Despite the Magic Gatekeepers' power, they weren't allowed to stop the perpetrator under their rules. That had to be left to the Academy for Time Travel unless she was too much of a threat to space-time. Where was she?
Far away from the cosmic courthouse and around the outskirts of C Flats stood an impressive star fort. Within the fort along its walls were souvenir shops and housing for the staff. In the center of the fort was another smaller star fort that had five large turrets; one for each 'point' of the star, and in the middle of it all was a pink rococo-style palace that surrounded a luxurious courtyard.
This complex was known as the Citadel of Paine. The turrets and star forts were built in this new timeline around an old palace that would also be renovated. Their construction was completed in 1885.
Time manipulation allowed this citadel to be built far more quickly than would have been possible. Neither the forts or the style of the palace were contemporary, let alone to each other, but they fit the leader's style. The perpetrator's style!
The palace was light mauve with two strips of trim that ran along the central roofs; the top stripe rosy pink stripe of trim and the lower stripe was made from white stucco. The numerous window frames were white with white and gold stucco in swirling, curving shapes.
Behind these walls and windows, the perpetrator was orchestrating a meeting to recruit and introduce elite officers into her faction.
"Wow! Is that the courtroom?" Chelsea asked. She gazed at a crystal ball in front of her that displayed a live feed of the courtroom proceedings, and she was seated in the palace meeting room, far away from the trial her less lucky classmates had been subjected to!
She and Claudia were wearing new outfits instead of their school uniforms. Chelsea was wearing a two-toned pink gown with puffy sleeves. It had a green crystal brooch with a gold bow along the front which matched the gold ribbons in her hair. Her dress had a light blue skirt layer over it and it was pinned to show the multiple light pink layers beneath it. The sleeves and the hems of her skirts had white lace.
Claudia was wearing an outfit not unlike what she usually wore, but fancier. It was more like what she wore at formal events! She wore a light mauve blouse with matching skirt layers, and over her blouse she wore a two-toned pink vest, and she had a green bow along the collar of her blouse.
The room had a light and airy feel to it while being very elegant; the walls were light red with tall white floorboards that were divided into panels. Each panel had lots of gold swirling decorations on it with floral motifs. The wood floor also had similar patterns in it. This was far more inviting than the courtroom!
Chelsea and Claudia were seated at a round, rococo-style table and seated on matching chairs. The backs of the chairs bore a floral insignia on them.
There were other people at the table, whom they had just met.
"I took you with me before you could be sucked into the time rift and from being put on trial like those chumps!" The perpetrator, Legionnaire Imperatrix, boasted to Chelsea and Claudia. She was quite tall and looked to be in her mid-20's. She had pale skin with light blue hair that was wavy at the sides. She kept her hair tied in a ponytail with a red lacy ribbon.
She had a prim appearance which her demeanor usually matched, though there were a few slip-ups such as some of her choices of words being less formal than a guest at a formal event would expect.
She wore a light red and pink rococo-style gown with a lilac skirt layer, two more white skirt layers with gold trim and an under-skirt that was pink with light red trim. The top of her gown had red frills, and she wore a purple cape over her dress.
Contrasting with the pastel colors of her outfit, the gloves, boots and hat she wore had an industrial edge to them; she wore dark fingerless gloves that reached near her elbows, and they had studded wristbands. Her hat had gold trim, and the insignia of her faction emblazoned on its front. It was the same insignia on the chairs, and on several wall panels.
The insignia resembled a toothed gear with a heart-shaped hold in the middle, and a trio of crown imperial flowers below it. Surrounding the insignia on each side were a pair of gold stripes which gave her hat somewhat of a resemblance to a crown.
"Yeah! It sucks to be them!" Chelsea giggled.
"It does..." Claudia nervously chuckled in agreement. "We were lucky to be taken here instead! Thank you so much, but why did you choose us out of everyone?" She asked.
Imperatrix cut to the chase. "I brought you here as candidates to be elite officers for my faction."
Chelsea was immediately excited but Claudia felt a chill of confusion and fear that was greater than her excitement. "Elite officer... For the new dictator?! Did she mistake me for Susana?!" She thought.
"You can decline, but would you really want to?" Imperatrix asked them. It was an offer they could refuse, but she wanted to make it too enticing! "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! All of this power and you won't risk your soul! Princess Chelsea, you would be the ambassador between us and your family."
Chelsea was immediately sold on the idea. "Yay! Can I also head the souvenir shop?" She asked.
"Sure." Imperatrix said.
"I accept!" Chelsea cheered. "Princess Chelsea. I love the sound of that!"
"It's settled." Imperatrix cheerfully said to her. "Claudia, you would be the head of our communication and information department." She offered to Claudia.
"Are-- Are you sure? I'm sorry if I sound like I'm doubting you but I'm honored that you chose me!" Claudia nervously said. She felt excited but still confused and worried.
"You've been a published writer in the previous timelines and I sensed great potential in you to be a mage without comparing you to your sister." Imperatrix said. She wasn't insulted.
After a pause, Claudia accepted. "I accept! I'll do my best to stand on my own and as part of this faction!"
"Wonderful!" Imperatrix exclaimed. "We have a couple of initiation devices for you. Before we begin your initiations, the other elite officers at the table with you would like to introduce themselves!"
The first to stand was a tall woman with dark skin, long plum hair that had black ribbons tied in it, and she was wearing a fancy military uniform that was a dark mauve with gold buttons, sleeve insignia and epaulettes. Her jacket had a black studded belt that had the League insignia on it, and on her right side a holster with an ornate saber hung off of her belt.
"I'll be your instructor." Monica said. She stood up to salute. "Whether I'm on the frontlines with you or helping you from a distance, I'm sure we'll be a good team!" She smiled and confidently said.
The next two introduced themselves.
"I am Roberta." A robot wearing a blue wig announced. She had a boxy appearance and her front chassis was also a dark mauve with gold buttons and trim, and she wore a blue pageboy wig with metal hairpieces in it. Her face was like an old computer display; orange pixels arranged to make her face.
"And I'm Christina!" Her creator introduced herself! Christina was a member of the Magical Renegades, but in this timeline she took her engineering secrets with her when she joined the League!
When she joined, she had a fancy makeover; the sides of her hair remained around mid arm-length but the hair at the back of her head was short and styled into a flip-do. She was also wearing a light yellow gown with a white collar, lace and cuffs. There were black bows on the collar and on the sleeves of her gown.
"I'm Lily, the strategic advisor and Our Fabulousness' familiar!" Lily introduced herself. Half human and half demon, conflicted over both sides, but working with Legionnaire Imperatrix has given her a much needed role to be more confident in herself. She had short orange hair that was tied back with a pink headband that had a round brooch with the League insignia on it. Her eyes were gold and gave her a curious gaze. She wore a pink and white dress with orange trim.
After the introductions were over, Chelsea and Claudia were initiated that evening!
"I knew it... I had no doubts that I chose fabulously!" Legionnaire Imperatrix said, overjoyed after the initiation. "We are the League of Paine!" She announced, more confident than ever in her faction's capabilities!
Back to Anathema to Commonsense