Constance: Lady Astoria debut vs Idola

[01:12] "Magical.

A warrior of justice.

Defeater and defiler of evil."

Shneed-man bows before Puella Idola Magical girl.

"I must say, your presence is simply breath-taking.

For that reason I will depart, now.

I need oxygen to live.

A folly of man, but it was worth dying to be in your presence."
(Shneed-Man)
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[01:13] "...Mm?"

Idola opens her dulled eyes to stare at Shneed-Man for a second... before nodding.

"...Oh, of course, the pleasure is all mine."
(Idola)
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[01:13] Shneed-Man says, "...ah, wait."
[01:13] Shneed-Man says, "Ma'am, you seemed to have dropped something."
[01:13] Idola says, "Have I, now- ..."
[01:14] Idola stares at Shneed-Man's number.
(Idola)
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[01:14] Idola says, "...I'll memorize it."
[01:14] Shneed-Man says, "Please do. Give me a ring when it's time to defeat the evil."
[01:15] Idola says, "Of course, of course."
[01:15] If a skeleton had eyes, his would be bugging the f*ck out right now.

How does he do it?
(Cage)
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[01:16] Asma says, "Ohhhooo...."
[01:18] At the exchange before the backtracking motions wrought by their ever charismatic hero, there joins the latter arrival of a red-clad lass bore with a scrutinizing gaze.

It lingers, the single eye not covered by an eyepatch softly piercing forth upon the magical girl with an odd emanation.

Let the normal social feats of a god like Shneed-Man happen, yet the Lady Astoria's leer remains glued upon Idola.

No words are exchanged, however there is a lingering essence of light-hearted mal-intent upon the distant crimson eye. An eccentric and odd one, she were.
(Lady Astoria)
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[01:18] Shneed-Man says, "YOU."
[01:18] Shneed-Man says, "WHEEZY."
[01:18] Asma says, "...."
[01:23] While Astoria's gaze was certainly noted - and met with an affirming... eerie smile and a nod, Idola's own eyes were fixated on the rather rotund fellow and the young lady in front of her.

How will this play out? She is rather curious...
(Idola)
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[01:24] Shneed-man, on his glorious adventures with his comrades, finds a charred (brown) and sickly child on their journey. Typically, he'd avert his gaze and let fate do as fate does. But, on this day, he feels compelled to stop a travesty from happening.

What if she passes dusty counter, and he isn't there?

What if she walks into the desert, and sand flies into her lungs?

What if she's allergic to cats, and a felinae rubs against her?

What if she fights some retard who went poison?

"Your death will be unrelated to your lungs."

Shneed-man rolls a die. It lands on fifteen. Coupled with his thirty charisma, this gives him a roll of 25.

Meaning that the Voice Of God is now in effect, rewiring the strings of fate.
(Shneed-Man)
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[01:27] Asma is nearly on her way somewhere else before Shneed-Man calls to her - specifically calling her wheezy. The girl turns and stares at the Rotund Hero of Esshar curiously, as he speaks some sort of prophecy?

Eventually, her lips upturn into a smile.

"Yes, I know that already. Thank you!"

She wasn't actually asthmatic anyway.
(Asma)
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[01:28] The extraneous motions of hands protrude the esoteric nature of gestures. To some, it might have looked marred in a goofy prevelation, yet there was intent in its motives.

It concludes as a finger rises to brazenly point upon the smiling magical girl, her other hand pausing to extend widened fingers to grace the tips of her eyepatch.

Chuunibyou magical girl stand-off style.

"The Accursed Crimson Eye. Show me thy secrets," she mutters as there is a sudden forced widening of her only exposed eye, almost involuntary in its nature (or was it).

She continues to stare upon Idola, now seemingly having activated something.
(Lady Astoria)
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[01:30] Shneed-man nods his head and moves to pat Asma's shoulder, but then remembers that he isn't a catholic priest.

Nor a billionaire.

Nor a competitive smash player.

Nor a discord mod.

So, his hand lowers, and he returns an appropriate nod of the head before returning to the trio.

"Shneed."
(Shneed-Man)
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[01:30] Asma says, "hhhhhhhhhh"
[01:30] In the midst of his two companions ongoing escapades, the skeleton remains stoic (on account of skeletons not having any facial structure that can act expressive), and unmoving.

"I'm sorry, and I apologize, mean the same thing."

"Unless you are attending a funeral."

It's all he says. How dark and mysterious.
(Cage)
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[01:41] Her secrets? My, how peculiar! Never in her life has she met someone so brazenly out to try and get to know her! But, perhaps it isn't just happenstance...

After all, she's a Magical Girl! And Magical Girls are supposed to be popular, right? After all, why else are they so flashy and dazzling, like her?

"...Well, I suppose I can tell you one secret~!" She says, in an enthousiastic voice that had all but disappeared just a few... months? Days? A short while ago.

"My name is Idola, and I'm a Magical girl that defeats evil, in the name of love and justice~!

So, tell me, who are you?"
(Idola)
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[01:43] Shneed-Man whispers: I smell Kuum.
[01:47] The hand retracts as her singular visible eye shuts. The confluence of regality shimmers as it moves to push back her cloak, allowing it to bellow across the distant williwaws of the mountainous oceanic bay.

She smiles, the smugness of her countenance knew no bounds.

"I go by many names," she begins, soon opening her eye her staff is pulled free from her confines. It twirls, slowly, before its heel is embedded deep upon the earth grass beneath.

Her posture straightens as she modulates her voice. "However, to the uninitiated I am Lady Astoria the Fourth Noble of the Nine Hells, Purveyor of Brimstone Charms, Slayer of the O'Wise Beholder of the Shadowlands, and the bearer of the Accursed Crimson Eye."

She looks forth, undeterred by the extravagance of her introduction. "And the mere fact that you stand before me, undeterred by my aura, it intrigues me." She keeps her gaze stringent, now at a higher intensity than before.
(Lady Astoria)
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[01:47] * You have been awarded 1 Roleplay Points! *
[02:00] Lady Astoria the Fourth Noble of the Nine... brimstone... beholder... accursed Crimson Eye. That's definitely going to be hard to remember, but no matter~! She's sure Astoria has practiced her name to such an extent that she'd be overjoyed to say it again and again if she were to forget!
Least, so she thinks.

"...My, my! Such illustrious titles, Lady Astoria! Very powerful and menacing, and almost..."

Idola's gaze narrowed for a second.
"Evil."

"But I'm sure the menacing quality of your identity doesn't translate into despicable actions, now, do they~?"

She giggled for a few long seconds, her empty hand going to her mouth for added charm~!
...

"...Do they?"
(Idola)
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[02:06] She reverts her countenance upon the preamble of a superfluous position. Whereas the unopposed nor unintimidated presence of her mein cling freely upon tattered blacks and crimsons.

There, the lady remains steadfast, unchanged from her prevalent aura.

"Leave your mortal petty labels free from my goals and achievements," she utters, the strength of her statements almost gleaming with added fervor in its notes. "For the will of my patron is its own. And I will see it through regardless of the perceptions of those that dare assume."

Her head tilts upward, chin now pointed upon the advancing silhouette of the magical girl. Her eye vaguely looking downward at her whilst keeping the noblesse essence of superiority.

"Who is a mortal to deem whether an action is good or evil." She points the tip of her staff to Idola, poised and phlegmatic. "That is, lest your requiem is that of playing God."
(Lady Astoria)
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[02:10] Cage looks up towards the sky.
(Cage)
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[02:10] {NARRATION} The sky does not answer Cage's prayers.
[02:11] Cage looks down, shaking his head slowly.
(Cage)
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[02:11] Cage says, "Doomed.. Truly doomed."
[02:12] Lady Astoria says, "Hush my dear, we are having a moment."
[02:12] Lady returns to face Idola.
(Lady Astoria)
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[02:22] Her... patron? Could this lady perhaps be a witch? That would be a shame, now, would it - such a cute, young lady turning out to be something so vile and despicable!

...She doesn't buy it - not yet at least. After all, perhaps she could be the type that's all wrapped up in their own delusions, unable to distinguish fantasy from reality, unlike Idola herself. (Very much like herself, actually.)

...Ah, but to discredit her as the pure good that she is? That just won't do, now, will it? Sure, the common mortal aren't qualified to distinguish what is good from what is evil, but one look at Idola already signifies that she's not one of the common folk!

She lifts her staff to meet Astoria's own.
"But that's where you're wrong, you see? I am a Magical Girl! And Magical Girls vanquish evil, so, anything I vanquish must be evil! And thus, I am inherently good!

Gods and faiths are often nothing more than delusions, steering the folk in one direction or another about their own beliefs on what qualifies as good and evil, yet none of them take into account the absolute truths of the universe!

...That is, that Magical Girls are an eternal force of good."
(Idola)
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[02:29] "The façade of morality. Such is why judgement should never be left to the hands of mere mortals." Her statement comes at a hardened downpour.

It is at this impasse where, it were clear, these two would be divided at. "For your judgement only clings upon nothing more than a mere title. I... had judged those belonging to free themselves from the mortal coil into the Gates of Avalon and those deserving to be plunged into the pits of Helheim."

Nay does she stand down. For, instead, there is a double intensity in her stance. The head finally tilting down to meet with hers.

A semblance of focus.

She continues her leers at the magical girl. The witch hat shifting at the grace of the winds as there is a buckling anticipation that writhes from Lady Astoria's presence.

"And I will tell you, that is not how the deceased is judged," she assures. "Now show me your true nature. Do so before I unveil the true might of the Accursed Crimson Eye."

"For those who are beholden to it never see the light of day again."
(Lady Astoria)
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[02:57] ...A mere title? Magical Girl, a mere title?! How dare she! How does she even live with herself, caught up in such a great lie?!

"Wh- ''Magical Girl'' isn't just a mere title! You can't possibly be that dense, now, can you?! To be a Magical Girl, you must embody the traits of live, justice, happiness and courage - how are you this unaware?!
If you are truly someone who brings down judgement on those that-..."

...Wait, did she say that she frees people from their mortal coil?
That's... killing, isn't it? And for what - to send them to their afterlife early?

Is the young, charming - but delusional lady she's been talking to a killer?!

...No, no, she can't be, now, can she?

"...With freeing people from the mortal coil, do you mean that you kill people? AND judge if they go to Helheim or not?!

Who are YOU to decide that, then?!"

Suddenly, Idola's aura of plasma fired up around her, heating the area that surrounds her.

"Well then, demonstrate to me what your Accursed Crimson Eye is capable of! Show me if you are truly capable of judging people as you claim to do!

Worry not, for I can handle it! After all...

I am a Magical Girl."
(Idola)
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[02:59] Idola says, "...Out of the Café, at least! I don't want Maple getting angry."
[03:07] "So be it."

She gleams as the prevalence of the Lady finally makes the tumultuous climax occur. At her expense does her hand clutch upon the haphazardly sewn eyepatch as it is yanked free from its bindings.

"Free yourself from the burning blood moons of yore. Accursed Crimson Eye!"

In this instance does a predominantly absent heat suddenly rise in tempo. What were mundane thrums of mana suddenly rise to meet with that of the magi before her. In this does her form radiate a sense of heat, blood boiling as there bursts the glistening crimsons from her now revealed eyelids (had she been always able to do that?).

From it, a burning gaze flickers upon the covered aspect. It sears as there, now she stood, the Fourth Noble of the Nine Hells, Lady Astoria.

"Allow me to provide an instance as to why there is merit to my requiem." To her companions, there was a misplaced presence. As if the lass who stood before them previously is no longer there.

All that remained were someone completely different. "For the Fourth Noble shall show thee its mark."
(Lady Astoria)
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[03:10] {Lost Aggressive RPB against Idola}
[03:10] ** Idola has inflicted an injury upon Lady Astoria. ("Temporary Injury", "Temporary Injury", "Temporary", "") **
[03:52] Oh my, this... eye of hers, it does seem to possess some powers.
Perhaps this woman truly is a judge sent from up high..? No matter - she grips her staff tightly in her left hand as usual, and rushed onward into battle.

And so do the two clash - two mages, Magical Girl against Chuunibyou, truly, a duel for the ages! At least, so it felt for Idola.
The two judges of mankind's sins duke it out, in an all-out battle of power, speed, and wits. One, an eternal force of good set out to vanquish all that (she deems) is evil - and the other, a (presumed) killer who decides whether one lives up in the high heavens of Avalon or if they suffer eternal damnation in the realms of Helheim.

The explosions fire both ways, burning magenta flames and magic-filled crimson blood appear all around the area in a dazzling kaleidoscope of combat.

When the battle started, the Magical Girl was firm in her judgement. That this lady is very likely to be a killer, according to her own words!
...Ah, but what if she was wrong? The question does plague her mind.
''Is she truly an evildoer? Have I been too hasty in judging her?''
After all, this judgement was truly her own - there's no inherent rule she can follow. This woman is not a demon, nor criminal, nor... well, it's dubious if she's a witch or not, but that's besides the point-
The only lead she has, is that this woman spoke loosely interpretable words.

Despite her doubts, she presses onward, determined to find out, and eventually-

FLASH!

She delivers one brilliant and explosive flash of light - blinding the poor lady and knocking her off her feet!

Exhausted, Idola slowly walked over to Lady Astoria.
...If nothing else, this lady is a damn good fighter.
"...See? I could handle it! Come on. Acknowledge that I could handle it."

...She does extend a hand to her opponent, to help her off the ground.
And, to ask her a question.
"...You can't truly be a killer, now, can you?"
(Idola)
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[04:05] Like the bursting seams of heated blood casts the downpour of blood rain against the opposition.

The revealed eye simmers as the unknown machinations of spellcasting finds itself prevalent upon the Lady's presence. For with each decree expounded by her words, the marvels of Helheim seems to quiver and shake at her command.

Onwards and onwards, the call for spells fly free from her lips.

"Crimson Explosion!" She screeches, allowing a wave of coalesced blood balls to drench and fall against Idola, detonating into an explosive force that would rival even that of napalm bombs.

"Killer?" She chuckles, the high pitched ojou-san laughter glinting across her countenance. Yet nothing more, leaving the query unanswered. But then again, one of her titles was 'Slayer of the O'Wise Beholder of the Shadowlands'.

An unruly force, something had possessed this woman. And it were only her companions that would have even noticed the difference.

And yet, in the settling dust before their final clash, stands defiant. "This will not be the downfall of I, Lady Astoria, Fourth Noble of the Nine Hells, Purveyor of-"

That is, before she could even finish her drawn out monologue would the stringent flash blindside the vulnerable lady. She stumbles backward as a finalizing strike brings an explosive end to her figure; knocked back and dazed.

A hand rises, caressing the side of her temple whilst she struggles to return to her feet. The burn corneas drop the concealment, for underneath her left eye linger the singed crimsons away, revealing a pale white upon her irises.

"You dare make a mockery of I," she clamors, slowly staggering as she turns upright. Softly does the superficial scabs begin to dwindle, blood reforming and clotting faster than any mundane man or woman could, yet the irritating sensation within her eye still detesting for pain. "Heed my words."

"The decree of my patron has shifted. For the Phoenix Light now deems your judgement nigh."

She bursts into a crown of flames, burning up in disappearance before reappearing flanked by her boney and heroic companions. "This will not be the last we meet. For you will rue the day you stepped against Lady Astoria's path."

She slinks off (Assuming her partymates awkwardly follow her) into the eve, the trail of blood soon subsiding against the underbrush and the scent of hellfire disperses.
(Lady Astoria)
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[04:15] Crimson pinpricks observe the bout between them both, and while there is some deeply seeded part of Cage that is surprised at the strength displayed by Lady Astoria.

The skeletal visage of the Fallen one, turns and shifts to the side, observing the defeated Fourth Noble as they slink off to the side.

Cage inspects their fleeing form as they slink off into the eve, but words follow her into the night. Rasping tones of mysterious woe that befall upon delusion ears.

"There is nothing else. Existence is random. Has no pattern save what we imagine after staring at it for too long. No meaning save what we choose to impose. This rudderless world is not shaped by vague metaphysical forces.

It is not some omnipotent being who kills people. Not fate that butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs.

It's us.
Only us."

To whom was it that he was speaking to however?

To the defeated Lady Astoria?
To Idola?

Or to himself?

The answer to that, is not forthcoming, as Cage soon turns after his monologue is completed, and follows after the trail of blood that had been left behind.
(Cage)