FamishedPants

Video Games: The General Discussion & Community Thread

@Ammokkx If I get back into it, they made it pretty easy to visit other people's worlds and quest together. The only thing you can't really do off server is join a FC or squat in someone's mansion.

But I picked up some steam games, and I'm still going through Muv-Luv Alternative, which is a 50 hour visual novel. So it'll be a bit before my cat grill returns to play.

@BrokenPromise

You seem like the kinda guy who needs to hurry up and finish MLA. Here, you can have this for no reason in particular.

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

S i l h o u e t t e

"Sam and Hilaria make the best of friends!"

— Samantha

Lurking in Mariette's shadow some moments before they confronted Justine personally, Silhouette nearly sighed in relief. This decision would probably encourage Viridian to retract her earlier order. Sam didn't really desire to make things more complicated by letting Ronin near as it would not only obviously piss Mariette off, but there was a big chance it could cause other complications -- Justine was still out there, after all.

Justine was the real problem here and the point about not leaving before she was dealt with was perhaps the first thing Viridian said that Samantha had ever agreed with. Not that they spoke much... or really at all. It was mostly Viridian giving orders so far and Sam acknowledging such. Su would probably kill her if she knew Sam had yet to do as she promised, but to be fair, there hadn't been enough downtime for her to follow up on it.

"~"

"..."

"~!"

"...?"

Making Samantha feel awkward was quite the feat, considering she was often ignorant of things that would evoke this sort of emotion. Trixy was usually the only one who could do that. But here, this girl whom she didn't know, did so on her first try! What was she doing? Most people should be oblivious to her at this time. But she didn't even pretend like she was looking at Mariette.

Wait, this is the one that talks weird, I think. Wasn't she at that beach dimension?

"Oh, how miserable you must be to live in the shadow of another~!" the girl chatted, confirming Sil's suspicions. It wasn't just how she spoke that stood out, but how she did so despite it potentially distracting people, blowing Sil's cover if the enemy somehow had vision on them, and frankly even with context, speaking to a shadow was weird.

A tar-like substance began to rise from Mariette's shadow until it molded into Silhouette's form. Because she intended on assisting Mariette, she only moved just far enough to not disturb the Portal Witch with what she hoped to be a short conversation with this strange woman.

"You seem to share the same sight as me," she mentioned. "What is it that you want?" her tone was laced with irritation at being disturbed. This apparently didn't faze the girl as her expression remained blissful and she continued where she left off.

The girl produced a piece of paper that had been tucked away behind her huge shield and handed it to Sil, whose confusion was made more severe by what was written on it. In perhaps the most beautiful handwriting she had ever laid witness to, the words "Invitation to Eat" were drawn upon it. But that was all and it was blank otherwise. Addled, she looked towards the girl for an answer. "If you're still alive when this is over, Hilaria wants to invite you to join a celebratory feast~!" she explained, clearly eager to hear a positive response.

Sam looked back down to the paper. "So... you're passing these out in the middle of this commotion?" she asked to confirm. Hilaria shook her head, surprisingly.

"Nope~ She didn't have enough paper to do that~"

"...What? What do you mean by that? What is this, then?" she held the invitation up and received another shook head in response.

"Hilaria only made one, and it's in your hand~ She wouldn't call that 'passing those out', would you~?"

Sil pinched the bridge of her nose. "So why did you give it to me, then?"

"Hilaria thinks everyone else looked too busy and you were over here doing nothing, so that's why~" she bluntly stated. "She was worried you were feeling left out since people haven't been talking to you, either~"

Sam wasn't sure if Hilaria was trying to help her or piss her off. But it was clear which of those she was succeeding at. "Excuse you. You understand what we're doing here, right? I've been here to thwart any attempts at attacking Mariette directly. I wouldn't call that 'nothing'." she did not chide Hilaria on the talking part because, well, she wasn't exactly wrong there, but it still annoyed her.

"Rejoice~! Hilaria will relieve you of your post, then~!" she suddenly declared, placing a heavy hand on Sil's shoulder. Sam was tall for a magical girl, yet this girl's height was even above her own. She had to wonder what this girl ate to become so big. But much like she resisted the urge to slap her hand away, Sam did not ask her about that.

"What are you playing at?" Sam questioned.

Hilaria took a small step back and encouraged Sam to check her out. "Hilaria is afraid she won't be able to keep up with a foe that wants to run, so she should stay back and defend our cute little charge~" she went on to explain, glancing at Mariette and, if she looked back, giving her a wink.

Samantha had to agree that if Sonia and Justine wanted to play tricky, she couldn't imagine Hilaria being able to prevent it. She wasn't away of what her spec was because she hadn't seen it in action, but Hilaria gave off the impression that her spec was supplemental rather than the focus of her strength. Still, this was her own task and she couldn't just hand it off to some girl she wasn't familiar with! How irresponsible would that be---

"Oh, but Hilaria does not blame you if you would like to remain protected back here~ Hilaria knows exactly how scary fighting can be, and she won't hold it against you if you hide like a frightened child~" Still, she spoke in such a playful and nonthreatening tone it almost sounded genuine.

This bitch.

"Me, scared?" Samantha scoffed. She was technically a veteran, and she had seen more than her fair share of combat, death, and pain. Clearly, this girl was just a big fool. She had probably won a fight or two, seen one or two people die, and then thought it was enough to steel her resolve. To try to talk down to other people because of that was just absurd! "I wouldn't allow something so petty as fear keep me from fighting," she said as she let something so petty as obvious bait entice her into fighting. "If you really want to take my place so badly, I expect you to use your life doing so."

Hilaria smiled much like she had before but it was now that Sam realized she had just been baited. She briefly considered a curse on Hilaria but opted instead to swear under her breath before throwing her arm out to the side and summoning a generic Schatten which would then sink into Mariette's shadow much as she had done earlier. This would be insurance in case Hilaria failed to protect Mariette, as it was instructed to sacrifice itself if Mariette was going to suffer a strong blow. It couldn't prevent particularly powerful attacks but it may soften them, and when it was destroyed it would alert Samantha immediately.

With that, Mariette and the others would then begin their confrontation with Justine. This involved some taunting, some singing, and some shooting. As weird as it was, she didn't question it. Weirder things have happened. Samantha acknowledged that removing Sonia would make Justine far more vulnerable, so she would concentrate her efforts on doing just that. She explained her plan to the time-enhanced Portal Witch, so that she would open a portal whose location relied upon how Sonia reacted in an attempt to catch her recovering. This will, most likely, take the form of an immediate attack on Sonia if she attempts to teleport away --- after she teleports.

Hilaria on the other hand did the opposite -- she would remain by Mariette's side, on standby, being the wall she generally was and, ideally, making it difficult for someone to even land a blow on Mariette. Hopefully, this would later inspire the witch to eat with her instead of flaking like last time. Jeez.

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

I'm confident you'll finish Muv Luv before the new year if you really try.

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

H i l a r i a

"We eat when EVERYONE is at the table, no sooner!"

— Hilaria

Stats

Age: ??? | Gender: Female | Specialization: Gravity
Powers: Third Eye | Regeneration
Perks: Dual Weapon, Enhanced Outfit, BDH, Interdimensional Home, Sturdy, Devil Trigger
Benefits: Interdimensional Home, Keijo Training, Physical Prowess, Supplier, Retrieval
Drawbacks: Lonley, Joy Eater, Big Brother, Clueless

STR: 03 | AGI: 03 | VIT: 03 | MAG: 03 | LCK: 03

STR: 16 (18) | AGI: 4 (6) | VIT: 15 (17) | MAG: 08 | LCK: 04

Hilaria braced against her shield as the onslaught of attacks came rolling in one after another. The gorelion summons that set upon them with their tongues had not forgotten about her and she remained resolute against the barbed appendage now lodged in Mars.

Clutching Vulcan in her other hand, she thought to bring the axe end down on the gorelion's taut tongue only to notice the laser attack at the last moment and lowering her profile behind the trusty scutum and avoiding what damage might've reached her through the copious amounts of barriers, bodies, and other obstacles, all while still in a game of tug-o-war with the obsidian beast before her and temporarily ignoring the call to retreat.

"Hilaria would love it if you could die for her~!"

Now that the other attacked seemed to have ceased, she was going to return to dealing with the tongue, only for a couple of elemental girls to show up and save her the trouble. They did not miss a beat and quickly retreated afterward and Hilaria had better things to do than to show her gratitude, like killing the beast trying to devour her. She leveled Vulcan towards the gorelion as it pulled another girl into its maw and fired, figuring aiming at an orifice was more likely to cause damage than firing upon its obsidian hide.

Hilaria might have been able to call upon her less civil abilities had her own desire to save the others not been for selfish reasons. But unlike Alex, who simply hated to see people die, Hilaria felt, at most, mild irritation, which meant she wasn't likely to go berserk anytime soon if things kept as they were. Instead, she advanced towards the gorelion she was attacking, bringing her amazing strength to focus behind her shield, which she slammed into the monster before pulling back and having the shield morph around her hands to form her fist weapon. Something as durable as the gorelion would probably be difficult to cut rather than bludgeon.

So, with gravity-infused fists, she would continue to put up her fight in order to buy as much time for others to retreat as Mariette suggested. It would only be when she knew the rest had succeeded in doing so that she herself would follow suit, so until then she would clash with these gorelions.

S i l h o u e t t e

"The post in which you pretend not to think about the fact that Sil probably had to stop cosplaying as Mariette's shadow just long enough to follow her through the portal."

— Samantha

Stats

Age: 16 | Gender: Female | Specialization: Time, Darkness
Powers: Third Eye | Regeneration | Teleportation
Perks: Enhanced Weapon, Enhanced Outfit, Enhanced Transformation, Martial Training, Incognito, Gifted, Awareness
Benefits: Top Aidoru, Cradle Supply, Connected, Retrieval
Drawbacks: Sadistic, Exposed, Penance

STR: 03 | AGI: 03 | VIT: 03 | MAG: 03 | LCK: 03

STR: 11 | AGI: 04 | VIT: 04 | MAG: 15| LCK: 03

To the naked eye, Silhouette was nowhere to be found, having seemingly disappeared from the pocket dimension. This was, of course, merely how it might appear and not the reality, as she had not left Mariette's side for even a single moment. Trusting Mariette's fate to her stuffed animal did not exactly strike Sil as the proper move, and so she currently played the role of Mariette's shadow in a literal sense, using her Darkness specialization.

"..."

Wordless as a shadow should be, she simply listened as things began to escalate throughout the battlefield. It took no genius to understand that despite her best efforts, Mariette's defense wasn't holding out. The forces Justine commanded were certainly threatening, a fact that made the assassin antsy.

It was because she could be out there fighting right now! But, in an objective sense, that was the worst choice she could make minus desertion. The anticipation of clashing steel was beginning to wear on her, but by the sounds of things, she wouldn't have to wait long. The Infiltration Team drew nearer by the moment, and so too did the fights that would inevitably arise because of them.

Now was probably the last chance she would get to speak if she wanted to without ruining her cover, so she opted to take it, briefly taking physical form. "When each second counts, it helps to have a spare," she snapped her fingers, and afterward, Mariette would begin to feel the world slow down a little. This heightened perception of time was of course a benefit granted to her by Silhouette, which should allow the Portal Witch to better respond to the dangers she'd be experiencing shortly.

With that, the assassin's form darkened until it was pitch black and melted into Mariette's shadow once more. It was from here that she would, when the opportunity presented itself, launch a surprise attack at anyone unlucky enough to try to attack her VIP.

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

H i l a r i a

"Actually tho have you ever tried hitting those things? It sucks."

— Hilaria

Stats

Age: ??? | Gender: Female | Specialization: Gravity
Powers: Third Eye | Regeneration
Perks: Dual Weapon, Enhanced Outfit, BDH, Interdimensional Home, Sturdy, Devil Trigger
Benefits: Interdimensional Home, Keijo Training, Physical Prowess, Supplier, Retrieval
Drawbacks: Lonley, Joy Eater, Big Brother, Clueless

STR: 03 | AGI: 03 | VIT: 03 | MAG: 03 | LCK: 03

STR: 16 (18) | AGI: 4 (6) | VIT: 15 (17) | MAG: 08 | LCK: 04

Hilaria was obviously accustomed to the chaos and brutality of war and combat, but that did not mean seeing girls be critically injured right in front of her didn't affect the ancient girl. It mildly upset her as each dead girl meant one less person she could enjoy the post-battle meal with, and that was perhaps the most important thing to her right now as she didn't care who won this battle, only favoring Mariette because that's who she was contracted to assist.

Outwardly, Hilaria retained her sanguine demeanor despite the cries and wailing from those who had been injured by the scatter-spear, or whatever it was supposed to be. She felt she probably didn't need to worry too much about herself -- those attacks sacrificed penetrating power for a larger area of effect and less predictable angles, which meant they would be less viable against an armored opponent, like herself. That said, not everyone was built to be a mobile wall, so she would have to look out for others instead. If only she had a skillset better for the situation right now.

Helewisa's kit was suited more for preventing damage than repairing it, so she wasn't exactly useful when it came to mid-combat healing or providing relief for those who had been hurt. Magic was often more potent and versatile and traditional emergency treatment, which was the only thing Hilaria could offer, so she instead focused on the portals. She would not be able to prevent things coming from the portal, but she could meet with any spears that attempted to ricochet off walls with her shield, sparing the others the misfortune of dealing with them. Either way, she gave her assistance to those still in fighting shape, stopping only to thank her companion for the buff. "Hilaria appreciates the help, Lexander~!"

She was now ready for anything they might throw at her. Hilaria was confident that she could hold a tide of them back with proper setup, at least if they acted with their heart instead of their heads. Justine being the kind of being she was would probably also utilize feral beasts with her assault, maybe monsters of some form, but she was prepared. Hilaria has had many years to hone her beast-slaying skills to the point where even hitting a wolf with a greatsword wouldn't be beyond her capabilities, and that was HARD. But, battle was ever-changing and this was no different. All she could do is what she could, no more or less.

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

Why did all my OCs die the same day

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

H i l a r i a

"Can I get an F in chat for all those subject to breast envy."

— Hilaria

Stats

Age: ??? | Gender: Female | Specialization: Gravity
Powers: Third Eye | Regeneration
Perks: Dual Weapon, Enhanced Outfit, BDH, Interdimensional Home, Sturdy, Devil Trigger
Benefits: Interdimensional Home, Keijo Training, Physical Prowess, Supplier, Retrieval
Drawbacks: Lonley, Joy Eater, Big Brother, Clueless

STR: 03 | AGI: 03 | VIT: 03 | MAG: 03 | LCK: 03

STR: 16 (18) | AGI: 4 (6) | VIT: 15 (17) | MAG: 08 | LCK: 04

Being approached by Lily, Hilaria smiled. The girl wished to adopt a nickname for her. In her life, Helewisa had gone through many monikers. So one more did not cause her pause. "Hilaria thinks that would be wonderful~! Oh, but only if she can call you Lils!" Having agreed to the exchange of nicknames, the events of her prior post transpired.

...

"~?"

Hilaria caught Lils casting glances her way as she and Alex had begun conversing. In only a moment, she had caught on to what was happening. It was rather entertaining to see someone jealous over just about nothing. Hilaria had no interest in Alex romantically, she just thought he might be a reliable person to have at her side. Love was often to blame for bringing out the best and the worst in people, but that sort of clinginess could be a turnoff for some. Still, what could drive Lily to act this way over a simple invitation to camaraderie formed upon the field of battle?

It was only when she looked at what passed for Lily's chest that she understood. "Oh," she drew a cross on her chest and gave a small nod as if in prayer. This world was never a fair one. Still, Hilaria had been endowed with knowledge on how to change the course of fate, albeit only a little. With the power of friendship, someone else's hands, and a massage in two very specific locations, Lily might be freed of her deficiency and thus freeing her of this unhealthy envy.

When she was younger, she had attempted this ritual with another but to no avail. It would, however, probably elicit an entertaining response from Lils anyways, so she was still going to bring it up at some point.

In a continuation of her jealousy and perhaps as if to assert herself, Lily brazenly kissed Alex in front of her. "Oh my, how very bold of you~!" she giggled. Lily left in a hurry afterward and Alex seemed to be in a daze. When he seemed to compose himself, she smiled. "A prelude for what's to come later, Hilaria thinks~" she teased him before giving him a playful slap in the back that may have been a bit too hard and following him into the portal.

The scene changed drastically as they stepped through. Hilaria caught sight of the near-dead girl just before she had been whisked away but did not pay it much mind. She eyed the harpy giving Alex and her a solid rundown of what was happening and what was expected of them. "Hilaria will be the bulwark that sees you through this battle, she promises~!" she casually pumped her fist up despite the large, heavy shield that rested upon it. To the best of her ability, any attacks would land upon Mars and not these girls.

S i l h o u e t t e

"You're gonna live and you're gonna like it whether you like it or not."

— Samantha

Stats

Age: 16 | Gender: Female | Specialization: Time, Darkness
Powers: Third Eye | Regeneration | Teleportation
Perks: Enhanced Weapon, Enhanced Outfit, Enhanced Transformation, Martial Training, Incognito, Gifted, Awareness
Benefits: Top Aidoru, Cradle Supply, Connected, Retrieval
Drawbacks: Sadistic, Exposed, Penance

STR: 03 | AGI: 03 | VIT: 03 | MAG: 03 | LCK: 03

STR: 11 | AGI: 04 | VIT: 04 | MAG: 15| LCK: 03

Silhouette had been watching Viridian as she made her brief appearance. Su had suggested that Sam make an effort to actually speak with her beyond what was absolutely necessary, but she had not done so just yet. Any time she looked at the girl, she felt a tang of anger she knew was irrational. Her personality could not be doing this as even Trixy didn't feel nearly as grating (with exceptions) when she first met the girl. What could be the cause? Maybe later, when she could finally bring herself to confront the girl, she would find the answer to this question. But now was not the time to fret about that. She worried about another thing, after all.

Samantha willfully chose to ignore Helga's retort and listened instead to Trixy apologize. The action had obviously pleased her as one could see a hint of a smile creep across her feature. She looked at Trixy's eyes. "Thank you," she said to her girlfriend while noticing a small weight leave her chest. For some reason, she had pointless anxiety over the incident and this put that to rest. And so now it was time to focus on more important matters.

"I would rather not be thrown again," Sam replied to Su. If it were for the fact that she had immediately fallen prey to Justine's attack afterward, she probably would have repressed that memory. Unfortunately, it was still vivid in her mind. But at least Su had stated she would not do it anymore and she did not seem to be the sort to go back on her word if her presence here was anything to go by.

Despite her cold attitude, she didn't exactly want to see Su or even Helga end up dead. So she was just a bit hesitant when Su declared that she didn't need Sam to babysit her. "That might not be the best idea," she made her stance known. However, Trixy claimed that she would watch over her, and though she still seemed against the idea, she caved. "If you're watching them, then I suppose that's okay." The assassin then shook her head when Trixy mentioned her rifle. "I have since traded it in for... well..." It was a bit embarrassing for her, but she summoned the magical basketball Veronica had loaned her a short while ago and gave it a dribble. Even though it looked like it was just some joke weapon, it actually was capable of channeling her powers, as well as her Stasis. It, funnily enough, complimented her quite well. "...Just don't ask about it," she asked of Trixy and became grateful when she, as well as Su and (presumably) Helga departed through one of Mariette's portals.

With them gone, Sam turned her attention back to Mariette, who was certainly a busy woman. Trying to coordinate a defense of this scale, even with the information her portals would provide her, was unlikely to be a breeze. Being a lone wolf, it was one of the few combat-related skills she wholly lacked. Her experience when she was a human was just with a team of five people, no bigger than that. Mariette would probably never be completely free until she or Justine fell, but after Dina would receive a reply, Samantha stated her intentions in a clear, concise way. "You may consider me a bodyguard until we part ways after the successful defense, Mariette. I can also ensure your continued survival at the cost of removing you from the battlefield if it comes to it. Merely ask if you feel threatened." For now, Mariette's survival was not her own choice to make. Samantha would go ahead and take her out of the fight if it seemed like she was going to perish, but Mariette would also be given the chance to throw in the towel herself if she wanted.

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

@BrokenPromise

I do no retract my statement. Also probably.

Danganronpa: Tower of Carnage (Finished!)

@BrokenPromise

Shitty plot spoiled way before end LMAO

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

E m i l y

"And here's the 'Emily post' you've all been waiting for!"

— Emily

Hider so relevant posts can shine

It was a dark, cold night in Penrose.

A chilling wind blew past a lone figure walking the sidewalk, nearly yanking their hat off their head but they had luckily caught it. They cast a glance behind them and found nobody to be there. The streets were vacant and not a soul was to be found. But that was to be expected when the roads were so dangerous.

The Ascendancy, the enraged dark magical girls, anyone looking to take advantage of the chaos... was walking alone at night really the smartest idea?

It wasn't.

But this person had a purpose.

Someone or something had been stalking them for the past week and they wanted to learn why. Everywhere they went, never seemingly losing his trail despite countless attempts being made. When dealing with magical beings, it wasn't as simple as turning a corner and breaking into a sprint. There weren't people to blend into a crowd with, and they no longer had someone to turn to, having broken ties with their own circle not too long ago.

Was it a meticulous serial killer hoping to learn everything about their prey before closing in? Perhaps it was a stalker with a twisted crush hoping to ensure nobody else can have them? Or perhaps it was someone tied to their old job? No, they would be a lot more open about it than this.

But what sort of person was being trailed right now?

The figure seemed to be just shy of her twenties. She stood at slightly taller than average height and had a rather wacky ensemble consisting of a brightly-colored tunic and puffy breeches with each leg being a different color between lime and yellow. They wore also wore cowl with donkeys ears. Were it not for the thick, brown coat they wore atop all of this (wasn't that comfortable, either) they would be the spitting image of a medieval jester.

But in spite of this laughable appearance, she was far from a humorous individual. A straight-laced and objective-driven girl, as any Mint Broker should be.

Well, former Mint Broker.

She had worked with them for many years and was considered capable in the field of information gathering. Training inexperienced agents into fine brokers, acquiring intel the Mint used to gain leverage over various girls or factions; she had done it all. These learned skills were also how she knew she was even being tailed. Years of experience had given her an awareness that many other girls did not have. That said, she had yet to catch a glimpse of what or who it was, it was more of a feeling in her gut. But there was nothing she trusted more than her own gut.

The girl wanted to find someone, but also live a life free of the Mint's influence, or at least as close as she could. It wasn't common for people to leave the Mint when they knew as much as she did, but the sheer amount of favors she was owed had managed to keep her from being in an 'accident' when she tried. She expected some form of surveillance -- she had personally advised such when other people in similar situations broke free -- but if it were them, they wouldn't be so sloppy.

She turned into a huge alley that exited into a once-busy street. A nightclub was just opposite of the exit but with the evacuation there simply weren't enough people to remain open. A shame, as it was a good place to learn things you weren't supposed to. But her plan wasn't to lose herself to some weird nostalgia. No, she would confront her tail here and now and, if they were hostile, fell them. This alley could also lead to a dead-end, which she had successfully baited them into.

"I tire of this charade. I know you're out there. Reveal yourself!" she called out to the quiet alley. She received no response.

She glared at the corner, expecting someone to turn it, but a small patch of snow that landed on her head told her she wasn't looking in the right direction.

"From above?!"

She quickly cast her gaze upwards, spotting a blurred shadow darting from the fire escapes until it landed on the snow some feet away from her. With it's lithe, cat-like figure, it wasn't too hard to tell what she was dealing with.

"A Puchuu?" she thought aloud. "What do you want?"

The Puchuu took a few steps forward until it was in the light, revealing itself before plopping down and speaking. "Should that not be evident? You were a Mint Broker up until recently. As such, I desire information."

As if on cue, the former Mint girl heard the crunch of snow as a humanoid figure turned the corner. Well, not just humanoid.

The wicked cold didn't seem to faze it, despite the bikini-like apparel she wore. Her expression was serious, yet it didn't seem hostile, unlike the Puchuu that came before. She stopped a step behind the Puchuu. "Hello, my name is Emily" she started. "I'm terribly sorry about this, but could we ask you a few questions?"

The girl wasn't sure what to think of the strange politeness this 'Emily' displayed. "That wholly depends on what sort of questions they are," she replied firmly. She was more than capable of handling herself if it came to it. "And how much money you have, of course. Anything worth asking me does not come cheap, and that is especially true with the premium you've earned for your suspicious behavior." Not that she needed money anymore, but she was never the generous sort.

The Puchuu's eyes flashed an eery crimson. "Laughable Laura," it said, referring to the moniker someone had given her long ago. "Your attitude irritates me. Surely it is not beyond you to deduce we did not come here to purchase the information with coin? No, there are far more valuable things and you are a lucky girl."

So what, then? A random, smug Puchuu would not have anything she was interested in. And considering his behavior, she imagined he was going to attempt to intimidate her when that failed. Unfortunately, he must have been rather dim. A skilled Mint Broker she would not have been if she simply rolled over like a dead fish at mere threats. The Mint could come up with far scarier punishments than most magical girls ever could. "Then we are done here. I do not give handouts. Move out of the way. I am not afraid to dirty my hands." she warned them as she glared at the other magical girl.

Emily briefly averted her eyes and sighed, as if a mix of disappointment and shame. It was, however, the Puchuu that replied. "I find your attitude annoying. Is it really so difficult for you to cooperate?" he seemed to consider something before speaking again. "Am I going to have to be stern with you, Selene?"

The girl in question couldn't prevent her eyes from temporarily betraying her surprise. She did not give away her actual name lightly. Or at all. There was exactly one person who should have known it, and they had met a gruesome fate about a month ago. Unlike the mostly-stoic expression she had up until this point, Selene was practically baring her teeth when she spoke through them. "How do you know that name?" she demanded.

"I was given the pleasure of becoming rather close with her a short while back and she spoke rather fondly of you while we were acquainted," he answered. "Oh, and she said I should mention pomegranates to you?" the Puchuu didn't seem to know why this was.

"No... no pomegranates," she softly said to herself. Selene hated those with a passion. It had become an inside joke between the two and then a password of sorts. Claire told this to people she felt were trustworthy, and Selene only ever trusted Claire. "Well, if this is about Claire, I'm afraid she's..."

The magical cat nonchalantly licked its paw as if to demonstrate his control of the situation. "She's dead, you meant to say. Yes, I'm well aware of that," the words came out just a bit too easily for Selene's liking. "And your own search for the culprit has turned up nothing, I suspect."

Selene didn't say anything but ground her teeth in frustration at his bullseye. This Puchuu knew a lot.

"Allow me to tell you some things. I'm sure your search will go far better. You can consider this my payment for the questions I intend to ask."

She would have preferred if he simply opened with that instead of the stalking. "Very well," she agreed.

The cat turned to Emily. "Since I know you're squeamish, give us some space," the Puchuu demanded of her. She hadn't exactly done much up to this point. "If you're required, I'll call for you," he told her.

Emily narrowed her eyes at the cat. "...sure," she didn't want to hear about a grim murder or whatever had happened. It hurt her heart and she didn't have the stomach for it. All the better if he had something worthwhile he could trade to avoid the confrontation that seemed inevitable only moments ago. She turned the corner and walked a fair bit into the alley until she was out of earshot.

Isn't that uncharacteristically kind of him?

Something seemed off, but oh well. That Puchuu always acted suspiciously.

Once Emily had left, the cat casually approached her and despite her better judgment, she allowed him to crawl up to her shoulder. "Correct me if any of these are wrong," he preluded, then rattled of a list of basic information about the death.

She scoffed. "You've given me nothing of value whatsoever. I could have told you anything you just said." Sure enough, that was the case. He mentioned the time of death being 36 days ago, that there were 28 stab wounds on her body but it was the single one through her heart that took her life. All of this she had learned before.

"With that sort of attitude, I have to wonder if you even want to find the culprit. And here I was doing you a favor by agreeing to trade instead of the alternative."

She knew she was being manipulated, she knew this, but Claire was important to her. If he didn't have any actual information, she'd make him regret it. "Do not waste my time. If you have something that can truly point me in the direction of her killer, I'll tell you whatever it is you want to know." if it was about Claire, then the threat of the Mint was not going to deter her.

Selene could almost feel his elation after she said that, perhaps sensing the girl's desperation for an answer. "I simply wanted to establish that I am aware of the circumstances behind her death and not simply improvising," he explained. "But I don't blame you for your impatience. Losing someone you care for is something we have in common."

"As if you could even begin to understand what I feel." she was slipping and becoming too emotional. But anything pertaining to Claire had that effect now.

"How rude. I know what you feel more than you could possibly imagine. Those days when I might bask in the sun beside the person I care for without the slightest worry are no longer granted to me. I may no longer find humor in things others would find silly, nor shall I be able to create competitions out of each little thing. My peace has been stolen from me, and I will not rest until I've ensured they who are responsible suffer and die."

Hearing a Puchuu talk about inside jokes and things like that was quite perturbing. More often than not, they had been coldhearted beasts with no human traits whatsoever. The act they often put on around their girls was rarely worn in the meetings they had behind their backs, after all. "Whatever," she said. "Were you ever going to give me something or should I leave?"

The Puchuu spoke. "Ah, yes, my apologies for the digression. I am not particularly fond of having my character unjustly questioned," he scratched behind his ear. "But I must say, you are quite a lucky girl."

Selene narrowed her eyes. "How do you mean?"

"Our location happens to be relevant to the information you need. Claire's life ended in this very alleyway."

Selene's eyes lit up. "What?" she instinctively looked around her. Of course, nothing that looked out of place caught her attention. "You're sure?"

"Of course I am. Would you be so kind as to tip that trash can over?" he pointed with a paw to one in particular and Selene agreed. As it hit the ground, the lid fell off and the contents of it spilled out. It looked like a bunch of normal garbage at first, but then some deep crimson caught her eye. But she wasn't sure if it was a trick because of the terrible lighting conditions, so she drew nearer. She learned that this was not a trick.

"W-what?" she found a thick coat soaked red with blood. The lower half was entirely soaked in blood, while evidence of splatter littered the top half. Beside that, there was a rather plain-looking kitchen knife or, rather, it would have been were the blade not coated in the dried ichor of the wound it had been used to create.

Jonald, unfazed by this, continued. "If Penrose hadn't been so chaotic lately, I'm sure somebody would have bothered to take this out. Instead, you could leave whatever you want here and even the homeless aren't likely to disturb it."

Selene shook her head. "Let's pretend I trust your word, then and that you didn't just plant this." Selene didn't consider that possibility to be likely. She chose this alleyway of her own volition. He could not have prepared it.

"I should not have to tell you that Claire could not fall to such a feeble excuse for a weapon while she was transformed." the Puchuu commented as she observed the knife. "Which would mean-"

"That it was used after she was too weak to sustain her form," she finished his sentence. Selene was grinding her teeth to the point she might even chip one. She only felt an unquenching desire for revenge. The person that would not only rob Claire of her life, but inflict unnecessary pain upon her when she was too weak to resist deserved nothing short of the worst she could imagine. "You know way too much to simply have heard this from a third party," she snapped. "Either you're involved, or you saw it happen."

He made a sound that could be described as a weird mix between a pur and a laugh. "You aren't wrong. I just so happened to bear witness to the murder of Claire. But I cannot take credit for being the one who ended her life."

She roared. "If you were there, then why the fuck didn't you stop it?! She told you my name so she wasn't just some stranger!"

Calmly, he cleared his throat. "'To lend uncompensated aid is the sin of the ignorant.'" he quoted. Selene recognized this saying. It was on more than one occasion she had told someone else it in response to the very same question. It almost hurt her physically to have that directed back at her. "I may not be heartless, but I do not fancy myself a saint. And there are more strings attached to us than you may be aware. Lending a hand has to benefit me in some tangible way, lest there be consequences."

"..." Selene remained silent. She now knew what it felt like to be the one who had to deal with her as a broker.

"Moving on, I believe her name was Bianca. Supposedly, a friend of hers disappeared not too long ago and she was under the misguided impression that this particular Mint agent had a hand in it," he explained. "She desired to claim vengeance. Oh, how familiar is that?"

Selene almost lost it and swatted the Puchuu from her shoulder. "Don't you dare fucking compare her to me!" she glared daggers at the beast on her shoulder.

"My sincerest apologies."

She exhaled. "Where is she? Where's this girl?!"

"Now what sort of incentive have you given me to do such a thing? It has not been much of a trade so far," he rejected. "You should know how this works."

The contrast here was plain as day. Jonald had the upper hand and Selene, a former broker, was being led by the nose. It was embarrassing, and retaining composure simply wasn't possible for her. "What do you even want?" she barked.

Eagerly waiting for those words to come out of her mouth, the Puchuu turned its head and bit into its own side, retrieving a folded up piece of paper that had apparently been hiding in a tuft of its fur. "There's a specific date on this, I want you to recount the day as best you can as well as the person you met during it. It would be all the incentive I need to set you on the right path."

The Puchuu allowed her to take the paper which she unfolded and read. The paper dated some decades ago. In fact, Selene had just become a broker around that time. "This is..." it had been so long ago she had forgotten it up until just now. "Her name actual escapes me, but one of my girls was taken from me..."

Selene did her best to recall that fateful day and the events that transpired. She couldn't remember the girl who died, but the other person she met that day was hard to forget. They, too, used a moniker. She told the Puchuu as much and, of course, what said moniker was before stating that was the extent of what she remembered.

"Is that so?" the Puchuu seemed satisfied despite not outwardly showing any emotion. "A fair trade, not that I would expect you to know about those."

"How many times do I have to tell you to spit it out already?"

"Very well. Though I regret to inform you of this as I'm sure you would have preferred to do things personally, Bianca is no longer with us and I sincerely doubt she'll be resurrected in the future."

Selene's face betrayed her disappointment. "She's dead?"

"Bianca was a monster girl, I should mention. And it just so happens that during this time, an Ascendancy patrol had been alerted. Bianca, a monster girl, was standing over the rather unsightly corpse she had just made when the two crossed paths. It went about as well for her as you would expect it to," he adjusted his position on Selene. "On an unrelated note, some Ascendancy patrols are much too eager to sniff out 'heresy'. I worry that the days they are taken advantage of are not far off."

Selene was too upset to focus on the Puchuu's implication that he led the Ascendancy there. "So she's already been avenged..." the Puchuu wasn't wrong about her feeling frustrated she couldn't've been the one to do the job, but the weight she felt on her shoulders and heart had fallen. Of course, just before it could hit the ground, the Puchuu added something.

"Are you satisfied with this ending?"

"Of course I'm not satisfied. But there is nothing to be done about it. At least not for some time."

"Such weak desire for vengeance appears superficial, almost. Bianca is no longer of this world, but that does not mean that justice has been served. The tool has been disposed of, but what of the one who wielded it?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Could you really fathom someone misconstruing Claire's character and believing her to be responsible for another's death?"

"No. Absolutely not. She would never do such a thing." Selene's passion-filled words were a result of the countless years she had spent with Claire. From when Selene had just become a magical girl some decades ago to now, Claire was with her. And yet, Claire had never become the jaded person most under the Mint's employ were. In fact, her optimism and kindness were a beacon of hope to a fledgling member. It was also why, despite being Selene's senior, she never became a broker.

The Puchuu swapped to her other shoulder. "Then the likely scenario is that you still have a job to do. Before she murdered Claire, the two had never met, from what I have gathered. Bianca was little more than a tool used for a violent crime. But tools have to be used. Who was using her?"

"I don't know why anyone would want to cause Claire harm." she shook her head. "She wasn't... she didn't do anything wrong."

"I agree. From what I knew of her, she did not seem to be the sort of person who could gain an enemy even had she tried. Such a naive but well-intentioned girl could only ever be the subject of adoration, I imagine. Which is why it is likely that her death was a means to an end," he proposed. "Although I'm sure her death was not taken lightly by many, it would not be a stretch to assume that you were the 'true target' of this violence."

"Me?" she shuddered. Claire's death might have been her fault? She couldn't bear to even think about that possibility. "That can't be... I mean I'm by no means an innocent person, but what could I have done to cause this...?" she wanted to hug herself and cry, the thought was so terrifying to her.

Jonald hopped down from her shoulder and landed with grace. "Such a pitiful sight. But is not as though I do not understand," he began walking towards the alley where Emily had been waiting. "There are other things I will want to speak to you about, but I shall give you some time to absorb what I've said and become a little more presentable for our next meeting."

"...If you happen upon anything else involving Claire, even if it's just a hint..." Selene was only a step above beginning at this point, holding back the urge to cry.

"If that is your price, then I am fine paying it."

Selene remained stationary in the ally while the Puchuu left. When he got far enough away, his acute hearing picked up what sounded to be her sobs. He wondered why she even bothered to wait since she hadn't exactly been composed that entire time but figured it didn't matter now. He was, for the first time in so very long, genuinely happy.

"What happened?"

Jonald passed Emily at the end of the ally and walked back onto the street, half-ignoring her. "Exactly what I thought would," he finally answered as she trailed behind him. "My business has concluded and we are done here, but..." he trailed off.

"What?"

"Don't mind me, I'm simply thinking aloud."

Emily tilted her head. Jonald seemed to be acting weirder than usual.

"Emily would never let rage consume her, would she? Not even if I told her the name of her sister's murderer, which I just learned," Jonald didn't turn back as he was pretending to speak to himself, but Emily could imagine the wicked grin on his face. "What was it again? Oh, that's right, it was __________."

Jonald suddenly darted up a building and vanished from sight after saying as much, but Emily was stopped cold in her tracks. She didn't believe it. This dumb escort mission he had just taken her on had revealed something they had been looking for for years? Just like that? She literally just stood at the end of that alley and waited for them to finish talking and now all of a sudden he has a lead? And that name...

Would it be better if she forgot about it? There was only one reason to remember it, and Jonald knew this. No, I would never do something like that... I wouldn't be me if I did...

Somehow, she knew things would get more complicated from now on. She just hoped she wouldn't be swallowed whole when it did.