2014-05-23 - It's A Pretty Cool Power!
| Title: It's A Pretty Cool Power! | |
|---|---|
| Summary: A Dark Scent is attacking, and there are no Perfume Warriors in sight! Only a Puella Magi, a HiME, and the one named Sailor Moon. So, really, it's no problem at all. | |
| Who: Mai Tokiha, Usagi Tsukino, Eri Shimanouchi GM: Kinzo Hiroyuki | |
| Where: Asakusa Traditional District | |
| OOC - IC Date: 18 January 2014 - 5/23/14 | |
<Pose Tracker> Kinzo Hiroyuki [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
A girl is walking along, she looks upset. "Why did... she have to do that anyways..." she mumbles. "Always...making me angry and...breaking my things." she says a little tearful, remembering how her friend broke the special ceramic statue that her mom had given her. Just before she passed away, filled with memories in it's own right. The girl who broke it tried to make ammends, and had quickly followed after. "Ah--look, I'm sorry!" she says frantically. "I--I really didn't know how much that meant to you... I!..."
A ripple in space happens and something black, horrible smelling and looking like a snake pops out of a dimensional hole---attracted by the power of the girl's upset, angry memory as the other girl reappear. This causes sudden confusion before the two before it leaps up, and through the girl's head....
"Uhm...why am..-what are you going on about..?" she blinks at the girl. The angry memory is gone. There's even more confusion.
But it's power fuels the Dark Scent. It twists and turns into something large, vicious.. huge and dog like. That also smells horrible and invokes feelings of anger in it's scent now.
It proceeds to angrily lash out at the people visiting the traditional district. People are fleeing it mostly successful, as it tries to eat even more memories. But it's hard when everyone is just thinking 'need to run now!'. and running.
COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki transforms into Youma Form Dark Scent of Rage!
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
"Excuse me, sir. Would you like a - all right, then." One of the bank branches in the area is holding a small promotion - cups of complimentary coffee, with a nice logo-emblazoned paper napkin. Enjoy, and think kindly of this business! Such a thing, however, requires a little bit of menial part-time labor - just people on hand to politely hand out the coffee.
Enter Mai Tokiha. She's in her civilian clothes for a change - jeans and old orange jacket - with a frilly apron in front with the bank's logo on it. Coffee steams on the table before her, untouched by the last twenty people to walk by. The pay's not great and the satisfaction's worse, but Linden Baum cut back on hours for the weekend and it was some pay for the day. Only a few hours left, and then it's freedom to start making tonight's supper.
Shaking off thoughts of liberation, Mai rekindles her enthusiasm for the next salaryman. "Excuse me, sir. Would you-" A sudden scream interrupts her, cutting her offer short. Everyone nearby looks for the source, spies the vicious dog-like monster, and starts running in the opposite direction. Whatever it is, it's lashing out, hurting people, and...
...and Mai doesn't see any other heroines jumping into the fray. The workday's shot now, and any paycheque is likely to be completely forgotten anyway. She could just join the fleeing crowd, go home, maybe take her time making something nice.
But somehow, she finds herself folding up the apron, laying it next to the coffee carafe, and running towards the peril. Just until someone else gets here. Just enough to make sure no one gets hurt by her inaction. Flames dance around her wrists and ankles as her Element takes form, and swiftly licks out to lash at the monster's legs. First, get its attention...
COMBAT: Mai Tokiha transforms into Mai-HiME! COMBAT: Mai Tokiha has used Fiery Rebuke on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki perfectly counters Mai Tokiha's Fiery Rebuke, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Counter! Kinzo Hiroyuki's Reverse ability activates! Kinzo Hiroyuki's Tactician ability activates! COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki's counterattack, Burn, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Mai Tokiha!
<Pose Tracker> Eri Shimanouchi [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
A half day of school and then blessed freedom. That's what Saturdays meant right?
- Today it meant a giant dog.
It definitely took her off guard, as she held her viridian soul gem in one palm, with her other popping a piece of onigiri in her mouth. When a foul smelling giant dog appeared in her field of view, she suddenly felt like she was choking from the strangled sound she was making. With her ongoing search for territory, Eri had tried to stay out of battles that weren't with witches as of late.
Before she knew it, she found herself leaning against the wall of an alleyway, breathing rapidly. Maybe she should just sit this one out, she had no grief seeds left, and even though she'd recently 'recharged', it'd set her up against a witch with a half-dirty gem ultimately.
She squeezed her eyes tightly shut as she heard Yaori's mocking laughter about what would happen to her if she did that. No, no, she was definitely going to sit this one out.
She took one last peek out around the brick wall,intending to flee. Except. A gout of flame appeared in her field of vision, and suddenly she was taking more than a 'peek', she was staring. Her mouth worked like a fish, at first, no words coming out, before she finally uttered, "Oh no..."
She hid herself back in the alleyway, sliding down to the dirty concrete. Mai can take care of herself, she thought. But what if she couldn't? And for some reason, over all of the selfish reasons on 'why not', that one managed to get through to her. Smacking a fist once against the brick wall, she frowned, as she heard an eleven year old's mocking laughter echo in her head again, invoking her soul gem with a thought.
Not long after, a tiny radiant beam of solar energy streaks out of the darkness to attempt to strike the titanic dark scent. She holds the scourge easily within her hands "We've gotta stop meeting like this!" She calls out to Mai. "This isn't how we should be enjoying a Saturday!"
COMBAT: Eri Shimanouchi transforms into Puella Magi Eri! COMBAT: Eri Shimanouchi has used Photon Ray on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki narrowly braces Eri Shimanouchi's Photon Ray, taking 12 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Eri Shimanouchi is Psyched!
COMBAT: Usagi Tsukino transforms into Sailor Moon! <Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"
There! Atop that building! Sailor Moon stands tall, turned in profile against the sky, arms crossed and hair blowing serenely in the wind! She lifts her head, turning to look as if just now noticing the commotion.
"These temples remind us all to be mindful of our own roles in maintaining the harmony of the world, society, and the people around us!"
Thanks Rei.
She spins smartly on her heel, turning to face the wrathful youma as she slices her hand through the air in a crescent shape. She's right out of an anime.
"I won't forgive anyone who callously insults the ethical spirituality of shrines by flouting their teachings upon their very doorstep!"
Boldly, Sailor Moon leaps down to the street level, landing in a combative stance and pointing accusingly at the choleric canine.
"I'm the sailor-suited pretty soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon! And, in the name of the moon, I will punish you!"
She holds the pose for a second, and then sneaks a tiny wave at Mai and Eri.
COMBAT: Sailor Moon has used In The Name Of The Moon on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki fails to dodge Sailor Moon's In The Name Of The Moon, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Sailor Moon is Psyched! Cripple, Diversion, and Trap applied to Kinzo Hiroyuki!
<Pose Tracker> Kinzo Hiroyuki [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
Mai just enters with fire. The beast responeds with it's own burning fire and manages to cancel out Mai's burst mid flight. THIS does, however, have the desired effect of attracting it's attention and distracting it just long enough to be caught and chided by Sailor Moon's speech, which kind of angers it-- it can't quite think, because Dark Scents are kinda like animals, but something deep down is effected by it.
Look, magical speeches are weird.
The solar beam hits home after as it collides in it's side, knocking it back to it's side.
It gets up. This fights just begun.
it howls in the direction of Sailor Moon, both as a retort, and to reassert it's primal nature.
It then proceeds to open it's mouth and rake a firey mouth beam at both Eri's location and Mai's location, burning the ground with it's dark power. "Gwurroooo!" it lets out while doing this. At least it's not screaming 'Zakkena'?
COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Howl on Sailor Moon. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Fire of Anger on Mai Tokiha. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Fire of Anger on Eri Shimanouchi. COMBAT: Sailor Moon narrowly dodges Kinzo Hiroyuki's Howl, taking 10 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Sailor Moon's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Mai Tokiha perfectly counters Kinzo Hiroyuki's Fire of Anger, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Counter! Mai Tokiha's Reverse ability activates! Mai Tokiha's Tactician ability activates! COMBAT: Mai Tokiha's counterattack, Sanctum Blaze, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Kinzo Hiroyuki!
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
The monster retaliates with flames of its own, and Mai has to leap back to avoid the counterattack. A brief conflagration fills the air, giving Mai enough time to recover - thus giving her a clear view of the backup she has. Good to know that someone's ready to take over....except it's Eri-chan. Looks like Mai can't pull back yet - though she tries to give a comforting smile. "Well, there are worse ways. Though I think today's paycheck just went out the window..."
A rallying cry of challenge. Mai's further commentary is cut short as she turns to behold the arriving heroine. Previous battles were too big, too hectic for Mai to have properly seen this sight, and it's one to behold. A heroic justice speech - better than any of Midori's, somehow not as hokey as some of Mamoru's - followed by a dramatic landing, and a challenge that seemed to actually make the monster cringe.
The first thought through Mai's mind is, 'I can see what Mamoru sees in her,' and she barely has the presence of mind to awkwardly wave back.
Further contemplation is cut short by the monster recovering from its admonishment, and unleashing a blazing beam - swirling fireballs form a wall to intercept it, but sadly dissipate before they can reach the howling monster. Mai turns to the pretty soldier of love and justice, and can not hide the grin on her face.
"Sailor Moon! It's good to see you again - I don't suppose you happen to know where this thing came from?" She waves in the monster's direction with one bangle-adorned hand, and a disgruntled look begins to smoulder on her face. "Because whatever it is, it kind of wrecked today's part-time job, and I don't think I'll be getting paid."
Mai turns once in the air - feeling kind of awkward with a famous heroine nearby - and unleashes a wave of flame to try to trap the monster. It's fiery itself, but that doesn't mean it can't be trapped...
COMBAT: Mai Tokiha has used Infernal Prison on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki perfectly counters Mai Tokiha's Infernal Prison, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Counter! Kinzo Hiroyuki's Reverse ability activates! Kinzo Hiroyuki's Tactician ability activates! COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki's counterattack, Burn, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Mai Tokiha!
<Pose Tracker> Eri Shimanouchi [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
Eri catches the tiny wave from Sailor Moon out of her periphery, and she finds herself waving back. Some part of her feels a pang of jealousy that she can't speechify even nearly as well as her, she's manages an easy grin anyhow. "Hey great speech Sailor Moon! All that practice on terrible men in tuxedos is paying off! Mami-senpai would be proud!" There's nothing mocking in what she says, even though it's a little bit of a joke. She did add 'terrible' after all.
Fiery mouth beams!?
That's the worst sort of halitosis! As she sees the flame sweeping towards her, her scourge whistles out, before she snaps her wrist once it reaches maximum range. Each tip of the length cracks, and magically infused lets out waves of concussive power, which strike the much larger mouth rays head on, parting it and striking the dog head on. Despite the effect, she doesn't make it out of this unscathed, as she has to try to sidestep the flames that come uncomfortably close enough that she's patting out small parts of her Henshin. As the scourge retracts, returning to her hand, she finds that it looks positively wilted, though it's quickly recovering. It was hard to divest a Puella Magi of a weapon for long.
Looking back towards Mai, she frowns, "Seriously!? You should be getting hazard pay for this! That's at least worth what, double overtime?"
Advancing slowly and cautiously, her scourge, finally recovered, arcs again through the air, going purposefully wide, before the lengths twist and return in the direction of the canine dark scent, trying to coil around it, each one acting of its own accord to lash it repeatedly and generally make a nuisance of itself.
COMBAT: Eri Shimanouchi has used Flowing Scourge Feint on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki narrowly counters Eri Shimanouchi's Flowing Scourge Feint, taking 2 Fatigue damage! Kinzo Hiroyuki is Quipped! Kinzo Hiroyuki's Reverse ability activates! Kinzo Hiroyuki's Tactician ability activates! Trap applied to Kinzo Hiroyuki! COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki's counterattack, Slash, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Eri Shimanouchi!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.
Sailor Moon shrinks away from the air-vibrating roar, drawing her arms up defensively and cringing against the aggressive stench.
"That... smells..."
The pretty soldier leaps forward, pirouetting through the air. She is trailed by a shower of silvery fairy-lights, which are revealed upon landing to have been coming from a crescent-tipped wand in her hands.
"REALLY GROSS, EVEN FOR DOG BREATH!"
With a great, twirling gesture, Sailor Moon's wand conjures a wide beam of hazy pale light. It shines from behind her, washing over the battlefield and piercing the scent with the smell of a chic perfume. Personally speaking, it's a lot easier for Usagi to work when she's not gagging. Since this is the smell of justice, perhaps the youma will be made uncomfortable instead.
That done, Sailor Moon glances over the growing conflagration. This battle will have to be won fast, before everything burns down! Her terror is not so great as it once would have been--she knows that there is a power within her that can make all of this right.
"Hi!" she chirps at Mai, skipping over a patch of flame and stealing a look at the evil creature. "I'm going to guess--something to do with the Perfume Warriors? I don't think there's anything too weird about them!"
The pretty soldier then crosses her arms, and purses her lips, lit eerily by the orange glow of battle. The response of Usagi from several weeks ago: "Tuxedo-sama is not terrible! He's the most caring, gentle, and thoughtful boy ever!" The response of Usagi from less weeks ago: "Mmhm." Today's Usagi wags her wand chidingly. "You shouldn't be so rough on Tuxedo-sama, isn't it more fun to get caught up in the moment when he's being cool and forget about how he usually is?"
It's a work in progress.
COMBAT: Sailor Moon has used Naru Osaka's Designer Taste on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki fails to brace Sailor Moon's Naru Osaka's Designer Taste, taking 31 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Exhausted applied to Kinzo Hiroyuki!
<Pose Tracker> Kinzo Hiroyuki [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
Conversation goes on around the Dark Scent. It doesn't understand. It's some sort of terrible instinct driven beast. It doesn't care for whatever it is the heroes happen to be talking about.
Besides, it'd only be burning snark most likely if it had half a brain.
It lashes out against Mai's fire again. This thing seems to be outfiring her. She may want to turn up the heat.
It tries to lash out at Eri's scourge whip to counter it and this doesn't work aswell. Maybe a bit.
Good, pure scents are practically anathema to this thing, it howls and recoils horribly at the smell as it backs off Sailor Moon. It does not want to deal with the good smell. Because good smells mean good memories, don'tcha know.
He lashes out at Mai with what seems to be some sort of chuckling howl. Is it laughing at her!? Not likely, it sounds like a hyena. It's just a weird sonic, burning howl.
Eri gets charged at, and attempts to contine on into Sailor Moon, trying to maul both against a wall or the ground perhaps!
COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Laughing Howl on Mai Tokiha. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Raging Charge on Eri Shimanouchi. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Bad to the Bone on Sailor Moon. COMBAT: Mai Tokiha narrowly braces Kinzo Hiroyuki's Laughing Howl, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Kinzo Hiroyuki is Psyched! Mai Tokiha's Block ability activates! COMBAT: Eri Shimanouchi narrowly dodges Kinzo Hiroyuki's Raging Charge, taking 6 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Sailor Moon narrowly braces Kinzo Hiroyuki's Bad to the Bone, taking 10 Fatigue damage! Sailor Moon's Parry ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Flames dance to Mai's command - wild, majestic, passionate - and come crashing down on the beast. Mai's brief elation goes out in an instant as the beast's on fire explodes hotter, resulting in nothing more than a more burnt city street. She staggers back from the beast's mockery, and tries to figure out what move she can make next. Sailor Moon's holy perfume does help matters, and Mai's nose is grateful for the intervention.
Mai circles the beast, looking for an opening, and uses the conversation to distract herself. "Unfortunately, that's not in the contract - just 'pay at the end of the day, people not there don't get paid'. Given that I had to leave my station..." Smouldering ire turns to a momentary burning fury when Sailor Moon mentions the Perfume Warriors. "The Apothecary, then..."
But fury passes when a lighter topic comes up - Mai looks from the monster to Sailor Moon and Eri, and can't help but grin. "Well, when I see one of his cool moments, I'll let you know. So far you're definitely beating him on that front, Sailor Moon!" Enthusiasm rekindled, Mai turns her attention to the monster. If fire isn't working, then maybe it's time to get a bit more hands-on.
This is a good reason to charge in and just try ramming the thing to knock it off-balance, right?
COMBAT: Mai Tokiha has used Smouldering Strike on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki fails to brace Mai Tokiha's Smouldering Strike, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Stagger applied to Kinzo Hiroyuki!
<Pose Tracker> Eri Shimanouchi [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
Eri sniffs the air as the smell of perfume washes over the battlefield. She loved the smell of justice in the afternoon! Almost as much as her own unique fragrance that drifted off of her, something like jasmine, only far more subtle. Even though Sailor Moon was asking Mai, she responds to her anyhow, "I'm not sure! It could be a dark scent, if so then the apothecary probably 'scent' it." Her mind however locks up a little, at the thought of Mamoru Chiba as Tuxedo -sama. She might have giggled right then, and there, at the thought of him being a -sama.
And yet, then she remembers how dashing he looked when he transformed on the dormitory rooftop, silhouetted in the light of the moon. She remembered seeing something vast and unknowable and ancient chiseled into his features, as if it were the world itself. Instead of giggling she finds herself blushing, from her nose over to her cheeks, up to her green domino mask. Maybe -sama was accurate after all in those moments when she wasn't overwhelmed by emotional trauma, and she too had stars in her eyes. After swallowing, she eventually announces her agreement, a note of chagrin entering apparent, "Yeah... I guess it is Sailor Moon. He can be really cool." At least it sounded like the two had probably made up! Her voice takes on a teasing tone, "Sometimes the moments of complete awful just cause someone to forget that!"
Turning her neck towards Mai, the frowning continues, "Well that's just not fair! All of them left their posts too! I wouldn't be surprised if your supervisor was cowering behind a dumpster somewhere while you're still here fighting!"
The problem with something so huge is that it's also deceptively fast, with legs that long. The dog charges at her, and Eri has to quickly move, to prevent herself from being squished against the nearby building. She feels the giant creature clip her against her leg, sending her spinning. Instead of being squished she's bowled over against the brick wall with a sound like a 'whumpf' escaping her lips.
She reflexively touches the pavement as she tries to recover and stand, using some advice given to her by Mami. Green runic circles appear everywhere around the dog like creature, with rotating sun motifs. From each of them spring briars, and brambles, and what look like sharp sticks, and bamboo which break through the concrete. Generally it looks like she's meaning to impale its feet, or at least make the battlefield very uncomfortable for it to tread upon.
COMBAT: Eri Shimanouchi has used Weald Advent on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki fails to dodge Eri Shimanouchi's Weald Advent, taking 35 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.
The youma snarls and smoulders. Sailor Moon turns to glare at it, though her intention is appraisal. It seems like it's focused on hurting them and not rampaging around causing collateral damage, which is good!
Today's Usagi is feeling very valiant.
Being the last one targeted affords her time to choose her reaction, and in that moment a plan flashes through her mind. Gritting her teeth, Sailor Moon brandishes her wand before her, preparing--and, with a flash of light, she clashes with the marauding monster! The pretty soldier is pushed backward by its wroth-fueled strength, and the heat from its body is so intense that she briefly panics.
But, Japanese Cherry Blossom faces these beasts. If Sailor Moon is going to be like her, then she needs to be brave!
With a grunt of effort, Sailor Moon presses back against the youma with her moon stick, disengaging in another glare of silvery light. She slips past it with the angled momentum, twirling gracefully through the air and slashing horizontally with her wand as she goes. The resulting crescent burst of energy allows the blonde guardian to bound away from the melee. Just like she was taught!
On clear ground, Sailor Moon grins fiercely and with a little bit of exhaustion. It's good to feel like you're earning the praise, rather than just receiving it.
"Don't be afraid to go all out! As a pretty guardian of the moon princess, I'll heal whatever damage is done to the Earth!"
She considers this sentence.
"It's a pretty cool power!"
COMBAT: Sailor Moon has used Juri Arisugawa's Flowing Riposte on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki perfectly counters Sailor Moon's Juri Arisugawa's Flowing Riposte, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Counter! Kinzo Hiroyuki's Reverse ability activates! Kinzo Hiroyuki's Tactician ability activates! COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki's counterattack, Burn, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Sailor Moon!
<Pose Tracker> Kinzo Hiroyuki [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
The Dark Scent is shoved over in a rough manner by Mai as it snarls and snaps. This thing feels weird to hit directly, it feels weird like... if thick fog had actual consistenty. Also, Being close to it reminds you of how it smells, and it smells so.. rancid and angry.
Eri blushes about Tuxedo Mask while also casting some sort of ancient spell and then spikes from the pavement crush through it. It hurts a lot and hwols on the spikes, but sort of...phases through them as it, as it launches a burst of fire at the crescent wave, causing it to disperse mid flight along with it's fireball.
It unleashes another series of laughing, caustic howls into Eri's direction as it then crashes forward, trying to run in and bite at Mai with a sudden, hard snap to her mid section, it did not appreciate being toppled over.
It finally fires a ball of flaming fire into Sailor Moon's direction, trying to occupy her with a powerful attack!
The thing still smells absolutely horrible.
COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Laughing Howl on Eri Shimanouchi. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Firey Rush on Mai Tokiha. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Fireball on Sailor Moon.
[OOC] Sailor Moon says, "i don't mind"
COMBAT: Mai Tokiha narrowly counters Kinzo Hiroyuki's Firey Rush, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Mai Tokiha's Reverse ability activates! Mai Tokiha's Tactician ability activates! COMBAT: Mai Tokiha's counterattack, Flare Shroud, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Kinzo Hiroyuki! COMBAT: Sailor Moon narrowly dodges Kinzo Hiroyuki's Fireball, taking 16 Fatigue damage! Sailor Moon's Flash ability activates! Diversion applied to Sailor Moon! COMBAT: Eri Shimanouchi narrowly counters Kinzo Hiroyuki's Laughing Howl, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Kinzo Hiroyuki is Psyched! Eri Shimanouchi's Reverse ability activates! COMBAT: Eri Shimanouchi's counterattack, Thunderous Crack, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Kinzo Hiroyuki!
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Mai rebounds from the creature's fog-like side, spinning out of control for a moment. The fact that that seems to have been more effective than any fire attack so far says a great deal - it would probably take Kagutsuchi to burn through that fiery defence.
For several reasons, Mai isn't considering that option.
Well, the question seems to have been settled on Tuxedo Mask for now - Mai lets her last comment hang where she left it. Even if he is a handsome dork, he's still a dork. Further ruminations are cut off abruptly by the beast's wild charge - Mai throws up a burning crimson sphere around herself, and winds up not unlike a ball being chewed on. She manages to escape before it breaks, but keeps her distance for the moment.
"It was handing out free coffee, it's not exactly something that comes with combat bonuses and overtime!" She's tempted to let one fireball 'accidentally' go wild to hit the stall, but quenches that urge. Sailor Moon's comment, however, is answered by Mai turning to her in open surprise. "That is a cool power..."
She turns to take in the area, all the ancient temples and historical everything. "...I'd rather not test its limits, if it's all the same. Besides, I think we've got this under control!" Out of burning pride or just quiet determination, Mai charges in on another tackling run-
Or not! At the last second, she comes to a halt, flinging a mass of flame into the thing's foggy, possibly-flammable side at point-blank range!
COMBAT: Mai Tokiha has used Infernal Prison on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki fails to dodge Mai Tokiha's Infernal Prison, taking 24 Fatigue damage! Diversion and Trap applied to Kinzo Hiroyuki!
<Pose Tracker> Eri Shimanouchi [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
Mai might hear a groan from Eri as she rises to being fully upright, though maybe not given the terrible din the creature is making, "Well it should, given this city! It always seems like they're attacking you when you're working!"
Though her attention is turned away by Sailor Moon telling her not to hold back too much, and the reasoning for it, "Wait You can do that!?" She's staring at her now, starry eyed. "Wow that's amazing! You're amazing Sailor Moon!" But then she thought she heard the words 'Moon Princess', "Wait, there's a Moon Princess? That's so cool! Where does she live on the moon!?"
As before, the caustic howl rips through the air. This time, magic thrums through her arms, as she channels it into the scourge. As each tendril snaps forward, the concussive power of the magically infused whip cracks bursts through the air, preventing the worst of it. Yet she's still showered with a searing sensation, as the monstrous dog's howl rips at her. Driven several steps backwards, she starts automatically gathering her strength for her usual final attack but decides against it. The thoughts of how much magic may be left in her soul gem driving her to choose a different option, her teeth may be chewing upon her lip as she does this.
Leaping towards the nearby brick wall, the heel of her boot strikes it, before she springs off of it, her scourge trailing motes of green energy. Suddenly it erupts into a writhing mass of nine tendrils, each surging forward with the sound of creaking wood, and growing to be the size of a tree, with thorns the size of an arm covering all of its lengths. Each of them acts of their own accord, each trying to drive the dark scent to the ground forcefully, before each of them wraps around them to attempt to impale it with deadly sharp thorns.
And then all of a sudden, it retracts, back into the handle she's holding, and she finds herself on the ground. She wants to check her soul gem, already not relishing the state that it's likely in and the amount of magic she'll be fighting her next witch with but she doesn't dare in the middle of a battle.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Eri Shimanouchi has used Cat o' Nine Tails on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki perfectly counters Eri Shimanouchi's Finisher, Cat o' Nine Tails, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Counter! Kinzo Hiroyuki's Reverse ability activates! Kinzo Hiroyuki's Tactician ability activates! COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki's counterattack, Rend, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Eri Shimanouchi!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.
Oh no, lunar perfume doesn't last forever. At least, not against scent-monsters. It makes scents--SENSE--that they have the advantage there.
"Auuugghhh, why didn't I ask Blossom-chan for magic perfume when I last saw her?!"
But Sailor Moon didn't and now she has to live in a world where she may die in a mobile garbage fire. The pretty soldier throws herself to the ground without grace or care, though her wailing is mercifully drowned out by the sound of exploding infernos. Exploding infernos that are not exploding on her. Good work!
The blonde girl hisses in pain, rolling over to sit up and vigorously rubbing the hip that struck ground. She thus has an excellent seat to watch Puella Magi Eri's frontal assault. Her breath catches painfully in her chest.
It's so close--but--that thing is too strong!
Is it because we're not Perfume Warriors? Usagi thinks, her thoughts threatening to jumble together. Or is it because we're not working as a team like they do?
It's too late to coordinate with Eri, but it's never too late to try hard at what can be done. Usagi will have to pick up all the slack she can. For the princess! And her kinda-possibly fans! They're fans, right? This must be what it feels like to have fans, right?! She rises to her feet, eyes narrowed.
"Moon Twilight..."
Sailor Moon traces another wide crescent through the air with her outstretched hand, and then frames her tiara's gem between two fingers in a v-sign. The crystal flashes ominously, then goes dark as space--
"FLASH!"
--and then it is so bright that the world becomes monochrome for a brief, purifying, moonlit moment.
COMBAT: Sailor Moon has used Moon Twilight Flash on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki fails to brace Sailor Moon's Moon Twilight Flash, taking 65 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit!
<Pose Tracker> Kinzo Hiroyuki [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
The Dark Scent tries to dodge Mai's inferal flames and fails. It skids to a stop somewhere near a street sign and Eri thwips down her whip of nine tails! The beast leaps off the sign, causing it to tilt as it meets Eri's whip, and effectivly uses big, massive, ridicolous claws it unfurls from it's front legs to cut through them. It's been /saving/ that. It may not be smart, but it knows how to protect itself.
Sadly, however, Sailor Moon's wave plows through the beast, it rends it, causing it to fuzz and dissapate, if just for a moment before reforming. It lets out a howl and just unleashes a torrent of fireballs at EVERYONE!
COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Fireball on Sailor Moon. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Fireball on Eri Shimanouchi. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki has used Fireball on Mai Tokiha. COMBAT: Eri Shimanouchi fails to brace Kinzo Hiroyuki's Fireball, taking 26 Fatigue damage! Diversion applied to Eri Shimanouchi! COMBAT: Sailor Moon narrowly braces Kinzo Hiroyuki's Fireball, taking 13 Fatigue damage! Sailor Moon's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Mai Tokiha narrowly braces Kinzo Hiroyuki's Fireball, taking 11 Fatigue damage! Mai Tokiha's Block ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Something inside that...perfume-monster-thing was apparently flammable, and Mai's face shines with an elated grin as she retreats from its claws. She can't help but let out a joyful laugh at Eri's suggestion - a shame that would never fly, businesses would just not hire magical girls. Money first, and all that. Still, for a moment, Mai can let herself believe that the battle's going well, and watches Eri's vines imprison the beast in a cage of thorns-
-and it bursts free. Shredding those vines as only a clawed beast of fire could, Mai's face paling at the implications. "Get back, Eri-chan - it'll only burn them. And fire will..." Kagutsuchi is probably strong enough to burn even a creature of fire, but that's not an option. What hope does she have?
The same hope she had all along. Sailor Moon, the sailor-suited soldier of love and justice. Mai lets out a brief cry as everything goes pure white for a moment - but the monster's bellow of pain has her opening her eyes again. The answering fireball splashes against her golden rings, and Mai puts the heat out of mind to focus on what's important. "Sailor Moon! Keep going - you're the best hope we've got!"
A small inferno gathers around Mai's wrists as she charges on another flying attack run - flames scorching the street on their way to smash into the beast's face.
COMBAT: Mai Tokiha has used Pyre Lash on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki fails to dodge Mai Tokiha's Pyre Lash, taking 18 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.
"Respawn timer?!" Sailor Moon shrieks, and is promptly engulfed in fire. That's what you get for losing your concentration, Sailor Moon!
The flames clear with supernatural quickness, revealing a huddled blonde soldier with her wand held at the defensive. It seems to have worked, because her sailor suit is still spotless. Tingling with newfound nervousness, Usagi raises her head to see how everything is doing.
Eri is struggling. Mai is doing what she can. There's no plan. No Luna, no Ami, no Rei or Makoto. Just--
--Mai's trust. Sailor Moon lifts her chin.
Usagi clutches her wand tightly. It's time to try and fix this.
"Moon Healing..."
The pretty soldier whirls lightly on her feet, spinning her lunar scepter with bold confidence. Though her eyes are closed, she is moving with more grace than she ever has. There is something speaking through her, a force that soon becomes visible in a silvery glow.
Her wand paints the air, and with it, Sailor Moon draws a pale circle before her. All there is to do is to voice the word of power, reach out, and let her heart speak.
"ESCALATION!"
The moon-shape bursts outward into a flurry of excitement, becoming a hundred-thousand-million tiny lights, a kaleidoscopic display of blues, reds, greens, and oranges. They shine through the street, engulfing not only the people fighting but also the growing inferno itself.
It does not hurt. It only heals what is wrong.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Sailor Moon has used Moon Healing Escalation on Kinzo Hiroyuki. COMBAT: Kinzo Hiroyuki narrowly braces Sailor Moon's Finisher, Moon Healing Escalation, taking 79 Fatigue damage! Kinzo Hiroyuki is unable to keep fighting!
<Pose Tracker> Kinzo Hiroyuki [Infinity Institute (11)] has posed.
The Dark scent takes on Mai's fiery strike! It seems to be on the ropes, but still rematerializes all the same. The beast seems annoyed and it goes to smash into Mai as hard as it can!
It however, is caught within the healing power of Sailor Moons MOON. HEALING. ESCALATION.
The beast howls in pain as it's healed, seemingly ripped away by the powers of healing and love. All that's left.. is a memory.
Literally.
Nearby the two girls from earlier seem paniced. One is wondering what the other is apologizing for, because she cannot remember and the confusion of the attack. She suddenly blinks, just for a moment...
"Th--that's right! You broke my moms vase..." she says with a huff! "And--I'm still..mad at you! Leave me alone!" she insists, still upset at the one thing her late mother had actually given to her.
"Wait...Wait!" says the other girl who was holding a vase in a blanket. It was a lovely vase. It had been broken. But it had been expertly pieced back together. You could still tell it had been broken, but it had been relaquered, it would still be strong..."Ah---! See, I had papa fix it..!" she says. "And--and I kept it safe when all this just happen, please don't be mad!"
The girl merely takes the vase and examines it. It's just like she remembered. She kind of frowned. "Ah--I'm sorry... just... it means. A whole lot to me.." is all she says. "We can still be friends just. Please don't touch something when I say so...okay?" she says a little meekly.
And then the two begin to walk back to her house. Friends again.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.
As the jubilant brightness fades away, a very different scene is left. The fires are gone. There are still signs of some sort of disturbance, but much more of a blank spot for minds to read meaning into.
That wasn't what the spell was about. It's just a coincidence. It was about fixing things, and that means not only the danger, but the wounds.
Sailor Moon collapses to her knees, breathing hard and slumping forward. She doesn't fall over completely. It's progress.
<Pose Tracker> Eri Shimanouchi [Ohtori Academy (8)] has posed.
No one is more shocked than the Puella Magi when her attack is rent asunder. Suddenly she wishes she hadn't chosen the 'soft' option amongst her more powerful attacks.
This is about the same time she's hit by a torrent of fireballs, the pressure wave from the blast flinging her into one of the bank's free coffee advertisements. She only vaguely registers Mai's warning long after it was given, as she rises with a groan. She is in fact struggling, there isn't in fact a plan.
All there was... was a moon shaped kaleidoscope of light, which she looks upon in awe. Miracles and magic do exist in this world, and even as commonplace as some of them might become, some of which can still touch her heart. Sailor Moon seems to do this so effortlessly that she can only watch agape through the burning haze of pain.
As the creature dissipates memories wash over her defenses and she turns to watch the apologies from the two girls. Taking a deep breath at the touching scene, she.. looks at Sailor Moon and moves to see if she needs help up, "What did I tell you?" She murmurs in a muted voice which seems less fan girl enthusiasm and more somber awe, "You're something else, Sailor Moon."
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
The blazing bludgeon scores a direct hit - but it's still flames lashing against flames, and Mai worries that she might not be able to win this without Kagutsuchi. If only she had Mikoto here...
But Mai isn't alone. Wary of the beast's claws, Mai looks back to where Sailor Moon stood before - and stops where she stands, suspended in mid-air by her own Element. Mai can see, clearly, what she had only glimpsed from Kagutsuchi's back - a holy silver light enveloping the graceful hero as she gathers her power. Awestruck, she doesn't even think to dodge.
There is light - more pure and colourful than any flame. A holy power, to right wrongs, to punish evil, and to heal what has been hurt. When it clears, all is right in the world - torn-up street intact once more, infernos quenched, monster erased outright. And Mai - still hovering on her golden rings, looking down at herself as if she's surprised to still be there.
It's not until there's that soft thud of Sailor Moon's knees hitting the ground that Mai snaps out of her reverie - and her look of surprise flickers into one of panic. With the whine of spinning rings, she flies forward, soon settling down to a quick run on mundane earth. "Are you all right? That was...that was..."
Words have escaped her, even once she's reached the heroine's position.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.
Sailor Moon wobbles unsteadily, even braced like this. After a moment of silence, she steadies herself with a hand on the pavement. The other is used for v-sign.
"I'm okay!"
Her very brightest smile is only a little tired. She can't keep it up forever, and takes instead a thoughtful look while she leans more heavily on her supporting arm. "Heyyyy, I think there's a pretty good ice cream vending machine around here."
The pretty soldier glances up with brighter eyes. All the praise just gets rolled over. "Wanna go?"
<Pose Tracker> Mai Tokiha [Ohtori Academy (10)] has posed.
Mai sighs in relief at Sailor Moon's recovery. She glances to where she had been working, not long ago...but frankly that meager paycheck isn't worth it at this point. Turning back to Sailor Moon, she extends a hand with a smile. "Sounds good to me!"
There's a brief pause, and then amusement sparks in Mai's eye. "Are you a fan of eating it on rooftops like 'he' is?"
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.
Sailor Moon pouts hugely. "I was doing that before he was!"
