>>6279032
You look over Jacky again. Outward, she looks like a teen, magical bullshit aside, you’d wager on thirteen to twenty five, depending on how much effort she put into her look. Magical bullshit included, you got no fucking clue. You put that aside in the nice mental filing cabinet, right next to the screaming locked boxes.

What do you even ask after that? You don’t care that much about her whole life story, at least not yet. Fucking uhhh...
“What about Scott and his bunch? You know them for long?”

Jacky opens her mouth to respond, before pausing.
“Yeeeah, we’re known each other for a while. Though I can’t really tell you much. You know that thing I told you back before you were a magical girl? About information restrictions and shit?”

You recall that somewhat. Jacky being unable to tell your non magical self things due to you not already knowing them. Because telling you would mean defining you as her problem. Leader made it a part of her speech.
“Wasn’t that about taking responsibility though?”

“Kiiinda. It’s different for civvies, like you were, and for magical girls. You can’t talk to a civvie about this magic stuff, showing it off is also a no-go. For most, it wouldn’t register, but that’s not the point. The point is that the Brokers think you shouldn’t, so you don’t, because otherwise you’re going to get a hunt called on you, and get fucked.”
She ends the sentence by pointing a finger at you.

“...What?”

She leans back and rubs her temples with both hands.
“Not immediately. Just… usually they put out several warnings before doing anything, and it’s not like a hunt would put a magical girl in anything more than a timeout. But even that is nasty. Just… try to follow the rules? Even if it’s a pain in the ass and I’m the last person with any right to preach that.”
She flops on the cot fully. You now lay parallel on opposing cots.

Rules… rules. Fucking fuck. Nobody told you that was part of the deal.
“What rules? Why did nobody say I have to follow anything?”

Jacky blinks.
“Why do you think you got to have an escort? The rules themselves are a bit weird too, some parts you can bend, some you can’t, most aren’t written down. Basically a culture.”

You both sit in silence for a while. Probably minutes, you don’t really know.
Jacky pipes up. She seems to do that often.
“Oh, right, the guys. Basically, I can’t tell you much due to you not having a good enough reason to know. But the guys are good, both in bed and out. If you meet them again, treat them with some respect, no bootlicking but… just don’t start shit, alright?”

(2/5)

>>6279034
Jacky seems to be quite limited by the imposed restrictions. She’s also a lot more obedient then you would have penned her.
Though with that question partially deflected, you don’t have too much left to ask that wouldn’t meet the same fate. Although… the Shadow market sounded related to Magical Girl stuff.

“How about the Shadow market? What is it?”

Jacky seems to relax at your question.
“Easy, it’s a market for shit the normals can’t see. There are a bunch all over the place, if you got a decent city, it probably has one. If it’s a big city, it probably has more. This one? We got three, though most everyone uses the main one in the center, the other two are more on the outskirts, more useful to the girls taking care of outside. As for what it is well…”

Jacky pauses. Seemingly struggling to find the words.
After a minute or so, she continues, pausing briefly between each couple of words.
“The Market itself is in a barrier but… not really? The barrier is in a place where it doesn’t affect normals and uh… Well basically it’s kind of like a… submarine maybe? If you had a submarine in a big swimming pool, you could get in, without getting wet. Well that’s the Market, with the pool being the barrier.”

That does explain some things, even if you’re not really sure on the distinction.
“So how do you get in?”

Jacky seems happy to be able to move the topic.
“You just walk in, like normal, they got some weird entrance structure, but you will be able to get in even if you just fuck around. Though that will get some bitches on your case so finding the proper entrance is usually worth the bother, trust me.”

Well, there you have it, you suppose. Another piece of information you can’t really do much else aside form accepting at face value. You’re starting to feel powerless, which then makes you feel frustrated.

You turn on your back and lift your legs upwards, before quickly bringing them down outside of the cot’s boundary. Using the momentum to swing yourself to a stand. For a moment, you see white as your head spins, but latching your hands on the upper cots allows you to keep standing.
“Jacky, I think I rested enough. I need some air.”
Your tone is harsher than you intended, but you don’t have enough energy to care.

Your companion voicelessly gets up from her cot and opens the van’s side door.

Outside, it seems to be late afternoon, some half hour before dusk. Though the park is still active, an unusual amount of people grilling. The park itself is a sizable one, as far as city parks go, and pretty dense. That’s why you chose it after all.

You head down one of the paths, you didn’t approach from here yourself, but you do know the way from the center.

(3/5)

>>6279036
You do get lost on the way, but only slightly, hard to mess up directions. The middle of the park has a miniature concrete pagoda, about as tall as you, and a statue of some serious looking guy. You head on a path behind him, and after another ten-ish minutes, you see your destination.

A kayaking club, one only open during spring and fall for some reason. More benefit to you though. Behind the small building, surrounded by tall thick bushes, but when you circle around the building from the side facing the water, you can get under the foliage pretty easy. You checked the angle before, and it’s basically invisible unless someone actually goes here, and the only time you’re a bit more visible is at night.

You crouch under the bushes and remove the camouflage cloth. Under, rest your only other permanent possessions. A dark green sleeping roll, and a backpack. The latter filled with some odds and ends but most importantly, your toothbrush and paste, your hoodie, a knife, your shitty disguise mask, and your life savings, drum roll…. fifty bucks! Probably can’t survive a week on that, but you manage. You always do. Always did. Though you’re not sure you will need to?

You turn to Jacky, who’s been silently observing you on your journey, seeming to be content with mostly enjoying the park.
“Do we get paid?”

Her face scrunches up.
“Eeeeeeeeeeh kinda? We get food stamps monthly, and if anyone is struggling with the basics, they’re provided. But for an decent amount of cash you need to finagle the system. But don’t worry, everybody does it. It’s part of the whole experience.”

Damn. Well, at least it’s a sort of cash.

You shake the trash out of your camouflage cloth before stuffing it in the backpack. You won’t miss this. It wasn’t the worst place to be in, but having a roof over your head and something a bit softer under you will be nice.

You put on your backpack and begin your trek back. Though this time, Jacky seems more conversational.
“So you live like that? Just…”
The sentence hangs.

“Yeah. I do, or did. It’s not too bad, gives you time to think. Consider.”

Jacky nods, but she seems to be struggling to understand. That’s fine, she doesn’t need to.

You pass by the statue again, this time, you don’t get lost. The van awaits you, just as plain as always. If you’re honest, you’re feeling tired, real damn tired. The walk cleared your head a bit, but that only made it more obvious.
Inside, you’re barely able to keep on your feet, only glancing at Jacky. She seems to understand.
“Sleep. Leader should be coming back soon, I’ll stand guard. You can take the cot you had before.”

(4/5)

>>6279037
You dully nod. Shoving your backpack under the hanging cot. Only taking out your sleeping bag to spread on the cot itself. Even if it’s not too cold, at this point, you’re too used to it to sleep comfortably without. And so, you strip down to your underwear, climb inside your sleeping bag, and let the dreams take you.

What do you dream of?
>Light
>Hunger
>Red

- - - - -
(Mechanics)
You feel little except warmth.

- - - - -
(QM Faggotry)
Update late, thread late. I got hardstuck on the details of the backpack location for *some* reason. Just had a very difficult time visualizing it. In the end, I just pushed through, maybe the quality suffered, maybe it didn’t, at this point, I’m too late to be able to care.
I apologize for the delay, Gentlemen. I shall endeavor to make this thread a better one.
Also, I want to thank whoever archived the last thread, I did forget myself.


Archive:
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=SugarRush


(5/5)

>>6279038
>Hunger

>>6279038
>Hunger
>>6279038
>Also, I want to thank whoever archived the last thread, I did forget myself.
I was gonna ask if you archived it before reading this. Anons who archive a thread tend to send a post warning the qm that he doesn't need to do it and post the link for voting.

>>6279194
Thread got bumped off

>>6279038
>Red

>>6279269
it was you then ? did you put it on the /qtg/ thread ?

>>6279038
>Hunger

>>6279390
No, why? I just saw it was bumped off and noone archived it yet, so I did.

>>6279164
>>6279194
>>6279421
3 For hunger

>>6279367
One for Red

Hunger wins.

I had time planned out to write today, but I think I caught something weird. I apologize for the delay, update either tomorrow or the day after.

>>6279813
waiting warmly

>>6280702
waiting coldy

Engulfed in void, you sit on a bar stool. Before you, a flickering neon light illuminates a bar counter. The light goes in and out. Pulsing with a half remembered buzz. Specters of glasses lay before you. You recognize them, even if you already forgot their name. They carry a green liquid, a delicious one at that. The best you had, the best you will ever have.

You reach out, but your hand aren’t long enough for the counter. You clamber on, but they still stand out of reach. You crawl, and stretch, and scramble. Yet, they remain just beyond.

You collapse. Laying on the bar. In front of you, lie glasses filled with ambrosia. Beyond, there is a figure of shadow. The one with the power to grant you more, as much as you could desire plus a drop for good luck. And yet, he remains in shadow.

It’s not fair, to taste such wonder, to feel such pleasure, only to know you can’t have it.
But at this thought, the shadow stills.
Can’t? No, you are the one desperately running. You are the only one who can choose, and you chose abstinence. Do not bemoan the direct results of your actions. For if you do, what is the worth of your decision? If even the most clear of consequence is shunned.

You don’t listen. You just crawl for the glasses again, over the endless bar. The shadow seems shocked by your actions, if only for a moment. Before wrath overtakes it, shedding it’s humanoid form before bringing down a strike upon you.
Yet, before the attack connects, you are sitting on a couch. A small room surrounds you. Graffiti and posters cover the walls, the sole window shows some sort of industrial zone. Just waiting to be explored. Before you, lies a table, on it, a pitcher with flavored water.

You pour yourself a glass and rise. Eager to look out of the window. But as you take two steps, a glow under the floorboards intensifies. A dark red glow. It goes once, twice, but before it can reappear for the third time, your whole vision flashes a yellowish white, and great warmth overcomes you.

!

- - - - -

!
You open your eyes. Your body lay unmoving, covered in warmth. Above you, you see the bottom of a cot. You hear the dull pitter patter of rain against the roof.

A piece of dust irritates your nose, making you instinctively breathe in. You blink, and blink again.
You notice the warmth isn’t uniform. Your breaths cool your mind.

Slowly, you flex your fingers, then your toes. You are awake.

You move your legs to the side of the cot, raise them into the air, before swinging them down, using the momentum to spring into a standing position. You steady yourself as your head swims from the movement.

Around you, you see Leader sleeping in the back top cot. Her form looks peaceful and relaxed. Contrasting it to her waking appearance only exemplifies the usual tension she carries.

(1/2)

>>6281335
Your backpack is under your cot, your sleeping bag is not. You look down on yourself… you’re still inside your sleeping bag.


It feels like it’s been a long week, and you’re pretty sure it’s barely a day.

Just…. what is your plan, oh Sugar Rush?
>You got fifty bucks, and are parked somewhere. You haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. You could try to find something nearby. There is always some chinese place open.
>Maybe you could root around the van?
>Fuckin... you don’t got great ideas after sleeping. (Write-in?)

And should you wake up Leader?
>Yeah. The girls said that you should have an escort watching you at all times.
>Screw it, she’s sleeping.

- - - - -
(Mechanics)
The warmth of your sleeping bag envelops you.
Your stomach is woefully empty.
Your mind is still reconfiguring itself from your sleep.

- - - - -
(QM Faggotry)
I apologize for the short length of the update, Gentlemen. I had trouble putting the dream into words. Will try to make the next one quicker.


(2/2)

>>6281337
>You got fifty bucks, and are parked somewhere. You haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. You could try to find something nearby. There is always some chinese place open.
nothing like some yakisoba for lunch

>Yeah. The girls said that you should have an escort watching you at all times.
just following orders

>>6281337
>You got fifty bucks, and are parked somewhere. You haven’t eaten anything since breakfast. You could try to find something nearby. There is always some chinese place open.

>Yeah. The girls said that you should have an escort watching you at all times.

File: Truck_interior_partial.png (76 KB, 800x600)

76 KB PNG

>>6281367
>>6281371
Food sounds good, and if Leader wants you watched at all times, then she probably won’t be too mad. First of all though, you get out of your sleeping bag. The chill of the night hits you uncomfortably. Thankfully, you have your hoodie.

Dressed, you poke Leader, once, twice, and she tenses. As her eyes open, her face regains it’s usual tension. She doesn’t look too mad. Unmoving from her sleeping position, she prompts.
“What do you require of Us, Sister?”

“I want to get some food, but you guys said that I need someone to keep an eye on me.”

Leader closes her eyes and slowly nods. Before climbing down from her cot. She wears simple nightclothes.
“We shall change and accompany you. There are eateries nearby.”

She moves to the van front, opening a section in what you thought was a wall, but what is revealed to be a sort of dresser. Inside is divided into a few sections, on the bottom are several pairs of shoes, above is a drawer from which Leader retrieves socks and underwear, and above hang coat hangers. Each coat hanger seems to be stacked, various shirts, blouses, and anything in between. Leader takes one of the coat hangers down, take the topmost shirt, and put it’s back on. She undresses and changes clothes on the spot, seemingly unbothered by the night’s chill.

Afterwards, she closes the dresser, nightclothes in hand, and opens another dresser on the other side.
It looks to be in a similar configuration, but instead of common clothes, it contains a more specialized collection. Windbreakers, raincoat, rain boots, and similar.

Leader open a drawer containing night clothes, with a divider in the middle, and deposits her clothes on the right. Afterwards, she retrieves two pairs of rain boots and raincoats from the dresser. Handing you half.

They seem to be prepared, clothes wise at least.

After you both dress yourselves, Leader open’s the van’s side door. It’s pitch black, and pouring like hell.
The van is parked on the side of a road. Nearby streetlights illuminate what looks to be an edge of an industrial zone.

In your current clothes, the rain doesn’t feel too bad, but with the intensity it’s going down, you’re glad you aren’t in the park anymore. Usually you’d have to hide under some cover, and get barely any sleep, hoping that you won’t catch a cold.

After Leader secures the van, she prompts you to follow, walking alongside the edge of the industrial zone.
You walk in silence, the rain forming a nice ambiance in the darkness, streetlights providing a reminder of civilization.

The walk isn’t long. After a bit more than five minutes you arrive at the first open business you’ve seen. A little chinese shop, consisting of a window for orders, an extended rain cover, and a large counter. An old asian lady sits behind the window, reading some paper until you approach.

(1/3)

>>6282523
She asks a question, one that you think contains a ‘What?’, but her accent is too thick. Thankfully, the shop has pictures and prices next to them. You point to a bowl of noodles with meat and veggies for eight bucks. You hand her ten, hopefully for a better portion. She nods and turns to Leader.

Leader responds in a half voice, using words you don’t understand, sounds like some asian language. She speaks slowly but deliberately, the lady nodding in return. Leader hands over the money, you don’t see how much.

The asian lady walks away from the window, you can see her cooking.
Leader turns to you.
“While having a minder is to your benefit, our sisterhood exemplifies constant self improvement. Thus, I will teach you.”

Really? Now? Ugh.
“Do we *have* to do it while we wait for food?”

Leader considers for a moment, before smiling slightly.
“No, We suppose that it can wait for the meal.”

The wait feels long, but it’s probably just the empty stomach.
It is worth it when your portions arrive. Your bowl has a lot more meat and veggies than the picture, always worth tipping in these sorts of places. Leader has some sort of oily soup with meat and noodles, doesn’t look too bad, though you prefer your own.

Just as you swallow the first bite, and the satisfaction of a good meal starts hitting you, Leader begins speaking again.
“In the sisterhood, there are rules on several levels, there are several ways of looking at them, but a simple one is with how they came to be. Initially, certain rules were set down directly. Then, more came about due to the implications of what was set down, more extensions than true rules initially, but they have gotten somewhat complex over time. Finally, there are rules that came about by someone attempting something which warranted a response, and while some of these responses simply clarified the base rule, many were attempts to sidestep the rules by technicality. Something which prompted a very strict response in most cases.”

You give a side glance to the asian lady who has returned to her paper, but if Leader thinks it’s fine to speak about this much, then whatever.
“Jacky told me something similar, still not sure how you expect me to learn all that.”

Leader gives the small smile that starting to become characteristic of her.
“Piece by piece. We all have a great amount of time.”

Right… the whole not dying thing, still stuck in the back of your mind.
“Well, what piece do we start with then?”

(2/3)

>>6282524
Leader gives a slight nod.
“We shall start with the most readily applicable. The favors of the sisterhood. The rules indirectly prohibit Us from using standard currency between each other, as, if something would benefit a Sister, putting an obstruction between it and her would be prohibited. But practically, even in ideal circumstances, We have only a limited amount of time, an amount that gets even more limited when already assisting other Sisters. Thus, a system of favors has naturally formed. If a Sister requires something, she asks, and, as soon as possible, is granted it. In return, the Sister would grant a favor of her own, to be claimed as soon as reasonable, on a task of a roughly equivalent effort. This is mostly focused on training, as other forms of improving benefit are very temporary, and the time on them would better be spent elsewhere. Though there are exceptions of course.”

Wait.
“So if I get asked to do something, I need to do it?”

Leader slightly shakes her head.
“As a new member of the sisterhood, no. Your time needs to be spent on growth, slowing it down with performing favors would be wasteful. Especially as even your best effort is not very impactful compared to a seasoned Sister. Possibly trapping you in a near endless service with little resulting self improvement, thus contradicting the base rule.”

So you need to improve, and you can get basically anything you ask for. As long as you don’t piss anyone off, probably.
“So, where do I start?”

Leader’s smile widens.
“By finishing your meal, Sister.”

Ah shit, it’s almost cold. You start shoveling the rest as you listen to Leader continue.
“Afterwards, We shall plan for tomorrow. We shall be bringing you to receive the benefits of the community, but afterwards, the day is open. We would recommend you training with one of Us, but you are not forced to. We can train your mind, another can train your body, while another can train your will. While you are not forced to choose now, being informed in advance would be more... *convenient*.”
Leader pronounces the last word as if it were unnatural to her.

Well, you have your options, or, at least some of them. Leader training ‘mind’, you’re fairly sure Shadow is the ‘body’ trainer, while Jacky is left as the ‘will’ one. Not really sure what to imagine under that last one.
Or you guess you can just wait, pick a random magical girl in the crowd and annoy her. Maybe someone you meet on the way, Leader did say you will be brought to get some benefits. Could be those food stamps Jacky talked about.

>Leader Mind training.
>Shadow? Body training.
>Jacky? Will training .
>Reserve your choice.
>Write-in?

- - - - -
(Mechanics)
You’re cold, at least the food was good.

- - - - -
(QM Faggotry)
I have been cursed with what feels like the slug vomit spell from Harry Potter, except it’s endless horrific snot vomit. The gypsy that did this better pray I never find it.

(3/3)

>>6282526
>Jacky? Will training .
This seems important if her gimmick is to absorb emotions

>>6282524
>Leader has some sort of oily soup with meat and noodles
what was it ?
>>6282526
>Jacky? Will training .
then we go for body since our punches are lacking.

>>6282526
>Jacky? Will training.
Looks like a priority since Sugars power is about dominating, with the risk of being overwhelmed. Thinking of Jacky already helped once.

>>6282535
>>6282702
>>6282708
Jacky locked in.
As for what the soup was, I'm not sure myself, I pulled it from what I always got when I was a kid, and I went by pictures. I will try to see if the place is still standing and still has it to see what it's called.

I was stick, I'm getting better. Update by the end of the week. I will try to make it as soon as possible.

>>6284933
waiting warmly

everything good ?

Got antibiotics. It's nothing serious, but I don't feel well, and it's hard to focus. Update delayed, I apologize.

>>6288415
Get well

Got worse before getting better. Update tomorrow.

>>6291496
glad you're better now, OP

Of those, Will is the most useful. With your powers fucking with your feelings, Will sounds like it would help not get thrown off balance.

“Will sounds good, that’s with J-”
You’re stopped partway though the sentence by Leader pressing a finger on your lips.

She does not offer an explanation, merely.
“We will arrange it.”

...You are a bit annoyed. You said Jacky’s name before, so it’s probably not specifically her, or magical girl names in general. Meaning that it’s probably the context, an invisible unspoken rule that you should keep in mind. Fucking somehow.

You finish what little remains of your meal. Leader moves to leave, so you follow behind.
The rain’s hammering doesn’t feel any nicer. With a slight wind blowing, the temperature dances bellow the point of comfort.
You’re glad for those raincoats.

The van remains where you left it. Leader unlocks the front door. It doesn’t lead directly into a seats, instead having a small alley behind, with a split in the middle leading to the back of the van. She opens another hidden cabinet, mirroring the ones you saw before. They’re placed back to back with the other ones.

The inside of the one she opens is metal. Coat hangers above, with metal drawers bellow. Well, less drawers, more sockets with metal trays. She carefully takes off her raincoat and places it on the coat hanger, rain boots go into one of the trays, then steps aside, prompting you do as she has.

It feels a bit awkward, doing all this in silence. Leader shows and coveys her expectations, but it feels more like trying to teach someone manners via simon says pantomime.

By the time you’re finished, Leader has already dressed herself back into nightclothes in the other part of the van. Only briefly coming near you to close the dresser and offer you a set of nightclothes for yourself. She doesn’t look like she expects refusal, you don’t prove her wrong.

(1/4)

>>6292320
And so, you once again find yourself laying in a cot, in your sleeping bag, staring at the cot above you. Thinking of how you got yourself here.
Yeah you accepted some deal from some *thing*. Even if in the moment you were feeling out of your mind, and even if it did give you some solutions to your goals. Well…
You didn’t expect to get *just* those solutions. You imagined that getting to the point where things feel *right* would also give you something else, something that made sense to do.
That’s… not quite what you mean, or, more like, you have a hard time expressing what exactly you mean.
. . . Well, now you have a job. If you wanted to prace around in a high strung sisterhood, you’d join a nunnery. Now you’re bound by some obtuse rule set, with some of the fucking things being unspoken bullshit that you have to *somehow* pick up. Otherwise… otherwise what? Do you get hunted down like a dog? Beaten until you comply?
. . .At least you got your end of the deal, you guess. When you’re transformed, when you’re in that Sugar Rush, everything feels *right*. No matter if you understand, struggle, suffer, or fail, you don’t have a single shred of doubt that you’re doing the perfect thing you should be at that time. You know that it’s all worth it.
Maybe you could stay in Sugar Rush more, it would certainly feel a lot better. And if you’re not supposed to do it outside of missions, going on more missions seems like the obvious solution.
It just… doesn’t feel that great right now, dancing to some tune just because. Sure you didn’t have much before, but that was by choice. Now… you should stop thinking about it. Doing this in the night always leads to the worst conclusions. Plus, your Broker said that it… she? That she would try to get you another solution to your wish. You shouldn’t throw away hope before that happens.

With that, finally, you manage to clear your mind. It’s not a pleasant process, especially as it’s more crowded than it has been in a while, but you manage to fall asleep at some point.

. . . . . .

You are stirred awake by someone gently rocking your side. Opening your eyes reveals Leader standing over you.

She looks unbothered meeting your gaze. As if she at once did not care, while also soldiering on.
“Breakfast will be done shortly. We shall discuss the plan for the day after.”

You don’t think asking what that has to do with you would result in actually being left alone. So you sigh, and sit up on your cot.

The van is relatively lively. Jacky lays with a pillow pressed over her head on the top cot opposite to you. The force with which she holds the pillow indicating that she’s anything but asleep, though probably wishing she was.

(2/4)

>>6292321
Shadow is sitting with her back to you on the edge of the open van side, holding a cup of something. Her posture is casual, with shoulders low and head resting on the frame, but visibly tense in the back and neck.
Leader is out of sight, having walked into the alley where the driver’s seat is.
On the floor, the footlocker opposite to you is open, it’s a lot bigger than you thought, almost as big as the entire space under the cot.
Inside is what looks like a few sets of metal camping cookware and a small gas burner, though the majority of the locker is further subdivided into other slots with their own hinged openings. The only one currently open contains a bag of what looks to be oatmeal, an open jar of raisins, another, almost empty jar of various nuts, a glass bottle of what looks to be honey, and finally, a ceramic jar with ‘coffee’ written upon it.

Damn, this is nicer than you are used to. Sure you’ve snuck into a tourist hotels plenty of times, probably try it at least thrice a week, but trying to remain relatively inconspicuous prevents one from taking in those simple pleasures fully.

You barely get out of your sleeping bag when Leader return, carrying sloshing a metal kettle. She approaches Shadow. Shadow looks to be anticipating the exchange. You watch with idle curiosity.

Leader begins, each word flowing in a steady rhythm.
“Sister, We shall prepare breakfast, but We need to boil this water. Would you be willing to assist?”

An empty beat passes, before Shadow smoothly continues the exchange on rhythm.
“I am willing, sister. The water shall be boiling within a minute.”

The moment Shadow finishes speaking, Leader nods deeply. When she turns, you see her face is as sharp as ever. She closes the distance next to you, or more accurately, to the footlocker, and kneels. Her hands move momentarily before freezing.

Leader turns to you.
“Do you require assistance, Sister?”

Do you? Well… maybe.
“I’ve been wearing the clothes I got for a few days straight. Would be nice to have a fresh change if possible.”
A beat passes, shit, forgot again.
“Sister.”
You hurriedly add.

Another beat passes, Leader nods, slowly standing up, leading you to the left hidden dresser. Opening it, reveals the same scene as before. On the upper level coat hangers with layers of shirts, blouses, and similar. Bellow, several drawers, each with a movable divider, with the drawers contents being primarily on the left side. Inside are mostly jeans, skirts, and the work (with two drawers being dedicated to just that), as well as underwear and nightclothes, though you do also spot what you think is are two sets of beachwear, as well as a few pairs of gloves. On the bottom section of the dresser, there is a section for shoes, there is a fair amount of them, an upper and lower layer, with three lines behind each other.

(3/4)

>>6292322
“Choose what you wish, Sister. But be mindful of the right side of the drawers, it is used for partly dirty clothes.”
With that, Leader leaves you to your manner of dress.

Well. A clear pair of underwear is a given, but the rest? Depends, you haven’t had this much choice in a while.
You could probably wear your leather jacket, but then again, you don’t want to overuse it, it’s a prized possession after all. Shoes are also a question, but you’re probably keep your specialized, would be bad to go out of practice with them.
You glance to your right, out of the open door of the van, Shadow sitting on the van edge, holding a kettle with both hands, behind her, a wall of bushes. You can see a bit of the sky, looks fairly clear, only minor cloud cover. You also feel a light breeze, not really unpleasant, and seeing as you’re currently in light nightclothes, you probably shouldn’t dress for warmth.

In any case, you have a good amount of choice, and can cobble together practically any basic style. Finding specifics would be a bit more difficult. It might be possible but… honestly you have limited fucks to give, and spending them all right after waking up will leave you cranky for the rest of the day.

So.
>Casual (Light, comfort focused, probably some decent skirt and blouse).
>Ultra Casual (Baggy, comfortable enough to wear at home).
>Half assed serious (Jeans and a blouse that doesn’t look shit, probably will have to mess with your hair if you want any effect, clothes won’t save you from looking like you just rolled out of bed).
>An attempt at professional (You are not willing to put in a large amount of effort, but the rule usually goes, the rule usually goes that the less comfortable it is, the more professional it is, and if needed, you’re willing to wear something you wouldn’t be able to fall asleep wearing).
>Write-in.

- - - - -
(Mechanics)
Still waking up.
Fairly refreshed.
Could be a lot worse.


- - - - -
(QM Faggotry)
Update late. Delayed multiple times, plus shorter than I wanted it to be. The choice is not a large one, but it does set a preference that SugarRush will use if in a similar situation again, as well as clarifying a part of her personality. I’m glad to be writing again, head was getting really full.
Regarding the descriptions in the van, I might be going a bit overboard. I can see the scenes clear as day in my mind’s eye, but describing them in the proper level of detail without being clunky has proven difficult.
Thank you for reading, Gentlemen. Next update should be before the end of the work week. I will try to have it ready as soon as possible.

(4/4)

>>6292323
>Half assed serious (Jeans and a blouse that doesn’t look shit, probably will have to mess with your hair if you want any effect, clothes won’t save you from looking like you just rolled out of bed).
giving this a try instead of picking casual

>>6292323
>Ultra Casual (Baggy, comfortable enough to wear at home).

>>6292323
>Write-in.
Beachwear (specifically a two-piece bikini)

>>6292323
>>6292681
+1

>>6292517
1 for Half-assed serious
>>6292587
1 for Ultra casual
>>6292681
>>6292999
2 for Beachwear.

Votes locked in. Beachwear wins.

I got a bit stuck, but I'm chipping away at the update. I apologize for the slow pace.

>>6295866
waiting warmly, OP

everything good ?

>>6298592
writer's block, chipping away is difficult

hope a doot is soon to come.

>>6303867
Should be within a day. I had trouble finding a stopping point for a vote. I apologize.

>>6303924
no problem. thanks for the heads up.

The more you look at it, the less you care. While you have a set you like the look of, you mostly wear clothes for practical reasons. Either against the cold, or to not stand out. Or, you guess, to fit in, same thing.
Now? After being mangled and coming back within minutes? You don’t really need to go unnoticed, and you doubt catching a cold is a threat anymore. Maybe there are some other practical concerns, but if they don’t come to mind, they don’t matter.
You can pick on feel, and currently? You’re feeling like going to the beach after the paperwork.

Between your choices of beachwear, there is a slightly smaller, and slightly larger set. The smaller one looks a bit too small, so you go with the bigger. As for the shoes… they got flip flops in the back of the shoe rack.

Changing clothes without much privacy is something you had to get used to, not many places to hide on the road, best case scenario it’s out of sight, ideally in a bathroom stall. Leader didn’t have any problem changing in front of you, so the others won’t get on your case about it.

You strip from your borrowed nightgown, placing it among the other used ones, and into the two-piece beachwear, it’s a smidge loose around your chest, but you expected that. It will hold well enough.

Turning around, you see... Leader holding a removed lid of the footlocker, and screwing telescopic metal table legs into the slots on it’s corners. As you look, she finishes with the last one, placing the makeshift table onto the ground.

A shrill whistle rings out. Shadow already moving the kettle on the table. You catch a glimpse of her face, her mind seems elsewhere. Even Jacky, unprompted, puts her pillow to the side and gets off her top bunk.

Leader pulls out four metal bowls and spoons, alongside the oatmeal, honey, nuts, and raisins. Before taking her own seat, bellow the cot where she slept. Jacky and Shadow sit next to each other under the cot Jacky slept in. You join in, sitting on your own cot.

The others pour a bit of oatmeal, raisins, and nuts in their bowl. Jacky preferring nuts and raisins, Shadow nuts, and Leader only lightly garnishing her oatmeal. Then the pass the kettle around, pouting near boiling water on their own breakfast. You follow suit, making a balanced mix. The honey is added shortly afterwards, poured on the spoons, about one and a half spoonful each. Before the meal, Jacky pauses and clasps her hands in prayer, the others continue on with their meal.

The meal itself is a combination of flavors and textures. The sweets flavors of honey and raisins complimenting each other well. The oatmeal absorbing the honey, and providing the main filling. All the while the nuts provide a nice shake-up, keeping the meal from being stale. It’s pretty good if you say so yourself. Better than your usual of hotel go-gurt with cheap müsli.

(1/4)

>>6304140
After the meal Leader gently raps her knuckles on the table.
“Thank you Sisters for joining Us. Now, We shall discuss the plans for today. First We shall establish a baseline, you may fill out the rest as you wish.”
She places an empty palm on her chest.
“First, We shall assist Sister SugarRush with registration in the local Shadow Market.”
Leader gestures with an open hand at Jacky.
“Afterwards, Sister Jacky will train the Willpower of Sister SugarRush.”
She uses her other hand to gesture at Shadow.
“Up until that point, Sister Jacky and Sister Flame’s Shadow shall patrol together. These patrols shall cover the homeless camp on third street, as well as the blocks between Neon and the nearby metro station.”
Jacky rolls her eyes but nods, Shadow follows, almost bowing.

Afterwards, there are a few beats of silence. Shadow picks up after the third.
“I will go train in the afternoon, the girls are organizing a brakeless ride down Chasta and I plan to join, Sister.”
After a moment of silence, Leader gives a nod.

Two beats pass, Jacky gives her own comment, her eyes scanning over your form.
“If Sugar is dressed for the occasion, I plan to have the training take place on the beach. It would benefit the morale, and serve as training for, uh, Sugar to act in public?”
The end sounds more like a question, but after two beats pass, Leader slowly nods.

Two beats pass. Nobody is making eye contact with each other. It’s pretty clearly your turn to speak if you have anything to say. Everything was framed in some sort of usefulness.
“I’d like to go to the beach, it’s been a while since I went, and it would help clear my head. It’s been a rough few days.”
Half a beat passes, you’re not sure if you should address Leader as Sister again, Jacky didn’t, but Shadow did. So you leave it, if you get corrected, then so be it.
Another beat and a half passes, and Leader nods.

After that, the others prepare, Shadow and Jacky leave, while Leader takes the driver’s seat. If this van ever crashed, repairing all this would be a nightmare.

. . . . .

The van arrives in front of what looks to be an entrance to an underground parking garage. Except the ‘underground’ part looks to be fully concrete sealed. You stand behind Leader’s seat, unwilling to chafe your near-bare ass riding shotgun.

Leader parks adjacent to the garage. You hop out as she secures the car.
You recall Jacky making getting into the market sound very casual, poking around shouldn’t be an issue.
The above ground section of the garage is nothing special, just a single empty floor. The ways to drive in are barred. Plus it’s dirty as shit. About the long and short of it.

(2/4)

>>6304142
“Sister.”
Leader calls you over, from the path leading underground. It terminates a short way in, but the ticket booth remains. Would have housed a worker in ages past, and now? From Leader standing next to it, it seems your way in.

When you get close, she offers you a hand.
“Any of Us can enter, even on their own, but protocol should still be maintained when possible.”

You aren’t willing to argue, to get it over with faster if nothing else. Though you suspect that the sooner you get used to hand holding with grown ass women the less painful your future will be.

The booth is missing it’s door, inside only trash and dust. Yet, when both of you step.
!
You are somewhere else. You immediately flinch, daylight snatched for darkness, like someone put a bag over your head. But as Leader’s grip remains, and as your eyes slowly adjust, you start seeing your surroundings.

Moonlight rays barely pass the heavy cloud clover, but enough to reveal a shantytown of brick, cloth, and wood. You stand on a stone road which winds onward, around you, on both sides, you see climbing layers of single story buildings, each subsequent row peaking above the former ones. A nearby alley shows a harshly angled stairs. The entire town seemingly to be in a deep bowl shape.

The houses themselves are anything but standardized, each one beaten into shape seemingly from what was at hand, and the windows, those that shine at least, do so with flickering flame light.

You’re rooted in place until a few firm tugs on your hand remind you of reality of the situation (or the lack thereof). Wooden feet don’t make for great speed, but your mind poses a greater obstruction. What you see is not overwhelming when you process the image, but actually *comprehending* is taking a while, like seeing a series of disconnected frames instead of a coherent moving picture.

You stumble along with Leaders guidance. Almost falling on the uneven stone road, but the grip keeps you safe. The road itself only wide enough for four, maybe five people going shoulder to shoulder. Winding around houses, going down and down at an uncomfortable angle. It takes a few minutes until you hear noises in the distance, making your realize the absolute silence so far, only adding to the strange atmosphere. The source soon shows itself, the street widens, revealing a what could be generously called a city center, with a downright abused looking water fountain in the middle. And all around the edges, market stalls. Rickety as all hell, and mostly empty besides. Mostly, except four, and all but one unstaffed. First contains trinkets and strange knickknacks, the second phials and liquids, third has miniatures, carvings and tiny metal weapons, while the last and the one staffed, seems a normal open air grill. The girl inside the stall waves at you and Leader lazily, flipping a few vegges she has cooking up.

(3/4)

>>6304144
Leader gives a curt nod, and continues dragging you along, but you’re not so sure. It’s a normal looking girl, operating a normal looking grill, in a stall that looks like it’s made of other stalls that fell apart a century ago. And oh yeah, it’s in the Shadow Market. She might have some interesting things to say, or you might just get a chance to refocus. It’s not like Leader refused your requests before.

>Keep going.
>Ask to Stop, you want to meet the girl.
>Ask to Stop, you want to rest for a second and refocus.
>Write-in?

- - - - -
(Mechanics)
Your mind is overwhelmed by reasons unseen.
You feel full from the breakfast.
Your rest was fine, not too great, not too poor.
You are comfortably dressed.

- - - - -
(QM Faggotry)
I got stuck on everything possible. Considering the beachwear, taking care with the social protocols, and trying to make sure the characters acted right. Would have been better if I just forced myself through the block. Then Silksong came out. I apologize for the delay.

(4/4)

>>6304145
>Ask to Stop, you want to meet the girl.

>Then Silksong came out. I apologize for the delay.
no problem, bug gooners deserved this one

>>6304145
>Ask to Stop, you want to meet the girl.

Good things come to those who wait or something

>>6304145
>Ask to Stop, you want to rest for a second and refocus

>>6304145
>Keep going.

I'm going to leave the vote overnight, then close it tomorrow.

>>6304250
>>6304331
2 for stop to talk to the girl.
>>6304408
1 for stop to rest.
>>6304532
1 for keep going.

Stopping to talk to the girl wins.

waiting warmly

I have been slowed down, the update is nearly finished, it should be done either tomorrow, or the day after. I apologize.
I am certain I can manage weekly updates without problem if I just get slightly better. Until I mange though, I can only promise that I will not flake.

Screw it, you need a breather, and you should get acquainted with the locals while you’re at it. You’re supposed to be doing this for a while after all. So you tug back on Leader’s hand. Whispering in a half voice.
“Sister, wait. I’m dizzy, I need rest, and I want to meet that girl.”

Leader pauses, not quite freeing, but the irregularity in her otherwise smooth movements is jarring. The switch is enough to make you stumble from your unsteady stance.
Instead of jerking your body to a stable position by your hand, as before, Leader turns and catches you in a half hug. Your momentary shock is eased by her leaning down slightly, and swiftly whispering in your ear.
“She is not a Sister, but an Other of lesser position. One who is nonetheless dangerous.”

Fucking wonderful.

Leader disengages from the partial hug, and changes direction for the grill stall. The girl inside has clearly not expected this. Half scrambling from her relaxed seating position.
“Oh hey! Whacha fiiine ladies need?”

Closing the distance reveals details of her form. She is short, and similar in statute as Jacky, though instead of almost teenage appearance of your smaller Sister, the girl looks young adult, just underdeveloped.

Leader takes point, her voice cold.
“Our Sister wishes to meet you, Apprentice.”

The girl grins and gestures at herself rapidly, almost flailing.
“Gladly! I’m E! Genius, a Wielder of Powers beyond mortal Comprehension, aaand an apprentice to Kethri.”

Wild, eccentric.
“Bit of a short name, isn’t it? I’m Sugar, a Magical Girl and nothing much else.”

E lets a giggling snort.
“Well, I can’t tell you a full name, can I? You girls have all sorts of protections, but not getting cursed is a better way to live.”
She pauses for a moment, face pensive before grinning again.
“Well, unless it’s a real fun curse.”

Those eyebrow wiggles are off putting. Making you pause long enough for E to keep talking.

“Wanna try some of my delicious creations? Been practicing here for an eternity times ten.”
She gestures at the grilling veggies, primary bell peppers.
“And don’t worry about your figure! (Not like you girls need to.) They’re barely real, and made with my genius skills. Because apparently I have to practice with FOOD instead of ANYTHING FUN!“
She glares at a point in the distance before returning her gaze to you. Hands already shoving a paper plate with one of the peppers to you.

(1/3)

>>6309687
You accept, might as well, and lightly check how hot it is, only to find it’s just right.
“Thanks. You do anything besides practice?”
You prod. Taking a bite of the pepper while she answers. It’s heavily spiced and, well, peppered, with the juicy vegetable adding a great base, the grilling bringing out the flavor well.

“*When* practice is over, which is rarely, I Create!”
She throws her head back and raises her hands towards the sky.
“The genius of E cannot be contained!”
She takes a deep shuddering a breath, before lowering her arms and looking in your eyes again.
“Though I am known to partake in some wicked parties.”
She nods to herself.

Not a boring person, that’s for sure. Over the conversation you did start to feel better, the pepper helped too.
“Well, E, I gotta head out, I’ll see you later.”

As you go, she waves you goodbye. Calling out.
“Say hi to Jacky for me!”

Guess you will.

. . . . .

You and Leader head further along the winding road. Though ever since the market, it has gained a steady an incline. You walk in silence, though you don’t feel anything negative from Leader, or nothing much at all. You don’t think she’s annoyed though, she just seems to be like that.

Eventually, you end up in front of what looks to be a court house. It stands out compared to the rest of the shantytown, properly built with concrete, tall pillars decorating the sides. The external shape resembling a Greek temple.

Leader stops before it’s large double doors and looks at you.
“Inside, there are rules that must be followed. The Sister We shall meet must be addressed as ‘Angel’. If she requests otherwise, acknowledged her, but do not change. You must also not share stories, if she presses, deflect to another topic, no matter what.”

What?
“Why?”

Leader’s piercing gaze becomes uncomfortable.
“Angel is one with a rare task. She *can* *not* fight, and *chose* not to fight, so she *must* not fight. We who Fight are part of a flowing cycle of Combat, Training, and Rest, all taking many forms. Angel cannot fight, so she cannot train. Her ‘work’ is particular and ideally unneeded. It does not truly exhaust, does not truly fulfill the calling of Magical Girls, forbidding her true rest. Reminders and stories would only cause suffering.”

You don’t have a response to that. You sort of figured the morning justification talk about training and purpose was more like a person writing off their holiday as a business trip or something. The implications make you even more uncomfortable than Leader’s gaze.

Leader takes you silence as acceptance, and opens the double doors into… a shaded alley. Taking a few steps in as the doors shut behind you, you can better see your surroundings. The alley is unremarkable, brick buildings on both sides, but above you there shines dusk light. Your confusion leaves you lagging behind Leader, prompting you to hurry after her, and out of the alley.

(2/3)

>>6309689
Sunset blinds you, as you find yourself on a riverfront path. Your entrance alley situated between compact square two story houses, an line of similar houses stretches into the distance. Leader walks further ahead on the path. You pick up the pace.

You catch up to Leader’s long stride moments after she pauses next to one of the houses, identical to all others to your eye aside from the house number 843. Leader turns to you, giving you a piercing look.
“Remember, Sister.”

“I remember, Sister.”
You’re so overwhelmed that you’d forget a minute later. Though you’re not that far from it.

Leader knocks on the door, but doesn’t wait, opening into a straight hallway, wooden on all sides. There are wooden doors with opaque glass windows in them. Though only one has adjacent seating. Simple wooden benches with pillows on top.

Leader knocks on the door next to the seating, and sits down. Her gaze prompts you to do the same.

. . .

Minutes drag on. Maybe could can think of something to ask in the meantime? Maybe a request from Angel? She does seem to do the paperwork, and you are new. Apparently meaning you can try to ask a favor of damn near anyone.

Well?
>Write-in? (Question, request, ect.)
>You don’t got ideas.

- - - - -
(Mechanics)
You’re starting to feel a bit peckish.
Your eyes hurt a bit from the constant light switching. You’re considering sunglasses.

- - - - -
(QM Faggotry)
Late and gay update. I’m tired as a dog, changing of the seasons always does this. Bit of an open vote, hope you don’t mind, and hope you enjoy the update. Thank you for reading so far, and I apologize for the delay.

(3/3)

>>6309690
>You don’t got ideas.

Can't think up anything until we meet her.
Sounds to me she took the deal and then wanted an out, and her only option was to become a nun.

>>6309690
>>You don’t got ideas

>>6309690
>You don’t got ideas.

>>6309690
No ideas. Better to not mess with the favours thing until we know about the Magical Girls lore.

>>6309690
>You’re so overwhelmed that you’d forget a minute later. Though you’re not that far from it.
was it *not so overhelmed* ?

>You don’t got ideas.
let's hear her first

>>6309929
>>6309943
>>6310090
>>6310121
>>6310146
No ideas. Sugar's gonna have to just pass the time.

>was it *not so overhelmed* ?
Yeah, my bad.

Update should be hopefully done by the end of the week. Some things have piled up. At worst I'd estimate next tuesday.