[X] Grab the Grief Seed[Roll: 76 : SUCCESS]You reach out a trembling hand to grab at the Grief Seed. Your first clutch comes a little bit early, and knocks it back.
The rain falls heavy, the sound of water striking the ground filling your hearing. Your hand splashes down in the puddle, sending muddy water up, and spattering the bottom of your arm with thick dirt and grime.
Back here, in this dark alley, there are no street lights. The sun hasn't quite set, but it's vanished over the rooftops of the tall buildings around you, bathing you in a deep twilight that seems to make the whole world grey and monotone.
You pull your elbow closer, scrunching up your body like a worm, and let yourself fall back into the dark, dirty water. You're back and able to grab the Grief Seed again.
You reach out, but again the Seed tumbles from your shaking grasp. Your uncoordinated clutches can't keep a hold on it long enough to bring it to your Soul Gem.
You can hear your heart beating. You can feel your will sapping. You lift yourself up and inch closer.
Someone steps on your wrist, drawing a strangled cry from you. In what seems like fast-forward, they swoop up your Grief Seed, and move their foot to press on the back of your neck, pushing your face into the water. Your first breath draws in only murk, and you cough and sputter it all out before you're able to slide your chin enough to the side to get a passage for air.
"Aww. Someone beat a witch. Ash, look."
"That's cute." Someone else is standing behind you. The two Puella Magi titter at themselves.
"Look at her gem though. I don't think we have green yet."
"I don't think we do. You want to take it? Not like the gutter trash can fight back."
You try to lift yourself up, but get roughly smashed back into the puddle. As you start coughing and puttering again, trying not to drown, a faint tinge of crimson creeps across the water. Your nose is bleeding.
The two Puella just titter again, like two hens playing with a worm. "I think she's trying!"
The one on your neck moves and you feel someone tug at your wrist. There's a soft, bell-like tone as your soul gem is taken that doesn't match up with the vague tearing sensation you feel inside. "Ooh, that is dirty! Oh my god, it's almost as black as she is! Look at it!"
As black as you? Your thoughts are muddled, but that strikes through a bit. You aren't particularly dark-skinned, so they must be at least a little racist. Or just trying to get a reaction out of you.
She steps a little harder on your neck, and you grit your teeth, stifling a groan. One of the vertebrae in your neck pops a little as it bends to make room for her heel. You still can't even see your attackers. The only thing you can look at is the Orthodox Church across the street on the other side of the alley.
You think maybe they were just going for the reaction.
"I'm tired of dealing with ghetto sluts, Lye. Let's get this gem back to the grotto and be done. I need one for my next project anyway."
"You don't even want the body?"
"Eww? No way, I use recyclables, not trash." The two Puella giggle again at their stupid joke.
There's a crushing pressure on your neck, and the two Puella seem to almost fly away. You feel your soul gem getting further and further away... and then there's a sensation of cleansing. A familiar one. Did they just clean your soulgem?
As your brain reattaches to reality, you're filled with one thought.
[CHOICE]
[X] Climb that building. You have to get your soul gem back.
[X] Get to the street. You have to find the other Puella's "Grotto"