything else you want?"

Lily gave a sweet smile. "Thanks, Alex. I'm glad we don't fight over this stuff like in MWJ," she would say, before she realized the reference she made.
"...To be more specific, the show I watched the other day." Lily then heard Umu speak, and immediately lowered the Puchuu down to the couch.
"Oh, sorry! I, uh...I guess you'll appear like this when you want me to fight, right?"

“I mean, I’m not sure why we would fight over something like this” Alexander shrugged “Besides, it’s your choice. No one else can make it for you”

“I will appear on a suitable form.” Umukamui tilted his head. “Now if you will excuse me, I have other things to do.” The little creature added, and began to walk away.

Lily watched as the creature disappeared from view, waving a bit of her hand for goodbye as she did.
”Yeah...You’re right, Alex. But I have a good feeling about this. I bet we’ll become great friends.”

“Well if anyone can, it’s you Lily. Alexander said with a nod.

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

The Great Penrose Movie Marathon

@FamishedPants@everyone

How magic was made? Sakura once pondered that in her past life. Magic was in the smallest of things. A stupid idea. A lot of people. Little details. Like a castle of cards they were carefully piling up. She weighed the disc on her hands. So flimsy, but full of wisdom. The root, the origin. What started it all.

The first Godzilla Movie. First of the many films piled up.

It had been a pain to acquire with subtitles. Sakura, much to her chagrin, had initially rented the original version one, only for her to realize almost no one in the group she had been acquainted with had a sparrow's chance of learning japanese. Oh well, she could always translate, but that'd be a major pain in the ass.

The other point was to get the locale. Emily had hosted it. She was such a cinnamon bun, really. Even though she probably should have not.

Circumstances had gone a bit out of control. Sakura had forgotten how MANY people she had truly invited. She had also forgotten how many of those would even bring friends. Oh well, no problemo. It would be sorted. They would She kinda had chicken-scrabbled a list of rules (her english writing was terrible, and Emily had to correct her a couple of times).

DA RULES

1- You must be invited by someone, or someone else who knows someone, or someone else who knows someone who knows someone.
2- Bring drinks or food
3- Dont deride silly movies
4- Leave problems at the door
5- No touch Emily. I will kill ya, cocks/%*er.

Sakura grinned, as she mentally gave herself a pat on her back. Penrose's way of entertainament was way too twisted. But she could fix that! Nothing that a good movie sitout would, right? Right? She hoped Emily would have fun too.

Royal Rumble!

@RoflsMazoy

Diana stood still for a bit, eyes narrowing at the sudden change of heart from Clara. "More games from you, Clara?" She said as she hovered above ground, meeting her eye-to-eye. "First you toy with me with spiked gifts. And now you extend myself a blank cheque. Is your desire for mischief that bad? Almost like a certain someone."

She bit her lip. "Who is no longer among us. You need another health advisor at some point. And you should feel grateful. He was the one who paid my fees with blood and gold. Lightbringer did know how to get things done when he wanted to." The witch said as she grabbed the paper sheet, crumpling it slightly on her hands.

"I could give you a truly draconian deal, make you resent the day that you crossed me. I could it make so the deal is bound by two death gods, even." Diana frowned. "I could even tell you to give me everything you have." Diana added.

It was then when she tore said paper into a hundred of pieces, scattering them around. "You are lucky I take my deals seriously, unlike someone. I will not be paid twice for a task I've been contracted to do anyway." She finished as she began to walk away.

"But remember this, Clara Deimos Erdrigan... YOU OWE ME ONE." She said as she left.

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

Umukamui &

@BrokenPromise

The machinations never ceased. If one had to work a semblance of organization, places must be reached. People must be met. Compunctions must be cast aside. Take nothing for granted, and only stick to the necessary in a deal. Those were strict terms the puchuu Umukamui had gone through in his everlasting mission, and that was not going to change now. Meeting diametrically opposed factions was always par to the course, so after Mint, the rivals of the Mint were a second choice. Beacon, he had already made a deal with. But this Crimson Cradle had begun to reach his ears recently.

Well, it was nice to know and establish a working relationship with every notable faction who wasn’t hell bent in breaking cosmic laws, was it not? Umukamui pondered, and scoured the media for a meeting chance.

The puchuu had an inkling this one was sick of seeing the usual puchuu cute self, so she switched to her increasingly being used as of late female form, waiting for a chance to meet.

Umukamui was given a simple text message telling her/him/it to wait in a specific location.

It was nothing special. A run down mall with every window inside broken and item looted. It was impossible to tell if rough times had caused humans to plunder the mall, or if monsters had simply set upon the place. It didn’t look safe to inhabit, but all Umukamui had to do was stand in front of it. That was what the instructions said to do. Veronica would never come though. Yet…

”You called?” The cradle mother’s voice rang out in Umu’s head. ”This is Veronica. You requested to speak with me?”

Umukamui tilted his head and then answered. "Sorry, I do not deal in psychic connections unless it is a trusted source. Policy." She said, before completely shunting Veronica out of the creature's mind. "I do request all my meetings to be in person, or through a proxy. Even the Mint and Beacon have more class."

A shrine maiden in black scoffed as she wandered past the dilapidated mall. ”Yea, well, maybe if you had written that shit somewhere you wouldn’t have to worry about psychic connections? ” She pulled an apple out of her robes. ”Even if a magical girl is a mind reader that doesn’t mean her patron is, Sheesh!” She bit into her apple and munched until the sound and sight of her chewing faded from view.

Umukamui would have to wait a bit longer for anyone else to show up. Several minutes ticked by without any contact. They would consider leaving when the next entity to visit the mall showed up.

It was a small white creature with red stripes on its back. It had the body of a fox, with long, slender ears. The creature’s tail was curled up, and the white and red colors made it look like a spiral.

”Beacon and Mint are multi-dimensional organizations that have the manpower to entertain all prospective partners.” Its voice was the one that Umu heard in their head. This was Veronica, somehow. ”Cradle’s agents number less than ten, and operate solely in and around Penrose. You should temper your expectations accordingly, as I wouldn’t get anything done if I personally showed up whenever I was summoned.” The creature sat down and started to clean its paw. ”So far you’ve been prickly, difficult, and have made dealings with two organizations that not only am I hostile towards, but are hostile towards each other.” Veronica used her wet paw to groom her ears. ”I can’t say I’m all that impressed, but let’s hear your pitch.”

"My agents number less than yours, and I personally try to meet each potential candidate. It's not a matter of expectations. It's a matter of being polite." Umukamui said, as he shifted back to his base form, tilting his head. " You don't know half of it. As you might have guessed, I have been doing this for a while." He pondered. "Still, I did not betray my own organizations. Going back on deals is usually reputation damage. Reputation damage means less business. Others can complain about your choice of clients, but as long as you keep it professional, there is hardly a reason not to." The small furry creature then began to groom himself once again.

Veronica set her paw down and stared at the other creature. ”Surely you didn’t call me out here just to talk about etiquette?”

"I have a safe pass for my agents. Negotiated with the Beckoners in person. I never did specify how many of those are… nor they asked. The whole left hand and right hand speech. Thing is, Colonel Cuddles is the one who is a stickler. Others are not as… much. I overheard some… friendly fire issues have popped up between your organization, who is not as deeply rooted… and the big boys in Penrose." He then paused. "Starting your own thing is rough indeed. However, here is the catch. I am currently trying to get enough manpower to get momentum. You need less knives on your back."

"These zealot types like to adhere to their own rules more than self pandering, so they will be reluctant to go back on a deal easily. Just make believe that your agents work for me, and I will back you up. In exchange for me twisting facts, you support my endeavours."

”An interesting offer, but not one I can agree to as it is presented.” Her tail wagged side to side, still pulled into a tight spiral. ”I spoke with Paladin Alicia, and she did not think Beacon would stop trying to attack my agents. I will not support another organization on mere promises of a ceasefire. They will be made to sign a contract of my making, or you will.” A red contract was pushed out of a shadow, which landed beside the white and red creature. ”Furthermore, you will tell me of these endeavors that we are expected to assist with.”

"So you want to get a way to avoid plausible deniability. This will need some work, but I can certainly accommodate. As long as it does not interfere with my current assignments."Umukamui said, without making an effort to sign the contract. "Joint strikes, red coins and babysitting." The puchuu said as he wagged his tail."How peculiar. You act with contracts still, even if you were the one who breached an agreement with Mint."

”If I signed a contract, maybe I would still be working for them.” Veronica stood up and walked closer to the puchuu. ” I’m not sure ‘plausible deniability’ is what I’m seeking. I just want more than lip service for my agent’s safety. If you say you can do something for me, you or Beacon should pay the price for going back on their promise.” When the fox was in front of Umu, it sat down again. ”Red coins are going to be difficult to acquire, as beacon and the late Cindy had the monopoly on them last time I checked. Babysitting and joint assaults can be managed if I know what your end goal is. Cradle is not a mercenary organization. We fight for a worthy cause.”

"Don't we all? Beacon thinks itself worthy. Hell, even the Mint in their twisted beliefs think that debt is the moral superiority. Doesn't really matter if you are targeted, like my organization used to be." Umukamui said. "Probably you never heard of Libra. Keep the balance and things going on, yadda yadda." The small furry creature then leant on. "Allies are precious resources… and also situational. You can only force one's hand so much."

Veronica’s tiny eyes glowed a bright crimson. ”No ‘yadda yadda,’ what type of balance are you trying to maintain? I cannot agree to work with someone long term unless I understand their primary objective. The balance between Mint and Beacon? The balance between monster and humanity? The balance between divine and mortal? Hope and despair? Truth and lies? Madness and bravery? Love and hate? ”

“Creation and Destruction. Stars explode and collapse, and upon the debris, newer stars ignite. Life feasts on death. I seek to preserve such. Some things, particularly horrors, are good at disrupting it. And keeping also all those things in check could certainly help.” Umukamui answered. “Betterment of mankind? That’s rubbish, more like enslaving gullible fools. The greater good? It’s an intoxicating drug. Being evil for giggles? Bound to bite you back hard.” The puchuu answered.

“What it matters in the end is, are your actions preserving this universe, or accelerating their destruction? If it’s the latter, you’re my enemy. Plain and simple.”

”Hmmmm…” The glow in Veronica’s eyes dimmed. ”Balance is difficult to maintain, as well as subjective. It may be possible for us to collaborate, however.” the creature squinted it’s eyes. ”For the time being, we will claim to work for you. Just know that at present this is in word only, and we will not actually be working with you until you can deliver on your promise.” It squint its eyes further. ”At which point we will forge a contract that will satisfy both parties. Do know that I will not have my agents blindly assist with every scheme you dream up.” Veronica opened her eyes again. ”If that is acceptable, then we may work together in the future.”

"Trial period, it is. However I will require a bit more for me taking the Beacon out of your heads. Beneficence work does not suit me, either. You shall assist me with information, or puntual help. And the moment I find you abuse the terms of this, the deal is off. Trial period works both ways."

”Negative, you have provided me with nothing so far. I am only willing to cooperate if it assists with the signing of the contract.” The creature looked up in the air. ”On second thought, you claim to be an expert. I’ll give you a week to talk to Beacon. During which any special requests you make will go through a trusted colleague. They are free to veto anything you put forward, but should accept if it assists with forging the contract. At the end of the week, we will see what happens.” Veronica lowered her gaze onto Umu. ”These are my terms.”

"Hmm, why did the Mint lose you I wonder. Clearly you keep those eye gouging habits from them." Umukamui said, swishing his tail. "Ah well." He said as he took Veronica's contract, and returned it to her. "It was a tempting deal, but so far, not so different from others. " The puchuu began to walk away. "Thank you for your time, and I wish you luck in future endeavours. There are more amenable groups I can work with in the present. Just remember that I am willing to talk a deal anytime."

"Don't let your desires to take over you, just a friendly advice. You want to control everything and everyone. Trust me when I say this: It simply does not happen."

”Says the one who wanted to command my agents.” The white creature’s shadow turned into a talon and closed around itself. Then it sunk into the ground and dissipated.

---

Dina Denisova
&
Dan

@Ariamis

Dina Denisova was a woman of many concerns and few allies. Getting onto her feet on Penrose was proving harder than anticipated. Here and there, the ravages of war had sown deep mistrust among collectives, and advances were slow.

Perhaps too slow for her liking. Sure, the machine girl had been amenable enough… after flat out demanding proof. The dragon thralls running the hotel were even more reserved than she had initially thought. There was so much one could do with talking. However, she did not give up, and instead took a different path.

She had heard of a certain patron with amenable characteristics. It also happened to have a private dimension, always a plus. She looked at the shopping bag. Mackerel. A favorite of cats… and dolphins. Making way towards one of Penrose alleys, she looked back and forth, securing the spot for her privacy. This was going to be awkward.

First, the mackerel. Then some pineapple, because why not. Beaches. Pineapple cocktails went hand in hand. And last, a couple of drops of blue blood, such as herself. Blood sacrifices were a must when summoning beings right?

“Oh, come forth, Dan, master of the Everholiday Lands.”

...That sounded horrible.

At first, it seemed as if the summoning ritual had failed, the pineapple looking quite sad on the cold ground. But then, Dina saw how the pineapple seemed to sink into the concrete, and disappeared. Then, a pineapple plant rose from the ground, spreading it's lush green leaves, in full bloom. But instead of a pineapple, a tiny blue dolphin wearing an equally tiny ushanka and wool vest appeared. "Mackerels! Yummy!" He squeaked, and hopped down to pick up the can. Dina would immediately realize she was now witness to a Lesser Force, as the magical being opened the can and ate the contents with dexterity impossible for his fins. "Mmm...These sardines were great!" It was then that he noticed the blood. "Yikes! Are you hurt?" He asked.

Dina stood with a blank stare. While she was thankful her summon had been promptly summoned, the whole situation seemed a bit underwhelming… and bizarre to boot. “Not really.” She said, licking the finger of the cut and closing the wound, while still staring at this… Dolphin. Ushanka, really? That was unexpected.

"Phew, I'm glad. This city has enough blood on the streets," Dan replied. "Anyway, greetings!" He waved his little fin as he floated up to eye level with Dina. "Do you wish to make a pact with me? That is usually the reason why magical girls would summon me."

“That was the intention, yes…” Dina said omitting the second part. Until I saw YOU. “I hope I got the right Dan. Lesser forces being subtle, it’s hard to know.”

"Yep yep, it's me! Dan the Dolphin is my name!" He leaped like a dolphin out of water with a sprinkle of glitter in her wake. "And boundless joy is my game! I wish to spread happiness and fun to this world. But there are evil forces who'd rather want violence and suffering. As my chosen one, your mission would be to fight against bad guys like that, and to give joy and hope to the sad and depressed. In return, I can give you plenty of benefits, like access to my beach dimension! That place is the perfect spot for a summer vacation, any time of the year! I can also imbue you with training in a martial art famous in the magical world, without practicing even once. Sounds good, right?"

Dina raised an eyebrow. Vacation resort? That did seem a bit tempting, despite the lesser force looking like a total idiot. Then again, she did need the help. Swallowing pride was the hard part, for someone high born as her. “I’m all for non-violence. Really.” Dina said, trying to focus hard on the benefits. His reply had been immediate, the benefits he was offering were sort of… acceptable. If only because the entire beach dimension. Lots of idle time for a social butterfly like her.

“It does seem good. What is the catch, though?”

"Well, uh…" Dan fidgeted a bit. "Joy is my essence. Or rather, I need it; I grow weak if I can't have some of that smiley sunshine, and the powers I grant would fade too. Not that much is required of your happiness, mind you; as long as you keep making people happy once a week or so, that would be more than enough. I also like attention, so I might pop in for a visit once in a while. Would you be fine with these conditions?"

Dina tilted her head. Likes attention huh. Well, at least he’s not asking for other things. “I’m inclined to agree. It should not be that difficult given how my mere presence seems to soothe people sometimes.” She purred.

Dan squeaked with excitement. "Wonderful! Then, the pact is sealed with a shake of the fin." He extended his tiny fin forward. "And then the magical bond is formed between us."

Dina looked at the flipper. Then at Dan. Then at the flipper. I seriously hope this is not a poor decision, like making a contract with a puchuu. Or coming back to Cindy and finding her dead. She thought as she carefully stretched her hand, her ears twitching and tail upright in an alert stance, and gave Dan the handshake.

When Dina touched Dan's fin, she first felt how gently warm it was, like the pleasant feel you'd have stepping on sand heated by the sun. Then, that warmth spread through her arm, and enveloped her in it. She floated slightly off the ground as the magic sparkled around her, infusing her with new power. By the time she returned back to the ground, Dan was clapping his fins together like a circus seal. "Wonderful! Welcome to the team, Dina. I'll introduce you later to your fellow companions. But for now, let's celebrate!" Dan pointed his wing at the end of the alley, and shot a blue bolt of magic. Upon hitting the wall, a door appeared with a poof. "See, isn't that amaz-eh?" Dan noticed that Dina was still reeling from making the pact.

“I feel… uh…” Dina blinked…”Is that the ancient martial art!?” She jittered, startled and dropped to her knees, hugging herself, the hairs on her tail standing up, as well as her ears curled against her head. “It’s so crass! And filthy!” She added.

Dan's beak opened comically. "Oh, no! Not at all!" A big sweat drop formed on the side of his head as he floated around her. "Keijo is a pure martial art, with a long tradition and annual tournaments. The knowledge and wisdom of the masters of the art will not only enhance your fighting ability, your magical control is also heightened. It's a wonderful gift, you'll see!"

Dina looked with a blank stare.”...let’s go to that place… and not mention this again.” She affirmed, trying to get her bearings.

The tiny dolphin nodded repeatedly. "I promise you'll love the place." He led the way forward, and opened the doors.
Dina first noticed the hot temperature of the new world she had stepped into; compared to the bitter cold of Penrose, it was like a sweltering heat. Then, Dina smelled the salt in the air, coming from the ocean that stretched through the horizon beyond the sandy beach she currently stood on. But when she looked down, she noticed she didn't wear her shoes, but instead slippers. In fact, she realized she was much lighter in apparel than before; her magical uniform had transformed into a bikini.

Dina’s ears twitched slightly, as she felt the warmth soothe her to a degree, as well as the gentle breeze. It seemed to blow around her, comforting her… and tickling her bare skin. That was a lot of bare skin.

Dina

Dina’s eyes snapped wide and looked at how her clothes had changed. Her eyes narrowed like pinpricks. “This is -your- idea of a dress code, my lord?” She asked, her tail swishing in annoyance.

"Of course!" Dan answered; he now wore a straw hat and sunglasses. "Swimsuits are perfect for a fun day at the beach. They don't get sweaty and damp like normal clothes, and offer freedom of movement for all kinds of sports and activities, not to mention a killer tan!" He landed on the sand like a bouncy ball. “I think you’d like to take some time sunbathing. Let me help with that.” He clapped his fins together, creating some sparkles. Then, Dina heard a faint sound from above, and saw that a parasol floated down, much like certain types of flowers. As it embedded into the sand, a beach chair dropped down from under the parasol’s hood, complete with a little glass of icy water. “Anything else you’d like?” He asked.

"This appeases me." Dina said sincerely as she took a seat like the graceful lady she was, drinking some iced water as she purred softly. "This should do for the time being, even though I am more of a court lady. You shall not find a vassal like me easily, and I hope that my performance shall be rewarded in kind." Dina said, as she looked past Dan. "I do wonder… will this work over here?" She pondered, as she used her gift over beasts to try and summon a mermaid.

Dan squeaked with joy. "With your charismatic presence, you'll bring lots of smiles to everyone's faces. And as the saying goes, a good deed goes a long way." He waddled over to Dina using his tail, and blinked as Dina cast a spell.

Dina felt as her magical call swam through the sea, and dove further down. Soon, the surface of the water burst, and a cute mermaid girl hopped out on the beach. She had webbed hands and a set of fins on her hips, as well as a long tail that flopped behind her. Her human half wore what looked like a modified maid uniform, complete with a skirt and black bikini top.
"Ooh...Who had called me from the depths?" She asked, lifting herself up from the sand by her hands. She noticed Dina, and began to move towards her with slow hops. "Oh, you called a mermaid!" Dan exclaimed. "I didn't know anyone could do that. But uh...They're not that suited for land," he then added, as the mermaid had still not managed to reach the two.

"I am a bit of a special case, being born of blue blood, I can limit myself not to mere beasts, but mythical beings actually heed my call." Dina said as a few barriers created a makeshift saltwater bath for the mermaid, coupled with a darkened barrier to shelter her from the sun. "Would you be so kind to sing for us?" She asked.

"Wow, that's a lot of talent!" Dan reacted. "I sure am happy that you joined my merry crew!" The mermaid visibly sweated and looked uncomfortable trudging closer, until Dina provided comfort; with barriers providing both shade and water, the mermaid was re-energized, and swam up to Dina with her fingers clasped together. "Oh, thank you, Mistress! I always longed to be on land, and you have given me the opportunity to do so without drying up." She nodded with a smile to Dina's request. "I would love to." Then, a beautiful melody drifted through the air, surrounding Dina like the gentle waves of the sea. She sang of being part of Dina's world and other songs that definitely didn't break copyright laws. Dan also joined in; he summoned a little trumpet and provided background music for the singing. "Do you know any songs, Dina? I'd like to hear you sing too."

"Only Russian ones. And not very suitable for this environment." said Dina, her ears somewhat downcast at Dan's voice mucking up the mermaid's song.

"Well, it's all up to personal taste," Dan said. He stopped playing music after he felt the catgirl's disapproving stare, soon followed by the mermaid as she held a hand up to her chest. "Aah, it has been ages since I've sung to an audience. Thank you so much, Mistress."

Dina looked at the mermaid. "It's been a delight, I assure you." She paused. " You may keep singing if you wish or return at your leisure." She eyed Dan. "Well, at least this place does have perks."

"Yes! I knew you'd get into the spirit of it," Dan responded. "You can open a portal here after ten seconds of concentration, so you can come visit me and relax at any time."
The mermaid shook her head. "No, I can stay here since you so graciously offered me this bath. But unfortunately I don't know any Russian songs. Could you teach me?"
Dina looked at the mermaid. “Well, since you’ve answered my summons, I suppose… I can oblige.” She cleared her throat and…

Hider

The mermaid quietly listened, her tail whirling the water around her as she seemed entranced.
Dan also stopped bouncing around, and hopped on the mermaid's head.
When the song was over, both of them clapped their hands. "Encore! Encore!" Dan cheered, while the mermaid began to shed tears. "So beautiful...Your voice is like the current of the deep; it pulls you in."

Dina tilted her head. “I’ve had some practice.” She said, fussed about the effort as she drank the drink, while licking a couple of water drops that had fallen on her forearm. She then curled her mouth upwards in a grin. "Well if you wish for me to sing more, I'd need something better to moisten my throat. And food."

"Of course, of course! What'll it be?" Dan said, and transformed his appearance to resemble a tiny dolphin waiter, complete with a black suit and a curly moustache. He held a regular tray with a dome cover above his head. "Ice cream? Sandwiches? Cheese hamburger?" As he listed each choice, the dome cover magically lifted up and revealed the choice of food each time before lowering. The mermaid merely looked on with a baffled expression.

"Roasted dolphin." Dina said. "I heard it's delicious. Failing that, tuna."

At the command, Dan nodded, and a red apple appeared in his mouth. "Okay, roasted dolphin, coming right u-WHAAH!" Dan was taken aback in comedic fashion, and turned even more blue than normally. The tray stopped midair, and he spat the apple out, causing it to splash in the water and turn into a giant apple. "I seriously hope you're joking, Dina. Dolphin doesn't taste that good, you see," he quickly added with a droplet of sweat on his brow. The tray returned to balance on his fin, and the dome cover lifted, revealing a plate of gourmet tuna. The tray lowered into a table that was also summoned, complete with a white tablecloth. "So let's go with tuna. Would you like some wine with your tuna?" A round glass filled with red wine appeared next to the plate, alongside eating utensils and a wooden chair.

Dina's nose twitched, as her tail reacted upwards, a soft purring sound could be heard. "That would be … great." Dina said, visibly struggling between her cat impulses and ladylike demeanour. She sat beside the table and began eating in earnest.

Dan looked pleased, and proceeded to bounce on the mermaid's head like a squishy toy. "Isn't it really fun here, Dina? You can stay as long as you want, and-Wah!" He then stumbled, and ended up falling right in the mermaid's cleavage, causing her to yelp lightly from the sensation.
Only his head could be seen poking out. "Oh no...Not this again."

Dina looked at the dolphin's antics, narrowing her eyes. "Yes, really fun. But I suppose there are places to see and people to meet too." She focused as she snatched the little dolphin from the poor mermaid's assets with catlike elegance and then she eyed the creature she just summoned. "You may leave, apologies for his behaviour." She indicated.

The mermaid didn't seem that disturbed by the Lesser Force's mishap, though she seemed a bit embarrassed "No, I should apologize. I didn't pay attention to Lord Dan." She then gave a light smile. "I suppose my sisters are wondering where I am, so I should return to them. Thank you once more for letting me share in your world, even if for a moment." She waved goodbye, and swam back to the sea.
Dan was relieved to be released from his prison, and nodded when Dina expressed the duties she had. "Yeah, it's fine. But promise that you'll come visit once in a while, okay?" Dan asked, and created a portal back home to Penrose. "Also, I'll let your companions know that you've joined us. Goodbye!" He waved his flipper enthusiastically..

Dina looked at the small creature. Quirky as he was, he would be his boss from now on, so she performed a curtsy as a farewell greeting and returned back into the world.

She had hoped the perp actually did change back her clothes.

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

Dance with the Devil

@Ariamis

The figure kept scurrying about, shifting through the streets. It was a mix of faded colours at first, with some passersby who did not even notice the white creature scurry about. The white Puchuu known as Umukamui went like this for a while. He appreciated privacy, and some of his current allies did not.

Which was a tricky situation, as that limited the ways and deals he used to have through indirect censorship. But he was not cowering in the slightest. He passed through a portal, hidden away from prying eyes. The sudden surge of altered space in a monochrome fashion told him he had arrived at his destination. Without further ado, like one changes suits, he changed his appearance to one he had been using of late.

A female form. It had its uses. Not as good as appearing harmless, but as a form to be taken seriously. She even ordered a drink, as she waited for the Mint broker to come.

"Nice joint. I find the warped reality trick fascinating." She added as she checked her dress code was in harmony with the place.

Umukamui

“Well, well well, look what the cat dragged in.”

Shadows gathered, like a billowing cloud of smoke, until they coalesced into a tall, wide-shouldered shape of a man leaning an elbow against the bar counter. A cup seemingly made of ashen glass then formed in Al Scarpe’s hand, and the shadowy barkeep poured wine into it.
The barkeep also served Umukamui with a martini, complete with an olive.
“I suppose the Puchuu do indeed take a form most fitting for their audience. Still, I am surprised. Your kind usually keeps distance from the Mint.”

"Well, what can I say… a tool for each job. Most stick to the cuddly forms around girls. I prefer a little flourish. I have grown fond of this form's… will nullifiers." Kamy added as she drank the martini in slow sips. "I also understand the value of keeping things professional and not letting silly… preconceptions get in the way. I also value greeting possible business partners once in a while."

The Coin Broker laughed, and took a sip from his drink.
“An interesting way to call them, but sure.”
He snapped his fingers, and the big band at the stage began playing smooth jazz, cloaking the club in an aesthetic lost to time.
“So you’re looking to do business with us, correct? What did you have in mind, dolly?” He asked, leaning slightly closer to the beauty.

Kamy bare a smile. "Not at the moment. I have made an association with strings attached...to a certain group of moral watchdogs. Still, I heard that there was movement among one of the oldest institutions in town and I am here to bid greetings and wish for all the best."

The Mint executive tipped his fedora.
"I see. I wouldn't recommend trying to form relations with the Beacon at the moment; they'll soon be in a heap of trouble alongside the new arrivals." He took another sip from his drink, and placed it on the counter.
"Thanks for the cheer, Miss…?"

“Kamy…Although I go by the name Umukamui.” She smiled and shrugged. “Well, it cannot be helped. Sometimes, all you have is a hammer to solve your problems. Yet, I try to keep as professional as possible. There’s so many options besides oblivion.”

”Indeed there are, miss Kamy,” The mobster-looking man said with a smile.
”I’m Al Scarpe,” he introduced himself as he took one last sip before returning the glass with a slide to the barkeep. ”You know, I have a business proposition myself. If you would be interested in sharing some information about Beacon’s inner movements, I could be persuaded to provide compensation in return. Oh, and don’t worry; this would be strictly professional…And private.”

"Well met then." Kamy smiled."
As interesting as it might be, I am dreadfully sorry. Sharing information on current contracts is a big no. After all confidentiality breaches do compromise my ability to make deals in the future. What would you do, mr Scarpe, if I were to accept an offer to disclose Mint workings to a third party?" She paused. "Still I have a counter offer. Two magical girl bodies. They should be given… proper burial but, waste not, as I say."

Al's brow rose. "Stiffs, eh? I'm listening." He took out a cigar, and lit it up with a lighter.

"Two former magical girls, one dark, one normal. Former servants of a horror. As long as you can keep it out of sight, out of mind, they are all yours."

He took a puff of smoke, the trail of it lifting straight up and back to behind him.
“Why thank you. I’ll promise to take good care of them.”
He signalled to the band to play some slow music, and gestured a hand to Umu.
“To express my gratitude, would you allow me a dance? It is an activity humans do when they want to celebrate something.”

Umu's expression went blank for a second, as if thinking something. Tilting her head, she then addressed the Mint Broker. "Customs, right. Then I will allow it." She said in the same emphasis as one would take out the trash. "My meeting with Cradle is not due for a while, anyway."

The Mint monster smiled widely. "Excellent. Now, just follow my lead, Miss." He gently took Umu's hand, and brought her close, the other hand on her waist, as the two began to dance. Despite his top-heavy figure, Umu would note that his steps and movement were smooth and suave, as if he glided across the floor.
"Ah, this takes me back…" He spoke.
"Have you ever felt nostalgic for something, Miss Kamy? Ever yearned for something that once was but never will be again?"

"Emotions are just useless baggage."Kamy said. "Some among us consider it a mental illness." She added as she was led by Al. ". But they have their uses. Others want a certain set of emotions enforced to all costs… the Beckoners are of this persuasion." The woman-shaped puchuu bluntly stated. "Although yearn is something I can sympathize with. Libra was my own organization back in the day. I used to concern myself about settling the universal scores. But my view was not popular. Beacon used my minute deals with the Mint as an excuse to dismantle me, making me once again a single, sad middleman. Or woman, as I am in this shape now."

The song slowly shifted from the initial smooth jazz to more peppy swing, and Al picked up the pace accordingly.
”Mm, yes. They can be very prickly about such trivial matters,” he replied, and spun Kamy by her lifted hand in the dance before returning her back to him.
”But it doesn’t have to stay that way. I could help you bring Libra back to its full glory. Then you could make the score you’ve wanted to.”
He leaned Umu back in a tango-esque fashion, like a master dancer, before lifting her back up.
”By the way, are you enjoying the dance, Miss?”

“A tempting offer. I shall consider it carefully.” Kamy said, as she let Al lead, doing her best to do the human reaction of a smile… and not letting it seep how dull this affair was becoming. Human rituals were so weird. “I could say I do, yes.” Well, if she was a human anyway. “But for the time being, let’s just keep it as a greeting, shall we?”

”As you wish.” Once the song ended, Al released Kamy, and bowed.
”For someone new to dancing, you didn’t fumble,” he observed.
”Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. Goodbye for now, but I hope to see you again.”

“Don’t we, all… Al, don’t we all. I am sure if we do our tasks, our paths might cross in the future.” Umukamui greeted him as she left. “Do you want me to call Veronica a whore for you? I can do that much.” She said as she flickered, turning back into the furry critter he was widely known.

Al's face scrunched up as the beautiful woman assumed the smaller form. "...No need. She was never the type to be easily offended." As the creature scurried away, the coin broker smoked deep from his cigar.
"Damn rat...Even had some nice perfume.

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

& Reaver

@Shifter_Master
Before the Mint meet and greet.

Sweet dreams

The almighty chicken stomped through the city, setting the landscape ablaze. Truly it was their darkest hour. Penrose city was under siege by the forces of the Colonel. Countless innocents were made into nuggets.

Reaver could not look at the hellish landscape, his heart already too heavy. And the lady in his arms too. She had better drop the bucket she had been given too.

However, at the last minute possible, a figure in impossible disco clothes descended from the skies. It was Strdy’NgtLif, the Horror of disco madness, which then proceeded to beat the chicken with its sparky tentacles.

But just as the crazed disco tunes begin to blare out a funky victory beat there would come an incessant beeping. It started softly but quickly grew until it drowned out everything.

And with a jolt Viva would find herself once again with the land of living. “That is the last time, I follow up an undead with an abomination before bed” She would grumbl to herself as the utterly bizarre dream receded back into the depths of her mind. It was hard to tell what things she ate would cause odd dreams, but by a large margin this had been the strangest.

Shaking her head once again to banish any lingering thoughts of her dream Viva would crawl out of the tent she had set up. Her hunger told her she had slept about seven hours, which was more than she had been expecting, but at the same time she hadn’t really been planning on sleeping.

Outside of the tent was the inside of an abandoned house, Viva thought it was the same one she had finished up her undead treat, but it was hard to be sure. That part of her night was a blur. Not a bad one, per se, but a blur nonetheless. She had directed Reaver to this place as a decent middle ground of safety and keeping Reaver to herself. A nice cozy little place for just the two of them.

The fact that she nearly crashed the moment they got here was more than a tad infuriating, just as it was more than a little relieving to do so as well. Her thoughts were a tangled mess when it came to her son. He had become such a handsome man, not to mention deliciously twisted, but there was still a part of her that was horrified at those very same thoughts. So the reprieve was appreciated, even if she hated it.

Now she just had to figure out if she wanted to tell him or not… ‘Not happening on an empty stomach’

Putting that decision off until later Viva would begin pulling a simple camping stove set up out of her hammer space and started on making some breakfast, humming as she did so, because food always helped put things in the correct perspective.

Reaver was awfully sore, and thirsty. He had slept like a log. Or more precisely like a weary warrior. His hand, now somewhat recovered, was still gripping the hand of the sword handle. Last night had passed between a daze and a dream. He could not even recall it had been raining the whole time, such was the intensity.

The deed had been done. The knight had become the blackguard. A person had died by his hand.

Cindy, would be no more.

Cindy had been his meal.

That...was an unsettling thought. But what was more unsettling was how he felt… not different. They said the first kill was hardest. That there was some dehumanizing trait in slaughter. Reaver pondered and understood that… the dehumanizing part was not losing oneself in killing… It was realizing that killing was nothing so special like walking a dog, doing your daily needs… or making breakfast?

Oh, yes, he had beaten some horror because some silly girl had insisted on playing hero… and mocking his cowardice. That damned thing had not made it easy, as if a regicide had been an easy task. Where all those people had come from? Could not one person fart in Penrose without eight people complaining? Still, he persevered. How could he not? Odin did not like those who had no spine.

Oh yeah, there was some girl that he didn’t know but was awfully familiar that he had taken along the ride. That was the culprit of the breakfast. The anguish over Cindy’s death was replaced often by confusion. There was something in that song, that he tried to grasp, something deep, familiar lurking in the mind that he could not...remember.

“Smells nice.” Reaver just droned. Nicer than anything I've eaten recently. I miss my old home sometimes. He thought to himself. And that’s when it hit him.

That was the song his father hummed all the time.

“...how...do you know that song?” Something deep clutched in his mind. A deep, irrational paranoid thought. It couldn’t be… could it?

“Morning~” Viva would reply cheerfully from her spot at the small stove top. The breakfast was proving to be a variety of meat products at the moment, though she had set out a few eggs as well, not that she was one who often ate eggs cooked. She was cooking for family however so it would be a better idea to make things more palatable at the moment.

“This old thing?” She would ask a bit bemused at the question “It’s just a lullaby I picked up when I was a kid.” She would reply honestly, not having known that Ed had picked it up from her and kept humming it as well. “Been humming it for over thirty years at this point.” She would comment off handedly as her attention was brought back to the slowly cooking food in front of her. She was very Hungry after all.

Reaver, on the other hand, felt a clump form in his stomach, as he gripped his blade tightly. That was one hell of a coincidence. The same hum, on two different people. It could be just fortuitous, but something inside urged him to pry even further. His eyes narrowed significantly.

“Please answer truthfully. What was your name before being a magical girl?”

Viva would once again give the child next to her an odd look, she could tell that there was a reason why he seemed so worried about who she was. Just as she could somewhat remember that she wanted to hide it, neither of those seemed terribly important at the moment though. Her Hunger was gnawing at her too much for her to see much reason for either or.

“Same as it is now?” She would say a bit confused as she snagged a piece of bacon that was just barely undercooked “Vivian Turner, but you can call me Viva.” She would answer honestly as she bit into the piece of meat “Mommy works as well” She would tack on as she lost the battle against not eating the rest of the food she had brought out raw.

Reaver stood silent for a moment. Then looked at Viva. Then looked at the food. Oh. That explained that. How could his own mother not be familiar to him. And he and her….

“Please excuse me.” He said, while raising from his seated position, walking up right to the nearest wall and giving it a long sigh… began to hit his head hard against it until it bled profusely.

“I AM NOT FUCKING OEDIPUS! NOPE, NOPE NOPE, NOPE!” He yelled as he kept hitting himself, trying to reign himself in, trying to deal with the knot of his stomach. It was true, wasn’t it. The pain was real. She was embarrassing. He had shown her his most embarrassing side.

“Ugh. What a fine day to taste mother’s cooking.” He said, his appetite spiking a bit after the regeneration closed his head wound and sat himself on the table, letting his devouring urges overtake briefly.

“Where the hell have you been, ...mother?” He said, his eyes alternating between the food and her. “You left both my father and me, isn’t it a bit late to be a good mother now?”

Viva flinched at the not quite accusation leveled at her, as it was a valid question. She quickly swallowed the mouthful of food she had “Dead as far as the rest of the world was concerned, and then lost.” She would say sadly not willing to meet Reaver’s eyes “You were still young when I found myself involved in the magical side of things and it wasn’t my choice to get involved in it either. The magical girl of the area had been killed and I happened to be in the wrong place at the right time to fill in. Something went wrong though” She would give a sigh and look towards the window “The magic I ended up with was twisted, so the rat bastard Puuchu that dragged me into this dropped me just as quickly. In my confusion I ended up falling into the Overcity, and when I finally made it back home Ed had moved away, and took you with him.”

“It was only last night that I learned that either of you were even in Penrose” She would explain with a helpless shrug finally turning to face her son “And that was only because I was able to get a Patron at long last. But I’m here for you now, and I’m not planning on leaving, not that I’ve got you back.”

“Mmm.” Reaver decided to listen, although some bits… were shady. But who was he kidding. He himself had been shady. And a killer. He didn’t have the right to judge her mother for what she did… even if she had abandoned her. “Alright, then so be it. But … no more flirting, please. It’s just...wrong. And I eat people on a regular basis.”

You do too, I’ve seen what you did to the horror.

Given the prospects, if she had any kind of motherly remorse… he would welcome her. His allies were surprisingly lean recently. And he had always yearned for a motherly hug… specially on dark moments like this.

“I…” Viva would hesitate for a moment “I’ll try.” She would settle on after a moment “I’ve spent a lot of time around Mother as of late. I had to internalize a lot of her teachings before she would bother giving me a chance.” She would give Reaver a soft smile “Glad to see that we care at least share meals in the long run however”

Reaver flinched awkwardly, trying to process how much his whole world changed. Still… better start abusing offspring privileges as he gulped more of his food. "Seconds." He said, sullen.

Damn, it was a pain to have been twisted in a Devourer of sorts. He really needed to think his next move carefully and being compelled to consume was distracting.

“Anything in particular you would like?” Asked an unknown third voice at Reaver’s request. Causing Viva to reflexively call her revolver and nearly open fire on the sudden intruder. Only to relax when she realized the person speaking was in fact her Mother, Lamashtu, who was now sitting just across the stove from both Reaver and Viva. Cooking what seemed to be a piece of steak.

“Mother” Viva would groan as she let her weapon fade away. “Is now really the time?” She would ask, trying not to sound like she was sulking at having her bonding time with her son interrupted.

“I would say so, it’s not every day that I get to meet grand kids after all.” The dark goddess would reply with an unrepentant smirk as she eyed Reaver. “Pleasure to meet you sweet child” she would say a barely contained leer in her eyes.

Reaver, truth to his training, had also reflexively grabbed the sword on his hand, lifting it as if it were just a pen, and aiming it at the source of the voice. His eyes narrowed at this interloper, before cracking a smirk.

A monster mother for a monster motherly goddess. How...fitting was that. He now understood a bit of his father. If this insane woman had been the one that had conceived him, it explained so much. Even if she seemed genuinely trying now, it was a bit of a too little, too late mentality. As well as he wasn’t entirely sure what part of her was genuine love and what was cosmetic brainwashing. He knew the tricks gods used, as he was under a particularly hard to grasp one.

So he paused. “Stir fry your liver and serve it to us.” He said, without batting an eyelid. “You can survive that, can you? Also, you’re not my grandmother.” Reaver said, eyes narrowed.

“Will!” Viva would exclaim seemingly scandalized by his retort, through what part was harder to pin down.

Lamashtu on the other hand would simply chuckle as she continued to tent to her slab of steak that she was cooking “You’re quite the fiesty one” She would go one to say as she would start carving the steak with her claws, which would grow ever so slightly longer as she did so. “And while I could quite simply survive the loss of a liver, are you sure that you could survive eating it?” She would pop a small cube of the blue rare steak into her mouth, revealing the rows of fangs in her maw as she did so. “After all, The Mint’s blessing has nothing on what it is my body could do for you” She would ass licking the oil off her talons with an unnaturally long tongue.

“Mother, you don’t need to taunt him” Viva would sound exasperated with her divine Patron, before turning to Reaver “She’s not your grandmother biologically, but she is considered the Mother of Monsters. Since I am now one of her children, you are one of her grandkids by extension.” Viva would explain “It’s something of a honor, Mother doesn’t always consider the darkened magicals to be part of her family, only those with Monterrious natures get freely invited into the Family”

Reaver looked at her own mother for a second, before sighing. “I knew it was too good to be true.” His voice carried disappointment, before his eyes zeroed on Lamashtu. “You forgot whom I also serve.” He said, his voice now steely and icy. “And gaining his favour is harder and more difficult than being called a proxy grandchild of someone. Do you think I fear death? I am one of the chosen, who will fight through Valhalla and Ragnarok. And the only reason I am not grabbing -this- sword and gutting you myself or die trying is because I am trying to be polite upon this rude intrusion on what is probably the first time I see my own mother in decades.”
He added. “So please spare me such horseplay.” He added, as he raised himself off the table, and attempted to leave.

Lamashtu’s gaze never wavered as Reaver voiced his displeasure, though her grin would grow slightly “I came to congratulate you two, and offer up a feast for the reunion. You are rather quick to throw that in my face child. But you should know that just because you are considered family, doesn’t mean that you have earned any favor” She would reply her voice devolving to a near hiss as she went on “And I know of the old fool that you follow, why would I not? After all it is one of my favored sons that will tear out his throat”

“Mother-” Whatever it was that Viva was about to say, Lamashtu silenced it with a glare, causing the now distraught mother to flinch back.

“Yet I will admit that the night was not an easy one for you, even before I sent Vivian your way.” she would continue after a moment, her voice more normal, but it wasn’t hard to see the tension was just hidden, not gone. “So I am willing to overlook your lack of manners if you are willing to do the same for mine. Does that sound fair” She would flash him a grin that displayed her wickedly sharp teeth “Well, sweety?”

Calculated risk. That was what Reaver was doing right now. “I suppose I must thank you for the assist then.” He quickly turned on his heels, offering a small curtsy. Grimy incestuous crazy mother god she might have been, but he could not afford antagonizing each potential ally that came across. No, he would take heed of their actions and words to differentiate the valuable from the chaff, and the reliable from the unreliable. Far too much lip service he had endured, only to be left with scarcely any help.

“Guess It would belittle whom I serve if I cannot recognize an offer of compromise.” He paused and took a seat once more, his expression somewhat sulky, like the teenager he had just recently stopped being.

His risk would pay off almost instantly, although perhaps not by much, but for a moment Lamashtu’s facade slipped and genuine surprise and annoyance was visible. It was quickly subsumed by her normal, rather more arrogant demeanor. “Wonderful” She would purr and with a simple gesture the room would find itself filled with wonderful delicacies from across the planes. “A feast from me to you both” She would explain unnecessarily. She would move to speak more before her attention seemed to be grabbed by something “Seems I must be going, other matters have sprung up” She would say as she gracefully rose to a stand “I’ll try and visit again soon” She would say before dissolving away.

Viva, for her part, just let out a relieved sigh one it seemed like things had calmed down, and even though she was marveling at the wonderful gift of food she couldn’t help but be more grateful when Lamashtu left “Ugh, I really hope that I don’t come across like that” Viva would remark with a grimace. She was glad to finally be able to be a mother to Reaver, as late as it happened to be, but she didn’t want to be such an overbearing one such as Mother was being.

“I want to apologize for her” Viva would say, snagging the bits of steak that Lamashtu had left behind “But I’m not going to. That was just rude”

“Gods be gods.” Reaver shrugged as he took some more of the food and decided to eat it after careful inspection. Who knows if that crazy motherly complex goddess had left anything funny on the meal. “Every patron sees their servants as their little pawns whom they must dance to their demented tunes. Gods, Puchuus, Horrors, Lesser Forces, the Mint… they all are no exception.” Reaver pondered.

“If one’s to prosper, one must learn to dance the danse macabre.” He added. “And learn how to lick boots. Flattery makes people prone to manipulation. Wasn’t that how you got dad in first place?” The black knight eyed Viva. “I appreciate the thought, tho.”

“Not… exactly” Viva didn’t have the same reluctance as her son did when it came to eating any of the offered food. She had spent years working towards getting into Lamashtu’s Family after all, the thought that the Goddess would use food against her never really a chance to form. “I mean that was originally the plan, thought why that was the plan I can’t really recall anymore as it had been so long ago. Not that it matters, that plan kinda fell apart on our first date.” She would explain with a shy smile “He started talking about his work, about all the complexities that are involved in tending to a corpse, about some of the oddities during dissections of cadavers. It was fascinating”

She would giggle a bit recalling the beginning of her relationship with Ed, it was a simpler time looking back on it. It was hard to remember why she had left. “Not to mention that he was quite the looker.” She would add shamelessly before turning her eye to Reaver. “I wonder if you used to take after him. Not that the dark and edgy look doesn’t have it’s own charm” her smirk was unmistakable “but your Father, ahh, the classical look always suited him” Viva would get lost in her thoughts for a moment, giggling to herself about her less than family friendly thoughts about her husband.

“Hrm.” Reaver carefully pondered what to say next, as he kept talking. Some red flags were forming on his mind. Something wasn’t right. Something had caused a fracture long ago and it had been nothing too trivial. He reached for his neck, under the armor and produced a locket with his father and himself.
He hefted it and then handed it to Viva.

Viva took the locket with no small amount of curiosity. She didn’t have anything from before her change after all, she wasn’t even aware that some things could be kept across that transition. Yet she was still unprepared for the images inside the locket, and had she not already been sitting down she would have fallen.

“You had his face” She would say softly as something inside of her seemed to crack and bleed “But you had my eyes” She sat transfixed at the simple images of a life she had lost… No, that wasn’t right. She furrowed her brow at her thoughts. They weren’t entirely… right? It was hard to pin down what it was but her thoughts felt off.

She let out a soft hiss as she placed a hand to her temple, a momentary migraine flitting across her thoughts.

Blinking away the pain she wondered what brought that about, before mentally shrugging it off. She closed the locket with notably less reverence then she had opened it. “Shame you didn’t keep the piercings. Those are always fun~” Viva would say with an impish smile as she handed back the locket. The small part of her that had cringed away from flirting with her son weakly protesting, somewhere in the back of her mind.

“They were just another phase. I still got picked on a lot. And Dad was against them. Said it was a source of infection.” Reaver drone, wincing at how his past self had once been. “I went overboard back then...chasing ghosts.” He said, as he kept eating absent-mindedly.

“There’s so much you can do when one’s father is married to the job, your mother is missing, and you lack social graces.” He pondered, as he tilted his head. Even if he had his reservations, and an inkling feeling that… Viva was not the sanest person of earth, he did pick up on her … change of nuance.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah I’m fine” She would brush off his concern as she returned to eating herself, though some of the food would be tucked away into her Hammerspace for later as well. Her answer didn’t quite reach her eyes however.

“I was never really picked on when I was younger” She’d go on to say “Not to say I was popular, at least not until late highschool, I just had a habit of biting people so they mostly left me alone” She would admit without any shame “Ended up changing schools because of it once”

Reaver let a small chuckle, and winced somewhat. Upon the revelation, it seemed some part of his heart darkened and died. So that’s it. The apple doesn’t fall down from the tree. Maybe that’s why she left. Maybe she bit father.. “Can’t say I can judge you on that. I’m a biter too.”

And a murderer. he added to himself, as he raised from his seat and closed the distance. His eyes wandered, before setting himself besides Viva. His arms reached her, and pulled himself towards her figure, his head sunken and low, in an embrace.

“This is so tiring. Let me do this, just this once...mother.” He added. “I am trapped in a hell of both my actions and my circumstances.”

There were a lot of things Viva could have said, or done in reaction to Reaver closing the distance as he did, even a few witty remarks she could have spouted off due to his reply.
She did none of those, or at least she did none of the ones that were her first instincts, because she was a mother, a terrible one perhaps, an absent one for sure, but a mother nonetheless.

Instead she simply returned the embrace, she didn’t shy from it, she didn’t joke or judge. She simply let it remain the simple comfort that it was. She would shift slightly so that they were slightly more comfortable, and once again start humming the same tune she had from earlier.

She wanted to ask him about it, but she wasn’t sure if she had the right just yet, but she would be here if he wanted too. Regardless about the migraine that seemed to be resurfacing.

Reaver seemed to spend a few moments locked, his breathing becoming slower and slower, until he decided it was enough and pried himself apart, before resuming an stance. "This city will be a sea of blood if it is not already. And part of it will be my hand. Because someone, in this charade of puppets, has to play the sinister black hand. I wonder if my father is alright."

“Lots of people are looking to claim Penrose for themselves” Viva would remark, as she let Reaver pull away with no resistance “So plenty of bloodletting to go around even if you don’t want to play a puppet.” Her movement to stand was much more fluid, quite literally, as her body would seemingly melt and flow until she was once again standing.

“As for Ed, we could always check in on him.”

Reaver pondered. Ed's child was a murdered. And his wife a cannibal. For a coroner, he had accrued a very odd family. Reaver hesitated. Deep down the desire of familiarity was intoxicating… but opening the door could bring… unpleasantness. Still, Viva seemed a bit fixated with him and his father. It could work.

"We could… but will we be recognized, even? He thinks both of us are dead."

“We wouldn’t need to fully drop in on him” Viva would say at first “But I have a few ideas on how we could do that as well if you wanted too.” she would offer up after a moment of thought, her new magic did giver her a wide array of options for appearances after all.

“Shall we then?” She would ask as she started moving the rest of the feast into her hammer space.