2015-04-11 - Easily Broken
| Title: Easily Broken | |
|---|---|
| Summary: A rare sunny day at the park is going awry with love confessions being interrupted! And worse, for a prophet is impatient. | |
| Who: Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Moon, Lera Camry, Endo Naoki, Fuu Hououji, Hikaru Shidou, Cute Wolf Tsukiko
| |
| Where: Nishitama Park District | |
| OOC - IC Date: 21 June 2014 - 04/11/2015 | |
<Pose Tracker> Hibiki Houjou [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Saturday afternoon at the park. The weather has taken a turn for the nicer, and while clouds overhead occasionally block the sun out, there's enough promise that adventurous youths have taken the chance to enjoy outings. There are occasional picnic blankets, with umbrellas close at hand in case of sunshowers.
A soccer ball flies through the air, kicked by an overzealous gradeschooler - one of many pick-up games to be found in the sprawling park. Some of the park's gazebos are home to small gatherings of couples and groups, while tables have been set up for the odd chess game.
In many cases, there's laughter. In others, bickering. In yet others, romance - some couples out for a nice date on the cheap. Or, in others, it's the season to start such things. Among the grassy knolls and the like, one might spy a blushing young boy next to an equally flush young girl.
"So, um. The reason I asked you to come here is..."
Like the sword of a samurai, a folded umbrella slashes down between the pair, cleaving through those tentative words. The holder - a brown-haired teenager in a grey high school uniform - speaks firmly to interrupt. "Hold it right there. What do you think you're doing - asking her out, just to break her heart later? Think twice before spending your words so lightly."
Glaring fiercely at the boy, he turns to go - back to one of the park's gazebos, where he picks up a travel mug filled with coffee. A judgmental eye wanders over the park as a whole - watchful for other such lovey-dovey moments - before taking a sip of his drink, and turning back to the company he keeps. "Sorry, I didn't like the look in his eyes. So - how are things going at your new school?"
An umbrella taps against concrete, for all that the sun is bright.
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Dressed rather casually for the time being, Hikaru Shidou isn't wearing her usual school uniform. Instead, she's clad in a pink long sleeved shirt, with blue jeans and red sneakers. It's a nice day out and she's decided to go rather casual for the nice day. A big smile beams on her face as she looks around, stretching her arms over her head and taking a breath of fresh air. "I love days like this," She says to herself. "Nice to get out and enjoy the day!" She doesn't notice the brown haired teenager or anything like that just yet, as she's too busy enjoying the sun.
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Kino [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
In the shade of the gazebo, a tall girl in a tan and white sailor-style school uniform watches this little drama play out with an expression of growing bemusement that doesn't fade when the boy with his umbrella comes back to resume the conversation they'd been having.
"Oh," Makoto answers distractedly, her mind not entirely on the question she was just asked. "It's been good. I mean," her breath hitches in an embarrassed little laugh, "my grades could be better... but I've made some really good friends, so transferring really turned out to be for the best."
She hesitates a moment, eyes drifting back toward the young couple who were so abruptly interrupted moments ago. Maybe it wasn't anything, but it's bothering her a little. "...Did you know those two?"
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
When you get right down to it, most of Fuu's hobbies are indoor ones. But it's really too gorgeous of a day to stay indoors, no matter how much she might want to put more work in on her RPG Maker project, or shaving away at homework, or what have you. So she's sitting under a tree, her legs folded underneath her skirt, and a notebook resting in her lap as she lets her gaze wander across the park and those who are in it. Occasionally she takes up the notebook to make a note, or maybe to scribble out a rough sketch of something or other.
It's not really a bad day to just relax and enjoy the beautiful weather, though, and that's where most of Fuu's attention is. The sudden interruption of a budding young couple catches her eyes, though, and after the one who interrupted goes back to his coffee, Fuu purses her lips briefly before making some more notes ...
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
Endo's discharge from the hospital was fairly recent, but it's been long enough that he's decided a little fresh air might be in order. Being able to run around again is, he'd decided, something he should take advantage of. His presence might also have something to do with the boy that he's passing a soccer ball back and forth with, occasionally poorly attempting to jugging it between feet and knees. In the process it hits his face more than once, propelled by his own limbs.
"Endo-san, you used to be a lot better at this."
"Really, this guy," Endo complains, "I'm injured, right? Showing off all inconsiderate like that. If I was still in the club, I'd put you on the ground." His smile shows, despite his chiding, that he's probably having fun.
Too much fun to notice the couple's small disturbance, or other things that aren't white, black, and made of hexagons.
<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
"Wait, wait, hold on, come baaaack!"
Lera's Camry cuts across the park in a wail. Her basketball bounces across the park; she lost it in the game that she was playing with some of her friends from Infinity Institute. She waves both hands out in front of her, trying desperately -- and failing -- to catch up to the ball as it goes flying past. Her expression is screwed up into something between dismay and panic.
The ball goes bouncing, but Lera's hands almost -- almost! -- have it, when she hears the brown-haired man's words to the couple. Her step falters and the ball moves away from her grasp. She turns her head to the couple, as he walks away, and flashes a sheepish smile at them. "H-Hi, I think you two make a cute couple." She raises a finger next to her head, eyelids half-lowering. "Don't overthink it! Love shouldn't be overth--"
She catches her ball out of the corner of her eye. Her expression falls from a smile into a dismayed frown. "Oh no, it's gonna go in the r-river!"
<Pose Tracker> Ikiko Hisakata [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
Today's weather is perfect for a picnic, and Ikiko decided to make the most of it by having a picnic with several of her friends.
In this case, several of her /canine/ friends.
"Glad to see that all of you are doing well," she says to the pack of stray dogs in caninespeak with a smile as she fills several food bowls. They're clearly happy to see her (and the food, but that's just a bonus), and it's obvious that she's enjoying spending time with them.
<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"I knew it Ami-chan! She's here with someone. Do you think she's got a new-"
"Usagi-chan! I really don't think you should be spying on-"
Putting a finger to her lips and making an exaggerated 'SHHHH!' the crouching middle school girl temporarily silenced her cat mentor while looking in another direction entirely. She then peered through the foliage on her knees, watching the quickly reddening pair closely.
As he starts to speak, she laces her fingers together and looks away, a quixotic look in her eyes. "Ahhhh-" She sighs, before moving her hands up to her cheeks, "I wish someone would confess to me."
The irritated cat drops her head, sighing, "Weren't you here to spy on Mako-chan anyhow? Which you shouldn't be doing anyhow. You even dragged Ami into this." "Geez Luna, you just don't understand anything about a girl's heart when she's been-"
An umbrella slashes through the air, and Usagi drops the conversation with the cat, instead turning back towards the teenager. Mouth agape, she listens to him, then watches as he heads back to the gazebo with Makoto. Suddenly Usagi's gaze lowers to the ground, her features clouded.
"Usagi-chan?" Luna says, tone filled with worry, a moment before Usagi gets up, brushes off her knees, and storms off towards the gazebo, immediately failing the non-detection objective of this love stealth mission. Jutting her fingers straight at him, "Hold it right there! Receiving an impassioned love confession during the Spring is a big moment that girls dream about! You shouldn't interrupt one so lightly, especially not from a guy that looked like he had to work up the courage for weeks to find the words! How is she ever going to know how he truly feels, now that you've crushed his spirit!?"
She does realize that one of her best friends is right there with the high schooler, right?
<Pose Tracker> Ami Mizuno [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
While Ami isn't /quite/ the spying type under normal circumstances, she'll do pretty much anything with Usagi given only the most modest amount of prodding; accordingly, she's ended up in the bushes with Usagi, peering out right alongside her. When Usagi confesses her desire for confession, Ami gives her a small smile, saying, "I think someone will," with a nod.
When Usagi breaks stealth to lecture, though, Ami decides that now would be a great time to be as invisible as possible. She doesn't have nearly the courage -- nor the desire to meddlefriend it up -- that Usagi does, so as she continues to speak, Ami somewhat more thoroughly hides in the bushes.
It's not like she's missing anything, after all -- Usagi is loud enough that she can track the action without even having her head up, if she really wants to. She brings a hand up to her /own/ mouth after a moment, as if hoping in vain that this will somehow get Usagi to stop making a scene right there with their friend.
She looks to Luna, eventually, in mild desperation.
<Pose Tracker> Hibiki Houjou [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
The games are ongoing, even in spite of that interruption. A young girl near Hikaru punches the air, and then runs off to argue her way into joining the soccer game - pausing to grin at Endo on her way by. "Don't forget, you're not supposed to use your hands~!" The dogs are getting some attention of their own - though most young kids are being kept from running to play with puppies.
The scene of the interrupted love-confession is one hard to ignore, though - though the couple flushes even more at the renewed attention. There's murmurs, there's comments, and there's at least one high schooler coming to give them encouragement personally. The boy looks down, while the girl looks up to Lera. "I - I was going to say, that I always..."
Meanwhile, at the gazebo, Shinozaki the interrupter takes another sip of his coffee. "That's good to hear - you always did need more friends, so I'm glad to hear things have worked out for you. And...no, not really. I just...I remember the last time you got dumped, and didn't want to see-"
And then Usagi arrives, challenging him directly. He's taken aback - and then yells right back at her, hand clutching the umbrella he used. "He's making a spectacle - what if it's all with the intent of breaking her heart later? I've seen my best friend go through that pain too many times to bear - I'm not letting her, or anyone else, suffer like-"
---
"The stars...know everything."
Standing before an observatory in a realm of darkness and misery, the one known as Nephrite gazes into a celestial abyss. Countless points of light, arranged countless ways, offer him insight into the workings of fate and destiny. This is the realm where he excels - the perfect moment, to gain the most energy for the Dark Kingdom.
An image appears in response to his scrying - the sunlit park and all those enjoying the day. He focuses in particular on one brown-haired couple - the reflection of Shinozaki receives a smirk, where Makoto receives a sneering glare. After granting that image a baleful glare, he comments again.
"The ninth sign, Sagittarius - the archer, the mentor. Auspicious - for like that hunter, I stand in wait to loose my arrow. The principal moment, when the best result can be achieved. And the hunter is already in place..." He smirks, looking into the constellations once more.
"Not the moment of peak energy...but this is the time when it might destroy her. Arkab, now."
---
Abruptly, Shinozaki screams in pain - a yell loud enough that half the park can hear it. On the umbrella in his hand, a strange sigil glows, an aura of energy washing over him. The scream cuts off just as quickly as it began - he staggers back, reaches out to Makoto, and then collapses like a puppet with its strings cut.
The aura remains, flickering - and from it, a form coalesces. Humanoid, black and blue standing out against the white of the gazebo. A tall, almost Amazonian figure - one hand with nails grown as long as swords, the other holding a black bow. She (?) is, however, gaunt - horribly emaciated, with a clinging darkness that seems to drink in the darkness. A fanged mouth opens, practically hissing in fury.
"Lord Nephrite...this was far too early, I wasn't done preparing his life. How am I supposed to find energy for..." She trails off, looking over the pair of girls in front of her - and beyond them, the park as a whole. "...well, I suppose these will do. Hold still, this will only hurt a lot."
The screams of fear begin.
COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou transforms into Youma Form Arkab! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has fully healed herself. She is now ready to take on 8 opponents! COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou transforms into Magic Knight of Fire! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji transforms into Magic Knight!
<Pose Tracker> Ikiko Hisakata [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
Ikiko whirls towards the scream, her eyes wide with surprise before narrowing at the sight of the youma. "Get to safety," she whispers to the dogs, urgency clear in her voice. The strays waste no time in running away, sticking to bushes and other forms of cover as they scatter. And speaking of bushes...
As Ikiko dives for one of the bushes, she touches the locket around her neck, saying "Lycan Locket!" There is a glow of silver as she rolls to her feet, and Cute Wolf Tsukiko leaps onto a nearby tree.
"This is a day for picnics and fun, not terror and fear!" the wolfgirl calls at the youma. "And I'm not going to let you ruin it!"
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
For a moment, Hikaru is still lost in her world of thoughts and imagination. Why, she hasn't even noticed Fuu-chan under the tree yet! That's how lost in thought Hikaru is. Of course, when a youma appears, it's enough to bring Hikaru back to the land of reality. That is, just as she's taking a drink of water from her bottle. She's swallowed some of it when the youma appears, causing the red-head to do a spit-take. "A youma? Here? Of all times?!" Hikaru exclaims angrily, before running behind a nearby restroom building, making sure no one can see her.
"Good thing I always come prepared!" Hikaru says as she reaches into her pants pocket and pulls out her glove-jewel. "Belief becomes power! Flames, guide me!"
Behind the building, a glow can be seen as the flames surround Hikaru as she transforms from the red-haired tomboyish schoolgirl she's known as into the Magic Knight of Fire! Clasped in her hand is her sword, ready for battle.
"No one ruins my day out and gets away with it!" Hikaru yells as she rushes back towards where the youma is. "Prepare to DIE!"
COMBAT: Ikiko Hisakata transforms into Cute Wolf Tsukiko! COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko has used Bark! on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
The sudden scream draws Fuu's attention towards the gazebo as if somebody yanked on a cord, her pencil going astray and leaving a meaningless line out of the kanji she was writing at that moment ...
And then the monster spawns.
Fuu immediately reaches for her pocket - and then remembers, the skirt doesn't HAVE pockets. Oops. Digging in her bag instead gives her a perfect excuse to stuff her notebook and pencil back into it, though, even as she scrambles to her feet and looks like she's joining the exodus of civilians ... except, well, she isn't fleeing all that far: just far enough to duck out of sight somewhere.
"Belief becomes power; winds, guide me!"
A moment (and a short-lived, stock-footage whirlwind) later, the Magic Knight of Wind comes racing (back) into the park, with two streaks of green-tinted light leaping from her glove-jewel and materializing into a quiver, strapped across her back by an ornate ribbon, and a bow, already in her hand. She doesn't stop running as she reaches over her shoulder, pulling an arrow from her quiver; she *does* slow her pace a bit as she nocks the shaft on her bowstring, wondering briefly if she should get closer -
She stops, redoing the draw from the start, and murmurs an invocation under her breath; the breeze picks up about her, tousling her hair and ruffling her skirt a bit. A couple of seconds pass before she calls out, "Gale Arrow!" and looses her first shot of the battle -
With a suddenly-stiff breeze not only hurling her arrow forward faster than the bowstring alone, but steadying its flight as well. This much distance is NOT going to be a problem ... but, once her arrow is on its way towards the monster, the Wind Knight starts jogging closer again. The less of her magic she has to expend on making sure her arrows reach the target, the more she'll have for other spells she may need to cast.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Gale Arrow on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
Lera flashes a grin and a thumbs-up at the couple, trying to encourage them. She hears Usagi's yelled challenge, her head turning for a moment, but then the ball catches her eye. It's about to hit the river. "Be right back!" she says in a stage whisper to the couple. "You can do it!"
She turns on a foot, and begins to bolt towards the ball. She planned to get there and back quickly, hopefully with her basketball in hand. But then she hears Shinozaki's pained scream, and her head turns quickly towards the youma that appears. Her eyes widen as she sees Arkab's emaciated form and hears her threat.
<This is a problem!>
"I know!" Lera calls out. She leaves the ball with a brief glance, just long enough to see it bounce into the river. Then she runs behind a tree, and focuses. There is a flash of light, shooting from her feet to her head, and her hair and skirt rustle. When she steps out, she punches her free hand towards Arkad, clad in her dark green jacket. Her sidebraid bobs next to her head.
Her other hand clutches her sword, swinging it down in front of her. Sky's plasma field touches the ground and burns it lightly.
"I'm not going to let you disrupt anyone's day! Especially those two, who were in the middle of something really important!" she protests. She glances briefly at Tsukiko, then back at the youma. "I'm Magical Cheeseburger Propane-chan, defender of--" She didn't think about what, precisely, she is the defender of. "--Two people's feelings should be said without interruption or discouragement!"
She lifts her sword off the ground while she speaks; a Midchildan magical circle appears in front of it, and a ball of energy coalesces. The fiery orange plasma ball shoots off it, twisting and turning, before it fires towards Arkad.
COMBAT: Lera Camry transforms into Barrier Jacket! COMBAT: Lera Camry has used Plasma Ball on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
Endo is, shortly before hysteria strikes, retrieving the soccer ball that's bounced off a tree and into some bushes. As he carries it back to his friend he pauses briefly to pat the tree and awkwardly-also quietly-apologize. He's about halfway back when the screaming starts. His eyes dart over in the direction of the amazon-thing in alarm.
<KNIGHT. IT IS A MONSTER.> The intelligent device he carries helpfully informs him of this.
"Shinji!" Endo's steps take him quickly back to his friend, hands a-flail. "Run! I'll run too! I'm running away! Here I go!" Except he's not. He's running straight toward it. He reaches to touch something at his chest, and a flash of lurid purple-black light wraps around him. When it finishes coursing down his body he's in armor, a cape, and dragging a huge sword on the ground behind him.
Endo Naoki? He definitely ran away.
Not-Endo, though, charges toward the youma to slam his Device into it like a battering ram.
COMBAT: Endo Naoki transforms into Barrier Jacket! COMBAT: Endo Naoki has used Blueshift on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Endo Naoki has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Kino [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"Usagi-chan!" Makoto yelps in wide-eyed surprise when her friend makes her very dramatic entrance to confront Shinozaki over his antics - surprise which quickly turns into outright shock when Shinozaki yells back, and without thinking she moves to step between them, holding up her hands palm outward in either direction in a forestalling gesture.
"It's okay, really," she says, in the most calming tone she can manage. "Look, there's no harm done; I'm sure--"
But she's spoken far too soon. Before Mako can even finish saying the words, matters escalate from bad to much, much worse. Her expression turns to alarm when the boy screams; with a cry of "Shinozaki-kun!" she lunges to catch him before he crumples to the ground, but there's nothing she can do to stop the youma from taking shape.
Supporting her unconscious friend, Makoto stares up at the monster - first in horror, but as she hears Arkab's words, her green eyes go hard and fierce with anger.
*Nephrite.*
Still carrying Shinozaki like the proverbial sack of potatoes, Mako calls out to Usagi nearby - "Usagi-chan! Go!" Find a place to transform - she can't say that out loud, but it's not like she needs to. They all know the drill by now; she'll just be damned if she leaves Shinozaki in the line of fire.
Nephrite. She should have known he'd reappear sooner or later - how did she let herself get so complacent?
COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly braces Cute Wolf Tsukiko's Bark!, taking 2 Fatigue damage! Cute Wolf Tsukiko is Psyched! Exhausted applied to Hibiki Houjou! COMBAT: Unrecognized attack. Please check for typos in the attack name entered. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly dodges Lera Camry's Plasma Ball, taking 8 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to dodge Endo Naoki's Blueshift, taking 25 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to counter Fuu Hououji's Gale Arrow, taking 23 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji is Psyched! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou's counterattack, Astral Archery, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Fuu Hououji!
<Pose Tracker> Usagi Tsukino [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"How can you be so jaded? You sound like you barely know him!" Usagi crosses her arms eyes full of indignation. "For all you know, his intentions are entirely pure! Geez, how is a girl ever supposed to find romance if there are guys like you around who 'think' you know what's best for us?"
But Makoto steps in the way, and Usagi's posture grows lax at her friend's intervention, temporarily mollified by it.
Luna just stares at Ami helplessly, before murmuring, "We'd better just stay out of this Ami- Wait! What's this energy?" Shinozaki screams in pain, "Ami! Everyone's in danger! We need Sailor Mercury!"
As the boy screams and collapses, Usagi takes a step back initially, eyes fixated upon him with an arm raised to shield herself, which is when the archer Youma appears. "Aaaaa!" Usagi yells before shaking her head rapidly, "Nonono you don't want my energy! It's probably too sweet for you! Wait what am I saying-?"
'Usagi-chan! Go!' As the other Magical Girls make their distractions, Usagi turns and runs for the bushes, all but tripping into them. Once behind cover however a hand is held high, with an ardent call of- "Moon Prism Power- MAKE UP!" Nails glitter with sparkly red polish, while ribbons materialize all around her body, girding ordinary ninth grader Usagi Tsukino for battle.
And it's not but a moment later that she's calling out yet again with even more passion, "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"
The white-clad, sailor suited soldier makes her entrance, and having realized what happened to Shinozaki, her opinion on him takes an abrupt 180. "Boys who empathize with girls who have had their hearts broken and encourage them to keep believing in romance are rare and caring souls! I'll never forgive any archer who defies Cupid during this season of love-" A cat just sighs from the bushes, "-and takes aim at an optimistic heart!"
Gracefully she spins, striking a pose, her twintails circling around her. "I'm the Sailor-suited Pretty Soldier of Love and Justice: Sailor Moon! And in the name of the moon-" She points two gloved fingers at him over her other arm in a gesture of resolution, "-I will punish you!"
COMBAT: Usagi Tsukino transforms into Sailor Moon! COMBAT: Sailor Moon has used In The Name Of The Moon on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Moon has finished attacking. COMBAT: You don't have an incoming attack from Moon. Please check +queue to see your incoming attacks. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to brace Sailor Moon's In The Name Of The Moon, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Sailor Moon is Psyched! Diversion applied to Hibiki Houjou!
<Pose Tracker> Ami Mizuno [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
It's a good thing Ami is hiding -- while she's not scared of getting hurt, she /does/ work best with a little bit of the element of surprise. Accordingly, she slinks away, moving through the park district in hope of getting /some/ solid surface between herself and the youma, eventually finding a map stand in the park and getting squarely behind it as Usagi calls out to her. There's a stark, loud cry of "Mercury Power -- MAKE UP!" and --
-- joining Sailor Moon within moments is none other than Sailor Mercury, who manages to get in sync with her friend just in time for the pose. She's ready to go -- even enthusiastic. Every opportunity to fight evil alongside her fellow Senshi is something to be relished, a little, now.
Raising her hands high, she lets loose a firm, resolute cry of, "Sabao --" Dropping her hands and thrusting them out, she finishes, "-- Spray!" A wall of bubbles flies from her hands, surrounding the archer.
COMBAT: Ami Mizuno transforms into Sailor Mercury! COMBAT: Sailor Mercury has used Sabao Spray on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Mercury has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly braces Sailor Mercury's Sabao Spray, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Blind, Cripple, Stun, and Trap applied to Hibiki Houjou!
<Pose Tracker> Hibiki Houjou [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Screams of terror fill the air as Arkab grins ferociously. The youma is moving ponderously, slowly, drinking in the sheer fear in the atmosphere. The fate of the human whose energy spawned it is irrelevant - simply revelling in the chaos on display is enough for that first moment.
Raw emotion is not enough, though - not by far. A stray soccer ball rolls down the hill, abandoned, as Arkab takes the first step towards pursuing the crowd - notching the bow with a gleaming arrow of starlight. Which of those civilians to strike down first...the whistle of an arrow through the air catches the youma's attention, and light is loosed to meet it - in vain, as Fuu's enhanced arrow strikes clean through to pierce Arkab. Tsukiko and Hikaru run in closer, shouting out challenging words of their own, and blade-claws are raised. "It's not the right time, but you should prove to be tasty all the same..."
A ball of light hurtles through the air - the youma lurches awkwardly to one side to avoid it, right into the path of Endo's weapon. A solid impact, one that sends it hurtling back to strike one of the gazebo's supports. An icy mist washes over it, freezing it to the pillar - and then Sailor Moon's arrival brings shock to the youma's face. A shock quickly turning to hatred, then to a horrible glee. "So many of you...so much prey. A veritable feast, to make up for my early awakening!"
Ice creaks, and wood cracks as it starts to drag itself free. It's slow, staggering - but every moment those screams of sounds resound, it gains a touch more strength. A little faster, a little more dangerous with every moment. Endo is close enough to hand that the claws lash out, aiming at more than mere armor - and then the bow is gleaming, firing arrow after arrow at all those bold enough to challenge it.
Set down by Makoto's arms, Shinozaki mumbles. "Don't...you'll just get hurt again..."
COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Early Awakening on Endo Naoki. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Fearful Fletching on Sailor Moon. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Fearful Fletching on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Fearful Fletching on Sailor Mercury. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Fearful Fletching on Cute Wolf Tsukiko. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Fearful Fletching on Lera Camry. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Stars' Blessing on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou accepts Hibiki Houjou's Stars' Blessing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Accelerate and Surge applied to Hibiki Houjou! COMBAT: Sailor Moon perfectly dodges Hibiki Houjou's Fearful Fletching, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Sailor Moon's Fade ability activates! Sailor Moon's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Lera Camry narrowly dodges Hibiki Houjou's Fearful Fletching, taking 12 Fatigue damage! Lera Camry's Fade ability activates! Lera Camry's Flash ability activates! Cripple applied to Lera Camry! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji narrowly dodges Hibiki Houjou's Fearful Fletching, taking 10 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji's Fade ability activates! Fuu Hououji's Flash ability activates! Cripple applied to Fuu Hououji! COMBAT: Sailor Mercury perfectly dodges Hibiki Houjou's Fearful Fletching, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Sailor Mercury's Fade ability activates! Sailor Mercury's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Endo Naoki narrowly counters Hibiki Houjou's Early Awakening, taking 22 Fatigue damage! Endo Naoki's Reverse ability activates! Hibiki Houjou drains 9 fatigue from Endo Naoki! COMBAT: Endo Naoki's counterattack, Asteroid Rush, partially gets through, doing 5 Fatigue damage to Hibiki Houjou!
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Kino [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"...Thanks, Mercury." Makoto murmurs it under her breath, too softly to be heard but heartfelt all the same - the mist from the Sabao Spray gives her cover, a chance to hitch Shinozaki more securely in her arms and get him far enough away from the youma that he shouldn't be endangered by the battle.
No more than he already is, anyway.
Her heart is pounding in stark panic, but her face is set with determination. It's just like what happened to Tokiha-san, she tells herself, like the swimmer and the musician and all the others - all the have to do is defeat the youma. "Hang in there, Shinozaki-kun," she tells him urgently as she sets him carefully down behind the dubious shelter of some bushes. "Everything will be okay, I promise."
Then she straightens and steps back, one step and then another, becoming an indistinct silhouette in the shrouding mist, and raises her transformation pen. "Jupiter Power - MAKE UP!"
Electricity lights the fog from within, and moments later, Sailor Jupiter comes hurtling out of the mist at full tilt with a wordless shout of fury, a headlong fist-first charge at the youma with her hands blazing with lightning.
COMBAT: Makoto Kino transforms into Sailor Jupiter! COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter has used Lightning Fist on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
"Sailor Moon! Sailor Mercury!" Lera calls out. Magical Cheeseburger Propane-chan waves at them with one hand, quickly; she's relieved to see Sailor Moon here, but that relief quickly fades, when she sees those arrows flying in -- and the claws swinging out for Endo. Her eyes widen. "Endo-san! Look out!"
The girl leaps after that, as the arrow fired for her comes in. She has to arch her body around it with a careful turn in midair, nearly forgetting until it was too late. It grazes the side of her dark green coat, but only slides along the shell of protective magics on it. Lera lets out a ragged sigh, still rattled by the near miss, then leans forward. A ring of light pulses out from her feet.
She takes off like a shot, then, closing the distance between her and Arkab in the blink of an eye. A trail of red-orange light is left in her wake, a zig-zagged line behind her. She's on Arkab a moment after the brilliant fury of Sailor Jupiter's thunder-ignited fist. She swings her broadsword-shaped Device around, and chops hard for the side of the youma.
"No one's going to be your feast here!" she calls out, mid-swing.
COMBAT: Lera Camry has used Line Burst on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly counters Lera Camry's Line Burst, taking 5 Fatigue damage! Lera Camry is Psyched! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou's counterattack, Cruelest Cut, partially gets through, doing 25 Fatigue damage to Lera Camry! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly braces Sailor Jupiter's Lightning Fist, taking 12 Fatigue damage! Sailor Jupiter is Psyched! COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko fails to dodge Hibiki Houjou's Fearful Fletching, taking 18 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
Endo doesn't look out too well. The boy lets out a cry of pain when he feels the claws tear into his armor, slashing through his defenses and ripping out a chunk of something much more important with it. The boy stumbles backward, teeth clenching tight as he works to regain his balance. It puts him out of the way of Jupiter's lightning fist and Lera's charge, at least.
It's when he's catching his breath that he can focus on the other figures around, making a quick nod at Lera, and the other faces. He doesn't take much time, sparing only a second to look down at the sword in his hands and note, "Let's win this time, huh?"
Then he leaps forward again. This time he uses the weapon like its intended, coming in after the other combatants and swinging the weapon in two huge, sweeping arcs, trails of violet light flashing in its wake.
COMBAT: Endo Naoki has used Radial Velocity on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Endo Naoki has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
While the sight of her arrow sinking into the youma is certainly satisfying to the Wind Knight, she doesn't have time to celebrate that small victory as Arkab readies its - her? - own bow and begins retuning fire; the Magic Knight of Wind hurls herself to the side, seeking cover, but one of those arrows passes far too close for comfort and she winds up sprawled on the ground, wincing in pain.
She doesn't let it keep her down for long, though. "I'm pretty sure, youma-san, that trying to eat us is an exercise in poor manners of every sort!" she calls out as she sits up. "Even if you did 'hatch' before you were ready, I won't allow you to make your prey of anybody here ... Winds of Admonishment!!"
And with her last words, she unleashes a binding cyclone, trying to entrap Arkab so that the youma can't dodge or attack, or at least to hinder its efforts at either. Of course, if Arkab is the natural archer that her form and weapon suggest, she MIGHT be able to compensate for the tornado ...
The Magic Knight of Wind works on getting back to her feet so she won't be a sitting duck if Arkab DOES start getting arrows out of the windstorm.
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
It's only after Fuu attacks that Hikaru notices her ally there. "Fuu-chan, thank the stars you're here too!" She comments. "This thing was totally unexpected, but we can't let it ruin our day!" She then looks to the youma and scowls. "In fact, we're gonna make sure that you don't ruin our day at all!"
With that, flames begin to glow on Hikaru's sword. "We're gonna burn you for what you've done!" A slash of her sword sends the flames towards the youma.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Admonishment on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has used Flaming Slash on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Cute Wolf Tsukiko [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
Tsukiko yelps as an arrow hits her. "Guess I'd better keep moving, then," she murmurs, dashing towards the side as she sizes up the youma. As Endo and the others launch their attacks, the wolfgirl bounds forward, timing her jump so that she lands feet-first on Arkab after the other attacks connect.
COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko has used Overrun Bounce on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly braces Endo Naoki's Radial Velocity, taking 31 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly dodges Fuu Hououji's Winds of Admonishment, taking 11 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji is Psyched! Cripple applied to Hibiki Houjou! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly counters Hikaru Shidou's Flaming Slash, taking 12 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou's counterattack, Cruelest Cut, partially gets through, doing 14 Fatigue damage to Hikaru Shidou! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to brace Cute Wolf Tsukiko's Overrun Bounce, taking 19 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Cute Wolf Tsukiko is Psyched!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
As Sailor Mercury takes her side, Sailor Moon gives her a delighted little smile as bubbles float through the air, covering the battlefield in obfuscating mist. "Mercury!" Despite the gravity of the situation, she was all but bouncing on the balls of her feet from one to the other, eyes sparkling. And that was for a single reason. Mercury was back. Mercury was back and fighting at her side. Today, she felt like she could do anything. Like save Makoto and her friend, she hadn't forgotten. She could never forget about that.
"You've got a lot of nerve thinking you can prey on super cute girls like us!" However, out of the fog comes one arrow, after another. Fired, and for a moment, Sailor Moon dances from one foot to another in panic, "Aaaa! There's too many!" Crying out, she dives to the side with absolutely no grace whatsoever, arrows nicking through the ribbon on the back of her sailor fuku as she lands roughly on one arm. Hardly some avatar of grace, even as a Magical Girl, it seems like she'd avoided becoming a pincushion simply by complete luck.
Getting up, onto her knees she complains with a wail of i-tai! Rubbing at her sore arms, she looks up only to hear Shinozaki try to discourage Makoto Kino through the fog. Putting her palms on the ground, she presses down, shouting in determination at him, "A girl like her has too big a heart to ever stop believing in romance! One day, love will definitely find her! And someone will return her feelings equally, like she deserves! The girl you know won't ever give up, no matter how much it hurts right now!"
When Jupiter appears, smashing her fist into the Youma, she calls again in delight. "Jupiter!" Finally rising to her feet slowly, despite skinned knees and a sore elbow, she grips the Moon stick with renewed fervor, holding it in a determined pose. "Well with so much on the line- I suppose I'll have to get serious!" From the bushes, a long-suffering cat just sighs, "You weren't already?"
COMBAT: Sailor Moon has used One Day Love Will Find You on Sailor Jupiter. COMBAT: Sailor Moon has finished attacking. COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter accepts Sailor Moon's One Day Love Will Find You, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Sailor Jupiter is Cheered!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Mercury [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
The arrows fly, and Sailor Mercury immediately makes a quick calculation. A youma that's a dedicated archer is going to be a very good shot, and will probably aim to kill, or at least to seriously hurt; accordingly, she makes only a very slight adjustment to her position rather than leaping out of the way, moving wastelessly to one side and just barely dodging the arrow.
As Sailor Moon encourages their friend, Sailor Mercury continues to keep their offensive efforts up; she's created an opportunity for these assembled magical girls, and surely it'd be best to keep on that.
Staying distant, Ami thrusts her hands out again, crying out, "Mercury Aqua Mist!" As before, bubbles issue forth from her hands -- but where the previous ones had a misty, irregular quality, these stay in a tight, freezing arc aimed more directly at the monster itself.
COMBAT: Sailor Mercury has used Mercury Aqua Mist on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Mercury has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to dodge Sailor Mercury's Mercury Aqua Mist, taking 16 Fatigue damage! Stagger applied to Hibiki Houjou!
<Pose Tracker> Hibiki Houjou [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Sailor Jupiter comes blazing in the wake of the arrow storm, full of protective fury - her blow smashing into the half-frozen youma, and finishing the job on the gazebo's support. It manages to meet Lera's blade with its own blade-like claws, parrying and counterattacking even as it hurtles through the air - but the combination of the two again leave it off-guard by the time Endo arrives with of his own assault.
Through it all, even hurtling from another impact, Arkab is laughing - moreso as Fuu's whirlwind starts whipping around and around. Hikaru charges in, and meets bladework in turn - ice beginning to splinter away as Arkab stands taller and taller. Interrupted, briefly, by an overhead impact from Tsukiko and a freezing blast from Sailor Mercury, but taller all the same. "More, more...I'm so very hungry, and you've gone and let my other prey escape..."
And then it's in motion, the wind rushing to try to snare it as it moves at last. It rushes Hikaru and Fuu first, cruel hunger clear in its eyes as it lashes out at them with shadowed claws. "Then excuse my manners - thank you for the meal!" From there, it turns sharply - a brace of arrows being fired rapidly at Tsukiko, tracking the moving wolf-girl.
It rushes back to the gazebo, pursuing Endo with a savage vengeance - the claws become like swords, slashing again and again at him while arrows fire at Lera of their own voalition. Finally, Arkab turns to the Sailors, and smiles cruelly as Sailor Moon checks on Shinozaki. Slowly, that bow is drawn back with another arrow.
"Ah, those beliefs. Believing himself to be a guardian for a girl he looked up to. That conflict that gave me strength, for all that it was cut short. But you want to talk about affection?" The youma launches another brace of arrows at Mercury, darting towards Jupiter. Arkab locks eyes with the tall Senshi, drawing back a black arrow as it closes in - and murmurs a few words for her ears alone before loosing it. Breaking orders, perhaps - but this awakening was far too early.
"Masato sends his regards."
COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Early Awakening on Hikaru Shidou. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Early Awakening on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Hunter's Quarry on Cute Wolf Tsukiko. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Iron Rain on Endo Naoki. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Fearful Fletching on Lera Camry. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Fearful Fletching on Sailor Mercury. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Heartseeker on Sailor Jupiter. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko fails to dodge Hibiki Houjou's Hunter's Quarry, taking 22 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Hibiki Houjou is Psyched! COMBAT: Lera Camry perfectly dodges Hibiki Houjou's Fearful Fletching, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Lera Camry's Fade ability activates! Lera Camry's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou narrowly braces Hibiki Houjou's Early Awakening, taking 5 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Hikaru Shidou's Block ability activates! Hikaru Shidou's Parry ability activates! Hibiki Houjou drains 2 fatigue from Hikaru Shidou! COMBAT: Endo Naoki fails to brace Hibiki Houjou's Iron Rain, taking 27 Fatigue damage! Cripple applied to Endo Naoki! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji narrowly braces Hibiki Houjou's Early Awakening, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Hibiki Houjou drains 2 fatigue from Fuu Hououji! COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter narrowly braces Hibiki Houjou's Heartseeker, taking 9 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Sailor Jupiter is Quipped! Sailor Jupiter's Block ability activates! Sailor Jupiter's Parry ability activates! Stun applied to Sailor Jupiter! COMBAT: Sailor Mercury narrowly braces Hibiki Houjou's Fearful Fletching, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Cripple applied to Sailor Mercury!
<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
"Yeah," Lera answers Endo, "I'll do my bes--"
Her swing slams down into the counter-swing by Arkad's claws. The claws break through her guard, pushing the sword aside, and slash into her side sharply. The cuts in the jacket flash, as red slashes of light that test the protective spells imbued in the Barrier Jacket to their very limits. The blow sends her flying backward through the air, tumbling on herself; she lets out a panicked cry as she flies.
<More arrows!>
"I see them!" Lera cries out. She manages to dive to the side, and the volley shoots by her. Her feet touch the ground, before she kicks off it, and shoots up into the air. Lera does a tight twist when she does, coming at the youma. "Don't toy with them! It's--you've got no business, trying to hurt them!"
Her sword ignites with a trail of fire, before the blaze stabilizes into a brighter and larger field of plasma around the blade. She swings it around with both hands, and chops down hard for Arkad.
<Inferno Slasher!>
The sword chops downward -- and the energy around it bursts off it, flashing up in a focused explosion that blasts off the edge of her sword.
COMBAT: Lera Camry has used Inferno Slasher on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to dodge Lera Camry's Inferno Slasher, taking 34 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Cute Wolf Tsukiko [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
Tsukiko lands after leaping away from Arkab, then whirls around--
Just in time to get hit with another arrow.
The wolfgirl yelps, holding her shoulder as the arrow falls out. "Those arrows bite hard," she growls, glaring at the archer-youma. "Let's see if I can bite harder than you can!"
Tsukiko darts forward, her fanglies magically growing as she launches forward to bite Arkab on the arm.
COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko has used Silver Fangs on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Jupiter [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Battle rages, magical warriors rising to the challenge as they always do. As she centers herself in the wake of her opening assault, Sailor Jupiter stays focused on the youma, but she hears Sailor Moon's encouragement clearly and it brings a smile to her face, a rush of warmth and strength ot her heart that is doubled by Sailor Mercury's presence fighting along side them again. It gives her confidence in the promise she made to Shinozaki: it really will be all right. There's nothing they can't accomplish together.
She sees Arkab taking aim at her, braces her stance in readiness - and then the youma's eyes meet hers, and those simple murmured words reach her ears.
It's as though the arrow pierces her body before it's even left the bowstring. In an instant the color has drained from Sailor Jupiter's face; she reels as though struck, the breath going out of her in a choked gasp. The only saving grace is that she was already standing braced, and even so, there's no way she can make herself move before the black arrow slams into her for real, and for a moment - painfully long in the heat of combat - the Guardian of Thunder staggers, utterly stunned.
Shinozaki-kun, and Sanjouin-san too--
"What did you *do?*" Her voice comes out in a low snarl through clenched teeth, and all around Sailor Jupiter the air goes dry and tingling with an ominous charge. Thin threads of energy begin crackling over her skin, starting from her hands and crawling up her arms and around her shoulders as shock gives way to rage. She grasps lightning, flinging a lance of it at Arkab with a sweep of her hand, and then she clenches both fists tight and bellows up at thin air at the top of her lungs. "NEPHRITE!"
She hasn't seen him, but she knows he must be watching from somewhere. He's too damn *smug* not to. "SHOW YOUR FACE!"
COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter has used Jupiter Thunderbolt on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
"Propane-chan! You're back to top form today! Did you rest at an inn?" An inside joke between the two of them? Perhaps! Luna just puts her paws over her head. Sailor Moon takes off as Mercury unleashes her Aqua Mist, trying to use the opportunity her opening created to run to the archer's flanks. That's called strategy! Or was it tactics? Mercury was always trying to teach her about things like that!
Thankfully no attack comes, and Sailor Moon makes it to the side, pointing the Moon stick at the creature. "I've got this Mercury! Moon-" Until she hears the words. Looking down on Shinozaki would normally be enough, but this time- 'Masato sends his regards.' The mere shock of it-
Causes her to drop the Moon Stick.
It falls upon the earth of the park without a sound, before coming to a rest.And while in the background, Luna sounds frantic about that, shrieking at her to pick it back up. Sailor Moon's features are clouded. While some, her teachers especially might think her dim, she really wasn't. She understood the implications immediately. But did that mean that Masato Sanjouin was a youma? Nephrite himself? She didn't know. What she did know is that it was-
"Unforgivable." She says softly, before the words come out louder, her eyes sparkling, "Toying with such a kind girl's heart like that, then targetting her friends? UNFORGIVABLE! In the name of every girl he's ever hurt I, WILL, punish you!"
Without even knowing how it got there, her Tiara was already in her hand. Spinning around with it upon her palm, it sparkles, becoming a disk of moonlight and glittery stardust, before she takes up a wide stance. "Moon Tiara-" The disk is hurled towards the archer Youma, all of her righteous fury manifesting in her magic. "-ACTION!"
COMBAT: Sailor Moon has used Moon Tiara Action on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Moon has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to brace Sailor Jupiter's Jupiter Thunderbolt, taking 8 Fatigue damage! Hibiki Houjou is Quipped! COMBAT: You don't have an incoming attack from Moon. Please check +queue to see your incoming attacks. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to brace Sailor Moon's Moon Tiara Action, taking 61 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly braces Cute Wolf Tsukiko's Silver Fangs, taking 7 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
Endo's hands raise to ward off the strikes from the Youma, to little avail. His hand jerks in attempt to put his weapon between himself and Arkad, but the rain of claws across his barrier jacket sends him stumbling backward, crashing to the ground as the monsters claws cut into him. His device, still puffing out steam from its earlier expenditure of energy, thuds to the ground.
He still gets up. The knight pushes to his feet again, reaching to tug his weapon out of the ground while the Youma turns its attention toward the sailor soldiers. "This thing..." He breathes, "Is a jerk. You're a jerk!"
When Tsukiko goes for the creatures arm, Endo goes low. The sword is swing towards its legs, the boy rushing from behind to attempt to strike it down again.
COMBAT: Endo Naoki has used Blueshift on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Endo Naoki has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
The Magic Knight of Wind doesn't get back on her feet fast enough; Arkab's claws rake at her, and the shock of enervation causes her to sag back to one knee, gasping. "That's ... not exactly what I meant, youma-san ..."
She pauses, shaking her head to clear it, then reaches up with her free hand to straighten her glasses. Her other hand is still gripping her bow tightly as she looks around; Endo looks like he's taken a pretty nasty hit, although he's keeping himself in the fight by dint of sheer force of will. She can at least help him out a bit, can't she?
"Winds of Healing!" the Wind Knight calls out, and another whirlwind - a much gentler one, balmy and refreshing, wraps around the magical swordsman, soothing his wounds and restoring some of his strength.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Endo Naoki. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Even though Hikaru knows she's going to be hit, there's no way to avoid the youma's attack, she nonetheless does her best to try to brace herself for the impact. It's not easy, but when you're a Magic Knight, you learn to take what comes at you as best as you can. Even if it feels like you'll go down.
Hikaru remains standing despite how harsh things were. "You're gonna need to do better than that," Hikaru exclaims as she goes in with her sword for a direct attack this time. "I am the Magic Knight of Fire! I will make those who threaten us harm burn!"@emit Even though Hikaru knows she's going to be hit, there's no way to avoid the youma's attack, she nonetheless does her best to try to brace herself for the impact. It's not easy, but when you're a Magic Knight, you learn to take what comes at you as best as you can. Even if it feels like you'll go down.
Hikaru remains standing despite how harsh things were. "You're gonna need to do better than that," Hikaru exclaims as she goes in with her sword for a direct attack this time. "I am the Magic Knight of Fire! I will make those who threaten us harm burn!"
COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has used Horizontal Slash on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Mercury [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
This time, Ami's a little too committed to her attack to focus totally on defense -- and accordingly, she can only pull her arms in and brace herself against the oncoming onslaught of arrows. She struggles with the pain of the striking arrows, but she holds it together. Her gaze briefly rests on Jupiter, through the ongoing-but-dissipating haze of bubbles and battle.
There's a moment where she feels like she's missed something -- she sees the shock in her friends' eyes, hears the pain in their voices. She can find out
COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly dodges Endo Naoki's Blueshift, taking 19 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou perfectly braces Hikaru Shidou's Horizontal Slash, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Brace!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Mercury [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
This time, Ami's a little too committed to her attack to focus totally on defense -- and accordingly, she can only pull her arms in and brace herself against the oncoming onslaught of arrows. She struggles with the pain of the striking arrows, but she holds it together. Her gaze briefly rests on Jupiter, through the ongoing-but-dissipating haze of bubbles and battle.
There's a moment where she feels like she's missed something -- she sees the shock in her friends' eyes, hears the pain in their voices. She can find out later what the particulars are... right now, she needs to join in the decisive action.
Springing forward, Ami sweeps her arms around her, calling out, "Shine Aqua Cutter!" Her body is wreathed in blades of ice -- which whirl around her, a foot out from her midsection, threatening to cut and tear.
COMBAT: Sailor Mercury has used Shine Aqua Cutter on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Mercury has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly dodges Sailor Mercury's Shine Aqua Cutter, taking 5 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Hibiki Houjou [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
The youma's formerly withered state has largely recovered - its strength steadily growing to its peak as more energy is drawn from its victim. Arkab's grin only widens further as Jupiter pales, and that mouth opens once more to twist the knife-
But righteous anger has been well earned - before another word can be uttered, Lera's flaming sword slams home with an explosive blast. Arkab whirls, preparing to answer with claws once more - and then shining fangs tear into its arm, keeping it in place for a moment. Long enough for Jupiter to respond, accuse, attack - screaming in fury at the heavens even as the youma staggers.
Watching from far off, Beryl's servant grins.
Nephrite's minion rises, throwing off the clinging wolf-girl. Again, it prepares to follow through on taunting Jupiter - when a gleaming silver disc cleaves through the daylight bearing down full force. It's a clean hit - piercing clear through, leaving a gaping wound in its wake, and Arkab screams in fury. It lunges forward - staggering to the side to avoid the worst of Endo's strike, ducking so that Mercury's water only clips it, and catching Hikaru's sword with its blade-hand. "All of you..."
The sun is shining - but even as its brightness eclipses the rest of the heavens, the stars remain, unseen. Even injured, Nephrite's youma struggles to regain its true strength. "If I had my way...none of you would have seen this, and that boy could have simply rested in peace. But for Nephrite's whims..."
The hand clutching Hikaru's blade tightens, begins sapping strength. Arrows fly out rapidly from the bow in its other hand, bearing down on half the combatants - more swarms to herd Tsukiko, precise shots at Lera and Endo, and a sinister bolt bearing down on Fuu. "I am of the archer's kin - chosen by the stars, targetting your weaknesses!"
It rushes forward toward the senshi - bearing down on Mercury first. "You've interfered long enough - " A vicious slash, and on toward Moon. " - ruined plan after plan - " And finally, it charges Jupiter. "And my master demands that you, in particular, should just DIE!"
COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Ravenous Evil on Hikaru Shidou. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Hunter's Quarry on Cute Wolf Tsukiko. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Fearful Fletching on Lera Camry. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Fearful Fletching on Endo Naoki. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Heartseeker on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Iron Rain on Sailor Mercury. COMBAT: You can only attack people in the same room as you. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Iron Rain on Sailor Jupiter. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Iron Rain on Sailor Moon. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko narrowly dodges Hibiki Houjou's Hunter's Quarry, taking 14 Fatigue damage! Hibiki Houjou is Psyched! Cute Wolf Tsukiko's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Sailor Mercury fails to dodge Hibiki Houjou's Iron Rain, taking 29 Fatigue damage! Cripple applied to Sailor Mercury! COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter narrowly counters Hibiki Houjou's Iron Rain, taking 17 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Cripple applied to Sailor Jupiter! COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter's counterattack, Supreme Suplex, partially gets through, doing 8 Fatigue damage to Hibiki Houjou! COMBAT: Sailor Moon narrowly braces Hibiki Houjou's Iron Rain, taking 16 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Endo Naoki accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Cleanse! All of Endo Naoki's debuffs are cleared! COMBAT: Lera Camry fails to dodge Hibiki Houjou's Fearful Fletching, taking 17 Fatigue damage! Cripple applied to Lera Camry! COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou narrowly dodges Hibiki Houjou's Ravenous Evil, taking 3 Mana damage! Hibiki Houjou drains 2 mana from Hikaru Shidou! COMBAT: Endo Naoki fails to brace Hibiki Houjou's Fearful Fletching, taking 15 Fatigue damage! Cripple applied to Endo Naoki! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji narrowly counters Hibiki Houjou's Heartseeker, taking 13 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji is Quipped! Stun applied to Fuu Hououji! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji's counterattack, Gale Arrow, partially gets through, doing 7 Fatigue damage to Hibiki Houjou!
<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
Lera turns her head, glancing briefly at Sailor Moon, and flashes her a bright grin; it's not a lengthy one, all told, but it's still energetic. "Yeah!" she says. "And I made sure to find a save point!"
Her voice falters on the last, though, as she sees Sailor Moon drop the Moon Stick. She hesitates, then, but Sailor Jupiter's cry gives her some idea. The Dark Kingdom's General is playing with them. Her eyes widen, then they narrow. She doesn't cry out, too -- Sailor Moon and Sailor Jupiter said everything that she thinks could be said. She settles on flying forward to help.
She has been dodging arrows for the entirety of the fight, and this time, she is scarcely so lucky. The arrow loosed by Arkab slams into her side, striking the Barrier Jacket and getting through it. She hisses sharply; the spells guarding her make the arrow dissolve into light a moment later, but she's holding her side where it struck and taking a moment to collect her senses.
And hope that wet feeling is sweat and not blood.
"Tell your master to leave her alone, already, then!" she yells, though her voice has a pained groan in it. She looks sideways, at Jupiter. "They're... they're just trying to hurt you, but you can't let it dig in, okay? Show 'em what's-for, Jupiter. You can do this!"
She closes her eyes and focuses. A red-orange magical circle appears -- not under Lera's feet, but Sailor Jupiter's. It flashes up around her, then leaves a crackling, faint nimbus of fiery orange light around her.
<Mirage Charge!>
COMBAT: Lera Camry has used Mirage Charge on Sailor Jupiter. COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking. COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter accepts Lera Camry's Mirage Charge, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Accelerate and Empower applied to Sailor Jupiter!
<Pose Tracker> Cute Wolf Tsukiko [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
It's taken some (painful) experience, but Tsukiko finally has gotten the hang of Arkab's arrows. This time, the wolfgirl does a direction-reversing dive, avoiding a direct hit... by turning it into a grazing strike. Ow.
She winces, then darts back towards the youma. "You hunt with your bow, and try to cage us with arrows?" Tsukiko says as she quickly closes the gap. "We can trap you, too!" The wolfgirl darts around the youma, trying to box Arkab in with swift movement and opportunistic kicks.
COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko has used Herd the Quarry on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to dodge Cute Wolf Tsukiko's Herd the Quarry, taking 7 Fatigue damage! Trap applied to Hibiki Houjou!
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
"Gale Arrow!!" calls the Wind Knight, loosing another wind-enhanced shaft and trying to split Akrab's own bolt in half. Her aim isn't THAT miraculously good, though - she clips the youma's arrow, to be sure, and possibly saves herself from an even worse injury in the process, but she still gets hit hard enough for the arrowhead to lodge itself in her breastplate. The youma's arrow doesn't go much further than that, thankfully - and the Wind Knight's own arrow hits the youma as well - but it's hardly what the green-clad Magic Knight would consider an even exchange.
It's shallow enough, at any rate, that she can pull the arrow back out without incident; it disintegrates even as she's dropping it, and she shakes any clinging dust off her hand before drawing a fresh arrow of her own. "So you're of the archer's sign of the Zodiac, youma-san?" she asks. "An interesting coincidence, that ..."
She draws the arrow back, taking aim. "But I won't allow you to darken our skies any longer!" she finishes - and her arrow flies. She's foregoing the magical boost this time, instead depending on her long-honed skills in the way of the bow, trying to pierce Akrab's shoulder with her shaft.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Trick Arrow Shot on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Hikaru attempts to evade the attack coming at her, but doesn't fully succeed. She gets hit and staggers a little, but only for a moment. Then she looks to the youma and says, "Was that your best?!"
Hikaru doesn't wait for a reply. Instead she holds her hand above her head and forms a fiery magical glow. It turns into an arrow as she yells out, "FIRE ARROW!" Sending the projectile at the youma.
COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has used Fire Arrow on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly braces Fuu Hououji's Trick Arrow Shot, taking 9 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to counter Hikaru Shidou's Fire Arrow, taking 28 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou's counterattack, Astral Archery, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Hikaru Shidou!
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
Endo's still moving forward, intent on pressing the attack. Unfortunately, it also means not being maneuverable enough to avoid the arrow that the youma looses. It cuts across his barrier jacket, tearing another slash through the protective magic that surrounds him.
Still, he follows, intent on helping Moon, Jupiter, and Mercury. "Watch out!" For the youma, probably. Maybe for him. The young man comes rushing in, blade forward, intending to slam the hunk of metal into the monster once more.
COMBAT: Endo Naoki has used Blueshift on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Endo Naoki has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly dodges Endo Naoki's Blueshift, taking 14 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Jupiter [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Sailor Jupiter holds her ground as the youma charges her. Its merciless slash hits hard, drawing blood and a wordless cry of pain that she strangles back because she knew this was coming, and she knew that it would hurt, but it's given her an opening and she takes it, lashing back at Arkab with a sharp jab of an electrified hand. "What did you do to Sanjouin-san?"
Never mind that the youma obviously hasn't done anything to Masato Sanjouin itself. Makoto's irrational conviction that Nephrite must be monitoring this fight, would have to somehow have his fingers on the pulse of this nightmare, hasn't faltered, and she's determined to get answers one way or another.
Lera's words reach her, checking the tumult of emotions that threaten to have her throwing herself blindly at the enemy - 'they're just trying to hurt you,' and Arkab as good as said it as well, but the thought that the enemy would strike at people she loves just to hurt her only makes it worse. She can't stand it. "If you want to take me on, do it yourself!" she cries out at nothing as the magic circle flares to life underneath her feet and the strength of Lera's power floods into her. Sparks sizzle from her hands as she shifts her stance, lightning searing over her fingers as she draws back her fist. "Going after Shinozaki-kun and Sanjouin-san - are you that much of a coward?!"
COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter has used Lightning Fist on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly braces Sailor Jupiter's Lightning Fist, taking 13 Fatigue damage! Sailor Jupiter is Psyched!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
The Tiara returns to her hand, then vanishes, reappearing on her forehead in a flash of light. "A save point!? Why can't I ever find one of those before an exam?" She'd definitely like the opportunity to reload. Like repeatedly.
Which is when the urgent command Luna, who had taken a perch in the gazebo reaches her, "Sailor Moon! Pick it up!" "Huh? Pick up what?" "THE MOON STICK!" "Oh right! I guess it is pretty important!" "Pretty important!?" A small cat's blood pressure is being raised here, she may need to visit a vet soon. Fortunately Sailor Moon does find it with her eyes, bending down to pick it up, and gripping it more tightly than before.
Just in time for the attack raining down upon her. Raising the Moon Stick suddenly, there is a clang, as the blade strikes the hilt, just below the crescent moon carving. For a moment, she stands fast against it, before she's bent over by the Youma's superior strength, and thrown aside by the force of the blow. She hits the ground hard and rolls, dirtying her Sailor Fuku with dirt and grass stains.
And though it hurts, she rises again quickly allowing the rush of adrenaline caused by certain knowledge to drown out any wailing objections. And that knowledge is that its trying to kill Jupiter! While she knows Jupiter can take care of herself, Sailor Moon would always be there to watch her back.
"Jupiter! You don't need to challenge him alone. We all stand with you!" Before she casts a baleful look at the monster, "And I'm tired of you two hurting people I care about!" There's not menace in her voice, but certainly anger, a promise of retribution.
Raising the Moon Stick, she twirls around on one foot, soft light falling all around her as it glitters radiantly, "As the Kyudo archer of love-" "Since when!?" Luna points a paw at the Magic Knight of Wind as if to imply that if anyone could lay claim to this title, it was her. Someone using actual arrows.
Sailor Moon raises her voice in an ahem to drown out Luna's good sense. "AS THE KYUDO ARCHER OF LOVE-" Luna just looks at Mercury as if she were the bastion that kept Luna sane, "-I'm taking aim at your wicked heart! Moon Twilight-" Sailor Moon flourishes the stick around in the hand, making sweeping circular motions. Silvery luminescence envelops it. "-FLASH!"
The luminescence becomes silvery orbs which move around Arkab from his flanks and sides, before attempting to converge on his position in a cleansing blaze of light. And while its daytime, for a moment, Sailor Moon looks like she's silhouetted by the radiance of Earth's largest satellite.
COMBAT: Sailor Moon has used Moon Twilight Flash on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Moon has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to dodge Sailor Moon's Moon Twilight Flash, taking 54 Fatigue damage!
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Mercury [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Her defenses have been getting worse and worse -- and getting this close makes them worse still. Accordingly, Sailor Mercury can't do much to defend herself against that nasty slash, crying out wordlessly as her defenses crumple and her own blades dissipate into airy nothingness. She stands in spite of the pain, though, looking to Jupiter wordlessly in the hopes that her gaze alone can provide some sense of stability and love.
Looking next to Luna -- perhaps out of that dim sensation that the cat is staring at the back of her neck -- she thinks for just a moment, trying to figure out how best she can help. She doesn't bring the sheer, staggering power that they do to bear, but...
... well, she can at least once again set them up to do even better. Once again, she cries out, "Sabao Spray!" and looses a wide, obscuring wave of bubbles, moving back toward Luna as she does so.
COMBAT: Sailor Mercury has used Sabao Spray on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Mercury has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to brace Sailor Mercury's Sabao Spray, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Blind and Stun applied to Hibiki Houjou!
<Pose Tracker> Hibiki Houjou [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Lightning speed is met with a lightning hand - flipping Arkab into the ground. Tsukiko's assault harries the youma, turning the hunter into the hunted - and a swift archery duel with the Magic Knights takes its toll. Sailor Jupiter's far from finished, charging in alongside Endo, driving the youma back further. With each strike, its energy fades just a bit - having reached its full strength, it has everything to lose.
And yet...the energy should be its concern, but it has other orders today. A sinister chuckle at Lera's protective words, at Jupiter's furious accusations - coughing out laughter even as a lightning-imbued fist slams home. A step back for every step forward Jupiter takes. "This is just too funny...you keep worrying about Sanjouin, when he's the one who-"
Brilliance fills the battlefield, and the youma screams in pain and fury as Sailor Moon once more metes out judgment for its words. "You - you'll all fall, sooner or later! The Dark Kingdom does not forgive - and Nephrite will not forget this! And here - you think you're not the food, but the hunters?! Nephrite will-" Icy bubbles assault the youma's face, filling its mouth and silencing it at last. In voiceless fury, it charges.
Charges just about everywhere, really.
COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Iron Rain on Cute Wolf Tsukiko. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Iron Rain on Hikaru Shidou. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Early Awakening on Fuu Hououji. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Early Awakening on Sailor Moon. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Cruelest Cut on Endo Naoki. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Cruelest Cut on Sailor Mercury. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Ravenous Evil on Sailor Jupiter. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has used Stars' Blessing on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko narrowly counters Hibiki Houjou's Iron Rain, taking 9 Fatigue damage! Cripple applied to Cute Wolf Tsukiko! COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko's counterattack, High-Speed Kick, partially gets through, doing 11 Fatigue damage to Hibiki Houjou! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou accepts Hibiki Houjou's Stars' Blessing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Accelerate and Surge applied to Hibiki Houjou! COMBAT: Sailor Moon fails to dodge Hibiki Houjou's Early Awakening, taking 29 Fatigue damage! Hibiki Houjou drains 12 fatigue from Sailor Moon! COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter narrowly braces Hibiki Houjou's Ravenous Evil, taking 2 Mana damage! Sailor Jupiter's Block ability activates! Sailor Jupiter's Parry ability activates! Hibiki Houjou drains 1 mana from Sailor Jupiter! COMBAT: Endo Naoki narrowly braces Hibiki Houjou's Cruelest Cut, taking 9 Fatigue damage! Endo Naoki's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji perfectly dodges Hibiki Houjou's Early Awakening, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Fuu Hououji's Fade ability activates! Fuu Hououji's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou narrowly dodges Hibiki Houjou's Iron Rain, taking 36 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Cripple applied to Hikaru Shidou! COMBAT: Sailor Mercury narrowly dodges Hibiki Houjou's Cruelest Cut, taking 27 Fatigue damage! Sailor Mercury's Fade ability activates! Sailor Mercury's Flash ability activates!
<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
Arkab lunges; the Wind Knight gauges his approach and times her dodge, her bow and quiver vanishing as she rolls out of the youma's way. "Neither food nor hunters, but guardians of this world's innocents," she corrects the monster, coming back to her feet - although by that point, the archery youma is probably focusing on other opponents.
It's a useful opening; the Magic Knight of Wind looks over at Sailor Moon. "If I might lend a hand ... Sailor Moon-san, was it?" She smiles, holding her hand out towards the protector of Love and Justice.
"Winds of Protection!"
A barrier of focused wind manifests, positioned - and moving with Sailor Moon - to protect her against the monster's attacks. "Your powers seem very effective against it," the Wind Knight adds, "moreso than my own magic and skill. At least I can lend you my strength in this form!"
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Protection on Sailor Moon. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking. COMBAT: Sailor Moon accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Protection, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Accelerate and Withstand applied to Sailor Moon!
<Pose Tracker> Cute Wolf Tsukiko [Juuban Public School (6)] has posed.
Tsukiko twists out of the way of the charging youma, lashing out with a sharp kick to the shins even as she's shouldered aside by Arkab. Sliding on her feet from the momentum, the wolfgirl takes a deep breath--
--and howls.
There are no words to this song, just feelings: the encouragement of friends as they cheer you on, the sense of accomplishment when one overcomes their shyness to ask out their crush, the feeling of peace and happiness when you're with the one you love, the warmth of happy memories.
To most ears, this is a gentle sound... but to youma, the howl is a painful dissonance that tears at them.
<Pose Tracker> Hikaru Shidou [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Hikaru gets hit even harder than before, and she drops to one knee... but she doesn't give up just yet. She forces herself back up, using her sword as a way of keeping her balance as she stands up. "This has gone on long enough!" Hikaru says as she tries to ignore the pain in her leg which is making it hard to stand on both feet. Indeed, one of her legs does have a slight bend to it, almost like she's going to be limping on it. "You can hurt me all you want, but you won't destroy my spirit!" Her sword begins to glow again. This time, though, it's brighter than before. Almost like flames are being generated by it.
"I'll teach you what happens when you mess with me! You are going to BURN!" With a yell, Hikaru springs forwards, attempting to slash her sword and bring forth a huge blast of flame. Even though her leg is bent, she still manages to stand strong!
COMBAT: FINISHER! Cute Wolf Tsukiko has used Soulful Howl on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Cute Wolf Tsukiko has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has used You're Fired on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Hikaru Shidou has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Jupiter [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
'You don't need to challenge him alone,' Sailor Moon calls to her - a reminder that Makoto needed, right now. She's not in this by herself. Usagi-chan and Ami-chan are here with her, all these other magical warriors willing to add their strength. That feeling of reassurance returns, steadying her, filling her with power even as Arkab tries to drain it away from her: It will be all right. They'll figure this all out somehow, and make it okay together like they always do.
Right now, before anything else, for Shinozaki-kun's sake this youma has to be destroyed.
Sailor Jupiter draws in a deep, steadying breath, glancing just for a moment towards Sailor Mercury and Sailor Moon, a brief moment of eye contact to communicate that she understands.
"My guardian star, Jupiter..."
From nowhere, the day's brightness dims as dark clouds gather overhead with a quiet but ominous rumble.
"Call the clouds - brew a storm--" Sailor Jupiter squares her stance, crossing her arms over her chest as the lightning rod in her tiara begins to spark. "Bring down the lightning--!"
With a peal of thunder, the storm clouds illuminate. The sudden flash of a lightning strike lances down from above to surround Jupiter in a pillar of blinding light for half a heartbeat before she throws both hands out and pours all of that brilliant energy into the youma.
"--SUPREME THUNDER!"
COMBAT: FINISHER! Sailor Jupiter has used Supreme Thunder on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Jupiter has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Moon [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
Whatever punishment she might mete out to the archer Youma, it responds in kind, with its maddened charge. And while she tries to leap out of the way, it catches her in mid-air, knocking her to the ground with a sharp cry of pain. Waves of darkness envelop her as she feels her life energy being leeched away.
There's a wailing scream of agony from her that the Youma, and his master might find satisfying. Why did she ever get out of bed this morning? Sailor Moon just wants to lay down right now. But she doesn't. Mercury was back. And Usagi believes Ami needs to know she'll always be here with her. Jupiter's heart was hurting. Jupiter's friend was hurting. There are so many good reasons for her to keep fighting, keep digging down deep.
So instead of laying there she clenches her fist, pounding her free hand against the ground, as she gets up on trembling knees, eyes wet with tears. She didn't feel like a superheroine right now. But she was going to be one. "I know you think of each of us as just tiny powerless life forces. But we're all so much more than that. We're all just trying to live our short lives as best as we can. And if you can't understand that we're not just prey for you and your masters-"
She raises the Moon stick again, which she spins in her hand, before it starts to gleam. "-then you'll quickly find out that the Dark Kingdom isn't the only one who can't forgive. Your Kingdom has hurt Mercury. Your master has hurt Jupiter. Now I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to stop you for good!"
The winds of protection envelop her in a swirling shield that invigorates her, even as she steels herself for what is to come, "Thank you, Magic Knight of Wind." For a moment, she looks extraordinarily graceful, belying her usual clumsiness, like a ballerina pirouetting around on one foot, filling the area with twinkling stardust as her platinum twintails whirl about. "Moon healing-" She stops abruptly into a wide stance, tracing the moon stick in a perfect circle of glowing light. "-ESCALATION!"
Moonlight, stardust, combine into such passionate light, trying to engulf the Youma within the healing brilliance.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Sailor Moon has used Moon Healing Escalation on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Moon has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Endo Naoki [Juuban Public School (11)] has posed.
Endo fends off Arkab's latest attack a little better than the last, but it still leaves slashes across his barrier jacket, the knight steadily looking more and more worse for the wear. It doesn't stop him.
<LET US END THIS.> Energy burns across Endo's device as it speaks, it's guttural speech reverberating in the air around him.
"Yeah," The knight agrees, "Right. Let's make up for last time." And he raises his voice louder, for the other combatants to hear: "I'm here to help too!" And, just as most of them are, he's putting everything he has into the next blow.
The knight raises his sword in both hands, holding it to the heavens. Bright violet light begins to pour out of the sword, flaring from the dark gem set in the crossguard and coursing down the lines in the metal. Triangular symbols begin to form around the weapon, energy enveloping the entirety of the device until it's no longer a blade but a violent pillar of light streaking up into the suddenly stormy skies.
<ABSOLUTE MAGNITUDE.>
And then with a shout he brings it down.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Endo Naoki has used Absolute Magnitude on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Endo Naoki has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.
Lera takes a second to get herself back to her feet. She glances towards Sailor Moon, then nods; she's in there, too. The Supreme Thunder fires, too; the huge flash of lightning makes her cover her eyes. When she looks back, Endo is leaping in, and Sailor Moon's hurtling an attack. She takes a deep breath and steels herself, then lifts her sword up. She lets her hand free of her side. It stings when she does; that arrow got through the jacket.
She'll get that looked at later.
<Dual Form.>
The sword splits in two, becoming a paired set of sabers. Lera lifts them, aiming towards Arkad, as the hail of blasts come from the other magical girls -- and Endo shooting a massive sword down for it. Lightning crackles between the two sabers, as she grits her teeth. "Right behind you, Endo-san! C'mon, Sky! Let him have it!"
<Aurora Burst!>
The red-orange lightning crackles, a charge building between the two swords. It grows brighter and brighter, a tinge of white and gold in it. A column of white and gold light erupts from the two swords, shooting down the battlefield. It pushes Lera backward; the beam fires towards Arkad, flying to join the others.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Lera Camry has used Aurora Burst on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking.
<Pose Tracker> Sailor Mercury [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.
All three of them -- Jupiter, Moon, and Mercury -- are there for each other, and in this moment, each of them no doubt needs it. Sailor Mercury gives the others a smile, staying at a distance for the moment and thinking about what she can do. Before she knows it, she's sprinting forward again to meet the charge...
... and then kind of eats it a little bit, because Ami isn't exactly much of a charger. Wincing at the pain, she staggers back a moment, hunching low. Meeting the youma's gaze, she hops up into the air, crying out, "Mercury Water Bullet!"
Her feet explode into a burst of ice-cold water as she streaks through the air for the youma. She used to bring her feet directly to bear in this technique... but now, instead, she stops just short, the water bursting forward upon impact in a wave.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Sailor Mercury has used Mercury Water Bullet on Hibiki Houjou. COMBAT: Sailor Mercury has finished attacking. COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly braces Cute Wolf Tsukiko's Finisher, Soulful Howl, taking 36 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly braces Hikaru Shidou's You're Fired, taking 5 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to brace Endo Naoki's Finisher, Absolute Magnitude, taking 148 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to brace Lera Camry's Finisher, Aurora Burst, taking 112 Fatigue damage! Hibiki Houjou is unable to keep fighting! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou narrowly braces Sailor Moon's Finisher, Moon Healing Escalation, taking 47 Fatigue damage! Hibiki Houjou is unable to keep fighting! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to brace Sailor Mercury's Finisher, Mercury Water Bullet, taking 86 Fatigue damage! Hibiki Houjou is unable to keep fighting! COMBAT: Hibiki Houjou fails to brace Sailor Jupiter's Finisher, Supreme Thunder, taking 101 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Hibiki Houjou is unable to keep fighting!
<Pose Tracker> Hibiki Houjou [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.
In a darkened observatory, Nephrite observes the battle. A smile rests on his face - cold, cruel, with a crimson glint in his eyes as he watches all the rage being poured out. Jupiter's fury at Masato's presumed fate...for all that he hadn't ordered Arkab to mention that, he finds himself laughing. Still, he calms his expression, and returns to an impassive gaze.
"...disappointing. Entertaining, but I suppose this was the fate written in the stars for Arkab. Going for the hamstring might cripple, but it seems that alone won't finish the job..." A hateful gaze bears down on the scrying-vision, taking note of knights and warriors and Senshi....his target in particular.
---
Arkab takes a moment after its blinding assault - energy leaks from its claws, for all that it tries to drink deeply. The archery battle has taken its toll, the Senshi's coordination having ravaged its body, Endo and Lera coordinating to strike again and again, Tsukiko hemming it in... The youma looks around sneering, and draws its bow once more. "All your meaningless lives belong to the Dark Kingdom - you're dreaming of days you won't live to see! Now, prepare to-"
A howl. Soulful, piercing, hopeful. The nocked arrow falls to the ground and shatters as Arkab covers its ears with its hands, screaming in fury. Flames blast forth, slamming into the archer - burning through the bowstring, searing the youma all over.
Endo and Lera move to attack while the youma is recoiling from the heat - sensing their presence, it brings the bladed hand up to meet the incoming swords...only to be met instead by pillars of energy slamming it down into the ground. The lightshow is joined by purifying passion, radiant moonlight enveloping the creature born of the stars' writing.
Within blinding light, it staggers forward - gathering the last of its energy for a final attack of its own. An act of desperation, to claim at least one life - and then water slams into it. The light sears, the howl rejects, water quenches heat - and finally a bolt of lightning crashes down.
From the place where he was hidden, Shinozaki gasps - life returning to him all at once. When the light clears and the last echo of thunder fades away, only dust remains of Nephrite's minion.
---
"...well. If nothing else, that's one weak point." The image writ in the observatory fades, and Nephrite stares into blackness for a moment. "Stronger than expected - all of them - but I suppose Arkab was rushed. All I need to do is determine the right time - when the youma will be strongest, those calling themselves heroes at their most vulnerable."
Silence answers him - and he looks into the orrery once more, looking upon countless constellations. "The stars will know."
