TheWendil

Grimoiric Heart

Ozma wasn’t sure just how much worse Roma’s delusions could go, just how far her madness ran. But the rogue Magical Girl found new ways to stretch the logical extreme of her arguments as each one of them refuted her in their own way, barring Olivia. Hybridization? Domestication? It sounded ridiculous to Ozma and any other Magical Girl with sense in their heads. “You’re grossly assuming Pageless act like any other species on the planet. We know they’re not,” Ozma pointed out gravely. “What you’re suggesting will only end in feeding more people to the Pageless. They follow the strong in the dark, and the moment they find someone stronger, more coveted in shadow; that’s when they’ll turn on you Tsubasa.”

The red witch spoke cryptically with words worn down by experience and perhaps pity. What happened to Roma that twisted her mind this far? The Magical Girl couldn’t have come to these radical opinions so easily; not the one Ozma knew of when she joined the Ministry all those long years ago. Something was off. Something was still wrong. They still didn’t get any sort of motivation or reasoning behind Roma’s actions from the girl. There had to be a driving force, had to be something that pushed her closer to the Pageless’ desires…unless. “Don’t tell me…is this about Ba-”

The shadows among them deepened and with them the rustled restless sounds of hungry Pageless reacting in kind to Roma’s Grimoire. The line of a murderer among them was concerning and Ozma said nothing of that. The time for talking was over, denounced by Roma herself. The area darkened, her Grimoire revealed, and the rogue’s body was gone, her last words a haunting echo of her true location. “She’s at the school,” Ozma announced. It was foolish. It was downright suicidal. Even if Roma meant to kill students, surely, she should have known it was a fool’s errand to strike the Ministry directly at its heart. Was she that determined to join her partner…?

Magical Girl Ozma pivoted around on her broom, ignoring the darkness, ignoring Roma’s laughter, and ignoring that obvious bait her celestial attendant stood in for. She already sensed the barrier, now murked in the shadows of the Pageless, being chiseled away and worked on outside. She ignored the increasing power around them, the formation of another Apex Pageless, to instead move her hands in patterned motions, practiced and honed over years.

The corrupt spell that held the dark barrier in place faltered, shifting, slowly growing weaker being near Ozma’s presence as if the magic that made it together was slowly absorbed by her. “Get the students out, Waffenhändler. Head back to the Ministry. Moonlight Tsubasa is either on a suicide mission or she’s trying a blitzkrieg,” she said, knowing the German would instantly catch on to how much speed was of the essence. “Either way, catching Tsubasa is the priority. If she slips away again then this was all for nothing. You catch that too Oros?” she called out to the other side of the barrier.

Something let out a bestial groan deep in the dark mall, peeks of light spreading out as the barrier cracked from Ozma and Oros’ efforts. The Apex Pageless, freshly manifested, was coming. And yet, Ozma only grinned, turning her sights on Maria now. “You’re up Morning Star. That’s your cue.” Not Maria. Her Magical Girl name. The look between senior Magical Girls was clear; Ozma expected Maria to hold off the Apex Pageless. “Join us as fast as you can,” was the last thing Ozma said to the teacher before slamming her hands together with a thunderous clap. The air stifled and the wind picked up. A great and thunderous red force emanated between Ozma’s palms and as she slowly pulled them apart, horrendous crimson winds flew out from her hands, tearing apart the weakened dark barrier in torn fragments and silvers. “All of you, go now, off and Far to Another Land.”

The barrier was broken. All of them save Maria were expected to head to the Ministry. Even as the dark barrier remnants shattered and the sunlight seeped through, it did little to stop the Apex Pageless’ approach. It hovered with a dark aura, floating right before Maria singled out as Ozma flew about to coax every other girl back the way they came. It stared the teacher down, hellish mantle of a weapon glowing with infernal flames like the dying embers of the mall.

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Grimoiric Heart

So what I'm getting from this is Revised Grimoires are just Pageless edited Grimoires. As opposed to Alters which just come freshly distorted. Is that basically what this boils down to.

Grimoiric Heart

I'll post around mid-week.

Gods, Angels, Demons in New Haven Definitive HD Mix Edition

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Montag Detectives Limited was almost a boring place. It fit the dry and unassuming atmosphere of its locale and choice of residence with a scenery that fit more into a docking sailor’s novel than anything short of detective work. But Jane found herself captivated and surprised by the strange and humorous faces about her, especially when told the water was free. “Oh no way! Thanks mister, I right really appreciate that,” she told Cathal. She’d down her cup of water before scrambling out her seat like some limber-legged arachnid to fill her cup again before taking her spot once more with a grin at Robyn too. The man of the hour soon arrived while she sipped.

Mr. Montag himself; honestly, Jane expected someone older to be running the place, maybe around Cathal’s age. She kept those thoughts to herself though, more amazed someone so young could hobble together a business like this. As he paced about and strode past the newbies, giving his orders and expectations, Jane tilted her head. “Introductions? Um.…sir, didn't you read our resume?" she asked. Robyn shared the same sentiment; even Abigail changed up the instructions. Did that sort of freestyle chain of command happen often around here?

Before Jane inquired about that, someone else burst out through the front door. The wood rattled, the place already rotting and decrepit and Jane held her cup tightly to keep the water from spilling. Such was Marie’s loud racket of an introduction. “Hey that’s not…I thought that was for everyone…” she said with some deflation as Marie broadly took the liquor bottle and practically downed all that was left. Jane’s frown lasted only a heartbeat before curiosity spiked her interest and the first case was revealed. So much for an evaluation of their skills. Perhaps a trial by fire was best.

“Oh wow, lemme see that.” Jane crept up behind Robyn to peak at the pictures, casually sipping her water just over her shoulder. “That guy got totally totaled! And that guy….are his eyes missing? Er, are you sure we’re really up to something like this as our first case? This seems kind of hardcore and I don’t have any experience with murderers….” All the same, Jane grabbed a random paper if only because she was forced to, wondering what connection there could be.

A paranormal gang? Some monster going after organized gangs out of vengeance?

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Gods, Angels, Demons in New Haven Definitive HD Mix Edition

I'll be posting tomorrow more likely.

Grimoiric Heart

I forgot Maria had to go.

Grimoiric Heart

Who are we waiting on.

Tower of Fable

A deep and hot pressure pushed on Thomas’s chest but the sensation lasted for only a heartbeat. Harley’s mismatched gaze traced over the boy before an eye as red as blood and an eye as deep as the ocean stared right at him. Harley’s expression was quiet and devoid of emotion and she stared through the boy’s skull, Kanbaru and Akiko’s makeshift make up ignored. It lasted no more than the same heartbeat with the boy smothered in whale and Akiko taking his place with explanations. Funny. The two Jesters ensuring the boy lived. It was ironic.

It was so funny Harley cracked a smile, her madness caught by Akiko as the youngest of them turned to her. “That’s funny. You’re funny. Best not to say any more stupid things funny boy,” said Harley. She pinched Thomas’s cheek and pulled it around even as Kanbaru’s chest smothered the back of his head. She’d only let go when she felt more people enter her Casino. It felt as if she’d lapse into another one of her staring silences before her grin only curved.

New acquaintances, new souls to caress and gamble. Both former Magical Girls. Now wasn’t that so interesting? It was even funnier both of them were champions of rival Vassals. That was too much of a laugh to pass up on. “Fine. I’m all ears Hello Kitty,” Harley addressed Akiko, smoothly resting back in her chair, ultimately uncaring of the newbies wandering her halls. “Let’s chat.”

Further away were two distinct bunny girls who clearly didn’t fit. But Marianne saw no difference in Farris’s demeanor, at least none that affected her current sights. Instead, she only yanked the other Vassal’s collar harder as if trying to make her gasp. “Come along pup. You’re going to sniff out my dearly beloved~ Maybe then I won’t pawn you off to Harley for a week,” she said with a giggle. Even so, the very real threat of that underlaid Marianne’s words, dragging Farris by her heels if she had to. She could practically taste Thomas…

Even further away was the bar and Katie ruminating her cousin’s words. “I think I heard the others encounter Itsuko. She’s as bad as you when it comes to adventuring,” she said, putting her milkshake cup down. “I disappeared because I didn’t want to be found. Simple as that,” she followed up, suddenly finding this conversation annoying. Or too personal. She left her chair if only to pursue Riku. Apparently, the threat of constant watch and punishment wasn’t enough of a detraction for the princess.

Katie noted Riku’s lack of wolf ears, wondering then if that was because they were no longer inside the Tower or if Harley hated Lola that much. Well, “hate” in all the ways Harley could fathom. “How about we don’t steal anything? Are you trying to piss the patron off?” she grumbled, beckoning Erika to follow. “Come on. Someone has to keep an eye on that idiot before she does something to get us all kicked out-”

Too late. One of Harley’s deformed bunny girls blocked Riku’s path, the princess bumping right into it. It stared down at her with hands on its hips and face too close. Maybe it thought Riku was just another server in the club? That had to be the case as the bunny girl yanked Riku by her wrist and started to drag her away to other workers and her new role among the Casino.

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Grimoiric Heart

“You’re absolutely right Olivia,” Ozma called out, adjusting positions on her broom. The air in the room wasn’t invisible or unreadable, far from it. No matter the circumstance of Roma’s last meeting, all the other Magical Girls noted her with apprehension. She didn’t need words to put them on edge, not when the Pageless encompassed behind Roma like a veil of walking darkness. “We’re all Magical Girls here, right? We should be on the same side; opposing the Pageless.”

She didn’t need to bring out the obvious; every girl in the mall could clearly see which side Roma fell on, literally. Her stance and position were only further clarified with Roma’s speech, Ozma tilting her head curiously. She said nothing though it seemed the thin layer of tell-tale madness enforced Roma’s belief. Something was indeed off, be it Roma’s magic or just the level of misplaced conviction in her tone. But something was off and Ozma focused her sights as if staring at something no one else could see. Roma’s goals sounded noble on surface and yet…

“Let me get this straight. Assuming you are responsible for the recent Pageless attacks, what you’re asking for sounds impossible. You say we seek out the darkness, but I think you’re missing some very important context there Roma,” said the redheaded witch. “Even if your Pageless didn’t attack us, they’ll attack other people, just as they’ve always have in history. The only reason they’d follow a Magical Girl is if your heart was drenched in shadow, not strength. Bleh, I can’t believe you're making me give a "serious" speech,” she finished in air quotes.

Something was off. Roma wasn’t doing anything. She barely moved a muscle and her Pageless horde lay controlled and rigid like attack dogs waiting for an order to strike. She wasn’t doing anything; so why did something feel off? Focus. She had to focus harder. “That's what you what then?” Ozma asked. Something was off. “So long as history and darkness exists, Magical Girls and Pageless will always be in opposition.” Something was wrong. “What’s your plan to end all of that?” And she knew what it was. Ozma narrowed her eyes, noting the magic around Roma truly was different from last time.

“Final question. Where’s your real body?”

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Gods, Angels, Demons in New Haven Definitive HD Mix Edition

I can tell Cathal and Jane will get along just fine.

Ignore the misspost, I’m blind.