2016-10-01 - Mortal Karbat

Title: Mortal Karbat
Summary: An Akumatized engineer takes over the Tokyo Motor Show, turning everyone into a car! It's a race to the finish line to cleanse this evil and save the day...
Who: Garnet, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Chitose Shiratori, Setsuna Higahi, Adrien Agreste, Chika Aki, Lera Camry, Fuu Hououji GM: Hotaru Tomoe
Where: Tokyo Big Sight
OOC - IC Date: 10-01-2016 - 11-25-2014

<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (6)] has posed.

PREVIOUSLY ON BATTLE FANTASIA

On the floor of the Tokyo Motor Show, the engineer behind the autonomous driving system XB-9000 and its accompanying vehicle, the sleek Black Phoenix, Keiko Saito, stands by her display, having been presenting all afternoon. She blinks. "Where's my tablet?"

"What tablet?" asks her rival, Takashi, who is smiling. She stares at him.

"What, is this revenge for losing the grand prize at the expo? Are you kidding m--"

He leans in, puts a finger to her lips. "Don't say anything you'll regret, or you'll never work in this industry again. Although... after my lawyers prove that you stole the XB-9000 from Suzuki Industries' databanks, I guess that'll happen anyway. However will your precious investors take the news?"

Keiko turns red, then white, then red, in rapid succession.

"I'll tell you what," Takashi offers, generously. "Next year, if you lose ten pounds, I'll hire you as a model for the White Phoenix."

His mirrored shades go clattering across the floor. Keiko's vicious slap has knocked them clean off.

"Tsk. Violence at the Tokyo Motor Show... what would sensei think?" Takashi's security team is closing around her, now. "Let's get her badge, boys, and see her safely off the premises."

There was never any chance that there'd be enough data on one tablet to fully replicate the autonomous driving system -- but getting Keiko ejected for causing a scene is a social wound that could cause a fatal blow to her fledgling career.

She realizes this with dull-eyed horror, and shakes off the security's guiding hands. Keiko Saito stalks out of the exhibition hall with her head hunched low on her neck. The Black Phoenix won't have any more presentations today.

• * *

THEN

Elsewhere, in a tall tower, a masked man glances at a black butterfly, which has perched upon his outstretched finger.

"Ah," he rumbles, his voice rich with eagerness, luscious with contempt. "I sense a heart in turmoil. Fly, fly, my little Akuma..."

It flits off, through a hole in the heart of a stained glass rose.

• * *

NOW

The Tokyo Motor Show -- which the Sister Schools have been given a bunch of tickets to -- is all abustle, in the peak of the afternoon. The crowds are tight and spirits are high and all the new cars glisten and gleam -- but not more brightly than the smiles of the conventiongoers.

Until the roof comes off the atrium.

That's less scary than it could have been, because it just dissolved in a shower of green sparkles, so there are no falling rafters, no whining metal beams. Nonetheless, the flooding light of the setting sun is a jarring surprise, as is the chilly breeze.

The culprit is easy to find, because she drives on in in the Black Phoenix, the prototype autonomously driving car. Her hands are off the wheel, her feet kicked up on the dashboard, hands cradling the back of her head. She's at her ease.

Oh, and she's wearing something that could be overalls if they were made out of glittering green fabric, a black-and-white striped T-shirt, and a pair of entirely opaque goggles. Her eyes don't have to be seen for her manic energy to come through loud and clear, though.

"It's time for the /climax/ of the 2014 Tokyo Motor Show, led by yours truly, Mistress Karma! This industry is so full of /rats/ that a little housecleaning may be in order. But, fear not! You can all be volunteers in my /magnificent/ demonstration!"

She waves what looks like a cross between a wrench and a magic wand (functional /and/ beautiful!), and another explosion of sparkles engulfs the showroom floor.

When the dust clears, there are no people -- just cars. Row upon row upon row of Black Phoenixes, gorgeous and sporty and... apparently... unmanned. Their headlights flip from white to burning red as Mistress Karma declares, "Now! XB-9000! Let's get this show on the road!"

And the army of cars stream after her own car, in the lead, up into the sky -- on the newly formed aerial racetrack, which ramps up from the floor, through the missing ceiling, and towards the setting sun. Who knows what challenges await out there, on the wheels of battle?

Being transformed into a car is a strange feeling. The people being controlled by the XB-9000 didn't really have time to even notice the transformation, but those naturally resistant to such mind control got to feel the sensation of their skin becoming fiberglass and metal, their feet wheels, their lungs an air intake and exhaust pipe, and their heart an engine. Somehow or other one can hear and see normally (if through front and rear lights only), and speak -- though it sounds a little like a horn. One doesn't have to know how to drive, because speed is like breathing now, maneuvering as easy as a human might lift an arm or a leg.

Conveniently, transformation items dangle from the rear view mirror, a la fuzzy dice.

Mistress Karma is already half a mile or more away, with thousands of people-turned-cars held hostage in her thrall -- there's very little time!

OOC: Tonight's battle will take place with all participants having been transformed into cars! Needless to say, you shouldn't stay a Black Phoenix -- you are quite capable of transforming (in glorious detail) into an entirely new and different magical vehicle, one which will translate your powers in various automobiley ways. No combat system attacks this round, please, but do +heal, transform, and get on that racetrack and up into the sky!

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji transforms into Wind Knight!

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has fully healed herself.
COMBAT: Chika Aki transforms into Puella Magi Chika!
COMBAT: Chika Aki has fully healed herself.
COMBAT: Chitose Shiratori has fully healed herself.
COMBAT: Chitose Shiratori transforms into Barrier Jacket!
COMBAT: Garnet has fully healed herself.
COMBAT: Marinette Dupain-Cheng has fully healed herself.
COMBAT: Setsuna Higashi has fully healed herself.

<Pose Tracker> Chika Aki [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Chika is VERY surprised by the roof turning into green sparkle. Her hands gripped her ring tightly as she looks up, blinking her bright blue eyes in surprise. The Black Phoenix rolling in with Mistress Karma is immediately locked onto, the blue-eyed girl watching it and Mistress Karma with close attention. And then... the wrench-wand is waved.

Chika was not emotionally prepared to become a vehicle today. Or... well, ever. But, there it is. Chika had become a glorious red red vehicle shot through with cyan highlights. Vehicle-Chika looks like a firetruck. A long body, an impressively broad and thick front-grill that looks extremely sturdy, and a big water-cannon atop the vehicle that swivels around on its own. The front headlights of the firetruck are blue, and they flick a few times as if blinking. The engine revs, and Firetruck-Chika slides fowards a few feet before stopping. She'd never driven a car before, but now she IS a vehicle! This was not how she envisioned her day going!

As the rest of the car show files out into th street after Mistress Karma, the army of vehicles escaping, Chika revs her engine as her headlights seem to look from one side to the other. She'd give chase, soon enough. Dangling from the rear-view mirror is a bright cyan crystal, shot through with swirling black tendrils.

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

The best rendering of Fuu's reaction to Mistress Karma's intervention, and the results thereof, would probably boil down to 'wait what?' - because even by the standards of a magical girl (as she knows those standards, anyway), *THAT* was weird. As she literally shifts into gear and joins the chase (race?), she has a brief mental image of the car unfolding into a robot, rather like that old cartoon - but a brief, exploratory effort confirms that no, she only feels like an Autobot might in vehicle mode, she can't transform. At least, not *that* way.

"Belief becomes power ..."

She doesn't need a robot mode, though - she's certain of that much, and she can feel the glove-jewel hanging from the mirror in the same way that she feels her magic, whether asleep within her heart ...

"Winds, guide me!!"

... or blossoming forth in need, much as she needs it now. Rather than clothing a human body in armor, though, the Black Phoenix into which Fuu was transmogrified undergoes a transformation all its own: the black paint job becomes a verdant green, highlighted in white and gold, while a pair of feathered wings extend from the car's sides before swinging upwards, as if to catch the wind - as if 'catching the wind' wasn't more likely to slow her down than propel her forward.

And it's not a Black (or even Green) Phoenix any more, either. The automotive form of the Magic Knight of Wind is more of a luxury sedan, but still one which is capable of keeping up with all these other vehicles. Serious automotive afficionados might recognize it as a later-model Toyota Windom, sleek and streamlined unlike the earlier models by that name; those less familiar with cars - such as Fuu herself, for that matter - would only really know that it looks at least as fast and maneuverable as it seems to be in practice.

"So how do we undo your spell, Karma-san?" Windom!Fuu calls out over the sound of thousands of engines. "Can you be convinced to release everyone, or are we going to have to force you off the road like some American action thriller?"

<Pose Tracker> Adrien Agreste [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

Adrien was never much of a car fan, besides from the epic cars he would see in comics and movies, but he had to admit that car show itself was impressive. It made him wish he was old enough to drive a car, although granted Adrien wasn't sure if his father would actually let him get a license when the time came.

If Gabriel had his way, he would probably have the 'Gorilla' drive him until he was 30.

"You should totally get a car," Plagg said from inside his bag. "That way you can just drive to the cheese shop to get me cheese!"

Adrien rolled his eyes, but any remarks he would have had were forgotten as the roof vanished and Mistress Karma drove right into the display. Adrien's eyes widened as he watched the woman. "An akuma," he whispered as he scanned for a place to change. "Not good, Plagg we got to find a place to transform-"

It was too late. Mistress Karma waved her wrench wand. Adrien felt no pain and transformed into a black panther, but he was horrified and helpless as he felt his body change against his will. Adrien could barely comprehend what happened as he suddenly could feel his heart now roaring like an engine and his voice been replaced by a horn.

The worst of it was as the transformation finished, he could feel his very mind slipping away and wanting to obey the magic of Lady Karma.

However, the green fuzzy dice with cat paws dingle and cackled with amusement, which sound an awful lot like Plagg.

"This won't do! I can't eat cheese as a car! Adrien! Get a horn over yourself!"

The pun, while corny, was enough to break Adrien out of the spell's control and regain his mind. "Plagg, transform me!" he cried, even though his voice sounded more like a horn.

To his delight, the ring's magic came through and he felt himself transform.

The colour black remained, but a pair of cat ears emerged on the roof. The car grew longer and sleeker, and strangely resembled that super hero's car from one of Adrien's favourite American movies. A long black tail suddenly popped from the trunk and spikes poked out near the headlights that reminded Adrien of his claws.

When it was done, Adrien did his best to pose, but the most he could do was spin the car around.

"I am the CHAT MOBILE!" he declared proudly.

Without wasting a second, Adrien drove after Mistress Karma and he heard someone ask how to change back. Did others managed to resist the magic?

"Only way to change back is to break Mistress Karma spell by breaking whatever item is holding her negative feelings in!" he explained. "This will not be an easy road to ride on!"

COMBAT: Adrien Agreste transforms into Chat Noir!

<Pose Tracker> Setsuna Higashi [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Setsuna Higashi is as surprised as anyone to see and feel the sudden light of day inside the conventionhall. The purple-haired girl blinks and looks up, only to see the afterimages of green sparkles, and noting else. It's /cold/. And there's... a woman in the car she was looking at just earlier. And she's talking.

She stares with red eyes, not remotely sure of what's happening. Her instincts should make her move, but in a /car/?

Before she knows what's happening, the magic has taken hold and the girl from Labyrinth finds herself becoming the /car/ from Labyrinth, her heart beating hard and becoming the roar of an engine, her whole form shifting. It's not anything like any feeling she's had before. "W-WHAT!?" she says, and it blares at first as she watches what was a space full of cars.

...But her red Linkrun hangs from her rear view mirror. It sparkles amidst all the black. "...Change! Pretty Cure! Beat... Up!"

The radio inside Setsuna-Phoenix blares as the beat totally goes up. Her engine revs noisily as from the middle of the car at all around, there's a shimmer of crimson light that surrounds her completely. The first change is that her interior turns entirely pink, and the rest come quickly after that. The whole shape of Setsuna-car changes, with smooth, futuristic lines that /should/ seem harsh... and /don't/. Her tires shimmer back with a pop in black with sparkling hubcaps, her doors have shimmering heart designs painted in suddenly. A great big diamond bursts into existence over the top of her head, while her side mirrors turn white with feathery patterns and her whole body is a deep, deep red.. It's all polished off by her hood ornament, a tiny red key with a heart-shaped head and a ribbon.

"The crimson heart is the proof of happiness! Freshly ripened...!" Honk honk.

"Car Passion!"

If she notices the wording at all, she doesn't say so. With a glorious rev of her engine, Car Passion shoots onto the race track and barrels down after Mistress Karma.

COMBAT: Setsuna Higashi transforms into Cure Passion!

<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

Lera's amber eyes turn up to the ceiling, staring as it vanishes into so much green light.

Her headlights, however, can't look up. They shine brightly; flashing out, and she yelps. "Wh--what on earth is--" Her wheels spin, and she moves forward as a Black Phoenix, bolting across the ground, and then she shoots into the race. "What the heck is going on!" she cries out. "This is--this is so--"

Broken Ground dangles from the rear view mirror. <Definitely not normal.>

And then, she sees Setsuna-Phoenix, rushing with the others, and the amazing transformation into Car Passion -- and the fire truck, luxury sedan, and Chat Mobile rushing ahead. She revs her engine and surges forward. "Earth's heart, erupting hope!" she cries out. "Broken Ground, SET UP!"

<Get set!>

Light flashes over the black car. It changes into a sharp forest green, with golden lining across it. The front is emblazoned with bright orange flames along the sides. The make is familiar: sleek, yet... dependable. The lining, however, is top-notch -- and the speed, as it rushes to catch up with Car Passion, isn't the sort this model can normally do.

For printed across the back of it is...

TOYOTA COROLLA

"W-Wait, seriously?"

COMBAT: Lera Camry transforms into Lera Camry!

COMBAT: Lera Camry transforms into Barrier Jacket Aphelion!

<Pose Tracker> Marinette Dupain-Cheng [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

The Tokyo Motor Show has frankly been more fun than Marinette had expected. She'd honestly planned on making the best of it no matter what, but frankly it's been a lot of fun. She got to chat with a model about the nature of fashion shows, is rapidly filling up her second book with sketches of pretty much anything and everything, and got to help out a nice old lady.

Alya will be having words with her on that last point, later, but for now she gets to be content having done a nice deed for someone.

As the show approaches its climax, she's circling one of the more elaborate motorcycle exhibits, trying to get a good vantage point of the models amidst the vehicles. It's a styling of leather jacket that warrants a few notes-

And then her priorities are rapidly overtaken by the roof vanishing.

"What in the world - hang on, that's the Black Phoenix!" Marinette's mind rapidly runs back - the name of the engineer presenting escapes her, but - that departure must have been significant after all. "That clothing...she must have become...!" She starts looking around rapidly for a quiet place to transform-

But Mistress Karma has beaten her to the punch, transforming her...and everyone else. It's a very different sensation, becoming something like this - but the transformation is as swift as anything else, and it's easy to go with the flow. The innovative guidance system can just carry everyone along, as fast as the wind, a stream of endless cars into the distance.

She's Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a car like any other...

and then her headlights flicker, her horn honks angrily, and there's a little voice from just behind the steering wheel. "Snap out of it! Come on, you just have to say those words..."

One Black Phoenix's engine revs abruptly. "Tikki! Transform me!" There's a flare of crimson light, as jangly and miraculous jewels hanging from the mirror absorb a helpful Kwami - and then a wave of crimson light washes over the modern sports car, little hearts drifting away as the magic runs its course. Sleek lines become graceful curves, and the sweeping car becomes...a good bit shorter, and a great deal more practical. The light scatters, and the car's new form is revealed...

...a red Volkswagen Beetle with covered in black spots from bumper to bumper. Even the hubcaps, rather than flashy chrome, look like the shells of ladybugs, and there's a towing winch on the back with a bright red clamp on the end.

The 'VW Bug' revs its small-yet-powerful engine, and darts forward with surprising speed to weave its way through traffic. There's more flashes of light around it as it zips up the road toward Mistress Karma, signifying others coming to join in doing what's right, and her horn prepares to deliver admonishment-

Before being interrupted by the Chat Mobile. Everyone nearby is treated to the sound of a horn groaning. "Seriously, Chat Noir? Just don't go racing ahead, this Akuma has a lot driving her-" There's a pause, and those headlights dim a moment - before the car swerves closer to the others sticking out. "But 'Chatmobile' here isn't wrong. Try to find something that looks important to her, and break it - and I'll try to make sure it ends there!"

COMBAT: Marinette Dupain-Cheng transforms into Ladybug!

<Pose Tracker> Chitose Shiratori [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.

Chitose Shiratori's been here, yes indeed. As a University Student she's been elsewhere in the facility, mostly going over more technical details and other things younger students aren't privy to.

Those lucky souls.

But she comes back in to the main floor just in time to see a woman slap someone else, which stops her entry briefly. Wonder what that was all abou--

Then the roof explodes in sparkles, and Chitose looks up and shields her eyes. "Geez, what's going on? I don't remember these shows being this spectacular." Of course, then there's a sudden appearance of a woman in a Black Phoenix, and she shouts about everyone being volunteers. And then, Chitose was a car.

Chitose's transformation is slow like the others, Chitose turning into a Black Phoenix like a whole lot of the others. But she doesn't move, nor speak. White Omen dangles in the rear view mirror. <What was that? Chitose, are you all right?> But, Chitose continues to be silent.

After a few minutes, a sigh emits from White Omen, and he pulls the trigger on the transformation, turning the Black Phoenix into something... different. It's a car, yes. It's also white, as Chitose's jacket does. But the glass, from the windows to the mirrors to the headlights, all turn green. When everything is finished, she's a very different car. But, she lacks a lot of the the finishings that a lot of Magical Cars have. <Chitose?>

She's still for a few more moments. But let's check in and see what she thinks.

"Beep!" Wait, does Chitose know she can talk?

Suddenly, Chitose shakes with fury. "BEEP!"

<There's no call for that sort of language, young lady! Your mother would be disappointed.>

Chitose 'beeps' sadly, before moving on to the race track.

<Pose Tracker> Carnet [None] has posed.

Garnet had attended the car show, not because of an affinity for Earth vehicles (they were almost universally too small, for starters), but for the trouble brewing on the horizon.

Troubles now realized.

Garnet was conflicted with how to feel at the situation.

On the one hand, even for the magical events of Tokyo, this was a little strange, and she thought perhaps this might be one of those Futures that were simply too far-fetched to actually come to pass; merely a vision of the whimsical potential of magical force. But it was real, and it had really happened.

On the other hand, as a polymorphic being, transformation is something that comes easily to Gems, and adapting to the kinesthetic projection of her new car body feels natural. if unexpected. So past this second of contemplation, Garnet the Black Phoenix is off in hot pursuit! Still, this body doesn't exactly feel like hers, so as the increasing speed brings with it a feeling of zen, Garnet contemplates, feeling the energy of all cosmos passing through her gems (which are currently as headlights) and begins to glow white with transformative light.

When it fades she has more than doubled in size, and style. If an engineer were to behold what she had become they might say that someone had taken the 1970 Lincoln Continental (http://carphotos.cardomain.com/images/0015/39/66/15709366_large.jpg) to its logical conclusion, and armor plated it like into a futuristic tank.

The top remains black, the hood has the hot pink Garnet Star cutting across it dividing the colors of the car to light pink on the left side, and black on the right side of the hot pink lines. The front headlight areas have been extended beyond the car, like the protusions on a tank, and are fashioned as fists that shine with the armor plating of her deep red gauntlets and the windshield reflects the orange of her mirrored shades.

She supposes that with great effort, she might be able to shape this new car body into a humanoid shape, like the characters in one of Steven's cartoons. But Carnet ultimately decides to accept her new wheeled existence and just... roll with it.

COMBAT: Carnet transforms into Garnet's Got Gauntlets!

<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (6)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> Fun Fun Fun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDHErN3dOkc

The open road feels warm and welcoming, and for the moment, the track is going west -- into the blinding sun, which provides some difficulty, but also over Tokyo, which is rather spectacular, if blurry from the sheer velocities involved. The track weaves back and forth between skyscrapers (whoop, there goes Tokyo Tower in the rear-view window!), but without too much complexity -- for the moment. There are safety rails on either side, plastered with commercials that seem to be affected by the racers; every represented brand is here, from Toyota to Wayne Industries. These are only rarely interspersed, however, between endless XB-9000 posters, with an ominous red light like an eye on a black background, unlikely to have been Keiko Saito's original design for such an advertisement. But then, something has changed her beyond all recognition.

Letters on each poster boldly proclaim: A SAFER FUTURE FOR EVERYONE

Advertisement diversity closely correlates to what it's like on the track, because those Black Phoenix cars, each and every one of them a decoy save one, are /everywhere/, massively outnumbering everyone else. They seem to be showing off their speed, but magicar girls can certainly catch up to them.

Once they do, however, that a challenge -- navigating the pack. Because it is, yes, /packed/. There is very, very little room to pass, the Black Phoenixes are bumper-to-bumper and wall-to-wall and at these high speeds, it's all too easy for a little love-tap to turn into a jarring wipeout.

Magic, of course, may make this somewhat easier.

And it's impossible to tell which Black Phoenix just sparklingly declared, "Welllllcome to the First Annual Karma Grand Prix! Anyone who thinks they can beat me and my XB-9000 system in a race -- I'll gladly stand by you at the Winner's Circle!"

There probably won't ever be a better opportunity to catch Mistress Karma and whatever Akuma-infected item is corrupting her, than when she's standing still, paying homage to her victor...

OOC: A few notes; first, this 'fight' will be run more like a race, though -- as in fantastic races -- sabotage and mayhem is encouraged. So, your csys attacks should in some way represent magically-enhanced maneuvering and trickery to gain on your foe, bypass obstacles, and win the day! Don't worry about getting out in front in a single round, though; the fight and the race will last several. And don't worry too much about the other cars -- Mistress Karma has promised a safer future for everyone, so some Black Phoenix demolition derby isn't going to be putting any civilians in the hospital.

COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Traffic Jam on Carnet.

COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Traffic Jam on Chitose Shiratori.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Traffic Jam on Ladybug.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Traffic Jam on Lera Camry.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Traffic Jam on Car Passion.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Traffic Jam on Chat Noir.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Traffic Jam on Fuu Hououji.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Traffic Jam on Rescue-Chika.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Car Passion perfectly dodges Hotaru Tomoe's Traffic Jam, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Car Passion's Fade ability activates!
COMBAT: Chitose Shiratori perfectly dodges Hotaru Tomoe's Traffic Jam, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Critical Dodge! Chitose Shiratori's Fade ability activates! Chitose Shiratori's Flash ability activates!
COMBAT: Carnet narrowly dodges Hotaru Tomoe's Traffic Jam, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Carnet is Quipped! Carnet's Fade ability activates! Carnet's Flash ability activates! Stagger, Stun, and Trap applied to Carnet!
COMBAT: Rescue-Chika narrowly dodges Hotaru Tomoe's Traffic Jam, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Rescue-Chika is Quipped! Stagger, Stun, and Trap applied to Rescue-Chika!
COMBAT: Lera Camry narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's Traffic Jam, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Lera Camry is Quipped! Lera Camry's Block ability activates! Lera Camry's Parry ability activates! Stagger and Trap applied to Lera Camry!
COMBAT: Ladybug narrowly dodges Hotaru Tomoe's Traffic Jam, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Ladybug is Quipped! Ladybug's Fade ability activates! Ladybug's Flash ability activates! Trap applied to Ladybug!
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji narrowly dodges Hotaru Tomoe's Traffic Jam, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji is Quipped! Fuu Hououji's Fade ability activates! Fuu Hououji's Flash ability activates! Stagger, Stun, and Trap applied to Fuu Hououji!

<Pose Tracker> Car Passion [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Even blurry, it's gorgeous up here; Car Passion finds that she loves the open road like this, finds it feels natural just to go as fast as she can. That, she likes.

She doesn't like the look of that eye on a black background. She doesn't like /that/ at all. But just as she starts to think on it, the words of the Chatmobile and the Ladybug filter through the blaring pop music on her radio.

"...Right!" Car Passion honks back. "I'll do my very best to back you up!"

But then they're approaching the other cars, the Lera Corolla visible behind her and rapidly catching up. "It's like the simulator!" she beeps merrily at Lera, "But harder!" ...Somehow that sounds like a good thing when Car Passion says it.

Regardless she jets into the pack, a bright red spot of happy music amidst all the Black Phoenix cars. She catches up, and she has to navigate quickly. It's not so unlike avoiding obstacles while running, but faster than she's ever even pretended to be before. She darts to the side of one, forcing a spot amidst a train of them. One gets too close, so close that there's no way that she can evade in time.

There's an absolutely delighted chime from her key-fairy hood ornament as, in a burst of red magic, Car Passion /leaps/ the car that was about to hit her. But she needs a place to land. Another happy noise as three big red hearts *pop* into existence around her, and she slams back down onto the track, hearts-first at her closest opponent.

COMBAT: Car Passion has used The Heart of the Matter on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Car Passion has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Car Passion's The Heart of the Matter, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Lera Corolla [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

Lera would wince at the sun, but she is a car. She doesn't have such concerns now.

Instead, she rushes across the race track -- such as it is -- past some of the other black cars on the road. She realizes, though, that this won't be easy. The road is positively chock full of Black Phoenix cars. Her brights flash behind one of them; it won't make it move. Instead, the car begins to soar forward, and tries to keep pace with Car Passion. It isn't easy, though, because all of those cars are in the way!

"H-Hey!" she cries out. "Move it, y'know?" She sputters. "I got places to be...!"

Then she calls out, to Car Passion: "I-I can do that! I'm right behind you!" she says. Then, she says: "Oh, Mister Chatmobile! Let's put the brakes on her!"

<We'll shift her into lower gear.> Broken Ground quips, sparkling from her rearview mirror.

Then, she accelerates -- and sends herself flying. Lera Corolla shoots into the air with a well-timed burst of energy, soaring like an earthquake over a few cars, before she lands in an open space with a KA-THUNK.

"Waaaaahoooooooo!"

COMBAT: Lera Corolla has used Fault Siege on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Lera Corolla has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Chat Noir narrowly dodges Hotaru Tomoe's Traffic Jam, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Chat Noir is Quipped! Stagger, Stun, and Trap applied to Chat Noir!

<Pose Tracker> Rescue-Chika [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

The Firetruck that is Chika begins to pick up speed as it barrels towards the racetrack. Its diesal engine is loud, and smoke jets from the vehicles twin exhausts as the lumbering red vehicle begins to build speed. She is not the most nimble, nor the fastest thing on the road. But she dang well is probably the biggest! As she lumbers onto the track at a high rate of speed, she tries to fit between the vehicles around her. That was probably a mistake.

Crunch. She gets wedged between vehicles, the firetrucks lights coming on in annoyance as she tries to turn and get free. Nope! The trucks cannon spins around as the wheel jerks this way and that, ramming the massive weight of her vehicle around to try and get some breathing room.

COMBAT: Rescue-Chika has used Discombobulate on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Rescue-Chika has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly dodges Rescue-Chika's Discombobulate, taking 18 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Fade ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Flash ability activates!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Lera Corolla's Fault Siege, taking 7 Fatigue damage! Lera Corolla is Psyched! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Chat Noir [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

The Chat Mobile would almost be enjoying that the race track, except that he would much rather be behind the wheel rather than being part of it. The traffic jam offers no help in that regard and Chat finds himself beeping at the other cars.

"This is getting us no where!" he declared and hears Lera call out to him.

"Yeah, that's the ticket!" he calls out back to her and suddenly gets struck with an idea. "And time to see how agile I am in this form!" From inside himself, Chat has a level pull back which released the mini jets underneath him. They're not powerful jets, but they're just enough to spring him upward into the air and jump over the other cars.

"My lady!" he calls out to Ladybug. "I'm leaping into action!" he declares as he attempts to complete his jump.

COMBAT: Chat Noir has used Cat Up A Tree on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Chat Noir has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to dodge Chat Noir's Cat Up A Tree, taking 15 Fatigue damage! Diversion applied to Hotaru Tomoe!

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

"A 'safer' future?" Windom!Fuu says uncertainly, seeing that billboard as she passes. "I hardly thi--"

The squeal of brakes may or may not sound remarkably similar to the squeal emitted by a badly-startled teenaged girl; either way, the green sedan white wings abruptly tilt and swing downwards, catching the headwind to shed speed as abruptly as possible. It's far from comfortable for the Windom herself, despite not having an actual stomach to lurch in her chest ... and her gas tank should be a firmly secured in her chassis, shouldn't it?

Then it's all over but the rolling gridlock, and Windom!Fuu sighs as she surveys the situation. She won't be going *anywhere* like this.

Unless ...

Those wings still work, right? Fuu exercises her will; the wings straighten out, tilt back to their original orientation, flap gently. It still feels unfamiliar, almost alien, but she can work with this.

She diverts her attention to one side, then the other - there's a firetruck stuck ahead of her in one lane, and a heavily armored bi-colored import currently flanks her on the other side. The latter seems decidedly familiar, and a moment's consideration matches up several details which lend themselves well to recognition. "I think I can give us all a lift with my wings," Fuu calls out to Chika and Carnet. "Hang on, this may get bumpy ... !"

She claims a bit more speed, a little bit more of a lead, then sweeps those wings down, brushing them against the road ahead of Carnet and coming up behind the firetruck. "Alley-oop! And for good luck - Winds of Healing!"

Both the firetruck and the Continental will be lifted into the air, tossed further ahead - and the spell which accompanies the vertical boost will steady their flight while they're in the air. Fuu applies the same spell to herself as her wings sweep down harder, attempting her own aerial bypass of the gridlock ... although she didn't quite think this through as to one detail: namely, making sure there's a clear patch of road for them to *land on*.

Of course, if they sail all the way over the massed Black Phoenixes, that won't be a problem - but they didn't have *that* much of a boost, did they?

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Rescue-Chika.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Carnet.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Healing on Fuu Hououji.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Carnet accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Cleanse! All of Carnet's debuffs are cleared!
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Cleanse! All of Fuu Hououji's debuffs are cleared!
COMBAT: Rescue-Chika accepts Fuu Hououji's Winds of Healing, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Cleanse! All of Rescue-Chika's debuffs are cleared!

<Pose Tracker> Ladybug [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

It feels warmer than November would suggest, as the race stretches into the sun. For a moment, Ladybug - the name seeming just a little bit more literal than usual - just has to take in the sight. She loves being able to see Tokyo from on high, but even by the standard of her relatively new skill set, this is spectacular. The city is sparkling like shining crystals on the sea, and -

Tokyo Tower, her frequent reminder that a trip to Paris would be wonderful too!

The endless posters for the Black Phoenix, further blackened by Mistress Karma's current nature, bring her mood down. As a particularly large XB-9000 billboard looms, the Bug can be heard to comment. "What, is Papillon not an official sponsor of this little race-"

Abruptly, a nice easy drive is interrupted by the sound of screeching brakes - not bringing the Volkswagen to a halt entirely, but forcing it to just match the flow of traffic for a moment. Her engine revs in frustration - until, over the radio and through the air, Mistress Karma's little challenge can be heard.

"Well, that seems straightforward enough - all we have to do is out-race an armada of self-driving cars..." There's a helpful honk from Car Passion, and the Ladybug answers in kind. "Thanks - as long as one of us can beat her, we should manage..."

And then the Chat Mobile literally leaps into action, and a smug reply answers the leap-frogging supercar. "You go and do that, little kitty, just make sure to land on your tires~" She revs, and then races forward - a Volkswagen might not be able to fly, but surely she can do something. Something...in just a moment. As the pack rounds a curve, passing a billboard, she races into action in a rather unsafe fashion - tilting to get one side up on the safety railing, and then zipping along the broad advertising to dart ahead of the throng.

Just in time, hopefully, to beat one pack - but there's more ads to use, if this race has been sponsored well enough!

COMBAT: Ladybug has used Breakaway on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Ladybug has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly dodges Ladybug's Breakaway, taking 18 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Hotaru Tomoe's Fade ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Flash ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Chitose Shiracari [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.

Chitose barely gets into the racetrack before the swarm of Black Phoenixes start to get belligerent. Chitose speeds up, swirving to one side to avoid a car trying to sideswipe her. "Beep beep!" And then she swirves to the other side. "Beep beep beep BEEP!"

It's probably for the best that she refuses to speak properly, the translation from Car to human languages would just be too vulgar.

But even the crowd of cars start to get too thick. So Chitose has a plan. Two hatches in front of the car slowly open, and two small crossbows emerge, spinning around and rotating until they slide into place on the sides of the car, facing forward. Well, crossbow is too simple of a description. They're more like two tiny White Omen, about the size of a grown person's hand. And they speak! Both in unison, but slightly off-sync to create a slightly creepy echo effect. <Hmm. This feels odd, but not entirely unwelcome.>

Once the hatches close again, the White Omen fire, bolts of lasers shoot out, mostly to encourage the riffraff cars to heave to, but if one or two do get shot neither car nor Device will mourn.

COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari has used Car Bolts on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Carnet [None] has posed.

No sooner had Carnet approached the swell of Black Phoenixes, than she finds herself quickly closed in upon by the other vehicles, and they all seem to slow down around her, reducing this speedway to a highway.

Then a city roadway. Then a residential road,

Then a School Zone.

Carnet emits a low honk that groans on, and seeing clearly now, that the cars aren't manned, and revs her engine to plow forward into the ones into the Black Phoenixes in front of her when she hears a familiar voice...? Coming from one of the nearby cars...?

"Fuu?" Garnet says, surprised that she too can speak as a car.

Though she can't nod, so she honks twice for "Yes" and is carried by the Magical Knight of Wind's spell over the traffic jam.

As she passes the other cars overhead, a hatch resembling an oil release opens at the bottom of the car, but instead of oil, blasting out from it, a large, black slicked rocket fist!

It propels back towards the squadron of cars she escaped from, its own propulsion flame catching the rest of it alight.

Perhaps it's like the old saying goes: Revenge is a Dish Best Served Oiled.

COMBAT: Carnet has used Rocket Gauntlet Buster on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Carnet has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to brace Chitose Shiracari's Car Bolts, taking 22 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe perfectly dodges Carnet's Rocket Gauntlet Buster, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Hotaru Tomoe's Fade ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Flash ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (6)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> East Bound and Down https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHZJej98_T0

The high-speed traffic jam was already fast but instantly becomes furious, as Car Passion's big red hearts slam into a Black Phoenix as she bounces back down onto the track. Looks like the Phoenixes are tough, because it hardly scratches the paint... but it does send that one out of contention, its brothers and sisters reacting at improbable speed to zoom around it as it swirls and spirals out of control -- and out of the pack, once its wheels are caught on the concrete crater that Lera Corolla created on landing.

They clear away from Rescue-Chika's swerving in a hurry, too, not wanting to get caught between a truck and a hard place -- and the railing is that, albeit for, paradoxically, safety reasons. Nobody wants to go so far off-track that they go plunging into Shibuya, far below. This leaves space on either side of her, too, for the Chatmobile to land safely and zoom ahead. And it makes for an excellent runway as she, Carnet and Fuu take to the air outright.

Someone needs to clear a place for them to land, and that task winds up falling to Chitose and Ladybug -- the latter's unexpected landing forces some duly cautious swerving away from her, while the former forces others out of the way of her storm of bolts.

Now there's lots of space!

And behind everyone, that tight pack of Black Phoenixes fans out... driving so quickly that they deny Garnet's flames the ability to catch upon them, and creating a warning wall for any stragglers.

Past this first pack is, inevitably, another one, though these cars are less tightly packed. It becomes more possible to maneuver around them, though in turn they can do more preventative maintenance on those who would try to do so, adjusting on a dime to block for each other. They are working as a team -- all the connectivity of a hivemind, in beautiful tandem.

The track curves around to the east, and descends, until spray from Tokyo Bay becomes an environmental hazard. It's not as hazardous as the gigantic purple moose, though, which curves its noble neck to stare down at the approaching cars with nonplussed surprise.

It is about two stories tall, with its horns providing a third story -- and later, this situation is surely fodder for a fourth...

COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Warning: Moose On Road on Carnet.

COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Warning: Moose On Road on Chitose Shiracari.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Warning: Moose On Road on Ladybug.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Warning: Moose On Road on Lera Corolla.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Warning: Moose On Road on Car Passion.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Warning: Moose On Road on Chat Noir.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Warning: Moose On Road on Fuu Hououji.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Warning: Moose On Road on Rescue-Chika.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Ladybug narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's Warning: Moose On Road, taking 8 Fatigue damage! Ladybug's Block ability activates! Ladybug's Parry ability activates! Diversion and Exhausted applied to Ladybug!
COMBAT: Car Passion fails to brace Hotaru Tomoe's Warning: Moose On Road, taking 26 Fatigue damage! Diversion applied to Car Passion!
COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's Warning: Moose On Road, taking 13 Fatigue damage! Chitose Shiracari's Parry ability activates! Diversion and Exhausted applied to Chitose Shiracari!
COMBAT: Chat Noir fails to dodge Hotaru Tomoe's Warning: Moose On Road, taking 27 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Lera Corolla perfectly counters Hotaru Tomoe's Warning: Moose On Road, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Counter! Lera Corolla's Reverse ability activates! Lera Corolla's Tactician ability activates!
COMBAT: Lera Corolla's counterattack, Mantle Heart, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Hotaru Tomoe!
COMBAT: Carnet narrowly counters Hotaru Tomoe's Warning: Moose On Road, taking 7 Fatigue damage! Carnet's Tactician ability activates! Diversion and Exhausted applied to Carnet!
COMBAT: Carnet's counterattack, The Unstoppable, partially gets through, doing 31 Fatigue damage to Hotaru Tomoe!
COMBAT: Rescue-Chika narrowly counters Hotaru Tomoe's Warning: Moose On Road, taking 12 Fatigue damage! Diversion and Exhausted applied to Rescue-Chika!
COMBAT: Rescue-Chika's counterattack, Water Blast, partially gets through, doing 8 Fatigue damage to Hotaru Tomoe!

<Pose Tracker> Chat Noir [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

The Chat Mobile manages to land perfectly on the track. Ha! This was the way to drive. He speeds ahead, rapidly gaining on the lead car, but his plans are cut short as he turns and out of all things a giant moose is in his path.

The Chat Mobile tries to dodge, but the tires screech and slam into the creature. The moose looks unharmed, but it's not the same for the Chat Mobile.

The ears twitch and the horn honks a cat like yowl as the Chat Mobiles flips over onto himself.

Chat Mobile is a bit dazed and amazed he only has a few crack windows.

"Cleary this shows only the Chat Mobile could take such a hit and live," he mutters and forces himself back on his tires.

The Chat Mobile zoomed ahead, feeling rather proud. How many could honestly say they survived a collision with a moose.

It just proves cats always land on their feet!

COMBAT: Chat Noir has used Cats Always Land On Their Tires on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Chat Noir has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Rescue-Chika [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Chika does not believe she can fly, but there it is! As she batters her way into a position to have some breathing room, she goes airborne on the winds of Fuus magic! Wheeee!

The Firetruck Puella Magi's lights stop flashing in alarm as she soars along, the water turret spinning joyously around like a parody of a helicopter blade. And then, WHAM. The heavy vehicle kisses the road once more, and the engine revs up as Chika drives forwards. She lumbers along until the massive moose is scene. Her water-turret spins around to the front, and the firetrucks lights come on again. Mooooooooooove Moooooooose! PSSHHEWWW. A blast of water goes from her truck, splashing at the purple Moose in an effort to scurry it to the side. Unfortunately, its only partially successful and Rescue-Chika caroams off a split-hoof, riding up on two wheels before heavily thudding back onto the roadway again. She is wobbling, her vehicle jarred enough that she slows down.

COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Chat Noir's Cats Always Land On Their Tires, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Chat Noir is Psyched! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Car Passion [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

"I see you!" Car Passion calls back to the Lera Corolla, and slams down into the car before her, taking advantage of the opening of its spin to start zooming ahead as fast as she can. The Chatmobile makes her curious though about something.

"Should I announce when I'm jumping, too...?"

Car Passion /has/ turn signals, technically. But she doesn't know what they're for.

She's pleased at the way the road clears up for them, even as she recalls Ladybug's words about what they have to do. She's having fun on the road; she's content to follow someone who's an expert on what they're dealing with... if not to follow her exactly. Any of them can do it, but Car Passion wants to be the one to win if she can.

But there are the cars fanning out behind them. "Looks like they have teamwork, too!" She zips around the bend to the east, and finds herself slipping on water. "Aah--"

Whatever that /thing/ is in front of her (the purple moose) is too big and too close to avoid while she's slipping around; she braces herself--mostly this means her hazard lights start flaring in time to her music--and hits on the side, spinning on the road. It's dizzying, and she's in danger of running straight into the pack of Black Phoenixes again.

"Nnnot..."

Car Passion wrests control back of herself, barely, and pours on the gas again. Her little fairy hood ornament has stars in her eyes briefly, before she trills again happily and the red car from Labyrinth accelerates, sparkling red as she goes for the nearest Black Phoenix ahead of her. She makes an obvious gambit to push between the other cars--and then banks hard to the other direction, ramming one car from the side as hard as she can.

COMBAT: Car Passion has used Flash Feint on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Car Passion has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to dodge Car Passion's Flash Feint, taking 21 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Car Passion is Psyched! Exhausted applied to Hotaru Tomoe!
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji narrowly counters Hotaru Tomoe's Warning: Moose On Road, taking 7 Fatigue damage! Diversion applied to Fuu Hououji!
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji's counterattack, Spinning Slash, partially gets through, doing 15 Fatigue damage to Hotaru Tomoe!

<Pose Tracker> Chitose Shiracari [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.

Chitose continues to drive down the road as the race continues in earnest. She continues to glide slowly despite the speed, in order to keep pace with everyone else. Though, she's mostly just keeping to herself otherwise. Maybe beeping like a sailor car might be hampering her socializing. Hey, she's stuck as a car, she might as well enjoy the drive.

Well, she /did/ when suddenly a giant moose appears in the road. A large, purple moose! "Wait..." Chitose says, before suddenly yelling in English. "What the" BEEEP! Shiracari slams on the horn and the brakes as she sideswipes the moose's legs, denting her body and ruining her finish.

The plural White Omen spin into action, one pointing forward as usual, but the other spins behind and above her to try and shoot the moose. <Carling Shot> Both Devices fire bolts, but these bolts are larger and barely leave the muzzle before they split into a number of smaller bolts, to hit as many targets as possible.

COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari has used Carling Shot on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Rescue-Chika has used Water Blast on Hotaru Tomoe.
COMBAT: Rescue-Chika has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Ladybug [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

There's a lot of respect due to the engineers behind these self-driving cars - they adapted to a rival car driving on a billboard with remarkable reflexes. Still, they did the sensible thing and slowed down, which is...noteworthy to the Ladybug. Something to keep in mind, if these cars are that safety-oriented...

Many of the other cars have had similar ideas, it seems - and in short order, the pack of non-Phoenix cars is racing along. Plenty of space - but steering has begun to require a lot of skill, as the next mass of cars is able to counter-maneuver quite aptly. They seem to be keeping her away from the railings, too, so she can't just enact a repeat performance. Hmm....

...and there's a moose. A MOOSE. The Ladybug's brakes and tires squeal as she moves to avoid the giant head and those antlers - vaguely aware of the Chat Mobile flipping through the air from a more direct impact. "Careful, everyone - we've got a little guest on the road!"

...although. Those antlers are poking out... The Ladybug punches it, racing past the curious eyes, hatchback bucking a moment - and abruptly releasing a tow cable! One end hooks on the antler a moment, letting the line play out as she races ahead - and now, the path she weaves becomes a rather tangled one. It's only a few seconds, a hundred meters or so - but even as the clamp releases for her to reel that line back in, any sonar-equipped car nearby can tell that the road's going to be rather messy...

COMBAT: Ladybug has used Lindy Loop on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Ladybug has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Lera Corolla [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

"MOOSE!" Lera yells. "W-We only get those in California, back in America, y'know!"

Despite the appearance of a three-story tall moose, including its horns, she is prepared for this. A honeycombed barrier of hexagons appears, flashing bright, along the front of her hood. Then, the Corolla hits the moose, bounces into the air, and executes a /completely awesome/ series of midair flips, before coming down at a strange angle.

"Whaaaa--" Lera cries out, half in panic, half in glee. "Ohhhhhhhh--"

Time stops.

<Pose Tracker> Homura Akemi [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

The world briefly goes grey. All traffic comes to a halt. There is the terrible grey, endless expanse of a frozen world that belongs only to one...

...pickup truck?

The smooth, violet pickup truck has seen better days. The sides are beaten up and dented. And yet, there is something functional about it; the way its engine purrs instead of rumbles. The way that its headlights shine bright. The way that its interior is leather, all white, and pristine. The way the radio plays...

...er...

...country music?

One girl's voice emanates from where the car horn should be. She speaks in stilted, somewhat awkward, Japanese school English. She is affecting a southern accent. It is surprisingly passable.

"Looks like dem Duke girls in a whole heap a' trouble. Wonder how they gonna get out of this one!" Homura Akemi says. "Stay around, and y'just might find out! And maybe you gonna find somethin' out about yourself, too."

A little more sand trickles down on the intricate gauge on her dashboard -- and she bursts into uproarious giggles, before saying in Japanese: "S-so worth it!" in the midst of her laughing fit. "Every time!"

<Pose Tracker> Lera Corolla [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

Time resumes.

The Lera Corolla slams down into the ground, sparks exploding out behind it when the bumper strikes the ground, and spits out wave after wave of sparks, smoke, and gravel -- and bigger, fierier chunks of rock -- at some of the Black Phoenixes that she peels in front of.

When she doesn't let out a loud whoop, someone in the distance may be disappointed. But only a little.

COMBAT: Lera Corolla has used Magma Bomb on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Lera Corolla has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Rescue-Chika's Water Blast, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly dodges Chitose Shiracari's Carling Shot, taking 18 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Fade ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Flash ability activates!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Ladybug's Lindy Loop, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates! Stun, Tangle, and Trap applied to Hotaru Tomoe!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to dodge Lera Corolla's Magma Bomb, taking 47 Fatigue damage! Lera Corolla is Psyched!

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

"Isn't that a little big for --"

Her landing comes at just the wrong time, and NOW her wings are a liability. The Fuu Windom Custom lands in mid-turn and goes into a spin, looking momentarily as though she's in the middle of spinning out of control; however, it only *looks* that way, and the green Windom straightens out shortly thereafter - slightly the worse for wear, and not terribly pleased, but still driving without losing too much speed. The spin probably helped keep some of the Black Phoenixes from hemming in too closely around her, too, and Fuu takes full advantage of that.

The literal drive-by commentary, timestopped or not, probably leaves the Black Phoenixes just as baffled as Fuu is .... but she takes advantage of that as well, edging further ahead in the midst of the confusion. In fact - she's trying to ADD to the confusion, taking advantage of everything she can, even the spray from the Bay as it showers over the sorcerous raceway. It's like she's harnessing the conditions to weave a storm of her own ...

Possibly even an admonishing one, as she attempts to stymie as many of the surrounding cars as she can.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Admonishment on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to dodge Fuu Hououji's Winds of Admonishment, taking 23 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Fuu Hououji is Psyched!

<Pose Tracker> Carnet [None] has posed.

Carnet lands from her thrilling airborne journey, and wastes no time! She weaves and drifts through the Black Phoenixes, mostly missing them, but bumping aside the occasional car that gets too close with her fist-bumpers. So she's built up a lot of momentum when she sees it.

The Moose.

"Oh yes."

She smiles on the inside. and speeds up to meet it! But, closing

Carnet is sprayed with the waters from the Bay, and from her rearview she notices the Temple behind her, and she thinks of the others.

What would Steven say if he knew she was about to hit this moose?

Steven would tell her not to, that Moose were beautiful creatures, and an important part of their ecosystem.

Garnet would say that this moose is purple, and three stories tall, both clear indicators of its involvement with Dark Magic, and that this moose is in the road, far away from its forest home.

Steven would burst into tears and say all that didn't matter. Please don't!

And Garnet would relent.

But... Steven isn't here today, and she just can't pass this up.

...She won't tell him.

Garnet thinks all this...

then plows into the moose, using her momentum at first impact, then altering her density to add more inertia to carry her through even harder, revving her engine again, doubling her efforts to take it down!

COMBAT: Carnet has used Heavyweight Clamping-on on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Carnet has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Carnet's Heavyweight Clamping-on, taking 9 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (6)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> Chariots of Fire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9myoXFk-O4U

The moose is alternatively dodged, hit, blasted, splintered, and, finally, towed -- Ladybug's line, attached to her own brilliant acceleration, sends it stumbling off balance.

It hovers in this will-it-or-won't-it moment for a single critical moment, until Garnet plows into its side, sending it crashing into the track. It lows its misery, then disappears into a blast of green sparkles.

No real meeses were harmed in the making of this racetrack.

But it's at this point that things get a little... messy.

Rescue-Chika, at the back of the pack, sees the Chatmobile flip himself upright in front of her, momentarily blocking her vision at the same moment that Lera and Fuu's fire-and-windstorm engulfs the track. Through all this, Chitose Shiracari can be seen bolting cars out of her way even as Car Passion simply delivers a glass-breaking beatdown to the one foolish enough to get in hers.

Afterwards, the XB-9000s give her a little more space. It seems this is a learning system...

"You're doing well!" Mistress Karma urges from... somewhere. "But you'd better put your pedals to the metal..."

It's a 'thoughtful' warning, because there's a two-stage obstacle ahead. First: a huge jump. The track ramps up to encourage height, then cars soar over Tokyo Bay and an artfully arranged graveyard of massive engines and rings of fire.

Inspirational music blasts as everything seems to go into slow motion, the jump endless...

Upon landing, the track as a whole continues to climb, towards a world where everyone is, once again, high in the air. This will require considerable acceleration to keep up!

And what's worse... the car in the absolute lead has emitted a huge puddle of black grease, one that the autonomous cars somehow expect and swerve around, while leaving more trails of their own.

Speed and control are required here. How will it be managed?!

COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Greased Lightning on Carnet.

COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Greased Lightning on Chitose Shiracari.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Greased Lightning on Ladybug.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Greased Lightning on Lera Corolla.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Greased Lightning on Car Passion.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Greased Lightning on Chat Noir.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Greased Lightning on Fuu Hououji.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used Greased Lightning on Rescue-Chika.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari fails to dodge Hotaru Tomoe's Greased Lightning, taking 9 Fatigue damage! Blind, Cripple, Tangle, and Trap applied to Chitose Shiracari!
COMBAT: Rescue-Chika narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's Greased Lightning, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Blind, Tangle, and Trap applied to Rescue-Chika!
COMBAT: Car Passion narrowly dodges Hotaru Tomoe's Greased Lightning, taking 5 Fatigue damage! Car Passion's Fade ability activates! Blind, Cripple, and Tangle applied to Car Passion!
COMBAT: Lera Corolla narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's Greased Lightning, taking 3 Fatigue damage! Lera Corolla's Block ability activates! Lera Corolla's Parry ability activates! Blind, Tangle, and Trap applied to Lera Corolla!
COMBAT: Carnet fails to dodge Hotaru Tomoe's Greased Lightning, taking 14 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Blind, Cripple, Tangle, and Trap applied to Carnet!
COMBAT: Chat Noir narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's Greased Lightning, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Chat Noir's Block ability activates! Chat Noir's Parry ability activates! Cripple and Trap applied to Chat Noir!
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's Greased Lightning, taking 2 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji's Block ability activates! Fuu Hououji's Parry ability activates! Blind, Cripple, Tangle, and Trap applied to Fuu Hououji!
COMBAT: Ladybug narrowly counters Hotaru Tomoe's Greased Lightning, taking 2 Fatigue damage! Ladybug's Reverse ability activates! Ladybug's Tactician ability activates! Blind, Cripple, Tangle, and Trap applied to Ladybug!
COMBAT: Ladybug's counterattack, Car-mic Retribution, partially gets through, doing 6 Fatigue damage to Hotaru Tomoe!

<Pose Tracker> Rescue-Chika [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Chikas firetruck races around the moose, the cannon on top firing blast after blast of water at it as she gains distance. Chikas wobbly vehicle heads straight towards the vehicles ahead of her that are leaving oil slicks behind. The lumbering behemoth that she has become does not lend itself well to the dodging!

The firetruck blasts headlong into the grease on the road, kicking up spray that splatters over her windows and her headlights. She holds the wheel steady, trying not to go off the road or into the guardrail as she gets sloooowed down by the slippery substance. She needs to take the pedal off the floor or risk spinning out!

Her lights come back on, as does her siren and four-ways as Chika indicates her distress. She can't quite see where she is going, nor can she really turn without fear of losing control.

She cruises along, keeping her speed constant. And then... Her front grill begins to reshape, kicking forwards and forming into of all things what looks like a cow-catcher for a train. Chika might not be able to see, but she did notice before going blind that every car in front of her was a XB-9000. CHOO CHOO! Chika-train coming through! She'd barrel headlong into the vehicles spitting oil out at her.

COMBAT: Rescue-Chika has used MegaFist on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Rescue-Chika has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Lera Corolla [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

<Look out. Jump's coming!>

"I see it, I see it!" Lera Corolla almost whines. She doesn't let it slow her down, though. The automobile accelerates more and more; by the time it gets to the ramp, it positively /soars/ through the air, and then hits the second part of the track. Which, of course, is ramping ever upward.

Her teeth grit. "Here we go...!" she cries out, as she accelerates faster and harder. The car shoots in -- and that speed is a little foolish, perhaps.

For she drives /right/ into the oil slick. "Oh no!" she yelps, as she goes spinning; the car swerves and turns, skidding left and right. The only thing that works to her benefit is that she goes straight forward. But, she isn't control. "Ground! Help!"

<Right! Sentinel Arc!>

The hubcaps on the Corolla's wheels spin -- and then extend on little arms, before they bite down into the surface. Sparks fly when they do, and it helps straighten her out, as she soars on ahead!

She still wobbles, though. Not all of the oil is off her tires!

COMBAT: Lera Corolla has used Sentinel Arc on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Lera Corolla has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe perfectly dodges Lera Corolla's Sentinel Arc, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Hotaru Tomoe's Fade ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Flash ability activates!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Rescue-Chika's MegaFist, taking 14 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Chat Noir [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

The Chat Mobile zooms straight ahead. They can do this! He knows he can! Then Mistress Karma appears and is quickly followed by the ramp.

The Chat Mobile soars through the air, he feels more like a bird than a cat for once. The radio inside starts to play "A Whole New World" as he soars through the sky...until he is flung through the rings of fire to which the radio suddenly to the song "Great Balls of Fire."

"This is getting far too hot for my tastes!" the Chat Mobile declares as he goes through the last hop.

The Chat Mobile's troubles aren't over as he lands in a large puddle of grease. It's difficult to maintain control, but the Chat Mobile somehow glides through the greasy with only a few scrapes from hitting the other cars.

"Ha!" the Chat Mobile beeps as he appears on the other side. "You may have thought you've given us the slip! But oils well that ends well!" He gave a sharp beep as he quickly moves back into the race.

COMBAT: Chat Noir has used Cat's Got Your Tongue on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Chat Noir has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe perfectly counters Chat Noir's Cat's Got Your Tongue, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Counter! Hotaru Tomoe's Reverse ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Tactician ability activates!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe's counterattack, Oil Gevalt, bursts all the way through, doing 19 Fatigue damage to Chat Noir!

<Pose Tracker> Chitose Shiracari [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.

Chitose continues driving now that the Road with a Moose is past. Again, she just drives along, enjoying the ride more than anything else. Hey, being high is pretty nice. The jump doesn't bother her, either. It's about this point that she zones back in to see flaming hoops. Along with the insprational music, one can probably hear one of the cars just /shrieking/ as she tears through the air and the flaming hoops over the massive engine pile.

But when she lands Chitose stops shrieking. The elation from a good landing doesn't last, however, as the oil is dropped. A lot of oil, too. Chitose manages to skillfully avoid it for a few seconds, wheels spinning in between the grease puddles left by the cars. But the swirving of the cars isn't matched by the white car, so she starts to swirve uncontrollably, including but not limiting to managing to spin one-eighty and then a full three sixty degrees.

White Omen, helpfully, crackles with energy before firing. <Thunder Drove> He fires small tiny cars(?) out every which way, in order to give the Shiracari more room to recover.

COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari has used Thunder Drove on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

It's apparently one of those days when Fuu just can't really catch a break. She managed well enough in dodging the backed-up cars earlier, and circumnavigating the moose practically from inside left her in decent shape, but she doesn't take adequate notice of the latest traffic hazard before she accelerates right through it -

Well, she has the speed part down well enough; THAT isn't a problem. Much. Or maybe it is, because she realizes too late that she doesn't really have much to work with in the way of control: the Windom just plows right through the grease puddle at high speed and keeps going in something which actually bears WAY too much resemblance to a straight line.

In exactly the same manner that a large amount of the track ahead DOESN'T resemble one.

There are a few reasonably reliable methods for recovering from a skid, though, and Fuu is aware of a couple of them. Most of them depend on turning the laws of physics back to your advantage - and it seems to Fuu that Mistress Karma actually may have given her the best possible advice.

So the Windom speeds up, engine revving, tires spinning as if they're trying to shed the layer of grease ... well, no, not 'trying' exactly. That *IS* what she's going for, literally and exactly.

Can she do it in time to make that next turn?

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Liberating Gale on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly dodges Chitose Shiracari's Thunder Drove, taking 5 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Hotaru Tomoe's Fade ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Flash ability activates!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Fuu Hououji's Liberating Gale, taking 15 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates! Bind Break! All of Fuu Hououji's debuffs are cleared!

<Pose Tracker> Carnet [None] has posed.

Speed? Control? Carnet has plenty of one of those, and almost none of the other. She tries to dodge it but she's moving too quickly from her triumphant moose adventure, and the oil slick is a direct hit!

Carnet begins to spin out towards the Black Phoenixes!

She's terrified, and trying to keep it together mentally, but luckily for her reputation, a car's face is less expressive than her normal one, and the look of panic she would otherwise have as she spins out goes unseen.

That long honking that sounds like a "Waaaaaahhh!?" The impact of the moose folded up the seat into the horn.

Yes.

That must be it.

COMBAT: Carnet has used Beep Beep Coming Through! on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Carnet has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Ladybug [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

For a fleeting instant, lost in time, Ladybug feels the need to strike a pose.

The moment passes.

There's fire and wind and a very smug catmobile, but as Ladybug leaves the looming road hazard behind the road simply seems to open up entirely for a brief moment. Up and toward the ramp, red hubcaps spinning at a blinding rate - and she becomes airborne.

Ladybugs can fly. The heroine only comes close - but a moment like this is as close as she can come. It's once again a fantastic view, as cars fly through rings of fire, and she can almost forget what's at stake...

Almost. But there's a landing to stick, and a massive uphill climb ahead, and a reminder that this race isn't just a game - there's important things at stake. She's getting closer and closer to the lead, and comments as she gets close to the Chat Mobile. "Aww, having trouble keeping your cool? Looks like things are ramping up- oh, that's playing dirty!"

She spotted the oil slick just in time. It's too late to avoid it entirely - and so, on the verge of careening out of control, she rolls with it. A sudden twist of the wheels, a slide to force some of the Black Phoenixes to join her in the slippery trap - but like many of those racing to triumph against Mistress Karma, she's got more grease than she would like. It's a struggle to regain speed, and a struggle to regain control...

And the Ladybug goes for broke. There's a hill to climb? The little Volkswagen doubles down, rearing up to do a wheelie, front wheels shining with crimson hearts as they spin wildly (because, naturally, she has four-wheel drive), with a triumphant cry. "LUCKY CHARM!" Light gathers overhead, the car opening a sunroof to catch whatever the powers of Creation have summoned today -

And a crash test dummy lands squarely in the driver's seat, arms and head sticking out of the sunroof as all four wheels hit the road again. As the little car reaches the peak of the hill, she can be heard to mutter. "All right, what am I supposed to do with this..."

COMBAT: Ladybug has used Lucky Charm on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Ladybug has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Car Passion [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

There is an affectionate yet exasperated set of beeps from Car Passion at the Lera Corolla's comment about America, just as the red car is zipping forward after regaining control of herself. But soon she's slamming around into that car, hearing vaguely a thundering sound of unpleasantness from behind her as her spin is totally avenged.

Car Passion is pleased with how her attack went off, only feels more charged up. She rushes along amidst other XB-9000s, and jauntily beeps, "Don't any of the rest of you want to play?" ...The merits of taunting a hivemind set of cars are left as an exercise to someone who isn't her.

But there's Mistress Karma's voice. Car Passion's headlights flicker as she blinks. But there's the jump. She drives down the road, picks up speed that much harder before the ramp, unable to do anything at this point but go for it.

...But would she really /want/ to do anything else? Of course not. It's a great view up here.

Her tires slam back into the track again, the whole car bouncing with the impact, and acceleration is something she can do. She jets onward. ...This means that she only sees the slick trails left by the cars ahead of them in time to shift left out of the worst of them. The oil still slicks up her tires, heats up her engine and body. "Aaah--!"

She skids around as once again she has to try to regain control of herself, and comes very close to hitting the wall of the track. "Have to...!"

She worries again for what's actually happening, a pang of it deep in her engine as she slips further. But she finds one centering rock to propel herself forward on.

"I'd like to race Peach like /this/," Car Passion beeps aloud, mostly to herself. With that in mind she finds it easier to move, her wheel suddenly spinning less erratically. Her radio goes up even louder than before, one of the dance tunes she watches her friends practice to. Looking at her hood ornament, one could swear the little key is dancing, too.

She glows red, sparkles trailing off of her, as she leaps up again and seeks to ram herself straight between anothe two cars.

COMBAT: Car Passion has used Irrepressible Devotion on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Car Passion has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly dodges Ladybug's Lucky Charm, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Ladybug is Psyched! Hotaru Tomoe's Fade ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Flash ability activates! Bind Break! All of Ladybug's debuffs are cleared!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to brace Carnet's Beep Beep Coming Through!, taking 25 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly dodges Car Passion's Irrepressible Devotion, taking 11 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Fade ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Flash ability activates! Bind Break! All of Car Passion's debuffs are cleared!

<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (6)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> Sugar Rush https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ2E9L0Rwms

There is a violent, high-speed dance at the sky... down here at the car waltz.

Rescue-Chika and Carnet, the biggest, catch cars in their paths and send them flying into a massive pileup -- helped modestly by Car Passion's own effort to have a path prepared for her, Lera Corolla's efforts to restore control inadvertantly forcing other cars to adjust to avoid her, Fuu's efforts to shed her grease inadvertantly forcing other cars to avoid /it/, and Chitose Shiracari's eager shooting, which sends still more Black Phoenixes out of her path... and into theirs.

All in all, there are a lot fewer cars on the road thereafter, allowing Ladybug and the Chatmobile -- followed closely by everyone else -- to surge forwards, onwards, upwards!

High in the sky, the racetrack goes into a hair-raising series of turns so tight and so fast that sideways and upside-down become orientations as reasonable as they are on a roller coaster.

There are only a few cars left, the creme de la creme of the Black Phoenixes, and they're fanned out loosely, a few car-lengths back from the leader, who is, indeed, not quite like the others, because there's something dangling from the rear-view mirror. It's too far away to recognize, though, and to get to Mistress Karma, they'll have to go through her posse, first.

"Is that really /oil/ you have to say?" she calls back, over her fender, at the Chatmobile. "I've made acronyms funnier than you." (Possibly true. Don't mess with an engineer and her acronyms.)

It may be a terrifying experience, careening through the technically difficult part of the course, but it's joyous, too, hearts apt to leap and fall with the ups and the downs. The focus required is like being doused in a pool of crystal clear water. Everything is strange, and wonderful, and beautiful -- going this fast, it's like nothing's moving at all.

COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used High-Speed Curves on Carnet.

COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used High-Speed Curves on Chitose Shiracari.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used High-Speed Curves on Ladybug.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used High-Speed Curves on Lera Corolla.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used High-Speed Curves on Car Passion.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used High-Speed Curves on Chat Noir.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used High-Speed Curves on Fuu Hououji.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has used High-Speed Curves on Rescue-Chika.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari perfectly dodges Hotaru Tomoe's High-Speed Curves, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Critical Dodge! Chitose Shiracari's Fade ability activates! Chitose Shiracari's Flash ability activates!
COMBAT: Rescue-Chika narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's High-Speed Curves, taking 15 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe is Psyched!
COMBAT: Chat Noir perfectly braces Hotaru Tomoe's High-Speed Curves, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Brace! Chat Noir's Block ability activates! Chat Noir's Parry ability activates!
COMBAT: Car Passion perfectly braces Hotaru Tomoe's High-Speed Curves, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Critical Brace! Car Passion's Block ability activates! Car Passion's Parry ability activates!
COMBAT: Ladybug narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's High-Speed Curves, taking 5 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Ladybug's Block ability activates! Ladybug's Parry ability activates!
COMBAT: Lera Corolla narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's High-Speed Curves, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Lera Corolla's Block ability activates! Lera Corolla's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Rescue-Chika [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Rescue-Chika can't seeeeeeee!!

Its hard to navigate the curves with her windships covered in oil, her tires slick and her mass a mess to control. Her sirens and lights are still going in warning to the other drivers as she caroams into one guard rail then the other, turning enough to avoid punching through on the high-speed curves. But its clear she is struggling, her front fender and body getting some heavy dings and dents into it from the collisions.

Rescue-Chika would likely fall to the back of the pack of Magical Girls. Inspiration hits. She can't see... well... Whats the good of a fire hose, if you can't use it! Her wipers go on full tilts, and she lightly sprays her front down with water as she drives, trying to clean and wash the oil off herself as she keeps pace with the tail of the pack of Magical Girls.

COMBAT: Rescue-Chika has used Windshield Wipers on Rescue-Chika.

COMBAT: Rescue-Chika has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Rescue-Chika accepts Rescue-Chika's Windshield Wipers, taking 0 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Carnet narrowly braces Hotaru Tomoe's High-Speed Curves, taking 4 Fatigue damage!

<Pose Tracker> Lera Corolla [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

"H-Hey," Lera Corolla complains, a little, at Car Passion's remark. "I-it might be American!"

She has no idea where a moose comes from.

The cars race into the sky, and Lera feels /entirely/ at home there. She turns sharply here and there; sparks fly where, occasionally, she banks so hard that the bumper hits the pavement. Then, though, the car straightens out, and likes every movement.

She bolts by some of the very-talented Black Phoenixes, letting out a sigh. This is the fun part. A little like flying.

She settles into her zone -- and the entirety of the Corolla glows, a bright and furious golden light infusing the green car!

COMBAT: Lera Corolla has used Earth's Heart! Erupting Hope! on Lera Corolla.

COMBAT: Lera Corolla has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Lera Corolla accepts Lera Corolla's Earth's Heart! Erupting Hope!, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Empower and Surge applied to Lera Corolla!
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji fails to counter Hotaru Tomoe's High-Speed Curves, taking 37 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit!
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji's counterattack, Spinning Slash, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Hotaru Tomoe!

<Pose Tracker> Ladybug [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

They're in the sky, with pileups in all their wake - only a handful of Black Phoenixes can even compete at this point, though that remainder are clearly the best there is. The Ladybug pulls alongside the Chat Mobile at the peak of the hill, just in time to get a glimpse of what's yet to come - and her voice sounds like a bit of a sigh.

And, pointedly, not laughing too loudly at how brutally Chat's pun was shot down. "Sounds like that was a slip-up, kitty - better luck next lap, hein?" She can't grin, because she's a car, but the sentiment is absolutely there. Ahead of them, though...is a ridiculously intricate course, and this is honestly her first time driving. The odds are long, but...

The Ladybug swings out her tow cable, looping it around and around. "You've got grappling hooks, right? Let's go full speed, right through Mistress Karma's little posse - watch each other, partner!" And with a smug little flash of her headlights, the Ladybug joins the Chat Mobile in zipping down the track full speed.

It's not long before there's a hairpin turn just a little too sharp for her - at which point she'll count on the Chat Mobile's grappling hook to give her just that little tug she needs. Easy enough for her to return the favour, two turns later...

And as they go, back and forth to close in on the remaining Black Phoenixes, the two sets of grapple/tow cables make for quite the hazard to the remaining automatic cars!

COMBAT: Ladybug has started a combo targeting Hotaru Tomoe!

<Pose Tracker> Ladybug [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

As they race along, she calls over to her partner. "And don't worry, I actually have a plan - we just need to get a bit closer - watch it!"

<Pose Tracker> Chitose Shiracari [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.

Chitose continues to drive, still spinning a little bit for a moment as the oil and grease finally starts to subside... and the turns begin. So the little white car turns as soon as she can, and then another turn comes, and another turn, each one Chitose takes incredibly elegantly.

About halfway through the turns, Chitose beeps.

<We can talk about it when we get home.>

It's at this point that Chitose speeds up even faster, and it seems like she's going so fast that she's leaving trails of fire on the road.

But even with the extra speed, she keeps hitting the curves with incredible grace and focus.

COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari has used Swift Stroke on Chitose Shiracari.

COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari accepts Chitose Shiracari's Swift Stroke, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Accelerate and Empower applied to Chitose Shiracari!

<Pose Tracker> Chat Noir [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

Mistress Karam's put down at his pun caused the Chat Mobile to swerve slightly. "Ow, she is a mean one, isn't she my Lady," he says to Ladybug. Hearing Ladybug's question, he hooks and shows off the claw like hooks he has sticking out hear his front. "Right here!" He gave a inner smirk. "And I shall always be prepared to catch you!"

The Chat Mobile launches it's grappling hook as they weave around a turn. It takes some doing, but he follows his partner's lead and in perfect sync find their way through the path.

"One good turn deserves another!" he called out.

COMBAT: Chat Noir has joined the combo started by Ladybug!

COMBAT: COMBO! Ladybug and Chat Noir have used Crazy Mixed-Up Love on Hotaru Tomoe.
COMBAT: Ladybug has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Chat Noir has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Ladybug and Chat Noir's Combo: Crazy Mixed-Up Love, taking 22 Fatigue damage! Ladybug and Chat Noir are Psyched! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Carnet [None] has posed.

Carnet does her best to focus and right herself when she feels one of the car impacts stop her spin.

Since her physical sight organs are covered by the oil, Carnet focuses on her second sight, and follows the visions of the futures that don't result in her crashing and turning into a mountain of molten metal.

Having to focus on and decide between so many rapidly approaching paths takes up nearly all of her concentration, leaving her just enough left over to turn on her windshield cleaner.

Which she now realizes she should have done in the first place.

COMBAT: Carnet has used Future Vision on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Carnet has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

If Fuu!Windom had hands, she would probably spare one of them long enough to facepalm. The road doesn't really give her time to -

Actually, it doesn't give her the time she desperately needs to steer properly, either. Literally one wrong move leaves the Windom scraping across a guardrail - and at this speed, coupled with the *little* bit of grease still clinging stubbornly to her tires, that's all it takes to leave Fuu struggling not to spin out completely.

Hopefully nobody's cunning plan to win the race depends on the Windom actually being at the head of the pack. Fuu recovers as best she can and starts going in the right direction at a more consistent (and safe) speed and handling, but she lost a LOT of distance in the course of that. Still, if she's careful ... she can make up the distance.

Didn't somebody write a book about Zen and the art of racecar driving? She may be mis-remembering something, but still - find that still point within herself, and let it guide her onwards towards the target ...

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Trick Arrow Shot on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Car Passion [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

"I really doubt it!" Car Passion beeps back to Lera. She keeps speeding along, but she sees Ladybug and the Chatmobile still ahead of her for the moment, but what ahead of them?

At first it's hard for Passion to tell, her fairy whizzing along happily on her hood as her white-wing-painted side mirrors are almost like real wings here, up and down and everywhere she didn't even know it was possible to go this way. As she rights herself from upside-down another time she can finally see the leaders again, that front car and its escorts. The futuristic lines of Car Passion are on full display up here in the bright of the sky, and for her, it isn't a terrifying experience at all. The challenge invigorates her, even as she has to move carefully to even stay on the /track/. And the sheer beauty of everything here brings a deep happiness to a certain racing car.

It's something she wants to share. And /is/ sharing.

"I'm right behind you!" Car Passion calls up to Ladybug and the Chatmobile, working to gain ground. Already she starts to glow brilliant crimson again, the beams from her headlights marking a heart in front of her.

And now she's moving to keep pace with the Lera Corolla, glowing crimson to Lera's gold, brilliant and warm. "Let's go!" she honks out, and pours on the speed.

COMBAT: Car Passion has used The Crimson Heart on Car Passion.

COMBAT: Car Passion has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Car Passion accepts Car Passion's The Crimson Heart, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Accelerate and Empower applied to Car Passion!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly dodges Carnet's Future Vision, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Fade ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Flash ability activates! Analysis performed by Carnet! Cripple applied to Hotaru Tomoe!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Fuu Hououji's Trick Arrow Shot, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (6)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> Rainbow Road https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrrBZ1W4kSk

Rescue-Chika and Carnet, in taking the time to wash their windows, get a gorgeous view of the fracas ahead -- in which Fuu, Lera, Chitose and Passion, through various individual experiences of driving perfection, zoom ahead of them, their rear lights acting as guides for those in the back... and the tow line held between Ladybug and the Chatmobile artfully takes out the Black Phoenix posse, turn by turn, one by one.

A car goes flipping; another goes screaming to an abrupt stop, to avoid a repeat performance; a third winds up slipping on a bit of grease and spinning out of control.

Eventually, there are no obstacles left, no /cars/ left but the magicar girls and Mistress Karma. Her exhaust pipe roars out golden feathers, which sink into the magical concrete, staining it with shining blotches. What other colors will mark the track before the end? Her grin is audible in her engine as she guns down the final straightaway.

And when we say down... we do mean /down/.

The racetrack goes into a dangerous angle of decline as it approaches the artificial island of Odaiba, and the convention center, Tokyo Big Sight, which is perched upon it.

It looks like this race is about to end as it began --

-- who will make it past that black-and-white finish line first?

OOC: Let's see some big attack/Finisher-flavored afterburners, I'll be posing the final results next round!

<Pose Tracker> Lera Corolla [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

They hit the end: and the great descent. If she could, Lera would grin. She makes a quick remark, though, to Setsuna: "Hey, Car Passion!" she calls out. "Race you to the bottom, y'know!"

It really isn't a question.

Broken Ground, dangling from the rearview mirror, glints brightly. There is a flash of light, then; a rolling shockwave shoots from the back of the green Toyota Corolla, and then the red lights on the back turn into brilliant streaks, as the car shoots down the slope.

It isn't just the descent that pulls her down. Lera laughs, brightly, as she goes rushing towards that black-and-white checkered line! "Woohooooo!"

And, behind her, a massive golden-tinted shockwave erupts, shooting back over the track. In Lera Corolla's wake, rocks are kicked up, dust flies, and thousands of brilliant motes of golden light fly free!

COMBAT: FINISHER! Lera Corolla has used Strata Excelsior on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Lera Corolla has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Rescue-Chika [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Chika can see again!

The big firetrucks engine kicks into overdrive, the mighty roar of the diesal fueled beast inside emanating through the area.

Her bright lights act as a beacon for all those Magical Girls that have been working with her, as she starts to build up as much speed as she can. The sheer weight of her vehicle really helps her pick up speed on the downwards track! Its time for Train Chika once more, as the bent and dinged up fender on her front end grows and becomes the thick, strong triangluar wedge of metal it was before.

She aims herself at the back of Mistress Karma, trying her level best to give the car an unhelpful nudge into a guard-rail if she can manage it. And then she'd barrel towards the finish with sirens WOOWOOO'ing enthusiastically. Except, she doesn't actually have sirens. Its just Chika's voice, exuberantly imitating a firetruck.

COMBAT: Rescue-Chika has used MegaFist on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Rescue-Chika has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Chat Noir [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

Their plan was a success, better even! Their hook and lines managed to take out of the other cars. Hopefully, they wouldn't be feeling that when turned back into their human forms.

Once they're through the road, the Chat Mobile honks. "I believe it's time for some overdue road rage!" Inside, a button is hit and out of the trunk a large claw like hand springs outward and hangs in the air.

"CATACLYSM!" the Chat Mobile cries as the claw drops to the road and in it's wake wreck and rips the road behind. The Chat Mobile leaves a trail of black and white rubble, making it difficult for the other cars to keep following them.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Chat Noir has used Cataclysm on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Chat Noir has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Car Passion [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Car Passion races down the track, headlights ablaze to see cars moved and getting out of their way thanks to the efforts of the two cars ahead who seemed from the beginning to know what's going on. She can see cars behind her, too, and her lights shine like a beacon if any of them need it. But her attention now goes two places.

The first is that shining track trailing the grinning leader of this race. And the second...

"You're on!" Car Passion beeps out happily to Lera, as the happiest siren she remembers hearing blazes on around them.

Car Passion's Linkrun glows brilliantly, and suddenly hanging from her rear-view mirror as she accelerates is the Passion Harp. If they're going down...

She's going as fast as she can go.

Her music blares but the sounds of harp music are briefly audible over it. Then she /rockets/ forward, picking up speed even faster than the slope would allow her. Akarun spins cheerfully on the hood, her ribbon billowing out like a little flag.

Car Passion glows red and goes faster, faster, pink and red and purple hearts rocketing from her muffler to the track behind her as they propel her onward like some sort of...

Pretty Car Happiness Hurricane.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Car Passion has used Pretty Cure Happiness Hurricane on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Car Passion has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Chitose Shiracari [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.

Chitose Shiratori continues streaking down the road, and continues even when the sudden descent happens, and the road just points DOWN.

Of course, Chitose follows the sudden downwards spiral as best she can, the wheels of her car going round and round, even though there's the distinct possibility her wheels come off the road every so often during the drop. This doesn't bother Chitose, sudden drops like this was what she /lived/ for, the wind rustling through her hair and the sudden sensation of approaching ground. Okay, she lacks hair at the current time, instead the wind rustles through her grills, but the sensation is still there.

The hatches in front of the car reopen and the two tiny White Omen descend back into the car...

Only for a much larger one to appear from underneath the car, poking backwards with the span of the bow large enough to just barely miss scraping her tires. A few moments pass, no words or horns said, before suddenly a giant white beam of light fires from the Device, back behind the Shiracari, in order to push the car forward as much as it can. It's helping, too, speeding the car up even more as it continues down the descent.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Chitose Shiracari has used White Ark on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Chitose Shiracari has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Ladybug [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

The road is, at last, clear of the horde of automated cars. Oh, certainly, thousands are still on the road - but with all the obstacles overcome by the race's leaders, Ladybug is almost certain none of them are going to be a problem any time soon. It's a ridiculous downhill stretch that shines before them all, and Mistress Karma's glorious Black Phoenix is still in the lead as golden feathers start staining the road.

And she's not the only one. The Chat-Mobile is racing ahead, devastating the road in its wake, leaving rubble and ruined concrete. Firetrucks and racecards and a Corolla are racing forward with joy - and with neither weight nor raw engine power on her side, Ladybug is more than a little concerned she's going to fall behind. It's going to be close for even the fastest cars here, and to make sure that Mistress Karma isn't the winner here...

She'll have to be creative.

Her vision casts a wide net, looking for inspiration - and hits upon a few key elements. Those posters for the XB-9000 that decorate even this final stretch with their slogan, 'A SAFER FUTURE FOR EVERYONE'; the rubble and ruined concrete in the Chat Mobile's wake; a billowing pennant to mark part of the final stretch; the brief return to normal roads at the finish line; and the red-with-black-spots crash test dummy she's been carrying for the last minute.

There we go.

Abruptly, on the final stretch, the Ladybug swerves, intentionally bearing down toward the edge of the straightaway. The dummy's outstretched arm catches on the pennant, tearing it from the flagpole to whip around its head and torso like a makeshift shawl. The little Volkswagen then swerves to the right, dummy rocking precariously - and hits an upturned bit of concrete.

At this speed, at this angle, she becomes airborne of course. Tumbling wildly - and then the tow cable whips out one last time, hooking on the jagged concrete for a split second. Just long enough to swing her back down onto the road, with enough force that the dummy is hurled free. It tumbles through the air without a care in the world-

And lands square in front of the finish line, miraculously landing on its feet. Nothing most cars would have to worry about, naturally - it's a bright red crash test dummy wearing a flag, who would think that's a person?

Racing past a dozen, a hundred of those 'A SAFER FUTURE FOR EVERYONE' posters on her way to catch up with the Black Phoenix, the Ladybug is pretty sure a nice safe automated car should recognize that as an old lady crossing the street...

COMBAT: FINISHER! Ladybug has used Miraculous Ladybug on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Ladybug has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Rescue-Chika's MegaFist, taking 23 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Lera Corolla's Finisher, Strata Excelsior, taking 84 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to brace Chitose Shiracari's Finisher, White Ark, taking 102 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to brace Chat Noir's Finisher, Cataclysm, taking 74 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to brace Ladybug's Finisher, Miraculous Ladybug, taking 88 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe is unable to keep fighting!
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe narrowly braces Car Passion's Finisher, Pretty Cure Happiness Hurricane, taking 43 Fatigue damage! Hotaru Tomoe is unable to keep fighting! Hotaru Tomoe's Block ability activates! Hotaru Tomoe's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Carnet [None] has posed.

Carnet's window-shades are free of the oil at last! And she sees again! Sees... that she is very much behind in this race now. Future Vision kept her from crashing, but she had slowed down in doing so, and she had little hope of catching up to the ring-leader of this odd car brigade. But maybe... there is a way she can still help! She sees the Magic Knight Windom, valiant, beautiful, but... running low on magical energy (tragic were the visions where she'd run out completely). and concentrates, on sending some of her own magic to Fuu's aerodynamic vehicle of the future.

The armored bumpers over her headlights open, revealing her gems, and two dual streams of red energy whip out and make their way to Fuu.

They split at the end, and pincer-latch on to her vehicle, and a funky flowing current of magic makes its way from Carnet to the Magic Knight of Windom. "You can do it Fuu." Garnet searches her memory for vehicle-specific quips appropriate for the situation, but she just doesn't have any.

COMBAT: Carnet has used Funky Flow on Fuu Hououji.

COMBAT: Carnet has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Fuu Hououji accepts Carnet's Funky Flow, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji is Reinforced by Carnet!

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

"Much appreciated, Carnet-san!" Fuu replies as the transfer of magic courses through her. She was feeling a little low on gas, so to speak; Garnet's support remedies that well enough to put on one last burst, though, and it may help to clinch the race.

With the offered energy supplementing what mana Fuu had left, she waits for the connection to detach again and then begins accelerating further, like a rising wind. Or, perhaps even more accurately ... like an Emerald Cyclone. The Windom's wings furl, then flap, scooping the air and pushing the green sedan further and faster, Fuu's magic shaping the airflow itself to minimize drag and friction, and even to nudge the Black Phoenixes further away from posing a threat to her acceleration.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Fuu Hououji has used Emerald Cyclone: Focused on Hotaru Tomoe.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking.
COMBAT: Hotaru Tomoe fails to brace Fuu Hououji's Finisher, Emerald Cyclone: Focused, taking 62 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Hotaru Tomoe is unable to keep fighting!

<Pose Tracker> Hotaru Tomoe [Infinity Institute (6)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> Miraculous Ladybug https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpnSCguHYmQ

What's black and white and red all over? The track, once Ladybug and Chat Noir are done with it. But that's an incomplete picture, because it's been rendered golden, pink, purple, turquoise and green, too.

It's really lovely, for the last few seconds of its existence.

But loveliness won't stop Mistress Karma from careening down the course at unsafe speeds -- afterburners fire behind her, one after another, but she's so fast, and her car is so strong, and she's cheated so much to establish a decent lead, that it's all but impossible to make up.

Thus it's a good thing that there's been a little bit of planning.

The manifold XB-9000-piloted Black Phoenixes chasing the group are stymied from interference, what with Chat Noir's bringing up the rear by creating a new end of the road, further reinforced by Lera's shockwave and filled with white energy and an apparently endless quantity of red hearts.

There's nothing they can do as Mistress Karma rushes towards the little old lady at the finish line.

But she can do something, and does, popping the emergency break to twist her car into an epic, spark-filled spill that sends her off to one side, helped along further by Chika's prodding. She slams into the side -- posters flop down over her -- and then it's a photo finish, one-two-three, with Car Passion, Lera Corolla, and a Garnet-wind-powered Fuu passing the endpoint within one or two seconds of each other.

The rest aren't far behind.

Mistress Karma is last of all, gingerly clunking, still wheezing from her impact with the barrier. She's losing parts left and right -- a hubcap here, a fender there.

Her voice sounds more honky than usual, creaks and crashes grinding between each phrase.

"Well played -- you won that race -- fair and square. I could never complain about -- losing for that reason."

As she rolls across the finish line, her rear-view mirror creaks, then snaps off, bouncing off of her front seat to fly out a window... and taking with it what was dangling from it by its lanyard, an oddly purple Tokyo Motor Show ID badge.

It cracks in two on impact with the ground, and an odd black butterfly is released, to flutter upwards, over the crowd of cars. Mistress Karma doesn't notice -- she seems exhausted, sagging on her suspension.

<Pose Tracker> Ladybug [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

It's a photo finish - for the three in the lead, anyway. Ladybug herself is a little behind Chat, but manages to resist the urge to do a little victory lap as she passes the wiped-out Black Phoenix. What she does do, however, is spin on the spot to face the woman as she crosses the line - and she certainly doesn't miss the ID badge flying out. "That-"

Crack. Snap. And fluttering away from the remnants is a little black butterfly. She might still be a car, but the smirk can be heard in her voice. "And that's enough trouble from you, little Akuma..."

Her engine revs, and the tow cable spools out one last time - but this time, the clamp at the end is bisected by a line of light, splitting open to reveal brilliant white within. She zips forward, chasing the black butterfly as it flaps towards the finish line once more - then does a 360 spin on the spot to whip the shining end of the cable round and round before finally whipping it at the butterfly. "Be freed from evil!"

Snap. Reel, whirrr... "...got you!" With that done, Ladybug inches towards the crash test dummy...seems stymied a moment, and then backs up next to it. "...and now, Miraculous..."

The hatchback pops open, flinging the dummy high into the air - where it shimmers a moment, and erupts into a storm of crimson hearts. "VW BUG!" The crimson joy spreads far and wide, washing over the entire city - and where it passes, wrongs are put right. That glorious racetrack, sadly, must go, swiftly vanishing without a trace - and those racers still on the track find themselves restored to human form, standing baffled near the Tokyo Motor Show. The building itself is repaired as swiftly as it was damaged, every missing bit of roof put to rights.

And last, but not least, those brave racers who freed themselves of the Black Phoenix's form are restored to whatever magical transformation form they would normally have. From her spot at what used to be a finish line and is now the entry archway to this show, Ladybug quietly opens her yo-yo to release a white butterfly, watching it flit away. "Bye-bye, little butterfly..."

<Pose Tracker> Chat Noir [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

The Chat Mobile honks delighted as he sees the Ladybug cross the finish and capture the butterfly as her prize. It doesn't take long for his partner to cast the Miraculous and suddenly with a flash, the Chat Mobile vanishes and the great Chat Noir is restored.

He examines himself before locking eyes with Ladybug and grinning like a cat that just got his cream.

He races over and offers his fist for her to bump. "We won that race my Lady." He gave a smirk. "Don't suppose you would be up for a drive watching the sunset?"

<Pose Tracker> Fuu Hououji [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

And just like that, it's over - the race is over, the enchantment is broken, everyone who was a car is human again (or whatever they are normally, if not human).

The Magic Knight of Wind lets out a sigh of relief, checking herself over for injuries and finding none to speak of. She could usefully make her way home, though, and maybe take a nap before she settles in for studying. If anyone is visibly injured or hurting, she'll linger long enough to offer a healing spell - but otherwise, she'll be on her way.

<Pose Tracker> Car Passion [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

They'd talked about this person's feelings. Does what Mistress Karma said have anything to do with that...? Car Passion doesn't know. She just knows that she saw her evade at the last moment. It all happens so quickly in the last few moments, past Car Passion's ability to see the rest of it. ...Or that should be...

Cure Passion.

The pink-haired Cure finds herself restored to her own magical form, looking down at herself as if refamiliarizing her own hands to her own red eyes. She smiles. "We did it," she says, at first softly, before she glances over to the Barrier Jacketed Lera Camry, no more a Corolla.

She points. "...And I beat you," she teases the taller girl. She glances to the two there... and lets them be. "I'm going back in!" she says, and starts off to find a nice, quiet place to change back so she can go back in.

She pauses just briefly before she goes, and looks up to the sky, where the track had been. "...I think I like cars."

<Pose Tracker> Ladybug [Juuban Public School (8)] has posed.

Now that she's not a car, Ladybug is free to return that grin with an enigmatic smile of her own. The last of the red light is fading, and in its take...wrongs put right, transformations undone, scuffs and scrapes cured. There's a cat-suited boy there with a fist held out...and who is she to leave him hanging? "Well played!"

She twirls her yo-yo one more time, winding up the cord in a fancy little spin. "Well, we placed, anyway. And my, my, isn't someone moving fast? I'm afraid we'll have to save that idea for another sunset, our time together today is a little short..."

There's a cheerful little beeping, and the number of spots on her earrings go from two to one. Chat's ring might last a bit longer, but as for her..."

Ladybug gives the others a cheerful grin and a wave. "Thanks for the help, all of you - and well raced! Have fun with the rest of the show~" Her yo-yo whips out again, snagging some high and distant protrusion - and with a pull, she departs rapidly.

TIkki's likely to be extra hungry after all that...

<Pose Tracker> Lera Camry [Infinity Institute (10)] has posed.

Lera lands on the ground, near the entry archway to the show, and looks at Ladybug for a moment -- before she looks back at the sky. "Nice job!" she tells Ladybug in English.

Then, she looks sideways at Cure -- no longer Car -- Passion. She sees her point; then she grins and nods her head at her. "You sure did!" she says, happily. She stretches her armsd out over her head. "Yeah, I wanna see more of it! Let's go!"

<Pose Tracker> Chitose Shiratori [Infinity Institute (U)] has posed.

The Shiracari comes through the finish line and comes to a stop in time to see the ladybug set the butterfly free, and soon enough the cari becomes a woman again.

When Chitose's reformation completes, she's sitting on the floor, feet flat down, like she was sitting on a car seat, with White Omen scattered a few feet away. "Oh, huh." She stands up and dusts herself off, before sweeping down to grab Omen and sliding him back around her wrist. "That was actually kind of fun." She turns and starts to walk off. "I kind of want to do it again sometime." She pauses a moment. "Or get my own driver's license."

And then she takes off, flying off and away from the Tokyo Motor Show.

COMBAT: Ladybug transforms into Marinette Dupain-Cheng!

COMBAT: Lera Camry transforms into Lera Camry!
COMBAT: Lera Camry has fully healed herself.