2016-08-23 - Sir Dancealot

Title: Sir Dancelot
Summary: Morgana escalates her conflict with the Knights of the Round Table Reborn by introducing a new kind of opponent. On the night of the ball. Thanks, Morgana.
Who: Takeo Akamizu, Azyana Konstantinov, Yua Chouku, Chihaya Izumi GM: Chihaya Izumi
Where: Ohtori Academy Garden
OOC - IC Date: 08-23-2016 - 11-15-2014

*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ Garden +*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*
  Ohtori's grounds rarely miss a chance to include flowers, particularly roses
  and poppies, whether they be in planters, decorating terraces, or engraved
  into the stone walls. Nowhere is this theme more evident than in the
  courtyard garden, an open-air enclosure surrounded by the pillars of nearby
  walkways, permitting those traversing the facility to enjoy a bit of natural
  beauty on their way to class.

  The courtyard features a French formal garden, with nature kept in strict
  manicured order, man's dominion over nature turning shrubs and blooms into
  paint for the gardener's brush. A great glass jewel of a greenhouse
  dominates the courtyard, with the same lacelike white-painted cast iron that
  decorates the walkways supporting its cloudy antique glass panels.

  In contrast to without, the garden within the greenhouse is rampant and
  lush. Order is maintained with a subtler hand, and everywhere the flowers
  and trees are permitted to spill a bit, nature's cornucopia lovely in its
  excess. Exotic, oddly-shaped blooms that would wither outside the glass cage
  flourish within the winterless warmth, and small quantities of tropical
  citrus fruits are produced, most destined to be gifts for valued visitors.

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

He was in a tuxedo, holding a single red rose, and actually had his hair combed. Takeo Akamizu's mother would be in cardiac arrest from the shock of her son, cleaned, and combed, and dressed up to the degree that he is. For his part he not only feels like a trained monkey in this outfit, but Takeo feels nervous, but not matter what happens, he had made a promise and he'd see it through. He hisses at the cold, he had also actually shaved and had cut himself more than a few times, the cold causing the tiny nicks to burn slightly.

Giving a sigh, he looks into the apartment of the other two who are heading with him to the ball. "Kant-chan, I'm certian they will not allow you to bring a baby bunny to the ball. Even a crotchety old man who is a wizard and a pain in my ass." He pinches the bridge of his nose. "And Yua, how long does it take you to get ready to go to a ball?! I thought Azyanana-chan would be the one to take forever!" He sighs again as he looks to his watch impatiently.

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

Azyana is sitting resplendant in one of the red-cushioned chairs before the vanity desk near the door, her white braid decorated with pink roses, dressed in a gorgeous green ballgown trimmed with black and rose pink. She flicks a gloved hand at her bangs and pets Merlin in the lap of her skirts, sniffing. "I am the soul of brevity," she intones. "And Akamizu should learn how to tie a bow-tie before making judgements on anybody else."

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

"Oh my gawd Takeo you look like such a nerd." Yua snarks, managing to toss her hair at just the right moment to acheive maximum effect. Hair well combed and layed tips that even the punl is taking the dance at least a little serisouly. She is in a black and white checked dress with layered skirts that end unevenly and gives the dress a kind of chaotic look. Black stockings accompany it sans-holls but ending in big sylish boots that go half way up to her knees. Scarlet lip stick match her nails but that is the extent of the makeup. "Did your mom dress you in that or was ..." waving a hand "this of your own valition."

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

Takeo Akamizu blinks and looks to his bowtie, "I tied my bowtie. I used a mirror, and a youtube video and everything!" He starts trying to get an angle on his bow tie to see if it's messed up. He looks like he might be having an annerism as he tries to pull off the Tuxedo Bow Tie Yoga without a mirror. He gives up wiht a sigh and looks to Yua as she comes out to make her declaration of "This."

Giving another blink, Takeo tilts his head just slightly. "I rented and dressed all on my own thank you." He touches the bowtie. It FEELS tied right... Then clears his throat. "Aaaanyway. You girls ready or are we picing apart my choice of the Monkey OUtfit for a little while longer?"

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

"I don't know," Azyana leans her chin on a hand, smiling. "I've got lots of valid points. Oo, Yua that looks great!" She stands up, putting Merlin up on the vanity and going over to admire Yua's asymmetrical dress, catching her hands and beaming proudly up at her roomate. "I wish I could wear lipstick like that. Do you think it would look alright on me?" Grinning, excited, she looks over her shoulder at Takeo. "You do look nice, Takeo-kun. I am just teasing you."

"Monkeys have the decency to stay in the trees," says Merlin, investigating a stack of papers and nibbling peevishly at them.

Aza ignores him blithely, and picks a rose out of a vase, sticking it into the lapel of Takeo's suit jacket. "Try not to get anything gross on it before Mai-san sees you." For her part, Azyana is natural as anything in the fancy clothes, and not in the least uncomfortable. Compared to dinner with her father and his business partners, this is going to be a fun night with friends. "You should let Yua loan you some of her perfume."

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

Yua puts on the last of her lipstick and gives an inocent shrug poping the makeup back into the container. Standing behind Takeo as he looks in the mirror giving him a moment of consideration before she starts to undo his bowtie. Pressed in behind him with oddly deft hands for such an unusual skill she starts to tie it back up. "There, now we we can be seen with you." giggling she gives a playful jab in the side. Heading over to Aza she offers the lipstick. "You can pull it off I think. Sides if you like something you should just wear-I DONT HAVE ANY PURFUME!"

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

Azyana Konstantinov blinks at Yua, taking the lipstick and looking a little startled by this exclamation. "B-but you SMELL like you have perfume," she says.

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

"Mai-san? Who said anything about Mai-san. I'm just going to a dance." Takeo says quickly as he clears his throat and blushes nearly as red as the rose he holds and the one that got put in his lapel. He does shoot Merlin a look that speaks of Hesenfeffer. Before he raises an eyebrow at the perfume comment. "Wouldn't that make it smell like I was making out with Yua, and thus Mai would murder me. With fire. Becuase she can do that."

There is a loooong pause. "Not that Mai would murder me, or her opinion would matter." He clears his throat and turns on his heels, still blushing furiously. "Aaaanyway,"he offers his arms to Azyana and Yua. "Shall we three Kanigits make a dramatic entrance to the ball and say NI, or shall we just show up, drink punch and look like goofballs?"

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

Azyana Konstantinov looks at the lipstick like she doesn't really know where to begin with it, but ends up putting it slyly down near Merlin rather than admit this. "Are we ready to go? I want to dance with someone."

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

"I-I just smell pretty." Yua mumbles fidgeting with her dress. The makign out comment ellects a over exagerated gagging "Okie thats it, I'm out. You two knuckle draggers coming or not?" grabbing what looks to be a purse and moving to the door.

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

Azyana Konstantinov phews under her breath, and goes with the other two knigts, hurrying to keep up. "My arms are a regular length from the ground, Yua-chan!" She says, laughing.

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

"Wait. Yua-chan owns a purse?" Takeo asks as he looks to Azyana and blinks in genuine surprise. Then, heads out wiht the pair. The Rabbit is left alone before the door opens and Tkaeo walks up to Merlin. "There is something I need ot Tell you Merlin."

The Rabbit blinks as he pauses in his search for Celery or Carrot. "What is it Lancelot."

"I still wish you were a goddamned horse." Then he turns and heads out, shutting the door behind him, leaving a very confused Merlin to blink and twitch hsi ears.

As he catches up to the two girls he grins. "You both look great too by the way. Some lucky person is gonna be happy to be dancing with you two." He grins as he squares his shoulders, thus adjusting the suit jacket he wears.

<Pose Tracker> Chihaya Izumi [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
<SoundTracker> All I Need is The Girl - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrokEBz5xns

TEN MINUTES AGO

Takeo, Yua and Azyana's classmate, Kensuke Kogara, has been at Ohtori since kindergarden as a scholarship student, and he's been firmly ensconced as among the nerdiest of class nerds ever since. His shabby supplies are a daily reminder of how he doesn't really fit in socially, and his only meaningful currency is academic -- which is kind of like the Euro. It's there, and people accept it, but it doesn't have the same cachet as doing business with the Dollar or the Yuan or the Yen. It's second-class importance, for sure, compared to the social hierarchy built around who has what family, and what property.

But it's all he's got for an identity besides 'the poor kid,' so it's his to accept and nurture and present. Ken dresses the part, with thick glasses and mussed hair that is constantly in need of a cut, and he does his level best to be seen as a resource to be used -- volunteer tutoring, note-sharing, homework help -- rather than as competition to be destroyed.

Of course, he sometimes gets destroyed anyway. Nobody at this institution is always the top of every test. Ken tends to get teased more than the others in his tight academic cluster, when he fails to be #1, because it's associated with him, but he bears it gracefully as the price of his reputation, along with a mix of resentment and admiration for those among his classmates who can keep up with him. His chief rival is the son of a company president who transferred in in middle school, and the two of them can get really heated and nasty about the results. His chief inspiration is another lifelong classmate, and whenever she crushes him on an exam, he always feels a bit dreamy about it for reasons it took him a long time to understand, and it's been this way since they were six years old.

But Kensuke has a secret.

He's been keeping it for years, quietly funnelling his allowance into lessons, and, more recently, wardrobe. At first he was surprised to enjoy it; after all those years being outside, looking in, it didn't seem like something he'd be into. But... not only does he like it, he's great at it. His teachers love him.

Kensuke Kogara is an incredible ballroom dancer.

And tonight's the night he finally shows it -- he's managed to rent a blue satin tux, he's got contact lenses and a haircut, and he looks like a million bucks. He's going to dance at the party. He's going to ask girls to dance with him. He's even going to ask... the girl.

Destiny is on his side. Ken's heart leaps into his throat when he sees her standing there, alone, in the garden. He'd expected to have to confront her in front of all of her friends, the whole school even, at the party, but there she is now, alone, luminous in white, her long strawberry-blond hair flickering around her like a waterfall of golden flames. Her arms are folded, as she stares off into space. She looks pensive, even lonely. And lovely, so lovely.

"I-- I-I--" She turns to look at him, and his knees turn to jelly, the self-same knees he wants so badly to use to beau her to the ball, to spin her across the floor, and maybe, finally, after all these years, spin his feelings into her heart, too. That they'd betray him at the eleventh hour like this isn't surprising. Still, he does his best, dragging his nervous eyes up from the floor to gaze into her doe-brown ones. "Izumi-san," he finally spits out.

"Kogara-kun," Chihaya replies, pleasantly but coolly, as is her wont. That she gives credit where credit is due is something he's always found admirable about her, and what steel remains in his spine is melted to slag as she continues, in tones much more of clinical appreciation than playful flirtation, "You look very dashing this evening."

"I... I-I... you... w-would you..."

"Oh, enough already. Stars and stones, this is agony to watch." Ken nearly leaps out of his skin; that low, sultry voice wasn't Chihaya at all, or any other student for that matter. The woman waltzing towards him could be a teacher, but even at Ohtori he doesn't know any teachers who look like they stepped straight out of a fairy tale. To make sure he's not imagining things, he looks back at Chihaya for confirmation, for reassurance, but her eyes are glassy, unseeing, and something below her neckline, something on a silver chain, is shining so brightly it brings tears to his eyes.

"Eyes on me," instructs Morgana firmly, sliding two fingers under Ken's chin to bring his gaze to her -- which also forces him to look up, since she's quite a bit taller. "Let's see... passion... strength... talent... discipline. Oh yes. Yes, you'll do quite nicely." She pulls her wand out of her bodice, and twirls it in an anticipatory way. "Pay attention, my dear Knight. You, too, can bestow accolades upon warriors in my name."

Ken won't remember any of this tomorrow, but right now he's distantly relieved to see that Chihaya has disappeared -- she must have gotten away -- and that a figure in frightening black armor has taken her place. "Yes, my Queen," intones the ghastly voice within the full helm. His subconscious will have nightmares about that voice for weeks.

But for the moment it's no longer his concern. Morgana takes a step back, casts a final, evaluative look at Ken, and he kneels involuntarily. She bops him on each shoulder playfully, and finally on the head, her wand trailing sparkles of unlight, purest darkness, behind it. They fill his eyes, his nostrils, his ears. They crawl underneath his fingertips. And he feels the world fall away...

"Rise, Sir Dancelot, Knight of Balls. Go forth, and smite my enemies."

"Yes, my Queen," says Ken.

Morgana holds out her arm for the Black Knight to escort her, and the two vanish. And the Knight of Balls turns to pursue his task with deadly intensity.

---

NOW

There's a steady tapping sound approaching Takeo, Yua and Azyana from further down the outdoor, columned hallway, as though someone with metal shoes is walking steadily their way. This is precisely the truth, though it's a rare suit of armor to have actual soundboards in the heel and the toe.

And then he's there, standing before them -- a figure in sleek, form-fitting black armor, with a blue satin tabard. Instead of a proper helm, he's got a matching top hat, and that tabard's got tails, too. With the haircut and without the glasses, it may take a few moments to recognize him as good old Kensuke Kogara, but his rather nasal voice is unmistakable, as he draws his cane -- straight out of Fred Astaire's closet -- and brandishes it at the trio.

BGM Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W-fIn2QZgg

"Halt, miscreants! You will have no other dancing partners tonight but me! I, the Knight of Balls, will defeat you in the name of my mistress, Queen Morgana Le Fay!"

Most of the black magic went into conjuring and empowering his gear, but some visibly lingers. His eyes are completely blacked out, and they trail that dark energy behind his every movement. Surreal as it is, this seems likely to be a deadly serious battle.

Merlin's eyes pop out of his head. "That boy... he's been ensorceled!" Talk about unnecessary exposition. Nonetheless, the bunny continues, "Morgana Le Fay is a powerful enchantress. And a cruel one, to recruit innocent bystanders to her cause. Be careful -- he would kill you if he could, and feel nothing but pride!"

COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi transforms into Knight of Balls!

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

A joke is on Takeo's lips to the girls when he hears the tap dancing, then sees the Knight of Whatever come tapping his way. Takeo blinks. "Ken-chan?" He asks before he leans over to Azyana and Yua to whisper, "I told you I could have gone in armor ... " But then Ken makes that pronouncement and Merlin confimrms that this, this is now a creature of Morgana.

Takeo takes a step back and his eyes narrow, "Ken-chan. Yer gonna make me late to my dance with Mai." He states evenly then looks to the other three, "Be careful, if Morgana is here we're in for some trouble." He nods once and removes his Kngiht's pendent form the chain around his neck and under his shirt. "Alright Knights! Let's get ready to Break Dance! TRANSFORM!"

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

Azyana gasps, a hand flying up to her mouth. She doesn't recognize Ken at all; she's probably never once really looked at him as they move in their own totally seperate, often inward-looking circles. But unlike Takeo, she recognizes the scene for what it is almost right away, seeing the black pits of the boy's eyes from across the moonlight-cut stone hall. But she drops Yua's arm, and puts her hand to the brooch at her throat... and pauses. And looks dead-serious at Takeo.

"I am -not- transforming to that, Takeo-kun," she grates. "Talk about tacky!"

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

"Hee- Knight of Balls? Really?" Hand to her mouth it takes all her effort to not simply fall on her ass laughing. "o-oh-haha- okie Tanuki knight chill. I'm gunna-hahaha need a moment." free hand she props herself up againt the wall of the hall for support. The most powerful attack of this knight is clearly the way his joke of a name is slaying poor Yua! "Guys we need a little hard rock? Dubstep to victory?" she wants to say Motsart to victory buuuut ...

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

"Ugh. That was worse than mine. Look. Let's just transform and gently kick Ken-chan's butt, so we can get to the ball on time." Takeo says looking to his watch. "Just. Transform. We'll come up with a catching catch phrase later." He turns to look at Dancelot. "Sorry. We're new at this. One moment." He then holds his amulet high and calls out:

"I SWEAR TO DEFEND THE INNOCENT!"

Lighting erupts form the sky to slam into Takeo. Each bolt shattering the darkness of the night sky with blinding light and and booming thunder. As each bolt hits him, a new piece of armor appears on his person. Finally he holds out a hand and a bolt of lighting slams into it, the bolt freezing and glowing brither until he holds the shining Blade of Arondight. Lancelot twirls the blade then surges forward, "LIGHTING SLASH!"

Arondight is swung, sending a wave of electrical energy toward Dancelot, the Knight of Balls. He then leaps to the side, so that he can avoid a possible counter stroke, and NOT be in the way of Tristan or Galahad's attacks.

COMBAT: Takeo Akamizu transforms into Lancelot!
COMBAT: Lancelot has used Lightning Slash on Chihaya Izumi.

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

Still giggling Yua digs into her purse to pull out her own charm like amulat. Holding into the air she laughs.

"I swear to defend the flames of passion!"

Fire pours from her charm consuming all of Yua save for her brightly glowing eyes for a brief moment. The fire coalessing about a darker center of a silhoutted girl. The fire pulls back forming into her half dress with an explosion of sparkles, and again with pieces of armor along her sides and chest, the frills of her cuffs, even the goggles that set on her head. Lastly a rapir of fire cools into metal, hollow in the center with a single string up the center like the bow of for playing a cello.

In one last burst of red and yellow sparkels Yua rushes forwards with her sword taking a wide swing. "You might be a dancer, but can you keep a pace for all three of us?"

COMBAT: Yua Chouku transforms into Tristan!
COMBAT: Yua Chouku has used Sword Slash on Chihaya Izumi.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi narrowly dodges Lancelot's Lightning Slash, taking 6 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Lancelot is Psyched!
Chihaya Izumi's Fade ability activates!  Chihaya Izumi's Flash ability activates!  Blind applied to Chihaya Izumi!
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi narrowly counters Yua Chouku's Sword Slash, taking 5 Fatigue damage!  Chihaya Izumi's Reverse ability
activates!  Chihaya Izumi's Tactician ability activates!
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi's counterattack, Balls To The Wall, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Yua Chouku!

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

Azyana clasps the brooch at her throat and with a sure movement removes it and lifts it up toward the shadowed arches of the moonlit collonade;

"A maiden knight-- to me is given

Such hope I know not fear!"

The words of her oath lift her up and draw the snow from the winter grounds outside the covered walkway in a fantastic whirl around her as her body glows white hot and hard to look at through the fabric of her clothes, like a pillar of light scudded by clouds.

Her ballgown, unlike the others of her team, is not changed; instead the Pure Heart Cabochon in her hand transforms with a whirl of sparkles and snow and white rose petals into the magical sword of Sir Galahad, long and glittering in her hand.

She sets back down onto her feet with a click of her shoes, and shakes her sword to one side with a scatter of glittering motes that splash onto the stone and shine there like icy drops.

"If Morgana has perverted him, we must try not to hurt him!" she states in imperious, ringing tones. "Destroy his armor!"

COMBAT: Azyana Konstantinov transforms into Galahad!
COMBAT: Azyana Konstantinov has used Nimue's Grace on Chihaya Izumi.

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

Azyana Konstantinov paces toward the Ball Knight, her sword held out to the side slightly as if to invite an attack through seeming inattention to her own defense. It is intentionally luring him, though whether this should work or not is uncertain!

COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi perfectly dodges Azyana Konstantinov's Nimue's Grace, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Dodge!  Chihaya
Izumi's Fade ability activates!  Chihaya Izumi's Flash ability activates!

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

Toe-tapping all the way, the Knight of Balls, swirls alongside Lancelot's electricity, closing the distance between them even as his classmate tries to retreat. All of his movements generate very real force -- and music, upbeat foxtrot music, but it's the force that matters. As he spreads his arms and spins, it's like karate-chops in Lancelot's face.

They're near one of the big, palatial pillars holding up the roof of this exterior hallway, and when Tristan closes in with a strike and a taunt, he simply taps his way up the pillar, such that he's parallel to the ground, out of the way of her strike. "I'm not the one who's going to struggle to keep up," he gloats, before trying to smack her about with his fancy cane. It hits like a mace, ow.

Galahad's bait, sadly, catches as much fish as Saionji when he's camping, which is to say, none. "Try not to hurt me?" Ken cackles, still dancing on the column, "You'd be better off looking out for yourself! I've never felt more aliiiive!" Gesturing with that cane, he summons a fireball -- it's black fire, palpably evil -- which sails straight her way.

COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used It's A Ballroom Blitz on Lancelot.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used Dancing Through Life on Yua Chouku.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used Great Balls Of Fire on Azyana Konstantinov.
COMBAT: Lancelot narrowly dodges Chihaya Izumi's It's A Ballroom Blitz, taking 21 Fatigue damage!  Chihaya Izumi is Psyched!
COMBAT: Yua Chouku perfectly braces Chihaya Izumi's Dancing Through Life, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Brace!
COMBAT: Azyana Konstantinov fails to dodge Chihaya Izumi's Great Balls Of Fire, taking 20 Fatigue damage!  Blind applied to Azyana
Konstantinov!

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

Spinning in place, Lancelot tries to get away from the fire that comes racing in on him, but only manages to barely avoid the seething flames coming at him. The fires melting the ice and snow, what little has accumalated, and scorching his armor slightly. "Get ready Guys!"

He leaps back and calls out: "FLASH BANG!" Sending a burst of lighting sailing toward the Knight of Balls. Even if it was going to hit him, it detonates at eye level with a bright white flash and a thunderous burst of sound. He lands ina crouch, Arondight crackling wiht lightning, and one hand to the cold ground to steady him, or give him more leverage if he needs to spring again. "Hit with the big attacks!"

COMBAT: Lancelot has started a combo targeting Chihaya Izumi!

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

Yua knocks the attack away with her blade, the string part of it scrapping his cane and humming out a tune that runs discordant to the dancing knight's growing theme music. "Nice trick spider man, but maybe you should focus a little less on your foot work and a little more on your sword play?" sword coming up again for another swing, this time though its a feight her foot coming up for a rather un-sportsmanlike kick right into the knights namesake.

COMBAT: Yua Chouku has joined the combo started by Lancelot!

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

As Tristan goes low with a kick for the fork in Ball Knight's armor, Azyana runs up behind her, and springing weightlessly up over Yua's head, comes spinning down with a graceful slash at the knight's right pauldron.

COMBAT: Azyana Konstantinov has joined the combo started by Lancelot!
COMBAT: COMBO! Lancelot, Yua Chouku, and Azyana Konstantinov have used Combo: Knights Dance Attack Lightning Dance Show, composed
of Flash Bang, Ding! Fight!!, and Sword Slash, on Chihaya Izumi.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi narrowly dodges Lancelot, Yua Chouku, and Azyana Konstantinov's Combo: Knights Dance Attack Lightning Dance
Show, taking 26 Fatigue damage!  Lancelot, Yua Chouku, and Azyana Konstantinov are Psyched!  Chihaya Izumi's Fade ability
activates!  Chihaya Izumi's Flash ability activates!  Diversion and Stagger applied to Chihaya Izumi!
COMBAT: Azyana Konstantinov transforms into Galahad!
COMBAT: Yua Chouku transforms into Tristan!

<Pose Tracker> Chihaya Izumi [Ohtori Academy (11)] has posed.
<SoundTracker> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6skpCNIoes

Teamwork pays more dividends than taunts, it seems, because as wicked fast as the Knight of Balls is -- and he is, to be sure, very fast, so graceful that he virtually teleports with every motion -- he can't dodge everything all at once. The electric flash detonates in his face, and he throws up an arm, grumbling, and with a monumental act of athleticism, pulls his legs -- and what's in between them -- out of the way of Tristan's kick. That leaves no time left for Galahad's strike, though, which clangs loudly against the right pauldron and knocks Dancelot right onto his Danceabutt.

He rights himself with a kip-up front-flip, though, because he's dancy.

"Bravo, a tour de force!" he all but sings. "But I cannot allow failure to shame my Queen -- try following this!"

He goes into a furious tap routine, and it's pure sonic hell -- little sonic footprints, visible to the naked eye, start marching up Lancelot. They somehow try to trip Tristan, like she's being assailed by a thousand tappy feet. And Galahad gets the grand finale, a cartwheel-cartwheel two-footed-kick-off-her-face!

RUDE.

COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used I Feel Better When I'm Dancing on Lancelot.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used God's Gift To Ballroom Notoriety on Tristan.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used Wrecking Ball on Galahad.
COMBAT: Lancelot narrowly braces Chihaya Izumi's I Feel Better When I'm Dancing, taking 4 Fatigue damage!  Lancelot's Block
ability activates!  Lancelot's Parry ability activates!  Bind Break! All of Chihaya Izumi's debuffs are cleared!
COMBAT: Tristan perfectly dodges Chihaya Izumi's God's Gift To Ballroom Notoriety, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Dodge!
Tristan's Fade ability activates!  Tristan's Flash ability activates!

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

Instrincts. Luck. Somehow, Lancelot manages to slash with Arondight and parry the incoming dance number with both sword and his own legwork. "Okay Ken," He says as he steps back and rolls a shoulder. "You're really starting to piss me off." He takes a few more steps back, sets himself and charges.

As he rushes forward, lgithing gathers on arondight and crackles in the evening air. When he attacks it is impossibly fast, about as fast as Sir Dancelot actually. The blade flashing in quick and rapid successions as he screams, 'FURIOUS ASSAULT!" Each stroke exploding with a burst of lighting, and a roar of thunder.

COMBAT: Lancelot has used Furious Assault on Chihaya Izumi.
COMBAT: Galahad narrowly dodges Chihaya Izumi's Wrecking Ball, taking 18 Fatigue damage!

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

"Ah!!" Galahad lifts her free right hand and flows to the left, letting that doublefooted kick brush past her forearm as she spins in past it along the length of the Ball-Knight's attack, skirts swirling around her legs and braid swaying. His totally rude move dislodges one of the pink roses from her hair, and she shakes her head, sending more petals carelessly tumbling. "Ball-knight, you are interrupting my date with Tristan. Don't you feel a little remorseful?"

And she sweeps out her sword, running out into the snowy grounds outside the pallisade, leaving a line of footprints in the peerless white. With the moon shining down on her shoulders and her breath steaming, she shakes her head again, trying to see clearly through the ghost flashes dazzling her vision still. "Fear not! I will find the source of Morgana's hold on you..." she points her sword at him, and her voice bounces off of the walls of the dorm. "...AND CLEANSE IT!" And with that, she advances again, rushing headlong it seems with her clear green eyes fixed on the Ball Knight and her sword singing in the air.

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

Tristan easy moves out of the way of the dancing maniac keeping the pillar between them. "Please your moves are practically scripted." Sure she hasnt landed a hit-persay but neither has he managed to hit her. "But you mess with my friends one more time or you are going to learn 'Break a Leg' can be a whole lot more literal." taking possision of support for her allies.

COMBAT: Tristan has used Nobody Bosses Around My Friends But Me! on Lancelot.
COMBAT: Tristan has used Nobody Bosses Around My Friends But Me! on Galahad.
COMBAT: Lancelot accepts Tristan's Nobody Bosses Around My Friends But Me!, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!
COMBAT: Galahad accepts Tristan's Nobody Bosses Around My Friends But Me!, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!
COMBAT: Galahad has used White Briar on Chihaya Izumi.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi narrowly braces Galahad's White Briar, taking 9 Fatigue damage!
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi fails to dodge Lancelot's Furious Assault, taking 19 Fatigue damage!

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

Lancelot finally catches up with the Knight of Balls, and performs upon him a great exorcism, a baptism of pain. Little arcs of electricity crackle around the black armor, afterwards, leaving scorch marks on the pretty blue tabard. Azyana, meanwhile, is able to feel, easily, the sense of corruption increasing whenever she approaches poor Ken. He's clearly not himself -- Merlin was telling the truth. But this is the sort of dark magic that need not be burned away by literal fire; there are other, kinder magics for such things.

"I fear nothing, not even death!" he gloats, even as he falls back from Lance, putting a fireball in between the two of them. Then, at last, he draws his sword from the fancy cane -- of course it was a sword-cane -- and comes upon Tristan full-force, with a one and a two and a stab stab stab.

Galahad can feel the same strikes, transmitted sonically, stabbing straight at her chest.

"Everything for Morgana!"

COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used Great Balls Of Fire on Lancelot.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used It's A Ballroom Blitz on Tristan.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used It's A Ballroom Blitz on Galahad.
COMBAT: Lancelot perfectly counters Chihaya Izumi's Great Balls Of Fire, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Counter!  Lancelot's
Reverse ability activates!  Lancelot's Tactician ability activates!
COMBAT: Lancelot's counterattack, Veil of Steel, interrupts, doing 0 Fatigue damage to Chihaya Izumi!
COMBAT: Galahad narrowly dodges Chihaya Izumi's It's A Ballroom Blitz, taking 37 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Chihaya Izumi is
Psyched!
COMBAT: Tristan narrowly braces Chihaya Izumi's It's A Ballroom Blitz, taking 7 Fatigue damage!

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

"Veil of Steel!" Lancelot calls out and Arondight becomes just that. The fireball is deflected skyward where it explodes harmlessly in the sky. He twirls the shining white blade and then sets himself into a combat stance gritting his teeth. This is taking WAY too long. Oh man. If he looks at his phone, he's POSITIVE he has about a million missed texts from Mai ...

"Tristan! Keep up the presure! Don't let this guy think he can dance to YOUR tune! ROCK HIM!" He circles the Knight of Balls, searching for an opening on his classmate, Arondight held at the ready

COMBAT: Lancelot has used Go get 'em! on Tristan.
COMBAT: Galahad has used Bracing Wind! on Galahad.
COMBAT: Galahad accepts Galahad's Bracing Wind!, taking 0 Fatigue damage!

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

Tristan again forced to parry the flurry of attacks from the dark knight. One after another, even she is starting to be surprized how well she is keeping this monster at bay. That last thought of overconfidence is enough to get the slightest scratch off. A purly superfical cut allong her cheek. "Guys a solution to fixing ... what even they did to Ken-san would be great right about now I'm kind of newer to this than you guys." was there a trick or a weak point? This isnt how the video games said it would be! Where is the glowing, flashy point of weakness?

Without her Chello Tristan is without her easy tool to play music off of but that doesnt stop an inventive mind. Rebembering how her sword played musically off the first volly of strikes from the Dancealot she strikes back. This time its her unsual attack angles are aimed to paly against the sting on sword. The notes like little sonic genaids.

COMBAT: Tristan accepts Lancelot's Go get 'em!, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Tristan is Cheered!
COMBAT: Tristan has used Butterfly Cello Shot on Chihaya Izumi.

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

Galahad has to catch her breath, her strength flagging. But she can sense the evil energy coming off of Ken in waves, and she knows she has to keep fighting. She shakes herself, taking the defense of her allies for a moment to try and rally her own strength and determination.

COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi fails to brace Tristan's Butterfly Cello Shot, taking 32 Fatigue damage!  Tristan is Psyched!

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

It's just Tristan and the Knight of Balls for a few moments as Lancelot cheers her on and Galahad catches her breath. At first the Knight can keep up, parrying Tristan's sword with harsh impacts, but he can't do that and deal with the sounds -- the sonic assault surrounds him on all sides, detonating all at once and blasting him ten feet down the hallway.

He's smoking, afterwards, the smell of melting steel white-hot, disturbing, on the air. Whatever black magic is empowering Ken seems to be protecting his body from most of the harm that could be wrought upon that skinny frame, though.

He goes into a spin, which cools him down, sending all of the heat out of him and into the air. It erupts into a firestorm, with him at its heart; they dance, together, Ken and the fire, straight up to Galahad, trying to catch her while she's weak and draw her into a deadly dance. Smaller bursts of flame shoot out in all directions, threatening to set Lancelot and Tristan alight, too.

COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used Great Balls Of Fire on Tristan.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi has used Great Balls Of Fire on Lancelot.
COMBAT: FINISHER! Chihaya Izumi has used I Could Have Danced All Night on Galahad.
COMBAT: Galahad narrowly dodges Chihaya Izumi's Finisher, I Could Have Danced All Night, taking 41 Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!
COMBAT: Lancelot fails to dodge Chihaya Izumi's Great Balls Of Fire, taking 20 Fatigue damage!  Blind applied to Lancelot!
COMBAT: Tristan perfectly dodges Chihaya Izumi's Great Balls Of Fire, taking 0 Fatigue damage!  Critical Dodge!  Tristan's Fade
ability activates!  Tristan's Flash ability activates!

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

Galahad is caught up in the maelstrom, swept off her feet and swirled about in an inferno. OH! That's a hot beat! But she rights herself midspin, and while the flames lick about her like salamanders, she fixes her gaze on the Ball Knight, thrusting her shoulder in so that she half-faces him in the great whirl.

With a physical impression, a PULSE of cold goes out from the core of Galahad, whose heart shines through her body like a core of glorious diamond ice, limming her body in black by contrast.

"Kensuke Kogara!" Her voice is a bell, and her eyes green flame in the whipped white mess of her hair. "Throw off the shackles of evil! You needn't die for Morgana!" Gripping her sword, she lifts it and grounds herself with a twist of her hips so that her feet plant down on the snowdrift stone and score tracks in a perfect arc as she comes to a stop two arm's lengths from the Ball Knight. Where her feet dragged in landing, verdant, impossible life springs from the rock as curling moss-roses and blue delphinium, curling green fern and tiny redcap mushrooms glowing with inner, delicate beauty. The sword in her hands throbs again with her heartbeat, and she slides back a step, lifting it to her shoulder in a martial, challenging pose. Its glassy blade steams, as a thing of pure ice might upon touching hotter air.

"Instead, LIVE! Be yourself again!" She cries, and springing forward, thrusts the sword toward his heart and the breastplate of the black, smoking armor.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Galahad has started a combo targeting Chihaya Izumi!

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

As Glahad let's loose with the banishment, Lancelot rushes forward, Arondight trailing a river of lighting bolts that blast down from the sky to strike hsi sword. "TRISTAN! We have to buy Galahad time while giving her our power! Go for the RRight, I got Left!" And he puts actions to words.

With every step as he rushes in, a bolt of lightning slams into his sword, the energy pouring off the blade even as the thunder echoes and peels off the surrounding buildings. He cries outm "CHARGING ~" Pouring his essence and power into both his blade and Galahad's Banishment. He leaps and slashes in perfect time with Galahad, "ASSAULT!!"

Normally the lighting unloads on the subject, but this time the lighting adds it's power to Galahad's Banaishment strike. But the thunder. The ever loud thunder explodes all at once, shattering a window, and sending snow flying in every direction.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Lancelot has joined the combo started by Galahad!

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

"Your passion for dance is your own! Its blongs to no one but you!" Tristan holds up her sword wreathed in fire. A pair of flaming butterfly wings spring from her back, rather than letting her fly they seen to jet her towards Ken with a neck break speed. Her moments for a moment outpace Dancealot's apearing as if at muliple places at once. The flames spiral about her feeding the power of Galahad's trike. "Spring Knight!" she calls out Blade steaking down at the Kight of Balls an attack not aimed to hurt but pin him down keep him still long enough for the true attack rto make it through his gaurd.

COMBAT: FINISHER! Tristan has joined the combo started by Galahad!
COMBAT: COMBO! FINISHER! Galahad, Lancelot, and Tristan have used Combo: Knight's Order Banishment!, composed of Lux Ex Tenebris,
Charging Assault, and Spring Knight, on Chihaya Izumi.
COMBAT: Chihaya Izumi fails to brace Galahad, Lancelot, and Tristan's Finisher, Combo: Knight's Order Banishment!, taking 457
Fatigue damage!  Critical Hit!  Chihaya Izumi is unable to keep fighting!

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

This fight started unexpectedly, and it ends all at once, too. Galahad's holy sword thrusts straight into the armor like a hot knife through butter, piercing Ken's tainted heart, at the same moment that Lancelot's lightning shreds that false raiment it to nothing. Heart and armor alike explode with evil energy, which rends the very air with blackness, with screaming, with pain from a bygone age, rent forward into this one. But Tristan's flames are there, there to engulf and embrace the darkness and burn it straight out of existence, before it can find another victim.

During all this, Ken screams, piercingly, then collapses. But his best vest and his tweed, pressed and his blue satin tux are untouched; the Knights have successfully managed to free him of Morgana's enchantment without harming a hair on his head.

Still, the way that he lies there, completely unmoving, for a few crucial moments, is a little bit worrisome. In the aftermath, though, he stirs and gets to his feet. "Aw, man -- I must have fallen over and hit my head or something," he complains... then sees how dark it is outside. "Aw MAN! Did I miss the dance? Did you miss the dance?! Why! Aren't we at the daaaaaance?!"

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

Landing in a crouch, Arondight steams in the cold and Lancelot lets out a breath. Then he looks over his shoulder. The Knight of Whatever, the servent of Morgana was defeated. More importantly Kensuke Kogara, his friend and sometimes study buddy (Usually more video games in the guy's dorms, as let's be clear. Takeo does NOT study) was saved. He stands and moves to chekc on the guy. "Poor guy. This is new though, Morgana hasn't done THIS before." He rubs the back of his neck as Ken suddenly asks the prevelant question, and then suddenly his head looks up, his eyes wide with terror...

"Oh snap crackers ... the Ball!" He looks around and then calls: "SPARKLES!" A bolt of lighting answering his call, and a Horse comes trotting through, lazily chewing on an apple. "Heya girl. No time to explain. I gotta get to the ball. Like Fast. Can you help?"

In answer, Sparkles spits out an apple core and indicates wiht a snort and a stomping of hooves for the Knight of the Round Table to get the hell on. He looks to the others. "Guys." His armor slowly begins to fade, revealing the Tux underneath. "I HAVE to get there, or Mai is going to murder me. And she can totes summon a Dragon. Bird. A big thing that destroys Space Stations and worse yet she might not cook bacon for me. Like. Ever again!" This is clearly a serious predicament. "So. Um I'll see ya there!"

And with that, Sparkles rears, front legs pawing the air, and is suddenly off. He leans down on the neck of his horse, his bestest buddy as Sparkles pours on speed, iron shod hooves slamming into Ohtori Academy's paving stones. The mighty magical warhorse actually digging furrows IN THE CONCRETE, as she slams her hooves down and presses off. Going faster and faster toward the destination.