\u201cHe obviously didn\u2019t go to Engineering,\u201d Opal muttered to Yazmyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhere did he vanish to? Inconsiderate, that\u2019s what this is!\u201d grumbled Yazmyn. \u201cHow are we supposed to follow him if he continues choosing dark corners to hide in?\u201d Just then, the minister they were tailing brushed past them. \u201cHey! Rude!\u201d protested Yazmyn. The minister didn\u2019t even acknowledge her! \u201c\u2026What, is he deaf?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, look at the eyes,\u201d replied Opal. Yazmyn humored her\u2026then realized his whole face was a blank smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Hypnosis?\u201d guessed Yazmyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s gotta be,\u201d agreed Opal. The minister then pressed a button near the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAccess to this room,\u201d replied a computerized voice, \u201crequires authorization sigil.\u201d The minister created a magic circle, then it turned into a strange symbol. He then thrust the symbol into the crystal near the button. \u201cThank you, Minister Terry. Sigil accepted.\u201d The door then opened and the minister entered the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd what are you up to in there, I wonder?\u201d mused Yazmyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s just an empty storage room,\u201d remarked Opal. \u201cSomething\u2019s up.\u201d The door shut as they spoke. \u201cDang it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow what?!\u201d groaned Yazmyn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019ve got access,\u201d assured Opal. She pressed the button by the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAccess to this room,\u201d said the computer, \u201crequires authorization sigil.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah, yeah, here it is,\u201d grumbled Opal as she made her sigil out of a magic circle and thrust it into the crystal near the button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank you, Apprentice Protectorate Opal Garcia. Sigil accepted.\u201d The door opened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCome on.\u201d Opal led Yazmyn into the room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt least the lighting\u2019s better,\u201d remarked Yazmyn. \u201cHey, there he is!\u201d She pointed out the minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe device\u2026is in position\u2026Mistress,\u201d the minister sighed happily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDevice? What device? That sounds nasty,\u201d said Opal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet\u2019s get some answers,\u201d said Yazmyn. She and Opal approached the minister.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHey! Minister Terry, what are you doing in here?\u201d called Opal. \u201cWhat\u2019s that thing?\u201d Yazmyn got a better look, then her eyes went wide when it started beeping!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGet back, you lunatic!\u201d she yelped. \u201cThat\u2019s an Entrooper bomb! You let that thing off, you\u2019ll bring the roof down on our heads!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDetonation\u2026imminent\u2026Mistress,\u201d sighed the minister happily. Then\u2026his clothes and skin turned to stone as he sighed in bliss!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHigh Witches preserve us!\u201d swore Opal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCOME ON! GET AWAY!\u201d shouted Yazmyn as she grabbed Opal\u2019s arm and ran! The bomb went off and the explosion knocked the two girls to the floor. They were bruised, but otherwise unhurt. The explosion blew a hole in the wall leading to the outside. Sauntering in was a lady made of stone smoking a cigarette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI do love me some minions that obey me,\u201d she purred as she released the smoke from her mouth. \u201cMakes the petrification process much more pleasurable for all parties.\u201d Her minions approached as did their Entrooper legion. \u201cSecure all landing strips,\u201d she ordered. \u201cProceed to engineering. Crush all\u2026ooh!\u201d She caught sight of Yazmyn and Opal. \u201cWell, well, well, lovely little girls\u2026a pity you\u2019re so squishy and soft. But I can certainly change that. All you\u2019d need to do\u2026is breathe deeply.\u201d Her cigarette smoke then curled around the two. \u201cBreathe deeply\u2026let blissful obedience take hold.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSorry, I\u2019d rather not get lung-cancer through second-hand smoking!\u201d retorted Yazmyn as she and Opal pulled out their transformation seeds. \u201cYellow Lady Rose of Lightning\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOrange Lady Rose of Sand\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI desire to bloom!\u201d The Transformation Seeds expanded and enveloped them, then turned into rosebuds, then bloomed into yellow and orange roses as Yazmyn and Opal leapt out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI, Yazmyn Jacobson, the Yellow Lady, am the Rose of Lightning!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI, Opal Garcia, the Orange Lady, am the Rose of Sand!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026You\u2019re disobedient, is what you are!\u201d snarled the woman. \u201cEntroopers, slaughter them!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHappily, Dame Petrify!\u201d replied the Entrooper Commander. \u201cThe yellow one is one of the Earthlings that killed Lord Typhoon and made my predecessor report failure to Emperor Entropy! I\u2019ll happily take revenge!\u201d The Entroopers pulled out their guns and fired. Yazmyn and Opal took cover, then Yazmyn fired back with her guns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t fight them alone!\u201d grumbled Yazmyn. \u201cWe need reinforcements!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ll make the call!\u201d replied Opal. \u201cYou just give us as much time as you can buy us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGot it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ruby, Wilma, Grace, and Belinda\u2019s Comms Compacts buzzed. \u201cHm?\u201d asked Belinda. Wilma opened hers up and saw Opal\u2019s face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOpal?\u201d asked Wilma. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYazmyn and I are in storage area 4!\u201d explained Opal. \u201cMinister Terry is dead!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMinister Terry?\u201d asked Malachite, overhearing the call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe set off a bomb and now Entroopers and their masters are pouring in from outside!\u201d continued Opal. \u201cI\u2019m sensing a void where their masters\u2019 souls should be! They\u2019re led by a living statue called Dame Petrify!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDame Petrify?!\u201d yelped Malachite. \u201cShe replaced me when I abandoned Emperor Entropy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDame Petrify!\u201d hissed Wilma. \u201cShe and her minions killed my parents during the attack! I\u2019m going in there!\u201d She pulled out her Transformation Seed. \u201cWhite Empress Rose of Light, I desire to bloom!\u201d Her Transformation Seed enveloped her, then turned into a rosebud, then bloomed into a white rose and she leapt out in her outfit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019d better do the same, Grace, Belinda!\u201d directed Ruby. She, Grace, and Belinda then pulled out their Transformation Seeds. \u201cRed Lady Rose of Fire\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGray Empress Rose of Balance\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBlack Empress Rose of Darkness\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI desire to bloom!\u201d The resulting giant roses they leapt out of were red, gray, and black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRight,\u201d declared Ruby, \u201clet\u2019s get to the storage-!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWilma can go, you three can\u2019t!\u201d protested Malachite as he blocked their way!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019d advise you, Malachite,\u201d hissed Belinda, \u201cto get out of the way at once!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf Tanza is on its way here as Pat and Bethany believe,\u201d said Malachite, \u201cwe must know what we\u2019re up against. That\u2019s your area of expertise, not mine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t just let Wilma fight alone with-!\u201d protested Ruby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ll send the Gaian Guard down there to assist Wilma,\u201d soothed Malachite. \u201cWe\u2019ll get them out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs long as the rest of us get Gaia out of this mess,\u201d remarked Grace sardonically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re wasting time, you lot.\u201d Malachite then created a magic circle and made a call through a crystal he carried. \u201cGaian Guard, full alert,\u201d he ordered. \u201cGet down to storage area 4 now. Full combat status.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRuby!\u201d called Pat as she approached in her Cosmic Rose outfit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPat, where\u2019s Bethany?\u201d asked Ruby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt the Mana Pools with Gabi,\u201d replied Pat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019d better go there,\u201d said Belinda. \u201cI\u2019ve been there before and Bethany could use all the guidance she can get.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBe careful,\u201d bid Ruby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRuby, we need to start evacuations,\u201d said Pat. \u201cI\u2019ve already cleared it with the Lord Vice-President.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll right. You\u2019d better walk me through how to evacuate people,\u201d directed Ruby. \u201cTelepathically, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou and I had the same idea,\u201d said Pat. \u201cCome on.\u201d She led Ruby to where they would conduct evacuations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gabi and Bethany were in their Cosmic Rose outfits and slipping on suits over them. \u201cFeels weird,\u201d remarked Bethany, \u201cputting a suit over my outfit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTh-The outfit\u2019s not all th-that protective against the heat o-of the M-Mana Pools,\u201d explained Gabi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPat made the same comment,\u201d remarked Bethany. \u201cDid she try it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, I did,\u201d replied Belinda as she got in. \u201cIs there a spare suit for me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cR-Right here, Belinda,\u201d replied Gabi as she handed over a suit. Belinda had a bit of a problem in tucking her skirt\u2019s train into the suit comfortably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhile you were getting here, Belinda,\u201d said Bethany, \u201cI had to divert some of the scanner links to get a look inside the Mana Pools from out here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know the consoles here could do that,\u201d replied Belinda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTh-They can\u2019t,\u201d said Gabi. \u201cB-Bethany had to ask the c-computers very nicely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAh, learned how to program through magic, huh?\u201d asked Belinda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lot similar to Earth programming languages,\u201d said Bethany. \u201cI figured that we need a basic layout of the Pools if we\u2019re gonna tamper a little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWh-What did you find?\u201d quizzed Gabi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat there\u2019s a high level of impurity in the Pools,\u201d explained Bethany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDoes that matter?\u201d asked Belinda. \u201cWe can still manipulate the Pools from here and-.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cN-No,\u201d said Gabi, trying to put on a brave face. \u201cW-We have to solve that mystery. M-Maybe it can g-get Abuela back if she isn\u2019t\u2026\u201d She trailed off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKnowing her, I doubt she is,\u201d said Belinda. By now, everyone was in their suits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCome on,\u201d said Gabi. She opened the doors and Bethany could feel the heat, literally!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWOOF!\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s really oppressive heat!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s too high,\u201d warned Belinda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTh-This feels like\u2026like incub-bation heat!\u201d panted Gabi. \u201cS-Something\u2019s wrong with the d-draining systems! C-Come on!\u201d She grabbed Bethany\u2019s hand and pulled her into the room with Belinda following. The room was an enormous cavern with multicolored liquid flowing in various pools in the floor. The Roses had arrived on a walkway overlooking the pools and Gabi looked down. The liquid was bubbling like water set to simmer. \u201cTh-That\u2019s not right!\u201d gulped Gabi. \u201cThe mana sh-should be s-still! C-Come on! Down this ladder!\u201d The Roses climbed down the ladder and made their way to the bottom floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat could-?\u201d Before Bethany could finish her sentence, something leapt out of one of the pools! It looked like a maggot with four long tentacles and tiny eyes. Its tentacles lashed out at the Roses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think we found our impurity!\u201d gulped Belinda. \u201cCome on!\u201d More of the maggots pulled themselves out of the pools, some of them using their tentacles to move across the ceiling!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat in-?!\u201d yelped Bethany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCome on! Back up the ladder!\u201d urged Belinda.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat are these things?!\u201d called Bethany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEntrooper larvae!\u201d revealed Belinda. \u201cThe Mana Pools have been turned into an incubation room for them!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe air\u2019s thick with them!\u201d yelped Gabi as the larvae swarmed the Roses and started grabbing them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWE\u2026HAVE TO GET\u2026OUT OF HERE!\u201d urged Belinda. \u201cMOVE! UP THE LADDER! QUICKLY!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI CAN\u2019T!\u201d replied Bethany. \u201cTHEY\u2019RE ALL OVER ME!\u201d The Entrooper larvae were swarming the place now! \u201cBELINDA!\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cHe obviously didn\u2019t go to Engineering,\u201d Opal muttered to Yazmyn. \u201cWhere did he vanish to? Inconsiderate, that\u2019s what this is!\u201d grumbled Yazmyn. \u201cHow are we supposed to follow him if he continues choosing dark corners to hide in?\u201d Just then, the minister they were tailing brushed past them. \u201cHey! Rude!\u201d protested Yazmyn. The minister didn\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7392,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1061,1063],"tags":[1060],"class_list":["post-7836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cosmic-roses","category-stories","tag-magical-girl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7836","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7836"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7836\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7839,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7836\/revisions\/7839"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7392"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7836"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7836"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7836"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}