I'm pushing my Agenda: we should flirt with Alice and make it known that we find her eyes absolutely beautiful.
The fact that it will likely give us a clue on how she uses magic without being a MaGi is secondary. We should focus on how cute she is when blushing.
I'm pushing my Agenda: we should flirt with Alice and make it known that we find her eyes absolutely beautiful.
The fact that it will likely give us a clue on how she uses magic without being a MaGi is secondary. We should focus on how cute she is when blushing.
Adhoc vote count started by Blanaa on Aug 3, 2024 at 10:08 PM, finished with 49 posts and 8 votes.
[x] Plan Easy Upgrades -[x] Gae Bolg --[x] [Gae Bolg] Mutation β: (Lightweight Materials) (Improves Injury chance for actions using this Weapon by 10) (While In Railgun Form, Injury chance effect is nullified) (Passive) --[x] [Gae Bolg - Railgun] Mutation ω: (Overwhelming Force) (Railgun Exclusive) (Overload the Gae Bolg's Capacitors to unleash your first attack at a fraction of lightspeed, guaranteeing a hit against all but the fastest of enemies while doing grievous damage) (If the attack is Exploding Dice or Multi Attack, Consider all Rolled Dice a Hit up to a Maximum of Five times, Rolling only to check for Criticals (If used against Superior Magicals or Certain Boss type enemies, add a + 30 to hit instead and roll as normal) (On Critical, Guarantee a Critical Wound is inflicted, regardless of enemy defensive Abilities) (Ignores Armor) (Ignores Death Ward) (Ignores Parry Dice/Effects) (Renders Gae Bolg Unusable for 1d3 Days) (Requires 80% of Gae Bolgs Shots remaining (Rounded Up)) (Considered a Lethal Action) (After being used 5 Times, this Mutation will Update with additional effects/Requirements) --[x] Gae Bolg ELIGIBLE FOR MOD UPGRADE
[x] Plan Time for Friends. Alice's Sleep Over! -[x] (Write-In) Let Mum and Dad know about your sleepover with Alice Tonight. Text them if necessary. -[x] Morning --[x] Interaction Option (Effects PEP for Magical Girls (33% Base Chance.) (Effects ??? For Non-Magical Girls (25% Chance) (Specifying Actions / Topics improves chances on a Case by Case Basis): ---[x] Alice (See how she's doing. Confirm you'll be there for the sleep over. Doing Cosplay stuff is almost a certainty but ask about what else she may have planned tonight? Is there anything you should bring over?) -[x] Afternoon --[x] Read Magical Audio Book (Grendel) 50% chance of adding +10 to training rolls to Grendel's Arm --[x] Read Mundane Audio Book (Balmung) 40% chance of adding +10 to training rolls to Balmung --[x] Practice with your cores. (NOTE: This is only available once per day) ---[x]Your Chrono Core, you've gotten that slowing of time to three quarters…. But maybe it's time to start pushing it harder. Can you get to half speed? (+ 1d10 to Chrono Core Mastery) (NOTE: Will Involve Meeting with Lorica, But Provides a +50% To the result) -[x] Night --[x] Sleep Over with Alice! Make sure you brought everything you need!
[x] Plan Shield Upgrades -[x] Babr-e Bayan --[x] Babr-e Bayan Mutation C: (Dragonscale) (Once a Week, You may call upon the Spirit of Babr-e Bayan and Challenge him to a Duel. If you Successfully defeat him, this Mutation will Upgrade into a Modifier) --[x] Babr-e Bayan Mutation α: (Cloak of Resistance) (Once per day, choose an element (Fire, Ice, Wind, Earth) (Attacks of that Element deal reduced damage for the day. Major Wounds become Minor, and Minor wounds of that type heal in one turn) (Passive) --[x] Babr-e Bayan ELIGIBLE FOR MOD UPGRADE
Alrighty then~ Gae Bolg upgrades and Spending time with Alice it is~
Pretty sure Striker won the mod option, but do correct me if I'm wrong~
Lets do some rolls~
We'll bump that morning interaction option up to 33% from 25, anddddd.... That's a success~ Well now, this'll be fun to do~
Sadly no dice on Grendel's Audio Book. But Balmung responds to your mental call of learning more about it. So goodie
And when it comes to Core practice, you get the Maximum result of 10, which then gets a 50% boost from Lorica meddling, so thats a total of 15 in one day.
I'm profoundly curious for Gae Bolg spear form because in Legend it's a cursed spear that but instantly killed anything get stabbed by growing brambles in their organs the tragedy of the spirit is it only ever actually killed people the wielder loved I'm profoundly curious how you're going to write the fuck up instant kill spare without making it overpowered
[x] Plan Time for Friends. Alice's Sleep Over!
-[x] (Write-In) Let Mum and Dad know about your sleepover with Alice Tonight. Text them if necessary.
-[x] Morning
--[x] Interaction Option (Effects PEP for Magical Girls (33% Base Chance.) (Effects ??? For Non-Magical Girls (25% Chance) (Specifying Actions / Topics improves chances on a Case by Case Basis):
---[x] Alice (See how she's doing. Confirm you'll be there for the sleep over. Doing Cosplay stuff is almost a certainty but ask about what else she may have planned tonight? Is there anything you should bring over?)
-[x] Afternoon
--[x] Read Magical Audiobook (Grendel) 50% chance of adding +10 to training rolls to Grendel's Arm
--[x] Read Mundane Audiobook (Balmung) 40% chance of adding +10 to training rolls to Balmung
--[x] Practice with your cores. (NOTE: This is only available once per day)
---[x]Your Chrono Core, you've gotten that slowing of time to three quarters…. But maybe it's time to start pushing it harder. Can you get to half speed? (+ 1d10 to Chrono Core Mastery) (NOTE: Will Involve Meeting with Lorica, But Provides a +50% To the result)
-[x] Night
--[x] Sleepover with Alice! Make sure you bring everything you need!
[x] Plan Easy Upgrades
-[x] Gae Bolg
--[x] [Gae Bolg] Mutation β: (Lightweight Materials) (Improves Injury chance for actions using this Weapon by 10) (While In Railgun Form, Injury chance effect is nullified) (Passive)
--[x] [Gae Bolg - Railgun] Mutation ω: (Overwhelming Force) (Railgun Exclusive) (Overload the Gae Bolg's Capacitors to unleash your first attack at a fraction of lightspeed, guaranteeing a hit against all but the fastest of enemies while doing grievous damage) (If the attack is Exploding Dice or Multi Attack, Consider all Rolled Dice a Hit up to a Maximum of Five times, Rolling only to check for Criticals (If used against Superior Magicals or Certain Boss type enemies, add a + 30 to hit instead and roll as normal) (On Critical, Guarantee a Critical Wound is inflicted, regardless of enemy defensive Abilities) (Ignores Armor) (Ignores Death Ward) (Ignores Parry Dice/Effects) (Renders Gae Bolg Unusable for 1d3 Days) (Requires 80% of Gae Bolgs Shots remaining (Rounded Up)) (Considered a Lethal Action) (After being used 5 Times, this Mutation will Update with additional effects/Requirements)
Modifier Option:
[x] The Second Form: Striker: Gae Bolg is said to have Seven Forms, and Striker is no exception, like one strikes a match, this blade blazes with brilliant scarlet flames. Each crackle, each surge, said to contain a burning piece of its originators monstrous soul. A blade carved of bone, yet shining like metal. Each wound caused by it sears and burns with flames so hot not even ashes are left. (Unlocks Gae Bolg's Blade Form) (Consumes Charges to Swing) (Each swing has variable chance to hit, but on hit, deals 2d4 Fire Damage (Varies with Resistance)) (Additional Charges may be spent to turn a swing into a Blade Wave, Adding 1d4 Fire Damage) (Additional Charges may be spent to Parry, rolling a 1d20 and Parrying a hit on 15 up. Refunded if Parry does not occur) (Each Successful Swing inflicts 1 Minor Wound on you)
Rolls:
Morning Alice Interaction: 77
Audio Book: Grendel: 18
Audio Book: Balmung: 75
Chrono Core Practice: 10
Effects:
Major Effects:
- Gae Bolg Gains Lightweight Materials Mutation
- Gae Bolg Gains Overwhelming Force Mutation
- Gae Bolg Gains The Second Form: Striker Modifier
- Gae Bolg unlocks Sword Form: Striker
- Alice Gains 1 ??? (Will Activate and be consumed if in Mortal Danger)
- Chrono Core gains 15 Experience? Training? Progression? (29/40)
Minor Effects:
- Gain +10 on next Balmung Training Roll
POV: The Director
Assumptions are dangerous.
It was your mentor's favorite saying. Something he'd quote at every opportunity, every time you made the smallest of guesses, assumptions.
He'd have you explain why you thought something, and then give you five more reasons as to what could actually be happening or have happened.
Thoroughly drilling the phrase into you over hours upon hours of rigorous training. Whether that be in spars, or in lecture sessions so dry they made you actually miss your university days…
He might have been a walking fossil, but if there's one thing you could say about him, it was that he was a superb leader.
Unlike you.
You have literally zero experience leading. Or, Well… you can lead small teams. But you've never been cut out to deal with an entire organization.
And yet, here you are… sitting in the big chair, face in your hands as the recording from yet another fight plays out before your eyes. With who knows how many people waiting for an opinion in some dark room however far away.
Looking at fights, breaking them down. You can work with that. You can do that.
But looking at the bigger picture, to deal with an entire organization of people, and assign them where they're needed based on it, that's a big ask.
You're in over your head. So. Damn. Much.
You glance over to the picture frame on your desk, the old school wooden one, with a physical picture inside rather than the newer, fancier holographic ones.
A finger tracing over the rough letters carved into it…
Taken from a tree near your first home as a family with Samantha, the carved in heart a crude thing…
But it's something your first daughter had been so proud of, having stolen your tools from the garage, and then dragged both you and Sam to show.
The memory helps to raise your spirits, as you trace a finger over the "Love you" with a small heart.
Pushing away some of the doubt as you do the thing you suck at, and focus on the bigger picture.
You can self loathe and doubt yourself when you don't have people relying on you for the umpteenth time. Or in the privacy of Samantha's embrace…
A breath hisses out of your lips a bit louder than you intended, but you slide the screen in front of you to the side. Taking a gulp of coffee and emptying the last of your thermo's.
The aerial view of Purple and Aqua's fight continues from where you'd paused it, screen split in half to show both what MagiComm and ICON's drones managed to get.
You take no small amount of pride in noting that MagiCom's footage is far clearer then ICON's. But you suppose you do get some of the more expensive surveillance tech compared to ICON's more experimental combat stuff.
But, despite the footage, you're coming to the realization that Purple's definitely doing this fight for a reason, rather than just some random duel she decided to take.
While you've had drones in the air during her other duels, at least after Argent's "loss", this fight is far more… informative. The camera's in this fight are less blurry, less sections suffering seemingly random data corruption or distortions.
Hell, you can see her face rather than some pixelated, vaguely demon shaped thing.
And, while for some odd reason, the face seems strangely familiar, that can be explained away as the Magical Girl System doing some weird perception shenanigans to keep you from recognising who it is. Everyone gets the same sensation when looking at a Magical Girl whose face you know in civilian form.
And considering just how many people you know? It'd be stranger if you didn't get the sensation.
Though the strength is intriguing…
Your eyes roam over the now revealed face for Imperial Purple, taking in her whole figure with a slight narrow of your gaze to memorize every bit of her.
Slightly more on the mature side of the spectrum when it comes to Magicals, another oddity, though not that far off base.
The System tends to downage a Magicals appearance when transformed, something to do with younger girls being seen as less of an outright threat, but there are obvious opposites as well.
Knight's a good example, looking older than she actually is when in Magical Girl form. Lilly might be the same actually… but you can't remember if you've seen her when she's not in Magical form…
Something to follow up on for another reference maybe? She'd have some good insight when it comes to the equipment Purple uses, same with Morgrimsson.
Running through Analysis' report, you're told Purples a Null, which still matches up with all the other reports on her Mana. Or lack thereof.
And then comes the next point of contention and oddness.
Because in the space of two frames, in at least one 120th of a second, she flickers from one position to the next. Going from standing a few meters from Aqua to right up against her.
If that's not magic, you're a little scared to ask WHAT it actually is.
Cause the only other logical answer is physical force, and the ground is very much not cratered where she was standing.
Nulls can't use magic, that's the System given truth. They can't physically absorb and route the mana through their bodies, some can absorb it, most really. But they can't control it for some reason.
And yet, here you are, witnessing Purple practically teleporting. Hell, even the drone's sensors say there's a spatial distortion when she moves.
Not to mention the more obvious sign near the end of the fight. Random Lightning bolts in purple and red tend to be a rather clear indicator of magic.
Especially with how you don't see any weapons that could explain that away.
What does that mean?
You've got a Null running around that can use Magic when she definitely shouldn't be able to. One who you don't have any control over or even a means to really contact.
Add in ICON and by extension, the Council's worries… and you can feel more headaches coming…
Did you mention the literal armory she seems to be carrying? Because that's yet more to add to the list.
The strange force amplifying gauntlets, a shotgun of sorts that causes sonic based damage, a sword that's able to, in Azure's words, manipulate energy or momentum in some form, a bat that does something similar, weird cracked halo thing that you're pretty sure is equipment rather then something cosmetic and a barrier.
Also has the seemingly endless number of grenades that she pulls out of thin air, can't forget that too.
When Null's shouldn't get access to barriers, and equipment in general, being cut off from system access and all that.
Which begs more questions as to where she's getting everything. Outside connections probably.
You stare at the blurry picture of a sword taken from Knight's recording device. The actual shape itself isn't blurred, but the minute details are. Embroidery, identifying markings, even the colors shift whenever you blink or look at it again.
You'd guess her Fae's responsible for that, the System doesn't usually interfere with weapon pictures. Hell, if it does, it usually sharpens and enhances images for them.
A thought runs through your head, and you hum silently with a slight tilt of your head. You suppose she could have a Mechanor… it'd help explain all the extra gear she has.
Though you'd have to wonder how she's paying them… Maybe something she's finding in dungeons? Or she could be from a rich family?
…If they know she's a magical girl, and support it, they could be funding her purchases…
Mechanor's don't really value money that highly, so it'd be exorbitant amounts… but that doesn't mean her equipment couldn't be bought from them….
Maybe something akin to Argent's Evolving Axe subtype? The price might've been decreased with the Mechanor seeing her as an investment, whereupon she gained a low class Evolving item, and through rigorous use and practice it's turned into the gauntlets or sword she has now?
…It's a decent answer for the Council you suppose, but you know for a fact they'll want more.
If you run by that theory, she has multiple pieces of equipment that she's basically been powerleveling through some unknown means. You can write off her combat experience for the time being, all Magical Girls get some degree of that ingrained into them when they contract, and it's not hard to say she just got the lionshare of that in place of magical abilities to help even out her contract.
But, she also got some way to cast magic, and that's what stumps your explanation the most… Well, and the fact she managed to completely destroy Azure's much higher tier weapon on a first encounter… but you know she had the gauntlets then, so she actually could've been active in the city longer than you'd known….
Which brings her even higher on the list of possible threats in the council's eyes if you mention that.
You grumble and sigh at the singularity and spectacular conundrum that is Imperial Purple, glancing at the last little clip you have on a third screen.
One showing her slipping out of a Rift with an Interloper… some never before seen Type at that.
With magic readings that are the definition of Off the Charts.
…More questions on if she's Friend or Foe you suppose… many, many more questions…
ICON says they destroyed the interloper, but, according to them, the Plasma Incinerator prototype they used did its namesake and incinerated the body…
You're very much looking forward to rubbing it in their faces when it appears again.
Because, as they say.
Assumptions are Dangerous, and assumptions about Purple are proving to be even more dangerous then you assumed…
POV: Azure Blue
"I mean, she likes Manholes about as much as you do now, so that could be a bonding opportunity, right?"
You stare at Argent with the most absurd, are you okay, is this really you conveying look that you can at the question.
The sheer absurdity of it rattling your brain as you snap to look at her faster than you've ever moved before. Barely managing to get the words out of your mouth before you strangle the growl at your friend.
"What?!"
"Really, If you think about it, you both got beaten by a manhole cover in some way right? She ended up tripping over one, and that caused her focus to break… and you got one punched into your face… so like, you both have something in common now… Hehe…"
"What?! Argent! No!"
"But… doesn't it kind of make sense?"
"It doesn't, no, not at all… I'm not… I'm not becoming friends with Aqua. You're not thinking of trying are you?"
She does that annoying thing where she looks up at your taller form, tapping two fingers together with a sheepish expression… And you can only growl in response as she holds up both hands in a soothing gesture.
"I mean… I know we kind of got off to a s-shakey start…"
"She literally digs into your head and-"
"That's just how she fights! You can't really fault her for it. That's like me saying I can't be friends with you cause you use a katana and do annoying quickdraw attacks."
"Argent!... No."
"It's fine! Trust me! We've all got something to trauma bond over now! Getting our ass whooped to us by Purple! It's like the perfect time to try and bring her over to our cause!"
"We have a cause?"
"Of course!" She hops up onto one of the benches in the hallway, clean chrome walls glinting as a bit of her magic flares out into a warm, red hue. "We're Magical Girls on a mission to save the world! And you know we need all the help we can get."
Your palm meets your face as Argent giggles after holding a straight face for a second or two longer than the last time she said that.
A sigh from yourself and a shake of your head as you look back up at her, the giggle having shifted to a smile you don't exactly like… like she's amused by some joke only she knows, the one she gets occasionally after one of her weird, phased out moments.
"Seriously… we don't really have a goal Aya… I mean, I've got mine, I'm going to find those damn Nulls, and -"
There's a click of heels striking stone, cracking your focus as Aya settles in front of you again.
"This uh… might be a bit repetitive… but, are you sure it was Nulls?"
You have to twitch a bit to suppress the instinctive glare, not wanting to aim that at your best friend.
"Of course it was. I felt them! That horrible, off putting feeling. That weird… thing, like your stomach is dropping, and every nerve in your body is screaming at you. Whenever a Null is near, you just know."
"And you're sure it felt the same as Purple did? You know, now that you've actually, fully met a Null."
You blink at her, and when she doesn't budge, you nod.
"It felt the same."
You notice a slight narrowing of your partner's eyes. A slight clench of her features. The way her eyes lose just a little bit of the cheery glitter they normally always have.
She's been a Magical longer than you, if only by a month or two… and even you aren't blind to her frustration at your obsession.
But, even then, you know she's not gone through what you did. She's not seen the way your home was turned into a scorched pile of ash.
She's not seen how the higher ups in charge of this place buried the incident after a paltry investigation, and ignored what you told them you saw.
It's frustrating for you too. Knowing that every attempt you've made to find out more has either led to nothing or been stonewalled by some lack of access…
A loud clap draws you out of your rumination, to Aya who's clapped both hands onto her cheeks, back to her normal cheery self as the seriousness in her expression melts away.
"Well okay then!"
…You don't like the look in her eyes, that look of her starting to plot and scheme some backwards way to get you to do something…
"Aya, no."
"Aya, Yes!"
POV: Fia
Another morning without your parents… which is weird with a capital W. Lillia doesn't seem to have noticed, or maybe she just doesn't care about it as much, but having gone two days without physically seeing both Mum and Dad has you very confused.
Mum's always, ALWAYS, there to wake you up in the morning, to help you with your ribbon and what else… yet, she's not today as well.
Nor is Dad around to offer his morning grumblings of work and lighten the morning for both you and your sister…
It's not like they've completely vanished, Mum's made food that's fresh on the table when you wake, still steaming and filling the house with an amazing scent. And Dad's written out a note to say he's sorry he's so busy.
You wonder why, but you assume the company's maybe making them work over time or something with the holidays coming up.
School's also over after today, so, you'll have three months or so of time to yourself, without teachers being annoying and people thinking dumping water on your head is a good idea.
Jokes on them, it has absolutely no effect on you, even if it amuses them for some weird reason.
Back on topic, as you walk towards school with Alice and your sister in your usual little grouping.
Though Jishiro has decided to join you, even after the slight glare you give him for vanishing on your sister the day before.
Guy has no right being as absolutely swelled with muscles as he is, somehow managing to complete the strong, proud knight with his fragile, sweet princess vibe to a T.
Even if you know Lillia would probably resent the princess remark… You very much avoid her confused gaze as her head snaps to yours.
You flick through your phone for a moment, quickly tapping out a message to your parents, reminding them of your sleepover with Alice tonight.
Mum gives you a weird response, "Good Luck"... and dads just as confusing with his "Go get em" and way too many exclamation marks… you also get a thumbs up from mum and a winking emoticon from dad…
You glance up at Alice, showing her your phone as you shrug.
She flushes a bit red, but gives you a nod, a joy filled smile, and a generally positive answer, even if the sputter at the start is confusing.
But eh, she seems happier if the slight skip in her step is anything. So you don't complain. And hug her arm just a bit tighter.
It's very, very amusing when she misses a step and stumbles for a brief second.
"Continue Friend? Or More time with back in dirt need?"
You silently groan as you blink, noting the amber hued sky above and Lorica's smiling face looking down at you from her spot sitting on a tree stump.
Somehow, the elf has an owl sitting on her head, the thing glaring at you with its large, looming eyes as though it's peering into your very soul.
Though whatever stern image it might have had is broken when Lorica brings a hand up and strokes it, the owl leaning into it and peering at you with the smuggest look you've ever seen…
Your glare does nothing to it, and you silently hmph with a roll of your eyes. Rising up off the ground and dusting some of the dirt off you.
Paper ruffles, and you ask Lorica if it's really necessary to keep hitting you like this while you practice… she giggles at you and almost thrums with energy as she stands. Slowly approaching with the owl hopping off onto her shoulder.
"Trancing both good and bad. Immersion in magic, good for practice, bad for fight. Big fight against Magical, proof of concept no?"
You nod to her, slowly closing your eyes as you breathe out and feel your cores.
"Sink into weave of magic, feel how magic weird here. Very weird… In first world, magic wild, magic free. Like squiggly lines drawn by child. Forming picture, But many colour. Yet here, magic clean. Magic organized."
It's… hard to really feel like Lorica says… lacking the innate thing that all other people seem to have and being a Null… but, at the same time, it's much easier because of it.
You shift into your cores… focusing deeply into them. Into the brightly lit, mirror-filled expanse of your Void Core, so brightly lit it feels almost as though it's about to explode, packed full of energy and spinning around far faster than it ever has before while idling. Then into your Chrono core, the sundial so large it still confounds you, as the shattered purple moon above glows brightly, brighter than before if you really think about it.
"Magic me, is like vine on tree. Maybe vine's, in constant spiral. Round and round, up tree. Seeking sunlight. But magic different all. Feel magic, feel your magic."
You focus on the familiar feeling of your cores, on drawing on them. Gently pulling on your void core. Dimming the lights just a bit as you try and feel the abstract yet solidly real form of magic.
… Your magic is weird… it always has been, centered around reframing things around logical concepts. Void magic framed as light, or the reflection of mirrors for space. Time reframed as a ticking clock. Or, well… a clock that doesn't tick but constantly moves with the shadow cast from the moon.
"And dodge!"
Somehow, Lorica expects you to dodge the blast of orange light she fires at you. And while you're pretty sure you'd be able to do that from most other magicals, Lorica is another question entirely.
The bolt slips past your bubble, slips past any warning from your senses. And slaps into Babr-e Bayan's hexagons with a blast of force strong enough to send your tumbling back into the dirt.
"Mh…Dodge need work. Too rely on weird magic in combat. Not enough on mundane Combat sense… We do again."
You give your elf friend a little glare, grumbling silently in your head. But, you set back up, and focus in on your cores once again.
This… might take a while…
One more chapter down. A few different POV's to enjoy in this one, a brief snapshot into the heads of many characters for you all to enjoy~
Last scenes a bit broken up, but we'll be returning to it in part 2 most likely, Got plenty of plan to continue going over afteralll~ You'll probably be able to ssee the changes brought about by this modifier and these mutations as well to Gae Bolg's form~ So that should be fuuun~
As always, gimme your thoughts, your opinons, your plans and what else~ Love hearing from each an every one of you~!
At this point I really want an Interloper themed after a manhole cover to show up, then watch in bewilderment as a team of traumatized magical girls turn around and run screaming into the distance. "I...guess this means I win?"
Boy, we got lucky crossing paths with someone who can train us like Lorica.
you know for Fia being so overwhelmingly gay who told me ever really show an interest in the one girl who hates her (Azure)
but like seriously though she's so dense to literally every other character attraction to her for almost literally every other character she gives up all they're cute it'd be nice if they were like a soccer uniform though but that's not the response you should be giving to your best friend who's all but throwing themselves at you
FIA STOP FUMBLING THE BAG
you know for Fia being so overwhelmingly gay who told me ever really show an interest in the one girl who hates her (Azure)
but like seriously though she's so dense to literally every other character attraction to her for almost literally every other character she gives up all they're cute it'd be nice if they were like a soccer uniform though but that's not the response you should be giving to your best friend who's all but throwing themselves at you
FIA STOP FUMBLING THE BAG
Oh jeez Alice has it bad for Filia. Maybe I'm a little dense myself if I didn't see this sooner.
Argent seeming to be in better spirits now. That's good. And it seems she has plans for Azure. And Purple and oh boy where is this going? This'll be fun.
DadThe Director having to pull some hard overtime over Purple. Sad but understandable. He made some good theories about her thus far. He's off the mark but not by much. And he know's about Morgana now though they think she got destroyed by those ICON jerks. Really though the council really reallyreally doesn't want a strong and capable Null out there if there being this insistent on getting that intel but also manipulating their system to granting MaGi bonus EXP for fighting purple.
Like holy moly the Nulls are just such a sour point for the Fae. It makes me wonder what the hell happened but at the same time it makes me giddy. The Fae need to take many more 'L's before this whole thing is said and done.
The Fae appear to be at least semi-aware of the time travel stuff and really damn salty about their work being set back so much, so my guess is Fillia retroactively giving Nulls a bad name from breaking reality so much.
I have a Crock-Pot Theory that's fia is the first and only real nulls but then her time travel Shenanigans created such a large error it made every other null are the chances of this being correct low but I'm surprisingly lucky so maybe
Lore is that there were Nulls out there that did have the system before "something" happened. And it wasn't so much that the Fae cut the Nulls off but it was a Null that deliberately cut (themselves(?)/ all the Nulls(?)) off deliberately.
(No system. No limits.) There's a running theory that even though the system provides definite benefits to Magical Girls, there's a hidden restrictive element to it. It's also definitely a means for the Fae to exert their influence and control, and it reeks of their bias. It's also probably a good reason why Knight has hit something of a wall to her own personal growth. She sees inconsistencies in the system but hasn't made any conclusions as to what's going on with it.
The Fae appear to be at least semi-aware of the time travel stuff and really damn salty about their work being set back so much, so my guess is Fillia retroactively giving Nulls a bad name from breaking reality so much.
I have a Crock-Pot Theory that's fia is the first and only real nulls but then her time travel Shenanigans created such a large error it made every other null are the chances of this being correct low but I'm surprisingly lucky so maybe
So, I wanted an entry for the Summerfest omake contest, and I had an idea for this quest. Have an omake.
An Alternate Start
Alice's chattering had died down as you ate. And it gave you a bit to organize your thoughts.
Or it would have.
Were it not for a blue glowing circle that lit up under her feet…
"Huh? A teleport circle? Wh-"
And then she was gone. In fact… you quickly looked around, and saw that everyone around you was gone.
A siren started wailing, and you saw hundreds of hexagons form a dome around the building as you ran for the window…
And then space ripped open in the central courtyard you had been eating in. A jagged tear splitting the air wide as a hand with too many fingers wretched the gap wider. A glowing blue eye stared at the floor, looking around as you ducked out of view, purely on instinct.
Something thumped onto the ground, the metal on a table squealing in protest before giving way as a larger thud fell down. The sound of chairs scratching on the ground and tipping over.
You didn't dare look…
Until you suddenly felt a cold wind on your back. It felt unnatural, and sent a shiver down your spine. As you looked around for the source, you saw the eye... frozen in time, or it seemed. And around it, the building had changed. Jagged rocks and a starless sky were all you could see around it. Wait, was that a whale flying in?
"My dear Filia," said a voice right next to you. Nearly jumping out of your skin you turned to see a pale, black haired man with entirely black eyes.
"A precarious situation, isn't it?" he continued. "You, a girl out of time, with no memories or voice. Them, interlopers who'd kill you given half a chance. And nobody around to help you." And on that note, he disappeared.
Yet the world was still frozen, so for a lack of a better idea you began exploring, and found yourself looking at what you'd have to assume is a knight of some kind. Magical girls fought these regularly? You can't imagine how they did that. This thing looked like it ate people like you for breakfast, and it probabaly did.
"A interesting creature, isn't it?" said the guy, suddenly next to you again. "It's rare I find something I haven't seen before, but these definitely qualify. And now I'm curious." You were expecting the teleport this time, so it wasn't as startling, but it was still something that gave you the creeps. Now to find him again. What would be the most interesting place to look at?
A few minutes of walking around - and wow you hoped this is not permanent because space seemed utterly warped here - you found yourself looking at two magical girls, one blue and one red, mid attack. What exactly they were fighting you couldn't see, some spell covering it in light. Or was that an explosion? You weren't an expert.
"Great power these two have. Others in this world also. Yet this power is not of the Void. I find myself... intrigued. And so I've chosen to give you my mark, Filia." Your hand burns burns BURNS oh no it's fine. "With this, I grant you powers. It won't be like the magical girls you are familiar with, but power nontheless."
For a few seconds he looked contemplative.
"I once had an old friend you remind me of. He didn't talk a lot either. I think he wouldn't mind me borrowing some of his old equipment for a... good cause. Here." He handed you a mask and a sword. Then you found a crossbow and a pistol on your hip.
"I am the Outsider. If this were the world I hail from, I'd tell you to find my shrines. But there aren't any here. So accomplish deeds. Something worth watching. And if you do, I will reward you. Now, I do believe you were in the middle of something."
Another whoosh, and you were back. Back next to whatever it was that was ripping a hole in space. Even more worringly, it was no longer frozen in time. But the mask in your hand said that the last few minutes weren't an elaborate halucination, so you decided to listen to you instincts. You put on the mask, then made a fist with the hand that now had a fancy tattoo on it, and suddenly you were elsewhere.
