2016-06-09 - Locks and Keys 9

Title: Locks and Keys 9
Summary: It's almost Halloween, and Clover Town Street is getting ready for its annual festivities. But when the next Key appears in Miki Aono's little brother, Northa and Soular are eager to claim it, and torment Pretty Cure as they do, with a plot to make them all look like each other's worst enemies!
Who: Lera Camry, Steven Universe, Inori Yamabuki, Takeo Akamizu, Iona Hikawa, Miki Aono, Setsuna Higashi, Fuu Hououji, Garnet GM: Honoka Yukishiro
Where: Clover Town Street
OOC - IC Date: 06-09-2016 - 10-28-2014

<Pose Tracker> Honoka Yukishiro [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.

Like so many other parts of Tokyo, Halloween is coming to Clover Town Street as well. The holiday isn't for a few more nights, but, informally, this afternoon seems set aside, neighborhood-wide, for the production and erection of decorations. It's something of an unofficial contest -- who can have the spookiest yet still most attractive storefront?

There are many contenders -- the candy shop goes with the dry ice cauldron in the windowsill year after year, not because they're unoriginal but because it always works, especially when it's set up with hot cider for passerby. The photography store illuminates beautifully carved paper puppets, sillhouettes in the screen door. A suite of seasonal toys sparkle through the window of the toy store, and most every stoop will have a carved kabocha or a flag with a flag with a jack-o-lantern on it instead.

Will have, that is, once they've been carved, a task that is at hand all along the street even as we speak. Most shops have always been happy to accept volunteer labor, and some of them enjoy welcoming the same students (typically from local Infinity, but Clover Town Street takes all kinds) every year.

The barbershop has a skinny stick of a young man in front of it, clad in an unfamiliar, pale white uniform presumably used by one of the hundreds of schools in Tokyo that isn't in the Sister Schools program. He's gently urging a girl with him, in the female uniform, to commit violence on the kabocha they're squatting over. "You've really never done this?" Kazuki Ichijo asks with polite surprise. "Well, don't worry, it's easy. You just push..."

The girl is even more skinny and sticklike than he is, with seemingly more long, soft black hair flowing behind her than all the rest of her combined. It makes her look like she's under a dark cloud, or maybe that's her dull-eyed expression. She nods very slowly at Kazuki, though, and when she does, his whole face lights up -- the face of a boy with a crush.

"Push..." she agrees, in a soft monotone.

COMBAT: Setsuna Higashi has fully healed herself.
 COMBAT: Iona Hikawa has fully healed herself.

<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.

So close to Halloween! The costumes here some folks adorn themselves with - or rather, are preparing to do so in a day or two, are much more elaborate in some cases than in at home. And as such, Steven cannot be shown up!

"Garneeet! I need a good cape! Where do people buy capes?!" A pause. "Okay, maybe he doesn't have a cape usually, but capes make things so much cooler! Every goodguy worth anything has a cape in the movies!"

Teh shout chould with a yellow star on his shirt appears to be holding a good deal of material. In one hand, he holds a rolled up comic of some kind. It looks foreign, and is in english. In the right, he has some costume material, and some very vibrant paint-on enamel. The clothing makes sense for a costume, but what the heck would someone want with the enamel?

"I don't know if Japanese students will get the reference..." he says to his stalwart caretaker. "I hope this works though! He's my favorite. Well, at least from Beach City. You know my obvious favorite from here. But I... dont think I can dress up as her. I think Amethyst would laugh at me forever."

The boy looks down at the sidewalk as he goes. "She still gives me a hard time about the talent show... How did she even find out about that?"

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

Fortunately, Fuu Hououji has pretty much finished her Halloween costume, so that's one less thing to occupy her attention, freeing her time up to help with the pumpkin-carving. If she's not speaking up quite as much as usual, that's probably due to her throat's continued recuperation from what she still holds was weapons-grade spicy ramen the other day. You don't have to talk very much to craft a jack-o'-lantern, though, and since she has a fairly good idea of what she wants the end result to look like ...

(Or as close to it as she can get without somebody having to pony up a royalty to Nintendo, at any rate ...)

... she's working slowly and carefully, less out of concern for her safety (although that's always something in mind) and more because she doesn't want to waste a perfectly good gourd. Still, she can spare enough attention to look up occasionally (between cuts) and nod or wave (and smile, either way) to familiar faces.

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

<What are we here to see?> Soaring Sky asks. <Halloween decorations?>

"Mm-hmm!" Lera Camry murmurs, with a smile, as she walks down the street. Her eyes are drawn to some of those jack-o-lanterns, amber eyes lighting up happily. "I thought we should decorate the new apartment, y'know! Maybe some jack-o-lanterns and other spooky stuff! It'll be great!"

Sky chimes. <We could bring Fate, too, perhaps.>

"We should totally do that!" Lera says, glancing back down the street. The presence of the younger boy and the girl with him, at the barbershop, doesn't draw much of a glance at first. She is, however, looking for a head of purple hair. "You, too, Sky. You feeling okay, lately? You've been... off."

It isn't the first time she has asked. <I... yes. It's fine. I'm feeling better.> Sky hesitates, then adds: <...Everything in the Belkan space station surprised me. That's all.>

COMBAT: Miki Aono has fully healed herself.

<Pose Tracker> Miki Aono [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

Most of the time, Miki enjoyed keeping things between just her friends. But she and her brother were close - so this time around, when they started arranging a get together, Miki asked for just one thing: Could Kazuki come?

And it was quite a surprise when he disagreed with her. "Oh, you have someone you're going to be visiting downtown with? Oh-okay. Well, my friends and I will be down there as well. We'd love to see you there."

She didn't get a response.

And so she was waiting not quite /around/ the candy shop, but a handful of stores down - wearing a light blue dress, with a high collar and a white bow about her neck. It was a bit overly cutesy, but all in all - she wanted to dress up a /little/ bit cute as opposed to stylish for the occasion.

And maybe that would keep Kazuki from noticing her. She was... quietly snooping a bit whilst waiting for her friends to arrive.

<Pose Tracker> Takeo Akamizu [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

Sitting on his Radical Red Motorbike Takeo Akamizu, clad in biker racing jacket watches the street. He doesn't really participate, but he enjoys watching the spectacle as it appears to make others happy. That and Mika always enjoyed coming here year after year. He puts his hand on the matching red helmet that rests on the handlebars and just. Sighs.

Maybe he should have brought Sparkles. Or. Somebody else.

He blushes slightly and looks to the side. Not that .... Somebody else would have said yes. Would she? He clears his throat and then, with that blush still present he looks up and continues to watch the goings on of the street.

He leaned back resting part of his weight on the bike and folded his arms. He had to admit. The people were enjoying themselves, and he was too. It was nice to have no rabbit, no reason to be the Knight for a little while. It was like, a day off. "Huh. Yeah. Maybe I should call - " He stops and rubs the bridge of his nose. "Nope. Just gonna sit here, not think about that. Or riding. And just.... enjoy the vibe. And try not to think about bacon."

There is a slight pause. "Mmmmmm Bacon...."

COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu has fully healed himself.

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet walks along the shopping promenade with Steven. She smiles at his enthusiasm, then considering his question, pauses thoughtfully and brings a hand to her chin.

"A cape... we could use a towel? Maybe Greg has a spare from the car wash..." Garnet looks around, and seems to approve of the festive decorations on Clover Town Street. It gives it a friendly, small-town feel, that reminds her of Beach City.

"We could try one of the toy stores..."

Garnet shows a small-half-smile when Steven mentions Amethyst. "Don't worry about Amethyst, you know she gets distracted easily. Get her to help you with your costume. Keep her busy with ideas, make it something you two can do together."

<Pose Tracker> Inori Yamabuki [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04nI2A3J_ZM&index=7&list=PL2D68B3BCAB0950B8

Inori shows up not long after. A turned around pumpkin in her hands. It's top already showed tell tale signs of carving and hollowing, and there were tape on the sides that indicated a stencil.

"Oh Miki-chan! There you are. Thinking of picking up some candy for the holiday?" She says as she approaches the front of the candy store. She's wearing her light yellow long sleeved turtleneck under an orange blouse, and a light blue skirt. "I thought I'd work on my own pumpkin tonight."

Turning around the pumpkin in her hands, she reveals the stencil at the front. It's a representation of Jiji, from Kiki's delivery service that's yet to be carved:

She has this cheerful smile on her face as she reveals it. "It's Jiji! He's the cutest isn't he? I thought maybe he'd bring our hospital some good luck." After all, black cats in Japan were good luck, not bad! She'd picked a Pumpkin over a Kabocha because they were toxic to dogs.

But then she catches a glimpse of Kazuki over her shoulder, and leans to the side to look his way. "Oh. Your brother is here?" Blinking her eyes a few times, she straightens back up and moves out of sight, whispering to her, "Who's that he's with?"

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

Halloween! The whole idea is still somewhat new and unfamiliar to Setsuna Higashi, though she's gotten the lowdown on the basic idea. This largely means a lot of inquisitive looks at her surroundings. She had arranged to meet with her friends today, so she came early, dressed a bit in layers; jeans and boots, and a red long-sleeved top under a warmer white vest. And just this instant...

Well, a couple of instants ago, she was inside the candy store, standing with her head tilted as she looked at the dry ice cauldron. Then, things happened. Right /now/...

Setsuna steps out from there, slowly leaning forward and glancing both ways for signs of Miki or Buki. Both hands are occupied with a friendly, unmarked vegetable, and Setsuna pauses again to look down at it. Hmm. --Oh!

Setsuna spots both Miki being sneaky and Buki being less so, Buki with a stencil! The purple-haired girl steps out towards them and smiles. "Hello!"

Hm? Her brother...? "Oh, he's here? We should go and see him!"

Brightly, Setsuna sets herself to /ruining Miki's plan completely/, walking over without so much as a thought of sneakiness right for Kazuki.

<Pose Tracker> Iona Hikawa [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Iona Hikawa has been pretty interested in Halloween for quite some time. Iona has what she feels is the greatest of ideas, and like others she was here to finish it. No, her great idea was not 'use her transformation mirror', she has /standards/.

Although that would be easier, and no one could tell the difference. She doesn't have many PreCards that could be used as a Halloween costume, anyway. She could use her dress from the Ohtori party, maybe? Or maybe her police uniform cards. But she might actually use those for an actual purpose later, so it was best not to.

Instead, Iona is milling through a costume store, looking at fabric. While she has been looking at all of the colors, she's mostly been looking at the black fabrics. Not just blacks, but also oranges and (of course) the dark purple that matches her hair. No one can go wrong with purple, and that's a fact.

Not that she's said this out loud, of course. She's just been running silent, milling through fabrics, and not paying attention to anyone around her.

<Pose Tracker> Honoka Yukishiro [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.

Kazuki is oblivious to his big sister's approach. Or the sights and sounds of other people he knows, walking up or down the street. He may have moved away from Clover Town as just a little kid, but his heartbeat still dwells here, pulses in time with the pulse of the town, and he knows almost every resident.

But today he only has eyes for "Hana..."

He turns BRIGHT red, and amends, faster than she can even turn to gaze blankly at him, "I-- um-- Hana/-san/!"

He quivers a little bit as she chooses this moment to slowly and pleasantly slide the knife into the guts of the squash. The look in her eyes implies she may be imagining him under the knife instead. A reserved girl, perhaps.

Or... maybe not a girl at all.

In an eyeblink, she has shifted, shivered, like a snake shedding her -- its -- skin. Underneath: the twisted, viney, sinuous humanoid shape of something that looks like a much smaller and compact Sorewatase. It was a Sorewatase that took the very first Key, in fact.

And now its vine of an arm is through Kazuki's chest -- his eyes roll back in his head -- and there's the Key, softly singing the song that chimes from the nearby clock tower every day at nine and noon and six.

Observed from a profile angle, it looks like a mortal wound, the boy impaled, but in the typical manner of such things, when the Sorewatase removes its arm, Kazuki's chest is unblemished. He's collapsed, of course. And by dint of his weak heart, all this excitement might be particularly bad for him.

The little Sorewatase-that-was grabs the Key, smothering its song, and prepares to leap away.

Invisible in the crowd by dint of looking like just another civilian, Soular exhales slowly, letting the air ruffle through his long, soft hair. He savors this moment even as he dreads the next. "Her plan is working well so far," he muses. "Now it's time for mine..."

COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro transforms into Sorewatase!
 COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro has fully healed herself. She is now ready to take on 9 opponents!

COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro has started an item contest over 'Kazuki's Key'! For more information, please see: +help Items. To join the contest, +item/join Honoka Yukishiro. You must join now if you are going to be in contention to possess the item. If you decide ICly to involve yourself with the item later but do not +item/join now, you cannot succeed at an Item Grab, nor determine the item's owner on a knockout.
 COMBAT: Inori Yamabuki has joined Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Inori Yamabuki has left Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Lera Camry transforms into Barrier Jacket Perihelion! COMBAT: Lera Camry has joined Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Inori Yamabuki transforms into Cure Pine! COMBAT: Setsuna Higashi transforms into Cure Passion! COMBAT: Cure Pine has joined Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Cure Passion has joined Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Iona Hikawa transforms into Cure Fortune! COMBAT: Cure Fortune has joined Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Garnet transforms into Garnet's Got Gauntlets! COMBAT: Miki Aono transforms into Cure Berry! COMBAT: Cure Berry has joined Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Garnet has joined Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu transforms into Lancelot! COMBAT: Lancelot has joined Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Steven Universe transforms into Steven Quartz Universe! COMBAT: Steven Universe has joined Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji transforms into Magic Knight! COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has joined Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro.

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

Lera glances down at the ground for a moment, while she walks. She hears Sky's explanation, but it doesn't quite convince her. She hesitates, though, as she hears a murmur. She looks up at the barber shop -- and then she sees the Sorewatese, which is quite familiar to her, that was a girl before. Her eyes widen sharply.

"Wh--no!" she yells, a flash of terrible memory going through her mind. Kazuki, however, isn't left dead, unlike the last time she saw a Sorewatese impale someone. "Sky!"

Light flashes up from around her. It swirls around her, flashing brilliantly; her green coat flutters out, her feather charm flickering into existence. She holds a hand out -- and a broadsword appears in it, glowing to life with an energy field. Lera rushes forward, blitzing towards the Sorewatese.

She accelerates fast -- and then snaps into the front of the thing. Her foot comes careening towards it, in a roundhouse kick. "Oh no you don't!" she yells. "I won't let you!"

She hasn't noticed Miki, Buki, or Setsuna yet. That doesn't stop a Sorewatese from inspiring panic in her.

COMBAT: Lera Camry has used Sonic Kick on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet lets go of Steven's hand and sets off with a leap, her Future Vision giving her a momentary glimpse of the disaster to come. But the suddeness still catches her by surprise and though she's quick on the uptake the dread deed is done. As she makes her descent from her initial jump, she concentrates for a moment on the enormity of the cosmos, letting the energy of all creation flow through her and in the momentary nirvana, she summons her armored gauntlets to her hands!

Empowered and transformed, Garnet leaps for the monster, hoping to disrupt its foul business with a sudden and mighty punch!

COMBAT: Garnet has used Leaping Smash! on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Garnet has finished attacking.

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

Fuu just happens to be glancing up at the moment that young Kazuki gets 'impaled' by the monster's vine-arm; she's actually left staring for a split second, just long enough to see if that's a deadly wound or the theft of some kind of spirit-artifact. The lack of a horrible gushing chest wound affirms that it's the latter ... and that, in turn, sets her priorities, just as she sets down the knife she was using to carve her jack-o'-lantern.

"Belief becomes power ... winds, guide me!" she murmurs, pulling her glove-jewel on as she speaks the first part. One emerald-tinted whirlwind later, the Magic Knight of Wind is sighting in on the Sorewatase - but not with an arrow, for all that her bow and quiver have already materialized. Instead, she calls out, "Winds of Admonishment!" and conjures another whirlwind - this one aimed to ensnare the Key-stealing monster in mid-air, to hinder its movements - and hopefully hold it still enough that some of her allies can land their own attacks.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Admonishment on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking.

COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro perfectly dodges Lera Camry's Sonic Kick, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! Honoka Yukishiro's Fade ability activates! Honoka Yukishiro's Flash ability activates!
 COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro narrowly braces Garnet's Leaping Smash!, taking 6 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro narrowly dodges Fuu Hououji's Winds of Admonishment, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Fuu Hououji is Psyched! Honoka Yukishiro's Fade ability activates! Honoka Yukishiro's Flash ability activates! Trap applied to Honoka Yukishiro!

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

Today, Setsuna herself has been quietly cheerful, perhaps difficult to read for some but an ordinary girl on Clover Town Street, getting to know that same pulse of this place day by day. She has little idea of who the girl with Kazuki is, and is unperturbed by that. She even misses Buki's caution.

She sees Kazuki go red, and that doesn't slow her. The girl with a knife does not slow her, for that too is normal.

The awful sight of a human turning inhuman, revealing its horrible truth beneath--/that/ stops her cold, the dark-haired young woman freezing in place to stare in instinctive fear. The song she's come to know rings out...

Kazuki falls, and Setsuna catches herself--and her breath. "No!" she calls, finally, and sets her jaw. The others are behind her, she knows. But Miki's brother, and... She stares after him, but sees no wound. He's already on the ground, and it reminds her too much of the past. She knows what she has to do.

Setsuna crouches down, setting down the vegetable she'd been holding and pulling her Linkrun from her belt. Amidst the panic that surely starts, she doesn't bother to conceal herself, standing up straight and holding it out before her. There's a flash of crimson light washing over her, sparkling and brilliant.

Cure Passion stands where Setsuna was, her long, pink hair trailing behind her as the warrior sets herself for battle, one arm out and the other closer to her, a fighting stance. "Labyrinth!" she calls, and, sparing a look for Kazuki on the ground, rushes forward, sprinting in a blur to cut off the Sorewatase's escape. "I won't let you do this!"

She doesn't see Northa, but she knows a Sorewatase when she sees it. These are etched into her memory. She sees Sorewatase, though, and it gets an angry rush of red, as Passion ducks in from beneath, opening up with a low kick and then leaping up into a brace of punches. She doesn't stop to wait for Kazuki.

...That's not her place, is it?

"Put it back!"

COMBAT: Cure Passion has used Following Flurry on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Cure Passion has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro fails to brace Cure Passion's Following Flurry, taking 17 Fatigue damage!

<Pose Tracker> Cure Berry [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

"Setsuna!" Miki says in a bit of a sharpish sound, as if chiding her for walking /right up to her/. "We can't walk up to him - look at him, he's on a date, that's why he didn't want to hang out with us!" she says, glancing from her to Buki, a brilliant smile on her lips then. "Thank you both for coming! So where do you want to start, do you want to start at the candy shop, and just, you know, walk gently by, or..." she pauses a few moments, her eyes tracking up to Kazuki.

The scream that Miki yells.

It was not a scream that could be easily emulated. High pitched, full of desperation and fear. "Kazuki!"

The image of the creature putting its arm through the young man's chest burns into her memory.

But Miki was not a woman that lets such things go easily.

In a heartbeat, she was dashing forward, throwing aside whatever regard she had for the Mask, and instead of hiding, she was running straight towards the two. Aqua light washes over her, and in the next second - before the blur even faded away, she was leaping at the creature, both feet extended. "Leave. Him. BE!"

COMBAT: Cure Berry has used Perfect Dart on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Cure Berry has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Cure Fortune [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Iona is... not paying too much attention to what's going on elsewhere on the street, so when the Sorewatase appears, she's at first not aware of it. Nor is she aware of the sudden Sorewatase-ing of the Aono boy, but when she hears the song of the clock tower, she immediately orients to look at it... to see the Sorewatase.

"What?!" Iona suddenly loses her grip on the fabrics she was holding, and immediately backs up on reflex. She has, after all, never seen a Sorewatase. But she's seen the type, and she knows the type. So the next thing she does is, of course, pull out her transformation mirror. Using the chaos and clothing racks as a shield, in goes Pretty Cure cards, and out pops a Cure Fortune! She draws a star in the air, and shouts. "The star of hope that glitters in the night sky! Cure Fortune!"

And, as Cure Fortune is as Cure Fortune does, she lets barely a moment pass before she leaps out of the costume store and into the Sorewatase's leafy face, attempting to give it a swift, easy, one-two punch.

COMBAT: Cure Fortune has used Fortunate Punch on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Cure Fortune has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

Takeo is off the bike and moving quickly toward the boy who just got stabbed by the ... Plant .. Vegetable ... thing? He'd have to remember this so that he could inform Mai and Eri both of the evils of the Vegetable.

Moving quickly he takes out the Sword Amulet and clals outm "I swear to protect the innocent!"

Lightning rains down and in three quick steps Takeo has been replaced with Lancelot, a final bolt of lightning arcs down and he catches it, turning it into the bright white sword of Arondight!

Lancelot breaks into a straight out sprint and leaps at the ... Vegetable, "Hold it right there Vegetable! I won't let you get away with that key!" He stretches, reaching a hand in an attempt to snag the singing key from it's evil and viney grip.

COMBAT: ITEM GRAB! Lancelot has used Yoink! on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Lancelot has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro fails to dodge Cure Berry's Perfect Dart, taking 39 Fatigue damage! COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro fails to brace Cure Fortune's Fortunate Punch, taking 25 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro fails to dodge Lancelot's Yoink!, taking 11 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! COMBAT: Lancelot successfully grabs an item from Honoka Yukishiro!

<Pose Tracker> Cure Pine [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Bg_QVoLdU&list=PL2D68B3BCAB0950B8&index=36

"Oh Setsuna-chan!" Inori does a quick shhh, to try to tell her that they're trying not to be noticed but then... Miki says the two are on a date, "Right. We definitely shouldn't disturb them." 'Hana...' And then the fumbling correction. She smiles a little. "It seems like they're really getting..."

A vine imaples him through his chest.

"...along." Numbly the pumpkin falls out of her hands, to crash against the ground, scattering hollow pieces everywhere among the cat stencil. Her hands tremble, her eyes welling up with something, as if she can't believe what she's seeing.

Miki's brother is...

A key is singing...

Kazuki is falling...

Miki screams first. And despite herself, she shrieks in horror as well, her palms to her cheeks. She moves to check on him first. The part of her that's a vet daughter, having witnessed animals with horrible injuries is checking the center of his chest. But... there's no wound.

Despite the relief that he seems to be alive, the horror is still there. And anger. A hand whips out of her bag her Linkrun in hand. She inserts a clover key, and turns, shouting, "CHANGE - PRETTY CURE, BEAT UP!"

Through shimmering radiance she plunges, a light which changes an ordinarily gentle teenage Pretty Cure into a Legendary Warrior. Pretty Cure.

Cure Pine specifically, leaps above the Sorewatase, above it, then rearing back her arm, smashes straight down with a fist that could pulverize steel and crater concrete towards the vined mass. "How could you!? How-"

COMBAT: Cure Pine has used Pineapple Punch on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Cure Pine has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro narrowly braces Cure Pine's Pineapple Punch, taking 3 Fatigue damage! Stagger applied to Honoka Yukishiro!

<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.

"A towel?!" The boy lets out suddenly, sounding rather mad a first. "That is the... well. Actually Doesn't sound too bad. I think Dad has a nice national style beach towel that might work!" A look down both lanes follows when it comes to the toy store comment. "Think they might have something close? It would be worth a look...!"

Even if it was off, as long as it had a main color like red or blue, it would look good. At least good enough anyway. Not like he was going in to a contest or anything. Some of these folks that dress up here look so realistic! "Garnet, I have a funny question. Do you think some of the superpower people here we keep running into, you know, the ones with cool outfits..." A laugh coems from the boy. "Do you think they enter the contests sometimes? You know, like, able to walk around as a superhero, and no one notices?"

"If I had a costume, I would do that, I think."

"Amethyst actually suggested He-Man because we have Lion. But I wanted to do something classy. Something to remind me of home more."

Of course, when events suddenly shift, it is quite obvious at the shouts and sudden motions on the other side of the street. "What the heck is that?! It looks like a plant! And...!" In it's viny grasp is a glint of metal-- a key! "It idd that thing that keeps happening! We gotta stop it!"

Of course Garnet needs no one to tell her that; she is already gone as Steven says it aloud. "Lion! We need to--" A look to behind and to the right reveals no kind of cat anywhere. "Augh, Lion! Where are you?!"

Before too long though, the key is apprehended by a Knight mid battle on Steven's approach. Is he a goodguy? Hasn't he seen him before? "Hey, Vineguy! You messed with the wrong person! Err, people! Prepare to be punished by the Crystal Gems!"

He feels a little giddy getting to denounce a badguy like a certain someone. Still needs work.

COMBAT: Steven Universe has used AND STEVEN! on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Steven Universe has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro fails to dodge Steven Universe's AND STEVEN!, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Steven Universe is Psyched!

<Pose Tracker> Honoka Yukishiro [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2jTvM9KN38

For being people-sized instead of lesser-Godzilla-sized, the Sorewatase is still a very real threat. It flits about the battlefield -- ducking under Lera like her leg's a limbo pole; bringing up its arms in a cross to mitigate the impact of Garnet's punch; rolling with that force such that only the edge of Fuu's whirlwind catches its leg. It's unable to leave when Cure Passion comes in, and it splits its attention between tugging at its leg with one arm and holding up the other arm to bat aside Pretty Cure's kick and punches, one and then the next and the next.

But where there's one Pretty Cure, more follow, and it's totally unable to stop Berry from kicking it full-force in the chest, and Fortune from punching it one-two in the face. Around that time, its grip loosens on the key, and Lancelot is able to wrest it away -- it glows with the typical white light, and sings quietly with Kazuki's voice.

At long last it's Cure Pine who hits the Sorewatase so hard that it's torn out of the whirlwind's edge, and it pauses to regroup even as Steven lectures it on its evil ways. Unlike its facade, in this form it doesn't seem to have much of a voice.

Curiously, it doesn't pursue the key. Instead, it leaps again, straight over the street full of magical girls, landing on the rooftop.

Soular, now transformed, is waiting for it there. In one hand, he's holding a blue Data Diamond -- in the other, an elaborate, feathered opera mask.

With boom-boom-boom speed and strength, he slaps the evil, circuit-filled Diamond on the mask and the mask on the Sorewatase. "Nakewamake -- do my bidding!"

Now masked, the Sorewatase's eyes gleam blue, and it whispers, inaudibly above the sounds of fleeing Clover Town Streetfolks: "...masquerade..."

...and then the lights go out; it doesn't seem to matter that this is an outdoor event. There are about four seconds of absolute darkness. And silence. It feels very like a crowded party where the circuit breaker blew, only without the shocked screaming that usually comes from such a thing.

The world comes back...

...and everything has changed.

You're alone -- and surrounded by terrible foes.

The rest is silence; no sound can be heard.

OOC: Everyone's appearance has transformed into that of their iconic enemy! Even your attacks will look like their attacks (though they're handled normally in the csys)! However, /from your own perspective/, you still look like yourself -- so it seems like in those four seconds, everyone was ambushed or replaced or something! There's some kind of silence field on the area, so no talking! The Black Knight has the Key! Please ask if you have any questions -- and make sure your pose makes it clear what you look like to everyone else!

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

Lera yells, when she goes flying over the Sorewatese, hitting the ground. She winces, hissing as she scrapes along the ground. She whirls to face the Sorewatese as it leaps up. It's confusing; she hits hard enough that the presence of the others, including the Pretty Cures, are missed. Even Passion...

She winces, standing up, and shakes her legs out. She glances at Lancelot -- there isn't any protest at him getting the key -- and then her eyes widen, slowly, as she looks at the Sorewatese. She sees the eyes flash blue like that.

She can't make out the word.

The world changes, then -- darkness floods the world, and that makes everything confusing. "What the--"

When it comes back, she sees herself surrounded by enemies. Lera spins on a heel, looking up, to see the Black Knight there. Rushing off, she realizes, with the key. "No!" she yells. She leaps up, hand reaching out, grabbing at the key--

--and to the others, it looks as if Northa leapt off the ground. In a reverse of Lera's gritted teeth, there is a grin on her face -- and her long, white hair flutters out behind her. Her hand snatches at the key, trying to yank it away.

"You won't take it!"

COMBAT: ITEM GRAB! Lera Camry has used Give That Back! on Lancelot.
 COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking. COMBAT: Lera Camry has cancelled their attack on Lancelot. If there are more attacks that need to be +cancelled, please hold all +attacks until the process is complete. COMBAT: Lera Camry has used Inferno Slasher on Lancelot. COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking. COMBAT: Lancelot fails to dodge Lera Camry's Inferno Slasher, taking 42 Fatigue damage! Lera Camry is Psyched!

COIN FLIP: Cure Fortune flips a coin. It lands on heads!

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet takes a moment to get a hold of herself, the brief complete darkness drives the part of her that is Ruby to stress, and the part that is Sapphire and Garnet both try to keep it calm, while powering through their own sense of fear.

A sense of fear that comes with no respite as the darkness clears. She is surrounded!

Garnet doesn't recognize many of the faces here, but their malign bearings suggest their vile hearts.

She sees one she recognizes! A man who wields dark red energy. Phantom, the one who hurt her Steven! She channels her anxiety into rage, and punches towards him, though what he sees is far different.

To Phantom, a colossal being of royal blue, enveloped in flowing robes and its face covered by a shroud, it stands almost 20 feet tall. It reaches down, a haughty smile upon its lips, and casually backhands him away.

COMBAT: Garnet has used Supersonic Backhand on Cure Passion.
 COMBAT: Garnet has finished attacking. COMBAT: Garnet has cancelled their attack on Cure Passion. If there are more attacks that need to be +cancelled, please hold all +attacks until the process is complete. COMBAT: Garnet has used Supersonic Backhand on Cure Fortune. COMBAT: Garnet has finished attacking.

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

Just before the blackout, the Wind Knight was reaching over her shoulder, getting ready to nock an arrow; with the Key safely snagged, eliminating the monster was the next concern.

The world goes dark at that moment. Then it comes back ...

And a statuesque, raven-haired woman with elfin ears and a haughty look casually twirls her staff, her gaze hardening as she looks up where the (no-longer-a) Sorewatase landed, then around at the others. Her mouth opens, but she's just as affected by the enchantment of silence as anyone else.

She doesn't seem to need to speak audibly to use her magic, though: with a look on her face that mixes haughtiness, cruelty, and surprise, she levels her staff at one of the Phantoms (why are there TWO OF HIM?!) and lets a barrage of ice shards fly. She's keeping a wary eye on the other Phantom as well -

Who are we kidding? She's trying to keep a wary eye on EVERYONE HERE.

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Gale Arrow on Steven Universe.
 COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking. COMBAT: Steven Universe perfectly dodges Fuu Hououji's Gale Arrow, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge! COMBAT: Cure Fortune narrowly braces Garnet's Supersonic Backhand, taking 5 Fatigue damage! Stun applied to Cure Fortune!

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

Setsuna misses already the conversation that might have happened; was Kazuki on a date? A happy time, with her friends, with Miki's precious little brother. She might've heard Buki and Miki's cautions in time to stay quiet. ...Maybe.

But those are thoughts Passion keeps to herself, showing outwardly only the harsh readiness for battle that she needs to fight this creature. Passion swings even as she feels Berry charge in beside her, and is already whirling to the faint sound of music amidst the battle. She sees a flash of familiar magic past Cure Pine, of Lera's sword...

But she halts when she sees Soular. "You--"

The lights are out. There isn't any screaming. ...But there doesn't need to be. Passion finds herself alone amidst a crowd of terrible enemies, the boy she was fighting to help lost to her in the crowd along with her friends.

Alone. Worse than alone. She whirls around, and spots--many. She looks around fearfully as she sees Phantom, Northa... but there's Soular. She's alone here. So she has to...

She tries to say something, but finds her voice doesn't work. ...So, curling her hand into a fist, she /charges/, straight for the first foe she can--for the one who she saw first. Soular.

Everyone else sees:

White-haired and dressed in black leather, Eas stands on Clover Town Street again, her face twisted in anger as cold as the first day she set foot here. She looks around, once, obviously irritated, haughty as she regards the other villains like she always was. But her attention settles on Soular, a man with the same diamond symbol in a different color. She mouths something--and then pauses, confused, as her shout doesn't even voice.

She shakes it off, and then the Executive charges, rushing towards Soular in a black blur, her moves all too familiar. She swings past him, punching out--but it's a feint, as she spins around to kick straight for the stomach in passing.

She must be angry with him--or competing for some glory.

COMBAT: Cure Passion has used Flash Feint on Cure Berry.
 COMBAT: Cure Passion has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Berry fails to dodge Cure Passion's Flash Feint, taking 18 Fatigue damage! Cure Passion is Psyched! Exhausted applied to Cure Berry!

<Pose Tracker> Cure Berry [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

In an instant, the world was dark.

In that next instant, Berry cries out, "Kazuki! Kaz-..."

Her voice fades to nothingness. The world was nothingness - a void, and... in the next instant. She was in trouble. Surrounded on all sides by those who looked vicious and terrible, her eyes wide.

She opens her mouth to call out again. No sound comes.

And it was at that point that Eas charges her. Setsuna! No! She wanted to say, but something was wrong, something was very wrong. She tries to get out of the way, and fails, with that kick towards her belly that drives the air out of her.

No! Setsuna! she cries in silence. Passion!

Glancing past her, she sees Northa. Perhaps that was who was controlling her?! Lunging forward, and tucking herself into a roll, Berry hits the ground and rolls past Eas, pirouetting on one foot and hoping to smash twin fists into Northa's face.

Everyone else sees:

Soular looks down at Eas as her blow goes right through him as he sidesteps to one side, the twist of his lip cruel. Pathetic. Not even worth his time. He moves over to quickly dash towards Northa and... tries to punch her?

COMBAT: Cure Berry has used Bonzanza Spiral on Cure Pine.
 COMBAT: Cure Berry has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Pine fails to counter Cure Berry's Bonzanza Spiral, taking 37 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! COMBAT: Cure Pine's counterattack, Pineapple Reverse, fails to get through, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Cure Berry!

<Pose Tracker> Cure Fortune [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Cure Fortune punches the Sorewatase in the face. /Satisfaction/. She even allows herself a mild smirk as she lands and prepares for another swing.

Then suddenly everything grows dark, and eerily silent. Fortune blinks, looking around in case the monster comes from another angle--

Suddenly, there are a lot of other figures. Some she recognizes, like the Black Knight. Most, though, she doesn't. But... regardless of who she recognizes or not, there's something she can see that's crystal clear--

She's alone.

Of /course/ she's alone. She's always been alone, with her sister gone.

Her eyes sweep over the battlefield before a large blue being suddenly sweeps the back of a hand at her. Her arms come up very quickly to try and block, and the Pretty Cure remains standing, but the force of the blow does knock her back, just a little bit. But, instead of looking up at the large blue woman, her eyes find another source of anger -- Phantom. Phantom, who she had seen just a few days ago, is back here, apparently wanting to fight again.

Of course he shows up when she's alone.

It doesn't take much goading for the purple Pretty Cure to run directly at Phantom, and swinging a drastic punch directly at Phantom's face. Again.

Of course, to other people who aren't Cure Fortune, this might mean that Phantom's running like a freight train, punching the other Phantom with a giant gauntleted hand.

COMBAT: Cure Fortune has used Phantom Limb on Steven Universe.
 COMBAT: Cure Fortune has finished attacking. COMBAT: Steven Universe fails to brace Cure Fortune's Phantom Limb, taking 22 Fatigue damage!

<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyJbFHRI6YU

The Key! Lancelot has it in his grasp, and landing ina roll get sup to sprint and try to get the precious item to safety. Except that is when the lights go out. Lancelot takes two slowing steps and blinks several times, searching the darkness for anything, to which he finds only the sound of silence.

He hears his heart beat in the impossible silence of those four seconds. A steady thrumming that fills his ears, and almost feels to him to vibrate his entire being. He's about to ask Lera for help, and turns in her direction when sight returns.

A grinning girl with long white hair is there, nad Lancelot takes a step back. "I've seen enough horror movies to know this isn't good..." He says. Or would say, but the silence still engulfs him. He watches as the White haired girl known as Northa leaps at him and he leaps back, trying to get out of the way, crying out, "OH SNAP CRACKERS!" only to once again be swallowed by silence.

The Black knight turns implacable to look at Lera. The terrable monstrosity in blackened armor takes a step back to avoid the incoming assault of Lera's fire, but instead finds himself awash in her flames. However, the Black Knight's armor takes the hit and he shrugs it off. Giving Lera a contemptual glare before turning to leave. The Black knight sprints away at impossible speed given how much armor he is encased in.

Lancelot hit sthe ground and grunts as he rolls to the side. THe force of Northa's impact probably breking a rib.

Gosh. Ribs sound good.

Pushing himself up, Lancelot locks eyes with Northa, giving her a frightened look, the silence, the sudden appearance of yet ANOTHER foe he has no idea. He won't lie. He's scared out of his greaves here. He nods once, mostly to himself and pushes himself up with a wince. Then turns, and breaks into a sprint. It was time to beat feat and get the Kngiht outa here!

<Pose Tracker> Cure Pine [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

<SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqvFDUonbNU&list=PL2D68B3BCAB0950B8&index=51

The Sorewatase is leaping away. Then the lights go out.

Pine tries to call out to Passion and Berry but no sounds are made.

Her dread is growing, and when the lights come back on... to everyone else, Cure Pine has skin as white as snow that's settled over a dark forest, hair of palest blue, a circlet of branches settled around it. Settled on her is a gown that befits a Dark Queen, black, accentuated in gold and silver, its hem like a long train upon the ground. Her red and gold heels would click together, if not for the veil of silence.

Out of her back, ten vines slither one by one, like prehensile appendages, the ends of them branching out to become ten hands of foliage, they each undulate as if they have a life of their own. Pine is looking around frantically, but Northa, top Executive of Labyrinth is surveying the battlefield with a cold, and calculated look. A cruel smile upon her face.

She was looking for Berry. She sees Soular where she expected to find her. She was looking for Passion and she sees... Eas!? And Eas is attacking Soular. Was Setsuna really just pretending all along? Was it a plot!? She can't believe that!

But then Soular is coming at her. To Berry's perspective, it's like all of her vines are reaching out, trying to grasp her out of the roll as she comes up and pirouettes her to the face. They crash into the ground one by one as if in sequence, pummeling the cobbled pavement, as Berry manages to slip in and pound her hard.

Pine in reality is trying desperately slap Soular's hand that's moving like a striking snake out of the way out of the way, and grasp the wrist, but instead, Soular sends her crashing to the ground. Pine hits it hard, sliding across the pavement, and for a while lays still. She finally pushes her way to her feet, twin welts on her face.

To everyone else it looks like it takes a short time for Northa to recover, the way her vines are helping her without the use of her hands looks especially creepy, like some plant spider, or octopus. She rubs a hand against her cheek, smirking at Soular. To Passion, it might look like dissension in the ranks over who would be the first to deal with her.

She didn't really know what was going on, but Eas was attacking Soular, so maybe it was still Setsuna... maybe it wasn't. She had to know! She starts circling her way. Her head turning towards her, as she mouths something. A desperate plea towards Eas? But Eas might as well see Northa mouthing, Did you truly think you could escape me for long? It looks like she's laughing maliciously, in premonition of her defeat.

COMBAT: ITEM ESCAPE ATTEMPT! Lancelot is attempting to escape with Kazuki's Key! They must run for 2 more turns!
 COMBAT: Lancelot has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Pine has used Did you truly think...? on Cure Passion. COMBAT: Cure Pine has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Passion narrowly braces Cure Pine's Did you truly think...?, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Cure Passion's Block ability activates! Cure Passion's Parry ability activates! Cure Passion is Taunted!

<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.

An excellent denouncement! Steven is super pumped. He doesn't stand a chance with this many foes around him!

The creature takes some hits, evades others, and then leaps to the top of a building. Is someone else up there? He can't be sure! "We have to persue--"

Everything goes pitch black. Steven cant even see the sky. "Hello? Someone? Garnet?" At about the point of the first syllable of 'Someone', his voice no longer gives off sound. And the lights return. He looks relieved for a moment, until he sees what is around him. All sorts of devious looking individuals, some of which he knows! One of which he is rather scared of.

All of these individuals look menacing. But only one of them has a key! A black armored fellow ahead! The problem is, Phantom is here too! He remembers that fight... and he took a key! He has to keep it away from that guy. To everyone else, Phantom enters the fray as he does all other times-- out of nowhere. He seems to be generating a crackling red energy shield in front of him, almost as eager to lash out as it is to defend its master.

Suddenly, a woman dressed like some sort of sorceress fights a rain of sharp icicles at Steven, and he has to dodge roll out of the way quickly! He manages to avoid getting hit. Good thing too, as they look painful. The illusion Phantom just seems to... blink ten feet away, clearly out of the attack.

Of course, Stevens problems arej ust starting. Like a freight train coming across the field is Phantom, obviously here to finish the job! Steven attempts to call for help... but nobody came. No one can hear him. A vicious strike gets around his shield and clocks him right in the face, and he goes flying back a ways before catching himself. The illusion Phantom takes the hit, and almost seems to float back into a more stable position the same distance.

He cant waste time! Steven makes a break for the Black Knight, taking his cellphone out in the process as he runs toward the fleeing enemy! He closes the distance, and readies the flash on the camera, to snap a picture and blind them as he reaches for the key! Phantom, however, is just /there/, holds out a hand, and a bright red flash of light, like someone shined a laser light in your eye is emitted, with the same keygrab motion.

COMBAT: ITEM GRAB! Steven Universe has used Post To Tumblr/Vermillion Sunset on Lancelot.
 COMBAT: Steven Universe has finished attacking. COMBAT: Lancelot narrowly counters Steven Universe's Post To Tumblr/Vermillion Sunset, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Lancelot's Reverse ability activates! Lancelot's Tactician ability activates! COMBAT: Lancelot's counterattack, Veil of Steel, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Steven Universe! COMBAT: Steven Universe fails to grab an item from Lancelot!

<Pose Tracker> Honoka Yukishiro [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.

It's quite a sight to behold -- Northa charging the Black Knight, who flees only to be pursued by Phantom... who is also being pursued by Phantom, who is being hunted by a strange-looking figure in blue! And the first Phantom is being assaulted by the sorceress Alcyone, while Eas attacks Soular attacks... another Northa.

From above, the /real/ Soular, well-hidden behind the broad chimney of the candy shop's roof, smiles grimly at the masked Sorewatase. "Just a little longer, then we'll have you make your move."

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

Lera starts to notice something strange. It's first in that she stops hearing Sky; the way that he has nothing to say. But, then, she realizes that no one is talking and she saw lips move. It's strange, but what she sees demands more of her attention.

The Black Knight is starting to bolt. Lera's amber eyes widen -- and she flies up after him, coat (and dress, to the eyes of the others) fluttering after. But then she sees Phantom ahead, with a flash of light aimed down at the Black Knight. Her eyes widen.

But, she doesn't know who Phantom is.

She grits her teeth. Lera flies up further, and reaches a hand out. There is a pulse of light -- orange-red to her eyes, but dark and swirling -- that is meant to throw some otherwise harmless force into the hapless Lancelot.

Then, she swings out with her other hand, trying to snatch the key away. As she does, though, she chances a look down. Lera's blood runs cold, as she sees one particular Executive of Labyrinth -- one she thought long gone.

Her lips move to yell a name, but no sound comes out.

COMBAT: ITEM GRAB! Lera Camry has used Give That Back! on Lancelot.
 COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking. COMBAT: Lancelot narrowly braces Lera Camry's Give That Back!, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Lancelot's Block ability activates! Lancelot's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Lera Camry successfully grabs an item from Lancelot!

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

The Executives seem to be busy enough with each other that Alcyone sees little need to jump in on their scuffle - although the fact that there are two of Northa (whom 'Alcyone' doesn't even recognize) is a pretty good hint to skulduggery afoot. Also one too many of Eas, who ... well, who shouldn't still be around in THAT form unless something went horribly wrong somewhere; 'Alcyone' fully expects that she would have heard about it.

For now, the sight of the Key in Northa's hands is enough to make the ice-witch rear back and fire up another spell: once again, ice flies from the staff's crystal-ball head, but instead of a spray of icicles, it's a freezing blast meant to encase Northa in too much ice to move ...

COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has used Winds of Admonishment on Lera Camry.
 COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking. COMBAT: Lera Camry fails to dodge Fuu Hououji's Winds of Admonishment, taking 15 Fatigue damage! Fuu Hououji is Psyched! Cripple and Trap applied to Lera Camry!

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

Passion is alone, and that itself is more than enough to chill her heart. But with Miki's brother at stake... She has to try. She can't just stop. She's sure of it.

So Eas charges Soular, who seems to be trying to say... something. She isn't having it. Eas turns as--Soular ignores her, entirely. Her strike doesn't even seem to hit home. Had she underestimated him as badly as she had Westar? Had--

Northa. Passion stares, stepping back as she sees Northa struggling with Soular, now. It must be that. She might as well /hear/ the words, when she can't hear anything else, taunting that she can't escape. Laughing at her.

What's seen however is Eas glaring at the other two Executives, as if Northa just rebuked her. Face twisted in anger, she rears back--and swings at Northa before her.

Passion doesn't see the second Northa, doesn't recognize the Black Knight, can't look beyond to Phantoms. She isn't as angry as she looks; she's terrified. ...But the reality of her strike is there.

Eas swings, a red aura surrounding her as she tries to knock Northa back.

COMBAT: Cure Passion has used Passion Punch! on Cure Pine.
 COMBAT: Cure Passion has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Pine narrowly counters Cure Passion's Passion Punch!, taking 19 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Cure Pine's Reverse ability activates! Cure Pine's Tactician ability activates! Stagger applied to Cure Pine! COMBAT: Cure Pine's counterattack, Pineapple Reverse, partially gets through, doing 6 Fatigue damage to Cure Passion!

COIN FLIP: Fuu Hououji flips a coin. It lands on tails!

COIN FLIP: Garnet flips a coin. It lands on tails!

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet smiles in triumph as she pushes back Phantom, and collects herself for a follow up attack when she is interrupted by.... Phantom?!

She's not aware of his full capabilities clearly, but it would seem a very odd trick to create an illusion or double of yourself with the sole intention of attacking and disrupting you.

Garnet falls back, and focuses her Future Vision on one of the Phantoms, in an attempt to get a grip on the situation. She's not done with them by any means, but with such strangeness, and now fighting two where there should be one, she exercises caution, for all that it might be worth.

Anyone looking in her direction sees the blue colossus seem to recoil back, to sit in what appears to be a kind of throne with a canopy and wooden spider's legs. She raises her hands to her chest, tapping her fingers together in contemplation. She appears to be observing the two Phantoms battle one another, as if they were gladiators fighting for the amusement of their Emperor.

COMBAT: Garnet has used Future Vision on Steven Universe.
 COMBAT: Garnet has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Cure Berry [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

Berry notices that Northa's rage was... different. Was this Labyrinth? Was this... Eas again!

Again, to Eas' eyes, Soular seems to look at her, flip his chin, and totally disregard her, before scampering off to parts unknown. What was the truth was that a flicker of light to one side showed one of the villains trying to escape with that... glow that they stole from her brother.

And they Must Not.

With a light shove against Eas' shoulders, Berry, in the guise of Soular - dashes across the landscape - jockeying for position with others as she seeks to steal the key from Lancelot's grasp.

COMBAT: Steven Universe narrowly counters Garnet's Future Vision, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Analysis performed by Garnet! Cripple applied to Steven Universe!
 COMBAT: Steven Universe's counterattack, Repelling Shield, partially gets through, doing 13 Fatigue damage to Garnet! Cripple applied to Garnet! COMBAT: ITEM GRAB! Cure Berry has used You Can't Escape With That! on Lera Camry. COMBAT: Cure Berry has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Berry has cancelled their attack on Lera Camry. If there are more attacks that need to be +cancelled, please hold all +attacks until the process is complete. COMBAT: Cure Berry has used Quick Kick! on Lera Camry. COMBAT: Cure Berry has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Cure Fortune [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Cure Fortune does not let up on Phantom. Someone steals the key from the Black Knight? Whatever. Cure Fortune doesn't pay too much attention to Tuner matters, and for her, certain priorities come first.

Which may explain, for the unlucky Phantom-that's-not-her, why Phantom tries to grab the other Phantom and hurl him as best she can across the field. Hopefully into a wall. But she's not picky where Phantom lands, anywhere will do. Anything to make him /go away/. After this, though, she takes a moment to take a breather, casting a wary eye towards the blue woman who swept at her a few moments ago.

COMBAT: Cure Fortune has used Operatic Twist on Steven Universe.
 COMBAT: Cure Fortune has finished attacking. COMBAT: Lera Camry narrowly counters Cure Berry's Quick Kick!, taking 2 Fatigue damage! Lera Camry's Reverse ability activates! Lera Camry's Tactician ability activates! COMBAT: Lera Camry's counterattack, Sentinel Flash, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Cure Berry! COMBAT: Steven Universe narrowly braces Cure Fortune's Operatic Twist, taking 9 Fatigue damage! Steven Universe's Block ability activates! Steven Universe's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

Lancelot was running. He was running hard. With all of these enemies around, he HAD to get out of here. He was even seeing more than one of those White Haired girls. Great. She could split her form and attack from multiple directions. "I swear. One day I'm going to learn some bloody Magic." He mutters to himself. Nobody hears it, not even him. But he knows he said it.

Suddenly Phantom is fornt of him and bares a rod of doom. With quick movements Lancelot slides and slashes to disarm or drive back Phantom....

The Black knight moved to leave the area. He His head whipped and searched, noting the approach of foes all around him. With barely a glance he kept on his path.

The Boy. Steven Universe ran at him and held up a modern device, but the Black Knight's Sword swept the air between them in an attempt to drive the child back. HTe black energy, the energy of hate and malice, actually cuts the light emitted by Stevens camera as if it were a solid, but soft item. A chin mvoe indicates the child should flee, and he turns to leave.

Running. That's what Lancelot needs to do. RUN. After barely fending off Phantom, he holds the key in close and sprints, and nearly plows into the White Haired Northa. One of them. The original? Is there an original or is this is a case of twins?

Huh. Twins.

"Nope. Not gonna think about that, Mai would somehow find out." He turns to run again, another direction and blinks. While he was thinking of Twins like any red headed teen boy, Northa had made off with the Key, despite how he had braced it against his person. He even kind fo remembered resisting.

He hangs his head. "Oh snap crackers." Then turns and faces Northa, allowing the Lightning to arc and play along the blade of Arondight. "Wrong move sister."

The Black Knight tries to stiff arm Lera as she moves in to grab the key, but is somehow overpowered. As she turns to make her escape the Black Knight's formidable sword blazes wiht arcane dark energies. A black pulsing energy that radiates a malice that almsot makes death feel like a warm embrace. He turns and lashes at Lera, the blade arcing in a series of powerful strokes that radiate that dark and hateful energy.

Lancelot Leaps at Lera, spinning as he does so and calls outm despite the lack of sound, old habbits die hard, "BLADEFURY!" Unleashing a powerful series of blows that are normally accompanied by thunderclaps with each stroke fo the blade. Instead only the lighting arcs and pujlses in the silent arena they find themselves in.

COMBAT: Lancelot has used Bladefury on Lera Camry.
 COMBAT: Lancelot has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Cure Pine [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

For all of her caution, she's still approaching Eas. Any sort of belief in Setsuna Higashi costs her as Eas comes, fist shrouded in red energy. A knee whips up, suddenly, cracking into her wrist. Eas would see a vine slamming into it. But the savage blow powers through anyhow, smashing into her chest. Pine staggers back, agonizing gasps from her hurt ribs, the breath forced from her.

Northa simply rubs where the blow struck for a moment, looking mostly unphased, as if she were amused by Eas' continued defiance. But then Soular was running, and Northa's gaze followed where he was running to, seeing the shine of the key in the gauntlet of a Black Knight. Suddenly she's so focused on Soular that she doesn't note the other Northa at all in the chaos of the battlefield

Pine gasps again, but this time it isn't from pain or breathlessness, it's from her being refocused on what this was all about. Berry's brother. The key.

Bending at the knees, she's leaping through the air at Soular with eerie grace.

She punches. A vine hand surges out. Then again. She works up a momentum of rapid punching working at Soular's guard. Berry is having to fend off a forest's worth of vines appendages attacking in a blur. She works kicks into the rhythm of the flurry, which makes it look like the executive is lashing out with her stylish heeled feet.

COMBAT: Cure Pine has used Pineapple Express on Cure Berry.
 COMBAT: Cure Pine has finished attacking. COMBAT: Lera Camry perfectly dodges Lancelot's Bladefury, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Critical Dodge! Lera Camry's Fade ability activates! Lera Camry's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Cure Berry narrowly braces Cure Pine's Pineapple Express, taking 12 Fatigue damage! Cure Pine is Psyched! Cure Berry's Block ability activates! Cure Berry's Parry ability activates!

<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.

Steven's gambit fails unfortunately, and he almost loses an arm as a result of the attempt. At least he has a funny picture to send Ronaldo to send him into a fit. Mideval Illuminati or something. Maybe not-- kinda seems mean in retrospect. He will decide later. Right now, a key needs gettin'! And of course, someone else takes it. Man, this thing will be tough to bring back to its owner!

On top of all the other problems, theres a massive blue woman that looks... vaguely familiar in some way? Something about her. But that can wait, it looks like shes planning something to do to him! She's looking right at him! Also, suddenly, a Phantom shows up! Steven raises his shield, though honly helps moderately when someone grabs you and throws you.

Right at the large blue woman.

Steven uses the shield to soften the blow against them, but that is like using a brick for a pillow. on the bright side it may hurt the figure. The boy falls to the ground with a thud and begins to get up.

On the Phantom side of things, he is still grabbed and thrown, but mid flight, uses an arcing jet of crimson energy to counter the motion of flying, striking Garnet and landing in a kneeling landing pose.

Steven looks at the Phantom angrily, and readies his shield as he charges, swinging wildly at him, to get him back for the pain he caused! Likewise, Phantom launches a flurry of blows with his large cauntlet at Fortune, surely a familiar sight for an attack.

COMBAT: Steven Universe has used Shield Bash on Cure Fortune.
 COMBAT: Steven Universe has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Fortune fails to dodge Steven Universe's Shield Bash, taking 6 Fatigue damage! Steven Universe is Psyched!

<Pose Tracker> Honoka Yukishiro [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.

From his rooftop perch, Soular observes the melee amongst the Fresh Pretty Cure with particular satisfaction. His eyes narrow, though, as he spots the Key getting passed around.

"Somehow, I doubt the Chief Executive would call this job done," he muses to himself -- as the creator of this magical silence, he can ignore it at will, and anyway, he's not exactly in earshot. Still, it's a humorous sight, a fake Northa holding the Key, which is exactly what he was told to accomplish by the end of the day.

Then he winces, holding his cheek, as Fake Soular socks Fake Northa. Imagining the retribution if he screws this up -- no thanks. And imagining what will happen to /him/ if he goes down there? Yeah, no. It's a bit risky, but...

"Retrieve the Key," he instructs the Sorewatase, and obligingly the viney humanoid leaps down off the roof, right onto Lera's back, fists first! It's the same one that hurt Kazuki, only now it has a fancy opera mask attached to its head by spirit gum or magic or something (magic). A mask that has a glittering blue Data Diamond on its forehead.

And it still hits like a truck.

But a Sorewatase attacking Northa... that doesn't really make sense...

Soular realizes his mistake even as it occurs, and teleports out /instantly/. He can see what's coming. His magic lingers, though, powered as it is by that blue stone.

COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro has used Roots of Darkness! on Lera Camry.
 COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro has finished attacking. COMBAT: Lera Camry narrowly counters Honoka Yukishiro's Roots of Darkness!, taking 10 Fatigue damage! Lera Camry's Reverse ability activates! Lera Camry's Tactician ability activates! Honoka Yukishiro drains 4 fatigue from Lera Camry! COMBAT: Lera Camry's counterattack, Sentinel Flash, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Honoka Yukishiro!

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

To Lera's perspective, she comes under a furious attack from several individuals at once. Alcyone is unknown to her, but she just grabs the key when the ice shard slams into her side. It throws her back into a building -- there is a crunch, as she hits the brick facade, and leaves some cracks in that store -- and then she is flying off again.

But, to her eyes, Soular is rushing up to meet her. She isn't sure what will happen; when she sees his arm (in truth, Cure Berry's), she swings her blade down. A bright flash erupts from Soaring Sky, cross-shaped, and just keeps the Executive from reaching her.

The Black Knight isn't done with her, either. Lera gasps -- and then rolls, sharply, to the side. It's an aerial finesse and speed that Northa certainly never managed, as she barrel rolls like a jet fighter to get away from the strikes from the Black Knight -- the thunderclaps silent -- and each blade strikes thin air.

Lera's eyes widen for a moment, before she grits her teeth, then /accelerates/. Soaring Sky can't speak, still, but she catches something. His gem is blinking rapidly. Letters on it reflect in her eyes: <Above you!>

She shouts silently, spinning around, to find the Sorewatese coming down straight for her. She draws in a sharp gasp -- and the sense of something /terribly/ wrong settles in -- so Lera swings her blade up. Those vine-fists slam down, though only narrowly, into a cross-shaped explosion of energy over her body. They throw her backward.

But they don't stop her. With a grunt, Lera twirls, and then blasts off, accelerating faster and faster.

COMBAT: ITEM ESCAPE ATTEMPT! Lera Camry is attempting to escape with Kazuki's Key! They must run for 3 more turns!
 COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking.

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

The fight remains extremely chaotic, but Alcyone is still doing her best to try and keep track of who has the Key. Now it's one of the Northas who has it ....

And almost the same monster that removed the key to begin with is attacking her.

Behind the visage of Alcyone, Fuu recognizes - at least mostly - the monster whose attack started all of this, and she recognizes that blue crystal affixed to the mask (although where the mask came from, she can't really guess). Still, for all of her questions about how there are multiple villains brawling where she recognized magical girls and boys before the blackout, it's almost a relief to see one thing that hasn't changed so much ...

And with Alcyone's lips moving as if to shout another invocation, the ice witch unleashes the wrath of an arctic gale, icy shards and tempestuous winds tearing at the masked Sorewatase in much the same way that mundane storms can strip leaves and blossoms off of trees ...

COMBAT: FINISHER! Fuu Hououji has used Emerald Cyclone: Focused on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro narrowly braces Fuu Hououji's Finisher, Emerald Cyclone: Focused, taking 13 Fatigue damage!

COIN FLIP: Garnet flips a coin. It lands on heads!

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

Eas struggles with Northa, seeing amusement at the blow that stung her; Passion can feel the sting against her wrist of the counterattack, but then Soular is taking off. Northa looks too, and Passion finds herself turning to see the shine there, too--the same shine they'd been looking for moments ago.

...And both of them are after it. That makes her decision. What shows of Eas, however, is her looking after the others and staring off, a moment, before she jumps after, just a little bit late--and then stops short.

/Two/ Northas, one of which is now being attacked by a Sorewatase. ...Attacked by a Sorewatase with a Data Diamond attached to it. She still can't speak, but Passion opens her mouth as if she might say something anyway. She doesn't /get/ it.

Shaking her head, she leaps after the others, after the Northa with the shining object. She knows it's important, knows it has Kazuki's voice, or did. And so...

She kicks off a rooftop and grabs at the Key.

COMBAT: ITEM GRAB! Cure Passion has used Passion Rush on Lera Camry.
 COMBAT: Cure Passion has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet focuses on the Phantom and she sees a sort of terrible heat, as one would see in a mirage obscuring him. Puzzled, she tries to concentrate to look at the Phantom closer, and she sees a vision of that Phantom getting closer, as wrapped in chaotic energy, he slams into her face!

She scarcely has time to wonder upon this as the Phantom , wrapped in chaotic energy, slams into her face!

She groans in pain as he leaps back off to fight the other Phantom, and she grits her teeth in anger.

One of them is going to get it... she decides it's going to be the one that threw the other Phantom at her!

Garnet leaps forward and growing one of her gauntlets two sizes, fires it at the Thrower Phantom's back!

The Phantom or anyone else watching, sees the blue robed figure's mouth contort in rage, and it mouths "ENOUGH!" and points at one of the Phantoms.

A brief flicker of a single-colored warrior massive, long maned warrior, rippling with muscles but face obscured with a mask, rushes towards the Phantom, and regardless of whether its attack hits or misses, explodes and vanishes when it reaches its target or a wall!

COMBAT: Garnet has used Yes my Tallest! on Cure Fortune.
 COMBAT: Garnet has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Fortune fails to dodge Garnet's Yes my Tallest!, taking 34 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Garnet is Psyched! COMBAT: Lera Camry narrowly dodges Cure Passion's Passion Rush, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Lera Camry's Fade ability activates! Lera Camry's Flash ability activates! COMBAT: Cure Passion successfully grabs an item from Lera Camry!

<Pose Tracker> Cure Berry [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

All those vines, whipping at her.

Berry, as Soular, brings up her guard to get in the way of each one. Each strike upon her feeling a bit more... solid than a vine lash normally would. Little things were wrong here. But she couldn't stop to think about it - couldn't stop to do anything else but make sure that these enemies did not get away with her brother's key.

And Eas manages to grasp it. Eyes track from Northa to Eas, her brow furrowing - leaping away from the second Northa that was whipping her, she opens her mouth, reaching out her hand to Eas. Setsuna! No!

Berry dashes over towards Eas, lifting up her hands - fingers spread, to each side. Blocking her escape, but not attacking. Of course, Setsuna would see Soular there, looking imperiously down at her, again with that little smirk dancing at the edges of his snakey lips.

COMBAT: Cure Berry has finished attacking.

<Pose Tracker> Cure Fortune [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Cure Fortune throws Phantom away... only for him to charge back and swing many times at Fortune. She zigs and zags, moving her body to dodge all but one of the gauntlet thrusts, which rebounds on her head. Ow! Cure Fortune rubs her head just briefly (which might look like Phantom's holding his head), before movement out of the corner of her eye heralds the re-appearance of the Sorewatase.

Unfortunately for the Fortunate Phantom, this moment is all that is necessary before she gets body-checked by a large, rippling warrior. The sudden explosion actually blows her back across the street, knocking her senseless, and the Phantom kneels to recover his senses for a moment.

When her vision clears enough, Fortune looks at the Sorewatase briefly, before she swings her sight back to Phantom. Then, she looks back at the Sorewatase. Now that she's gotten some (involuntary) distance from Phantom, Iona swings away from him and instead charges at the Sorewatase.

She spins her brace's dial, and purple energy flares around her fist. "Fortune..." So what if the ever-present silence meant no one could hear her? That's good, it means it can't hear her coming as she leaps at it to punch it again, this time with /gusto/. "Starburst!"

Sure, Phantom is /right there/, and she really wants to defeat him, but the Sorewatase is a slightly higher priority. It is, after all, still attacking the city. She can deal with him later.

COMBAT: Cure Fortune has used Fortune Starburst on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Cure Fortune has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro narrowly braces Cure Fortune's Fortune Starburst, taking 21 Fatigue damage!

<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

Northa was now attempting to leave. Well. One of the Northas is, specifically the one that has the key. Lancelot twirls the blade quickly and begins to give chase, sprinting toward the key holding Northa. He blinks when the Vegetable leaps on Northa, but since he doesn't know any better, just charges forward, intent on getting the key back!

The Black knight turns and holds his massive, and vicious blade menacingly. He begins to stalk forward, armored gauntlet reaching for Lera, grasping for the key.

Lancelot charges forward and leaps at Lera. He reaches for the Key, attempting to rip it from her grasp, so he can make a mad break for the hills. Or... His bike... Lancelot snaps his head toward the Bike. If this works, he's got a way out of this mess... He hopes.

The Black Knight glares and scans the area. His visored visage falls on a red bike before it snaps back t Lera, his armored gauntlet still trying to get the Key from her.... Right up until Eas grabs the Key from Northa. With a sigh, Lancelot slashes quickly at this now person whom he has no idea who is!

The Black knight ROARS in fury over being denied his key. He turns to face Cure Passion and slashes quickly. A wave dark energy broils toward the Pretty Cure as he vents his rage throguh the menacing blade he wields. He then begins to implacably stomps toward her, the blade held in a frightening fashion, with clear intent to do harm.

Lancelot slashes, letting loose a wave of Lightning toward Eas. He resets the blade and rushes forward, ready to bring this new opponant down. He needs to get that key to safety!

COMBAT: Lancelot has used Lightning Slash on Cure Passion.
 COMBAT: Lancelot has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Passion narrowly dodges Lancelot's Lightning Slash, taking 7 Fatigue damage! Lancelot is Psyched! Cure Passion's Fade ability activates! Blind applied to Cure Passion!

<Pose Tracker> Cure Pine [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

Soular is dashing away. It was a bit strange, why wasn't he following up? What was he doing? And there's Northa. Pine freezes upon even catching a glimpse of her. Remembering a bloody silhouette of Setsuna Higashi. Remembering feeling powerless on the plane of Zero Time. And right then and there, something inside her twists and revulses at her mere presence. This time there was noone else standing with her, just a field full of enemies. A Sorewatase is coming at her? That doesn't...!

But then Eas comes into view. At Northa grasping at the shining thing in her hand. And if one could see Pine, Pine truly, then you might see her freaking out. /No No No No No/! The idea of Eas anywhere near Northa... all she can think of is that bloody silhouette, her friend impaled with vines. What could she do against her without the others behind her? But she had to... try.

Pine leaps high into the air, using her strength as a Pretty Cure to send her up high as she can, into the floating wisps of cloud cover, lit up by the afternoon sun. She spins around once, then extends a leg. At this height, it was really on a wing and a prayer for this to hit their target at all. But down she goes, in a heel drop from on high, like some golden avenging angel.

But to Lera and everyone else, in the sky, it's the dark silhouette of the Labyrinth Executive. Descending upon her like some spider rapidly descending from a web. Cure Pine's heel crashes down in an attempt to smash into Northa as hard as she can. But to Lera, the Vine arms all twist together in front of her, shaping themselves into a sharpened, glistening spear that's slanted downward where Pine's heel is. Honed to a barbed edge. Meant to impale her right through her barrier jacket if it struck.

Perhaps it might flash through her mind that it's somewhat poetic. That she'd die in nearly the same way Setsuna had.

Either way however, the blow feels blunt, more than piercing if it strikes home. And everyone but the two of them is treated to the image of Northa trying to crash right into Northa.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Cure Pine has used Leap of Faith on Lera Camry.
 COMBAT: Cure Pine has finished attacking. COMBAT: Lera Camry accepts Cure Pine's Finisher, Leap of Faith, taking 66 Fatigue damage!

<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.

Steven swings wildly at the Phantom, landing some hits in. This guy is really strong! Still the boy attempts to call out with no result. Strangely enough, the monster from at first returns to the fight! This time, attacking someone... he doesn't recognize. The person with the key. It is still after it?! Dang, if only this Phantom guy would leave him alone! Wasn't a giant laser bream into a bike rack enough?! He was in bed for days!

And then the unthinkable happens. Phantom leaves him alone, and goes after that... vine thing. Well, what then? If the vine thing gets the key, it could easily leap rooftop to rooftop away again with it! Or worse, Phantom will get it and have two!

The vine monster has to be first priority though. It could get away much easier than Phantom. Maybe.

Steven works his arm some as he runs toward the creature currently grappling for the key, grabbing his shield, and spinning with it held, releasing it expertly at the vine monster!

Phantom will have to wait... for now. For everyone else, the illusory Phantom does the painful attack unleashed at the park; a powerful laser-like attack leveled at the monster.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Steven Universe has used Throw Shield on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Steven Universe has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro narrowly braces Steven Universe's Finisher, Throw Shield, taking 20 Fatigue damage!

<Pose Tracker> Honoka Yukishiro [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.

An ice storm, a flame punch, and a fiery laser -- the Sorewatase takes all of them on the chest with progressively less success. The winds tug at its vines, the flame burns at them, the laser sears, and finally it staggers back...

...and extends its arms to either side! Vines explode out of them, straight for Alcyone, Phantom and the nearby Soular, who was just minding his own business. Maybe there's some revenge on one's master at work here.

Finally, it sweeps its arms together towards Eas, trying to grasp her and drag her down, into the concrete.

COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro has used Entangling Vines! on Fuu Hououji.
 COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro has used Entangling Vines! on Steven Universe. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro has used Entangling Vines! on Cure Berry. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro has used Quicksand Crush! on Cure Passion. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro has finished attacking. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji accepts Honoka Yukishiro's Entangling Vines!, taking 11 Fatigue damage! Tangle and Trap applied to Fuu Hououji! COMBAT: Cure Passion narrowly dodges Honoka Yukishiro's Quicksand Crush!, taking 22 Fatigue damage! Cure Passion's Fade ability activates! Trap applied to Cure Passion! COMBAT: Steven Universe narrowly braces Honoka Yukishiro's Entangling Vines!, taking 5 Fatigue damage! Steven Universe's Block ability activates! Steven Universe's Parry ability activates! Tangle and Trap applied to Steven Universe! COMBAT: Cure Berry narrowly dodges Honoka Yukishiro's Entangling Vines!, taking 10 Fatigue damage! Critical Hit! Cure Berry's Fade ability activates! Cure Berry's Flash ability activates! Tangle and Trap applied to Cure Berry!

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

The Cephiran ice-witch brings her staff up as if trying to freeze the vines while they're rushing towards her, or to blow them away with another arctic gale, or even just as though she were trying to bat them away with her staff.

Whatever she was trying to do, though, it doesn't really help - the vines smash into Alcyone, knocking her backwards and wrapping around her in a tight cocoon. There's some struggling from within it, but it doesn't look like she's going to be a factor in the remainder of the fight ... much to her chagrin.

Or rather, to the Wind Knight's - odds are, by the time she emerges, the illusion will have been broken and people will look like their normal magical selves again.

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

What finally slows Lera is seeing Eas flying right at her. She looks at her and stares -- and it shocks her right into slowing down. A glance at Sky reveals nothing; even in text broadcasts, the Armed Device has fallen quiet. She looks up, and the look she sees in those cold, familiar red eyes is as empty as the first time she saw them.

She manages to yank the key away. Lera's hand -- North's, to Setsuna's eyes -- twitches, fingers curling around nothing. But she looks, instead, at Setsuna; she sets down, in a crouch, just as Setsuna does.

Lera stares at Eas, and shakes her head. She starts talking -- her lips moving, but no sound coming out. 'Setsuna! Don't--I don't know what happened! Don't forget who you are, y'know? I...'

Northa puts a hand over her heart, leaning forward, and her expression is imploring. It looks utterly bizarre. Utterly unlike the Executive of the North. 'I don't want to lose you!' she mouths. 'So... so don't forget. You're Cure Passion! You're my--'

And then she shouts, head turning, as the Black Knight comes crashing down -- and his blade stabs at Eas. Lera starts to turn, eyes widened, and that's when /she/ sees Northa. She shouts, in panic, and she tries to bring Sky up -- but it's too late. The vines curl and weave together, and it is exactly like the time on the island.

She freezes up -- and worse, Soaring Sky does.

The heel and vines slam into and through her Barrier Jacket. They slam her backward, another wordless shout -- as, to the eyes of everyone else, Northa smashes Northa down to her knees.

She groans, silently. Then, she forces herself to her feet. It's slow -- but she cuts a look at the Sorewatese, and sees it strike at Eas. Her eyes widen -- and even more reminds her of that day back in Okinawa. Lera grits her teeth, swinging up Soaring Sky. She can't yell; she can't shout. Instead, the sword-device splits down the middle. Lightning leaps from half to half. It glows bright.

Three control rings appear, spinning -- and the beam fired from the sword shoots up the middle of the three rings, past Eas, and then for the Sorewatese!

To some, though, it looks as if the second Northa turned and fired a blast of enormous black energy directly at her Sorewatese.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Lera Camry has used Aurora Burst Ray on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Lera Camry has finished attacking. COMBAT: Fuu Hououji has left Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro fails to brace Lera Camry's Finisher, Aurora Burst Ray, taking 127 Fatigue damage!

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

'Eas' snatches the key right from 'Northa' without so much as a word. She can't speak, and she doesn't try now. She only finds herself stared at, finds the awful form of Northa starting to say something to her again. She doesn't know what the uneasy feeling she gets /is/, beyond just her fear. ...But she can't stop to investigate it. Not with the Black Knight bearing down on her.

In one sense, it's merciful what happens. Mostly, in the sense that Passion is briefly unable to /see/ the horrors arrayed against her. But the means... Well.

The Black Knight slashes quickly at Eas, who dodges the first stroke, and then the second, almost casually, the same disaffected irritation as always on her expression. That wave of dark energy doesn't even seem to grab her attention.

It does; beneath the magic, Passion steps back, now holding the Key, as she sees the Black Knight advancing on her. And when the Knight rushes...

She narrowly gets out of the way, the sword hacking right where she just was, the strain of the dodge sure. Eas doesn't show that effort. Eas is laughing.

Passion, however, is breathing hard, focused on the Knight just long enough that she almost doesn't see Soular rushing ahead of her, blocking her escape. She doesn't see Berry; she sees Soular, smirking at her, but not making any aggressive moves. Eas mouths something at him, something sharp... and that much isn't an illusion.

She stares at him, and it may just seem like a glare. But...

But she can't just run away. These are all here at her /home/. Miki's brother is still out here somewhere. She couldn't so much as touch Soular. She doesn't know what's going on. But..

What others will see is Eas, still holding onto the Key, turning back and lunging at Northa, breaking free of the lightning still crackling around her and the spots in her vision to kick her foe over again, with a silent shout.

COMBAT: Cure Passion has used Irrepressible Devotion on Cure Pine.
 COMBAT: Cure Passion has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Pine fails to brace Cure Passion's Irrepressible Devotion, taking 16 Fatigue damage! Bind Break! All of Cure Passion's debuffs are cleared!

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet fully expected a counterattack from one or both of the Phantoms, but sees them both turn to attack the newly reappeared Sorewatase.

Though she somewhat feels loathe to help PhantomS, she feels like the Sorewatase may hold the key to all of this.

And as there's a part of her that loves the path of direct action, it's honestly the only foe here that is MAKING SENSE.

R All the others have yet to attack her, despite her aggression. There's something going on here... but when in doubt, fight the evil you know. It's time to take this thing out.

Garnet focuses again on the cosmic harmony of all things, and of her own inner balance, and gathers magical energy from within herself, and from her perspective, fires a stream of massive brightly colored ball lightning at the Sorewatase!

Those watching see the robed figure raise her hand to point towards the Sorawatase, mouth something. ("Shatter them.") and after a moment, a massive beam of blue energy, as if fired from a gigantic, but unseen laser cannon, hits the Sorewatase and explodes on impact in a blinding flash!

COMBAT: FINISHER! Garnet has used Cool Electro on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Garnet has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro fails to brace Garnet's Finisher, Cool Electro, taking 80 Fatigue damage!

<Pose Tracker> Cure Berry [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

Eas dodges around her. This was... interesting. Mouthing something in return, Berry as Soular lets her hands draw into sharp fists.

None of this seemed right. She was the only magical girl in a group of evil looking people, and... well... only a few were striking at her. Only a few... like the Sorawatase. Which reminds her of its presence when those vines explode out at her, Berry as Soular lifting up her arms, slapping against her, and knocking her down and flat upon her behind. The Sorewatase is treated with a glare, even if Soular would never...

Clap*

Drawing in her breath, she says... well, nothing. Blinking twice, she crosses her eyes. Her brother's key was in the hands of what she thought was Eas. In spite of the horror that thought gave, she could focus on something. Something here that didn't belong. And if she couldn't intone what she needed to for her Espoir Shower... that didn't leave her defenseless.

Ducking her head low, she dashes forward, drawing in a breath as she leaps up... and releases the same breath in a silent cry, rocketing towards the creature's side with both her legs extended towards it.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Cure Berry has used Precure Kick! on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Cure Berry has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro fails to brace Cure Berry's Finisher, Precure Kick!, taking 45 Fatigue damage!

<Pose Tracker> Cure Fortune [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Cure Fortune manages to impact the Sorewatase, and braces for the inevitable retaliatory attack...

That never comes. Instead, the vines go after Phantom. She pauses for a moment, and briefly, there's a pang of guilt. She's not too sure why, Phantom getting vined was a good thing. It meant that she didn't have to punch him, and it inconviences him enough to make her smile. So Fortune decides to reward the plant-monster the only way she knows how -- with stars.

She spins her dial again. "Pretty Cure..." Again, no actual sound. But she can hear it, in her mind, and that's what's important. She sweeps her hand upwards, and many purple stars appear above her head. "Star Streaaam!" She sweeps her arm /forward/, sending all these stars directly at the plant monster.

In Phant-O-Vision, Phantom's gauntlet just flamethrowers the plant, sending the light, burning touch of fire all over it.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Cure Fortune has used Pretty Cure Star Stream on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Cure Fortune has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro fails to brace Cure Fortune's Finisher, Pretty Cure Star Stream, taking 54 Fatigue damage!

<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

This was going well. That's what Lancelot wanted to tell himself. Except it really was NOT going well. He had the key, then he lost it, and now he's chasing it down. Throwing some of his heaviest hits at these guys, but he's one hero. Alone. Abandoneded by his rabbit, and the magical community.

Not really. But it certianly felt like it with bad guys freaking everywhere. Lancelot crouches and preapres to spring on Eas...

The Black Knight suddenly springs toward Eas, imposing and frightening all at once. He moves quickly to block Passion's path and once again reaches for the item. The black clad gauntlet reaches for the Key that is held in Cure Passion's hand. Black power courses through the vambraces, and drips like a black, energy clad blood soaked hand.

COMBAT: ITEM GRAB! Lancelot has used Yoink! on Cure Passion.
 COMBAT: Lancelot has finished attacking. COMBAT: Cure Passion narrowly braces Lancelot's Yoink!, taking 4 Fatigue damage! Cure Passion's Block ability activates! Cure Passion's Parry ability activates! COMBAT: Lancelot successfully grabs an item from Cure Passion!

<Pose Tracker> Cure Pine [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

Northa is slammed backwards, and Pine is... a little surprised really, she didn't expect that to work. And Northa is firing... a blast of darkness at the Sorewatase? Her neck snaps in that direction as she watches. Pine/Northa then looks back at Northa as if she'd sprouted another head. Everything was so wrong here and she didn't know how to work it out!

Which is when Eas comes out of nowhere, the key shining in her grasp, lashing out with a kick that Pine can't get up her guard in time to fend off. Now her neck is whipping backwards, as she's driven up and off her feet and lifted through the air before slamming into the side of a shop.

Pine crumples, but to those looking, Northa simply looks infuriated by Setsuna's continued defiance. Pine gets up to her feet slowly, her whole form trembling and beatn and bruised. Panting from battle weariness, while as before Northa uses her vine arms to grip the scenery and lift her upright.

Her expression looks a little hurt, she's not sursure why Eas is continuing to attack her. She doesn't think she can work out what's going on here, but there's something she can do.

A Dark Knight comes at Eas, snatching the key from her hand, exuding dark energy. Northa gives Eas a look which might appear a little cold, but she doesn't move at first. Her eyes are on Soular, as if afraid he might attack her from the flanks. But instead he's going for the Sorewatase.

Pine uses this opportunity to dash at the Black Knight. The Labyrinth Executive is simply lashing at him repeatedly with vine appendages, a dark curtain of whipping tendrils. The blows behind them though, might feel like armor denting fists more than actually whip lashes.

COMBAT: Cure Pine has used Knightfall on Lancelot.
 COMBAT: Cure Pine has finished attacking. COMBAT: Lancelot perfectly dodges Cure Pine's Knightfall, taking 0 Fatigue damage! Critical Dodge!

<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.

FIghting continues on all sides, but at least for the moment, all the pressure is off of Steven and on the Monster. Or those unfortunately holding the key. Regardless, that mosnter needs to go, even if his shield didn't finish it. And with all these badguys around, they at least have a similar idea. More of them start hitting the vine thing, furthering the thought of this being the right course of action.

At least at this point everything is going fine.

Steven re-obtains his shield, and forges on, fighting it in close quarters this time. The Phantom side launching a dizzying array of repeated strikes on the same spot of the creature, hammering the gap until it breaks.

COMBAT: Steven Universe has used Shield Bash on Honoka Yukishiro.
 COMBAT: Steven Universe has finished attacking. COMBAT: Honoka Yukishiro narrowly braces Steven Universe's Shield Bash, taking 1 Fatigue damage! Steven Universe is Psyched!

<Pose Tracker> Honoka Yukishiro [Juuban Public School (10)] has posed.

More and more attention is turning to the Sorewatase. Despite its small size, it is /mighty/ -- it takes a huge black beam and blue beam (from Lera and Garnet respectively, albeit in their costumes) from either side and emerges smoking but still very much intact. Berry-as-Soular and Fortune-and-Steven-as-Phantoms are next, and at least it /looks/ like the latter only narrowly avoids flamethrowing (and punching!) the former.

But after all that beating, something changes -- Cure Berry's, not Soular's, Cure Berry's! heel shatters the blue Data Diamond on the mask, which falls to dust on the wind in a matter of moments.

And everyone is themselves again, with no blackout this time to disguise identities; it's all too clear that people have been fighting each other. Lancelot, not the Black Knight, has repossessed the Key, and even as he clings to it, he watches Northa stroll by.

The real Northa, presumably. The fakes were just as scary, but there's something intrinsically extra-awful about this one. The darkness she trails is wrung from the corners of reality, which weeps to be in her presence. Also, pumpkins are rotting everywhere in her wake.

She gives him -- gives everyone -- a little smirk.

"Consider this a preview of your suffering, Pretty Cure... and friends."

Then, with a gesture, she summons the Sorewatase back to herself -- it curls up and becomes a little seed with a wet 'pop!' -- and fades away. Waste not, want not.

Besides, she has a Despair Gauge to watch rise.

Cure Pine says, "But Fortune."

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

Lera crumples down to her knees a moment after firing that blast. She stares at it for a moment -- and then realization sets in, as Cure Berry's heel slams into the data diamond. Her eyes widen; she wavers, but doesn't collapse entirely, as she stares. And then, she sees Northa -- but not where she left her.

She gasps, softly.

Then, she realizes, as she flees. "It--" She looks around, surprised at her own voice, as she stares at the others. Cure Berry, first, then Cure Pine. Finally, her eyes fall on Cure Passion. "...it was an illusion. That--that was..."

<Close.>

Lera nods -- then she wobbles, her chest aching mightily where Cure Pine's strike hit. She doesn't topple, but she isn't chasing Lancelot. Instead, she ends up staring at Passion. The terror of a moment before begins to dissipate.

That wasn't Eas. It was always Cure Passion. She smiles, slowly, at her.

COMBAT: Lera Camry has left Honoka Yukishiro's item contest. Please check it with +item Honoka Yukishiro.

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

The Black Knight imposes, all right; Passion stops short as there's a Knight right in her face, instinctively shifting to protect herself--but that power around the vambrace isn't just meant to strike her. The Knight takes the key...

And Passion finds herself watching Soular rush the Nakewameke, except--it's...

Cure Berry. Passion blinks, looking around, spotting no double Northas, but Lancelot before her, and then--

Northa's smirk makes Passion back up another step. She can't take her eyes /away/ from the imposing woman, not as she talks, as she takes the creature back, and... And...

Her hands still shake as she looks to the faded point where Northa was, moments ago. "E-everyone...?"

She starts to look around... But there's the glow.

She sees Lera smiling at her, and she's confused. ...But, there's someone else here, someone she was concerned about, and so...

"That belongs to someone important," Passion says to Lancelot, trying to meet his eyes despite her exhaustion. "Do you see him? I lost track in all the confusion..." Her hand is out, but she isn't striking; she's looking around for Miki--clearly not the same person as Berry-'s brother.

<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

Locks eyes with northa. He still has no idea who this is, but he can certainly recognize powerful, dangerous AND evil all at once. He is silent as she walks past and smirks, while he grips his sword a touch tighter. Then Passion is speaking to him.

He takes a deep breath and lets it out. "The last time I saw this, the Key didn't need to go back. They somehow... poof into existence when these guys do this wierd stuff." He shrugs an armored shoulder.

He turns to head toward his bike. Taking careful and deliberate steps toward the bike, not looking at, but being very ready to defend himself. "I'm taking this to the Rabbit. Maybe he can tell us what's going on. Or maybe Pluto, if she doens't knock me out randomly again, can have some answers. She seamed to last time." He stops and looks over his shoulder. "We cool?"

<Pose Tracker> Cure Pine [Ohtori Academy (9)] has posed.

And then the Black Knight, becomes... Lancelot? Pine's eyes widen. Her eyes follow to the last position of where everyone was. Northa becomes Lera, Soular becomes Berry, Eas becomes Passion...

And the real Northa strolls on by. Pine feels like everything is swimming. A promise of suffering, then she fades.

"I-I-"

Not even a moment later she blurts out, "-I'm so sorry! I should have known... should have... figured it out..." It's not clear who she's apologizing to. Maybe everyone she attacked. Certainly she feels like she owes all of them one.

Her hands are shaking, her head is drooped, her eyes closed shut as if stricken by the realization. But Passion raises a good point, and she up and at Berry first, "Berry, is he-he's alright isn't he?" She's a little beaten up from the battle, but still she limps in that direction to try to catch a glimpse of whether Kazuki is still by the candy shop.

<Pose Tracker> Garnet [None] has posed.

Garnet Garnet grimaces at Northa and her escape, but tries not to despair, for all she's heard these people loudly speak about it, it seems to make them stronger, and she will deny them her strength as best she can.

She looks for Steven and makes sure everyone is still standing...

There are some bruises, yes, but everyone is up and about, and that's a start. They also managed to keep the key this time.

She makes her way over to Steven, and checks him for wounds. He looks better than many of the others here, and she breathes a sigh of relief. "Still want to find a costume shop or have we had enough dress-up fun for the evening?"

<Pose Tracker> Cure Berry [Infinity Institute (9)] has posed.

And in an instant, it all makes sense.

The data mask smashed - everyone returns to normal.

Eyes narrow, and Berry turns her eyes up towards Northa. "Labyrinth!" she says. A handful of moments more, and her tongue runs over her lips in thought. She... hurt. The fight had taken some sting out of her, and her eyes track towards. "Pine! Passion!" she asks, her eyes and torso twisting around, searching for...

"Kazuki!" Dashing to his side, Berry draws herself into a kneel beside him. "Cures - I'm going to take Kazuki to the hospital," she says, her expression tight. With that said, Berry rises - rises and starts to carry her brother as fast and as far as she can down the roadway, heading for that hospital in the distance.

<Pose Tracker> Steven Universe [Juuban Public School (5)] has posed.

Steven lays into the creature, though doesn't seem to have much effect unfortunately. Still, others attack and manage to deal felling blows together. And then altogether, someone lands a hit to the mask-like thing on what is presumably its face, and everything goes black again. A few seconds later, everyone is there, and sound plays again! "I can talk!"

"Everyone! Stop that--" And before the thought is done, the creature is gone, summoned to someone he does nto recognize, and vanishes, all with that usual telling villain remark he has read before in comics. Hearing it though is so much more chilling. And awesome in a way.

"Did we uh, did we keep the key...?" he asks. It does not take long for him to notice Lancelot with it. Well, at least an evil looking knight doesn't have it any more. He is pretty sure that guy isn't evil. His gut is usually right about these things.

"All in a day's work for the Crystal Gems," he says, dusting his hands. "Guess it was some kind of mirage. I think?" A look to Garnet. "Yes! A few badguys won't stop me from making an amazing costume!"

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

Passion keeps her feelings to herself for the moment, locked up beneath the cold tightness that Northa's warning--that everything that happened as yet unprocessed--has bound up in her chest. She looks relatively unharmed... but harrowed.

And she watches Lancelot as he starts to answer. Her attention moves to Pine, starting to apologize--butwhy?--and Berry finding Kazuki. "I--"

Berry's off. "All right," she says, watching her go. She turns again to the knight before her, seeing him move towards his bike. He does seem to know something about it.

Berry is leaving with Kazuki, and Pine is badly hurt. That means it's to her, doesn't it? So, "...If you promise that you'll tell us what you learn, and you'll be careful. Then... We're fine." She glances to Pine for confirmation, but doesn't move... Yet.

She can't quite turn to go to Lera yet, either, any more than she can towards Pine. Not until this is resolved.

COMBAT: Cure Berry transforms into Miki Aono!
 COMBAT: Miki Aono has fully healed herself.

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

"It's--" Lera hisses, softly, as she starts to stand up. One hand covers her stomach -- right where Pine's kick landed, and it hurts. She winces, then she shakes her head. "...it's fine. You didn't know, y'know, Pine?"

She glances at Berry; her eyes widen at the worry on on her face, but there is no immediate protest. Someone important? She looks at them, before she looks at Lancelot. She hesitates, before she nods.

Then she looks at Passion. "It should be fine," she tells her and Pine. "We brought a key back to Miss Lindy. They're... um, he'll be okay. She studied that one. I'm not sure on the specifics, y'know, but it doesn't have part of him in it. They're just... kinda hiding in people."

<Pose Tracker> Lancelot [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.

Lancelot gets one the bike and holds Arondight to the side. There is a flash of lightning and suddenly Lancelot is Takeo. Where he once held Arondight, is now a swor dmedallion which he puts over his neck and tucks under his racer's jacket. He nods to Passion, and picks up the helemt on the handlebars. "I'm one of the good guys," He places the helmet on his head.

With twist of a key, the engine on the bike ROARS to life. "The Rabbit, the Rabbit is all magical, I'll get answers and find you. Hopefully. Just hang out around Ohtorri long enough and you'll see." He slaps the visor on the helmet down, flashes a peace sign and guns the engine.

There is a squeel of tires, the smell fo burned rubber, and the bike is doing a wheelee. That .... Is probably not legal for him to drive at that age. The Radical Red motorbike is roaring down the road, the high pitch roar of pistons firing as he rides away.

Takeo narrows his eyes as he concentrates on driving his bike. He can feel the key. Near his hear in his jacket. It's time to get some damn answers.

<Pose Tracker> Cure Fortune [Juuban Public School (9)] has posed.

Cure Fortune suddenly stops, when the Data Diamond is destroyed and everything slams back to normal. Everything is right again, and Cure Fortune realizes that something was wrong. Phantom was no longer here, and neither was that giant blue woman. Instead, there were /others/, the people from before. Was she fighting them before? But if Phantom wasn't real, then what was causing the sheer sense of dread?

She looks up at Northa, who utters something about a 'preview' for suffering, before departing. On the bright side, with her gone the dread also disappears.

Fortune takes one look around the area, seeing all of the carnage that happened, just because of what happened. Cure Fortune takes a few deep breaths, finally ending with a very, very deep breath, the sort that fills with a grim determination. Then she leaps into the sky like a rocket, her dress-wings expanding to propel her flight as she flies away.

2016-06-09 - Locks and Keys 9

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