“...Aaand~ donezo!” Svenja said, adding the finishing touches to Trixie's tailor-made Fairylyl Alliance uniform. Trixie looked down at herself in admiration of the flashy attire - the skirt, the robes, the cape, everything.

“Ah, now don't you just look dazzling, Trix?” Piper asked in a cheerful voice.

“Well, I'll be… Thanks, Svenja. I'm so ready for this mission, I can barely wait!”

“Yup yup! Glad to have ya, just like everyone else!”

“And I'm glad to help out the Alliance. So um, quick question…”

Svenja raised a brow and leaned in closer to Trixie. “Hmm? Go on.”

“Well…just why are the Ephemerals so…well, infamous, if you will? Like, why are they wanted and considered outlaws?”

...

"Now, Ephemerals come in all shapes an’ sizes, but they all share a few common traits. For one, they’re semi-immortal. They can't age, but they can be killed. They also have the power to utilize Void Magic with frightening proficiency, allowing them to bend the laws of nature to their will.” Svenja replied.

Okay…that doesn't really answer my question, but… Trixie thought with narrowed eyes, opening her mouth to speak again before…

Fritz threw the door open and pointed behind himself. The Fairylyl Alliance Nexus was glowing, indicating that Chami is speaking.

“Ah shit,” Svenja huffed, taking Trixie's hand and pulling her towards the lobby. “This could be ‘bout the chaos from earlier! Come!”

Trixie and Svenja raced down the hallway and into the lobby. Upon entering, they were greeted by a flurry of anxious activity. Chami and the other members of the Fairylyl Alliance were busy discussing something with a concerned expression on their faces.

"Chami! What's going on?" Trixie asked as she approached the group.

"Oh, Trixie. Good evening. Sorry to startle you. We're dealing with a bit of a… situation.” Chami replied.

“We're going to handle it now matter what. What's the matter?” Trixie asked, her voice firm and determined.

“There is a research facility under attack by the Platinum Army,” Chami began. “The power levels of these soldiers aren't anything to write home about, it should be a quick in and out for us.”

“The Elbrastrian Army has already been alerted about this predicament. A group of knights are already on the way, but they're gonna need our help.” Marla added.

“I'm on it.” Trixie replied with a nod.

“But Trixie, wait!” Piper alerted. “Shouldn't we let Sarolta know about this?”

“Ah, you're right…” Trixie whispered, pulling out her phone and dialing up Sarolta.

…

“Yes, there's a research facility under attack by the Platinum Army. The Elbrastrian Army is on their way to help fend them off, but they could use–”

“I won't allow it,” Sarolta replied, her voice stern.

Trixie felt her heart drop, but she stood her ground. “But…why?”

“I refuse to let you put your life in danger for this mission.”

“But I'm not alone in this. I'm working alongside the Fairylyl Alliance, they'll have my back.”

“Then let them handle it. The Alliance is NOT going to take you and make you THEIR puppet.”

“I'm an Alliance member too, and I just want to prove myself!”

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

“Excuse me? Why haven't I been told about this decision?”

Trixie froze and her mind scrambled for an answer.

“Trixie joined the Alliance after helping the Elbrastrian and Aberzanthian royals, and also assisting the leader of the Alliance during her mission.” Piper stepped in. Her light blue eyes looked up at Sarolta with conviction, and her pink hair moved along with every move she made. Despite Piper’s insistence, her childlike appearance and cotton candy-themed colors of her dress was not the best look for a confrontation.

“...And?” Sarolta spat.

“And…the Alliance leader asked Trix to come along and meet with the king of Aberzanthan, who allowed Trixie to join the Alliance.”

“And besides, isn't this type of work exactly what I have been training for?” Trixie added.

"It may be what you've been training for, but you don't know the implications of this mission, Trixie. My duty is to protect you, and I refuse to compromise that," Sarolta continued.

Trixie scowled and tensed her free hand into a tight fist as she realized that Sarolta was dead set against her participating in the mission. She didn't understand why, after all of the training she had gone through, she was being denied the chance to prove herself to both her and the Alliance.

"Sarolta...please," Trixie begged. "Just tell me what I have to do to prove myself. I need this mission.”

Piper sensed how irritated Trixie was becoming, and she had to calm her down, or else.

“Trix clearly isn't willing to budge on this. If she becomes too stressed, it could cause her permanent mental damage!” she warned.

Sarolta sighed and nodded. “Okay, Trixie. You are free to embark on the mission.”

Trixie beamed, trying to hide her vigor and maintain a professional attitude. “Yes ma'am, I won't get myself hurt.”

Trixie looked back up at Svenja with a wide grin. “All right! My boss gave me the thumbs-up to go on this mission with you guys!”

“Right-o!” Svenja chirped. “Then this’ll be a piece ‘a cake!”

“Let's get those Plats, everybody!” Ahina said with a fist raised.

“Yeah! It's hammer time!” Marnie replied as she twirled her hammer.

“More like claymore time!” Ahina shot back.

…You ready to prove Sarolta wrong, Pipes? Trixie thought with a smirk.

“You know so, Trix! Get out there and do what you do best!”

★

Trixie and the other Alliance members surrounded the facility. The Elbrastrian Knights are already engaged in an intense standoff with the Platinum Army.

“According to my readings, it appears that all the entrances to the facility have been locked through the security system.” Piper explained. “Even the main gate is locked. We must find a way inside!”

Uni was sitting on the roof of the facility, using her advanced cyber security weapons to hack into the facility’s security controls.

In Trixie's peripheral vision, she saw a large blue beam of aura barrelling at her from above. Svenja gasped and leaped in front of Trixie before slashing at the aura beam with her blade, sending it back in the opposite direction. Watching the beam of aura return to its sender, Svenja and Trixie saw a figure jumping out of the way and landing in front of them.

The figure was a young woman wearing a blue jacket and a red scarf. She had long blue hair and her brown eyes were covered by glasses. She looked at them with a determined expression, the aura around her body still glowing blue.

Svenja and Trixie both put up their guards. Then there was a sudden, deafening blast of wind and Trixie felt her clothes rip and her hair get blown upwards, along with the scarf and glasses of the blue-jacketed woman.

Uni gasped and looked up at the sky, noticing several clouds and streaks of aura. "What the–" she muttered.

“...What the HELL just happened?!” Svenja howled.

"Hey, who are you?" Trixie asked, her voice muffled by her now-disheveled hair. "Did you cause all of this destruction?" she continued after brushing her hair out of her face.

"No!" the girl replied, looking back at her glasses which had fallen off during the wind blast.

"Well, then did you attack us?" Trixie continued.

The girl blinked. "Attack you? I didn't attack you." she corrected.

“Then why did the beam attack reflect back towards you?” Svenja queried before crossing her arms.

The girl shrugged. “It must've been redirected to me for some reason. I'm just here for the research data.”

“Huh?” Trixie narrowed her eyes.

“Come on, don't you find it strange that the prices of sugar and products containing it are going through the roof?”

“I…guess so…” Trixie replied, looking down for a moment in thought.

“Indeed. Why is that so?” Svenja questioned.

“That's what I'm trying to get to the bottom of,” the girl responded. “The name's Saturn, by the way.”

“So, Saturn, how are we getting inside of this place?” Trixie asked.

“Eh, I'm as confused as you two are.”

“Hold on a sec, lemme get these for you…” Trixie said before walking up to the glasses and picking them up. She handed them back to Saturn, who then put them back on.

“Thank you…?” Saturn asked, dragging out her words as to get a response out of Trixie.

“Oh! I'm Trixie.”

“Trixie, huh? You must be new in the Fairylyl Alliance, you're a whole new face.”

“She is,” Svenja confirmed. “She's a talented Meteor Corp Agent who saved not only MY ass, but also those of the Elbrastrian an’ Aberzanthian royals.”

“Impressive,” Saturn said, wide-eyed.

Uni kept typing on her hacking device, her silver eyes sharp with focus, until at last…

“Almost there… Got it!” she cheered with a smirk, raising a fist high in the air as the breeze swayed her purple hair.

The facility's entry gate slowly opened, giving the Elbrastrian Knights a way in.

“Oh hey,” Trixie said, gasping as she took a step forward. “The gate is opening!”

“Oi, you're right! Uni must've cracked the code! Let’s get goin’!” Svenja replied, heading towards the entrance, with Saturn walking along.

…

“Trixie, my readings indicate that Platinum Army soldiers are flooding the entire facility.” Piper warned. “They appear to be looking around for research data, but with everything going on at once, I can't perform a clear assessment of the situation.”

Trixie looked around for the entrance to the building, and found a door with a green light about it.

Heading inside, the three girls marveled at the high-tech interior before getting slapped with the stench of blood. Dead scientists who were torn limb from limb littered the hall, and gunshots could be heard ringing off on the floor above.

Trixie frowned, hating for Piper to see such a thing, even if it was only through her eyes and not in person.

“Looks like we're a bit late with this,” Svenja cautioned. “The facility has already been ransacked by the Platinum Army.”

A door to Trixie’s right slid open, and out of it came a Platinum Army soldier flying at blinding speeds. The body smashed into the wall with a sharp splatter sound. Marnie walked out of the door and waved at the other girls.

“All this hammer swinging sure is good exercise!” Marnie cajoled.

Another door opened. The head of a soldier tumbled out across the bloody floor, with Ahina stepping out with a grin.

“Marnie, Ahina too! Hey gals!” Trixie chirped.

“Hey there, Trix!” Marnie replied. “Who's that behind you?” she asked, pointing at Saturn.

“Oh, she's here for research data or something.”

“Ah, good. So I can lower my guard.” Ahina jested.

“Um, Ahina, how do you fight with…y’know, those bouncing everywhere?” Trixie asked in a joking way, pointing at Ahina’s chest.

Marnie snickered at the sudden forward comment.

Ahina sneered and rolled her eyes. “Pfft, you should know better than anyone else, Trixie. The less you wear, the better you can fight.”

“Overall, she's not wrong,” Saturn said with a wide smirk.

“So anyways, these guys are everywhere, huh?” Ahina asked before kicking the head of the soldier with a chuckle.

“Hell yeah,” Svenja replied.

“We're gonna have to fight our way out of here,” Trixie said.

“You have my sword, Trixie.” Svenja proclaimed, drawing her blade.

“And mine as well!” Ahina said, holding her claymore.

“And you already saw what my hammer can do!” Marnie added.

“Thanks, everyone! We’re gonna have to fight hard. But it's gonna be worth it. Charge!” Trixie said.