The Legacy: Fruit of the Shadowflower (Original Horror) (contains Magical Girls)

Reader mode
Yeah, just him. Weird.
 
Not sure why I missed it before, but here goes.

[x] Anthe, the most eager.
[x] Moderately. (Ken uses up 4 Bullets, leaving only two to spare just in case...)
 
Adhoc vote count started by Solarstream on Dec 1, 2024 at 6:30 PM, finished with 11 posts and 2 votes.
  • [X] Moderately. (Ken uses up 4 Bullets, leaving only two to spare just in case...)
    [X] Ken, your viewpoint man.
    [x] Anthe, the most eager.
Click to expand...


So then, here's the tally. Need a tiebreaker vote!
 
Personally, I want to vote for Chrys. But, that would just create a 3-way tie. Besides that, Moderate means Ken can defend himself without wasting too many bullets.

My Vote:

[X] Ken, your viewpoint man.
[X] Moderately. (Ken uses up 4 Bullets, leaving only two to spare just in case...)
 
And, thanks for the tiebreaker~!

This next update will likely be a long one, so it'll be a while before it's posted.
Scheduled vote count started by Solarstream on Nov 25, 2024 at 7:34 PM, finished with 14 posts and 3 votes.
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Hoooo these ypdates are WILD
it's been an intense ride. I like the cosmic horror survival strategies we've had, and the different forms of magic unveiled.
Even the archeopteryx terrors, holy fuck
Lowkey wondering if Red should've come along nyohohoo
 
White Rose ~Flower of Innocence~ (14)
  • Threadmarks
    • Winning vote:
    [X] Ken, your viewpoint man.
    [X] Moderately. (Ken uses up 4 Bullets, leaving only two to spare just in case...)

    White Rose ~Flower of Innocence~ (14)

    (While Anthe, Chrys, and Ken prepare to fight, the Magical Girls are also in motion...)
    ​
    Louise and Akane
    Tonight was supposed to be the end of this little incident. Two thorns in Louise's side would have been gone.

    Akane: Um... I still don't see them, Ms. Blauglas.

    Of course, Mary Raffles just had to antagonize her once more, this time stealing her precious prize: Rosie Janvier.

    Louise: You don't need to see them. Sense them out.

    But no matter. They knew where she lived, as she never moved out of her mother's house. So, even with her mystery companion 'Magical Girl Passionflower' by her side, they should have folded to an ambush.

    Akane: Ahhh... right, right... but I don't feel anything either.

    Of course, Mary Raffles had known that. And, cleverly, rather than aimlessly running away, she and her apprentice (?) sacked Louise's secret laboratory once more.

    Louise: ...tch. Mary's always been good at hiding, that little rat...

    And to make matters worse, Louise had humored one of her own apprentice's whims and allowed her to stay back at the Museum to guard it. None of Louise's warnings got through to her.

    Akane: ...maybe, ah, we can search closer to the ground?

    She, whose fate was now currently unknown. She, someone that Louise needed to find immediately.

    Louise: I suppose we have no choice. Very well.

    Her niece, Rina Rossi, the Magical Girl clad in chalky white. She matched nicely with Louise, clad in glassy blue, and Akane, clad in painted red. Both of them were lucky that Louise allowed Rina to bring her girlfriend into Viticulture despite Lily's objections. Louise chose to keep the two on as her personal assistants, so Lily never had to interact with them and thus chose to largely ignore them.

    (Lily Helyblanc was good at ignoring things, unlike Louise who couldn't help but notice every little detail. Perhaps that was why she was good at manipulating art while Lily was an expert in manipulating people...)

    Just as how Lily was ignoring the issue of the vanished Rosie, leaving Louise alone to resolve the matter.

    But that was fine.

    Because she would.

    And she'd deal with these troublesome pests in Mary and 'Magical Girl Passionflower' too.

    While unassisted flight was beyond her power, the increased physical strength granted to Louise by her Magical Girl transformation, along with her ability to manipulate her special blue glass, allowed her to create a glass wings and soar through the skies, retreating from Akane's "borrowed" car. She and Akane, outfitted as Magical Girls, landed in one of the many flat rooftops in Alletown, well above the city streets and out of view from common humanity. That the two of them remained un-noticed the whole time they were in the air, she considered a miracle. Louise didn't quite understand why ordinary people were totally unobservant of magic use, but she certainly wasn't going to complain about it.

    (She didn't accept Lily's "explanation" that these boring normal people that couldn't appreciate or understand magic of course could not perceive it, even something as egregious as a giant flying glass construct. No, there must be an actual reason behind it...)

    Louise: As much as I'd prefer not to, we ought to split up here. Hmm...

    She glanced around. Alletown had a relatively low skyline with buildings not permitted above six stories in height, so she had a clear view in the distance on this cloudless night. But even so, the troublesome interlopers were still hidden...

    Akane: Teacher... if they're not transformed, will we be able to sense them?

    Louise: Perhaps the new girl won't be, but Mary should still be trackable. She's never truly un-transformed. Speaking of... change outfits. We may as well conceal ourselves as best we can too.

    The duo would have made for an odd pair if they had been seen in public. Louise's magical outfit was rather simple: a voluminous sparkling blue ankle-length dress with white trim, bearing a dark blue (almost purple) jewel over her heart that pulsed with light. Unlike her Lily and their assistants, her outfit also came with gloves, closer to gauntlets, big and blue, and an eye-covering visor. As her ability only allowed her to manipulate existing glass that she'd enchanted, and not spontaneously generate it, she was also adorned with massive glass wings, strapped to her via a harness of the same material. Akane, meanwhile, wore a ruffled and voluminous knee-length red overall-skirt combo, somewhat like an apron, atop a bright yellow smock peeking out from beneath all the electric red. Several paintbrushes were stored in her skirt's pockets – and those were the conduits for her magic: generating conductive red dye.

    A brief bit of focus saw them returning to casual attire – a black suit for Louise and a red shirt, blue denim overalls, and white jacket combo for Akane. So too did the magical glowing of their eyes and altered hair color revert to normal. Well, only Louise's hair actually changed color – going from black with streaks of grey normally to glowing deep blue when transformed. Akane dyed her hair red. And only Akane's eyes changed color, going from brown to red if energized. Louise's eyes were blue from birth.

    Louise re-shaped her glass to get it out of her way as she spoke up.

    Louise: Remember, if you see Mary, hide and call me immediately. Under no circumstances are you to fight her; she's out of your league. And if I save Rina first, we'll call you. Now then...!?

    Whatever Louise was about to say, she dropped it when a terrified scream rang out nearby.

    She grimaced, sensing a familiar magic at play. Her own.

    Louise: Oh dear... those are mine. Looks like my statues have gone rogue. I suppose I'll have to...

    Akane, surprisingly, cut her off.

    Akane: A-allow me! I'll stop them. Ah, well, even if they're not organic, I should be able to pin them in place with my magic dye. Is that okay?

    Louise: ...very well. Proceed.

    Akane then took the initiative, dashing away towards the growing panic, leaving Louise who caused it all to slip away in her search for her niece and her greatest enemy.
    Sarah, Mary, and Rina
    Those same statues had been hounding Mary and Sarah from a distance, and literally so. Dinosaurs and ancient birds were not the only features of Louise's art exhibition – any ancient animal would do. So, naturally, she'd also sculpted several dire wolves to go with them. The fact that non-avian dinosaurs and dire wolves did not co-exist in the real world was apparently not relevant here.

    Mary: I don't hear anything.

    Sarah: Did we lose them?

    Mary: I hope so... but let's wait a bit longer...

    Sarah: ...Is it okay to stay in one place though?

    Mary and Sarah at the moment were hiding out in one of Alletown's many alleyways, dragging a captive and increasingly incensed Rina along for the ride. Although none of them were wearing their Magical Girl attire, Mary and Sarah going for bodysuits once more and Rina in a red jacket and white pants combo, they couldn't emerge into the light of the public eye. After all, not only did they have a hostage, but said hostage was entangled in Mary's black vines, formed from the matter that was normally her left hand and lower arm. Mary assuredly could have just killed Rina, but Sarah demanded that she be spared, and so here she was.

    And here, she was plotting her escape!

    Rina Rossi, being of short stature, heavy weight and plain face, was used to being underestimated, looked down upon. It was even true in Viticulture, as Mrs. Helyblanc had assumed – incorrectly – that Rina would have no potential for magic. Nor did her parents believe in her artistic potential... granted, she was still working on that one. Akane was the real deal between the two of them there. Hell, Aunt Louise only took her on in the first place since the two were a package deal.

    Here, however, she was truly outmatched, and she knew it. Her Aunt Louise had warned her to hide if Mary tried to break-in to the Alletown Museum again.

    And she did!

    But it didn't matter!

    That Raffles woman just tracked her down like a rabid bloodhound! And she would have torn into her just like one if not for Sarah (apparently the true name of Magical Girl Passionflower) demanding that she be spared... for what reason, Rina didn't know, but she wasn't going to complain about it.

    She had enough to complain about with her current status.

    For Mary had complied, but rather than simply leave Rina be, she was now a hostage. Not that Rina knew why, they'd seen plenty of what her aunt was up to. Mary ought to know even more based on her past history with Aunt Louise and Mrs. Helyblanc – the two had known Mary since she was a kid, apparently. Not that either of them talked about that time much. They were both more focused on the future – a future of fully harnessing the power of the Magical Girl transformation, granting it to whoever they pleased, using it for whatever they pleased.

    And Rina would be pleased by getting out of here!

    Mary: Look, Sarah, what's important is not letting her anywhere near Rosie.

    Sarah: I get it! You don't have to keep repeating it! But we can't just let her go!

    Hah! They wouldn't have to worry about that soon enough!

    Sarah and Mary had gotten into an argument over what to do now, and Rina was all too happy to take advantage of this opportunity. Go ahead and keep talking... stay distracted... let her build up magical energy... and don't notice it until it's too late... these vines were still in the way, but if there was just another distraction...

    From Sarah's and Mary's perspective, Rina was doing deep breathing exercises, her grey eyes shut, perhaps trying to keep herself calm. That was why they paid her no mind as they continued arguing over what exactly they were going to do with her. She was subdued, having already been defeated, so what could she do?

    Well...

    Someone, in the distance: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!?!?

    ...they were about to find out.

    For at that moment when screams rung out in the distance, both Sarah and Mary turned their gaze away from Rina, focused entirely on that horrid noise. As such, neither realized what was about to happen until it was too late.

    Rina, stunning the both of them, exploded into a thick white fog!

    Both Mary and Sarah were momentarily stunned, and moved from there on only on impulse. Had they been able to keep their calm and maintain their position, perhaps Rina wouldn't have escaped. But both recalled Rina's declaration from the last battle: "You'd better keep away from my poisonous smokescreens~!" So, they reacted accordingly – after all, how could they doubt her?

    So, Mary made a critical mistake in relaxing her grip and backing up

    So, Sarah made a critical mistake in falling over, trying to get away.

    This gave Rina all the space she needed for her retreat! Untangling herself from Mary's grasp, she turned and ran, right into traffic, but who would even be there at 2 A.M. and who would even care? Certainly not her, unbothered by being seen in her long and fluffy white and pink dress, normally grey eyes now glowing a milky white.

    Rina: Later, losers~! AHAHAHAHA~!!

    Mary and Sarah, trying and failing not to breathe in the thick and chalky smoke, could only let her go.

    Mary: Gah! Why that little... huh!? Wait, this smoke is...

    Sarah: Mary, I... gah... hold on, I can... ughhh...

    Mary realized the truth only too late, when the taste of the "poison" was on her tongue.

    Mary: ...Sarah, this isn't poison.

    Sarah: H-huh? Aghhhh, w-what do you mean...?

    As far as Sarah was concerned, the smoke was entirely filling her lungs and choking her. Her vision was going... and she felt so nauseous... and it was all on her skin, so irritating...

    Sarah: I feel ill...

    Mary: Hey, snap out of it! It's entirely in your head! There's nothing poisonous about the smoke at all!

    Sarah: Mary... I think... you might just... be immune...

    Mary: Ugh... here, let me show you... you're supposed to drink your holy water to heal you, right? Well, how about this!

    And Mary took one of Sarah's vials of holy water, splashing her with it.

    Sarah: I... oh.

    And just like that, Sarah felt completely fine.

    Sarah: ...ah.

    Her face slightly red, she took the empty vial back from a smug-looking Mary.

    Mary: You should listen to your elders more~.

    Sarah: ...you've only got about ten years on me...

    Mary: Which means I'm still your elder! ...granted, now's not the time to gloat. She's getting away!

    Sarah: I know, but... that scream...

    Mary rolled her eyes.

    Mary: Then you go see about that scream, and I'll track down Rina. She's leaving behind a trail of chalk; should be easy to find. And don't give me that look! I agreed to spare her before, so I'll do it again.

    Now it was Sarah's turn to roll her eyes, but ultimately, she agreed. All relationships are built on trust – and these two had not fully earned each other's trust. Working together was one thing, as they could keep an eye on each other. But separately? And not at the behest of someone else, but organically?

    If they wanted to know if they could fully trust each other, now was when they could find that out.

    And so, Mary and Sarah split up.

    For now.


    The next few moments stretched into what felt like minutes, and maybe they were. Between the tense vibrating of my body and my heart thump-thumping in my heart like it was about to leap out, I could barely keep focus. Only the sharpness of these false dinosaurs, these blue glass statues in motion, kept me up and awake. The four of them took a moment to consider Anthe, Chrys, and myself, chittering and chattering amongst themselves. I briefly wondered if they possessed any intelligence before I realized that it didn't matter.

    Claws and fangs bared, they leaped at us!

    It's us or them, so I'll have no chance to find out before it's too late.

    I might not have had a chance at all, since I reacted the slowest, had it not been for my companions.

    -BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!-
    ​
    Frenzied gunfire rang in the night.

    It's a miracle that none of us hit each other, or that dead pink haired guy.

    Me: Agh!? Shit!

    But that's not to say that none of us got hurt.

    See these... Urvogels... might not have had brains, but they were smart enough to realize they should avoid the bullets. So, they did, making us sweep around, and thus briefly make lulls in the hail of bullets to avoid shooting each other. One of them had tried to take advantage of that and lunge at me, only for me to strike it down with a series of bullets. But it got close. So close that glass fragments exploded from its broken body and struck me, drawing blood and slicing flesh!

    Chrys: Ah!? Ken, are you...!?

    Anthe: Hey, bro, hold on! We're not done yet!

    By that time, one other statue had been destroyed, but two remained. Seeing me down on the ground, they tried to take me out!

    -BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!-
    ​
    Only to be taken out themselves by Chrys and Anthe, one bullet at a time. ...which also showered me with more glass shards.

    Me: Ugh... a little help here?

    Chrys: Yes, hold on! Sis, make sure the coast is clear.

    Anthe: You got it... ah!? Hey, hold on, get out of here!

    She went off to shoo away some onlookers while Chrys came to take a look at me.

    Me: How's it look? My whole body stings... and the chill isn't helping...

    Chrys: You're cut up everywhere man. And there's glass shards in some of the wounds too. Hope they won't do anything to you... that said, you're not bleeding too badly. I can't do anything here for you though; left my medical supplies back in the car. Let's go and get you...

    He stops short when his sister suddenly shouts...

    Anthe: WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?

    ...and her shout was followed by a grinding roar of crunching glass and more terrified screams. Chrys was blocking my view, and as he turned to see what was happening, he allowed me to see it too. And the 'it' in question was a massive wolf, two meters tall and maybe twice as long, constructed of that same blue glass again, barreling our way! There was just enough time for Chrys and Anthe to get their guns ready while the bystanders ran off, but... would that matter? That thing was massive, and looked sturdy too. What was an ordinary person supposed to do in the face of that lupine monstrosity?

    Thankfully, we didn't have to fund out the answer.

    Someone who went beyond the ordinary was on our side too!

    Sarah: Take this! PASSIONATE LANCE!!

    As my niece has now arrived on the scene, crashing down from the sky like an Angel from Heaven, completely smashing the statue with one meteoric strike. Debris went flying everywhere, but Anthe rolled to the ground just before the blow hit and avoided getting cut up. Sarah's covered in a fine layer of blue dust, but is otherwise fine.

    Sarah: Are you all okay!?

    She then notices me and gasps.

    Sarah: Uncle!?

    Me: It looks worse than it feels.

    Sarah: Now's not the time for jokes!

    Me: I'm not...

    She pays my attempt to reassure her no mind, asking Chrys to get me out of here. She left her other vial of healing holy water with Mary, since the two of them had to split up. Rina made a grand escape and Mary's tracking her down. Anthe and Chrys ask how, but my niece is suddenly rather shy and declines to answer. I don't mind that much but I have to wonder... wasn't Rina more of a liability? So, letting her go should be fine, right? As long as she doesn't follow us back to Charlotte's house, then everything ought to be okay...

    Actually, should we even go back there?

    If Viticulture's Magical Girls are out and about, it might be better to send them a wild goose chase and lead them in the wrong direction. Directly south from Alletown, across the Alle River, is the Alle Arsenal neighborhood. I don't think anyone either of us know is there, so it's not like we'd be endangering anyone by hiding out there for the rest of the night.

    I'd love to bring this up to everyone, but we've got more company.

    See, Chrys, not wanting to split up further, convinced Sarah to join us, and we were all on the way to Chrys' car and his first aid kit. Unfortunately, we ran into more of those cursed statues – saber-tooth tigers this time – and Sarah had to take them out. And the noise from all those fights attracted a new challenger.

    One of Viticulture's own Magical Girls. Akane the Electric Red Magical Girl.

    Akane: H-huh!? It's you!? W-why are you... where's Rina!? And w-where, ah, did she go?

    She was evidently not expecting a fight, wearing only causal attire fit for mid-October: red shirt; white jacket; blue overalls. A critical mistake, as my niece was quite ready and willing to throw down!

    Sarah: That's none of your business, Akane! And if you know what's good for you, you'll surrender too!

    She punctuated that statement by pointing her Holy Lance at Akane and slowly walking forward.

    Akane: ...ah. Um... well...

    And Akane, realizing what was about to happen, made a quite sensible, if annoying decision, and ran off.

    Sarah: H-hey!? Get back here!

    And my niece, naturally, followed her.

    Tch! If I wasn't injured, I'd want to tail her too. But I do need to be fixed up.

    [] So, let's let Sarah handle herself. She can do it!
    [] No, we should follow Sarah. Best to stick together.
    [] Perhaps splitting up would be a good idea here?
    -[] Anthe tails Sarah and Chrys stays with Ken
    -[] Chrys tails Sarah and Anthe stays with Ken

    QM Note: I didn't think it'd take this long, but here it is! I was alternating between being busy IRL and feeling a bit demotivated to write tbh. Next part continues this scene and will include some fighting!
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • Character Sheet updated again with more text, will fill in pictures later.

    Vote's open by the way. Let me know if you have any questions or comments.
     
    Vote will close in roughly 24 hours.
  • Voting
    • Hmm, seems like this vote is a dud, huh?

    Well, in the interest of not dragging things out I'll go ahead and get started outlining the next part. If there's any votes by , then I'll take them into account.
     
  • Voting
    • [X] So, let's let Sarah handle herself. She can do it!

    Whoops, forgot to vote! So much stuff happening for the holidays, sorry…
     
    Apologies, I've been procrastinating on getting caught up because I'm juggling whcih quests to catch up on while sick
    Oh goodness, I need to remind myself some things...

    [X] Perhaps splitting up would be a good idea here?
    -[x] Chrys tails Sarah and Anthe stays with Ken

    I'll swap over to letting Sarah handle things should the tie not get broken
     
    Solarstream said:
    Sarah: ...is it okay to stay in one place though?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Capitalize the sentence here.

    But yeah, wow, what a show this is. Louise's statues has gone rouge somehow, there's a victim that got killed, Mary chases after Rina (Maybe her smoke is poisonous based on whether the person believes it to be?), Sarah groups with Ken, Chrys, and Anthe. Now, Sarah chases after Akane (who was initially there to lock the statues with her red dye). Keep in mind that Akane is probably going to Louise here.

    My Vote:

    [X] Perhaps splitting up would be a good idea here?
    -[X] Chrys tails Sarah and Anthe stays with Ken
     
    [x] Perhaps splitting up would be a good idea here?
    -[x] Chrys tails Sarah and Anthe stays with Ken

    Although I am tempted to let Anthe loose and unleash her on unsuspecting foes.
     
    Kermie said:
    Whoops, forgot to vote! So much stuff happening for the holidays, sorry…
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    No problem, better late then never!

    Meridian said:
    Apologies, I've been procrastinating on getting caught up because I'm juggling whcih quests to catch up on while sick
    Oh goodness, I need to remind myself some things...
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    No worries, get better soon!

    PetroleumMedium! said:
    Capitalize the sentence here.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Changed. And you've got Akane's plan (or at least the idea of one) down.

    Nevill said:
    Although I am tempted to let Anthe loose and unleash her on unsuspecting foes.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Hehehe... well, there will be other chances for that.

    Also, vote closed~! I have next week off but an travelling for part of it. Next part should still be up sooner rather than later.
    Scheduled vote count started by Solarstream on Dec 19, 2024 at 8:22 PM, finished with 6 posts and 4 votes.
    • [X] Perhaps splitting up would be a good idea here?
      -[x] Chrys tails Sarah and Anthe stays with Ken
      [X] So, let's let Sarah handle herself. She can do it!
    Click to expand...
     
    White Rose ~Flower of Innocence~ (15)
  • Threadmarks
    • Winning vote:
    [X] Perhaps splitting up would be a good idea here?
    -[X] Chrys tails Sarah and Anthe stays with Ken

    White Rose ~Flower of Innocence~ (15)​

    We decide to have Chrys tail Sarah while Anthe escorts me to safety and gives me some medical care. Not without complaint, of course – Anthe wanted to see a real Magical Girl fight. Not sure why, considering the stakes, but maybe she just wants some excitement in her life. Regardless, I was able to talk her into helping me by pointing out that Mary's whereabouts were still unknown. Maybe she's in a fight somewhere and needs help. And we can't help her while I'm injured.

    Anthe: Oh... alright, alright. Let's get out of here, man...

    Chrys: Keep yourselves safe, now. I'll look out for Sarah.

    Me: I ought to be saying that to you! Take care out there.

    But he, armed with a gun and a taser, ought to be safe. Especially if he actually links up with my niece.

    Anthe and I, well...

    ...we have to hope to stay unnoticed.

    The green-eyed crows following us aren't exactly helping, but thankfully it looks like no one's on the streets anymore. The mayhem scared them all off. Maybe the chaos also drew away any more of those damned statues Louise made, or maybe she's out of them, because we don't run into any as we wind our way down the night streets. Don't hear them either, which I'm grateful for.

    Me: So, they make this awful scraping noise when they're in motion. I don't hear it now, but we'll have to stay sharp. If one of those things, or god forbid a whole pack, comes close, we'll have to run.

    I could go the rest of my life without ever hearing those awful noises again.

    Anthe: Uh huh. Right.

    I'd feel less concerned about that if Anthe wasn't clearly distracted by something. Sure, she's looking around as she ought to be (as am I), but she's tense. And not in the same way that I am, fearing lurking danger. No, I can feel it through her touch as she helps me walk back to her and her twin's car.

    Something like... discomfort? Maybe nerves?

    Could be exhaustion. Maybe I don't recognize it in myself. It's deep in the night and I've lost track of time.

    ...no, that's not right. My head aches and my feet are weary. I can hardly stay focused... even looking at a bed might make me feel asleep.

    So what...?

    Anthe: Say, Ken...

    Oh good, she's speaking. Hopefully, she'll bring it up on her own.

    Anthe: ... what does Mary like to do for fun?

    ...huh?

    Ken: I... what? Why are you asking this?

    And I then let out a big yawn, prompting her to walk faster and me to shuffle more swiftly alongside her.

    Anthe: Well, I take it that this isn't fun for her. It's more her life than a hobby. She has any of those?

    Ken: Oh!

    Yeah, of course.

    Ken: She gardens and plays the piano. You must have seen her flower garden when you came over to my place... today, yesterday, whatever you want to call it. Started it a few years ago... from a little patch of dirt...

    I stumble.

    Ah... I'm so tired...

    Anthe: Hey! Not now! We're almost there! ...hey, w-what are-!?

    She gets interrupted by Olive's little helpers, the crows, cawing raucously. Ughhhh.... I can't sleep like this, but it's so hard to stay awake too... Anthe tries to quiet them down, concerned that they'll attract bystanders, but... at this point... I'm not sure anyone else is on these streets.

    I get proven right as I, as if in a trance, am shuffled to a tavern, and then to a parking garage, and then to the car without incident. At this hour, who is even awake? Only the Magical Girls, in constant combat, and their companions... which, I realize, for Louise must include at least some of the cops. Are they out there now? Hope not, not for the sake of Sarah or Chrys. Not sure how they'd react.

    Me: Hey...

    Anthe: Hm? Yes? How does that feel by the way?

    Less bad, and I say as much. I know I'm in the car, lying down on the back seats, but my eyes are shut. I can't pass out yet... not yet... the twin feelings of glass scraping out of my skin and wounds being sealed with fresh gauze and tape are helpful. If I focus on those bits of pressure, I can stay awake.

    Me: You think any of Chrys' fellow cops know? Some of them have to, right?

    I can keep thinking.

    Anthe: ...about...?

    And each thought uncovers a new thought, all connected like threads.

    Me: Louise.

    And at the end of those threads is the truth.

    Anthe: And Viticulture?

    But that truth is...

    Me: Yeah... some of them... ah!

    ...still obscured to me.

    Anthe: Sorry! That was a big piece... but I'm almost done...!?

    There's a sudden crash ringing in the distance, with familiar hints of crushed glass.

    Louise? Or her statues? No bestial roars follow through, nor are there any terrible screeches so maybe it's her this time. And if she's fighting...

    Anthe: ...Ken, you know, we never did find out where Mary was...? Could that be...?

    Me: Her... perhaps... the crows can search for her... can you...?

    Anthe: Ask them? Ah, but I can just drive!

    I hear her rustle and pull away, so I open my eyes again. I'm all bandaged up. Still a little sore and very tired, but not like she can fix that. Did a good job! The crows caw at her and she tries talking to them for a bit before giving up and hopping in the front seat. I've never seen a crow look offended before...

    Anthe: I'd tell you to buckle up, but no need! You're safe with me!

    She then speeds her way out of the parking garage and on to the streets.

    Good thing I don't get carsick like Mary used to.

    While Anthe drives, I sit myself up and buckle up. The sounds of glass crashing against something and shattering ring closer and closer. The crows trail behind us, surely cawing into the night but I can't hear them over Anthe's radio choice (loud pop music) or the distant fighting... assuming that's what it is. Good thing that no one else is on the road... it'd be a terrible time for a ticket.

    ...

    Come to think of it, why are there no cops here?

    There's an explosion in the distance, so I stop worrying about that. There's a cloud of thick white smoke and fog coming this way, and shouting from inside it... I hear Mary!

    And two other voices I don't recognize!

    Anthe stops the car and hops out, armed and ready.

    Anthe: Stay here! I'll back Mary up!

    Me: Hold up... I'll...

    I start fumbling out of the car, but Anthe tries to stop me. Of course, it's dangerous, but it is for her too! And for Mary! I can't just sit here and let myself pass out, no matter how much I want to!

    And in the end...

    [] ...Anthe is right. I'm just too tired. (Ken goes to sleep; temporary PoV swap to Anthe)
    [] ...Anthe is wrong... I can hold out... at least a little bit... (Anthe and Ken go in together)
    -[] But we should try to keep concealed... and hide until the right time comes to strike...
    -[] But I'm fading, so we need to move fast... and barge in, since they're not expecting us...
    -[] (may write in further details as desired)
    [] ...Anthe is wrong... I'm having a third wind... I can Anthe rejects having you go alone!

    QM Note: Happy New Year! The fighting will actually continue on the page next update, as I found this a good bridging off point. However, this next update will end this night scene and move us to the morning.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • It's clear Ken is tired here. Let him rest. He can possibly be a burden. And well yeah, Anthe and Mary clearly like each other here. Is it still platonic though?

    My Vote:

    [X] ...Anthe is right. I'm just too tired. (Ken goes to sleep; temporary PoV swap to Anthe)
     
    [X] ...Anthe is right. I'm just too tired. (Ken goes to sleep; temporary PoV swap to Anthe)

    Let the man sleep.
     
    [X] anthe is right. I'm just too tired. (Ken goes to sleep; temporary PoV swap to Anthe)

    sane choice
     
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