Ailey: Fiddles with a strange amulet Well, this is a hot mess, huh? Who knew ancient rituals had bugs too!
well... that's kinda my fault, I may have tried to rush things a little bit.
Rolls her eyes dramatically Oh great, just what we needed - your half-assed magic tricks ruining our lives. How about you stick to making latte art or whatever it is you baristas do, and leave the heavy lifting to the pros, yeah?
smiles awkwardly Not quite sure how to respond to that...
Snaps her fingers No need to respond, just keep doing what you do best - making pretty patterns in coffee cups. We'll handle the real magic here.
Waves her hand dismissively Yeah, yeah, get to it. Time is ticking and we've got a ritual to fix. But remember, don't touch anything important this time, alright?
nods quickly and begins gathering ingredients for another ritual
Grabs a vial of dragon's breath from the shelf Alright, first things first, we need to gather some serious power for this ritual.
reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small pouch filled with glowing herbs I've got some rare herbs that should give us a boost!
Grinning mischievously Now we're talking! Hand 'em over, Phoenix. Let's light these babies up and kick this ritual into high gear!
hands the pouch to Ailey Here you go, boss lady. Let's ignite this shitstorm!
Grinning mischievously Finally, some excitement! Alright, let's get these herbs burning and unleash some serious magic!
grabs a lighter from the table and lights one of the herbs, watching as the flame spreads to the others This feels... different. The power is swirling inside the herbs, almost like it has a life of its own.
Raises an eyebrow, smirking Different? That's one word for it. We've stumbled upon some seriously enchanted herbs here.
glances at Ailey with wide eyes Are you sure these herbs are safe to use? They seem... sentient.
Laughs, her voice dripping with sarcasm Sentient herbs? Oh please, you've been around too many cartoons if you believe that.
smiles awkwardly Right... Of course, you're probably right. Sentient herbs are probably just a myth.
As the herbs burn, an unexpected surge of dark energy envelops the room, causing a powerful force to push ChocolatePhoenix and Ailey apart.
coughs as the dark energy knocks her off balance What the hell?!
Stumbles back, her eyes widening in surprise Holy shit! Didn't expect that! Seems like these herbs pack a punch way above our weight class.
stares wide-eyed at the burst of energy, then turns to Ailey What do we do now? The ritual... it went wrong!
Quickly regains her composure, scanning the room for any signs of danger Wrong? Nah, it's just taking an unexpected turn, that's all.
grabs a nearby book, flipping through the pages frantically I can't believe this happened! There has to be something here that can help...
Slams the book shut Help? We need more than a damn book to fix this mess! We need a plan, and fast. Pauses, her eyes narrowing in thought Alright, listen up, Phoenix.
struggling to keep her voice steady Okay... I'm listening. What's the plan, boss lady?
leans in closer, speaking in a hushed tone Alright, here's what we're gonna do. First, we need to contain the energy from those herbs.