Shifter_Master

Tiny and the Terminator [Mistress Dizzy & Shifter_Master]

Despite it having not been that long since he sat down, Mammoth was still making quick work of his food. That said he wasn’t a messy eater, though one would be hard pressed to say he ate with manners, regardless it took the giant teen a moment to finish his mouthful before he could respond to Jinny.

“Oh, uhh.” He would give a shrug, seemingly a bit taken aback at Jinny coming over in the first place. “Not a whole lot, just trying to get the most out of breakfast that I can.” He’d say before eating an entire muffin in one bite. “Your Gizmo’s friend yeah?” He’d ask after swallowing.

“He mentioned you last night, something about needing to keep an eye out for you and something about his jetpack?” The teen would scratch the back of his head at that. “Not sure what he was talking about. Especially since his jetpack was still a work in progress from what he said last time I asked.”

“If not, Sorry about that. Either way name’s Baran.” He’d offer up a hand to shake with his introduction. “I go by Mammoth in class.”

Tiny and the Terminator [Mistress Dizzy & Shifter_Master]

This early the cafeteria was lightly populated. Most of the people she saw were early risers much like herself, though there were also a few students that seemed less like they had woken up early and that they simply had yet to go to sleep if the bags under their eyes was any indication.

No one in this particular crowed gave Jinny a second glance, either they didn’t know or they didn’t care about her connection to the new teacher.

The food on offer in the morning was staple morning foods, and was also a self-serve bar instead of the queues from lunch yesterday. Cereal’s, oatmeal’s, scrambled eggs, toast or muffins, that sort of thing. It was fresh, but it was still less of a focus compared to later on meals.

The quiet nature of the morning was rather relaxing however, at least compared to yesterday. Which made it nearly impossible to miss when one of the other early birds did double take upon seeing Jinny. Granted his stature would have made that hard either way. Mammoth, as it turned out, was one of the early morning crowd. He didn’t approach Jinny however, simply gave her a wave in greeting, before continuing on his way towards the food. Which he then promptly took half of the service bar back to his chosen seat.

The math classes were predominantly held above in the surface school areas. There were a few different times set about for tests, each block set aside by a different teacher. For the moment Jinny did have a bit of time before she had to head to the first testing time.

Tiny and the Terminator [Mistress Dizzy & Shifter_Master]

“If an accident could take out that console I wouldn’t have it anymore.” Jinxy would reply with a shrug. “As I said, it survived me” she gave a flourish with one of her hands, pink sparks dancing across her fingers to emphasize her point.

The reason Jinx went into the kitchen was made apparent rather quickly, as she easily navigated about the small kitchen area pulling out various ingredients for a simple stir fry. “Spilling salt on accident is bad luck” She would explain with a dangerous smile. “So is any Friday the Thirteenth, sweeping the wrong way, or hanging a horseshoe upside down.” She would explain.

“Luck is absolutely real.” She would say more of her focus going towards her food as she spoke. It was apparent that Jinx was skilled at cooking, not a master chef, but not an amatur either. “She is also an absolute bitch.” Jinx’s gin turned decisively feral at that declaration.“So don’t go pissing her off and we’ll have no problems.”

She stayed focused on her meal prep for a bit after that. But Jinny could see Jinx tossing glances her way every now and then still. “I’ll trade you a question for a question” She would speak up again. “How good of a teacher is the Terminator?”

March of the White Rabbit: A Roll-Your-Own Magical Girl Roleplay

_{.:⋮Diplomatic encounters⋮:.}

Down in the basement section of the Sanctuary was where the cells were located. Though even calling it that was a bit presumptuous. In truth it was more that a few of the potential rooms down here had been converted into detainment rooms. Mainly used to help contain someone who had lost control and needed to be separated so that they could calm down.

The rooms were sturdily built, Penny had made sure that they could stand up to at least a few solid blows of hers, and lined with cold iron to limit magical outbursts. This inadvertently made them a decent faraday cage as well making technological communication out difficult as well. There was a bunk, bolted to the wall with a hinge joint, with a decent pillow and a few blankets.

The issue using them as cells was the fact that they were made on a budget and not meant to be long term holdings. This meant that while they could hold people, there was an upper limit to which they could reasonably keep someone in.Just about anyone could force their way out, it was just a matter of time really. And anyone decently above average in the strength or magic department could easily exploit the fact that these weren’t designed to be cells in the first place.

The only way to offset that at the moment was to have a guard posted, which seeing as this was their first time with a prisoner Ashlyn had taken that role.

Not that any of that was critical to Penny. She was a shining example of the issues with these cells. To someone in her weight class, they were hardly even considered a road block.

A thought that floated in the back of her mind as she entered the cell that housed their prisoner. It had been a long day, and was shaping up to be longer, first was Beacon’s ultimatum and it's aftermath, and now this.

She carried with her a peace offering, a bowl filled with some oranges and packets of jerky.

Looking at Robert Penny would speak. “I have to ask, how much did you know about us before you came in here to try and talk us into moving out of Penrose?” She would ask as she walked over and offered him the bowl of food.

“Because I have to say, for as out of line as her attack was, I can fully understand why Dina reacted the way she did. And I’m not sure if you can.”

The Wonderland ambassador sat on the bunk with a slouch, looking pale as a result of Dina vampirically draining him of some blood and weakening him. Penny saw a glimpse of the puncture marks she left on his neck before he glanced over at Penny. He then looked at the bowl offered to him, and rejected it with a turn of his head.

"Why do you think I would tell you anything?" He spoke with a slightly hoarse voice. Even so, his words sounded unusually legitimate.
"You're going to kill me whether I talk or not, so there's no point."

“Actually my plan is to let you leave after we are done here.” Penny would correct him, setting down the offered food on the bunk. “The state in which you leave is up to you as well. If you are wanting it I can get you patched up magically before letting you go but if you don’t want to risk trusting me on that you can leave as you are.”

She would step back after she had laid the food down, moving so that Robert was well outside of her basic reach. “I asked, because I’m not sure you realize just how hard you were railing on her buttons. You threatened a Builder in their home, with the loss if not destruction of their home, which compounded with the likely long standing trauma of her actually having lost her home to a group that preached freedom for the people even as it massacred them.” She would explain solemnly. “Intentional or not you were more or less begging for her to be triggered.”

She gave the ambassador a critical look as she let her words sink in. “That said, her attack was excessive in my opinion.” She would move to sit, the metal flooring flowing up to form a stool as she did so so she was at eye level with Robert. “I can’t say that I would have reacted with much more grace personally, I don’t handle threats to my home well, but a broken nose would be where I stopped.”

“Because you have to understand something. Your invitation to join Wonderland, after littering my territory with monsters and killing a half dozen of my subjects, could only be construed as a threat. If not a precursor for war on your own terms.” Penny's eyes bored into Robert with a chilling intensity. As she said, she understood where Dina was coming from.

“This is your chance to plead your case, to plead Wonderland’s case.” She would lean forward resting her arms on her knees as she spoke. “But if you want it to end here, I am more than willing to go start prepping for war. It was what I was built for after all.”

Robert scoffed after Penny voiced her intentions with him. "How kind of you to let me leave. I suppose you've also kindly arranged a firing squad for when I step outside as well." He returned his eyes back to her. "But I suppose I have no other choice now but to believe you won't execute me, so I shall assume to have hope."

He listened as Penny accused him, and then cleared his throat. "First of all, what you perceive to be a threat was none of the sort. I simply gave her, and by association, you, an offering of peace, courtesy of the Queen of Hearts. Second, I do not know about any attacks that supposedly have been made." He then coughed, as his throat was getting sore from extended talking. "To answer your question from earlier, I thought I understood you to be a civilized people. However, it seems I was wrong; I truly didn't know anything at all."

“If I wanted you dead Robert, I would do it myself.” Penny would say calmly. “As for the attacks.” Snoopy would reveal himself with a chirp before dozens of images of the Wendigo attacks would be projected in the air above them. “This happened four days ago.” She continued to explain calmly, eyes never once leaving Robert. “And in truth I would not have any reason to suspect Wonderland’s involvement. I didn’t even know of your existence before then.”

“But three people stumbled across one of your members talking with someone about Penrose. He summoned more beasts and used them to secure his exit. But not before leaving behind a letter.” Wonderland’s first letter would join the images floating above. “We’ve recovered a bit of magi tech left behind as well, it was recognized to be the same type that this March Hare was using in his communications before he fled.”

“We are civilized.” Penny would say “But Penrose is under attack by something more often than not and we were already bloodied by your people. Caution keeps us alive at times like this, especially when we have already been forewarned that Wonderland intends to invade, for lack of a better term.”

Penny would hold up a hand to forestall his immediate response. “Would you like access to a healing artifact before we continue?” she would ask “You can use it yourself if you are still worried about my intentions.”

Robert lifted an eyebrow upon seeing the footage of the attack as well as the letter. "The March Hare? Why was he there?" He grimaced. "The letter was supposed to be delivered to the Penrose's ruling agency. Or at least, that was my understanding when I questioned him about it."

He looked aside, biting the inside of his cheek as Penny explained Penrose's violent history, before he blinked at the offer of a healing artifact. He looked at it, visibly hesitating, and then gave in.
"Thank you for the offer. I suppose you are telling the truth after all."

Penny would reach into her leg compartment to draw out her Christmas gift, before handing it over. She kept her actions telegraphed as best she could as well. “I can’t say that the Hare didn’t succeed in that.” She would reply while Robert healed himself. “For all that Penrose doesn’t have a singular ruler, his method of delivery of that letter made it so that every major faction in the city learned about it within six hours, at most.”

“Reactions have been mixed, but I can’t say I know how everyone reacted to the news of Wonderland’s intent to move in.” She would give a shrug. “The fact that you weren’t told of some of this is worrying to me.” She would go on leaning back on her seat more relaxed in appearance for the first time since she walked in.

“It means either this March Hare lied to you, or to your Queen. At least that is how it sounds to me” Neither was a good possibility, but they were bad for different reasons. Hare lying could be a lot of reasons, Queen of Hearts lying meant that war was inevitable and that she was simply looking for a convenient excuse. One that Sanctuary had given. “Can you think of a reason why the Hare would lie about this? Or even just explain who the Hare is in relation to your court?”

Robert clutched the healing artifact, and sighed as he felt its restorative power gradually bring color to his pale complexion. "I don't know. He is but one of many of the Queen's servants. There might have been some sort of misunderstanding here…" His eyes widened. "Or…I was intended to become a martyr."

“That is what I am afraid of.” Penny would acknowledge with a nod. “Especially if you were told to approach Dina first. The entire situation is almost tailor made to see you dead.” It was, funnily enough, paranoia that saved Robert’s life most likely. Because there was so much that Sanctuary didn’t know about Wonderland. If they had known more it was possible that Dina wouldn’t have cared to keep him alive for questioning.

“Now comes the question of if there is anything we can do about that.” Because While Penny would be willing to go to war, that didn’t mean she wanted to get everyone dragged into it as well. “Is there a way for you to check in with Wonderland? Or even the political news at large? I’ll admit that Penrose makes it hard to focus much on things outside its borders.”

Robert shook his head. "I only have a transmitting camera installed on my person." He showed the badge on his jacket, bearing the Wonderland emblem. "Something I informed the Regent about before she confiscated my watch and had me thrown in the dungeons." He sighed. "My orders were to report back after I had received an answer to the proposal. I suggested if we could arrange any alternative arrangements in case the initial one falls through, but the Queen wasn't particularly receptive to the idea, and deemed them unnecessary."

Penny gave the camera a look for a moment and was very grateful that she already secured the means to move out of the warehouse. The layout of the Sanctuary had never been a close secret, but it still worried her that Wonderland had likely seen a good chunk of the layout because of that camera.

“Well if that’s been recording this entire time there is hope” Penny would say after another moment. “How were you originally getting back to Wonderland?” She would go on to ask. “And what was the proposal supposed to be?”

Robert scoffed. "How do you think anyone moves from one realm to another? By magic, of course." He tapped at his jacket's pocket. "More specifically my pocket watch. It allows me to create spatial burrows and traverse through them."

Then he rolled his eyes. "The regent didn't inform you? The proposal was for the Sanctuary to withdraw their forces and magic away from Penrose and nearby cities. In return, you would be granted mercy by the Queen of Hearts and spared from her wrath. But like I said, Regent Dina had rejected the offer."

“Robert” Penny’s voice had taken a cool edge to it “Do not take me for a fool.” She would lean forward, eyes once again sharp as they regarded the ambasador. “My Regent did inform me. I wanted to hear it from you as well. Our refusal to leave stands. Our refusal to join Wonderland stands. If your Queen would so readily chase us from our homes I have no trouble believing that she purposefully sent you here to die. I will not kneel to one such as her.”

“If she wishes to take my home from me she will have to pry it from my corpse.” She simply stared at him for a few moments following that statement, never blinking. “With access to Glimmr networks, would you be able to send a message or call to someone in Wonderland?” She would ask, her voice once again calm and neutral. But her eyes stayed sharp and she still refused to blink.

Robert grimaced at Penny's threatening manners, and backed down.
"Excuse me, it seems it was a bit of culture shock. Anyway, the message is quite understood." He then blinked. "Glimmr? Ah, I think I've heard of it. It's a communication system established in the World Wide Web by a company of magicians, correct? The Queen has decreed any technology ran by ignorant slaves to be outlawed in Wonderland, including Glimmr." He then blinked. "Oh, not meaning to offend, mind you."

Penny was starting to put together a picture of Wonderland, and it wasn't pretty. "What is the punishment for breaking that law?" She would ask, ignoring the incidental slight.

"Losing your head of course," Robert answered as casually as if answering about local delicacies.
"In fact, most crimes are punished by losing your head. The Queen is very dedicated when it comes to upholding the law in Wonderland," he spoke with admiration.

Penny nodded at Robert’s response, she wasn’t surprised. She spent a moment seemingly contemplating what to say next when a portal dropped a letter next to her rather suddenly. Penny would pick up and read it before nodding to herself. She knew enough now.

“You know I have to wonder now what would be kinder.” She would say returning her gaze to Robert “Killing you now or letting you return to be killed by her. Because you do realize that she will find a reason for you to lose your head when you get back don’t you?” Penny would ask in the same sort of casual tone that Robert had answered.

“After all I’m sure she also dictates the laws” Penny would go on tilting her head to the side. “And Mr. White, from what I know of the Queen of Hearts, she was never fond of that color. Nor is she forgiving of failure. But something tells me that you won’t see it that way.”

Robert's smile faded fast, replaced by shock. "How dare you insult the Queen like that? She is a wise and graceful monarch, and not wont to pettiness as you have described. Besides, even if there were um…unforeseen circumstances, I am confident she understands the value that my role as a loyal ambassador serves."

“I dare simply.” Penny would say standing up with a shrug, her stool melding back into the floor as she did. “I dare because I've read her source material. I dare because she restricts everyone who she rules over so that she can hord her power and treat everyone as her own plaything. I dare, because by your admission, I am against her law just by living.” Penny’s face would split open at that last admission showing her mechanical inner nature for a moment before closing.

“I dare because I am Queen Penny, and if I don’t dare, how can I expect my subject to feel safe in doing so.” She would reach out a hand to Robert. “Regardless, I’ve learned what I wanted to. Simply return my healing artifact and you are free to leave.”

Robert gulped, intimidated by Penny, and returned the artifact back to her. "My apologies, I seem to have spoken out of line. Thank you for lending me the runic device, and for allowing me this chance to converse with you."

Rather than let him retract his arm, Penny would snag it and bring him in close. Making sure to lock eyes with him, hers glowing with inner power as she spoke in a low dangerous tone. “One last thing. You leaving alive is by my mercy, remember that, because the next time anyone from Wonderland enters my home, without forewarning, they will not return to your realm alive.” Her gaze bored into him and he could feel the banked weight of Penny’s aura seeping off of her as she waited just a moment to make sure he understood this warning.

As she stepped away the door out of the containment room would open in the same instance.

Penny could see fear in Robert's eyes, and he slowly nodded, slightly sweating from the brow.
"Yes…Point taken. Thank you for your mercy." Once he was allowed to leave, he stepped out of his cell, and bowed to Penny with his hat in his hands. "I will now return to Wonderland with your message to the Queen. I must admit that I learned a lot. While your lives are challenging due to the Powers, you possess a strong will to move forward. That is truly admirable. Fare thee well."
He then left with a brisk walk, seemingly wishing to escape before Penny changed her mind while still keeping a gentlemanly appearance.

Penny exited slowly, more than willing to let Robert return to his master. Still she stayed next to Ashlyn until she knew that Robert was out of earshot. “I want Tina to shadow him with one of her birds until he gets to either the nearest Overcity passage or he gets picked up by an ally of his.” She would order softly. “His camera is now my camera, and I want to be sure I get some use out of it.”

Wonderland wanted to play with its food, fine, Penny was more than willing to take advantage of that.

March of the White Rabbit: A Roll-Your-Own Magical Girl Roleplay

_{.:⋮Meetings P.3⋮:.}

“Once more shall we?” Penny would mutter under her breath as she approached the Beacon embassy in the Overcity. She was early for her meeting, just under an hour early in fact, because she had the feeling that actually getting to the meeting location was going to take a lot longer than she would have liked.

It was like being back in Penrose when she first joined Beacon. Distrust and thinly veiled hostility from everyone. Not that Penny found that all that annoying if she was honest, she got it. No, what was annoying was that this all felt like a waste of time. Or at least had the capacity to be such. Wonderland was coming, Dina was stressing, the Sanctuary still had yet to move, and there were a half dozen things Penny should be doing to deal with all of that.

But no, she was here dealing with bureaucracy and politics. At least no one here would be able to tell from her face just how annoyed she was and with luck any empaths would continue to avoid her due to her weird emotional output.

Once again Penny had to perform the dance of security procedures, though it was easier now that Ishtar taught her the steps. Still, the suspicion she faced did not lessen. Once she arrived in Lucia, she had to wait for some time before Louhi came to escort her.
"I'm glad you arrived early, Penny. We can go over some of the etiquette you need to remember when addressing the Ecclesiarch." She opened the electric notepad she had with her, and it transformed into a floating drone that projected various images and slides. "Before we start, do you have any questions?"

“A few” Penny would say as she fell in step with Louhi. Inversely closing down some of the screens she had brought up on her HUD while she was waiting. She was glad that she hadn't been as bogged down in suspicion as she feared she might be and wondered if her escort was in any way responsible for that.

“Biggest question I’ve got is; what am I looking at if the Ecclesiarch decides that I am not welcome within Beacon?” It was perhaps the most important question that Penny had as well. Because if there was going to be fallout, she wanted to know what she needed to be prepared for now.

“Other questions that are important deal with what the logistical requirements for declaring independence actually are. Minimum size requirements, and percentage votes needed, that sort of thing. But those can wait.”

"I will send someone to sort the details with you on that matter," Louhi responded curtly. "However, as for your main question…You could be looking at excommunication in the best case scenario, and execution or sealing in the worst case." Her expression stayed neutral. "However, if you behave yourself and explain the facts succinctly and without bias, as you have done with me, I believe she will reach a just verdict. Now then, regarding how to address her…"
Louhi spent a short moment explaining about how to approach the Ecclesiarch, how to invoke gratitude upon meeting her, and little things like that. "...And that is all. Now, are you ready, Penny?" The two once again stood on the golden-bricked road's end that led to the construct resembling a sun.

Penny listened attentively as Louhi answered her question and went on to give a few formal pointers on how to conduct herself in the presence of the Ecclesiarch. As far as the priestess could tell Penny took it all in stride. Which was mostly true, so long as the fact that Penny was pulling up combat systems and prepping escape routes internally could be considered taking it in stride.

In truth it was just about what Penny had expected. Honestly none of those outcomes were good ones, each for their own reason, but all but Excommunication would have Penny fighting her way out of here. And even that option might lead to that depending on what exactly is entailed in Excommunication.

“Ready as I can be I suppose” Would be her answer. Before adding on “One last question. How much of the Penrose situation have they read up on?”

“Her Holiness been informed,” Louhi answered, and performed a magic spell that once again lifted the two of them up towards the slowly rotating shape. However, instead of entering one of the towers like last time, they now headed towards the spherical center, as towers parted ways to open a route to the core. As they got closer, Penny saw the light intensify, until all she saw was white.

“Your Holiness, may the light of Beacon shine in your heart,” she could hear Louhi speak in the blinding light.

“As it may in yours,” she heard a distant voice respond. Then, as the intense light dimmed down to visible level, Penny saw that she was in an impossibly large, circular space resembling a cathedral. There were candles and lanterns floating in the air, Beckoners that flitted here and there, and even tiny white particles. In the middle of the sphere was a floating platform surrounded by a complex rotating set of spheres linked together by rings, resembling a planetarium in some ways. It was in the very middle of it that Penny saw the Ecclesiarch; she was sitting on a throne made of gold and white marble, her eyes half-lidded with a vacant stare as if she was daydreaming.

“Okay, introduce yourself properly,” Louhi whispered in Penny’s ear.

Louhi’s answer this time was much less helpful than Penny was hoping for. But that was put aside as Penny took in the view. She resolutely ignored her rising anxiety as well as she was brought closer and closer to the center of Beacon’s base of power. Her escape routes weren’t closed to her, but that didn’t mean it didn’t feel like the walls were closing in a little bit.

Upon regaining the ability to see Penny cast a long look about the area noting its splendor. Returning her gaze to the Ecclesiarch, the girl who would decide her fate, Penny took two steps forward before giving a half bow. “My name is Penny Asimov.” She would introduce herself, head still bowed. “It is an honor to make your acquaintance, your Holiness” She would stay bowed for a moment longer before righting, and falling into a parade rest her arms clasped behind her back.

The Ecclesiarch blinked slowly, and then bowed her head in return to the proper gesture, showing to Penny that she correctly introduced herself.
"Penny…" She then spoke, in a slow and dreaming voice.

"Tell me…What is magic?"

Penny blinked at the seemingly unrelated question. It hadn’t really been something that she had ever thought about if she was honest. It was a fact of life of this new world that she was a part of, true, but she never had worried about the deeper implications of it. Her own physical makeup not really leading to those kinds of philosophical musings.

“I’m not sure that there is a single proper answer to that question” She would answer after a moment. “It’s the source of too much to be constrained to a single definition I think. But for me? Magic is life, the pulse of our world, the turbulent whirlpool that churns out possibility.” She brought forward one of her hands and a tiny bolt of lightning sprang into existence, dancing between her fingers. “It’s an intrinsic force in our lives, and a force that connects all of us to each other in the most basic of ways. It deserves respect and at times caution. For it is ultimately unknowable, too vast, too great, too simple for us to ever truly understand it.” She would close her fist, the lightning vanishing as she returned to clasping her arms behind her back.

Penny’s answer, for all that it seemed rehearsed, was something that she had more or less formulated on the spot. That wasn’t to say she was dishonest with it, just that it was rough hewn. One aspect of her thoughts on magic she kept to herself however, not knowing how to give voice to it in a manner that fit her circumstances. Because she also felt that Magic was a lot like duct tape. It had two sides, held the universe together, and was given a vastly bloated sense of importance. It was a tool, not fundamental.

The Ecclesiarch bowed slowly to acknowledge Penny's answer. "An interesting answer." Her dreaming eyes were drawn to somewhere past Penny. "You are not the only one who has been asked that question. It is a question posed to each Mahou; each flower yet to bloom or wilt.
But even with our long lives, we may never reach the answer." She sighed. "I was once close to discovering it. I saw it in a dream…Something beyond this world and the worlds adjacent…But even so, all I could recall is but a hazy memory. However, there is one interpretation that I believe in."

She lazily swiped a hand, and Penny saw as massive projected screens appeared around the spherical space, showing various Mahous, both pure and corrupted, malicious and benevolent, victorious and collapsed.
"Magic is a reflection of us, a mirror to the depths of our very being, given manifest. We extend ourselves, our souls, through magic, and influence the story through it."
She once again turned her eyes to Penny.
"Now, tell me Penny…Why does magic corrupt?"

“I don’t think it does.” Would come the swift reply, as this had been something Penny had thought about. “I think the changes that result from excessive magical infusions are a result of our flaws and our weaknesses. Magic digs into us till it finds our most basic level and empowers everything there. At our core, nothing and nobody is perfect, and sometimes that means a flaw shines brighter than a virtue when given a boost.”

“Magic can seduce, and it can mislead. Just as it can cleanse and free. But on its own, it simply reacts to what's around it.” She would give a short shrug. It placed a lot of the outcome on the person affected by magic Penny knew. But she didn’t think that Magic itself was to blame. That brushed too much aside if it was true.

Once again, the Ecclesiarch acknowledged Penny's words with a slow nod. "Another interesting answer, and one that the Beacon order has struggled with since time immemorial. Much research has been made on the nature of this transformation, which resulted in the creation of the purification ritual, one of Beacon's oldest traditions." The Ecclesiarch paused for a moment, and upon seeing understanding in Penny's eyes, she continued. "The rite, at its fundamental level, is meant to correct the erratic changes brought about by the chaotic power of magic, and bring order to it. Only form has been proven to be stable enough to hold magic without succumbing to chaos: the human form. But then, something unexpected happened: you. A corrupted Mahou who kept their form on purification. Once I have learned of you, I then began to dream…And upon me came a vision of your life."

Penny saw as the throne the Ecclesiarch was sitting on began to float, and the screens changed to depict various moments in Penny's magical history, from fusing with the Earth Bastion for the first time, meeting with the Howell twins, eating Sirkkeli's remains, and so on.

"A lone Beckoner went against Beacon's dogma, and accepted you as a member of Beacon, seemingly in hopes of saving the city in whose events you found yourself soon embroiled in. But that was not the cause, as we initially believed. No…Your fate was split in half the moment you linked yourself to the vessel of the girl named Amber. As her identity shattered into countless shards, deep inside, you discovered what it meant to have an identity, a true self…And you wanted it."

She paused, and began to float closer to Penny.
"You may not have consciously decided on it at first, but soon you found an obstacle in Jason. The human self who parted ways from you was the true self…But you locked his soul away, desperate to find your own identity. You were willing to lie and cheat, even to yourself. So it was that when the purification rite was performed, you took Jason's humanity and cloaked yourself in it, masking your true self and deceiving yourself to the very core."
She now floated around Penny, her eyes constantly on her. "And once you rejected Jason, you completed your mission, and formed your own self with artificial humanity and Beacon's stolen blessing."

Penny would silently observe the moments of her history depicted across the screens. Pivotal parts of her own past. It was interesting to note, for her at least, that they only had times of her in Penrose, from after she had more consistent contact with Beacon. It made sense then why they came to their conclusion.

“I actually hated Jason a lot earlier than that.” Penny would say calmly, at last returning her gaze to the Ecclesiarch. “He… He was a frightened prick who did everything he could to keep me buried as deep as he could manage. I chafed under his yolk as much as I did the shackles of my first Patron.” She would explain a wry smile on her face.

“You are right that the Bastion was a tipping point. But not because I wanted an identity for the first time. Stealing the ship gave me a refuge within our shared soul for the first time. Somewhere I could bide my strength and time.” As she spoke her chassi would fold open revealing a bright shining sphere. “I’ll admit that I’m not sure how I survived the ritual, the Coin if we are to be completely honest here, maybe I did burrow deep into his fractured humanity and used it to shield myself.” She would gently reach in and pull out the sphere. Before rolling it across her fingers.

“Maybe I learned enough from his memories while he kept me locked away to build enough of my own humanity that the nature of your ritual didn’t affect me. Maybe it wouldn’t have affected me either way, after all my ‘birth’ was an accident, far as I can tell.” A careless shrug, one at odds with the sharp calculating gleam in Penny’s eyes.

“In the end. I wasn’t the one who wanted Jason gone, that was him. We split in a manner that wasn’t sustainable. Our soul was hemorrhaging due to it. He had the chance to return, I wouldn’t have stopped him nor did I tempt him otherwise. It was his choice to give me what he could of his own soul so that I wouldn’t die.”

“I am not human. I know that, I accept that, and I love that about myself. But humanity isn’t reserved solely for humans.” She would hold up her own ShineSpark as she spoke. “And fuck you if you think otherwise.” In the silence that followed that there would be four soft clicks and one louder clack. This was the point she wouldn’t give on, and she was now prepared to fight for it if needed.

Louhi gasped at Penny's insolence before the Ecclesiarch, but the latter surprisingly seemed to ignore it. "Hmm…I did see early resignation in Jason, but I did not see that selflessness…Very well then." Her brow furrowed slightly. "Your life has been one of turmoil and conflict, down to your very soul. Yet you embrace this disorder, and see it as the way forward. However, such chaos has no place in the ranks of Beacon, and never will." She sighed. "Therefore, you must make a choice, Penny."

All other screens shut down except for two that stood side by side: the left one depicted Penny as she was, but with a crown of thorns, surrounded by claws, teeth, tentacles and wings. The right depicted her as human.

"You must give up your mechanical nature, or the blessing of Beacon."

The two images side by side depicted the easiest choice she had ever been given. “It was selfishness.” She would correct, because she had something to say and she would say it before she was done here. Since she knew how this was going to go now. “Jason gave me what he did, not to save my life but to end his. He wanted out, so he acted in self interest. Not altruism.”

She would give another look at the two images and she couldn’t help but chuckle. “I always wondered how this would end up.” She would mutter “Guess I know at last.” With that she would toss her ShineSpark to the Ecclesiarch. “I already said I would give it back if Beacon ever asked.” And it seemed someone finally did.

She would half turn to leave, making sure not to give Lohui her back. “I do suppose that we have nothing more to talk about then.” She would say giving a large grin that showed off her now razor edged teeth. A warning that she would not go gently if they tried to force it.

The Ecclesiarch let the shining orb of Beacon magic float to her, and then gave one last look at Penny. "So you have chosen the path of chaos. I will let you leave this place, so you may return back to your home. Louhi, you may also give her the information as requested."

The Choir member's eyes widened. "But your Holiness-!"

"The queen may defend her realm. So is her story written."

The Ecclesiarch then turned her throne away, signalling that the meeting was over. Louhi then addressed Penny’s words. "That is correct, yes." The two left Luxia, and once outside she handed Penny a white thumb drive with the Beacon's golden logo. She then gave one last look around. "The Ecclesiarch did not excommunicate you, which means the alliance is still possible between your budding kingdom and Beacon. However, you were discharged from the organization, so I can no longer directly assist you with the matter in an official capacity. Still, I'll keep the Cardinal posted in Penrose and assign her to work on your issues. Any questions?"

Penny gave one last look at the Beacon Embassy. What it was she felt she kept to herself as she turned her attention to Louhi. “You realize that once I leave I’ll never be able to be the one to extend that alliance offer.” She would state as she accepted the thumb drive. “Not until Beacon changes. Your vows list me as an enemy now, one that none should work with else they risk excommunication.”

“I’m a Monstergirl, and most of my subjects are either dark magicals or Monster girls themselves.” She was giving Louhi a sad smile “And while some of them would like to be purified, I don’t think they will want it to come from Beacon after this. Not if it means they'd have to turn on the rest of us.”

There was a low hum as Penny’s legs lit up as her thrusters slowly turned on. “Sanctuary will remember this day. The day that her Queen was judged wanting for simply being true to herself.” She turned her attention to the road ahead. “I have no questions that I need answered, but hopefully one day I’ll be able to seek your counsel again. But as I said, that won’t be up to me. Goodbye Louhi, and thank you for your efforts.”

With that said Penny would skate away. And though she was tempted, she didn’t look back. They wouldn’t be given the chance to see the hurt in her eyes as she left. It was painful, and she expected that this day would come, but Penny would keep moving forward. And she would keep the spark of Hope alive. Because one never knew what tomorrow brought.

March of the White Rabbit: A Roll-Your-Own Magical Girl Roleplay

_{.:⋮New(s) management⋮:.}

As things were wrapping up after the wendigo fight, Penny had taken MDP aside to express her interest in having a formal business meeting at Covington Tower, something the whimsical girl was only too happy to agree to. Upon returning to her private office, the detransformed heiress had checked her schedule and texted Penny on their secure communications link with all the relevant details. Around noon, two days later, Melisa’s cheerful voice informed Violet that her guests had arrived. “Thank you Melisa,” the heiress told her secretary in a calm and professional tone. “Please send them in.”

Penny was the first to walk through the door, her bright amber eyes scanning the room as she entered. She was dressed much more formally than her normal jacket and jeans in a dark gray pantsuit, though she was without a tie, and was carrying a folder under one arm. The suit was notably worn, and wasn’t a perfect fit for Penny, but helped her stand out less in the corporate building.

The tattoo of gears around her left eye, and waist length neon blue hair, however meant it was impossible to go completely unnoticed. But it did help distract away from some of her unsealed qualities bleeding over, such as her unnaturally bright eyes. or the fact that she was wearing gloves that went past her wrist. The doll-like joints that resided on her hands in this form would be just as impossible to explain after all.

Overall she looked like a teen, but at least one who was trying to make this visit work.

She would walk straight over to the desk even as she continued to examine the office, noting and cataloging everything she saw. But she was quiet, not nervous, but unsure exactly on how disconnected to keep the Magical and Mundane in Violet’s office. Thus she would wait for the heiress to set the pace.

Dina for her most part, had erased all traces of her feline features, but she still stood out significantly. She was wearing a brocaded dress worthy of a princess, and her hair hung long and luscious cascading down her neck. She did look even too high class for a corporate environment, a stark contrast with Penny. She checked the room with a neutral stare as she advanced closer.

Violet smiled as the two young women entered and approached her desk. “Penny, Dina, it’s good to see you,” the heiress greeted them with a polite smile. “Welcome to Covington Tower. Please, have a seat,” she added, gesturing to the pair of comfy-looking chairs in front of her desk. “And you need not worry about anyone listening in on our conversation,” she told Dina in an attempt to assuage some of the regent’s anxious concern. “Penny was kind enough to assist me in thoroughly scanning the room for bugs. But please don’t let that stop you from looking around,” she clarified with a small smirk.

The chamber, while quite luxurious, was still somewhat spartan, possessing a crisp, clean, futuristic aesthetic. Nothing extraneous seemed present, only what was needed at that precise moment, the only decoration being several paintings of august visages which resided in recessed alcoves on either side of Violet’s desk. A substantially larger image of her father was located behind, and just above, where she was sitting, as if the elder Covington was passing judgment on all gathered.

“Those portraits depict esteemed members of my family’s lineage,” Violet explained. “I find they serve as suitable reminders of the legacy I am tasked with upholding.”

”Still have to say it’s an interesting look.” Penny would comment as she turned her gaze to Violet. “Not used to seeing my aesthetic all over the place.” Which had a lot to do with the fact that she lives in an abandoned warehouse, but also that most of the world was always going to be playing catch up to Penny’s own systems in one degree or another.

“Here is what I could find about the Penrose Independent.” The sealed monarch would go on to say, sliding over the folder she had. “Magically there isn’t much to do, since Eden up and vanished, so letting those who are currently working there know about the change in ownership is about it on that side.” It was the mundane side of things that Penny was running into issues with. Since she didn’t exist according to the mundane world, and even if she did she would at best be considered a minor. To say nothing of not really having the money to buy it.

Dina for the most part, would look at the portraits, then at Violet. "New money huh." She would add as an afterthought. "I still can't get used to the spins and turns of the world." She would add, her head tilting at Violet. "But still some things ring true. In Business trust is essential. It would be too foul to listen on us. And pretty little gain to get. I am not concerned with that regard, child."

"A propaganda machine at our service with mortal aides should help… but I am afraid our timing is the worst."

“Our timing is closer to now or never unfortunately” Penny would say “The Sanctuary is barely keeping a float even if it doesn’t seem like it. We need some kind of income, and soon. Or we are going to have to start turning people away.”

Violet couldn’t help but smile when Penny noted the similarity between the office’s aesthetics and those of her own transformed appearance. That fact was, after all, one of the reasons for the heiress’s initial attraction to Penny, and as she had gotten to know the cybernetic girl, that attraction had only grown more pronounced. Still, as much as she wanted to enjoy this time with her girlfriend, and possibly even give her a full tour of Covington Tower, Violet knew that this was a business meeting, first and foremost, and so she allowed it to proceed uninterrupted.

“Hmmm…” Violet murmured as she skimmed over the files Penny had presented her with. “I would have thought the Independent’s magical members would have fled the city along with Miss Campbell,” she observed with a raised eyebrow. “Amanda told me all about what she did at the rave, and honestly, with the Ascendancy essentially making them public enemy number one, I would think that even the mundane assets associated with that name would have abandoned it fairly quickly. Speaking of, while I am completely in favor of making full use of its various assets, I do not think it particularly prudent to continue to make use of the Penrose Independent name. We shall have to come up with a new identity, one that will not be misconstrued as perpetuating the twisted and openly antagonistic ideology of Miss Campbell’s organization.”

At Dina’s comment, Violet would turn to address the former noble. “Old money, actually,” she clarified, her voice taking on a slightly sharper tone. “My family’s business empire was built over more than a century and a half of beneficial partnerships and insightful patronage of revolutionary new technologies, and it continues in much the same manner today,” she added, clearly quite proud of her prestigious heritage. “But you are correct, trust is essential, which is exactly why you need a means of letting people know what the Sanctuary really sands for, without detrimental rumors and harmful biases getting in the way. And I believe having control of a news agency is one of the best ways to accomplish that.” Turning back to Penny, she added in a more sympathetic tone, “As for the Sanctuary’s current resource shortages, I believe CI may be able to assist with alleviating them. As you might be aware, we’ve recently begun undertaking an array of charitable projects to improve the city’s quality of life. I do not believe it would be too difficult to divert some of those resources to aid what is essentially a local homeless shelter.”

“Most people seemed to hyper fixate on Eden from what I can gather.” Penny would explain the odd discrepancy “Beacon even ran a full investigation, but there aren't any ties with the organization as a whole to Mint. It was only ever Eden. I’m not saying that everyone stuck around, but since Eden left most of the heat being brought about on them is gone.”

“There is likely only a skeleton crew left on either side of the divide, I’ve not gone digging too deep into the paper trails to verify. But right now most of the infrastructure is still in place and at least a few people are still working there. The need to be rebranded is still a valid point however.”

Dina's ears twitched as her tail swished ever so slightly. Her eyes gazed at Violet's comment, clearly disliking the fact that she thought century and half was enough to qualify as an old lineage. She could alone recite 200 years worth of ascendants gone up in smoke and flames so that the children of merchants and traders and communists could take power.

She kept watching as she went on the tirade of a public propaganda machinery. "Calling the Sanctuary a homeless shelter is a little too much, Covington."She would reply, unable to go silent any longer.

"I am sorry, your Highness, but I believe I no longer qualify to be a part of this. I will take my leave now. I will try to find other methods." Dina would then excuse herself with the most elegant curtsy she could, awaiting Penny.

“If you’re sure” Penny would state, with a note of minor confusion. “I’ll catch up with you later and give you a run down of what we covered.”

“Very well,” Violet replied politely as she rose from her seat. “I hope the rest of your day is more productive. Well,” the heiress added with an annoyed scowl once the regent had departed. “That was certainly unpleasant. If anything, I think she has grown even more unbearable since last we met… I am sorry Penny,” she apologized after exhaling a weary sigh. “I simply do not know why she seems to detest me so much. I can understand if she finds my behavior in my transformed state somewhat… difficult to tolerate, but I would like to think I was being very civil and courteous just now.”

“Your guess is as good as mine unfortunately.” Penny would say gaze lingering on the door in which Dina just recently departed. “I mean the Sanctuary is a homeless shelter, effectively, so I’m not sure why that was such a sticking point.” She would shrug before returning her attention back to Violet. “I guess her vision of the Sanctuary and mine are just different, and that distinction is growing more noticeable by the day.” She would offer up even if it was somewhat easy to tell that Penny wasn’t fully sure herself.

“Stuff like this has been cropping up more and more often since the Christmas party.”

Dina for the most part stopped in her tracks just outside. Her hairs were bristling, as she allowed herself to calm herself down. ...Think again, Dina. There’s a lot of people counting on you. What good is your pride if it lets you get in the way of things. Mayhaps the body does have an influence on the mind. Sometimes I feel like i’m truly fourteen.

With a heavy sigh, she resolved herself, and opened the doors. “I’m sorry.” She admitted. “These are trying times. Mayhaps I got too attached to what you call a homeless shelter. I lost people defending them, and I nearly lost my life doing so. Being addressed as such makes one wonder if all our struggles meant something. But I must face the truth. I’m just a cat with no money. Defending our wounded pride will not go very far.”

She offered a bow. “I would like to make amends for those under my charge, if you would have me.”

Violet couldn’t help but be surprised when Dina returned and apologized for her earlier behavior. Still, although this was not something the heiress had expected, she was pleased to see it, nonetheless. “Of course,” Violet replied with a demure nod. “And there is no need to apologize,” she added. “If anything, I am the one at fault here. I did not intend any offense by referring to the Sanctuary as a homeless shelter, and you have my deepest apologies if my words came across as such. Please know that I have nothing but respect for what you and Penny are working to accomplish there, and I would never seek to demean such a worthy endeavor.”

Penny was also surprised at Dina’s reappearance, but it was very much a pleasant one. Listening to the short byplay gave Penny a better idea at what it was that must have gotten to the Regent. From there it wasn’t hard for Penny to assume that various girls who lived at the Sanctuary would likely react along similar lines if faced with hearing their home referred to as a homeless shelter.

“I suppose it might be better to call the Sanctuary an enclave at this point.” Penny would say, though she was thinking more aloud. “Originally it was just supposed to be a mix between a homeless shelter and halfway house. But we’ve grown past that stage haven’t we.” Likey it grew past that point while Penny was first stuck at the beach, and Cindy was using it as a base.

The reminder was useful, even if it wasn’t what Dina had intended. Penny would have to set some time aside to go over this more at another time.

“If I may…interject.” She added after coughing. “Rebranding is fairly simple. All we need is to imitate the real world. The people we need to reach are fundamentally teenagers. Now, I may be 105 years old, but if I’m not mistaken, fashion, and good looking boys should catch the attention. We can then slip some more… elaborate and conventional news in between. But if we want to rake in cash we need to cater to people's vanity and need for entertainment.”

Violet’s eyebrow rose at Dina’s observation. “Are you suggesting that instead of publishing a respectable news periodical, we lower our standards to that of a gossip-filled tabloid?” she asked somewhat incredulously. “Forgive me, but I had assumed you would be the very last person to suggest such a course of action. How do you feel about this, Penny?”

Penny would ponder the idea for a moment “We could do both” She would offer up. “We’d already be running two different types of outlets as is. One of them would by necessity but stuck to reporting on the mundane side, while another would tackle the magical one.” Would come the explanation.

“Ideally we would be a trusted news source, money is the driving goal at the moment, yes, but not my only one. There are those out there that don’t believe that anything good can come out of the Sanctuary, or anything like it. Building a reputation of being a trustworthy news source will help with that.”

“But writing tabloids can be a fun outlet. Especially since so many of us can’t easily move around in the mundane world. We could turn it into a conspiracy tabloid that is talking about the magical world in such a way only those in the know would be able to tell.”

“I will admit to not having much of an investment in the mundane world though.” Penny would admit with a somewhat sheepish shrug. “My position, and Penrose in general, means that I tend to focus more on the magical side of things.”

Dina nodded, her gaze resting on Violet. "Well, that is the best idea I came up with to wash Eden's imprint. I do not think people will ever raise arms against… this kind of vulgar publishing. It could allow us a respite, get us some funds, and test if the Penrose Independent can still work as a proof-of-concept. Going from tabloid to serious might be tough, but at least the staff won't be reviled."

“Hmmm…” Violet mused. “Those are both good points, and I agree that running two contrasting publications would serve to cover all our needs, but we would have to ensure that they remain separate,” she added. “That is to say, there shouldn’t be a discernible link between them. With that in mind, we would actually be creating two separate agencies, with little to no overlap. However, I think the real question we need to consider is who shall be running each organization? When I was working under the assumption that we would be operating only one agency, I had initially intended for Amanda to fill that role, but due to the Mint’s recent machinations, she has decided to leave Penrose for the time being. I could still perhaps convince her to work remotely, but I feel it would be better to have someone physically present, and even then, we would ideally need a second individual to head up our other agency. Do either of you have any suggestions in this regard?”

Penny’s confusion was readily apparent even before she spoke up “Why would they need to be separated?” She would ask not seeing any issue with running both publications side by side. “If we are running the divide down the masquerade line it wouldn’t matter that the magical side knows we are running both wouldn’t it?”

"Hmm…how about..what was it…supplements? We just bundle them together." She paused. "As for who… Well, I don't think there will be shortage of volunteers at Sanctuary. Maybe Dullahan can. Goblina… "

Dina would then ponder. "I even knew of a teleporter but she seems to have faded out of Penrose recently."

Upon hearing Penny’s confusion, Violet would give voice to a tired sigh. “I suppose it is simply my paranoia talking, but I am reluctant to allow such a sizable group of people, most of whom I have yet to meet, to have full knowledge of something that could easily be used against us. As I am sure I don’t need to remind you, Penny, we have no small number of enemies, and in light of that, limiting potentially compromising information to as few people as possible only makes sense. For example, what if one of the people responsible for publishing the magical tabloid leaked the information that we were also responsible for publishing what is ostensibly a credible news source? Even if that information wouldn’t make any difference among the magical community, it would do possibly irreparable damage to our reputation among the mundane population. In particular, having Covington Industries’ name associated with a conspiracy theory-promoting tabloid would have a noticeable effect on how we are viewed as a company, and not a positive one.” Turning to Dina, she added, “While I am glad to hear that such a large number of the Sanctuary’s residents are willing to assist us, ideally they should have at least some experience in journalism, and if they wish to take on a leadership role, team management as well. With that in mind, would it be possible to take a survey of the volunteers’ skill sets and occupational histories, if applicable? That way, we can assign them to the tasks they would be most suitable for.”

“I can set up a survey for everyone without too much trouble.” Penny would reply. Turning one of the dead arcade cabinets into a survey station shouldn’t take too much work. And then letting everyone there know that it was to streamline things for when jobs came in wouldn’t be much of a hassle either.

“The paranoia, and your company’s reputation are good points as well.” The mundane reputation was one thing Penny had already admitted to overlooking, but the paranoia was worth a second look. The Mint, presumably, knew a fair bit about the Penrose independent due to their dealing with Eden and could likely use that information against them. The monarch didn’t think that they would have a lot of sensitive information to sit on at first, but eventually? Who knows.

“Building off your company’s reputation, we might need to keep both sides serious from the start. Otherwise the jarring divide might get people to look deeper than you might be comfortable with.”

Dina would bring her hand to her chin, pondering options. "Looks like we have forget about the fast pay off option. No matter. We can still use gossip to work for us. While we are building our serious publication, we leak the rumour that someone is here to take Eden's spot. What is it what they call it, mamis? Meowmes? That sort of thing. If need be I bet I can conjure a few creatures for extra hands."

“Possibly…” Violet mused after Penny had made her suggestion. “Although I think we can still proceed with our initial plan, as long as no link can be drawn between the two publications, or, more importantly, between the tabloid and CI. With that in mind, perhaps the Sanctuary itself could assume full ownership of, and control over, that side of things, with minor, covert assistance from CI, if and when necessary?”

“Memes” Penny would correct Dina’s uncertainty off-handedly. “And yeah the Sanctuary could take full ownership of the tabloid.” She would answer Violet “Only assistance I can foresee us needing would be keeping us in the black, but I’m not sure if we’d need much assistance with that. Once people learn that it's the Sanctuary putting out that side of things that should be enough of a draw to get at least a stable base to work from.” Or at least that was Penny’s hope on the matter.

"So it's settled then." Dina would then say. "If I was 70 years younger I would engage myself, but even If I smiled and posed I do not think I could keep up with people and their… excessive lack of modern clothing."

“Excellent,” Violet declared with a pleased smile. “In that case, I shall contact the relevant parties and draw up the appropriate paperwork in regard to the mundane side of things. I would ask to remain apprised of all future developments on your end,” the heiress added with a teasing smirk. “But since Penny and I chat every day, I don’t foresee that being an issue.”

"Mew?"Dina replied in slight surprise. "What do you mean by that?"

“Simply that we have a secure means of conversing with each other,” Violet replied. “Is that really so surprising?”

"For someone so mundane, yes." Dina would answer.

“Penny is not mundane,” Violet replied. “And neither am I, for that matter,” she added. “Even if I was, Penny alone is fully capable of establishing the kind of covert communications link we require. As it is, we worked on it together, while making use of some unintentional assistance from a few other friends of mine.”

“The never ending wonders of the digital worlds” Penny would remark with a smile of her own. “There are a half dozen different ways to hide or mask a network. And that’s before you start getting magic involved. Add that, the fact I’m an AI, or that Violet is on the later end of the bell curve when it comes to intelligence to the equation and that number grows exponentially.”

“Main reason I’ve not done more for the Sanctuary in that regard is that there is a start-up cost for a lot of those if you want them to be more than a peer to peer set up. But that’s what the computer terminal I’ve set up is for.”

"I am saying your involvement with the Magical world is concerning, Miss Covington. Despite the fact we wish for a joint endeavour I do wish to insist that you still have a way to go back to a normal life and you should think carefully." Dina would add.

“Oh, I have thought very carefully about it,” Violet replied with an amused smile. “With Penny’s assistance, I have taken every precaution possible to ensure that no one, the Ebon Mint most of all, learns of my connections to the magical community, or of my magical alter-ego.”

Dina sighed. "Then it is already too late. It's not a matter of whether they know. It's a matter of when." She then added. "There are always ways of knowing things." Dina replied.

"Not only electronic espionage works, but the old fashioned vermin network, spirits. Even plants can be used. These three methods often tend to be overlooked because they do require particular powersets." Dina would then say. "And Penny cannot tap in any of these three."

“Perhaps,” Violet conceded. “But I believe Penny and I are more than capable of creating devices that can not only detect, but completely jam such avenues of espionage. And as it is,” the heiress added. “They should have no reason to suspect anything. After all, I have been fully amenable to every suggestion and offer they have made, regardless of how repulsive I might actually find them.”

“The Mint isn’t one to rock the boat if they don’t need to.” Penny would chip in “They aren’t omniscient, so as long as they’ve not got a good reason to go poking about their agent’s business they don’t” Something that Penny knew from personal experience.

"That is not very reassuring, but I will not dwell on something that cannot be changed. Remember that pride comes before the fall." Dina would simply reply.

“I prefer to think of it as confidence,” Violet replied. “Confidence that, when Penny and I work together, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.”

“Hope for the best” Penny would quote with a nod to Dina “But prepare for the worst. If the situation starts changing we will have back ups in place. For now things are holding and should stay that way.” To be honest Penny felt that Dina was likely more in the right than anything. All secrets had a way of coming to light one way or another.

She did disagree with the effort to give Violet a way back to the mundane however. Penrose as it was didn’t allow easy stepping away from everything. That and the Magical world tended to be very clingy. Simply ignoring everything wouldn’t cause it to go away, Violet was entrenched already, this meeting for the Sanctuary wouldn’t be much in the face of an active Patron.

Dina’s ears twitched. “Should you find yourself in trouble, come to me if Penny is unavailable. I might be able to do something, as meager as I am.” Dina would then add. She knew she was right, but youths would rarely see the bitter lessons of life unless experienced firsthand.

“Of course,” Violet replied with a nod. “You have already proven yourself to be quite resourceful, and I would be foolish not to make use of your vast experience. Now then,” the heiress added, folding her elegant hands atop her desk. “Was there anything else you wished to discuss?”

“That’s the basis I think” Penny would reply leaning back in her chair a bit. “Anything else would need information we don’t have currently I believe.”

“Just don’t hog Penny all the time…” Dina would then reply. “Magical Dream Princess.”

“I shall do my best not to,” Violet replied with a wry smirk. “And I would ask that you please refrain from referring to me by that name,” the heiress added, her tone becoming slightly pointed. “When I am my mundane self, I would prefer if you simply addressed me as Violet, or Miss Covington, if formality is required. I know that the chances of anyone overhearing this conversation are virtually nonexistent,” she continued, her attention firmly on the regent. “But I would still like to take as few chances as possible, something I am sure you will agree with.”

Giving voice to a small sigh, Violet allowed a smile to slowly return to her face. “You know, I think it shall be a rather exciting prospect to own a news agency,” the heiress mused, rising from her chair and stepping over to one of the portraits on her wall. “My great-grandfather, Cornelius Covington, once owned a very successful newspaper, and the thought of following in his illustrious footsteps fills me with great pride.”

“Well then, let's make the Sanctuary Inquirer worth the effort then shall we?” Penny would add, a confident grin breaking out as she did.

“Yes,” Violet agreed with a grin of her own. “Let’s.”

Dina just nodded sagely, before pondering. She really hoped this wouldn’t do them in like the one known as Eden.

Tiny and the Terminator [Mistress Dizzy & Shifter_Master]

Rather than being offended at being called a jinx the girl just gave a wide toothy grin. “That’s me” She gave an overly dramatic bow, obvious sparks of pink energy trailing after her hand, though they would fizzle out before anything happened. She seemed to feed off the irritation Jinny was giving off but there was also a bit of respect glimmering in her eyes at Jinny being so willing to throw down despite having apparently heard of her.

“I’ll keep to that agreement so long as you do” Jinx would agree, for a moment it felt as if she was going to say something, before she thought better of it. “That’s my room” She would point towards the door further away from the entry. “Stay out of it and I stay out of yours. Also keep the salt in the tub and you bring any mirrors into here the consequences are on your head.” She would go on to add. Her tone was joking, but there was a dark seriousness in the way she delivered those additional rules.

“I’ll be nice and leave my system out here.” Jinx would nod at the games Jinny was looking at. “It survived me; I doubt you’d be able to break it on accident.” She would start sauntering over to the fridge, even as she kept an eye on Jinny. “How do you want to handle the fridge stuff?” She would ask.

Apparently, she wanted to get all the ground rules out of the way right at the start.

March of the White Rabbit: A Roll-Your-Own Magical Girl Roleplay

_{.:⋮Moving Day?⋮:.}

There was an unnoticed sense of relief that flowed through Penny as she closed the door to the Sanctuary behind her. It also came with a sense of satisfaction, she had been worrying away at this particular issue from the moment she returned from the Beach the first time to see the warehouse filled with people already.

She nodded at Ashlyn as she walked further in, the taller girl always found watching the front door relaxing. Even more so if Monica was cooking, though that wasn’t the case at the moment. The Queen would wade her way across the room, returning greetings called to her as she went.

Normally she would have lingered and spent some time with the people she had chosen to protect, but right now she had someone she needed to find and bring the good news too. With that in mind Penny would focus her senses looking for one presence in particular. Dina would like this turn of events, Penny was sure.

Deep down in Dina's chambers, Penny would find that the usual neatness and demure that permeated the Regent’s room was gone in a flurry of chaos and restlessness. Here and there, scattered papers, half-written letters and empty vodka bottles littered the room. Her prized Dream Orb was being used as a paperweight, and she had taken a purification potion out of the usual place, hanging as an odd pick me up, yet still unopened right next to a half finished bottle of spirits.

A single cat maid was doing her best to scrub a waist height stain of wine, alongside a shattered glass against the wall, who bowed in respect before resuming her task. It was safe to say Dina had not had a good day.

A figure stirred underneath crumpled blankets, before letting a small annoyed hiss. “For the last time, churl, I have told you not to disturb me with your brainless Valkyrie antics.” She replied to the footsteps approaching her.

Looking about the room Penny was made uncomfortably aware of just how stressed Dina must be feeling right now. She kinda knew it was bad, but this was the first true look at just how bad. “Remind me to deck Sann next time I see her” Penny would reply to the rude call out, knowing that her voice would be all that was needed to let the Regent know it wasn’t her Valkyrie that had arrived.

“I knew you were stressing over this.” Because honestly who wouldn’t be “But that she let it get this bad without telling anyone is a bit much”

The sheets moved and shuffled slightly, only for a tired cat head to pop out of them, before letting a long drawn sigh. "Sanngridr is not the one at fault for this kind of situation. A regent must be able to keep her poise in public. At least she got that right." Dina would add as she crawled out of her bed, clad in a stylish nightgown.

"Decking her would only make things worse. And despite how she acts, the fact that she serves Odin makes her slightly more aware than anyone in Sanctuary about the situation." She would answer, before grabbing a half finished vodka bottle and emptying in a rather undignified manner.

"What can I do for her Highness?"

Penny would concede that Dina most likely had a point about Sann having a better idea than most about what was coming, same with keeping poise in front of the rest of the Sanctuary, but. “Still think she should have let me know if no one else. It is my responsibility to make sure everyone is doing alright, and that does include you.” She would state before letting the matter drop.

“Either way. I wanted to show you something. It’s been my next location for the Sanctuary for a while, just getting it here has been a pain.” Penny would explain. “Solved that issue a few minutes ago however. Wanted your input on how to set it up and ideas on how to get everyone moved over.”

"You never trusted her, why would she confide anything to you?" Dina would quip. "Well, better news than my call for help. I only got replies from Dan, some crystal entity, Odin… and a certain Romanian gentleman. I told Sanngridr to scour Penrose to get more volunteers as she is among our fastest flyers." She sighed. "Alright, show me…"

“Because she’s supposed to be your varangian.” Penny would return “And I am your queen. Your well being should be her first concern if she is taking her oaths seriously” Which was just one more reason for Penny to be unfriendly towards Sann, but that could be dealt with later. Preferably without fists, as that would likely just encourage her.

“Regardless. It’s a small walk, I currently have it in the bay.” She would go on to explain. “We can head out when you are ready.”

"Varangians are blunt instruments. Would Belladona, even think of reporting to you in the same situation? I think you are reading far too much into this. Sanngridr is not what you think she is." Dina would quip back.

True to what Penny said it wasn’t a far walk, at least not for a pair of magicals, and upon first look there wasn’t anything that Dina would be able to see sitting in the bay. Or at least nothing out of the ordinary. But there was an unmistakable smirk on Penny’s face as she looked at something in the distance.

“Have I ever told you much about the ship I got?” She would ask after a short moment. “It is something I got from a Dragon, by accident.” She would reach over and lay her hand on Dina’s shoulder. “It was something that I knew would help the Sanctuary since I got back from the Beach the first time.” As Penny’s hand touched Dina, the Regent would notice the air in front of them shimmer and suddenly the Earth Bastion would fade into view towering above them.

“What do you think?”

Dina eyed the massive mechanical monstrosity, a twinkle forming in her eyes alongside a purr. "It's wondrous. Truly a fortress."

But it was then when she reigned herself in. "But also a poisoned gift."

"How so?" Penny would ask shifting all her attention to Dina. She wasn't doubting the older cat girl, not with this, but she did want to know what she had overlooked. "The dragon themselves have left Penrose and none of their girls are in town as far as I'm aware." She would explain. "And I'm pretty sure that neither Beacon nor the Mint know I've smuggled it in."

"What am I missing?"

"With this no one in Penrose answers to you. Your position might be stronger than even Cindy in her heyday." Dina tilted her head. "It would draw a lot of attention. Not to mention…"

She trailed off, hesitant of what she was about to say. "I supported you despite your Beacon ties, but… If Beacon wanted, this fortress could easily become a prison, with you as Warden."

Penny mulled over that for a moment. "Is my open ties to Beacon really that detrimental?" She would ask,annoyed. The idea that she would turn the Bastion into a prison was so far off base as to be insulting. She would never, it was contrary to the entire reason she built the Sanctuary.

But she did remember how everyone reacted to her revealing that she was part of Beacon, even though she had never hidden it.

"I wouldn't do that. But would so few of them trust that?"

Dina averted her gaze, as she let the breeze outside sway her hair gently. She looked at her own feet. She did know Penny had delivered up until now. And yet…

"I don't really know." Dina would look. "I do not think your standing has improved that much ever since you took charge. There were advances, but the carnage of the tournament fiasco remains." The Regent would answer truthfully.

“Damn it” Penny would mutter as she removed her hand from Dina’s shoulder and ran it through her own hair, the mighty ship vanishing from Dina’s sight in the same instant. “Do you think asking up front if the rest of the girls would want to move in would help?” Penny was glad that she showed this to Dina privately first, even if it was annoying to learn that the girls at the Sanctuary hadn’t brought up their issues with how she was running it to her.

“I got it here, so it’s not going to be leaving anytime soon, so at the least we will have it for an emergency fallback. But getting everyone moved now would be a lot better.”

"You should make it a briefing." Dina answered, now noticing the tap on her shoulder. Dina's body flinched in response, as she drew apart from Penny. "It would be best, yes but forceful relocation is always traumatic." She eyed Penny. "I will make sure we don't get raided from the Mint again for the time being."

“Point” Penny would say with an absent nod, her mind whiring for a moment on the brief she’d need to set up. As well as a timeline that would work for everyone at the Sanctuary. It was a touch frustrating, but also good to be reminded that not everyone could simply roll with the punches like Penny could.

“Good luck with that.” She would say setting aside enough processing power to deal with the briefing in the background. “I doubt the Mint is going to be as brazen as last time. Though we are lucky they didn’t try anything with the Wendigos, that would have been a nightmare to deal with.”

“Curious as to what your plan is though”

"Penny pinchers and misers. You just grant them Corsair status and point them in the right direction." Dina would say. "It worked for Sir Francis Drake."

“You want to hire the Mint?” Penny would ask slowly, her tone cautious. “Have you done this already or are you meeting the contact later on?” There was a notably calculating look in the queen's eye as she regarded Dina.

"I…took a gamble. For the sake of getting allies fast." Dina answered. "A very dangerous gamble." She admitted as she produced the document with the conditions for Penny to see.

Penny looked over the contract with a wary look. “As much as I hate to say it, you might have been right to do so.” It was a simple thing, the terms that Dina had signed were rather straightforward, but Penny didn’t trust it as much more than a way to open the door further for the Mint. Still, “If they ask, you convince me to leave them alone, but I’m only honoring it until they betray us or Wonderland is taken care of.”

“Normally I’d have not even bothered to humor them, but it seems that politics has the Ascendency ready to simply stand aside and let Wonderland take over.”

Dina looked at Penny, her scowl accentuating. "So much for the Beacon's elite. It seems we are beneath them." Dina sighed. A voice in the back of her mind wanted to raise alarms. "Penny, if you want to take everyone in the Bastion and leave this place, I will not stop you any further."

“If you mean the warehouse I’m a step ahead of you I think,” Penny would return the document to Dina “But if you are talking about leaving Penrose all together I’m not sure I’d be able to leave personally. This city means a fair amount to me, and I’m not willing to simply leave it without putting up any resistance.”

Dina breathed in deep. "Okay." She seemed to have something gnawing at her mind. "Would you walk with me, if you are so kind?"

“Of course” Penny would gesture for Dina to start walking “Lean on and I’ll listen”

"I don't want to die. I am afraid." Dina would bluntly state. "Half of me is screaming to leave this forsaken place already. " She began to walk away. "But…too many people are depending on me." She began to walk away. "Someone has made me an offer. Well, several people. But this person is both worshipped as a hero and reviled as a monster. I got lucky with my monster girl traits. But if I take this offer… it will mean I will become something else."

“If you’re worried about how I will handle that, don’t.” Following alongside the Regent Penny had an understanding look. “I’m much less human than I look, I’ve just gotten lucky that my inhumanity is easily hidden. If you are worried about how it will affect you personally? The Sanctuary still has a few Red coins and a few potions, so we can change things if you need, or at least try. In the end the responsibility we have due to our positions is not worth damaging your sense of self over.”

Dina would just lead Penny into her chambers once more, as Dina dismissed the maid in there and picked up a few letters. "Dan, Odin, Crystal entities… Hera, Volos the god of Earth… and this one." She produced a single letter, with a dragon eating its own tail. "He said he will give me power over the dragons. And unlike Volos, it might be no prank."

In the back of the letter, in elegant words… an ominous name was revealed to Penny. "Vlad III, son of the dragon."

Penny looked at the name on the back of the letter with a bit of awe. “Tepes contacted you?” Penny would ask, though she doubted it could truly be anyone else. She wondered how the man joined the magical world in passing, but more than anything she could see the appeal in his offer. While she doubted that Vlad was still a classical human, he still understood what Penny and Dina stood for, and would be the last person to blanche at what might be needed to defend one's home.

“I can see why they are at the top of the pile.”

"Looks like my birthright still matters in some circles. Zmey Gorynych put a good word for me. And thus how I got Volos and Tepes interested." She admitted. "There is a catch though."

“And what would that be?”

"He will not take a cat for a bride." Dina admitted.

“Ah” Penny would turn silent for a moment, obviously mulling over that bit of information. “That’s really up to you. I’m assuming that the legends about him would be, at least guiding in what you’ll end up as. But I can’t make that choice for you.” She would explain, before giving a shrug. “For me the sticking point would more be the fact that he wants to make it a marriage, but I’m pretty sure that’s more to do with my age than anything.”

"A purification potion and the Orb of Dreams should make it work." Dina admitted."But…in the event I go out of control, I want you to personally take me down." Dina sighed. "It is fine. I had been groomed for this. It arriving 90 years late is of no consequence."

“As long as you’re sure” Penny would prompt one last time. Searching Dina’s face for any sign of uncertainty. “But you have my promise; if you are to lose control I’ll make sure to stop you before you cause any damage.”

"Thank you…" Dina added, before one of the maids arrived at the entrance, obviously frazzled. "Regent! Your Highness! There is trouble at the entrance!"

Penny was more curious than worried at the maid’s sudden entrance. Whatever the trouble was it wasn’t an attack so the queen didn’t see any reason to be worried. “No rest for the wicked” Penny would quip as she started on her way to the entrance, checking only once to see if Dina was going to be following or leaving this to her.

Dina for the most part, frowning, wondering why she was called instead of the guards. When they arrived they had an inkling why. She wasn't really sure but someone had conjured a storm, a literal storm indoors. Here and there, frantic cat minions were trying to avoid getting the papers of a reception guest soggy with various degrees of success. The first reaction besides facepalming was to cover the desk in barriers.

"Well, you people wanted me to know what I am capable of, so here you go you fucks! Hah!"

A certain pink dragon girl was at the center of the ruckus, her gaze directed at the desk.

Penny would take a quick look at the minor chaos going on and would hold back a snort. Noting the barriers that Dina put up, Penny would let out a sharp whistle to gather everyone's attention.

Her presence would suddenly demand attention as she strode forward, some of the rain being to swirl about her as she went. "Please don't torment the maids." Penny would state calmly as she walked over to the dragon girl. "They do so much for us, the least you can do is be polite."

"Oh, you the boss of this place, swiss knife-chan? And the neko-baba too. Just tell these nekos to set me up. Isn't this the Monster Syndicate or something?" said the dragon girl while Dina was making a very strange face of repressed anger.

“Sakura?” Penny would ask, a touch surprised at the drastic change in appearance from the last time she had seen the other girl. She wouldn’t let that surprise distract her too much however. “We are closer to a refuge than a syndicate, only me and Dina have much say in how things go.” She’d explain. “And we can easily get you settled if you need it. Mind calling off the storm cloud?”

Sakura huffed, as if proud of herself. "I am turning into a dragon. Cool huh?" She said as she dismissed her own power. "I'm even immortal or something like that! So what do I get? A pile of treasure to sleep?"

It was then, when Dina offered a polite smile as she approached. "We can manage something close to such tastes." The cat girl would add, her tail swishing uncontrollably.

Sakura didn't have time to react when Dina struck the mighty dragoness on her face with a mighty slap.

<<"You stupid asshole">> She would say in Sakura's own tongue. <<"Bow down and show some respect">>

"Oi you-"

Slap.

Dina did it again, her face a scowl, before Sakura reluctantly bowed down.

"It's a start." The Russian former noble answered. "You shall serve me as my handmaiden. You don't have enough training and finesse to even attempt to be a regal dragon."

Penny hadn’t yet bothered to go and compile an understanding of any other language, so the short stint of Japanese went over her head. That wasn’t to say that she didn’t catch the gist. She turned a sharp look on Dina and raised an eyebrow. “Why exactly are you browbeating a newcomer into being your handmaiden?” She would ask calmly. Her calm tone belaying the anger that spiked though her at the seeming abusive action of her Regent.

Dina's bluster would be evident. "Well, would you let a 65 yr old crook under a deceptive appearance loose on the Sanctuary girls? She was an old Yakuza prior to this." Dina said, not bothering to hide her distaste for Sakura.

Penny’s eyebrow didn’t lower, but the edge of her look did relent. “Yes.” Came her answer, annoyance in place of anger. “My second friend I made in Penrose was a 67 year old convict who embraced the new life as a second chance.” And she did miss Janet, but she was never sure if she should put up something for her in the memorial or not. She was gone, but she wasn’t exactly dead. It was difficult to categorize.

“Everyone deserves a space where they can be safe, even if that means from others' expectations.” Penny would go on to say. “Besides, most of the girls here can take care of themselves, and if not I am not afraid of standing in for them if they need it.” Her recriminations lacked true heat. Penny was annoyed, but she could see where Dina was coming from.

“Sakura.” She’d turn back to the now dragon girl, “You're free to stay here for as long as you need, and you don’t have to do anything to earn that. If you want to work with Dina, that’s your choice.” She’d say gently. “And only your choice.”

Dina's patience would be tested as the dragon girl in a fast fluid movement, hung her arm around Dina's shoulders, completely destroying her personal space. The poise of a noblewoman and the irated face of a cat about to bite were coexisting on her face.

"Well you heard Swiss Knife-sama. We should get along, Neko-chan. I'm her friend." She cheered with a lawyer's smile."I am sorry for your loss though…come to think of it, my bust is bigger than yours."

It was at this point that Dina extricated herself and began to walk away. "I will be in my room, your Highness." She said.

“Have a good evening, Regent.” Penny would call out to her as Dina left. “And let me know if there is to be a ceremony.” She’d add before turning her attention onto Sakura, a look of disappointment appearing on her face.

“Did I not tell you to be polite just a moment ago?” She'd ask, her voice echoing over to Dina even as the cat girl ostensibly left earshot. “I mean being abrasive to the staff is bad enough, but Dina’s the one who hired them, not me, if you want to get poor service keep it up.”

"I was being polite! When I hear that queenly voice I imagine a tall lady, not a neko loli baba!" Sakura would reply before a sharp pain made her wince."Ow!" She saw one of the maids scamper off after kicking her tail.

"Everyone is being a jerk lately! I fisted Card Liner Piston Cereal just like her sister Juice Tin! And everyone got mad because she was a child! She is not!"

“Physical based discrimination is a lot more common to Monster girls.” Penny would say, not remarking in the least about Sakura getting kicked in the tail by the maid. “And not everyone gets an appearance that they enjoy. Dina’s older than all of us here, far as I can tell anyway. She was a nobility back when she was human. Might be again here soon as a matter of fact.”

“As for the other parts of everyone being jerks, who is Juice and Card?” She would ask, tilting her head a bit in curiosity. She figured those were nicknames, but that did nothing to help her actually narrow down who Sakura was talking about.

"The titty leech! Vice Cereal! Or was it Vicky Real?"

“Von Viceral?” Penny would ask, though she figured that was right. Or at least Penny wasn’t aware of another set of sisters in Penrose other than Justine and Caroline. “My best guess on that end is that you ran afoul of the Crimson Cradle. Justine is a member of theirs now, though I’ve not got a full idea of how that happened.”

“Were you able to take Caroline out for good or did they interfere?”

“I just gave her a good smacking but everyone said she was going to die, including Green-chan and Bunbun-chan, and then the weirdo-chan with the black wings healed us all, so I kinda left. Juice even thanked me for stopping her sister or something. There was Ronin there. And the copy.” Sakura would add.

“Yeah, it sounds like the cradle was trying to capture Caroline for Justine.” Which was a really rapid response plan for them, but then again their memory network would make such plans easy for them to formulate at the drop of a hat.

“Not exactly sure who weirdo-chan is, but I’m guessing you might run into her around her if I’m guessing correctly.” Penny would say. “She’ll try and provoke a fight out of you, if you go with it stick to the gym and no lethal hits.”

“Ronin and Miko make it out of there alright?”

"I think they did. That Sanwhatever, weirdo-chan, kept them close." Sakura added. "I mean I don't like hitting girls but then again I could use a few challenges."

Yup, weirdo-chan was Sann. “She’s a valkyrie and a follower of Odin. Combat is kind of her thing.” Penny would explain.

“You want the tour, or are you good just exploring by yourself?” Penny would ask. Normally there was a third option of having one of the maid’s to give them the tour, but Penny doubted that any of them wanted to deal with Sakura at the moment.

"Can I get the cow lady? She seemed nice." Sakura would add.

“Monica’s not one to give tours” Penny would remark “But if she’s in the kitchen she’d be willing to make you some food if you're hungry.” She’d half turn in her explanation “We can go see if she’s there and ask at the least.”

Sakura just chuckled to herself, muttering something about mama-sans and drinks. But she seemed to be content with just…finding her way out and and about.

“If you want drinks you're going to want to talk to Ashlyn.” Penny would say “She’s the one with the stash. I’ll introduce you so she knows you’re good for it.” She’d add as she turned to guide the way, afterwards she’d leave Sakura to her own. There was plenty of stuff to take care of in the Sanctuary after all, even without everyone moving just yet.

March of the White Rabbit: A Roll-Your-Own Magical Girl Roleplay

&

Roxanna

_{.:⋮Belated Welcoming⋮:.}

Penny kept her gaze on the horizon as contemplated her next course of action. It had been a few days since the Wendigo attacks and she had found herself with a rare open block of time. Nothing needed her direct attention and she had no plans for the moment. She mulled going and seeing how Alex and Lily were, it had been a long time since they had a chance to simply hangout afterall, but that thought brought her to another person instead.

Roxanna.

Penny hadn’t had the chance to actually talk to the other girl before the group had broken up and went their different ways, but she had exchanged numbers. So seeing as she had time, she decided to give the girl a call. Penny had plenty of reasons to check in on the new girl, Beacon responsibilities, Sanctuary responsibilities, Queen responsibilities. But it mainly came down to the fact that Penny liked to help people, and she had a feeling that Roxanna was new to Penrose.

On the outskirts of Penrose, where a quick walk was all that was required to leave behind the works of man and find oneself in the midst of nature itself, Roxanna unplugged her phone charger from the public terminal and started to walk back to her tent in the camp grounds. It wasn’t the most luxurious or comfortable of homes; the tent itself had enough blankets, pillows and cheap camping mattresses to try and combat the cold that she felt like a caterpillar making a cocoon everytime she got into it… but it was for the foreseeable future home.

Without really any plans for the night beyond checking out the app on her phone to see what kind of critters and beasts needed their skulls smashed in… if they had skulls… Roxanna was slightly surprised as her phone started ringing. Not recognizing who’s number it actually was since… Well, she hadn’t gotten around to listing names for everyone who she had gotten the number of a week ago, she took a deep breath as she hit the answer button and responded “Hi, this is Roxanna. Who’s this?”

"Hey Roxanna, this is Penny." Penny would answer "We traded numbers back in the aftermath of the mass Wendigo attack. I wanted to both check in on you and thank you." She was quick to explain. "I live not far from that attack with a few other girls and you being there helped them get away alive from the sounds of things."

Even though they were having the conversation over the phone, Roxanna’s tone betrayed the fact that she was bashfully reaching up to scratch the back of her head. “Aww, you don’t have to do that. I like helping people… Hell, I didn’t even know that there was anyone in danger in the area at the time, but I’m glad to hear they’re doing alright.”

Pausing for a moment, Rox was quick to add “By the way, have you checked out some of the jobs on the app lately?”

"All the more reason to thank you." Penny would reply. "And no, I've not really had time either. Penrose is a madhouse at the best of times, and I've got a number of responsibilities on top of that." Beacon, Sanctuary, and personal projects all took time. And Penny needed to sleep one of the three would likely have to be cut.

"Anything interesting pop up?"

There was a slight click of the tongue on Roxanna’s end as she answered “Hard to say. I’m kind of new to Penrose so I don’t know what’s interesting, weird or day to day here. But I saw a job about helping a girl who seems to be dealing with the mental backlash of some kind of haunted house… Maybe my own psychic abilities can help her.” There was a small pause, likely Roxanna shrugging her shoulders as she asked “What are you up to?”

Penny kept her satisfied smirk to herself. She had assumed that Rozanna was new to Penrose for a few reasons, but being right was still nice. “I really hope this isn’t the prelude to a rise of hauntings.” She would say with a groan instead “I had to exorcize a school a few weeks ago due to a ghosting calling gone really bad.”

“And I’m not really up to much at the moment.” She would answer. “I’m patrolling I guess” Which was true enough after a fashion. “Oh! Since you're new in town you’ve likely not found Brittney’s shop yet have you?” Penny would ask “It’s an artifact shop for the most part, but they do have more mundane things in stock as well. Easily one of the best places to shop for the Maho here.”

“Oh? Where do I find it?” Roxanna asked, a degree of curiosity in their voice as they took a seat at the front of their tent.

“She’s got her store set up just off of Jackson’s and Summer street.” Penny would answer. “Give me a sec” A moment later Roxanna’s phone would receive a pair of texts. One was a map pin of where Brittney’s show was located. The other was a picture of Penny herself waving. “There we go.”

The second picture couldn’t help but get a small, playful smirk. “Thank you for that. If there is anything Penrose has going for it, the presence of so many beautiful girls makes it amazing.”

“I know what you mean” Penny would reply “It feels like the only karmic balance in the city sometimes.” Not that Penny actually disliked the chaos of Penrose most days. Though she figured that had more to do with her monstrous nature more than anything. “In the interest of full disclosure, I do have a girlfriend, but this city is honestly filled with beauties.”

“You can normally find a few girls loitering around Penrose central.” Penny would go on to say, another pin popping up on Roxanna’s phone as she did. “It’s the closest to a completely neutral zone as you can find here. East side of the city is more Beacon, but you can find them all over the place since they’ve got teleporters. The west side is understood to be the Sanctuary’s domain, but they are pretty relaxed so long as you don’t stir up trouble intentionally.”

“...Forgive me for sounding silly but… what exactly is the Sanctuary?” Roxanna asked, slightly embarrassed.

“It’s not silly.” Penny would counter, her smug grin not translating over to the phone at all. “The Sanctuary is a Penrose exclusive thing as far as I know. And it’s what it sounds like; The Sanctuary is an open sanctuary for anyone who needs it. It’s a home and refuge, free of charge and expectation.”

“It tends to cater more towards the more corrupted members, Monstergirls and Dark magicals. But that's more because we don’t have as many people looking out for us, or at least we tend to have more people actively out to abuse us. That said, The Sanctuary doesn’t turn anyone away. Not if they need the help.”

There were a few moments of silence from Roxanna’s side of the phone… before something of an amused puff of air escaped her nose with a distant ‘I’ll tell her’ before she spoke directly into the phone again. “Sorry, my patron was just talking to me for a moment. He wanted me to inform you that they are proud of the work you do Penny. Not the magical girl side of things, but your work with the Sanctuary. Ideally the world would be filled with people willing to offer the disenfranchised and abandoned comfort and respect because humanity is only as grand as it treats the least of its members. Even if you didn’t know it, there are powers that admire the work you do.”

“That being said…” Roxanna continued with some amusement “They haven’t actually told me what kind of work you and the Sanctuary does because they felt like I was better off asking you that question.”

‘Welp, busted I suppose’ Penny would think to herself as she dropped her face into her hand. She couldn’t blush, but that didn’t mean she didn’t feel the phantom sensation of an embarrassed one on her face.

“Fair enough, since I built the place.” Penny would reply, her tone a tad bashful “And my first patron was a near forgotten deity. So while I don’t know who your patron is, I’m aware that there are all sorts out there.”

“As I said, the Sanctuary is open for anyone who needs it. We offer shelter, food, protection and solace.” She’d explain a bit more in detail “I’m working on finding a way of being able to employ some of the girls who live there so that I can pay them. Setting up a scholarship program with the Overcity college has been another idea that I’ve been tossing around as well.”

“Honestly I’m just trying to give all of them a way to get their life in order, and a safe, stable place to fall back to if they need it.” Her voice was wistful as she spoke. “My first six months in the magical world wasn’t pleasant, my patron was a prime asshole, but I have the capability now to make it better for those that get dropped into here. So I am.”

Roxanna… couldn’t help but smile a little as she listened to Penny saying her piece. “...I admit my patron has gone by a few different names over the eons, but as of late he has been going by the name Socialism. I might be speaking for him just a little Penny but you’re the exact kind of person that he adores and believes brings out the best in humanity… and I would love to help you do that.”

There was a slight pause… before she glanced around at her tent before saying “I mean… if you’ll have me. I don’t want to impose or anything…”

“Do you need me to repeat the part of everyone being welcome?” Penny would ask and Roxanna could almost swear she could feel the look Penny had to be sending her from her phone.

“Many hands make even mountains small” Penny would go on to say. “I welcome any help you wish to offer. And even if there isn’t anything you can do, the door is open anyway.” Another map pin would follow that declaration.

“Okay then… I guess I’ll see you there soon then.” Roxanne offered after a few moments.

"I'll meet you there." Penny would retort before ending the call. Seems she had found something to do after all.

Tiny and the Terminator [Mistress Dizzy & Shifter_Master]

Slade watched with a keen eye as Jinny treasured the necklace. It pleased him to know that he’d made a good choice all that time ago. “Not a mess up. Or at least not a critical one. You told only the truth when she asked, even if it wasn’t the truth to her question.” He would say after a moment of his own. “They know your mother was trained, but not the truth of what happened to her yet. Plenty of room for you to use it as a distraction.” He’d explain.

Slade would quietly follow along after Jinny on the way to her dorm. It was a quieter trip than earlier, in the fact that less people were gawking. Wither it was the novelty had worn off or that people were simply more professional down here was anyone’s guess.

Never the less Slade was memorizing the route as they walked, Jinny was in a rare circumstance of knowing more than he did in this instance as he had yet to see below ground. He was suitably impressed by most everything. The coloring scheme was likely always going to be a point of contention however.

Jinny would enter her dorm room and the first thing that she would be able to note is that it looked like her roommate had already made themselves at home. There were little nick-nacks scattered about the living room already. A bright purple throw pillow on the couch, that wasn't a standard issue. A massive intricate dream catcher was hung up on the wall. And an Incense burner sitting on the table, an incense already burning in it as well giving the place an earthy aroma.

As they looked around, the sound of a shower in one of the rooms could be faintly heard. Informing the both of them that the other tenant was already in as well.

Slade would let out a contemplative hum, before turning to Jinny. “I’ll go your luggage and have it sent down.” Slade would say aloud eyes and ears cast to the occupied bedroom. “We can workout when your training will take place once we’ve gotten our schedules. Which should be finalized by the morning.” He would explain just in time for them to hear the shower shut off.

With one last nod, and a gentle pat on the shoulder, Slade quietly slipped away. A teacher might care to know where one’s student lived, but not one of Slade’s reputations. That would be something that needed to be worked on, finding time for them to have outside of training.

That left Jinny alone in her new dorm. Not entirely alone, but still.

Poking around she would find more personal things tucked away in the cabinets, plates with kittens on them, a large box of protein bars, and an exquisite set of cooking knives that were both well used and well maintained.

Over in the living room area there was a handful of movies, mostly slasher vids, with a few cheesy action movies as well. There was a beat to all hell game station, an older model that seemed held together with duct tape and spite. With a small collection of games, JRPGs mainly.

It was while Jinny was looking at the games, she would hear a voice from behind her, one she recognized.

“Fuck”

Turning around Jinny would once again be treated to a young lithe girl. One with gray skin and bright pink hair. She was wearing much less formal clothes now, a tank top and a long pair of shorts, both a faded purple.

She currently had her face in her hand, obviously having already recognized Jinny. “I can’t tell if this is a good thing or a bad thing.” Jinx muttered to herself. Before lifting her head out of her hand to meet Jinny’s eyes.

“Guess this means we are roommates then?”